Chapter 3.3 (1/2)

Chapter 3.3

I don’t care that much, but outta curiosity, what’s the highest attribute as of now？」

「From what I head, the top one is 765, although I’m not sure as to what it corresponds to」

「……Is that right……」

Based on Hiroshi’s dubious expression, Haruna figured that he had 800 or some other staggering amount of attribute points. He did after all have tons of extra skills from crafting, so she wouldn’t be particularly surprised if his armor and constitution had gone beyond a thousand.

「Well anyhow, leaving aside all that」

「Yeah」

「Whaddya think will be affected over here as a result of that？」

「Affected? Well, I have my own thoughts on that」

As Hiroshi resumed digging for ore, Haruna replied while wondering how she could continue the conversation.

「If memory serves, at the beginning of the game, players were dispatched to random locations and began their journey after the surrounding soldiers approached them and took them to the castle」

「I vaguely remember that, but if I recall, ya accepted various tutorial-like chores around the castle, and then when ya got money fer arrangements as a reward, the game started」

「And that’s where I’d like to start talking about」

「Mm？」

「I know it’s a bit late for this, but I’d like to consult to you about whether we should follow along with the flow of events at the start of the game」

Hiroshi let out a wry smile at how late it was to bring this up. Haruna was the one who had suggested they avoid going to the castle because it was questionable in the first place. With that being said, Hiroshi would have probably brought it up even if Haruna had not.

「Seriously, this is super late」

「I know, I know. And it’s not like we even need arrangement money or any of that」

「I think fer now we should do as planned and start by procuring weapons」

「If you’re fine with that, then I have no objections, but I just feel a bit bad for relying on you and having you shoulder all of the risk……」

「Nothing to be done ‘bout that right now. Besides, if I were the average fighter character, I would’ve had to rely on you fer livin’ expenses and everything in general」

The day-to-day skills were rather looked down upon in the game, but in actuality, if you were blown into the game world, rather than being able to use powerful magic, being able to cook delicious meals would benefit you by far. Rather than having sword techniques that could fell a dragon in one hit, it was a given that it was better to be able to make swords that could kill a dragon and make much more for a living.

They just so happened to be two people who excelled at day-to-day skills, but if they were something like your typical serious fighter combination, they would have unmistakably found themselves in a dreadful situation. Take right now for instance: Haruna had put some light effort into making tasty bread and dried meat she had brought along with them for lunch. If she didn’t have such a skill, she wouldn’t even be able to do this.

「So we know the weapons we want, but what ‘bout armor？」

「What about it？」

「Toudou-san, I’m guessin’ that ya aren’t the type to wear metal armor？」

「Before we even discuss that, is it even possible to make metal armor with what you’ve dug so far today？」

「Probably not with one trip. We still hafta make my tools after all」

「I thought so」

Hearing Hiroshi’s answer, she briefly entered into thought.

「Well, if yer fine with metal armor, then ya don’t hafta hold back. It’s not like we have enough ingredients to make other things, so we’ll hafta come back to dig probably one or two more times」

「Yeah? Well, I certainly don’t need armor all over my body, but in the chest area sounds like it might be decent」

「Breastplate? I planned to do the same fer myself, so I’ll work somethin’ out fer us」

「You sure？」

「I toldja. Said we’d hafta come back here a couple more times. But lemme just say that the materials around here for reinforcing the armor ain’t all that light. It’s gonna be pretty rattly when you walk around. You fine with that？」

「Not like we can help that. I’m grateful to you just for making it for me」

「Understood」

He answered, proceeding to continue on what appeared to be the last part of his excavation work. In the middle of all this, he had taught Haruna the gist of excavation so that she could also begin digging into the cliff, and she had eventually gotten a fair amount of ore piles at her feet. As she worked on this, Haruna became fed up with her hair and very begrudgingly tied it up, which was something new. It was quite different from her usual appearance, but the loser Hiroshi hardly paid it any attention, simply focusing on seeing what he could harvest, so it was practically meaningless to put her effort toward changing her hairstyle, as it would’ve been left unnoticed.

***

「So I’d like to use a smelting furnace and a smithy」

The next day. After finishing up the resident registration they had forgotten, they heard from Anne that yesterday’s suppression plan had gone well as she gave them the reward of 6,000 Chrones. Hiroshi immediately went to the crafting institution administrator, breaking it to him nice and clear.

The man was in his prime, so he never showed any sign of being taken aback. Incidentally, the selling price of the potions was 50 Chrones for one bottle, itemized as 10 Chrones as payment for ingredients as well as to the cooperative workers, and the remaining amount was to be split between Hiroshi’s group and the Association.

The other portion of the money from the 300 bottles was to be circulated amongst the cooperative workers. Being that the effects were instant, they were able to be sold for a higher price than regular antidotes, they were told.

「The furnace will be 20 Chrones with firewood included, and the smithy tools will be 10 Chrones with heat source included」

「……Well ain’t that a dandy price」

「It’s cause once you have the temperature high enough to refine the ore, you need a lot of firewood. Adding to that, you can’t raise the temperature that high in such a short amount of time, which is why we use a special material for processing the firewood. If you’ll be doing something about the heat source yourself, then it would be 8 Chrones along with the smithy」

He did the calculations in his head when the youthful personnel said that. Thinking to decrease the usage of this place as much as possible, he decided on the more difficult method.

「……Alright. Can ya buy the regular firewood here？」

「Oh? So that’s what you decided on. For regular firewood, hm…For the amount that you need, it would be 50 Tirols, I’d say」