Sex Fiend really was a terrifying job.
Between the Increased Stamina skill and the sheer physical boost, I had become quite the powerhouse in the bedroom. Then again, when you were sharing a bed with a beauty like Roxanne and someone as adorable as Sherry every single night, perhaps being energetic was only natural.
Managing a second or even a third round was undoubtedly thanks to being a Sex Fiend.
Today, I had pushed into a third round for the first time. Afterward, I exchanged long, deep kisses with the two of them—first Sherry, then Roxanne.
I lingered over Roxanne, kissing her as if to cherish her very soul, savoring every moment and reluctant to let go. After enjoying the sweetness of her mouth to my heart's content, I sprawled out on the bed. I stretched my limbs while lying on my back and pulled Roxanne close to me once more.
As I lay there, breathing slowly in the afterglow, Sherry crawled back into bed.
She had likely put her negligee back on. She lay down on my other side. After a short silence, she whispered to Roxanne.
"Do you think he's fallen asleep?"
"It seems so. Master tends to fall asleep quite quickly once he's satisfied."
I wanted to protest. I recalled reading in a magazine once that to truly satisfy a woman, a man should put more effort into the aftercare than the act itself. That was why I made sure to give them plenty of kisses and hold Roxanne like this every time. But then, before I knew it, I was usually hugging her until morning.
Wait. Maybe I couldn't actually argue with them. I decided it was for the best to just keep pretending I was asleep.
"I suppose so," Sherry whispered.
"You worked hard too, Sherry. Today was incredible. Are you all right?"
"Yes. Um... it’s not that I dislike it or anything."
She didn't dislike it? Good. In my book, not disliking something was essentially the same as liking it. They were practically equal.
"Is that so? Hehe."
"I—I was just surprised today."
Sherry was dodging the subject. She quickly changed the topic.
"But really, to think Master was capable of such things. But Roxanne... am I truly a Master Smith now?"
"Eh? Um. You fused a Skill Crystal, so there can be no mistake."
"I see. You’re right, of course."
Did she still not believe it?
"Skill Crystal fusion fails so often. I can't help but be worried."
"Are you anxious?"
"Yes, very. I have heard many terrible stories."
It seemed that was the crux of the issue.
"Is that so?" Roxanne asked gently.
"I heard that if failures continue, slave Master Smiths are discarded. Or subjected to corporal punishment. Or even resold."
I might actually want to try a bit of corporal punishment. Oho, it’s time for your punishment!
"It will be fine," Roxanne reassured her. "It’s Master, after all."
"Do you really think so?"
"I do."
"He is... a strange person. I cannot tell if he is truly amazing or if it is all a misunderstanding," Sherry mused.
Were they talking about me?
"He is a magnificent man, our Master," Roxanne stated firmly.
Yes, they were definitely talking about me.
Roxanne lifted her head slightly. She was facing Sherry now. It looked like the two of them were going to talk more. During the day, they were almost always with me, so they rarely had a chance to speak freely without worrying about my presence. They might have chatted a bit at the clothing shop today, but maybe it hadn't been enough.
It was better for them to be friends than to have a cold relationship. There were probably things only women could talk about, anyway. It would be boorish of me to interfere.
I let myself drift off into a dream.
In the morning, I woke up still tangled with Roxanne.
She really was the ultimate body pillow. Her body was soft, her skin smooth, and her breasts had a wonderful elasticity. She felt incredible to hold. My legs were stretched out, currently tangled with Sherry on my other side. Sherry’s legs were thin and dainty.
I was in a slightly unnatural position, half-twisted between the two of them, but I didn't feel any discomfort. I hadn't strained a muscle during the night.
As I shifted slightly to check my condition, Roxanne leaned in and kissed me. Even though she had stayed up later than me, she was already awake. She was always awake before me. Perhaps she was just a naturally light sleeper.
I pulled her close, savoring the sweetness of her lips and the softness of her chest simultaneously. I caught her tongue and invited it into my mouth. Roxanne responded proactively, her tongue moving to explore every corner of my mouth. After savoring her fully, I released her.
"Good morning, Master."
"Good morning."
"Ah... good morning."
Sherry had woken up too. I moved my left arm from Roxanne and pulled Sherry into a hug.
Small and dainty, Sherry felt fragile. If I held her too tightly all night, I felt like she might break—though I knew that wasn't actually possible. Still, rather than a body pillow, she was the type I wanted to lie gently beside. Just feeling the faint warmth of her skin was enough.
Sherry kissed me, and our tongues intertwined. Since I had given her the medicine mouth-to-mouth the previous day, she had become much more proactive. She wound her tongue softly around mine, matching my movements. Even when I teased her by slowly pulling back and pushing in, she welcomed me gently.
"Good morning to you too, Sherry," I said after finally pulling away.
Today, we were moving to the 8th Floor of the Quratar Labyrinth. After readying our equipment, we warped to the 7th Floor of the Quratar Labyrinth first.
