Back at the settlement, Auren, Neffi, Vanessa, and Eren return to the airship, while Leira heads to one of the many warehouses to immediately process and store her finds, making sure nothing spoils or deteriorates.
The group makes its way back to the airship, since it's already late afternoon.
Inside, Marsha serves them fresh apple cake while already working hard on preparing dinner, an appetizing smell filling the main deck.
"That woman is crazy, I tell you," Vanessa comments, stuffing her mouth with cake, crumbs falling onto the table and the ground in front of her. "I like her, but she is obsessed."
"Don't badmouth her," Neffi replies forcefully, eating just as messily. "Can't you see this is her dream? She is literally exploring parts of the world no human has ever set foot on. This is a dream for her, and it's an important first step toward what's to come later. She needs this experience, so I dare you to say that to her face."
"Neffi has a point," Auren says, agreeing with Neffi. "Also, her work is really important." He glances at the table and the ground. "More importantly, mind your manners. Marsha is the one who will clean up the mess. Don't give her more work than she already has by eating like animals."
Both Vanessa and Neffi blush a little before picking up any crumbs they can see.
"I wish I had something like her," Eren admits, looking a little frustrated. "A goal... a purpose. You know, until recently, my only goal was survival and taking care of my siblings... now I'm focusing on Nen because my siblings are safe and living a good life. Still, eventually, I'd like to pick up a hobby or a real profession as well."
"We are Hunters!" Vanessa counters. "That is a profession."
"That is also true," Auren says, nodding along. "I myself don't have something like that. Nen is a goal in itself. A goal that requires dedication, not only for years but for decades. The more you train, the more you'll become aware of your limitations and the more you must struggle to improve."
"But you also gather all those old things... that's something," Vanessa mumbles, "even if I don't really understand it. I want to have something... something that's mine!"
"So what kind of Hunter are you? What kind of Hunter do you want to be?" Auren asks her.
"A... hmmm. I'm a... all-rounder Hunter," Vanessa says, sounding extremely vague.
More like a nothing Hunter. Not that that's a problem... I'm not much of a Hunter myself.
"Yeah, that's what I thought," Neffi says smugly. "I guess we qualify as Blacklist and Temp Hunters after our mission, but that's not really something we want to do long term. We just did it for some experience," She leans back slightly, thinking out loud. "Finding something you want to dedicate the rest of your life to is important. I think I want to go into tailoring and maybe armor production myself. Some of the materials we found might be useful for that... I'll probably start studying it now." Her eyes brighten. "Surely there are tailors around, and when I'm back, I can hire the world's best to teach me. Along with my Hatsu, I can maybe create something truly unique. That would also make our travels and explorations that much more interesting."
Neffi gestures as if she can already see it. "That worm, for example. Maybe we can skin it and turn it into armour. Or maybe even a dress, or a bag. Maybe a wallet or shoes?"
The longer she speaks, the more excited she gets.
Realizing everyone is staring at her, Neffi looks a little embarrassed, glancing towards the others and clearly seeking their approval.
"That's probably one of the smartest decisions you can make," Auren says. "It's interesting, it's unique, and it fits your Hatsu—and even your company. Your company produces high quality clothes and combat armor, so you have some experience already. That would also benefit us. I fully support you."
"Hehe, thank you," Neffi says, happy about Auren's approval.
Vanessa looks at Neffi and doesn't even try to hide her jealousy.
"I wish I had something like that too," she says. "I blame my dad... he spoiled me too much, it's all his fault!"
Isn't blaming him exactly the problem? Take some responsibility....
"First of all, that is just silly," Auren finally says. "You had the most opportunities out of all of us to find something you like, and you did, didn't you? You like exploring and trying out new things... even if they're a little... extreme." He points at her with his fork. "Don't desperately pick something just to have something to show off, only to realise you don't even like it. If you find something, embrace it. If you don't, then you don't." He shrugs. "Despite one of the Hunter bylaws suggesting every Hunter needs to be on the hunt for something, that simply isn't true. Call yourself a Thrill Hunter or something—always on the lookout for new and interesting things."
"Oh?!" Vanessa perks up. "That sounds great, actually! For now, I'll choose that then."
"So simple..." Auren hears Eren mutter, looking utterly shocked at her sudden change.
Her mood switches so easily. It's almost comical.
"Let's get some rest. We'll do this again soon," Auren announces, standing up and returning to his cabin.
