Chapter 16
What should I do about this?
Should I wash it first? And then disinfect it... with poison? Veno? Do you know how to make laundry detergent?
I know how to make soap, but will that do?
I’m not gonna destroy it if I don’t wash it a certain way, will I?
‘Calm down. After doing that, check your status. Another option has appeared.’
Huh? Being told to, I check my status.
... oh? There’s a skill named Call Fungus. Was it there before I got back to the inn?
‘It was there when you finished hunting and were returning home this afternoon.’
I don’t want to dig deeper and ask when he checked my status, but it was already there then?
Call Fungus... to take it literally, I would summon a mushroom?
... hmm? There’s another layer to that menu.
The second option is Call.
As soon as I activate it, it blips, and yet another option pops up.
At the same time, my moldy robe starts... squirming around. One of the mushrooms growing on it starts to expand.
“Whoa?!”
I shrieked out unconsciously and I back away from my robe.
Come on, that’s scary.
What’s seemingly like just a shiitake is plumping up.
A monster? Did I just find a parasitic monster on my robe? And now that it’s been found, the mushroom is showing its true form and gonna attack me?
Before long, the mushroom that was on my robe grew to the height of where my hip is. Its cap is at an angle and its stem is slightly bent backwards.
Blinking in surprise, I feel like our eyes met.
“Muu!”
It raises one of the slight protrusions from its stem—its hands?—to greet me.
I gotta take a closer look at this thing.
It’s got two big round eyes attached to its stem portion with a cartoonish mouth underneath them.
And below that are its hands, one from either side... at the base of it are two feet-like protuberances.
It has another mouth on its cap and from it a tongue sticks out.
Its outward experience is both cute and gross at the same time...
‘Myconid or fungus is what one would call this monster.’
Veno explains it to me.
Hmm...? Fungus?
Its name is –... it’s blank.
‘It is because it is a servant you have summoned, is it not? Look, it shows on your status screen.’
“Huh?”
“Muu?”
–
Mutated Myconid
Fungus
Level 1
Acquired skills: Spore Scatter, Self-Regeneration, Stamina Recovery Rate Increase (Weak)
I can thoroughly check its status, but the part where the name should be is just a dash. Is it alright that no name’s been registered?
“Jump.”
“Muu.”
I commanded it to jump and it did.
“Spin around three times and make a sound.”
“Mu... mu!”
The mushroom splendidly twirled around and called out.
Yup... there’s no doubt about whether or not he’s following my orders.
“Why is this mushroom getting tamed by me?”
In an MMORPG, you’d have to tame a monster for them to be your pet.
Others might use a different word, but I like “taming.” It’s affectionate.
‘It is likely due to the influences of Hunting Sense. Or perhaps it one of the fruits of your labor, your training as a Poison-Wielder.’
You’re saying it’s not due to our Spirit Link?
‘It is not so that I am unable to create subordinates of my own, but it would be difficult for me to do so in my current state. I do not even have the mana to do so.’
“Muu!”
The mushroom points at the robe of which where he grew from, at me, the compounding machine, and at the direction of the swamp.
Then after that, he points vaguely behind me... hey, cut that shit out.
Are you trying to saying there are spirits here?
‘Is it not so that he is pointing at me?’
“Muu.”
It nodded in agreement and bowed to Veno.
It can hear him?!
“Muu muu.”
‘Aye, indeed... somehow, the spores drifting in the air in the swamp clung on to the robe... the combination of the poison you release, the toxin of the swamp, and the miasma, along with the mixing of pharmaceuticals, and my powers all got mixed together, giving life to this mutated being. And now, it wishes you to be its master as you are the one who had sublimated it. That is my guess at what it wishes to say.’
“Muu!”
The mushroom nods in agreement at what Veno had said.
Still, this is a lot to take in.
“So, what you’re saying... umm, the spores that were stuck onto the robe interacted with stuff like my poison and suddenly mutated... and the result is that it wants to follow me?”
“Muu muu!”
If you keep nodding that hard, your head might come off loose.
More importantly... I don’t get what the mushroom saying at all.
‘Even with my Seal of Solomon, it is not translating its words. It was no more than from its body language that I got my understanding.’
“Muu.”
Aren’t you a little too good at guessing?
It’s probably because you’re both monsters, right?
‘Were you not wishing for comrades? Here is your chance, is it not? This solves at least one of our problems.’
You’re not wrong... but is it really okay? To take a monster into our group so casually?
And not only that, how do people treat monsters working under them in this world?
“Am I to simply summon it when no one’s around?”
‘There exists a tool for this. A collar is used on low-ranking monsters or slaves by their masters. To imitate that, we could use a belt instead to signify that it is no threat to others. We can always buy the proper collar and have it wear it at a later date.’
You don’t have one on hand, Veno?
‘I do have one back at my lair. Unfortunately, I have none with me at the moment.’
Mm...
‘How about trying to craft a belt out of tanned hide? Aye, do it yourself.’
Alright, alright.
Because of that, I cut the leather with my sword and shaped it into a belt. I tie it around the mushroom’s... waist? The part between its hand-like protrusions and its feet.
“Mu!”
