When I returned home in the evening, I found a memo waiting for me.
It was likely from Luke. I couldn't imagine it being from anyone else.
Luke was a broker for the auctions at the Merchant Guild. Normally, such a message would mean I had won a bid and needed to come collect the item. However, there was another possibility.
As a broker, Luke also had ties to Duke Harz. Whenever the Duke had business with me or wanted to summon me, he went through Luke. And I had plenty of reasons to suspect that might be the case—actually, it was the only thing on my mind.
Just yesterday, I had fought a duel against a man who was hostile toward Roxanne. The fight had been overseen by Gosler, the Knight Captain of the Duchy. While the duel and my subsequent victory were unavoidable circumstances, the news would have undoubtedly reached the Duke’s ears. A summons was a very real threat.
No. Surely it was still too early.
Since it only happened yesterday, the news might not have traveled that fast. This wasn't bad news; it was good news. At this stage, a formal summons from the Duke likely hadn't arrived yet.
Tomorrow, the chances would increase. The day after, even more. If the Duke intended to call me in, I could expect it within four or five days. For today, I was safe.
Only a few seconds passed between me finding the memo and Roxanne picking it up. In that brief interval, my mind worked at full capacity. Once I reached my conclusion, I waited for her to read it with a relaxed heart.
"Master, it says you won the bid for the Caterpillar Skill Crystal."
I heard her words with perfect composure. It was fine. Everything was fine. All was right with the world.
I had been watching Roxanne all day, and she seemed like her usual self. She was likely the one most affected by the duel, but she appeared to be holding up. Her movements in the labyrinth remained as sharp as ever as she dodged monster attacks.
Of course, there was the terrifying possibility that she wasn't actually in top form, but I decided not to dwell on that.
"It's still light out, so I should make it in time. I'll head over to the Merchant Guild."
I was glad I’d stopped at the house before going shopping. Was this what they called a premonition? No, it was more like wishful thinking. Postponing the problem didn't solve it, but it wasn't entirely useless. If ten days passed since the duel, I could probably get away with any contradictions in my story by claiming I’d simply forgotten the details. I might even be able to laugh it off as an old story.
If I made it through this safely, I’d be fine the next time news came around. Luke likely only contacted me when there was something to collect anyway.
It would take one day for word to go from Gosler to the Duke. One day for the Duke to contact Luke. A few days for Luke to get a message to me. One day for me to go to Luke’s shop. Then, after hearing what Luke had to say, I could spend another day before actually showing up at the Duke's.
I could easily burn through ten days that way.
"I understand," Roxanne said. "Miria and I will maintain the equipment and start on the soup. We still have vegetables left, so we have everything we need. If Sherry goes with you, she can handle the rest of the grocery shopping alone."
"Yes, I can," Sherry added.
"Whole Fish, it is," Miria chimed in.
The main dish for dinner was, as Miria noted, Tatsuta-age made from Whole Fish. It had been marinating in fish sauce since this morning.
Taking Sherry with me, I immediately warped to the Merchant Guild.
I paid for and collected the Caterpillar Skill Crystal. As I had hoped, the Duke’s name never came up. Success.
"Could you make one more dish for dinner?" I asked Sherry as we left. "Miria is probably going to hog most of the fish."
"Good point. In that case, I'll whip up a stir-fry."
After buying bread and the stir-fry ingredients, we headed home. The moment we arrived, I handed the Caterpillar Skill Crystal to Sherry along with a Misanga that had an empty skill slot. Sherry fused them effortlessly.
"Impressive. You’ve completely mastered the process, Sherry. You’re amazing."
"She really is, Sherry," Roxanne agreed.
"Incredible, it is," Miria added.
"Now Miria has one too."
I placed a hand on the shoulder of the girl praising Sherry and took the opportunity to fiddle with her cat ears. With the Caterpillar Skill Crystal fused, we now had our fourth Substitution Misanga. Everyone in the party was finally equipped with one.
"Yes, it is!"
