Chapter 8

The next day, I logged in in the afternoon. Why? Of course, it was because I spent the morning shopping for ingredients, cleaning, doing laundry, and preparing meals. For lunch, I made summer vegetable curry. I’ll have the same for dinner, but no complaints allowed.

"Big brother, I leveled up, and my sword sense evolved to a one-handed sword!"

"Wow, that’s great."

"Also, I made a new friend. This one is shy but cute and polite."

"…Really?"

You’re lucky. You can play games because you’re bad at housework, and you’re in third year of junior high. I don’t approve of neglecting your studies just because our school is an escalator system. But this girl doesn’t listen at all.

She puts all her effort into her hobbies. In real life, she’s a bit of a fool, but in the game, she’s so reliable.

Well, I’m just a supporter, I’m just a supporter. I keep telling myself that.

And then I logged in as Yun.

The place I landed was the non-combat area in the west. Yesterday, I made potions and poisons, but I didn’t have enough materials. And the sense I got yesterday, [Crafting], requires a polishing set and a portable furnace as basic equipment.

The polishing set costs 300G, and the portable furnace costs 800G. With my current funds, I definitely don’t have enough. I need to earn a substantial amount of money.

I don’t know what to use the soil for, and I dry the mushrooms and herbs I get using [Recipes] to improve my alchemy and magic.

My current inventory is roughly: 90 wooden arrows, 25 potions, 50 beginner potions, 75 pebbles, 20 soil, and various other items.

"Hmm, can I sell these for 300G? They have a slightly higher effect than usual."

I decided to do just that and headed back to the first town, practicing my bow and arrow skills along the way and defeating a few herbivores on the plain. Yesterday, I fought without any enhancements, but with an attack power enchantment, wooden arrows are sufficient.

No, the main reason for my success is the long-range shooting skill. I can shoot four arrows in the time it takes the enemy to close the distance of about twelve meters. With wooden arrows, I need five, but they’re free. Even if I fail, the cost-performance is not bad. Rather, I can consume and produce more to level up my sense.

I headed to town with a satisfied look, having obtained the drop items.

I felt like I was getting attention as I entered the town. Well, there are a few people with initial equipment, and bow users are generally underappreciated.

"Hey, you there. Hey, you."

Well, I’m a production class and a bow user. Look, I’m cool, right? A person who can fight and produce.

"Hey, I’m talking to you."

Look, a skilled craftsman is particular about materials.

"Don’t ignore me."

"Huh?"

The voice was close. I realized someone was calling me. My shoulder was grabbed, and I frowned, but the person didn’t seem to care.

"Is that a bow? They say the bow sense has the worst cost-performance. Want me to help you?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, let’s go hunting together. Let’s do it."

"Annoying."

Ignore the fool. I said that and headed for the central square. I wonder if the potions will sell well?

"Hey, wait a minute! You little—"

"Shut up. [Enhancement: Speed]"

I muttered and ran with all my might. The person seemed taken aback, with their hand still outstretched. I thought, "Idiot," and kept casting the enchantment while running. The duration of the enchantment doesn’t increase much, but my magic has grown, so I don’t run out of MP as quickly as before. Now, I can cast it six times in a row.

"Huff, huff, did I lose them?"

The guy had blond hair and a flashy appearance. He probably thinks he’s cool. Fool. Well, he was wearing armor, so I could escape with the enchantment acceleration. Armor users are slow, apparently.

Now, where can I sell them? I looked around at the people setting up stalls.

I had researched beforehand, and not just anyone can set up a stall. You need a specific item to set up a stall, and only those who have purchased it can do so. Furthermore, there are shops, and production class players can customize them.

Setting up a stall costs 10,000G, renting a shop costs 50,000G per month, and buying one costs 500,000G. How much do you think I have? 130G.

Well, there are all kinds of people at the stalls. Some sell potions, some sell weapons. Apparently, the people who have stalls or shops now are those who carried over their funds from the beta version.

"Hey, kid, want to take a look? I have weapons and accessories."

A woman with reddish hair and slightly tanned skin called out to me. She probably was trying to attract customers.

I thought I might be able to have a conversation and maybe sell some potions.

"Are you talking to me?"

"Oh! You’re a girl, that’s rare."

Ah, right, I’m using a female model now. Dangerous, I forgot because I was away from people.

"No, I’m a guy in real life."

"Again, you can’t fake your gender in this game."

"Ah, probably. It’s a machine error. So, in real life—"

"Wow, you must look very feminine. It’s fine, it’s fine. It’s just a role, right?"

Ugh, we’re not getting through. I’ll give up.

"Well, come in. Welcome to Magi’s stall. I have all kinds of weapons and accessories. I’m the owner, Magi."

"Wow, you’re a beta tester?"

"That’s right. You are—"

"I’m Yun."

"Then, are you a beta tester too?"

"No, my friends and sister are from the beta, and they invited me to the official version."

Ha ha ha, that makes sense, you’re a bow user. A dry laugh. I wonder if there’s a problem with bow users?

"But I don’t have any bows here. Accessories mainly increase defense."

"No, I’m also a production class."

"Ah, a combat production class. That’s good. I aimed to be a combat blacksmith, but the sense growth is slower when you fight, so in the official version, I focused on blacksmithing. Combat is just a hobby."

"Is that so? My sense composition is causing me to be short on money because I’m a bow user."

"Ah, I see. You want to sell the items you made, right? Sure, sure. I’ll buy them."

"Really!?"

This is perfect.

I opened the trade window with Magi and loaded the items I thought would sell. 25 potions. I have beginner potions, and they’re enough for now.

"Wow, homemade potions. The recovery amount is a bit higher, so I’ll color them and sell them for 30G each. NPCs sell them for 25G."

"Um, 30G times 25, so 750G!?"

"Well, it’s a substantial amount. The front-line players have graduated from beginner potions and can buy potions from NPCs, but the daily supply of potions in the game is fixed. So, beta resellers buy them in bulk and sell them at stalls for a high price. Some players mainly use healing magic, so they’re often included in parties. So, Yun, if you have anything else, let me know."

She said that, and the amount of money in my inventory increased to 880G.

... Still, I can’t afford the portable furnace.

"Um, Magi, you said you make accessories. Does the performance of accessories depend on the type of furnace?"

"No, it doesn’t change, but the types of metals you can process do. With a portable furnace, you can process up to iron. I’ve only seen up to steel. So, your senses are [Alchemy], [Synthesis], and [Crafting], right?"

Ah, Magi. You’re quite a high-level player. To figure out the types of senses from just this conversation.

"I have all three."

"You’re taking on difficult senses. Well, enjoy the game. And one piece of advice from me. There’s a skill called polishing in the [Crafting] sense. With the right tools and the [Crafting] sense, ordinary pebbles can sometimes become raw stones or ores. This is commonly known as the appraisal eye. So, you don’t need to go to the deep western mining area to collect metals for accessories."

"Ah, thank you. I’ll try it right away."

"Sure, sure. Can I add you as a friend? You seem interesting."

And so, I met Magi, a senior producer, in town and bought a polishing set. My funds are still low, but 880G. Once I have enough potions, I can buy a furnace.

I left the town with a satisfied look and headed to the western forest, just as I did when I came.