"The boss of the Slow Rabbits is the Rapid Rabbit. It is a troublesome monster because of its speed. Magic and skill attacks are easily dodged, so it is better not to rely on them. It often turns into a battle of attrition, so caution is required."
Sherry gave me the rundown on the boss, but I had already faced the Rapid Rabbit before. Still, since it was the 7th Floor boss and had a unique gimmick, I wanted Sherry to experience it. Plus, since she was still only a Level 1 Master Smith, it was safer to start here than jump straight to the 8th Floor.
"It should be fine," I said.
"Yes. However, I believe I should fight with a spear today. If I swing a club, the motion is too large, and I will likely be dodged."
We made our way to the Boss Room to confirm the location. I peeked into the Waiting Room, but it was empty. It was early morning, so there weren't many people around.
"Let’s hunt a few more Slow Rabbits around here first. We’re only a few pelts short of a hundred. After breakfast, we’ll head to the Imperial Capital. Roxanne, find us some rabbits."
"Understood."
I wanted to see how Sherry fared before she leveled up. Restarting from the 1st Floor was a hassle, and the 8th Floor was a bit intimidating for a Level 1, but the 7th Floor where we usually fought should be the perfect middle ground.
Besides, Roxanne had given Sherry one of her negligees, so we needed to replace it. Once we hit a hundred pelts, we could visit the clothing shop in the capital.
"Sherry, you just became a Master Smith, so don't overextend yourself."
"Yes."
"I don't think a Slow Rabbit on the 7th Floor can take you down in one hit, but if you're worried, we can go to a lower floor."
"No. I believe I will be fine."
Job effects apparently applied to the entire party. Since I had the HP Increase (Medium) and Vitality Increase (Medium) from my Hero job active, Sherry’s defense shouldn't be paper-thin. She had been fine as a Villager, so as long as she was facing Slow Rabbits, there shouldn't be an issue. I’d decide what to do for the boss fight after watching her.
We hunted in the area for a while. Sherry reached Level 2 as a Master Smith. I wondered if the early morning wouldn't be enough to reach Level 3. It felt like she was leveling slower than when she was a Villager. That was likely because we weren't starting from the 1st Floor. Did race-specific jobs take longer to level?
The Hero job, which had massive effects, leveled slower than other jobs. It made sense that a race-specific job, which provided significant party buffs, would also require more effort to grow.
Reaching Master Smith Level 3 today seemed unlikely.
"How are the monster attacks feeling?" I asked her after a group of three appeared and she took a minor hit.
"I am fine."
"Compared to yesterday?"
"Let’s see... it is certainly tougher than yesterday when I was an Explorer."
Well, that was natural. Although she had actually been a Villager yesterday, not an Explorer.
"Do you think you can handle the boss?"
"I think I can manage if I put my mind to it."
That sounded a bit ominous. "Managing if you put your mind to it" usually meant it was normally impossible. If this were a game, it might be worth the risk, but in a Labyrinth, failure meant death. Since the boss was fast, I had to account for the possibility of her taking consecutive hits.
"We’re going to the Boss Room, but just in case, I’m switching your job back."
"You are capable of that as well?"
"Naturally."
I set Sherry’s job to Explorer Lv 10. I was glad I had kept her as a Villager for so long. If she had stayed an Explorer all this time, she would probably be Level 12 or higher by now. Being Level 11 could be explained away as a lucky streak, but Level 12 would be harder to justify. Since an Explorer's level was tied to their Item Box size, it would have raised unwanted questions.
I prepared Durandal and we entered the Boss Room. I drew the rabbit in close and used Overwhelming to knock it back.
Roxanne and I had already defeated a Rapid Rabbit Lv 7 before. Using Overwhelming was our winning formula. Relying on a skill felt a bit like cheating, but there was no faster way to end the fight. I could eventually win with all-target magic, but I didn't want to drag it out.
The red rabbit, knocked backward, scrambled and bolted toward Sherry. She waited with her spear leveled. As the monster closed in, she thrust the spear, but the Rapid Rabbit leapt to the side. It bounced once, changed direction mid-air, and lunged at Sherry.
Sherry staggered under the impact. Swapping her to Explorer Lv 10 had definitely been the right call.
The monster turned its attention back to me. I waited patiently and met its charge with Overwhelming again. The Rapid Rabbit was sent flying. It was a shame Overwhelming didn't have a follow-up strike, given how effective it was.
The boss tried to attack Roxanne next, but she swatted it away. It was terrifying how Roxanne moved faster than the rabbit without even needing a skill like Overwhelming.
The monster landed from the knockback, and Sherry’s spear was already waiting for it. She caught it in the side, and the rabbit tumbled across the floor.
"I did it!"
"Whoa, nice!"
"That was very clever of you," Roxanne added.
Indeed, even a Rapid Rabbit couldn't change its trajectory while being knocked back mid-air. If you timed it right, you were guaranteed a hit. It was a strategy only possible with the long reach of a spear. Sherry really was smart.
The rabbit scrambled back up and charged at me.