"Alright, Miria, come here. I’ll put it on your ankle."
"Thank you, it is."
I had Miria sit in a chair and fastened the Misanga around her leg. I hadn't changed my standing order with Luke to keep an eye out for more Caterpillar Skill Crystals. We would still need spares in case they broke, and we needed to prepare for any future party members.
After that, I fried the Whole Fish. I’d chopped it into chunks, so it wasn't exactly "whole" anymore, but the name stuck. Miria stayed glued to my side the entire time I cooked, only taking a single step back whenever the oil popped.
"Oil just splattered, didn't it?"
"It did, it did."
"I really think an apron is a necessity for frying food."
Aprons existed in this world, but they were more like heavy-duty work smocks—thick fabric designed for safety first. They were fine for me, but they left a lot to be desired when it came to Roxanne and the others. I wanted them to wear something cute.
Yes, it was a man’s dream. A man’s dream. It was worth saying twice.
"An apron? That sounds convenient," Roxanne said.
"They're all so bulky, though," I lamented.
"That's true." Roxanne seemed to agree.
I wanted a cute apron, something that felt like a fashion statement. Maid outfits had frills, but it felt wrong to make them cook in those. Well, not wrong, per se—that was literally what the clothes were for—but it was about the dream. If a cute maid outfit got ruined by grease, I’d be defeating the purpose.
I suppose it couldn't be helped that cute aprons were hard to find in this world. There were no full-time housewives here. The women who could afford frilly, decorative clothing didn't cook their own meals, and those who did cook couldn't afford to worry about fashion. A cute apron wouldn't have a market.
"I think I'll head to the clothing shop in the Imperial Capital tomorrow and have some made."
"Um... are you sure?" Roxanne asked.
"I want you all to have something cute to wear, after all."
"I see. Thank you very much."
For tonight, I finished the fish without an apron. A plate piled high with dark, crispy Tatsuta-age was the result.
"Alright, let's eat."
"Yes, it is!"
As soon as I set the plate down and sat in my chair, Miria watched me expectantly. Under her intense gaze, I took a bite.
The Slime Starch coating was light and airy, while the fish inside was moist and succulent. As I bit through the crispy skin, the springy, piping-hot meat practically burst with flavor. The rich, deep taste of the fish was perfectly accented by the spicy tang of the fish sauce. It melted smoothly across my tongue.
It was delicious—even better than I’d imagined. A definite three-star dish.
"This is incredible."
"Master, your cooking is always wonderful, but this is the best yet," Roxanne praised.
"This is truly amazing," Sherry added.
"Delicious... fish... never... eaten... none... it is." Miria struggled to express that she’d never had fish this good. She seemed genuinely moved.
The Tatsuta-age disappeared at a record pace. Roxanne and Sherry were reaching for seconds and thirds, though they politely stopped once only a few pieces remained. Miria finished off the rest. Finally, she held out the plate with the very last piece on it, offering it to me.
"You can have that one, Miria."
"Yes, it is!"
When I declined, she joyfully popped the last piece into her mouth, chewing slowly as if savoring every second of the experience. When she finally finished, her shoulders slumped with a touch of sadness. I understood the feeling. It really was that good.
"Next time will be when we clear the fifteenth floor of Halber," I promised.
"Eat, it is!" Her eyes sparkled. This would certainly keep her motivated in the labyrinth.
The next day, I visited the high-end clothing shop in the Imperial Capital. They specialized in elaborate gowns and formal wear for women, so they didn't stock aprons. Most of their business was custom orders anyway.
"My companions will be using these to cook, so I want thin aprons that are okay to get dirty," I explained to the clerk.
"Aprons, you say?"
"They only need to cover the front, so they should tie in the back. I’d also like some frills, similar to the ones on the Imperial Palace maid uniforms."
"I see..."
The male clerk, who had helped with Miria’s maid outfit, didn't seem impressed. I thought someone who understood the appeal of a maid outfit would get aprons, but apparently, he couldn't grasp their destructive potential. Philistine.
