Chapter 70

During the few days it took for the blacksmith Berga to finish the forging, Lucie and I dedicated ourselves to gathering information while sightseeing in Lacolina.

We also searched the back alleys for the "Skill Book" of the "Reaper's Assassin," which Lucie needed for her future character build, but we had no luck there.

Even if we had found it, we wouldn't have been able to afford it, so it would have only made us frustrated to find it...

I considered buying a "Skill Book" that was reasonably priced and useful for resale, but Lucie advised against it, and I decided to give up.

The buying and selling of "Skill Books" is a gray area.

While the shop owner might get caught, customers are rarely punished. However, if it were discovered that an adventurer was making a fortune from reselling, they would likely not be left alone.

If it became a habit to buy and resell, I would eventually be caught by the guards.

If I were caught in Lacolina and it was revealed that I was the son of a noble, the House of Haurlod would surely take advantage of the situation and cause trouble for my family.

Guild Master Harein would also have an interesting reaction if he found out I was caught for reselling "Skill Books."

On the day the mithril sword was supposed to be completed, Lucie and I headed to Berga's blacksmith shop.

"The 'Skill Book' for 'Spirit Fist' could have sold for a higher price if we had explained its strengths elsewhere..."

'Spirit Fist' is a skill tree that grants the basics of unarmed combat and a small increase in defense.

However, the basics of unarmed combat are almost useless.

Unarmed combat skills do not benefit from weapons, and they lack reach and attack power.

While there are advantages to mastering combat skills, 'Spirit Fist' only allows the acquisition of basic skills.

The increase in defense is also the least popular among stat boosts.

However, if you develop 'Spirit Fist,' you can gain 'Stun Resistance' and 'Confusion Resistance' in the late game.

These two are powerful, albeit subtle, so a certain number of high-level players in 'Magic World' included 'Spirit Fist' in their character builds.

Especially in this world where death is final, the return on gaining 'Stun Resistance' and 'Confusion Resistance' is considerable.

When I saw it being sold for a throwaway price of ten million gold, my heart leaped...

"Let's give up on the resale talk, Elma."

Lucie smiled wryly.

"I know, but now that I'm calm, I can see that the risk and reward don't balance out..."

But the blood of a former player was stirring.

Evaluating the value of items and increasing your gold through asset management was a hobby for 'Magic World' players.

"But, if we had just sold it, we could have easily made ten or twenty million gold, I think."

"Twenty million gold!?"

Lucie's eyes widened.

When I found 'Spirit Fist' being sold at a knockdown price, my heart leaped.

I could understand a little why the old lady at the 'Torn Magic Book Hall' in the city of Rondalme was so greedy.

She must have been so used to handling large sums of money.

I wonder how much she has saved up.

"Elma, regardless of whether we sell it or not, shouldn't we buy it just in case...?"

"The risk is too high."

This time, I answered with a wry smile.

While we were talking, we arrived at Berga's blacksmith shop.

"Well... the black steel armor should take a bit longer, but this will be the meeting with the mithril sword."

My steps were light.

Getting new weapons and skill trees is the most exciting part.

"Hey... the door is open. It's usually closed."

"Can't understand that old man. He's not asking for anything. He's just saying to sell the sword. Only a few of us in the city of adventurers can handle that 'Mithril Sword.'"

A voice came from inside the blacksmith shop.

"I have no weapons to sell to you! Besides, this is a commissioned item! Get out of here quickly!"

"You'd be satisfied if I gave you the money for the materials. I'm saying I'll buy it with a little extra. Don't make me angry. I have connections in the guild and am a high-level adventurer. If I call a few low-level adventurers and put pressure on the surrounding shops, your old blacksmith shop will be done for. I don't even need to get my hands dirty to take you down."

The situation seemed ominous.

It seemed to be the swordsman Berga had mentioned before.

"This doesn't look good..."

"Let's go, Elma!"

Lucie and I hurried into the blacksmith shop.

We soon saw Berga.

"Are you okay, old man! Hey, swordsman, cut it out...? Huh?"

The swordsman was nowhere to be seen.

He had been arguing with Berga just a moment ago.

"Hmm, you're the client, huh? I thought you'd be someone more impressive... but you're just a bunch of weaklings. You talk big about choosing your jobs, but you made a 'Mithril Sword' for these weaklings. Ha, what a joke. Even the blacksmith Berga couldn't resist poverty."

"Voice, but no form... a skill?"

"Elma, down... down there..."

Lucie said fearfully.

Looking down, I saw a short woman carrying a sword.

She had her purple hair tied back.

"You... are you making fun of me?"

"Child... no, if you've undergone the 'Rite of Blessing,' you're fifteen..."

"Seventeen."

She narrowed her intense eyes and glared at me.

Her voice was filled with irritation.

She was older than I expected.

"You seem to be underestimating me. Have you heard of the swordsman known as the 'Black Flame Blade'?"

It was a name I had heard during my information gathering in Lacolina.

The 'Black Flame Blade'... one of the few A-rank adventurers in Lacolina, and a native of the city, but she operates over a wide area and had recently returned to Lacolina after a long absence.

A-rank adventurers are generally level 90 or higher.

She doesn't seem like the type to have much self-control.

If we get into a fight now, we might be killed on the spot...

"Let me introduce myself. I am Hilde, the top disciple of the famous adventurer, the 'Black Flame Blade.'"

The female swordsman... now known as Hilde, pointed to herself with her thumb and said this in a boastful manner, trying to intimidate us.

"S-Seriously... that's amazing."

...At least it wasn't the 'Black Flame Blade' herself.