"Ches-tooo!" I shouted, slamming Durandal into the beast.
The rabbit tumbled and dissolved into smoke. I’d managed to finish it with a single strike. No second blow required.
"Is 'Chesto' a skill? I have never heard of it," Sherry said, bringing over the Rabbit Meat.
"No, it’s not really a skill name."
"But I could not even see your movements."
"It’s a skill called Overwhelming. Have you heard of it?"
"No, I have not. You truly have magnificent skills, Master."
There was pure respect in Sherry’s eyes. In all my years, I had never felt this accomplished. The pleasure of being looked up to by a girl like Sherry was irreplaceable. This was dangerous; I could get addicted to this feeling.
"It’s not something I want others to know about, so keep it to yourself."
I probably didn't need to warn her, but it was good to be sure.
I wondered if the First Emperor hadn't used Overwhelming, or if the knowledge simply hadn't been passed down. He didn't have Chant Omission, but if he only used skills inside the Labyrinth, it wouldn't be surprising if the details were lost to history.
"Yes, Master. Still, Roxanne-san is incredible. To keep a Rapid Rabbit at bay without even using a skill..."
Sherry’s gaze of respect immediately shifted to Roxanne. I wished she’d kept looking at me a bit longer. But since Roxanne's skill-less movements were objectively more impressive than my skill-reliant ones, I couldn't really complain.
With the 7th Floor cleared, we moved to the 8th Floor of the Quratar Labyrinth.
"Do you know the monsters on this floor?" I asked Sherry.
"Um... I do not. I do not even know where we are, to be honest."
"We’re in the Quratar Labyrinth."
"Is this truly Quratar?"
"Did I not tell you?"
Had I forgotten to mention it?
"I might have heard, but... the monster layout is identical to Quratar. But we did not pay the entry fee. Ah, wait... you can use special time-space magic. If that is the case, you would not need to use the gate."
Sherry was muttering to herself. To enter the Labyrinth normally, you had to pay at the entrance. Since we warped directly inside, we bypassed the fee.
The fact that she caught onto that so quickly proved she was a genius.
"Is it a problem that I didn't pay?"
"No. The entry fee for the Quratar Labyrinth is a rule regarding entering through the main gate. It is not a regulation regarding the usage of the Labyrinth itself. If you do not use the entrance, it is actually wise not to pay. It is very much like you, Master."
So she wasn't going to call me a stingy disgrace to all Explorers. Good.
"As expected of Master," Roxanne added, though I was pretty sure she was the one who suggested it in the first place.
"So, about the 8th Floor monsters..."
"Ah, yes. The monsters on the 8th Floor of the Quratar Labyrinth are Needle Woods. We have fought them in Vale, so they should not be a problem. On rare occasions, however, they can use Water Magic. Since they have a resistance to it, it is best not to use Water Magic against them."
Sherry gave her explanation. So Water Magic was a no-go for Needle Woods.
"I’ve never seen them use magic before."
"The Vale Labyrinth was a low-level floor. Monsters on the first or second floors almost never use magic."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. Generally, monsters use more troublesome magic and skills the higher the floor they appear on. Needle Woods are not primarily magic-casters, but on the 8th Floor, they will use it occasionally."
It made sense. The levels were higher, so the monsters were more advanced. The Needle Woods on the 1st Floor of Vale were Level 1. The ones here would be Level 8.
"I see. You really are helpful, Sherry."
"Thank you very much."
"I'll be counting on you. Roxanne, find us a small group to start with."
"Certainly."
If they were going to use magic, I thought about keeping Durandal equipped. But I didn't know how often they’d cast it or how strong it would be. I decided to observe for a bit first. I kept Sherry as an Explorer Lv 10 just in case. A Master Smith Lv 2 might get taken out by a single spell.
We hunted on the 8th Floor for a while. The Needle Woods didn't seem particularly eager to use magic. It was exactly as Sherry said—only an occasional occurrence.
Losing my patience, I switched Sherry back to her Master Smith job. Her Explorer job had already hit Level 11; if I left it, she’d be Level 12 in no time. That would be troublesome to explain, so I had to keep her growth in check.
The first time a Needle Wood Lv 8 used magic was against a group of four. As I hit them with Fire Storm, three moved to the front while one hung back. The caves were too narrow for all four to stand abreast.
"Roxanne, take the two on the left. Sherry, take the one on the right."
I slammed three Fire Storms into them as they closed the distance. As the front line engaged, I cast the fourth.
"It's coming!" Roxanne warned.
A blue magic circle appeared at the feet of the Needle Wood in the back. A sphere of water formed above its head. It looked like a Water Ball. The monster fired it, and it was surprisingly fast.
The water sphere moved in a straight, rapid line. The speed wasn't much different from my own spells, but having one fired at you felt completely different. The pressure was intense. I almost froze up.
Roxanne twisted her torso with the bare minimum of effort, dodging the magic by a hair. The water ball zipped past her and shattered against the wall.
