When we arrived at the Great Forest, I got off the horse and entered the woods, surrounded by knights.
It was my first time entering the Great Forest.
Pumped up to explore and gather good materials, I suddenly felt as if my mana had decreased.
That’s odd—I haven’t used any Production Skill, so why would my mana be consumed?
The forest was brighter than I had expected, with sunlight filtering in.
“I thought it would be more dense and gloomy.”
“The deeper parts of the Great Forest are indeed dark, but near the edge, it’s like this. Still, monsters may appear, so you mustn’t let your guard down.”
“I see. I’ll be careful not to wander off on my own.”
As we proceeded, I appraised the things around us.
After a short while, I spotted some promising trees, so I used Storage Magic to collect a few while they were still rooted.
Since I don’t have to cut them down first, it’s quick and convenient.
“Oh, so that’s Storage Magic? Truly a handy thing.”
“Yeah, it’s thanks to this magic that I decided to gather materials myself.”
The ground in the Great Forest is uneven, with tree roots jutting out, making it easy to trip and difficult to walk.
Yet for some reason, I found myself moving along smoothly.
Liam seemed to have noticed the change in me as well.
“My, William-sama. Your movements have improved greatly. It’s as if you’re using Body Enhancement Magic.”
“But I shouldn’t be able to use Body Enhancement Magic.”
We continued on, when suddenly, I heard a snap and something dropped in front of me.
“Whoa!”
I dodged instantly.
It looked like a dead tree branch had fallen.
Turning around, I saw Liam had already drawn his sword and cut away the branch.
“Are you all right? Actually, it seems you avoided it on your own before I could intervene.”
Liam’s movements were too fast for me to see—impressive, as always.
Still, the fact that someone as clumsy as me could move so quickly…
Could it be that I’m subconsciously using Body Enhancement Magic without even realizing it?
As we pressed deeper into the Great Forest, sometimes rodent- or dog-like monsters would appear, but the knights quickly defeated them.
Deeper inside, I’d heard, even bigger monsters could show up.
We continued gathering various things as we went.
Thanks to Body Enhancement Magic, when I wanted to pick fruit from a high branch, I managed to climb up with ease.
It’s really fun when your body moves the way you want it to.
“Is your mana holding up?”
“Hmm, I don’t really feel like it’s going down much.”
“No, your mana is truly impressive. To be honest, I’m astonished.”
As we continued, I noticed a mysterious plant that caught my attention.
It looked like nothing but a weed, and I couldn’t imagine what I’d use it for now.
Still, I had a hunch I’d need it eventually, so to avoid regrets, I stored it to bring home.
In the end, we spent the whole day moving through the shallow part of the Great Forest until the sun began to set.
***
The next morning, I woke to pain in every joint and couldn’t get out of bed.
According to Liam, normally, using Body Enhancement Magic for even an hour would nearly exhaust your mana, and the next morning you’d wake up with terrible muscle pain.
Repeating this a few times, your body would get used to the magic and it would become easier.
I’d used Body Enhancement Magic for hours, so it seemed the backlash was hitting me hard.
“I was so overwhelmed by William-sama’s mana that I missed the chance to tell you to stop. I’m terribly sorry.”
“No, Liam, it’s not your fault. I should have asked more about Body Enhancement Magic before acting.”
Even so, my body felt sluggish, almost feverish.
Before I knew it, I must have dozed off.
When I opened my eyes again, Mother was just placing a cool cloth on my forehead.
“Oh, Will-chan, you’re awake?”
It’s not very noble-like to be fussed over like this.
But Mother never worries about such things.
When I had a fever before, she even let me use her lap as a pillow and spoon-fed me bread porridge.
It’s a bit embarrassing, but I can really feel her love, and it makes me happy.
“I’m sorry, Mother. I must have overused Body Enhancement Magic. It was so fun to move my body freely, I got carried away.”
“Ufufu, there’s nothing to apologize for. You’re so mature for your age, so seeing you make a childish mistake like this actually puts me at ease.”
Hearing Mother’s gentle words, I relaxed and drifted back to sleep.
***
It was finally the next morning when I managed to get up.
When I tried to put on my trousers, they were so loose they nearly fell off.
Puzzled, I put on my shirt, which now hung baggily on me.
Then, looking in the room’s mirror…
“Eh? Who is this?!”
Reflected in the mirror was a slim, handsome boy.
I looked a little like Eddie-aniue, and had a gentle expression reminiscent of Mother.
Is this really me?
Where did my chubby cheeks, double chin, and jiggly belly go?
At breakfast, my family stared in surprise.
“Oh, Will. You’ve suddenly slimmed down.”
“Well, I always knew Will-chan was a good-looking boy.”
“Onii-sama, you’ve become even more handsome!”
It felt nice to be praised by my family, but my feelings were a bit complicated.
Thinking back, I’d never been fond of exercise, and the cook’s meals and sweets were so delicious that I tended to overeat.
The food here is much simpler than in my old world, but every dish—sautés and soups with fresh meat and vegetables, pies loaded with butter—is truly delicious.
I’d resigned myself to being chubby as just part of who I was.
Yet even though I’m not a Hero, I can use Body Enhancement Magic—and as a side effect, I lost weight.
It seems being a producer is deeper than I thought.
Losing weight without even trying…
In my old world, people around me would probably be mad at me for that.
Maybe I should thank God.