Chapter 38 - Commission
Today, I am currently walking around the Capital after the class ended. It was yesterday when the incident about Sora happened but there were no particular notable incidents happened after that. The reason I came for the Capital is to make the set of armor and weapons after I got all the necessary materials needed to make it. In order to do that, I need to find that certain man whom I would need help to make those things.
Thanks to my knowledge of the game, I instantly found its place which is a bit hard to find since it's kind of secluded on an unfamiliar pathway.
When I entered a place who looks like an abandoned house surrounded at the back of the buildings, a blazing hotness coming from the inside surrounds me.
"Ugh... Hot...!"
I can't help but react to the hotness of this place. The reason the place was scorching hot is because that man, or should I say a goblin, is in the middle of smiting something. His hammer clank with blaze and scorches as he hammers the iron who is still in its unshaped form.
"Huh? Whose there?" The middle-aged gray goblin said.
"Um yes. Are you Mr. Fjell by any chance?" I asked.
The middle-aged gray goblin who is currently smithing is called Mr. Fjell, one of the characters you can recruit to your party. Compared to the normal goblins, Mr. Fjell has a gray body color and is an intelligent goblin compared to the other. He wears a leather apron when he is smithing and a lab coat when he is brewing. He is bald and a four feet person who looks like he will stab you out of nowhere, but he is a kind person if you get to know him. In the game, he will be your blacksmith in the story mode to create your craftable needed. Sora found this place when he was wandering around the capital trying to memorize every path.
"Err Yes, is there anything I can help you with?" Mr. Fjell said. "Things aside, I'm surprise you found this place. And here I thought I was pretty hidden"
"Who knows, but why does your shop is secluded though? Won't building a shop exposed to customers make you profit more?" I asked.
"It's a personal secret. Anyways what brings you here kiddo?" Mr. Fjell said and approach me.
"Ah, here" I took the 『Clement Ore』, [False Fiber], and a [Silk] to my pouch and placed it on the table located at the middle of the shop.
"I'd like to commission to create a set of armor and some weapons"
Before I came here, I bought some [Silk] on clothing shop since it will be included in the materials needed in order to make the custom armor I was going to asked Mr. Fjell with.
"T-this is!" Mr. Fjell showed a surprised expression.
"Yeah, this material is stronger than any iron you've made. Not as strong as 『Hell armor』 but it is but not a weak one"
"Y-yeah, I can see that. But how did you get something like this?"
"It's a secret but I'll let you examine it for a discount, Hehe" I said while smirking.
"Kuh!! you cunning bastard" Mr. Fjell smirked. "Then? what do you want me to make?"
Oh, no hesitation huh...
"Ah, of course. I want to—"
I explained Mr. Fjell every information he would need for the Armor and Weapon's design with great detail. My commission is a little bit complex but given Mr. Fjell is best in this role, it was of course not a problem for him.
"Hm... I can probably make it in about 5-6 days. How about it?" Mr. Fjell said wryly.
"Wow, as expected of you, I guess. I expect it to take you for 2-3 weeks to finish it..."
Well, well, even if I already know Mr. Fjell masterful skills, I didn't expect it'll be that good.
"Hah! that's just obvious. A person who can't do this much can't call themselves professional" Mr. Fjell said with a confident tone.
"I-is that so...?"
After the negotiation was done. I bid Mr. Fjell a farewell and left the place.
* * *
(5 days later)
Fast forward for a week, the remaining days went pretty normal. We go to the academy at the morning, hangout after class, went on our own, or do a sparring practice. As for the present—
"Class, we will be having a mock battle next week. You have a week to prepare so be ready by then"
Miss Sherry announced the second event after the first class was done. According to Miss Sherry, the mock battle will be compromise with a death match and the 16 students who remain standing will do a 1v1 mock battle until the last one wins.
Miss Sherry announced the event when the recess was starting so our circle of friends went to the cafeteria after and used the announcement as our topic.
"The academy really likes the mock battles huh" Sora said resting his chin on her fist placed on the table.
"I wonder why. It's only been a month since the academy started right?" Luna said. "What do you think Master?"
All of them turned their looks towards me. W-what...? were you all expecting something for me...?
"W-well... the higher-ups were probably looking for a potential student to recruit to their household. They weren't there when the first mock battle happened which is our entrance exam. The adjudicators probably told the potential students to the higher-ups and this mock battle is the day their going to see the skills of the said students in flesh" I said.
All of them looked at me dumbfounded.
"Even with a limited information, you sure know how to comprehend immediately huh" Sora said, astonished.
"It's just a guess. I already know how the higher-ups move so this is just how I speculate of what they would do" I said.
"Just a guess huh..." Lily looked at me suspiciously.
"Did I say something wrong?" I bewilderedly asked.
"Who knows?" Lily sarcastically said with a smirk. "I just thought as expected of you"
I don't know what to comment so I just kept my mouth shut. Thereafter, a new member of our circle of friend who went with us started to talk.
