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The race level of your familiar has increased.
The job level of your familiar has increased.
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As expected, I couldn’t log in the day before yesterday and yesterday due to overtime work…That’s the sad reality of being a working adult. It had been two days since my last login!
And the moment I logged in, there was an announcement that Karl had leveled up. I was sure that Jigoro and Genjuro must have taken him on a hunt. With those two around, most enemies wouldn’t stand a chance.
“Oh, it’s Isam! Long time no see!”
“Isam-san! Hello~~ssu!”
“Oh, hello.”
As I stepped out of my room into the living area, I found Ruby and Shio chatting there. Oh? Shio didn’t look like a gray-feathered chick anymore. It seems like she has evolved.
“It looks like Shio has evolved.”
“Yes, I did~~ssu! I’ve become a Hawk Birdian! Just as I aimed for~~ssu!”
Well, when you say “Hawk’” it brings to mind a skilled sniper. I didn’t know much about the race in reality, though.
“That’s right! While Isam was away, Shii-chan found an interesting quest!” Ruby said
“Oh? What kind of quest is it?”
“It’s called the ‘Trial of the Youth’~~ssu!”
To summarize Shio’s explanation, among the Birdian Chicks, those recognized for their skills above a certain level have a tradition. On the first night of the new moon each month, they form parties and venture into the boss area. Yes, it’s the night of the new moon. In other words, it was the night of the “Trial of the Azure Moon”.
Although Shio was a player, she seems to have been allowed to take on this trial. Currently, she was hunting alongside NPC Birdians who formed a party and was dedicating herself to training and coordination.
Argh! It’s frustrating to miss out on such an interesting quest event! But I guess it can’t be helped, given the constraints of my work schedule.
“I see. Good luck with that. And what about everyone else?”
“Grandpa and Jigoro are outside, training their weaknesses. Iris is quite busy with requests from the Birdians.”
“Ah, now that I think about it, she mentioned taking on requests.”
Iris had learned the technique of crafting bows from that skilled bow craftsman. Apparently, her reputation as a talented craftsman had spread among the Birdians as well. She was being commissioned for various items and was even teaching blacksmithing and the technique of creating magic tools not found in Birdy Perch.
Iris, who had a deep passion for crafting, seemed absolutely thrilled about this. Conversely, it was evident that not being able to go on adventures weighed heavily on her.
“Oh, speaking of Iris, I heard she’s completed some new equipment. I think she’s over in the outdoor workshop, so you might want to drop by.”
“Oh, really? She made it!”
It seemed that she had finally completed the new equipment that she had not been able to update for a long time. Actually, after battling the tarrasque, I entrusted some of the items I obtained to Iris. Here are the materials:
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- Tarrasque’s Thick Hide – Quality: Good Rarity, S (Special)
The thick hide of the tarrasque, which mutated suddenly after gaining the power of a dragon.
It serves as a material for armor resistant to fire and poison, and it also has waterproof properties.
It’s a material from a dragon’s kin and can be used as an excellent catalyst for magic.
- Juvenile Dragon’s True Scale – Quality: Superior Rarity: S (Special)
Among the scales of juvenile dragons, this is a rare piece that comes off during their evolution.
Despite being a material from a juvenile dragon, its hardness rivals that of an adult’s scales.
It’s a material from a true dragon and is perfect as a catalyst for magic.
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There were other materials from the Tarrasque, but the only one that seemed suitable for my equipment was its hide. Everything else appeared too heavy, and, above all, I was considering other uses for them.
One particularly intriguing item was the scales shed by Karl when he evolved. These scales were rare materials that he only dropped during his evolution. I wonder what kind of equipment would make use of these scales.
All the other materials I had used were from Vetus Floating Island, so there was no doubt that excellent equipment had been crafted. I couldn’t wait to pick it up.
“So, I’m going down. What about you two?”
“We’ll stay here and chat a bit longer. Shii-chan’s pick-up should be here soon.”
“Ah, you mean the Birdians you talked about earlier? Got it. Shio, don’t raise your level too much before the trial, okay?”
“I got it~~ssu! I’ll make sure to adjust properly~~ssu!”
“Alright, see you later then.”
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Having parted ways with the two of them, I made my way to the workshop where Iris was supposed to be. Her workshop stood a little away from the base of the giant tree and should have been quite conspicuous… or so I thought.
“Is this really the right place?”
Where her workshop was supposed to be, there was, for some reason, an impressive blacksmith’s forge. Surrounded by thick walls, from within, you could hear the clanging of metal and voices raised in a passionate clamor. Moreover, a tall chimney extended from the center, billowing smoke into the air.
“Oh! If it isn’t Master Bones!”
“…Hm? Ah, you’re one of those Birdian Workers who became Iris’s apprentice, right?”
The one who addressed me as I stood dumbfounded by the grandeur of the workshop was a young Birdian Worker. At the elders’ behest, several of the Birdian Workers, including this one, had been assigned to Iris as assistants and apprentices. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement; she could delegate tasks, and they had the opportunity to learn from her. Their interests aligned, and everything worked out smoothly.
By the way, the reason I didn’t call him by name wasn’t because of any animosity or because I didn’t know his name. It was simply because he didn’t have a name to begin with. In the culture of the Birdians, one couldn’t be given a name until they were able to participate in the council meeting, a fact I had learned during the council I attended myself. It seemed that acquiring a name was a form of social status. It was an interesting tidbit.
“Boss Iris is working in the back. Would you like me to call her?”
“No, if she’s busy, I can wait until she’s done. I’ll just stay here.”
