The Goddess Granted Me the [Hatching] Skill and Somehow I Became the Strongest Tamer, Commanding Mythical and Divine Beasts - 20

There were no signs of people around, with minecarts, wheelbarrows, shovels, and pickaxes scattered about.

This was the Galconia Mine, an abandoned mine.

In its heyday, many workers had been bustling about, but monsters had started appearing from nowhere. This made excavation impossible, and people eventually withdrew.

Because of this, the only ones who visited here now were adventurers like me, who came to collect ore at the risk of their lives or on someone’s request.

“First, where can I find the rough scarlet diamond?”

This scarlet diamond is a gemstone that is hard and requires a lot of effort to process.

This request came from the Decor Guild, apparently needed for dressing up a nobleman’s daughter for her debutante dress.

So, seeking the rough stone, I passed through the mine entrance and ventured inside.

“Thanks to Feni, it’s bright here.”

“Peep!”

Feni spread her wings happily when praised.

The mine passage was wider than expected, with broken tracks on the ground, likely used for moving minecarts.

Probably following these would lead deeper inside.

Thanks to the orange glow emitted from Feni’s body, I could see my surroundings. Without needing a torch and with both hands free, I remained alert, ready to draw my weapon at any time, following the tracks.

Meanwhile, I looked at the walls around me, but there was no particular sparkle of rough stones.

Expecting anything here would be a mistake, as it had likely been completely mined during its peak.

I continued deeper. Although I didn’t encounter any monsters, I felt the temperature rise slightly.

Is this because of my “Extreme Fire Resistance,” or is it actually quite hot here?

“Piiiing!”

Feni also fluttered her wings and made a pleasant chirping sound.

After advancing for a while…

“I see, so it leads to a place like this.”

Emerging from the tunnel, I found myself in a volcanic cave.

Magma was spurting out here and there, steam drifting around.

Looking ahead, I could see the shimmering heat, indicating it was quite hot.

Unlike the tunnel from earlier, the cave was spacious enough not to hinder exploration, with the ground continuing on towards the distance.

“Piiipipi!”

“Ah, Feni!”

Feni flew off from my head and darted around inside the cave. This place was like a sauna from hell for ordinary humans due to the high temperature, but it seemed comfortable for Feni.

Feni flew to a magma waterfall and began to joyfully bathe in it.

“As expected of a Phoenix… to be unaffected by such high temperatures.”

With a wry smile, I headed towards where Feni was…

“Hmm? Could this possibly be…?”

I noticed a red, shining stone rolling at my feet.

“I have collected the C-rank item [Scarlet Diamond Rough Stone].”

It took several hours to reach the volcanic cave through the tunnel, and obtaining the desired rare item was surprisingly easy.

“Why hasn’t anyone else come to pick it up?”

If it’s this easy to obtain, it wouldn’t be strange for someone else to have already collected it. Such thoughts crossed my mind, but perhaps others couldn’t come to pick it up.

Inside the volcanic cave, the high temperature alone made me sweat profusely and drained my stamina.

Without “Extreme Fire Resistance” like mine, one couldn’t stand calmly beside magma.

Moreover, monsters were supposed to spawn here. If adventurers weigh the heat, danger, and rewards, they’d likely choose other quests.

Realizing this, I searched near the magma and found numerous abandoned [Scarlet Diamond Rough Stones] lying around.

“With these, I should be able to gather enough alone, right?”

Reading the quest details, it seemed the client wanted “as many rough stones as possible,” indicating their importance for the debutante’s dress.

“Alright, no need to go further in.”

I packed Scarlet Diamond Rough Stones into my backpack until I judged it was time to finish, then I searched for Feni.

Though I had left her sight for a while, it seemed Feni had finished her stroll and returned flapping her wings.

“Are you satisfied now?”

Returning, Feni held something in her beak. It looked like a sword, with a magnificent decoration visible from the sheath.

“Peep!”

Feni replied, releasing the sword from the sheath and placing it before me.

It seemed like she intended to give it as a souvenir, looking proudly at me with her round eyes.

“Thank you.”

“Peep! Peep! Peep!”

As I stroked her chin, she closed her eyes in contentment and snuggled closer. Though she hadn’t been born long ago, she had become quite affectionate.

Finding Feni adorable, I continued stroking her for a while, but I couldn’t do this forever.

For now, I decided to return to the capital city. I reached out for the sword that Feni had given me…

“I have collected the S-rank item [Sun Sword].”

The magical device trembled, and such words appeared on it.