IT was finally time for the golden mushroom hunt to commence.
I decided to set up camp in a clearing within the forest. I scattered holy water all over to repel monsters before setting up a fire.
“Please come take a break here every hour. If you run yourselves ragged, you won’t be able to concentrate.”
“Sure thing!”
Lance just turned his head away without responding. I was starting to worry about how he would fare during the competition.
“I’ll prepare some soup for everyone too. It’s a cold day, so it should warm you up nicely.”
“That sounds fabulous.”
Still wrapped around my neck, Album let out a cheer too.
“The golden mushroom hunt has officially begun!”
Lance immediately broke out into a sprint. Zara waved goodbye to me before entering the woods.
“Now the two of us can get to work on the soup!”
“Okaaay!”
Amelia and Rih watched over us as we began.
Since Zara was a man of compassion, he’d pointed out to Lance where mushrooms grew on the way to the camp spot.
I planned to use the black pepper mushrooms we had found on the way to camp, along with some bacon, to make a soup.
First, I boiled dried mushrooms before adding the fresh black pepper mushrooms and bacon. I let these cook for a bit before adding medicinal herbs, salt, and pepper. The white foam on the surface became clearer after I let it boil for a while, signaling that the mushroom bacon soup was now ready. I tried a sip and found it quite tasty. I’d picked the dried mushrooms while they were in season, leaving them packed full of umami flavor.
“I love how nice and firm the mushrooms are!” Album sounded satisfied with the soup.
Zara returned an hour later. His basket was filled to the brim with mushrooms.
“I’m back, Melly.”
“Welcome back. Look at all the mushrooms you found!”
“I know, right? Even in early spring, so many are growing around here. But I couldn’t find a golden mushroom anywhere.”
Perhaps their existence was nothing more than an urban legend after all.
Lance joined us five minutes later.
“Damn it, I’m late!”
“It’s not a competition to see who can come back exactly within an hour.”
“I know that, obviously.”
Lance’s basket was full too. However, these mushrooms were brightly colored—red, blue, and yellow.
“Um, Lance, most of those mushrooms are poisonous,” I said.
“…I just picked whatever I could find.”
“And every single one is toxic.”
“Sh-Shut up.”
“Oh my gosh! That mushroom’s a really bad one.”
“What do you mean?”
Zara was pointing at a mushroom that was completely red, from cap to stem. “That’s the rare ‘inferno mushroom.’ It’ll burn your skin on contact.” He went on to explain how they only appeared once every ten years in his hometown. “They only grow where the snow doesn’t accumulate on the ground.”
“Lance, did it hurt your hand?” I asked.
“No, I’m fine.”
There was no sign of holes or scorch marks on Lance’s gloves. He removed them so I could take a closer look, but his skin didn’t appear to have been burned.
“Looks like your gloves are sturdy enough to withstand an inferno mushroom.”
“They’re made from the skin of a great hedgehog.”
Great hedgehogs were animals with sharp needles all over their backs. They were only very rarely spotted within the Fore Elf woods. From what I recalled, their very thick skin prevented the great hedgehogs from piercing themselves with their own needles. I couldn’t believe Lance had caught one and turned its hide into gloves.
“Let’s bury Lance’s poisonous mushrooms in the ground so they don’t hurt anyone.”
“Yeah, sounds good.”
Once we buried the mushrooms, it was time to have our soup.
“Oh my gosh, it’s so nice and warm. I love it!”
Zara’s praise really made me happy. Lance, on the other hand, just commented that the soup only tasted good because he was so hungry. As always, Lance struggled with opening up about his feelings.
They returned to the golden mushroom hunt after they finished their soup. One hour later, the pair once again returned to camp empty-handed.
“Do these things even exist?”
“I’m not entirely sure.”
It was certainly hard to rely on a mere rumor heard by Captain Ludtink of all people. But Zara, refusing to give up, left in search of a golden mushroom once more.
Amelia let out a big yawn. Rih did the same right after her, causing me to yawn too. We were shockingly bored.
