VIII - Rice and Fall

"The breeze is a bit chilly today, don't you think, Otac?" I remarked, to which he barked in agreement.

Regardless, I already had a plan for the rest of the day and needed to get moving before sunset.

As I was about to head out, Otac noticed and chased after me. It seemed like he wanted to accompany me.

I had planned to go alone, but if he wanted to come along, I supposed I should prepare something for him.

Quickly, I conjured up a saddlebag using my Heavenly Blueprint for Otac, using leftover leather and sinew and stored some supplies for him.

The saddlebag fit Otac perfectly, and he seemed happy and comfortable with it.

So, with everything prepared, we set off.

My main goal was to survey the immediate area. The distance from my house to the shore where the shipwreck was in the south was almost the same as the cave to the north.

Several meters east is the area where I encountered the boar and snake. It's also currently where my traps were mostly set, so I was quite familiar with this direction.

After sketching a rough map in the booklet I had made, we crossed the stream and began walking west.

After about an hour's trek, we came upon a wide open space. I could hear the flow of water nearby.

There was a wide stream with a shallow bank full of wild grass, and clumps of little orange berries littered the ground. They looked similar to the rare cloudberries back in my world, though these grew in the lowlands.

Although tempted to eat them, I couldn't take the chance without knowing if they were edible. Luckily, I have a local to determine their safety.

Turning my attention to Otac, I pointed to the berries. With a single look, he shook his head.

Instead, he ran to the bank and barked, signaling me to come over.

Curious, I followed him, and he took a bite of a stalk of grass before offering it to me.

To my surprise, it was wild rice! The same wild rice I knew from back on Earth.

Perhaps Otac knew that grass was edible and suggested it to me instead of those berries.

While there isn't an abundance of grain, the stems of these plants can serve as vegetables. I can gather the grains now and cultivate them in the spring for a more sustainable food source.

Just as I was thinking of spring, I was stunned and my mind went into a panic realizing that I missed something significant.

I forgot about the seasons.

As I observed the mature grains easily falling from the grass, I glanced at the surrounding trees and noticed their leaves turning a golden hue.

Autumn has arrived.

While it remains uncertain whether this island experiences snowfall during winter, I should gather and stock up on as many supplies as possible.

Realizing that sunset was imminent, I wasted no time. Hastily, I gathered as much wild rice and stems as I could, storing them in Otac's saddlebag as well as my own, before swiftly making my way back home.

The following days were filled with activity. I asked for Otac's help in gathering sticks and branches for firewood, while Majka assisted whenever she could, taking breaks from tending to her pups.

Meanwhile, I made a simple shed for the firewood using my Heavenly Blueprint.

Once I completed it, I ventured out to hunt for wild game to stock up on meat, fur, and anything that I could find useful.

Boars tend to remain within a certain distance from their shelter, so encountering more of them in this area wouldn't be surprising.

After successfully hunting one down, I asked the help of the hounds to drag it back to our house for dismantling.

It was interesting to discover that they waste nothing when it comes to food. They would readily consume the entrails of the animals we catch while I typically use these parts as bait for traps. Their eagerness to eat them left me slightly unsettled.

A few more days passed and today I expected the appearance of the goddess. We continued our preparations for the upcoming winter, but as sunset approached, she remained absent.

Feeling a tinge of loneliness and concern, I reasoned that it would be selfish of me to demand her presence; after all, she is a goddess who likely has her duties to attend to. Thus, I decided to let her be.

The following morning, I was awoken by the sound of banging on the front gate. Initially assuming it was Otac or Majka, I dismissed it and attempted to return to sleep.

However, the persistent banging continued, accompanied by the howls of the hounds. Suddenly, there was a deafening crash, causing the ground to tremble with its intensity.

I quickly armed myself and rushed outside to investigate.

To my surprise, I found Majka and Otac engaged in a fierce battle with a massive red bear.

"Everything on this island is enormous," I thought to myself as I observed the towering bear before me.

Despite its colossal size, this bear possessed a surprising agility, matching the speed of Majka and Otac.

I swiftly readied my bow, aiming to strike. With a surge of mana, I unleashed an arrow toward the beast, but it narrowly missed its mark.

Now fully aware of my presence, the bear turned its focus toward me. I swiftly prepared another arrow and released it, the projectile piercing the bear's chest and emerging from its back. Yet, undeterred by the wound, the bear continued its relentless charge.

Majka and Otac unleashed their fiery assaults, yet the flames seemed to not affect the bear, which pressed on, intent on reaching me.

I imbued my next arrow with even more mana, ensuring its potency. As the bear lunged toward me, claws poised to strike, I released the arrow. In a spectacular display, the bear's head erupted, the arrow detonating upon impact—a successful execution of a new technique, despite my initial doubts. I call it Mana Burst Shot.

Relieved by the outcome, I praised Majka and Otac for their efforts, and they responded with eager tail wags.

After that, they led me to the woods just a few meters away from the house. The pair came upon another remarkable sight: a stag, larger than a moose, adorned with crackling blue antlers emitting electrifying energy. However, the majestic creature lay wounded, likely the bear's prey.

I think the bear was stalking this deer but they came too close to the house which alerted the hounds and thus a battle ensued.

In an act of mercy, I ended the stag's suffering and dismantled its carcass alongside the bear's.

Unsure what to do with the antlers and their peculiar energy, I fashioned a wooden box and stored them inside the house.

With little appetite for bear meat, I gave it to the pair.

I opted for the succulent deer meat, grilled and sprinkled with salt as usual. 

I'll try and make a soup using deer meat and wild rice stems tomorrow.