“Understood.”
I decided to wait in the lounge near the entrance of the forge. I had some time on my hands, so why not use it to train my [Talismanry]?
I took out paper and a pen from the desk in the lounge and began working right away. The task at hand, of course, was the creation of a talisman. Talismans had become scarce due to the weakness training for everyone, and they were also very useful as a means of attack. If there was time, it was wise to make some in advance.
Additionally, I couldn’t create new talismans without leveling up [Talismanry]. For the sake of gaining experience points, the frequent creation of talismans was crucial.
“Wow~~! Master Bones here is making some unusual stuff, huuuh!”
As I diligently crafted the talismans, the apprentice Birdian Worker, who had appeared earlier, leaned in to peek at my work. He seemed quite intrigued by this thing he wasn’t familiar with.
“These are talismans crafted using the magic skill [Talismanry]. You should try using one.”
I said, extending a talisman towards him. The Birdian Worker eagerly accepted it, his face filled with excitement as he stared at the talisman intently. Most likely, he was conducting an appraisal.
“This is amazing! Even someone like me, who knows next to nothing about magic, can mimic a mage’s spell with this, right?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
The effectiveness of a talisman depended on its creator, but anyone could use the talisman itself. Conversely, if a talisman were to be stolen, there was a risk that the hard-earned magic spell it contained could be misused. It was crucial to manage them carefully.
“Ha~~! How many times do you and the boss plan to surprise us?”
“Huh? That wasn’t my intention…”
Well, I do believe there are very few players who have already mastered [Talismanry]. After all, I haven’t heard any discussions about it on the bulletin board, and there’s even a possibility that I’m the only one who has.
However, for NPCs, while it might not be a common skill, there should be a certain number who have acquired it. After all, I learned it by reading the materials that the Undead Mage, who was believed to have been an NPC during his lifetime, possessed. So, if I were to visit his hometown, I wonder if it might be relatively easy to acquire.
“I don’t know much about business, but I’m pretty sure this will sell! Especially warriors who can’t use magic will come flocking to buy it!”
“Yeah… that’s likely. It’s undeniably convenient.”
“Right? Then…”
“Sorry to keep you waiting!”
Just as Birdian Worker was about to say something, Iris arrived from the back of the forge. Her numerous tentacles held various tools. She must have hurried over once the production work had reached a temporary stopping point.
“It’s been two days, or should I say eight days here, Isam?”
“Yeah, it’s been a while… Should I say that though?”
In the real world, I wouldn’t call it a long time just because we haven’t seen each other for two days, but in the game, time is accelerated by a factor of four. So, in-game, it’s been more than a week since we last met, and it’s not entirely wrong to say it’s been a while.
“Fufufu, I seem to remember having a similar conversation before,” Iris remarked.
“Is that so?”
“More importantly, the new equipment is ready!”
Ooh, I had been waiting for this! Show me, show me quickly!
“Fufu, were you that excited? You have a childlike side to you.”
“Well… what’s wrong with that?”
“I didn’t say it was a bad thing. Now, let’s stop teasing Isam here. Your eagerly anticipated equipment is over here. Please follow me.”
Following Iris, who started walking, I entered the forge. At first, it had only been wide enough for her to extend her tentacles to their maximum length, but now there was a corridor wide enough for three people to walk side by side. It had truly expanded.
“While Isam was away, a certain important Birdian approached me with a personal request. The expansion of the forge is the reward for that.”
Iris sensed my curiosity about the expansion of the forge and proceeded to explain the reason behind it. I found it somewhat more than generous as a reward for the task.
“Can you tell me about this request?” I inquired.
“Yes. The client was the son of one of the elders, and the task involved crafting a unique piece of woodwork, something rather uncommon in Birdy Perch.”
“Woodwork? That’s an interesting hobby.”
“No, it’s not for himself. He has a special someone in his life and wanted to create a gift for her; it was a proposal gift.” Iris said.
“I see. Well, that’s certainly worth investing in. After all, it’s a matter of a lifetime.”
“So, it seems the expansion of the forge has been successful.”
“Yes, indeed… and we’re here.”
It appeared that while we were chatting, we already arrived at the room where my equipment was stored. In fact, it seemed to be a dedicated room for crafting armor, as the nameplate attached to the door had the word “Armor” engraved on it.
“Please, go ahead.”
“Aah.”
I entered the room as Iris urged me to. Inside, two Birdian apprentices were diligently at work. They noticed Iris and me entering, offered a silent nod in greeting, and then returned to their tasks. It was at that moment that something caught my attention.
“Oh? Aren’t they Birdian Workers?” I inquired.
“Yes, they are. Young Birdians aspiring to become craftsmen have started coming here for training.”
“Isn’t that impressive?” Iris added mischievously, to which I could only offer my sincere admiration.
“As for that equipment we were talking about… here it is!”
She pointed with her tentacles towards an object covered with cloth. Judging from the silhouette, it appeared to be some sort of mannequin. Kuuuh, was she still going for the dramatic reveal here?
“I suppose you’re eager to see it, right? Well then, Open!” Iris said.
“Ooooooh!”
Beneath the cloth cover lay an entire set of equipment in calm, sophisticated colors of black and purple. There was a robe for the body, gauntlets for all four arms, a belt for the waist, and pants with boots for the legs.
It’s, It’s amazing! The appearance is exactly to my liking. When I put this on, I’ll undeniably look like a villainous mage from any angle.
I need to equip it quickly! With that thought in mind, I hurriedly navigated through the menu screen.
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