Skill Slot
Morning.
Sherry no longer smells of alcohol.
Although I lick her mouth thoroughly, I can’t trace any alcohol.
When I entwine my tongue with hers, and exchange saliva, it tastes like it usually does.
I move my tongue around, and enjoy the softness.
Sherry pushes her tongue into my mouth, and swirls it around.
She’s still clumsy, but she’s doing it on her own now at least.
After keeping our tongues entwined for some time, I let go of her mouth.
“Good morning, Sherry. Does your head hurt?”
“No, I’m all fine.”
I thought that there would be some of it left over, but it doesn’t seem to be the case.
There’s no hangover.
Is the processing capacity of her liver exceptional?
Let alone hangover, she wasn’t even drunk before she went to sleep.
However, Sherry went to sleep early last night.
The moment she hit the bed, she was asleep.
She probably didn’t know that Roxanne was no longer on her period.
Afterward, we went to Quratar town labyrinth, as usual, for early morning exploration.
When we returned for breakfast, Sherry made a Misanga.
“Which skill do you get when you fuse Mermaid Monster Card?”
I ask Sherry at breakfast.
“Mermaid Monster Card adds water attribute to the equipment. When fused with a weapon, it attaches Tidal Sword skill. When fused with an armor, it attaches Water Shield.”
“Water attribute? Does it require any specific type of weapon?”
“No, you can fuse it even with a spear or a wand.”
“Even spear?”
How is it possible for a spear to have Tidal Sword skill?
And how am I supposed call it Tidal Sword when it’s a wand?
“Weapon type skill, however, requires incantation, therefore, people fuse it mostly with armor.”
Really? There’s no incantation required to activate Water Shield?
Is it a passive skill?
“And what if you fuse it simultaneously with Kobold Monster Card?”
“A weapon receives Erosion Sword skill, while an armor receives Water Resistance. Erosion Sword is more powerful attack than Tidal Sword, while Water Resistance increases the resistance of Water Shield against water attribute magic. Umm… have you perhaps obtained a Mermaid Monster Card?”
“We received Luke’s message yesterday.”
I look toward Roxanne for confirmation.
“Yes, there was a successful bid of 2,500 Nar, it seems.”
“Because Monster Card Fusion mostly fails, there’s no need to use Kobold Monster Card with cheap equipment. If we get Water Shield, it’ll be an effective counter against Needle Wood. Is it alright to fuse it with Hide Mittens instead of Leather Armor? I can try to fuse it with Leather Armor. If it fails, however, it’ll turn back into raw materials. I’m not confident in my leather processing ability yet, but if it’s Hide Mittens, I can remake them.”
Sherry talks on and on.
She’s desperate because she knows that she’s the one who’s supposed to do it.
About failing, however, there’s no need to be worried.
“Let’s fuse it with Hide Mittens then.”
“I-I’ll do my best.”
Because the Leather Armor I’m currently wearing is the one I obtained from the wiped out party, and not the one I bought myself, it doesn’t have any empty skill slot.
However, the Hide Mittens I’m wearing has an empty skill slot because I bought it from an armor shop.
I’m glad that I didn’t sell it.
Because Needle Woods use water magic, Water Shield is effective against them.
It’ll be useful on 8th floor of Quratar town labyrinth.
About other floors, I have no idea.
Does the effectiveness of equipment vary from floor to floor?
It would be difficult, if that were the case.
“If I have Water Shield on both the Leather Armor and Hide Mittens, will the effect be multiplied?”
“Since olden days, it has been a topic of discussion whether same effects from different equipment stack. Many believe that same effects don’t stack. The great scholar of the past confirmed that stacking a number of effects which increase attack power doesn’t multiply the attack power as many times. There are, however, people who believe that same effects do stack.”
So there’s no use in wielding two one-handed swords with ‘5x Increase in Attack’ effect?
Well, 25x increase in attack power sounds frightening indeed.
After breakfast, we went to Merchant Guild.
I proceeded to the waiting room to the left from the entrance.
The staff member behind the counter called out to Armor Merchant Luke.
Roxanne and I sat on a chair.
Sherry was absorbed in reading her notebook.
While we were waiting, the color of the wall turned black, and someone came out.
Other customers.
