Mebius World Online – Mari’s VRMMO Diary, Embarking on a Laid-back Adventure as a Novice - Chapter 5

As for the Prologue to Chapter 4, you can find them on NU

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1-5.  Mari-ane and Roasted Boar

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Around the time I left the <Rabbit’s Tail Pavilion>, it was already approaching night.

After hearing from Vanessa-san that there are various things in this world that can be used for cooking, I slipped into the closing shop of the residents and stocked up on ingredients.

Every time I shop, everyone tends to give me something extra. Isn’t this clearly influenced by Vanessa-san’s family remarks?

Or is it just me, or is information spreading quickly here?

Maybe it’s unique to the game world.

With some unresolved doubts, I visited the church.

Although I visited the city of Eden for the first time today, I’ve already been to the church three times today, which feels somewhat strange.

One reason is that Estelle-san, who has similarities to me, is there.

As soon as I entered the church grounds, the children noticed me, and Estelle-san quickly came over, perhaps informed by them.

“Good afternoon, Estelle-san. Or should I say, good evening.”

“Good evening, Maria-san. I’m happy to see you again.”

When a beauty like Estelle-san clasps her hands in front of her chest and says such things, it feels like a confession.

“It’s a bit late, but is there something you need?”

“If dinner is still pending, how about accompanying me for a taste test, as promised?”

“Oh, you’ve learned to cook?”

“Thanks to your introduction, Estelle-san. I appreciate it. Well, there were other things too…”

Vanessa’s family remarks, among other things. Well, for now, it’s fine.

“In that case, do you mind borrowing the garden and kitchen for cooking?”

“Yes, of course. Is there anything I can help with?”

“In that case, could Estelle-san assist with the preparations? And for the children, if they could stack bricks like this…”

I imagine a structure like a corner bracket, 2.5m on each side, and about 1m in height.

We’ve already bought the necessary number of bricks, so it’s just a matter of taking them out of the item box.

“Can I ask Van for this?”

“Leave it to me! I’ll build an impressive castle!!”

“No, we’re not building a castle… Just make sure no one gets hurt, and keep an eye on everyone, okay?”

With a hint of anxiety, I head to the kitchen with Estelle-san.

“How will you use so many bricks for cooking?”

“The cooking itself is simple. But it’s like a childhood dream dish.”

Estelle-san, with an expression that seems to have a question mark above her head, smiles sweetly.

Arriving at the kitchen, I clean the cooking table and take out the item from the box.

Estelle-san’s eyes widened at the appearance of the huge <High-Quality Boar Meat> that appeared in an instant.

Just the reaction I aimed for, and I secretly smile.

“This… Is the first time I’ve seen such a large piece of meat. Wait, you did this, Maria-san?”

“Yes. It was a coincidence, but I managed to hunt it.”

It was really tough, but just seeing Estelle-san’s reaction makes it worth the effort.

Then, together, we chop herbs and garlic, mix them with salt, and rub the mixture evenly over the entire slab of meat.

By the way, when Estelle-san saw me manipulate the knife with a thread, she was even more surprised than when she saw the meat.

As we approach the end, I leave the rest to Estelle-san and start another preparation.

I put butter in a small pot, heat it, and add plenty of honey.

Honestly, honey was expensive, but I can’t compromise for the sake of the dream.

The pleasant aroma of butter and honey combines, and just spreading it on bread makes it incredibly appetizing.

After adding a little red wine as a secret ingredient and bringing it to a boil, it’s done.

It seems that Estelle-san has also finished, so I take out lumber from the item box, fix the meat with one thread, manipulate the lumber with another, and boldly skewer it.

My <String Manipulation> has been restraining the Bloody Boar for a while now, so this task, which seems challenging even for adults, was effortlessly completed.

Now everything is ready.

After returning everything to the item box, the two of us clean the kitchen and return to the garden.

When we return, there’s a structure that really looks like a castle.

“…………”

“How about that! Amazing, right?!”

Van, and the boys, all with beaming smiles.

The girls, on the other hand, seem to have tried to stop them, looking at my reaction with half-teary eyes.

I use “String Manipulation” to dismantle the castle in an instant, just as I initially planned.

“Ah, our masterpiece!”

“What are you doing!”

“Meanie!”

“Runt!”

Showing great courage without following instructions, and as always, who said that word the last!

While rebuilding the bricks as initially planned, I quietly say,

“If you can’t follow the instructions, no dinner for you.”

“””S-Sorry!!!”””

Their change of heart is too quick…

Well, it’s what children do.

“So, I’ll forgive you just this once. In return, please trim the grass around these bricks.”

