We arrived at the insect area a jungle. Insects in a jungleisnt that way too cheap?

For now, lets head for the boss room.

In response, Sword scratched his head, Sure, why not. Is there anythin of interest for you in this area?

I follow the doctrine of not eating cooked locusts, earned me a knuckle on my head.

Listen, even I dont eat nythin like that! That aint what I was askin! Military bees appear on these floors!

Bees with a camouflage pattern? I mean I like a military look, so I have some interest, but going this far

The loot item they drop is honey!

Alright, lets hunt them down to the last. Bees are living beings, hence, a large-scale vacuum spell will work against them. Im going to annihilate them quickly.

When I immediately stated my opinion, Sword became flabbergasted.

Your totally gung-ho bout this, arent you? But, you can produce honey outta wheat, no?

Wheat honey and normal honey are completely different. Honey, you see, can be used for making liquor. High-quality honey becomes high-quality liquor.

Gotcha! Leave it to me! Though its not reachin your level, I can use wide-area spells as well!

The Ryokus also made their fighting spirit known by dancing. All of us were roaring to go!

Rushing through the locust, caterpillar, moth, praying mantis, and spider floors, we headed straight for the honey floor.

Theyre gonna start appearin after two more floors. Theyre strong and attack in groups, but that doesnt concern us, right? Well pass the first floor where they appear since well be hindered by other folks.

In other words, well gather, no, hunt honey right before the boss floor.

Fuhahaha! You may call me Poo-san! Or Seiran-san would work as well!

I go hunting while being super excited

Uwwwooohh!! You shiiitts, become liquor for meeeee! Swords inner voice, his soul scream, echoed throughout the jungle.

We hunted them down to the extent of not a single bee respawning anymore.

Okay, its noon, so time for lunch, Id say, I announced after a look at my watch.

Your right. While at it, please prepare some liquor for me too, responded Sword.

Since it was a special occasion, I made the food and drinks while using the honey we obtained. I grilled some spicy honeyed grilled chicken (styled), then roasted it together with some veggies, and finally used it as a filling for bread. I also gave Sword a honey-lemon High Ball as a freebie. I drank the same, but without whiskey.

Ohhh!? How very kind of you!!

Dont say it as though Im usually an unkind woman. The mansions servants and Bennyboy keep telling me that Im pampering you way too much.

Sword went for the High Ball first.

Aaahh! This rocks, really! Its sweet, but it makes the whiskeys flavor taste even better. This one here tastes much better than the usual High Ball, when it comes to a light drink as aperitif.

The flavor and fragrance of high-quality honey seems to go well with whiskey. The lemons sourness and aroma further enhances both.

After Sword downed the drink in one go, he looked at me, Your really It aint like your drinkin liquor yourself, so how come you know how to make such an incredible liquor?

Being very seriously stared at, I answered in kind.

Thats probably because you drink and eat everything while repeatedly calling it delicious.

Hah? Sword was dumbstruck.

The dishes made by me arent the one and only gourmet food. Depending on individual preferences, those eating it should have some parts they like and some parts they hate. In the first place, theres a bunch of people that are picky about ingredients, right? Even our restaurant uses that principle as foundation, and we have guests, who book a reservation, tell us about their preferences in order to make a menu catering towards their taste. You dont say anything like that. You empty your plate while obviously enjoying the food. You also tell me that its great. For a cook, you see, thats the highest praise they can get. The cooks and I always say that we prefer being told that something tastes good over being buried with money. As a matter of fact, when I finally told the cook that his food was good, he cried. Even though I always ate up everything he made.

After taking a long, hard look at me, Sword smiled, I see. So, does that mean Im the perfect partner for you, after all?

He started prattling something outrageous.

When I averted my face in a huff, he hugged me.

Heeey!!? Aint that the moment where youd usually answer, Dont state the obvious, idiot?

As if I care!

Whats with you? Are you shy? You consider me the perfect partner, dont you?

No clue what youre talking about!

Dont ask me something so obvious, idiot!

Since the bees didnt respawn even after we wasted time with such a conversation, we gave up on waiting and headed to the boss room.

The boss was a queen bee. Shes really huge. Amazing! Moreover, shes got all this fluffy, gorgeous fur.

Ah, I think I know what well find inside the treasure chest of this boss.

Huh? What is it?

A single flash of my wooden sword later.

Its Royal Jelly!!

The hecks that?

Hmm, how is it called over here?

UmmI guess you can call it the meal of the queen military bee. It should be something the bees spat out together with their saliva after having eaten pollen and nectar beforehand.

Ugh, listenin to that explanation, I dont feel like eatin it nymore.

Why!?

The nutritional value is supposed to be quite high. Eating this or not should also decide whether a military bee is regarded as queenbut, the one over here is summoned by the Dungeon Core.

When I opened the chest while explaining, it was inside, just as suspected.

Yep, no surprise.

Can you use this for somethin?

I placed a hand on my chin, brooding.

Hmm. Its definitely good for your health, but mostly for its high nutritional value. Its unnecessary for us young ones.

Sword blinked. Then he laughed.

Until now youve totally treated my like an old man, so whats this bout?

I simply didnt know your true age. For you to have been such a fledgling.. Isnt that an age where youve barely become half a man?

This time he looked at me full of surprise.

Eh? Men at my age were treated like that in the world where you lived before?

Yeah. At your age theyd be in the third year of their first workplace? Its an age where guys are often pushed around by their bosses as the newcomer underlings they are.

This gave Sword a shock.

This healthy food can wait, lets seeI think at an age past forty itd make sense. To begin with, Ive created an Anti-Oxidation medicine, you remember? Thats an elixir of perennial youth. Its much more effective than this one, too.

Guess we sell it then. Lets also add your explanation to it, decided Sword and tossed the jelly into his magic bag.