"Is there a problem?"
"What material did you have in mind? If we use silk, we can produce a truly superb, lightweight garment."
"This is protective wear for cooking. I want something washable."
A silk apron? That was ridiculous.
"Since these will be made from scratch, the labor costs will remain the same regardless of the fabric. There isn't much of a price difference. Regular cloth would be 1,000 Nahl, but for 1,300 Nahl, we can finish them in magnificent silk."
"Hmm. Is that so?"
It was fairly expensive, but that was the reality of a full custom order. If I chose silk, the price jumped even further.
"What about the color? We can provide various colors that complement the luster of silk."
"White is fine."
He was really pushing for the sale.
"Indeed. White is a fine choice. The white luster of silk is truly lovely."
The color and material didn't really matter to me, but he wasn't letting go.
"Imagine it," the clerk continued. "A horizontal top line, a knee-length hem. The smooth silk fabric will cover their fronts, wrapping their bodies gently. Combined with that beautiful luster and the soft touch of silk against the skin... I promise you a product of the highest quality."
Damn him. I was the one who didn't understand. A silk apron... that actually sounded amazing. A silk apron... I hated myself for it, but I was definitely ordering them.
"Fine. Make one of regular cloth and one of silk for each of the three of them."
"Understood. We'll take their measurements now."
"Thank you very much," Roxanne and the others said as they were led away by the female staff.
"We’ll add frills to the shoulder straps and lace to the hem. Please leave the finer details to us. They will be ready in five days."
As I thought, this clerk knew exactly what he was doing. I had been utterly defeated. Even with the 30% discount, the total came to 4,830 Nahl. It was a hefty sum, and while it didn't bankrupt me, it was a time when I wanted to be saving every coin for the auction.
The very next day, another opportunity to spend money presented itself.
When I stopped by the weapon shop, I noticed a sudden influx of gear displayed behind the counter—equipment that was a rank above the usual stock. This was a new development.
"You’ve got quite the stock today."
"Yes. Everything was brought in from a certain house."
A bulk liquidation? They must have made a fortune selling all of this at once. I was a bit jealous.
"There are a lot of Estocs. Let me see them."
"Certainly."
Estoc (One-handed Sword) Skills: [Empty] [Empty] [Empty] [Empty]
There it was—an Estoc with four empty skill slots. With so many items lined up, I found it almost immediately. Rapiers maxed out at three slots, and for an Estoc, four was likely the limit. This was a must-buy.
"Roxanne, what do you think of this?"
"Um... are you sure?"
"Just look at it."
"Y-yes."
I handed the Estoc to Roxanne. There were also a few Damascus Steel Swords, which were two-handed, but they only had a maximum of two slots, which made them mediocre for my purposes. To replace Durandal, I needed at least MP Absorption, HP Absorption, and Chant Interruption.
There were very few Damascus Steel Spears, and none with empty slots. I looked at Sherry and gave a slight shake of my head.
"Understood," Sherry replied firmly. She caught my meaning immediately.
As for staves, the stock was low, but there was one with an empty slot. While a single slot was somewhat underwhelming, if I attached 2x Intelligence to turn it into a Staff of Himorogi, it would still be a direct upgrade to our current firepower. The Staff of Himorogi was the same weapon Cassia used. Having the same weapon as her... yeah, I could get behind that.
"It seems to be an excellent item," Roxanne said, handing the Estoc back.
I bought the Estoc and the staff. More than a dozen gold coins flew away like birds with wings. It was a painful expense given the timing, but since the weapon shop was so well-stocked, I decided to check the armor shop too.
The front of the armor shop looked the same as always. Had they only sold the weapons?
"Did that house not sell anything to the armor shop?" I muttered.
"You’re quick to hear the news. You know your business," the armor merchant said, catching my whisper. He approached me while rubbing his hands together. So they had sold armor.
"Just a bit."
"I’ve just procured them, so they aren't on the floor yet. They're in the back. Would you like a look?"