“””Eeeeh~””””

The boys immediately express their dissatisfaction.

“Oh? Is there anyone here who can’t be a good child and listen to Maria-san?”

Estelle-san asks with a gentle smile, placing her hand on her cheek.

 

Despite her usual smile filled with kindness, strangely, I can see a black aura rising behind Estelle-san, like RUMBLING RUMBLING (Like GOGOGOGO in jojo)

I’ll leave that to Estelle-san, yes.

I have the girls bring the dishes, take out firewood from the assembled bricks, and ignite it with tools.

Unlike reality, it seems I don’t need to worry too much about how the firewood is arranged, and the fire burns smoothly.

After adjusting the height of the fire by moving the firewood, I take out the meat I prepared earlier onto the bricks.

The sound of moisture evaporating is heard as it sizzles over the fire.

“Oh, it looks spectacular.”

A childhood dream I always wanted to try – a whole roasted pig. Well, technically, it’s a whole roasted Boar, but let’s leave aside the details.

“What’s this! Such a huge piece of meat!!”

Van approaches and shouts loudly.

I understand the excitement, yes. But Van, is it okay to ignore what you were told?

“Va~n.”

Like a ghost, Estelle-san appears behind Van, grabs his head in a tight grip, and exerts just enough force on her fingertips.

“I got it! S-Sorry, Sister!! Aaaah!!!”

Ignoring Van’s scream, Estelle-san drags Van away as if pulling a suitcase.

She might be a really strong person.

Note to self: Never upset Estelle-san. I silently vowed in my heart.

Supported with the children, we carefully roasted the Boar whole meat, occasionally turning it to ensure even cooking.

In reality, it takes about 7-8 hours, but whether it’s the strong fire or the game mechanics, it comes along nicely after about 2 hours.

The sun has completely set, and within the enclosed bricks, the burning flames resemble a campfire.

However, I just realized something.

“Can we finish eating all of this?”

A Boar whole meat that’s about 2 meters long.

With Estelle-san, 12 children, and myself, it’s impossible to finish it all.

In prioritizing fulfilling the dream, I completely overlooked this aspect of consideration.

“In that case, how about inviting others as well?”

“That might be a good idea. Estelle-san, would you mind reaching out to others?”

“Of course, leave it to me.”

Good, even though I’ve made acquaintances today, it’s still a bit difficult for me to reach out.

“Oh, but is it alright if I invite one person myself?”

“As it’s hosted by Maria-san, feel free.”

With Estelle-san’s permission, I checked the friend list, and it seems that they’re still online.

Good, let’s skip the personal conversation and go straight to the point.

“Good evening, Roulette-san.”

“Oh, good evening, Maria-san. What brings you here at this hour?”

“Well, I’m using the Boar whole meat I obtained from dismantling the Bloody Boar to make a whole roast pig? However, the quantity turned out to be more than expected, and not just the residents, but if you’re willing, would you like to join us for a meal?”

“Oh my, can I join too?”

“Yes. You’re my first friend made in MWO, and you’ve been very kind.”

“Maria-san… I understand. In that case, I’ll be your guest.”

I inform Roulette-san of the church’s location, and then I focus on finishing the roast.

I use a special sauce and increase the frequency of turning more than before.

Honey is prone to burning, so if I don’t do this, instead of bringing out a shine, it will burn and turn completely black.

Adjusting the fire, when the sauce runs out, I pierce the meat with a thin skewer, and transparent meat juices overflow.

 

“Yeah, this looks good.”

Satisfied with the result, the children, who had finished their preparations, were staring at the whole roast with drooling anticipation.

Feeling a bit uncomfortable being stared at like that, Estelle-san’s voice came to my rescue.

“Maria-san, the invited guests have arrived.”

Relieved by Estelle-san’s words, we went to welcome them together, and there were familiar faces.

“Thanks for inviting us, Estelle, Maria. Since we’re here, I invited some customers from our store. Also, here’s some liquor. At least let me contribute this much.”

“Thank you very much, Vanessa-san. Please wait a bit with the children.”

Vanessa-san and her customers, around 5-6 people, headed towards the children.

On the way, I received a compliment, “The potato chips were delicious!”

***

“Oh, was it good?”

“It was amazing! The meat’s flavor is so rich, and it’s my first time eating Boar meat this delicious! The seasoning is fantastic!”

Estelle-san’s enthusiastic praise echoed.

Seems like she enjoyed it, and I felt a sense of relief.

“Please eat a lot without hesitation today. Everyone, enjoy.”

Saying that, I turned around, and the children, with eyes gleaming and knives in hand, were approaching.