"Hm... The rumor spreading around you doesn't seem believable now that I saw you" A girl who was with us said.
"Didn't I said he wasn't a bad person, Astra" Sora said.
The girl with a curly red hair who is wearing a confident impression is one of the heroines in the story named Astra Redwillow. She is a noble with a bad reputation. As the youngest sibling who is living in the world which a system is composed with hierarchy, similar to mine, she was despised by her family for being weak and was often get bullied by her sisters who is stronger than her. Thanks to her sisters that she got a bad reputation even in the academy which is really similar to mine. In her story, her own vengeance is to surpass her sisters and become stronger than them. I can say that she was stronger in terms of mentality compared to Sai Crimsonheart who went a violent path after being bullied by her brothers.
Sora and Astra met at the Students Exploration after being invited as their acting leader whom I don't know because I don't care. Anyways, the two became friends after saving each other's ass when that mech in trial attacked them.
"I guess were kind of similar then?" I said to Astra.
"W-well... you're right" Astra said realizing.
Our circle continued our conversation for a while. In order for Astra to get comfortable on us, I made sure to converse a topic that she knows well which I have an idea thanks to my knowledge of the game.
In the end, it was successful. All of us managed to have a fun conversation without one being left out.
* * *
I was walking to the capital to get the Items I commissioned to Mr. Fjell when I saw Seia walking alone near the pathway towards the plaza.
"Hey! Seia" I approached Seia. "What brings you here?"
"Oh! Sai, I was just buying groceries from the market. How about you?"
"Ah, I came to get the items I commissioned last week. Here let me help you"
I took the large bag Seia is holding in which made Seia displayed a surprised expression.
"Ah! you didn't need to... I thought you have something to do?" Seia said anxiously.
"I don't have anything to do after I get it, So I was planning if I can hang out with you for a while?"
"Eh? um... if it's okay with you..."
Seia said shyly and look down. Her fluffy tails were wagging left and right which kind of contradicts her expression. When I saw such cute reaction, I smiled in adoration and patted Seia's head.
"Fweh?!" Seia's Fox Tails and Ears twitched.
"Let's go?"
"Y-yes!"
I have plenty of time to get the items I commissioned. Plus, I want to deepen my relationship with her since we'll be a team in the future. It was also fun for me when I helped others so it's a win-win, I guess.
And with that, I helped Seia buys her needs and follows her to the market while having a fun conversation. It was probably because Seia is a commoner that she is mindful to what she bought with money. She made sure it was the cheapest item she can buy so that it won't damage her allowance that much.
After we bought everything, we sat on the bench somewhere at the capital. The sun we're setting down so it kind of made a beautiful vibe while we rest.
"How are you Sai, Are you okay?" Seia asked.
"No problem, I still have many strength left"
"Um... thank you for helping me. It was the first time I had fun while buying groceries since I always go alone"
"Hehe, No problem. It was fun for me too. It feels like I got to know you better"
"I-Is that so..." Seia said shyly. "You're really kind Sai... I—"
"Sai and Seia, is that you two?"
Out of nowhere, someone called the two of us while Seia is in the middle of talking. It was Lily. Seia who was halted in the middle of talking pressed her lips together in embarrassment.
"Why are you here Lily, and where is Luna?" I asked.
"I was just taking a walk since Luna said she had other things to do"
"I see, care to come with us then?"
"Good timing, since I don't have anything to do right now" Lily beamed a smile.
"I guess, were the same then"
While we were talking, a group of 5 suspicious man wearing a black hood started to surround us.
"""!!"""
"Hahahahaha!! She really is alive. I can't believe it!" the suspicious man said.
"I told you I saw her. Now what should we do then?"
Me and Seia immediately stand up. When I looked at Seia, her fur is standing up and she is displaying an anxious look.
"Oh! is that her company. What bad timing these brats are" the suspicious guy said while smirking.
"Who are you guys and what do you plan on doing here?" Lily asked agitatedly.
"Gahahahaha!! you really are a funny woman are you, of course we're here to take your head to the noble elves" the guy said. "Did you really think the higher-ups will stop chasing you without confirming your death?"
When Lily heard the guy's words, she went pale all of a sudden. But it didn't stop her from taking her Bow from her 『Magic Pouch』. We also took out our weapon. The 『Kusanagi』 for me and the 『Musket』 for Seia.
"Uwah! Scary! Scary!" the man said sarcastically. "Did you brats think you can beat us?"
When the suspicious man said that, they release their hoods all of a sudden.
My eyes widened in shock when I saw their body clad with a familiar armor.
"Tsk" I clicked my tongue in response to our enemies.
"They are wearing 『Hell Armor』. They are the 『Frontliners』 Damn it! You two, take full caution" I said as sweat starting to fall into my cheeks.