"Is that okay?"
"Of course. This way."
The merchant led me into the back of the store, behind the counter. A vast array of equipment was lined up there.
"That's quite the collection."
"I only just got them today."
"Did a certain family dump everything at once?"
"Ah, you heard? It seems they were gathering gear quite recklessly. That family had a very strong, well-known fighter. Relying on that strength, they were quite forceful and caused a lot of trouble for the people around them. But reckless expansion leads to a fall. I heard that strong individual died just the other day. Rumor has it he was killed in a duel after his challenge was turned back on him."
A duel, huh? I see. I’d heard a story like that somewhere. Their champion was killed in a duel he’d initiated.
"Turned back on him, was he?"
"Once their strongman was gone, everyone’s attitude changed instantly. Since people had been suffering under them for so long, the backlash has been fierce. They're being hounded to repay all their debts and loans all at once—including the ones they’d been dodging or forcibly extending. It sounds like they’re desperate for cash."
It sounded like a harsh reality for them. That woman and the man I’d killed had both been incredibly arrogant. If the whole family was like that, I could see why people were turning on them.
The gear the Baradam House had let go was a goldmine. I found a Damascus Steel Circlet with four empty slots and a Dragon-leather jacket with three.
"What's this?"
"That is an Alba."
"It's a garment with high magic defense that also boosts the power of magic," Sherry explained. "It’s equipment designed for Priests, Monks, and Mages."
It was a body piece with two empty slots. I’d never seen one before.
"It’s made with holy silver," the merchant pitched. "However, if you have enough holy silver, there are better things to make, so these aren't often produced or circulated. Equipment in this class usually prioritizes fashion over function, like loafers, but this piece has genuine performance. Because of the high magic defense, some Front Line fighters wear it on floors with magic-using monsters. What do you think?"
The idea of boosting magic power was very appealing. It had empty slots, too.
"I see. Alright, I'll take it."
"Thank you very much!"
So, I let myself be "convinced" by the merchant and bought it. I also picked up Dragon-leather gloves and boots, both with one empty slot. A single slot was a bit weak, but I bought them anyway. This was a rare chance. If I needed to, I could just fuse skill crystals and flip them for a profit later.
This wasn't an indulgence. it was a strategic investment—even if dozens of gold coins were disappearing. I felt a little guilty about spending so much with the auction coming up, but since it was an investment, it couldn't be helped.
Besides, I still had the Magic Crystals. If I sold them right before the auction, I’d have a decent amount of cash. Currently, I had one Green and one Yellow. The Green one was one I’d raised myself. I’d been charging it for a while, so if I focused on it, I could definitely turn it into a Yellow by the auction.
The Yellow one was a composite of the crystals I’d taken from Heinz’s gang. Since it had belonged to thieves, I didn't know how much magic power it already held. It could be close to 200,000 monsters, or it could be over 900,000. If it hit 1,000,000, it would become a White Magic Crystal and sell for a million Nahl. Whether it would make it in time was a gamble.
A guaranteed 100,000 Nahl, or a potential million Nahl.
Currently, I was carrying the Yellow one into the labyrinth to charge it. Should I change tactics? It would be safer to focus on the Green one to secure a guaranteed 100,000 Nahl, but if I’d just stuck with the Yellow one, I might have reached a million.
Wait, that wasn't right. Magic Crystals could be combined. If the current Yellow one didn't reach White by the auction, I could just combine them. If focus on the Yellow one alone would have worked, then combining them would definitely work.
There were still days left. My cash on hand would increase as we explored. If I raised the Green one to Yellow, then focused on the existing Yellow one, I’d have choices. If it didn't hit White, I could sell the one I’d raised for 100,000 Nahl if that was enough, or combine them to gamble on a White crystal if I needed the full million. I could even sell two Yellows for 200,000 Nahl. More options were always better.
The plan was set: I would start by raising the Green one to Yellow and keep it as a backup.