She was incredible. To dodge magic like that so casually... if it had been aimed at me, I never would have made it.
I shook off the shock and focused on the fifth Fire Storm. Embers danced through the air, and all four Needle Woods collapsed.
"Amazing, Roxanne. You can even dodge magic."
"It was fired from the second row. With that much distance, it was easy to evade after seeing the activation."
No, it really wasn't. There was no "easy" about it. The distance hadn't been that great.
"I—I see."
"The monster likely only used it as a feint. It probably didn't expect to hit me," Roxanne added.
I seriously doubted that.
When Sherry brought the drops over, I looked at her, seeking a second opinion. She gave a small, silent shake of her head.
"Just as I thought," I muttered.
"What is?" Roxanne asked.
"N-nothing."
"He means that since Branches are necessary for smithing, we should keep a few of them rather than selling them all," Sherry covered for me. Nice save.
Since we’d killed four Needle Woods, four Branches remained. I actually hadn't known Branches were for smithing.
"Is that really how it works?" I asked, playing along.
"Yes. If you burn a Branch normally, the heat is far too intense. But for a smith, they are necessary."
"How do you use them?"
"Branches are used as a catalyst alongside the primary materials when forging metal equipment like swords or armor."
So they were needed for metalworking. That made sense.
"Do you need a furnace or something?"
"The skill handles everything. No special equipment is required."
As long as you had the materials, the skill did the rest. Skills were incredibly convenient.
"In that case, let's move to Vale's 8th Floor."
I already had several Branches in my Item Box. I’d seen the magic, so there was no need to linger in Quratar.
"It will be morning soon. We should just stay in Quratar for now," Roxanne suggested.
I’d spent more time than I realized watching Sherry level up.
"Fine by me."
We continued fighting on Quratar's 8th Floor. The Needle Woods didn't use magic often, and it wasn't limited to the back row. Even when standing in the front line, one occasionally fired a spell.
"It's coming!" Roxanne warned again.
The magic circle appeared, and a sphere of water flew toward us. This time, it was aimed at me.
"Guh!"
I didn't even have time to flinch before it hit. Evasion was impossible for me. My brain understood I needed to move, but while I was debating between left and right, the water slammed into my thigh.
And Roxanne called that "easy"? Not a chance.
Thanks to my equipment, it wasn't a lethal blow, but it was a heavy impact. It felt like my leg was going to be torn off. And since it was water, I was now soaking wet. Better than being on fire, I guess.
I finished off the monster with a fifth Fire Storm, but the water didn't disappear. The thread from the caterpillars vanished when the monster died, but this remained. Probably because it was just plain water. Because it had hit my leg, it looked like I had wet myself. My only consolation was that the Labyrinth was dim, so it wasn't too obvious.
The water finally dried by the time we left. We ducked into a safe room to sort through the equipment and Magic Crystals. Since Magic Crystals were high-value items, we didn't keep them in the rucksack. I shoved the equipment into my Item Box.
"Finally dry," I grumbled.
"Things manifested purely by mana disappear when the mana is gone. Things physically created through mana do not. A monster's body is a manifestation of mana, but parts of it are physically constructed, which is why they remain as drops," Sherry explained. I only half-understood her.
"I see."
"Ah!" Sherry let out a small cry as I was putting a Magic Crystal away.
"What is it?"
"No... nothing. Has the Purple Magic Crystal already turned into a Blue Magic Crystal?"
She was right. The crystallization had progressed. My Magic Crystal had stored enough mana from over a thousand monsters to turn blue.
"I still have the purple one," Roxanne said, handing hers over. I had tested hers long ago to see if it would turn purple. Sherry’s was already red after the various tests I'd put her through.
"At the start, didn't you have one purple and two black ones?" Sherry asked.
"W-was that how it was?"
"It is a simple matter for Master," Roxanne added. Another nice save. Sherry looked at me with a hint of suspicion, but she didn't give me the cold shoulder.
After breakfast, we headed into the heart of the Imperial Capital.
"Wow... it really is enormous."
As we stepped out of the Adventurer Guild, Sherry looked up at the towering buildings in awe. She’d never called me enormous.
"Is this your first time in the capital, Sherry?"
"Yes."
A total country girl.
"Well, Roxanne and I only saw it for the first time recently ourselves."
"That is true," Roxanne nodded. "Unless you have specific business, there is usually no reason to come here."
"Is that so?" I asked. The concept of "tourism" didn't seem to exist here yet. Ordinary people didn't travel just for fun. Adventurers with Field Walk could go anywhere, but I guess most people lacked the adventurous spirit.
"I always wanted to come here, once," Sherry whispered.
"Hmm?"
"Ah, no. It’s nothing."
"Is it no good now that you're here?" I pressed.
"Um... the capital has a library. I always longed to visit it."
A library. She really was the intellectual type.
"In the past, my family had about ten books. Being Dwarves, they were mostly about smithing, though."