Album had been setting out into the forest as well, returning occasionally with nuts and herbs that he found.
“I don’t think these golden mushrooms are out here at all.”
“I have to agree.”
I wished the competition had been something simpler, like a game of cards.
Or maybe that would be silly considering I’m the prize on the line here.
Another hour passed, and once again, Zara and Lance returned empty-handed.
“It’s going to get dark soon.”
“What do you say? Wanna head back?”
“Yeah, sounds good.”
Our surroundings were already getting dark. I extinguished the fire and gathered my belongings.
“Want me to carry your basket, Melly?”
“Thank you, Zara.”
I attached my pot to Rih’s saddle, took a step forward, and tripped on a tree root, tumbling to the ground.
“Gyah!”
“Oh no, Melly! Are you okay?!”
“Urk…”
Lance snorted and called me clumsy. Zara, being the kind man that he was, got on his knee and helped me return to my feet.
“Thank you, Zara.”
“Of course…”
“Zara?”
He was acting strange—staring not at me, but at something behind me.
When I turned around, a sparkling yellow mushroom entered my vision.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Z-Zara, I think that’s a golden mushroom!”
“I-I think you’re right.”
Apparently, golden mushrooms sparkled at night. Album approached it for a better look.
“Ah, it’s a golden mushroom all right!”
Coming from Album, it had to be true. Zara reached out and gently plucked the golden mushroom. It continued to sparkle even after being removed from the ground.
“I guess finding these during the daytime is pretty much impossible, huh?” Zara commented.
“Maybe so.”
“I doubt I would’ve noticed it if I hadn’t crouched down to help you up.”
Zara’s kindness had won out in the end, leading Lance to let out an irritated, “Damn it!”
We returned to the barracks and found Captain Ludtink waiting for us in the break room. I proceeded to present our discovery to him.
“Whoa! Look at the damn thing sparklin’ like that. I didn’t think they really existed.”
At that moment, I realized the captain hadn’t believed these golden mushrooms even existed—he just wanted us to go look for one anyway. How mean of him!
“Which one of you found it?” he asked.
“That would be me.”
“So, Zara won the competition, huh?”
It seemed I wouldn’t be returning to the Fore Elf woods after all. It was like the tension finally lifted, allowing me to breathe.
“Melly, will you accept this golden mushroom?” Zara presented it to me.
“Of course!”
Lance simply stared at the two of us in silence.
Captain Ludtink spoke to him first. “Remember, you gave your word. You’re not gonna bother Risurisu anymore, are we clear?”
“Yeah, yeah. I know.”
I started to feel a little sorry for him, but this was the time to stay strong. I didn’t want him to take advantage of any kindness I showed him.
It was time for Lance and me to say our farewells.
“Hey, Mell?”
“Y-Yes?”
“Do you remember when we were kids, how I used to come over to your house and eat?”
“Huh? Ah, yes.”
“I only came over to talk to you, but your mom invited me to come inside.”
“And you ended up joining us at the dinner table.”
It was so embarrassing how my dad would brag to Lance about how amazing the soups I made were. I remembered all of that to this very day.
“My dad used to say such silly things…” I said.
“No, he was right. They were delicious.”
“Huh?”
“I never got the chance to tell you that. Well, until now.”
He had never given me so much as a hint that he enjoyed my soups, but it seemed he liked them after all.
Geez, why did it take him so long to open up to me?
Our current relationship probably would have been very different if Lance hadn’t been so stubborn.
“Your mushroom soup is the best in the whole village. When I tried your soup today, I couldn’t help but remember that. Once we got married, I wanted to brag about your cooking to everyone…”
“Goodness! Melly’s soups are the best in the whole world,” Zara bragged. “You must have a very narrow view of things, huh?”
“Zara…!”
“Seems like you’re defeated on all fronts.”
Captain Ludtink put his hand on Lance’s shoulder, but Lance didn’t say a word. He just gazed out the window into the distance.
I didn’t know what to expect when I heard Lance and Zara were going to fight over me, but I was so relieved the day ended without any major incident.