Now, about skills. I’d been pouring all my Bonus Points into experience-related skills, prioritizing power and leveling. Because of that, my Crystallization Acceleration was lacking. If I was going to rely on Magic Crystal sales for the auction, I should probably boost that skill. Auctions were only four times a year. I wanted to seize every opportunity. I wanted to become an Adventurer soon, too, but that could wait.
I made the decision: I dropped my experience skills and equipped 64x Crystallization Acceleration.
Putting on the Alba robe, I challenged the fifteenth floor of Halber. If I only wanted money, I could hunt Whole Fish on Bode’s twelfth floor—they were rare ingredients and sold for a lot. But I didn't need to go that far. The sixteenth floor had up to five monsters per spawn, and for the sake of the Magic Crystal, moving to a higher floor was better. Every extra monster killed would be worth sixty-four times as much. Plus, if a Whole Fish dropped and I tried to sell it, a certain cat-girl’s mood would likely take a dive.
The Alba was a long, ankle-length dress. It really did look like something a priest would wear. It was white and reminded me slightly of a kappogi apron. When I tested it in battle, I noticed a clear reduction in combat time. It definitely boosted my magic power. It wasn't a world of difference, but it was certainly easier.
Shortening battle time through leveling alone was difficult. Even as a Mage, my level didn't always translate to faster kills, and for other jobs, it went without saying. Since my Mage and Hero levels were already quite high, they didn't go up very often anymore. Getting a boost just from wearing a piece of equipment was something to be grateful for.
"I look like a Mage now, though."
"Yes. I’ll be even more careful with my guidance," Roxanne said.
"Well, the moment I hold a rod, the secret's out anyway."
With the Alba on, I didn't look much like an Explorer or an Adventurer. I’d have to be careful. I would be relying on Roxanne even more to catch the scent of anyone nearby in the labyrinth.
"Priests and Monks wear Albas too," Sherry pointed out.
I’d just have to bluff and say I was a Monk. As long as I didn't run into Gosler or the Knight Order—who thought I was an Adventurer—it shouldn't be a problem. I just had to make sure not to wear the Alba outside of the labyrinth. It was lightweight, and once I secured it with the waist string, it didn't hinder my movement at all. I could even pull out Durandal and jump into a melee without it feeling awkward.
"Does it look strange for a Monk to fight with a sword? Can Monks be on the front line?"
"Yes," Roxanne confirmed. "The more firepower the better."
A six-person party couldn't afford to let a healer sit idle. If a Monk wanted to go wild with a sword, it was perfectly fine.
With my new gear, I explored the labyrinth with renewed energy. I also tried out the new staff, but as expected, it didn't pack the same punch as my Rod of Himorogi with its 2x Intelligence skill.
We reached the boss room on Halber's fifteenth floor remarkably quickly. Maybe it was the shorter combat time, or maybe it was just Miria working extra hard.
"What’s the boss for the Bitch Butterflies?"
"The Madam Butterfly. It’s essentially a stronger version of the Bitch Butterfly. If you take a hit, you’ll likely be paralyzed, so be careful," Sherry warned.
With her advice in mind, we entered the room. We hadn't cleared the sixteenth floor of Quratar where the Bitch Butterflies lived, so this was our first time fighting their boss. Roxanne translated the warning for Miria. It was becoming a bit of a chore; Miria really needed to master Brahim soon.
When we charged into the boss room, two monsters appeared: a Bitch Butterfly and a Madam Butterfly.
The Madam Butterfly was a moth-like creature with large eye patterns on its wings. It wasn't very hairy, except for one spot near the eye patterns where long, thin hairs grew like eyelashes. They were oddly seductive, giving it a very "Madam-like" appearance. It even had clear, blue-black eyeliner.
It was definitely a Madam. Looking at those eye patterns, you couldn't see it as anything else. Of course, it was still a monster, and it had to die.
We focused on the accompanying Bitch Butterfly first, taking it down instantly before surrounding the Madam. I attacked cautiously. Apparently, her attacks had a high chance of paralysis, but there was no way Roxanne was going to make a mistake like that. I struck her from behind with Durandal.