I didn't know if ten books was a lot or a little, but paper was precious. Most homes probably didn't have any. It seemed Sherry really had been a young lady of some standing. I didn't know why she'd ended up a slave, but since she said her family "used" to have them, they must have fallen on hard times. It was a sensitive topic.
"A house with books... that's amazing," Roxanne said. She could be a bit airheaded sometimes.
"It was a long time ago. When my grandfather was alive, we were quite prosperous."
"I see. So that's how you became so knowledgeable." I brought the conversation back before it got too heavy.
"I spent most of my time at home back then."
"It's a wonder you decided to become a Master Smith."
"Once I became an Explorer, I worked hard in the Labyrinths."
First the "young lady" theory, and now a "shut-in" theory. That would explain why her Villager level had been so low.
"So you liked books and wanted to see the library."
"Yes."
"And now?"
I didn't own any books either, unless you counted the Quratar Labyrinth booklet.
"Well... I am a slave now."
"Does that mean you don't want to go?"
"I simply cannot."
Was that how she saw it? To her, if it wasn't possible, it wasn't worth wanting. A pragmatic, if slightly sad, outlook.
"Can slaves not use the library?"
"Anyone can enter if they have the money. But it is very expensive."
"How expensive?"
"There is an admission fee, and then a deposit. You get the deposit back if you don't damage anything, but it costs one Gold Coin."
A security deposit for the books. It was a logical system to keep out the riff-raff and ensure the precious volumes were handled with care.
"I see. Well, I might have you visit the library eventually."
"Eh?"
"You're the one who teaches me about monsters and items. If we run into something we don't know, I'll have you look it up. We might as well make use of the resources available."
If I didn't know something, I’d just have Sherry find out. It was a perfect plan. After all, I’d been slacking on learning to read from Roxanne. Literacy was low in this world anyway, so it rarely caused problems. Besides, Roxanne could read for me if needed. I hadn't been great at English back in school, so having to juggle Japanese, English, and now Brahim was too much. I wasn't Schliemann.
"T-thank you very much!"
"By the way, can you read Brahim, Sherry?"
"Yes. I learned it at the trading house. The characters are the same as other languages."
I see. It was like knowing the Latin alphabet; you could read English, French, or German even if you didn't know the words.
"Were the books in your old home not in Brahim?"
"They were smithing texts, so they were in the Dwarven tongue."
"Sherry, you are so impressive. I had to learn my letters from scratch at the trading house," Roxanne said.
"Roxanne, is there anywhere you've always wanted to go?" I asked, walking between them.
"No, not particularly."
"I see."
"A-um... if I did have a place, would you take me?" she asked, looking me in the eye.
"Sure. If it's a place we can get to."
"Um... wherever Master wants to go is where I want to be. Please, just take me with you."
She was so devoted. I couldn't help but pat her ears. Roxanne really was the best.
"I will. Thank you."
"Yes!"
"I... I also want to go wherever you go," Sherry added quickly.
I felt a bit bad, like I’d forced her to say it.
We entered the clothing shop. They had the camisoles Roxanne and Sherry used as negligees.
"Let's buy two of each."
"Yes! Thank you, Master."
I left Roxanne to it and went to sell the rabbit pelts. I didn't want to spend an hour shopping. Even when I finished the transaction and came back, she was still picking them out. She had the pink camisoles spread out on the counter, inspecting them minutely.
"Is that color okay?"
"Yes. It is the color you chose for me, after all." She gave me a radiant smile.
I remembered saying that color looked good on her. I hadn't exactly "chosen" it for her, but there was no reason to correct her.
"Good. And Sherry, white is fine for you?"
"Yes. If we use different colors, we won't get them mixed up."
Very practical. It was decided: pink for Roxanne, white for Sherry. They didn't have children's sizes, so we got the smallest adult size for Sherry. It was a bit baggy and the hem reached her ankles, but as a negligee, it worked fine.
Next, we visited the Merchant Guild in Quratar. A different man approached us at the entrance today.
"Do you have business with the Guild?"
"I wanted to talk about the auction."
"I am a broker named Luke. I would be happy to assist you."
Luke Acid. Male, 28 years old. Armor Merchant Lv 2. Equipment: Substitution Misanga.
An Armor Merchant. Perfect. He was likely Level 2 because of his age. I didn't have that job yet; I guessed you didn't get it just by buying and selling, but by raising your Merchant level first.
"Very well."
"Please, follow me."
He led us to a private room. Roxanne, Sherry, and I took seats while Luke went to prepare.
"I'm Michio."
"It seems you were here yesterday as well. Did you have an appointment with someone?"
He'd been watching.
"I didn't."
"For those with appointments, there is a waiting room. Auction results are posted there as well. For everyone else, we brokers take turns assisting visitors."
It was a strictly regulated system. The brokers probably had a strong union. Approaching visitors was their way of gaining new clients—a valuable right. By sharing the opportunities equally, they avoided cutthroat competition and kept their fees stable.
"So because I was standing around like a lost tourist, it was your turn."
"Ha, something like that."