Field Walk can be used through this wall, it seems.
Should I too use this wall from now on?
“Ah, I’ve been waiting for you. This way, please.”
Comes Luke.
And guides us to the meeting room.
“I received your message yesterday that there was a successful bid for Mermaid Monster Card.”
“Yes. Because there was no competition, the price ended up on lower side. It’s considerably lower than the market price. What do you think about it?”
“Sure, we will place the order.”
“Thank you. Here it is.”
Luke recites incantation for Item Box, and takes out the monster card.
He places the card on the table.
Mermaid Monster Card
There’s no doubt about it.
It’s indeed a Mermaid Monster Card.
“Indeed.”
“Err… Because you’re the successful bidder, you can use guild temple of Merchant Guild. Usage fee is 10 Nar. You can pay the fee after verification. Do you want to verify it?”
Because I received the monster card just like that, Luke asks puzzled.
“Verification?”
“Yes, whether the monster card is genuine or not.”
Ah, I see.
Because I can use Appraisal, I know that it’s a Mermaid Monster Card. Other people, however, have no such skill.
Let alone type of monster card, you can’t even tell if it’s a monster card. It looks just like any other card.
Therefore, they verify it.
I wonder if I should verify it too.
I want to see what kind of place is the guild temple.
I can use Appraisal.
And it’ll be troublesome to verify it every time.
But if it’s first time, I should verify it.
Anyone would verify it on their first time at the very least, as a precaution.
“No, It’s fine. I trust Luke. I don’t believe you would sell a fake to me on my first purchase.”
I say so to make him feel grateful.
It has more to do with business than being graceful.
I wonder if Luke will take the bait.
There’s a good chance that Luke isn’t an honest person.
There’s a good chance that he’s dishonest.
If that’s the case, it’ll be good for me to show him such a side.
Even if he’s dishonest, he would be reluctant to sell fake items to me.
I can easily tell if an item is genuine or fake.
It’s more of a test for him.
Also, if he comes to trust me, he may even show me the guild temple.
“Of course.”
Says Luke, with an expressionless face.
“So the successful bid was 2,500 Nar?”
“Yes.”
“If another cheap monster card appears, I’ll buy it.”
“Understood. Commission would be 500 Nar. You would have to pay in advance.”
“…”
I wait, but nothing happens.
With 30% discount, 3,000 Nar should become 2,100 Nar. However, it doesn’t seem to have activated.
Should I ask him for the total?
Luke will have to pass 2,500 Nar on to the original seller from the auction.
If he receives only 2,100 Nar from me, he’ll be incurring loss.
I see, so this is why 30% discount isn’t effective.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea to trust a broker too much.”
Sherry advises me after we Warp to Vale town labyrinth through the wall inside the waiting room.
As I suspected, she doesn’t have a good impression of brokers.
“It’s only our first time. He won’t try to sell fake items to me just yet. After buying 2 or 3 more from him, he may try to swindle me. At that time, I will verify it. And just like that, we will receive considerable amount in the form of indemnity.”
It’s just a joke.
“How can your timing be so accurate?”
“While pushing fake items onto me, he’ll be nervous. There’ll be many signs for me to be able to identify.”
“You can identify?”
“I believe I can.”
No, it’s just a joke.
“Brilliant! It was ignorant of me to question your insight. I’m really sorry.”
She apologizes.
It was only a joke, Sherry.
“It’s alright. I know you were advising me for my own good.”
“Thank you.”
“As expected of master.”
It was only a joke, Roxanne.
“I saw the price of the successful bid on the bulletin in the waiting room. It was indeed 2,500 Nar. Previous successful bid of Mermaid Monster Card was 3,300 Nar. It was definitely cheaper than the previous one. I won’t let a broker scam me so easily. I can tell when he’s tricking me.”
But it really was just a joke.
When we return from the labyrinth, I ask sherry to try fusion.
She sits on a chair by the table with the equipment and the card.
“Here, Hide Mittens and Mermaid Monster Card.”
“I- yes… I’m sorry if it fails.”
Sherry seems tensed.
“Don’t worry, relax. I won’t be angry, even if it fails.”
“Because master is saying so, it’ll be alright, Sherry.”
If you fail, however, there will be punishment on bed.
