From the Monsters I've hunted so far, I can already understand one or another thing about this world. Some of this I'm sure I could've asked Silvia before, but I forgot...

Monster Cores drop according to the level of the monsters:

F

1-49

E

50-99

D

100-199

C

200-299

B

300-399

A

400-499

S

500-599

SS

??

SSS

??

I only have D to B Rank Cores as of right now. So, I'm not exactly sure about the other levels but those should be correct. The cores are larger the closer the level of the monster that it was dropped from is to the next rank. So, a level 200 monster drops a smaller C rank core than a level 299 monster does. I'm still not sure what I can do with these, other than selling them for money in the menu of the otherworld door. Every monster seems to drop one core.

Humanoid monsters tend to drop gear as their items, while non-humanoid monsters tend to drop crafting materials. But that's not a guaranteed system. All monsters can drop rare drops, with my luck stat it’s also not very rare anymore. Rare drops are all over the place, truly random, at least I couldn't find a system yet. Mostly I receive items of the 'daily necessities' set, although these are super useful and convenient, I wish I would get some kind of accessory! Or maybe skill books too! I'm thinking of focusing on raising my luck stat again but I feel like I should start going into the deeper regions of the forest, which would need higher stats... Ugh

While I am miles ahead compared to the original story, too many details were left out by the author and I'm not sure how to meet some of the events, like the animal companions. Normally it's fine, but since I wanted to use the story as a guide as far as possible this is really hindering me. The next event I can remember is the one with the Taluria Kingdom princess being chased by assassins. I'm not even sure when that is going to happen, it also happened sometime during the vacation, I think? Now that I think about it's not just the vacations, but the author really didn't care about how much time went by when writing, the golden week only lasted 2 days... I really wonder how I managed to find Yua in this mess.

Since summer vacations started, I have about 40 days off, I don't think anything else big happened during this time? I hoped the intelligence stat would help me remember the novel better, but sadly it only helps me memorize from the point it was raised. I may have skimmed the novel too much. Oh, I also noticed that schools start after spring vacation not after summer vacation, so that wasn't the end of the school year!

Right now, I'm trying to get the [Map] skill, it's the final piece I'm missing before I can enter the deeper parts of the forest to get the great sage's magic circuits. Basically, what I'm doing is tracing maps on paper that I looked up on my PC, while doing that I also solve math problems on my phone in hopes of getting some kind of multitasking or quick thinking skill. I got nothing so far. I've been trying this for a few days now.

I also hunt monsters in the outer regions of the forest every day. If it's just Goblin Elites I can locate and hunt about 150 of them each hour. They are usually in groups of 20 to 30 Goblins so the numbers stack up quite nicely. While some slightly stronger monster mixes in sometimes, I get a decent amount of kills each day. I've been hunting for about 7 hours each day total, the rest of the day I spend with non-combat skills. I shorten my sleep time more and more, during breaks I meditate, I tend the garden/farm, I try to get the map skill and train my social skills in front of the mirror. It's a life of solitude again. At least the food is delicious.

For some reason the number of goblins didn't decrease despite my mass-murdering, I've amassed ungodly amounts of goblin gear and core drops, and pretty much all my household is made of rare drops at this point, at least the small items are. I even have doubles that I sold on the menu, each of them turned into 1 million yen. I don't really sell any other items but rare doubles.

"Haaah"

I need social interactions! It's still early in the summer vacation, but as I have no friends or anything I don't have anyone I can talk with. All I can do is sigh at my misfortune.

"..."

No, I'm an idiot, I'm waiting for the princess of the Taluria Kingdom, but that doesn't mean I can't visit Silvia! Since her shop is in the capital, I would notice it if the Princess starts traveling towards the Black Devil Forest, all I need to do is follow her during that time! During my hunts, I collected some of the herbs she showed me before so I should have enough practice material. Maybe, I shouldn't use them while at her place though, I think using such herbs would give me a "you're not normal" kind of reaction. I'll try and sell some items to get money and buy normal ingredients.

With a plan in my head, I set out towards the royal capital!

* * *

Once out of the forest I followed the only road I could find. I ran past 2 villages already and only stopped to ask the way once, apparently, this road leads me directly to the royal capital. That's not exactly good infrastructure but I'll let it pass. Obviously, I make a mental map of the way and the villages in hopes of getting the map skill. No matter how high my intelligence stat becomes, it's way more reassuring to have a skill that is specialized in a certain aspect. The Forest also looks mostly the same, especially in new regions. I need to find a hidden cave so having the map skill really helps in not getting lost and identifying which places I have already searched.

Oh! I can see the capital! I heard it was 1 day of traveling but somehow, I managed to shorten that down quite decently. Let's go for a final sprint!

Ah, I don't have identifications. Umm. I better sneak in, from what I know most humans are pretty weak in this world, if I try hard enough no one should notice me. I'll do my best to get some kind of identification inside...

I walk alongside the wall until I am at a place where I can't be seen from any entrance anymore and work [Assimilation] as if I was in the deeper regions of the forest. Time to climb up!

Looks like my status got cleaned up a bit again. But why is assassination not a part of martial arts and instead of movement? Weird.

While thinking about that I peeked over the wall where I was hanging right now. Seems clear.

"Hup!"

I pull myself up and fall and quickly jump down on the other side.

Thud!

I look around again, doesn't look like anyone notices me. From the looks of it, I landed in something like the slums? Either that or the whole capital is in great debt.

Since I haven't been noticed I'll fill up a potato sack with goblin drops, daggers, shields, and other useless clutter I won't need. Umm, maybe I'm imagining this but I think a girl in rags is staring at me...

I hold my finger in front of my mouth as to say "keep this a secret". The girl stretches her arms towards me with her open palm showing up. I think she wants money to keep this a secret? I... I'm poor you know?!