After Surviving the Apocalypse, I Built a City in Another World - Chapter 36

Chapter 36: Obsessed
As Althea stared at the process with a little obsession, she also mused about the other uses of the compound.

This sap could also be used as adhesives. As for what type, she still needed to do some experiments.

As for the wood.. rubber wood, she read, was very good as furniture.

But it had to be treated with harsh conditions which was not something that could be done with her current conditions.

As she took a look at her notebook filled with notes, she felt the purest sense of accomplishment.

She continued to peruse through her tablet for more information, though at the back of her mind she really missed reading paperback books, soon finding out a bit more information about the items.

She closed the tablet and placed it back to the space. At this point, she could basically confirm that, if a higher level appraisal skill would just be able to give information on higher level plants, the appraisal would only show all ‘known’ uses.

That was to say, the display might not contain everything.

She didn’t know the technological advancement of this place, but her methods should still be able to harvest more knowledge than the existing conventional methods here.

What would happen when she found out more about plants than the people of this world? What if she discovered more uses that they did?

How curious.

At this point, she could care less about monsters or leveling up. She just wanted to study as many plants as she could, like the Beautiful Mad Scientist she was often called behind her back.

She had already forgotten she had a territory to build.

“I want to settle here for today. It seems safe here. Let’s rest for a while. You go do your own thing.” She said, very quickly, leaving no room for discussion.

Sheila and Fufi: “…”

Anyway, even if they left, she would really not notice.

Sheila sighed and just took out some food and outdoor equipment to start cooking a basic meal.

This had nothing to do with Althea, who was once again perusing around to see what plants she could test.

She then found another one of those sour fruits. She hesitated to use her precious mana on something so unpalatable, but curiosity got the better of her in the end.

[Sour Pur (Lv1): Relieves hunger, main ingredient for coloring, condiment]

Althea’s eyebrows rose. Condiment?

Like, vinegar? Hey, if she was a cook she’d have thought of this sooner.

She took out a few more and placed them in the space with the others. She looked at the other berry adjacent. If she had more space, she’d definitely collect boxes of these.

[Yu Berry (Lv3): can be eaten raw, ingredient for Gogu medicine, ingredient for gourdsoup, ingredient for South crossfish cuisine] She nodded. As an aspiring chef (well, eventually) she took a few handfuls of this fruit and also placed them in the space.

Stepping back, she took a look around and wondered if there were particularly interesting-looking plants.

It didn’t take long for her to see a very colorful tree with its leaves either pink or purple. The leaves were plump and pretty, as if you could eat them raw. She gently looked at the plant and used her skill.

[Louj (Lv4): with poisonous tree bark and fruit. An ingredient for the Herren Poison.]

“…”

Ah, almost got poisoned again.

She took note of this damned scammer and didn’t dare bring it to space. She also called the other two to where she was. Sheila was still holding her wooden soup ladle, and Fufi was eating something.

“This thing is poisonous, don’t be stupid and fall victim to its deceptive appearance.”

“I’m not.” She said with the tone of ‘I’m not like you’.

“Woof!” Fufi barked, making some of the stuff he was chewing disgustingly fly to her legs.

“What are you eating?” Althea looked at the dog guardedly.

Sheila smiled. “He tried out my cooking. He said it’s delicious.” (Do you think everyone is like you? She thought.)

Althea had no idea what was going on in the other girl’s head. Instead, she was interested in finally ingesting decent food. “Oh?”

Now that they mentioned food, she finally felt a little hungry. She patted her stomach in guilt.

She was starting to feel like a bad mother…

(If Sheila were to know what she was thinking, she’d agree very strongly.)

Althea looked at the dense soup in front of her and gulped, blowing it a bit to let it cool down, before finally eating it.

Sheila was not a very good cook either. Fortunately, it wasn’t so bad that the ingredients were turned to waste.

“This isn’t bad.” Althea said, and Sheila blushed at her rare compliment.

“Thanks.” Sheila said, clearing her throat. “But I had to use quite a bit of condiments…” Although she didn’t cool much, she knew most people wouldn’t use half of what she had.

“Oh?”

“I’m afraid the remaining won’t last another week or two…”

Sheila felt a bit guilty. There was no way, the food she made didn’t taste anything without the condiments…

Althea blinked and remembered the new plants she had been studying. “No worries, we’ll figure something out.”

Sheila nodded, relieved, and picked up her bowl again.

Althea smiled and also continued with her consumption. They entered a companionable silence, appreciating the food.

As such, the trio would happily have their ample meal, especially compared to their peers who were, at the moment, still running for their lives.

.

.

.

However, Althea only got a few mouthfuls when she started hearing the familiar ominous rustles of leaves followed by low spine-chilling growls.

The two girls’ eyes met and they immediately packed up, placing their tools back to the safety of their space.

They took out their weapons, preparing for a fight.

And Althea belatedly realized—thanks to her dampened sense of smell, a temporary side effect of the poison from before—that the food they were eating probably smelled.

The whiff of scent likely attracted nearby mobs to their direction.

As strange beast heads slowly began appearing amongst the shrubs and the trees, Althea bitterly tightened her hold at her katana.

Tsk. She couldn’t even eat in peace.

It was also only at this time she remembered she had a territory to build.