Likewise, there will be a reward on bed if you succeed.
What I mean to say is, there’s no problem.
Sherry makes up her mind. She activates the skill, and her hands start glowing.
Waterproof Hide Mittens | Arm Gear
Skill: Water Shield
“Oh, like I said, Sherry is amazing. Thank you.”
“I-I did it?”
It was a success.
What remains on Sherry’s hands is an equipment with a skill attached.
This makes it two consecutive successes.
The hypothesis of empty skill slot is undoubtedly correct.
A monster card will successfully fuse with the equipment, if there’s an empty skill slot.
After dinner, I ask Sherry to make a Misanga.
“Is it enough to make just one Misanga in the morning and in the evening?
I ask while receiving the Misanga.
This makes it seven Misanga in a row without an empty skill slot.
Well, it’s understandable if you take into account the ratio of equipment with empty skill slots in shops to those without one.
It’s not like Sherry’s success rate is low.
Well, it’s too soon to say whether it’s high or low.
But I can’t wait forever.
It would be too late, if we get Caterpillar Monster Card first.
Monster Card Fusion has succeeded twice in a row.
The hypothesis of empty skill slot holds correct.
Which means we have to make a Misanga with an empty skill slot before we get Caterpillar Monster Card.
We have to increase the number of Misanga.
“How many Misanga can a veteran Master Smith make at a time? Well, not exceedingly experienced Master Smiths, but how about those who have around six months to a year of experience. I don’t want to ask you to do something unreasonable.”
“Do you know if they can make more than one?”
“Well, if they’re experienced, they can.”
You know it when your remaining MP is critically low.
Sherry is currently Master Smith Lv14.
Her MP should be a lot more than a Master Smith Lv1.
She makes one Misanga in the morning and in the evening, but this time she also used Monster Card Fusion in the afternoon.
Last time, when she used Monster Card Fusion, she was in a critical situation. But it wasn’t the case this time.
“And what about you, Sherry?”
“Umm… one Misanga in the morning and in the evening is the limit for a six months old Master Smith. I can try to make more than one, but generally speaking, one is the limit.”
Sherry looks troubled.
Unless you train for at least six months, you won’t have confidence in your ability.
Especially if you’re a thinking type, like Sherry.
“It’s alright, I believe you can. Why don’t you try one more?”
I put the Misanga in my Item Box, and take a thread out.
I pass it on to Sherry.
“Umm… okay, I understand.”
Sherry is hesitant about it, but nods immediately.
She holds the thread in her hands, and activates the skill.
Her hands start glowing.
Misanga | Accessory
Skill: Empty
“Oh, you did it.”
She did it.
The Misanga she just made has an empty skill slot.
“I really did it! Thank you.”
No, I didn’t mean that.
I mean you finally made one with an empty skill slot.
Great!
“You really did it.”
“Umm… I knew I could do it, but I was told that I need at least six months of training first.”
I see.
“I don’t think you should make too many too soon. You made two just now, and you also used Monster Card Fusion earlier in the day.”
“Now that I think about it, you were able to use Monster Card Fusion right after becoming a Master Smith. Is there no such training required for Monster Card Fusion?”
Sherry looks puzzled.
Spot on.
“W-Well, you were able to do it successfully, so there’s no need for training, I guess.”
“Why would they lie to me? Why would they say that I can’t make more than one for at least 6 months?”
“They didn’t know how amazing Sherry is.”
The person who taught Sherry — I’m sorry.
You were not at fault. No one can normally reach Lv14 in six months.
“No, I’m not that good.”
“Sherry is amazing, and this is a perfect Misanga.”
I point to the Misanga.
“Eh? What do you mean?”
“I want you to know something, Sherry. I can tell if a monster card can be successfully fused with an equipment.”
“Eh? Really?”
“You can trust me.”
If she continues to fuse monster cards, she would eventually find it out anyway.
“But how?”
“I can’t tell you how, but earlier, I was sure you would succeed, when I asked you to fuse that monster card with those mittens.”
“Is that so?”
“A Master Smith is considered successful when they can make Sacrificial Misanga from a Misanga on their first attempt, right? I look forward to you fusing Caterpillar Monster Card with this Misanga.”
I nod reassuringly toward perplexed Sherry.
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