"I spoke to a man named Laurel yesterday. Is it okay that I'm talking to you now?"
"As long as you didn't make a formal appointment, there is no issue."
I’d worried about stepping on toes, but apparently, it was fine.
"Good. Regarding the auction, I'm looking to both buy and sell."
"For purchasing, most people find it easier to go through a broker. What exactly are you looking for?"
He jumped on the buying side immediately. It was easier to prove a broker's worth by handling the complex bidding process for a client.
"A Kobold Skill Crystal."
"One was sold for 5,200 Nahl two days ago. Currently, there is a standing buy order at that price. It's a bit high, so if you want one immediately, you'd have to outbid them. Before that, the price was around 5,400."
He rattled the numbers off from memory without checking a single note. This guy was good.
I’d used my rabbit crystal, so even if I got a kobold one now, I couldn't make the Chant Interruption weapon yet. I was mostly cross-checking the info I’d gotten yesterday. The fact that he knew the exact prices and current buy orders was a good sign.
"Maybe the timing isn't right for that. Let's talk about selling."
"What do you have for us?"
"Six Copper Swords of Obstruction."
"Oh? Is this young lady a Master Smith, then?" Luke asked, looking at Sherry. He could tell she was a Dwarf, despite her only major differences being her height and hair texture.
"She is. This is Sherry."
I introduced her. Sherry remained silent, probably following some etiquette I didn't know yet.
"In that case, I can either buy them from you directly, or for a fee, I can monitor the market and tell you when the best time to sell would be."
"You can do that?" I asked. Laurel hadn't mentioned that option. It would be better to sell when the price was high, and I could still use them in the meantime—though they were only Chant Delay, which wasn't as useful. But if he was just going to lowball me later, it didn't really matter.
"I cannot say when that time will be. If you are in a hurry, a direct sale is best."
"I'm not in a rush, but perhaps a direct sale is better."
Holding onto them for a high price was a gamble. Selling them now meant I could invest that money into better equipment or party needs. Capital was better than inventory gathering dust in my Item Box.
"As you know, the Copper Sword of Obstruction is very popular for fighting low-level bosses. A set of six is particularly valuable. Knight Orders often buy them to train their recruits."
"I don't have those kinds of connections."
"Then selling to me is your best bet."
He knew I didn't have those connections, so he was safe making the offer. It was a clever play—he was showing me he knew the market's secrets to gain my trust, knowing I couldn't bypass him anyway. He definitely had a line to the knights.
I looked at Roxanne and Sherry. Neither had an objection.
"How much?"
"Well... individually, they go for about 15,000 each. As a set, the price goes up. Perhaps 100,000 for the six?"
That was the same ballpark as yesterday's quote. It seemed to be the market rate.
"How about 18,000 each?"
"That's a bit much..."
"17,500?"
"Hmm. If it's the full set of six, I can do 17,000 each."
It wasn't a huge jump, but it was something.
"Fine. We have a deal."
"Excellent. Do you have them with you?"
"They're in my Item Box."
"Then I'll call a Weapon Merchant for an appraisal. I'm an Armor Merchant, so I can't certify weapons. I'll cover the appraisal fee myself. Once confirmed, I'll pay you immediately."
Luke left the room to find the appraiser.
"We're selling them. You're okay with that?" I asked the girls.
"Yes."
"Thanks to you making them a set, we're getting a better price. Thanks, Sherry."
While he was gone, I pulled the six swords from my Item Box. It was easier than having to chant in front of the broker.
Luke returned with another man—likely another broker specializing in weapons. He checked the table.
"Six Copper Swords of Obstruction. These are genuine."
The man left as quickly as he'd arrived.
"Everything is in order. I'll take these. Since this is our first transaction and I hope for many more, I'll give you a special price. 132,600 Nahl for the lot."
Luke opened his Item Box, stowed the swords, and pulled out a stack of gold and silver coins. Thirteen gold, twenty-six silver. A solid 30% bonus. My plan to haggle based on the individual price had worked.
"Perfect. Moving forward, I'm interested in buying any cheap Skill Crystals that hit the market. Can you handle that?" I asked as I stowed the money.
Luke seemed capable, and as an Armor Merchant, I could probably get that 30% discount on purchases too. It was worth building a relationship. My ability to see empty Skill Slots via appraisal was a massive advantage. I could fuse crystals without the risk of failing due to a lack of slots.
Using a broker was also less conspicuous than bidding personally. Luke wouldn't talk about his clients; it was bad for business. I could slowly move equipment through him without crashing the market.
"You want Skill Crystals?" Luke looked back and forth between me and Sherry. He looked suspicious. Had I messed up?
"You must be very confident in your skills," he said, shaking his head slightly.
He clearly thought Sherry had fused all six swords successfully. If she had, she would be a master among masters. I didn't feel like explaining that she’d only actually fused one of them.
"Sherry is very talented," I said.
"Many people try to buy cheap crystals and sell fused equipment. If that is your plan, I do not recommend it."
"Why not?"