In an instant of hesitation, they swarmed towards the roast, eagerly cutting and dividing the meat.

Among them, Vanessa-san’s store customers were also mixed in, scolded by Vanessa-san for acting childish.

“Well, it’s lively. Isn’t that a good thing?”

Muttering, Estelle-san smiled.

While the children silently bit into the meat, finally, the adults could also enjoy the meal.

“It’s delicious! This Boar meat feels like a completely different thing from what I’ve been eating.”

“The seasoning, too. The saltiness that soaked into the meat and the sweetness on the surface are irresistible!”

“Is it better than Vanessa’s meals?”

“You who said that last, be prepared because from tomorrow, I’ll only serve bread. But, seriously, this is delicious.”

The customer who spoke out of turn apologized in a panic to Vanessa-san.

Oh, it’s the person who tried to join the children earlier and got scolded.

“Hehe, it’s fun. I’ve been playing MWO since the beta, but having a meal like this with so many residents is the first time for me.”

Roulette-san, who was enjoying the roast, spoke gently.

“Is that so? Meals are necessary for both residents and adventurers, regardless. Is there any difference between beta and now?”

“In beta, residents felt more like traditional NPCs. They weren’t as expressive as they are now.”

“So, those slogans like ‘Surpassing reality’ aren’t for the official service.”

“During beta, the recreation of the five senses was minimal, and meals were mainly for stat improvement rather than taste. To think Boar meat could taste this good, I should have enjoyed it sooner.”

“If you make something else, I’ll share it with you.”

“In that case, I’ll make clothes for Maria-san.”

“Eh?! That’s not fair.”

Amidst the lively conversation, as the children, now full, began to doze off, Estelle-san said she would put them to sleep and take them away.

Thinking of helping, Allen-san was already on the move, carrying a child in each arm, his arms trembling.

 

It’s better not to strain your back or anything.

They’re so earnest and diligent… Keep up the good work.

On the contrary, the remaining adults, fueled by alcohol, seem to be in high spirits, and suddenly, someone calls out to me.

“Maria-chan! After getting to eat such delicious meat for free, I can’t let myself be idle as a man!”

“What nonsense are you talking about after eating so much?”

Vanessa-san’s precise retort.

Next to her, Roulette-san bursts into laughter.

“Don’t say that, Vanessa! So, is there anything you want me to do?”

Well, even if you suddenly ask me that…

We’ve spent quite a substantial amount of time, but it’s not even a full day in the game yet.

In reality, it’s been around 16 hours since I came here, so it’s approximately four hours in the real world.

I started around 2 PM, so it’s almost dinner time in reality.

“Come to think of it, when logging out, is it better to be in an inn or something?”

I haven’t really thought about it until now.

Ah, should I have followed Roulette-san?

How absent-minded of me.

It would have been faster to ask Roulette-san, but after just parting ways, it feels awkward to approach her again… Hmm.

“Maria-san, is something wrong?”

“Estelle-san… Actually, I forgot to book an inn, and I’m not sure what to do.”

I thought she might be exasperated, but Estelle-san, with her arms crossed, seemed like she wanted to say something.

Is her face a bit red? Did she have some of the alcohol Vanessa-san brought?

An awkward and indescribable atmosphere flowed. Eventually, Estelle-san opened her mouth.

“Um, if that’s the case, how about staying at the church with us?”

”I mean, if it’s within my ability. There are some damaged areas on the church floor that need repairing.”

When I mentioned something I’d like to do, everyone made blank faces for some reason.

Then, looking at each other’s faces, they all burst into laughter.

Huh, why are they laughing? Even Roulette-san?

“Repairing the church here… Truly fitting for Maria.”

“Hehe, indeed, it’s so Maria-san.”

Moreover, Vanessa-san and Roulette-san are getting along.

Left behind, I became the talking point once again, and the night deepened.

After finishing the cleanup, everyone went back to their respective homes or, in Roulette-san’s case, the inn she was staying at.

The room I was led to in the church was modest but had a lived-in atmosphere.

I was imagining something like a storage or an empty room with straw for makeshift beds, so it was unexpected.

“Please rest well. I’ll check on the children’s condition once again.”

“Understood. Thank you, Estelle-san. Good night.”

Seeing Estelle-san off and lying down on the stiff bedding.

When I perform the logout, my consciousness interrupts, and the first day in MWO ends safely.

(Maria: Jester Lv7: Status Points +2)

STR 1

VIT 2

AGI 3

DEX 30

INT 4

MID 6

(Skills: Skill Points +26)

[Thread Manipulation] Lv8

[Restraint] Lv1

[Cooking] Lv2