Chapter 18

After parting ways with Klein and the others, Lucie and I headed to the tavern attached to the Adventurer's Guild and discussed our future plans there.

"Um... Thank you, Elma, for inviting someone like me to your party. But... I think I might still be lacking in strength..."

Lucie looked uneasy.

She probably lacked confidence in herself.

It was understandable. She had been treated quite poorly under Klein.

"Don't worry so much. If we level up using the monsters from the skill tree, your level will rise quickly..."

"Um, um! I was thinking, could it be that, Elma, you rescued me because you fell in love with me at first sight?"

Lucie blushed and said this in a flustered tone.

"What are you talking about?"

"I've been wondering why someone of a higher level would protect me, and I thought that might be the only reason... Hehe... After all, I am cute. Um, um! I also thought you were cool, but I think it's best to start as friends!"

Lucie, fidgeting, played with the tip of her jester's hat as she spoke.

I held my head.

...Perhaps I should retract my earlier thought that Lucie lacked confidence in herself.

"Still, I think it wouldn't work out well if I joined your party out of pity. I'm truly grateful for your feelings and for protecting me, but I don't want to give up on being an adventurer. I want to team up with someone of a lower level and try my best to obtain attack skills."

Lucie scratched her head and said this with a wry smile.

"Do you have the 'Great Luck' skill tree? I need you to lend me its power."

'Great Luck' is a skill tree that some classes, such as jesters and merchants, occasionally have from the start. By investing skill points, you can obtain vague characteristic skills like 'bringing happiness just by being there.'

The reality of these characteristic skills is that they boost a hidden parameter called 'Luck.' This luck affects your critical hit rate in battles and the enemy's critical hit rate. It also significantly influences item drop rates, the appearance rate of rare monsters, and the occurrence rate of rare events. When acting in a party, the item drop rate follows the luck of the person with the highest luck value.

This hidden parameter is heavily influenced by its initial value, and the increase in value from leveling up is small. To significantly boost it, you either need to rely on equipment items that enhance luck or use the 'Great Luck' skill tree.

If used effectively, the 'Great Luck' skill tree can increase item drop rates by five or even ten times. To fully utilize this effect, you need to know the exact value of the hidden luck parameter and the percentage it affects the final drop rate. Of course, I have all the formulas memorized.

"Is that really true...? But I have low stats and no attack skills..."

Lucie extended her hand into the air, displayed her 'Status,' and showed it to me.

"Look, this is my current state. My only attack skill isn't even something I can use properly... I could only stand at the front and shield others with my life... Klein's words aside... I think there were some unavoidable aspects to it."

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【Lucie Rubis】

Class: Jester

Lv: 13

HP: 20/20

MP: 19/19

Attack: 11+2

Defense: 9

Magic: 12

Speed: 21

【Equipment】

〈Circus Knife〉

【Characteristic Skill】

〈Nyarlon's Invitation〉

【Normal Skill】

〈Dice Thrust〉

【Title】

〈F-Rank Adventurer〉

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She showed me her status boldly.

I was taken aback by her lack of hesitation.

"You shouldn't really show that to just anyone..."

"It's okay. I can tell that Elma wouldn't intentionally spread it or misuse it. ...Besides, I think it's better to be dismissed upfront rather than have you disappointed later..."

The characteristic skill 'Nyarlon's Invitation'... It boosts the owner's luck by 500%, a broken skill.

Having a 'Great Luck' user in the party increases efficiency... more so, it's a must for high-level players who explore for rare items. Therefore, the 'Great Luck' skill tree is highly sought after in 'Magic World.'

As you invest more skill points into the 'Great Luck' skill tree, this characteristic skill evolves into one with an even higher luck boost.

"By the way, here's my skill tree."

Lucie flipped her 'Status' and manipulated it with her fingers before showing it to me again.

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【Skill Tree】

[Remaining Skill Points: 0]

〈Fool's Acrobatics [2/100]〉

〈Great Luck [15/70]〉

〈Attack Power Increase [0/50]〉

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...You show me this without hesitation too?

Shouldn't you learn to be a bit more suspicious of people?

The 2 points in 'Fool's Acrobatics' are likely because she is an F-rank adventurer and hit the point allocation limit for the 'Great Luck' skill at 15 points.

Incidentally, the 2 points in 'Fool's Acrobatics' grant the 'Dice Thrust' skill.

It's a thrust skill where a number from one to six randomly appears. The effect depends on the number, and if it's a six, it deals 1.3 times the normal damage and guarantees a critical hit.

...However, in terms of expected value, a regular slash is stronger, so 'Dice Thrust' is rarely used in 'Magic World.' The chance of getting a good number slightly increases with luck, but regular attacks are more stable.

I can understand why Lucie said her only attack skill wasn't something she could use properly. She must have been disappointed when she finally got an attack skill, only to find it was weaker than a regular attack.

"If you had allocated the points equally between 'Fool's Acrobatics' and 'Attack Power Increase,' you could have fought properly... Ahaha... No, I made a big mistake. I was so happy to hear that 'Great Luck' is a rare and powerful skill tree... I never thought it would turn out like this."

Lucie shrugged and smiled with a look of resignation.

"...Well, thanks to you showing me your 'Status,' I understand clearly now."

"You understand, right? With my skills, diving into the 'Dream Hole' is..."

"For the next exploration, I'll earn a light 30 million gold and bring Lucie up to level 30."

"Hey! Did you hear what I said!?"

Lucie's voice was on the verge of tears. The adventurers at nearby tables looked over, wondering what was happening.

"There are just the right level of monsters for a jester at this level to level up."

A jester with 'Great Luck' is the best character build for an exploration adventurer. In 'Magic World,' they are affectionately known as 'Lucky Pierrots.' The downside is that the jester's base stats are low, and 'Great Luck' takes up skill points, but 'Fool's Acrobatics' can be used to fight trickily by leveraging the luck boosted by 'Great Luck,' allowing for smooth leveling even in the late game.