Chapter 54

《You have a message from a friend.》

《There is an announcement from the management. Would you like to check it?》

As soon as I logged in this morning, various notifications were already waiting for me.

The messages were from Irena and Adel.

And there was also an announcement from the management.

I decided to check the subject of the management announcement first.

《Notice of Statistics Update: Data has been updated to the end of yesterday's service!》

I thought it might be about the tournament, but it was completely different.

While the trend in player numbers is concerning, I have work today.

I'll check the details later.

Next.

I'll read Irena's message.

『My summoning magic has reached level 4, and I have a new companion: a horse named Rot Kaiser.』

The screenshot attached shows a horse with jet-black fur.

It has a rather dignified presence.

So, Irena's summoning monsters will now consist of a snake, a tiger, an eagle, and a horse.

This setup should be able to handle various environments at a minimum.

And the horse's mobility can also be utilized.

Not a bad choice.

Next, Adel's message.

『My new companion is a red fox named Kii-chan! She's not only fluffy but also very cute!』

The screenshot attached shows a fox.

The contrast between the reddish-brown fur and the white fur on its belly is beautiful.

But what's concerning is Adel's expression as she holds the fox close and takes a selfie.

She's leaning in close to the fox with a melting look on her face.

As usual.

Adel's summoning monsters will now consist of a tiger, a horse, a wolf, and a fox.

I hope she doesn't get too focused on fluffy creatures.

If it makes her happy, though, that's fine.

Well, then.

I got ready and left my master's house.

I summoned the horse Crescent, the hawk Helix, and the owl Obsidian, prioritizing daytime movement.

It was just before 6 AM.

I should arrive in Remto Town around 7 AM.

That would be a good time for breakfast.

But I encountered an unexpected monster.

Well, in a way, it was a pleasant surprise.

It was a stray horse in active status.

I was suddenly ambushed and Crescent took quite a bit of damage.

Of course, I retaliated and finished it off.

However, the battle took place while moving towards the village of Legias, so I ended up farther from Remto Town.

As a result, I arrived in Remto Town a bit later than expected.

Even if I wanted to eat at a food stall, they were all crowded, and it took time to buy food.

There are more players now.

I messed up.

I'll try to come a bit earlier tomorrow.

And the tournament is the day after tomorrow.

It will probably be even more crowded.

I quickly finished my meal in a corner of the square and headed to the workshop, glancing at the new training ground.

The training ground seemed to have various materials brought in.

They were covered with sheets, so I couldn't see what was inside.

"Hey, good morning."

"Good morning."

Nils is as energetic as always today.

But the workshop looks strange.

The number of workers has decreased by more than half compared to yesterday.

And there were fewer materials inside the workshop.

"It seems the carpenters have really stepped up. They've made a lot of progress."

"Wow, that's great."

"Yeah, so the request from Keith will be completed today."

"Understood."

"I'll leave the remaining chair assembly to you. I'll finish the remaining desks."

"Got it."

Let's get to work right away.

It seems the end of this request is in sight.

The chair assembly went well.

Finally, on the third one, I managed to create a quality C+.

Of course, I had a Physical Enchantment Aqua to boost my dexterity.

Finally, a quality C+.

This is quietly satisfying.

Carpentry was quite challenging.

Feeling good, I continued working, and then the notification I was hoping for came.

《Your Carpentry skill has leveled up due to your previous actions!》

《Your Precision skill has leveled up due to your previous actions!》

Leveling up just when there's not much carpentry work left is a bit late, isn't it?

But it's fine.

I'll keep using Physical Enchantment Aqua to aim for the highest possible quality.

Quality C+. It doesn't change.

A bit frustrating.

Before I knew it, I had run out of materials.

In the end, I didn't reach quality B-.

I cleaned up the area and put away the tools.

Alright.

Perfect.

"The work is done."

"Huh? Already?"

I called out as Nils stopped working.

I went back to where I was working and had him check the chairs.

He seemed impressed by the tidiness.

"To be honest, I want you to come to our glass workshop."

"Sorry."

"No, seriously, even if that's not possible, I'd like to ask for your help on a named request."

"Well, if the opportunity arises."

"Yeah, that's right."

Nils then called out to the workers in the area, telling them to go to the adventurer guild.

"Let's go, then."

At the adventurer guild, the usual middle-aged staff member was waiting.

The other staff members looked very busy, but this one was completely calm.

I wonder who this person really is.

I'm scared to use [Identification] on him.

"Hello."

"Oh, Nils."

"The work for him was completed just now. But he didn't have a job card, so he came directly here."

"Oh, I'm sorry for not thinking of that."

"It's fine."

"Here you go."