"People sell their old gear or lucky fusions at auction all the time. Many Master Smiths think they can make a profit by fusing crystals themselves, but few actually succeed."
So there was a lot of competition and a high failure rate. Fusing was a gamble. If you won, you won big. But most people lost, and the brokers took their cut regardless. It was a graveyard of ambitious smiths.
"It is a myth that a smith's level increases the success rate," Sherry chimed in. She was the one who had to do the work, so she was clearly worried I’d push her into it.
But that information was great for me. If the level didn't matter, then it all came down to the Skill Slots—which I could see.
"Don't worry. I won't make you do anything impossible," I told her.
"I see," Luke said.
"We aren't looking to gamble. We just want to upgrade our own gear."
"I understand. Since it is my job, I will act as your broker. I can't guarantee extremely low prices because of the competition, but what are you looking for?"
He was in. He knew I had 130,000 Nahl in capital now. No broker would walk away from that.
"Anything slightly below market rate is fine. I'll leave the bidding to you. I want a Scissor-type Insectivorous Plant... that's MP Absorption, right?"
Sherry nodded.
"And I want Slow Rabbit Skill Crystals, even if they're a bit pricey. After those, we'll aim for Kobold Skill Crystals."
Reducing my reliance on Durandal was key to maximizing XP gain. Chant Interruption would be useful against the Needle Woods right away.
"Caterpillar Skill Crystals too," Sherry added. "We can make Substitution Misangas."
Luke was wearing one, I noted.
"Right, those too. I don't mind paying a premium for them."
"Very well. The fee for purchasing crystals is 500 Nahl, payable in advance for each search. When a bid succeeds, I will send word. You can collect it at the Guild. Just ask for Luke the Armor Merchant."
"Got it." I handed over five silver coins.
"I look forward to our future business." Luke bowed.
We left the room and headed out.
"That man is strange," Sherry said as soon as we were clear of the Guild.
"Strange?"
"There was no need for that awkward number, 132,600. I do not know what he is plotting."
"Ah, I see." To an outsider, that specific number did look suspicious.
"He is a middleman. You should not trust him too much." Sherry clearly had a deep-seated bias against brokers.
"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the heads-up."
"It is only natural."
"He likely just realized how great Master is and wanted to show off," Roxanne added. She really needed a healthy dose of skepticism.
"What exactly does a Substitution Misanga do?" I asked Sherry.
"It takes a hit on the wearer's behalf."
"So it's a guaranteed dodge?"
"Not exactly. It is said to activate more frequently against powerful attacks, relative to the wearer's strength. If a high-level explorer wears one on a low floor, it will almost never trigger."
"I see." So it had conditions. Maybe it only worked against attacks that would do a certain percentage of damage, or lethal blows. Either way, it was a literal lifesaver.
"It breaks after one use, but the wearer avoids all pain and damage. Close-combat fighters don't use them much because they break too easily, but they are vital for Mages and backline support."
One-time use. Makes sense. If it were permanent, it would be brokenly overpowered.
"So it would be good for Roxanne, since she's so good at dodging anyway?"
"No. Master should wear it," Roxanne insisted.
"I'm the one getting hit all the time. It feels like a waste."
"I have heard stories of lives saved by those misangas. You must wear one, Master."
"Fine, if we can make one."
"I will do my best," Sherry said.
"I trust you."
"A smith's level increasing the success rate is a myth," Sherry repeated. She’d said that before.
"Is that really true?" Roxanne asked.
"Generally, people believe a better smith has a better chance, but a famous scholar proved there was no statistical difference."
Sherry's reliance on "famous scholars" was a bit questionable, but it worked in my favor.
"Does the skill have to be on a misanga?"
"No, but since the item breaks, you want it on something cheap. Armor shops won't even buy misangas; they have no defensive value."
"So it's okay if they break. Less of a loss."
"A misanga is just one thread. It is what apprentice smiths make for practice."
"Practice, eh? Want to try making one, Sherry?"
"Thank you! But misangas won't sell for much. Buying thread from the Guild would put us in the red. Apprentices are told to hunt Green Caterpillars for thread and make one misanga every morning and evening."
Since MP was the bottleneck, you couldn't mass-produce them. Making them twice a day while leveling up in the Labyrinth was a solid training regime.
"I sold the copper swords, so I need a replacement. Can you forge a sword yet?"
"I am sorry. I believe I am still too inexperienced. Smithing training starts with misangas and moves to more complex items."
"Makes sense. No need to rush into the hard stuff."
"I hope to be useful to you soon," Sherry said, looking a bit down.
"Don't worry about it. You’ve already helped a lot with the fusion. Let's go buy a sword at the shop."
We stopped by a weapon shop. I needed something for my hip; I couldn't always have Durandal out, and carrying a wand when I wasn't a Mage would look weird. I just needed a prop.
A copper sword would be fine, but maybe I should get something a bit better for appearances. Without Appraisal, no one would know if it was a high-quality blade or a hunk of junk anyway.
