奇跡と呼べるほどの効能を持つ回復薬や治療薬、強化薬は秘薬（ポーション）とも呼ばれ五段階の等級に区分されている.
　最上級、上級、中級、下級、最下級という分類であるが、その分類の決め手になるのは只一つ.

　調合に使用される素材の数である.
　一種類だけなら最下級、二種類なら下級とすこぶる単純な分け方だ.
　この辺りは、ゲームの影響が色濃く残っている気がする.

　ただしアイテムの数に限りがあったゲームとは違い、現実化したこの世界では無数の素材が存在する.
　ゆえにたった四種類や五種類の組み合わせとはいえ、未だに上級や最上級の調合法（レシピ）が明らかになっていない秘薬も多い.
　まあ、俺は全部覚えているけどね.

　さらに組み合わせにも注意点があり、希少度の高い素材は等級の低い調合には使うことができない.
　例えば活力回復薬の素材となる火竜の尾は希少度星四個のため、上級以上を練成する場合のみ使用可能となる.

　今回の外傷治療薬の場合、王都を去る時に持ち出せた一角馬の角は希少度星三個、苦汁草は希少度星一個だ.
　そこに昨日手に入れた希少度星二個の大鹿の唾液を加えたことで、ようやく三種類の素材からなる中級の外傷治療薬が錬成できたというわけである.

「僕のために、そんな貴重な薬を……、ど、どうしてですか？」
「困っている人が居たら、助けるのは当然じゃないですか」

　目の前で動揺する美少女姿の男性に、俺はできるだけ真面目な口調で答えた.
　エタンさんが女性ならば、下心が疑われても仕方がない場面であるしな.
　俺には断じて、そっち方面の趣味はない.

「し、しかし、その……」
「どうしても借りは作りたくないと仰るのでしたら、どうでしょう？　俺たちの手伝いをしていただくというのは」
「僕がですが！？」
「はい、エタンさんの素晴らしい狩りの腕は聞き及んでいますよ」

　樹人種の青年は、俺の顔をまじまじと見つめたまま絶句してしまった.
　しばし間を置いてから、絞り出すように言葉を続ける.

「ニーノ様が来られてから、もうこの村では肉や革が不足するようなことはなくなったと聞いております. 魔物を前におめおめ逃げ出して、自分の怪我すらろくに治せない僕のような……」
「いえ、危険な状況を生き延びたこと自体が、すでに優秀な証ですよ」

　薬草に詳しい樹人種は、時に薬師としての役割も担う.
　ドラクロ２でも植物関係の仕入れは、この線の細い狩人が大半を担ってくれていたものだ.
　そういった面でも、迷宮探索では大いに役立ってくれるに違いない.

　俺の褒め言葉に、エタンさんは無言で顔を伏せてしまった.
　これまでは狩人と薬師の掛け持ちで、この村を支えてきたそれなりの自負があったのだろう.
　しかし昨年の忌まわしい事件で知り合いが行方知れずとなり、自らも大怪我で歩くことさえままならない.
　そこへ今度は俺がいきなり現れて、エタンさんの仕事をすべて奪ってしまう.

　自信を失くすなと言うほうが無理である.

　だが俺は、この人にこんなへこたれたまま終わってほしくないのだ.
　本気になれば、エタンさんは本当に凄いのである.
　なんせ成長すれば、作中でも一、二を争う攻撃手になってくれるほどだしな.

「エタンさん、お願いします. 俺に力を貸してください！」

　寝台に座ったままの青年に詰め寄った俺は、その手を無理やり握りしめて翠色の瞳を覗き込む.
　In your current state of weakness, a sincere word would be more effective than a lot of unnecessary words.

"I need you!
"............ I understand.

　He seemed to understand.
　I shook hands with Etan, whose color had suddenly returned, and we shook hands again.
　Now I can manage the training of archers.

"Would you be willing to teach archery to the villagers for a while until your instincts return?
"Yes, if that's all right with you!
Thank you very much. That would be very helpful.

　Thank you very much." At my words of gratitude, Mr. Etan smiled at me as if a flower had just blossomed.

　We left the house on the outskirts of the village and met up with the usual group at the tavern.
　On our way to the underground labyrinth, we decided to take a look at Heimo's workshop.

　This one was built near the river, probably out of fear of fire.
　It is a one-story building, but it is open-plan, and there seems to be no concept of an entrance.
　In the earthen floor with a roof, there was a large furnace, and water buckets and an iron floor were placed around it.

　In the midst of all this, Heimo was lying down, snoring loudly.
　There were three more goblins clinging to his sides and between his legs.
　Empty wine barrels and wooden plates were lying around the forge, indicating that they had spent the night drinking.

　As I watched, the goblins shivered and snuggled up to Heimo as if they were hugging him tightly.
　Even though it's already February, it's still cold.

　The cold air on the ground seems to be quite unbearable for the evil fairies born in the labyrinth, where the temperature is always kept at a constant level.
　Until they got used to it, Gobbledygook was always sticking to Yoru and Kuu.

I was going to ask you what you want to do today, but I think I'll let you sleep in.

　I was going to ask you what you were going to do today, but I guess I'll let you sleep in." Even when Yoru and Kuu smacked him on the forehead, he showed no signs of waking up.
　The blacksmith, wrapped in a goblin futon, seemed quite happy.

　Today's members were Yoru and Kuu, both astride blue slimes.
　The usual two, a beastmaster and a mage, plus the village chief and his wife, Karina, who had returned as healers to be on the safe side.
　Then there are the four villagers who are trying to level up.

　The absence of Yoh and Gobbler, who were fishing for us, slowed things down, but we still made it to the fifth floor in an hour and a half.
　Of course, don't forget that I've already subjugated three fairies on the fourth floor.

　When we entered the goblin village, the goblins came pouring in.
　When they see that Heimo is not there, they all let out a disappointed laugh.

Uncle Heimo. Heimo's uncle.
"Aaah!
Huh!

　It seems that he was surprisingly popular with the people, or rather with the goblins.
　Using the hump he had acquired along the way, he handed the black wolf fur he had tanned to the goblin in the leather processing team.

It's time for you to make some leather armor.
"Are you sure?


"Good for you, dear. I'll put my best foot forward.
Of course, I'll do the same for you, Karina.
Oh, me too?

　While the couple was taking measurements together, I went to check on the potatoes.
　They don't seem to be making much progress.

"Hmm, it's going to be tough to level up with just a horned rabbit.
"Khihihi!
Kehehehe!

　It seems that Yoh and Gobbler have done their best, but the caterpillar with only a cannot stop them.
　This means that they have little experience to gain, and they have to work in numbers, but they can't do that because they move too slowly.

Well, they should have sprung up by now. ......

　At this point, I one of the fairies and asked Yo to take its place.
　Without a seasoned fisherman, the sixth floor and beyond will be tough.

　With three fairies fishing for crabs and turtles, I ascended to the tower on the seventh floor to earn experience.
　Thanks to them, the two that were level 14 became level 16 in about two hours.

　On the eighth floor, I decided it was too early to go deeper, so I collected mushrooms near the stairs and filled in the map.
　Each time we found a new cluster, the fairies were excited.
　We also managed to hunt a couple of antlered deer, so we took it easy and headed back to the village.

　Well, let's keep adding more and more fairies at this rate.