Chapter 217
Digging?
"Alright~! Let's proceed to our destination and dig up everything!"
Morgan, who was fully enthusiastic all of sudden, started walking so we followed after him.
""Ah!""
Then, Allen and Elena immediately found something and ran a little ahead.
After squatting about five meters in front of Morgan-san, they picked up something and happily returned.
""Onii~chan.""
"Allen found something orchid-like~"
"Elena you see, I found a daylily-like flower~"
"You found it well in the dark~"
""Saw it~""
Even though I illuminate the surroundings with Light, it's still dark five meters ahead. Even so, Allen and Elena found medicinal plants, so they ran ahead. The two seem to see well in the dark.
"Allen, Elena, you are fine to go gathering, but you mustn't go to places we can't see you from."
""Okayy~""
This time, we are not able to choose the destination on our own, so I advised the children to be careful where they go.
"This way."
That being the case, we proceeded under Morgan-san's lead and pa.s.sed through the fence labeled 2.
"Alright, let's start digging around here."
""Digging~""
"Here lad, you guys use these."
Morgan-san took out small pickaxes and handed them to Allen and Elena. He said that he would lend me mining tools, but it seems that he has prepared some for the children too.
"Is this fine, Morgan-san?"
"What is?"
"No, I did not think too much about borrowing tools from you, but they must be very important to you, no? We really are amateurs, after all."
Tools are important to the craftsmen, no? You wouldn't usually lend these things to kids, right?
I've heard that swordsmen don't lend their swords to others… I imagined that craftsmen would be even more concerned about their tools.
"Hahaha~ I would refuse if I didn't want to lend you any, so be at ease! Those are tools the apprentices use, so there's no problem."
I see, they are tools to lend to the apprentices. I can feel better about it then.
"Thank you very much. We will be borrowing them then."
""Do my best~""
"Ou, work hard! I won't mind if you dig up the big game, alright!"
… Morgan-san's expectations are growing.
Well, Allen and Elena are totally willing, and I would also like to see what we can find~
"Now then, Allen, Elena, where would you like to dig first?"
Morgan-san already started working, so we decided to start digging too.
"Using all of your strength when digging would be dangerous, so you have to dig little by little, okay?"
""Got it~""
I don't really know where to look for minerals, so I decided to leave it to instincts first.
""Ei!""
When Allen and Elena swung their pickaxes enthusiastically——crack, the surface rock crumbled.
"Right, just like that. Carefully."
""Yess~""
I did not feel a hazard in the children's work, so I decided to dig too.
""Nniyu?""
"N? What's the matter?"
Not a long time after they started digging, Allen and Elena let out weird voices.
Therefore, when I looked at the two, I could see a whitish lump mixed within the gray of the crumbled rock.
"Uoh! They really dug up Mithril!"
Noticing Allen and Elena's reaction, Morgan-san swiftly ran over.
""Misril?""
"Right, it's Mithril!"
""Amazing~?""
"It is amazing! I haven't gotten any Mithril recently, so I had to settle for iron these days! You really did well!"
""Ohh~""
Morgan-san explained in excitement.
"Dig more where this came out from! More Mithril may come out!"
""Okay~""
The children and Morgan-san were now happily digging together.
Somehow… they become close without I noticed.
"The Old man is unusually lively today~"
Rudolph-san who was watching the surroundings came over to me, apparently finding Morgan-san's state curious.
"Is that so?"
"Oh yeah, he's normally the 'work in silence' type of guy."
"He must be the opposite of what he usually is then."
The current Morgan-san was digging while conversing with Allen and Elena happily.
"That's right. I have been to the mines with the Old man many times, but this is my first time seeing him like that. Still… you guys really did dug out Mithril."
"Nono, I had nothing to do with that, okay!?"
"If the pipsqueaks do something, you have to take collective responsibility, Tak.u.mi."
"Ehh!?"
He's intending me to take responsibility for what the children do. However, that's only when they make a mistake or cause trouble, right? This time is completely different, right!?
""Something came out~""
While my hands were stopped because I was talking with Rudolph-san, Allen and Elena apparently dug out something again.
This time, rather than Mithril, it seemed like a whitish gem.
"Lemme see? Ohh, it's Platinum ore!"
Morgan-san spoke before I could appraise it.
Platinum ore…? Not White Gold?
"Morgan-san, isn't something very similar used to make coins?"
"N? Yeah, I've heard that there are white coins which are very rare. They are called White Gold coins if I am not mistaken. Unfortunately, this is not White Gold."
It's platinum then. Well, either way, I imagine it can be used to make jewelry.
"There is."
"Whitish~"
"Mithril!?"
After that, Allen and Elena dug up some Mithril and even some small crystals.
"At any rate, digging up one after another, this is really incredible. I wonder if I should bow my head and give some offerings?"
O, offerings… entreaty to a deity, you mean? Ah, but, wors.h.i.+pping Allen and Elena might have a plausible effect. They are a G.o.d's children, after all. Well, they are not the children of Earth G.o.d that is related to mining, but the Water G.o.d, though~
""What is it~?""
"Just a don't knock it until you've tried it, type of thing. You guys don't mind me."
""… Okay~?""
——Oi! Morgan-san, you really are wors.h.i.+pping them!?