The next step up from copper was iron. Iron swords were common. Some had one or even two Skill Slots, but most had none. Two seemed to be the cap for iron.
I checked the scimitars too. Most had one slot; finding one with two was definitely a stroke of luck.
Above iron was steel. Steel swords could have up to three slots.
There was a Damascus steel sword behind the counter, clearly the shop's pride and joy. I checked it from a distance—no slots. It was probably expensive anyway.
I decided on iron. I didn't need a top-tier weapon right now. I could eventually fuse a skill into it and sell it later. I also needed a spare to have on hand for when we got a new Skill Crystal.
I bought a copper sword and an iron sword, both with empty Skill Slots. The iron one actually had two. I realized after the purchase that buying two of the same would have saved Item Box space, but it wasn't a big deal. I’d just leave the copper one at home.
"Steel is the next step after iron, right?" I asked Sherry once we were outside.
"Yes. Copper, iron, then steel."
"And steel is made from iron?"
Sherry stopped in her tracks. "Eh?"
"Wait, is it not?" Had I said something stupid again?
"Generally, iron and steel are both drops from monsters."
"I see."
Sherry didn't look at me coldly, though. She looked up at me with curiosity.
"A great scholar wrote that steel comes from iron, but it is considered a lost technology. Do you know how it is done?"
"No, I don't know the specifics."
At least the core concept that steel was iron was correct. Phew.
"Still, to know that connection is impressive."
"Is Damascus steel the same?"
"Is that also made from iron?"
"Probably. Just a guess." I wasn't going to bet my life on it in this world.
"Damascus steel comes from Rem Golems."
"And after Damascus is Orichalcum?"
"Yes. And after that is the legendary Orichalcum."
"So it actually exists."
"You know how to make it?"
"No. Not a clue." It was a legendary metal on Earth too. I wouldn't even know where to start. I was just glad the next tier wasn't depleted uranium—though in this world, Orichalcum might be exactly that.
"The shop didn't have any Orichalcum swords."
"Items of that caliber are usually traded between powerful families or sold at high-end auctions. You won't find them in a normal shop."
I guess everything high-end went to the auction. Figures.
That evening, we stopped by the 2nd Floor of Vale to get some thread from the caterpillars. I had Sherry make her first misanga before dinner.
"Here I go," she said, holding the thread.
She placed the thread on her palms and chanted the Armor Manufacture skill. Her hands erupted in a brilliant light, just like during the fusion process.
"So that's how it's done."
"It's my first time seeing equipment forged as well," Roxanne said, fascinated.
The light faded, leaving a simple cord.
Misanga (Accessory).
The skill had physically manifested the item from the thread, likely consuming Sherry's MP in the process.
"Can you fail at this?"
"If you try to make something beyond your skill level, yes. But if you have the ability, it will always succeed."
Sherry’s MP seemed fine. She was already Level 5 as a Master Smith, so a misanga was easy.
I took the cord. It was just a simple braided string, nothing special.
"They say if a smith makes a Substitution Misanga on their first try, they are destined for greatness," Sherry mentioned.
"Really?"
"It's just another myth, though."
Naturally. Unfortunately, this misanga didn't have a Skill Slot, so it couldn't become a Substitution Misanga. If there was some super-smith who could guarantee a slot on every item, they would definitely be destined for greatness.
If such a person existed, it meant Sherry had failed the "greatness" test. But looking at her, I knew she wasn't a failure. She was too cute to be a dud.
"Since the fusion rate is fixed, making a Substitution Misanga on the first try is pure luck. It has nothing to do with future success," Sherry added.
She was right. If the slots were random, then it was just a coin flip.
"Well, it's the first thing you ever made for me. I'm going to wear it."
"It's just a string. It has no stats."
"Is that a problem?"
"No! I would be honored if you wore it. Thank you, Master." She bowed deeply.
Even if it was just a superstition, I hoped she’d get a slot on the next one. I wrapped the string around my right ankle and tied it in a bow. It would be easy to swap out later if I needed to.
For dinner, I decided on Genghis Khan.
We didn't have the proper dome-shaped grill, but it was Genghis Khan. We didn't have the special sauce, but it was Genghis Khan. It was goat meat from a boss fight, but it was still Genghis Khan.
I used two iron plates and a wooden stand. I lit some charcoal between the plates and grilled the meat and veggies on the top one. To any observer, it was just a standard iron-plate grill. But in my head, it was Genghis Khan.
I used fish sauce to flavor it, so it ended up tasting more like Twice-Cooked Pork, but I’d declared it Genghis Khan, so that's what it was. The meat juices flavored the veggies, so it was close enough.
"I think it's ready."
"Thank you, Master!"
"It looks delicious."
I served the portions. As the Master, that was my job. Call me "Daddy Cool."
Actually, neither Roxanne nor Sherry knew how to use serving chopsticks, so I had to do it.
We ate the grilled meat along with Roxanne's stew, Sherry's soup, and some fresh bread. It was a good meal.