NOVEL NEXT Chapter 103: In The Middle Of The Ocean
Athena had once desired the old goblin’s hair for a reason: her heart had whispered that the three strands of goblin hair would be the key to unlocking the Goblin City for the first time.
But now, the tables had turned. The old goblin sought the hair from her. Why? She already possessed it, and Big Bear had more than one goblin at his disposal.
Still, this wasn’t her immediate concern. Regardless of what the other party wanted, the decision was in her hands, and there was no threat to her.
As she sat in her room, she felt the base sway as if it were afloat. Through the window, she saw that the water outside had risen halfway up the trees, and the water level was increasing rapidly.
Should she be grateful that her home hadn’t been flooded?
Ignoring the playful trio downstairs, she went upstairs to her room and lay on the spacious bed. Even in this new environment, the calming effect of the four-piece bedding set soon lulled her into sleep.
The sea waves rocked gently. Outside, an endless expanse of water stretched out. In the middle of the ocean, she saw not a blue sky but a deep, overwhelming sea, bringing a sense of isolation and suffocation.
Opening the window, she saw only the vast ocean. The base floated like a real ship on the water’s surface. The sunlight sparkled on the waves, but it couldn’t penetrate the deep, unseen depths of the ocean. Yesterday’s dense forest had vanished without a trace.
After getting ready, the system notification chimed in.
【 Daybreak has arrived, please begin exploring the world! 】
It was 6:00 AM. Monsters would arrive at noon, giving her six full hours.
When she went downstairs, she saw that Mikmik and the others still preferred the small wooden hut they had made rather than the new nest upstairs.
Hearing Athena’s steps, Mikmik twitched his ears and woke up, stretching. The other two woke up gradually, and Paopao scrambled down from the nest, his first reaction being to cling to Athena’s leg like a child’s toy.
She picked him up and placed him on the sofa. Despite his small size, Paopao was the heaviest of the three, more like a weighty highly dense grassball than a convenient leg attachment.
Skipping the effort of preparing breakfast, they each chose a favorite fruit and began munching.
Grey, with her hair in a disheveled mess, came in carrying a small jar of honey. She peeled an orange, dipped it in honey, and popped it into her mouth, closing her eyes in happiness. Seeing her method, Athena and the trio exchanged glances and silently followed her lead.
After finishing her meal, Grey wiped her mouth with her hand and said to Athena with some hesitation, “The giant bee stinger you brought is slightly too high-level. The smelting furnace can’t fully melt it. I can only use my forging skills to partially process them.”
"..."
“If we get the corresponding weapon blueprints and upgrade the furnace, I can make something out of them.”
Grey’s frustration was clear; it wasn’t that she didn’t want to help, but the furnace was too basic. Despite inheriting some of her father’s skills, she wasn’t at his level yet. If she were, she wouldn’t need a furnace to forge weapons.
Athena just acknowledged her calmly, “I understand.”
Grey, relieved by Athena’s lack of demands, sighed and returned to her room.
Athena hadn’t expected much from her anyway. The furnace wasn’t advanced enough, and they didn’t even have blueprints. It was already a challenge for Grey to process the materials partially.
Though the soft sofa was comfortable, a portable deck chair was even more appealing. On a clear, cloudless day, gazing at the deep blue sea merging with the sky was a beautiful sight.
Estimating the width of the door and the smaller sofa, Athena moved the sofa outside, facing the sea. She lay down, enjoying a seaside sunbath.
The trio lined up at the door, staring at her. Should she be surprised by the plant spirits’ rapid growth? The plants they sowed yesterday were ready for harvest today, faster than cutting chives.
“Harvest the fruits,” she commanded, pointing to the garden.
Despite their plaintive looks, they had no choice but to obey.
Lazily basking in the sun, she watched them work, feeling a serene sense of peace. She was curious about what lay beneath the sea. Were there only the sea creatures, or were there other monsters too? Where had the forest creatures gone?
Without diving equipment, she couldn’t explore underwater. Though she had explored every inch of the forest, the underwater forest remained a mystery.
【 Regional Chat Channel 】
“Endless sea, endless feelings, just like endless me, not knowing where to go!”
“Stop being dramatic.”
“Don’t you guys feel something when looking at this sea?”
“I get it! Do you feel an urge to cast a fishing rod? It’s a pity we can’t fish!”
“Kindred spirit! I didn’t expect to find a fellow angler here.”
“Fishermen are everywhere… this sea might not even be real. Who knows if there are fish?”
“Hurry up, why is it taking so long? The suspense is killing me! What kind of monsters will come? Can’t we just get it over with?”
From her bag, she took out the Heart’s Desire, reflecting her doubts. Her reflection in the mirror blurred, turning into a line of words.
“Follow the path you believe is right.”
The words appeared quickly and faded just as fast, leaving Athena lying on the sofa with the mirror in hand.
Tonight, she would ask Grey for three strands of goblin hair. If the goblin accompanying by Big Bear wanted them, then she would give them to him.
'I wonder if Grey's pubic hair is allowed, though I doubt she has any.'
Athena thought while scratching her rear.
