Several days had passed since we defeated the Evil Dragon. In the time since, we had been staying at Pearl’s house, and I was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief now that Spira’s condition had stabilized. I’d been a little worried about using scales and meat from an Evil Dragon to brew her Magic Potion, but there didn’t seem to be any complications. According to my Appraisal Loupe, the beast was technically a Blue Dragon anyway, so I’d figured it would be fine.
However, an unexpected change did occur during her spiritification—specifically regarding the attribute Spira governed.
It seemed that every spirit had an affinity for a particular element. Spira’s original affinity was the Tree Attribute. During our battle with the Evil Dragon, she had manifested a Vegetation Barrier to block its breath attack; that was a direct application of her Tree Attribute powers.
But when she transitioned into a spirit, she gained the Ice attribute as well. I suspected it was the influence of the Blue Dragon materials I’d used for the potion, as Blue Dragons were known for their mastery of ice-based attacks.
Normally, simply drinking a Magic Potion wouldn't grant someone a new attribute. Pearl suggested it might have been a side effect of the potion being an "Exceptional Work." Whether that was the true reason or not, I was just glad there hadn't been any negative effects so far.
"How do I look, Halfa-chan?"
"You're perfect, Spira-chan! Now we're matching!"
As for Spira herself, she had physically matured into the form of a fourteen-year-old—her actual age—upon becoming a spirit. However, it seemed she could alter her appearance to some degree, so she chose to take the form of a twelve-year-old to match the rest of us.
"Well then, Tort, we’re heading out!"
"Have a good time, Halfa. Spira, make sure you don't overdo it."
"I will. But since Halfa-chan is with me... I’ll be okay!"
Spira still wasn't very comfortable in crowded places. Apparently, spirits of the Tree Attribute tended to be shy, but she was trying to overcome it bit by bit. She’d told me she really wanted to walk through the city with Halfa.
Lowell had thanked me countless times since the battle, and he reiterated his desire to lend us his strength. While the situation regarding Halfa’s hometown was no longer an immediate crisis, Lowell’s help would be invaluable if the Destiny God sent us more oracles in the future.
My only concern was how intensely focused he seemed. I just hoped he wouldn't start worshipping me like Madrus did. I’d told him that we were companions and he didn't need to be so formal, so it would probably be fine. Probably.
Lowell was currently being dragged off by Zephyr and Ressel for a midday drinking session. Apparently, they were miffed that he’d kept Spira’s existence a secret for so long and demanded he tell them everything. Lowell had asked me to keep it a secret from Eina, but he’d likely drink too much and let it slip tomorrow anyway. Not that it was my problem—that was for Zephyr to deal with.
Though I’d prioritized making the Magic Potion for Spira, I’d gone to the Adventurer’s Guild the following day to report on our exploration of the Underground Waterway. I was informed that the matter had been officially processed as a request, and the guild recognized the success as a joint effort between our party, Zephyr, Eina, and the 'Evil-Dispelling Sword'.
The reward for 'Glory's Steps' was ten Gold Coins. It was a modest sum compared to what we’d received for subjugating the Plague-Cursed Black Wolf, but that was due to the lack of actual damage to the city. Since we’d prevented the disaster before it could start, I suppose the officials who issued the reward didn't truly feel the weight of the threat. It couldn't be helped.
Speaking of rewards, I got a bit of a scolding when I ran into Ressel. Or rather, he just seemed exasperated. It was about the bag of Platinum Coins I’d pushed onto him in exchange for the dragon scales and meat. Apparently, even for rare materials like those, a single Platinum Coin would have been more than enough. He’d been shocked when I handed him a bag containing several of them. Consequently, he’d returned every single coin I’d given him.
It turned out the Evil Dragon had dropped plenty of bones and extra scales in addition to the meat we’d taken. The party had already secured a sufficient share, so there was no need for us to pay. In fact, since I’d dealt the finishing blow, they even let me have the Magic Stone. It was a Blue Dragon Magic Stone, confirming my suspicion that the beast was a Blue Dragon that had been corrupted by malice.
So, that wrapped up the business in the Underground Waterway. With that behind us, it was time to think about what came next.
"What should I do about the cooking contest?"
Hmm? What's wrong? Weren't you going to make Teriyaki Burgers?
I’d meant to just talk to myself, but Shiroru, who was lounging nearby, had responded. I decided to use him as a sounding board to organize my thoughts.
"Well, I don't really need the dragon meat anymore. And as for gathering info on the Wingfolk, we can just leave that to the shop staff, right? The reasons I had for entering have kind of already been settled."
Oh, I see! In that case, it's the perfect time to make hamburger patties!
"Eh? Hamburger patties? Out of the dragon meat?"
I've heard dragon meat is delicious! I'm sure it would be even better as a hamburger patty!
Hmm, would it?
If the meat was that high-quality, I felt like I should eat it as a steak. Still, I was definitely curious about the flavor. If only to test the taste, there was still some value in entering the contest. Besides, I’d put a lot of work into perfecting the Teriyaki Burger for the event. I really did want a chance to show it off.
"You're right. I think I'll go ahead and enter the contest after all."
Make sure you win!
"Ahaha, I'll do my best."
Entering the contest was one thing, but there was something else I needed to address: strengthening our combat power.
We’d only survived the recent incident because Spira protected us, and she’d nearly lost her life because of it. If we had been stronger, she wouldn't have been put in such a desperate position.
If Halfa was going to keep receiving oracles from the Destiny God, we were likely to end up in dangerous situations like this again. I needed to stop holding back and focus on increasing our strength. Not that I’d particularly been holding back before, but still.
"How can I get stronger faster?"
Hmm? I think a Dungeon is the quickest way! That way you can make use of your Great Luck, Tort!
I figured as much. Hunting for items in treasure chests was probably the most efficient route.
Also, why don't you ask Pearl? She seems to know a lot about everything.
Now that he mentioned it, Pearl-san had talked to me about Medicinal Cuisine. If I could learn to cook dishes that provided buffs, we could temporarily boost our stats whenever we needed. It was a skill well worth having.
Alright, first things first—I’d go talk to Pearl-san!
Name: Tort Race: Commoner Age: 12 Level: 18 [3 up] Vitality: 103/103 [16 up] Mana: 96/96 [15 up] Strength: 46 [7 up] Stamina: 54 [8 up] Agility: 71 [10 up] Dexterity: 93 [14 up] Magic Power: 86 [13 up] Spirit: 69 [10 up] Luck: 125 [2 up]
Divine Protection: 【Divine Protection of the Job God: Dungeon Explorer】
Skills: 【Destiny God's Smile】【Dagger Lv17】[2 up] 【Shadow Strike Lv14】[2 up] 【Throwing Skill Lv9】[3 up] 【Lockpicking Lv10】【Trap Disarming Lv10】 【Sense of Direction Lv10】【Sense of Balance Lv1】[new] 【Cooking Lv14】【Medicine Making Lv7】[new] 【Light Magic Lv12】[1 up] 【Water Magic Lv10】 【Dark Magic Lv13】[1 up] 【Non-Elemental Magic Lv5】 【Wind Magic Lv8】[1 up]
Traits: 【Cooking Talent Lv1】【Great Luck】【Dexterous Fingertips Lv1】 【Magic Aptitude Lv2】
Magic: 〈Clean〉〈First Aid〉 〈Create Water〉〈Dehydrate〉 〈Decomposition〉〈Night Vision〉 〈Shadow Hiding〉 〈Breeze〉〈Wind Cutter〉 〈Shredding Storm〉 〈Detect Magic〉