Suddenly, the Madam Butterfly swung her wings in a wide arc, attacking everything around her. I ducked just in time, having been prepared for it. Miria seemed okay too. Roxanne, naturally, was fine. Sherry was poking at it with her spear from a safe distance, so she was in no danger.
Everyone had dodged. We concentrated our fire, and the four of us made quick work of her. The Madam Butterfly fell to the floor and vanished into smoke.
"Magic Crystal, it is!" Miria shouted.
Apparently, she’d found one. I couldn't see where it was until she ran over, but Appraisal confirmed it. Miria ignored the loot and dove straight for the crystal, bringing it back to me. It was a Black Magic Crystal. She’d found another one right as it formed.
"Great job, Miria. You’re amazing."
"Yes, it is!"
I lightly patted her head. It was a shame I couldn't touch her cat ears because of the hat.
"She found one in a boss room before too. Do they form more easily there?"
"The monster spawn points are fixed in boss rooms," Sherry explained. "And bosses possess a great deal of magic power."
Fixed spawn points made sense. If they always appeared and died in the same spot, magic power would accumulate more efficiently. And the idea of bosses having more magic power seemed obvious once she said it. I’d been thinking in terms of "number of monsters," but clearly, not all monsters were equal.
This called for an experiment.
"Sorry, but can we fight that boss one more time?"
After stepping through to the sixteenth floor, we immediately looped back to the fifteenth. I checked my rucksack and saw that the Green Magic Crystal had already turned Yellow. I’d only changed it this morning. The power of 64x Crystallization Acceleration was massive. Or perhaps it had just been closer to the threshold than I realized. Either way, defeating 157 monsters at 64x was the equivalent of over 10,000 kills. At this rate, the White crystal felt within reach.
"It’s yellow. As expected of Master," Roxanne said.
"Thanks."
I put the Black crystal Miria found into my rucksack and moved the Yellow one to my Item Box. I handled the new Yellow one with care. Both Yellow crystals looked identical, and I didn't want to do something stupid like lose track of which was which.
I equipped 32x Crystallization Acceleration and defeated the boss again. I didn't use 64x because there were two monsters in the boss room. We killed the Sarracenia minion and the Madam Butterfly.
I took off my rucksack to check the crystal. The color had jumped past red and was now a deep purple.
"A Purple Magic Crystal? That’s just absurd," Sherry said, looking exasperated.
"You were right, Sherry. Bosses definitely have more magic power."
"Even so, to get a Purple crystal from a single boss on this floor... normally, that shouldn't..."
"It’s only natural for Master," Roxanne interjected.
"Incredible, it is."
"Well, it’s nothing much." I decided to ride the wave of Roxanne’s praise.
Even at 32x, defeating two monsters had yielded a Purple crystal, meaning it held over 100 monsters' worth of magic power. At 64x, two kills would have been over the limit, making it a bad test. This experiment proved that a boss was worth at least more than two regular monsters. If the Sarracenia was worth one and the Madam Butterfly was worth two, 32x would only be 96, so the boss likely had even more magic.
Of course, if the Black crystal Miria found already had four monsters' worth of power, then adding 96 would hit exactly 100 for a Purple crystal. Further testing was too much work for now. It wasn't like I needed to know the exact number. If a boss was worth, say, 100 monsters, I could just farm bosses for a White crystal.
But if it were worth 100, it would have turned Blue instead of Purple at 32x. So it was likely worth less than 30 regular monsters. Not worth focusing on. With 64x acceleration, I’d hit White just by exploring normally before the auction.
"Whew..."
"Anyway, what’s the monster on the sixteenth floor of Halber?"
"Ah, right. The monster on Halber's sixteenth floor is the Clamshell. It isn't poisonous, but its bite can paralyze. It has a long-range water attack, though it’s treated as a physical attack rather than water magic. Since its drops are used for fire suppressants, it’s resistant to fire magic but weak against earth magic."