Published: September 10, 2025
"Let’s go one more time!"
Gon had been grumbling because the valerian harvesting wasn’t going well, but once he realized no one was going to pay attention to his complaints, he switched his mindset.
This time, Gon and the others went to borrow baskets from behind the Alchemy Guild.
“These are all falling apart.”
“Whoa, there’s a hole in this one! And this one’s shoulder strap looks like it’s about to snap.”
All the good baskets were already rented out; only those with holes or on the verge of breaking were left.
“As long as we can carry it, anything’s fine.”
“Yeah, it’s better than wrapping them in cloth and carrying them.”
Gon and Keros picked out the relatively better baskets and took off running.
“Think we’ll be okay?”
Sina held a tattered basket with a worried look.
“Lend it here for a sec.”
I picked up some straw lying around the basket storage and twisted it into a rope to quickly repair the baskets.
“Wow, Sharon, that’s amazing!”
“I did this a lot during winter chores back in the village.”
While working, I had Rasa prepare some spare ropes.
I was sure Gon and Keros would need them too.
◇
By the second time harvesting valerian, we’d gotten used to it and managed to do it a bit faster.
This time, everyone managed to earn one copper coin each. The ropes Rasa made definitely came in handy.
“All right, let’s go again!”
Gon, feeling good about earning the copper coins, dashed off.
We followed him, but everyone except me seemed to be starting to tire.
That worry quickly became reality—
“I can't go on.”
“Me neither.”
Zaki and Keros were the first to get exhausted and collapse.
“Sorry, me too.”
Then Sina, who had been bravely pushing through, followed suit.
“You guys are pathetic!”
Gon shouted at the kids who had slumped down in exhaustion.
“Let’s do it ourselves.”
Gon and I teamed up to continue the work.
I thought I understood from watching, but his strength was incredible. I’m confident in my endurance, but in raw power, I couldn’t compete at all.
I need to build more muscle. My sister said she doesn’t like muscular guys and never taught me how to build muscle.
“If I train too much, I won’t grow taller.”
I had argued quite a bit, but gave up after she said that.
“All right, this is enough for everyone.”
Gon said as he packed the leaves into the basket and ran off energetically.
“We should too…”
“Wait, Gon.”
“What stamina.”
Keros, Sina, and Zaki, who had resumed work midway, staggered after Gon.
“…What a stamina monster.”
Rasa grumbled as she shakily got up.
“Wait, Rasa. Let’s take a break.”
She was stumbling, so I suggested that to her.
“I’m fine.”
“You can’t keep pushing yourself. At least at first, you have to know your own pace.”
I persuaded stubborn Rasa like that.
“…Alright.”
Once sitting down to rest, I realized I was more tired than I thought.
I shouldn’t be so quick to judge others…
Sina and the others were sitting down over there too. We definitely needed a break.
After resting for a while, we heard lively voices of children.
“Got one! Sand rat!”
“Yay!”
Looking around, some younger kids were doing something by a nearby rocky area.
Curious, I went to see.
“What are you doing?”
“Catching mice!”
“It’s an Arisa-style trap! We catch a lot!”
The kids were using traps to catch mice.
Arisa was apparently a legendary gang leader stronger than the Demon King. I wonder what a gang leader really is?
Since Rasa was able to walk again, we picked up Sina along the way and headed back.
Since some time had passed since we cut the leaves and they dried, one of the cheap coins was deducted.
Gon and I went out for a fourth time, but the other four said they couldn’t anymore and stayed in the city.
In one day, I earned three copper coins and four cheap coins; Gon earned three copper coins and two cheap coins; Zaki and Rasa earned two copper coins and four cheap coins each; and Keros, the lowest, earned two copper coins and one cheap coin.