The next day, he accompanies Leira to one of the workshops near the warehouses in the container city, close to the port.
Meanwhile, Vanessa and Eren decide to join a medium-sized convoy of guards and workers, trying to establish a forward settlement around thirty kilometres (nineteen miles) from Landing Point A, further inland, deeper into the forest region.
"So what have we got?" Auren asks curiously.
"Little Neffi has asked me that as well earlier," Leira replies, "and I can only tell you the same thing I told her."
"Where is she anyway?" Auren wonders.
"Learning tailoring, she found a few experts Hollow Blade hired and intends to visit them when we are not busy exploring," Leira explains, seemingly confused. "I am slightly confused about that sudden change, but I won't question it."
"Just leave her," Auren says. "I think she'll be fine." He glances at Leira again. "Anyway, what did you tell her?"
"These items we have collected are certainly of high quality and hold commercial value," Leira states. "However, that is all."
I don't really understand... so they are pretty much generic and worthless?
"I see," Auren replies, unable to hide his disappointment and confusion.
"Do not misunderstand me," Leira says, her tone firm. "Let's talk about the worm first. The flesh and the hide of the worm are of high quality. We can eat it without problem, and the hide can be turned into all kinds of things—clothes, armour, bags." She thinks for a moment. "So it's certainly worth at least ten or twenty million, Jenny, and is a huge help to the settlement. However, it just isn't anything special or something with a lasting impact." She continues without pausing. "The same can be said about the other beasts living in the forest. Maybe a collector would buy some of their products for a larger sum, but we can probably only sell them a couple of times until the novelty wears off, and it becomes known that it's simply a new species that lives at an unknown location. We also can't rule out the possibility that some Hunters or Explorers were here already. I'd say it's quite possible, maybe even likely."
"That doesn't sound too bad," Auren reasons. "So we can have an abundance of high-quality materials. That sounds promising, doesn't it? Even if we don't want them for ourselves, we can always sell them."
"Indeed," Leira agrees, "but it isn't on a level where it could support a settlement. These beasts are rare, and while they appear endless, we'll disrupt their ecosystem. They probably won't last long if we hunt them commercially." She pauses, then her eyes sharpen slightly. "However, the crystals, the fish, and the moss are something else entirely. The fish are exceptionally easy to breed. There is danger, since they are bloodthirsty as you have seen, but I'm certain I can hatch the eggs and breed them. As long as we take safety precautions, they'll be a constant source of food." She nods as if already seeing it. "The moss grows extremely fast, requires only light, and a few minerals in the soil. The first tests reveal that it's highly nutritious, so it's quite an exciting discovery. They are also highly beneficial to humans, as they contain various minerals and vitamins."
"I see... I assume you didn't do that all on your own?" Auren asks.
"There are almost a hundred people doing similar tasks," Leira replies. "These tests were performed by someone else. Thankfully, the people chosen for this expedition are highly educated and talented. There is no problem leaving most tasks to others. Research is not my strongest suit as I prefer to focus on discovery and appraisal."
"What about the crystal?" Auren asks, curious.
"I can't tell yet," Leira says, "but this kind of material hasn't been found before." She taps a small crystal lying on the desk in front of her lightly. "There is another crystal that absorbs daylight and glows in the dark. It's mostly a vanity item that's sold to rich people using them as lights for mansions and gardens. This crystal, however, was found in a cave without any sunlight, so it's something else entirely. I've already recommended that we mine it. I can see it becoming a huge discovery. To fully understand it, I estimate we might need a year or two and significant resources."
She continues, pointing to a few more samples lying on a nearby table. "The other samples we brought back also show traces of common metals: iron, zinc, tin, copper, silver, and gold. These mountains will, without a doubt, be valuable. With these results, it won't take long until a larger mining site is established there and will provide a steady flow of resources. We're currently lacking heavy machinery, but I've been told it's only a matter of weeks until more equipment and more workers arrive."
"So that's good news, obviously," Auren states, still looking a little sceptical. "But traces don't mean it's viable to set up a mining operation, right? I can dig up any random place, and I will probably find some traces."
"You are correct," Leira replies, "but the likelihood that there are viable deposits is quite high. The amount of minerals found suggests large deposits nearby."
"I'll leave that decision to the Elders," Auren says, shrugging. "But things are looking bright, indeed."
Now... I have a lot of things to do.
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