The mushroom seems happy. But some time later, I should switch it out for a master-servant relationship-signifying collar, right?
‘For the mean time... that would be right. You should claim it to be a homunculus made through magic and pharmaceutics. Cohgray of the Swamps.’
Was it better to use my nickname there?
What sort of position am I in right now?
‘Well, now... we must face the situation at hand. What shall you do about this creature’s name? It is necessary part of the process.’
“Hmm...”
While gazing at the mushroom hopping around for joy, I ponder on a name for it.
“Since it’s always crying out ‘Muu muu,’ how’s Muu?”
Honestly, it’s a total chore to think of a name.
At least it’s better than names like Kinoko, or Matango, or Eringi.
‘That is considerably an awful list of names... and to say that it is the best of all of them...’
“Muu!”
It seems happy to be named Muu.
There’s a certain charm to it, don’tcha think?
Anyway, it’s not good to only telepathically speak to Veno.
“We’ll treat Muu like a fellow party member, but Veno, do you know what its growth is like?
“Mu?”
‘I was just checking on that. It seems like it possesses both monster and human traits.’
“Ah, between Mutated Myconid and Fungus?”
‘That is correct. Normally, the former should be its race, but it is now its profession. As well, contradicting that, Fungus is also its profession. I have yet to come to a complete understanding.’
Two classes... or maybe not?
Would it be right to call him a mushroom person?
It’d probably be easier to confirm that just by levelling it up.
“Mu!”
Muu’s showing me his fighting spirit by shadowboxing.
Oh, maybe it’s like that. It’s instinctual for him to battle.
‘Perhaps it is trying to say that it wishes to be the vanguard.’
“Is that right... well, that’d definitely help me out a lot, but will you be okay?”
“Mu!”
Well, for now, we should go hunt to try and see.
What kind of weapon would be good for it?
‘As it is still level 1, it would be fine for him to use your old sword, like a hand-me-down.’
Although I still carry it around, I only use it in case of emergency as a personal defense weapon.
Since I have my crossbow now.
If I’m in a pickle, I can use Poison Release and throw venom at the enemy.
I give Muu the Flyiron sword.
I don’t really understand how Muu holds a sword, but he does, and he swings it around a little.
“Mu...”
He doesn’t seem too satisfied with it.
Maybe swords aren’t appropriate for mushrooms?
‘It is uneasy due to the sword being so light. However, the sword is rather sharp. If you wish for a heavy weapon, gain a few levels and prove your might.’
“Mu!”
Its right hand swished in the air and landed at his head to salute me. I wonder where he learned that.
He’s less than complete happy about it... but oh, well.
With that, I head to the swamp again.
I leave my room and the inn, but not before passing by the front desk.
“Oh?”
Unsurprisingly, the proprietress fixates her sight on Muu who’s behind me.
“Ahh, that’s my underling who I created with medicine and magic. I believe you’ll be seeing it more from now on. If it’s better for you, I can borrow a shed to put it in.”
“Mu!”
Muu bows to the proprietress.
“Wow, how well-behaved. You’re well-versed in alchemy too, hey, Cohgray of the Swamps?”
The proprietress who gave me that nickname speaks with admiration.
Ahh, she thinks I’m remarkable with only that much.
“No wonder you don’t need any adventuring allies with you. I see, I see.”
No, actually, I really would like some buddies. People to share the good times and the bad.
You know, all I have right now are a my way or the highway dragon who can’t read the mood but yet I talk to in my head and, as well, a mystery of a mushroom.
It’s hollow and I get real sad over it, okay?
‘The truth comes out. Nay, it comes pouring out. How terrible of you. It is not that I wish to be involved with you. Anyway, regardless of that you are a spineless coward, you are still awful.’
Gah... I have no comebacks for that.
“I’mma head out to try this new underling out!”
“Alrighty. Take care out there. When you get back, I’d like for him to stay in the shed.”
“Understood.”
“Mu!”
Muu innocently gets close up to the proprietress and gives her the ol’ puppy eyes.
“U-Umm...?”
He tilts over to her to be patted on the cap.
The proprietress timidly touches and pets it on the cap.
“Muu... muuuu... muuuuu.”
“Oh, what a cutie. You’re a good boy, aren’t you? If you don’t get the room dirty... oh, what should we do about you?”
It’s nice to be cute.
Muu’s acting cute enough for her to question her decision to have it stay in the shed.
“Just to try it out, I’ll... give permission for him to stay in your room. But be tidy, okay?!”
“Muu!”
Muu bows to thank her.
Oh, you’re good. This is what you call a pet, huh?
“O-Okay, we’ll head out now.”
“Get home safe. Be careful out there... if anything comes up, call for me with this here bell and I’ll come help you.”
You, uhh, don’t look so good, you know?
You’ve got a stubborn cold.
With her permission, we set out for the swamp.
By the way, this happens some time later, but Muu begins to help out the proprietress with stuff like wood-splitting and cleaning. It seems like she’s taken quite a liking to Muu. Thanks to that, Muu’s boarding fee is only 500 lag, making the grand total 2,000 lag per day.
She’s clever to charge per head and so our expenses increase too.
I’ve got some qualms about that, but since she’s letting us stay for so cheap, I can’t really complain.
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