The stone placed in front of us was the same one I had been given before as proof of completing a request.

"Here you go."

"Thank you."

Huh.

I didn't see what stone Nils handed to the staff member.

"That's fine. The request from Keith is now complete."

"Understood."

《You have completed a named guild request!》

《5 bonus points and 2 extra evaluation points have been added, making a total of 15 bonus points!》

"Here's your reward."

I received the small bag and quickly checked the contents, which were surprisingly plentiful.

"Where is the guild master? I need to confirm my next task."

"No, that's not necessary."

"Huh?"

"During the tournament, the guild master will be very busy. Please come the morning after the final day of the tournament."

"Ah."

"He has a lot of priority tasks to handle."

No good.

This smile is no good.

I can feel waves of anger.

"Keith, you shouldn't interfere with his work here."

"Huh?"

"See you later. I'll let the foreman know."

"Thank you."

Prompted by Nils, I left the area.

What's going on?

"He's one of the people you shouldn't cross in this town."

"Who is he?"

"Originally an adventurer. He says he was an ordinary warrior, but his job is to make the guild master work."

That's not a subordinate's job!

Nils can only laugh wryly.

I've suspected that for a while.

He's like a master and a fellow craftsman.

"It's still early, but the workshop meal should be ready. You can eat it if you want."

"That's very kind of you, I'll have some."

"Well, if you have any questions, come to our glass workshop."

"Thank you. Actually, I have a request right away."

"What is it?"

"Woodworking tools. I want to get my own set and would like some advice."

"Sure. We have time, so let's go together."

"Thank you."

I only needed to ask where to buy them, but getting advice from him will be helpful.

I thought about this while following Nils.

It was at the very end of the street lined with various workshops.

It looked like a blacksmith, but it had an old-fashioned feel.

However, all the tools on display were quality C+ or higher.

The best was a quality A- knife.

Impressive.

"This is one of the four best tool shops in town for craftsmen."

"Don't expect a discount just because I praise you."

The dwarf behind the counter, almost bare-chested with muscles like rock, responded to Nils.

"Keith, this is Gud, the owner of the tool shop."

"I'm an adventurer. My name is Keith."

"I'm Gud."

Despite his gruff attitude, he extended his hand, and I instinctively shook it.

I immediately regretted it.

His grip was incredibly strong. It hurt.

But he quickly released it, so I was relieved.

"An adventurer? If you're not a craftsman, you shouldn't be here."

"I'm helping out among the craftsmen."

"Hmm. If you say so, that's fine."

"Thanks. I need a set of woodworking tools."

"Hmm? Not glassworking tools?"

While saying this, Gud asked about my budget.

He lined up a variety of tools on the counter, but there was no choice.

Two saws, three chisels, two drills, a hammer and a mallet.

A thick-bladed knife, five carving knives, two files, a plane, an inkpot with cotton thread.

Even a hatchet was included.

And finally, a tool roll made of fabric.

"Do you need a hatchet?"

"I have a machete."

"Can I see it?"

I took out a dull iron machete from my [Item Box].

Gud held it for a while, swinging it a few times and touching the blade.

"Hmm. It should suffice as a substitute."

"Do you have any maintenance tools?"

"Carrying a whetstone is not a good idea?"

"Sorry. I'm an adventurer."

Sighing slightly, Gud disappeared into the back of the shop.

He returned with two used stones.

"I can sell these."

"Are you selling used stones?"

"Don't be ridiculous. If they were new, they would be much more expensive than all the tools on this counter."

"No, I know that."

"It's fine, Nils."

Using [Identification], I found that both the coarse and fine whetstones were quality B.

They were quite worn out, with low durability.

But they should be usable for now.

It's enough.

I can earn and buy new ones later.

"If you can add a little more, I can include this."

"I can."

The budget I offered was about half of my cash on hand.

I also had a few items I could sell.

The amount he asked for was not small, but I could afford it.

I bought everything at the asking price and stored it in my [Item Box].

"By the way, can I buy new whetstones?"

"Regular ones are at market price. For good ones, craftsmen sometimes pool their money to buy them. They are crucial for craftsmen."

"I see."

"Yeah. If you find stones that can be used to make whetstones, bring them. I'll buy them at a high price."

"Understood."

I also bought a few other items in the shop, including three types of nails and a tape measure.

That's it.

Why did I buy woodworking tools in the first place?

Of course, it was because Kay's rod was broken.

And the request content led me to acquire the woodworking skill.

I reached a conclusion.

If I can make my own rod, that would be great.

I can process suitable wood in the forest and make a rod.

The quality and performance might not match what a professional carpenter can make.

But if it can save time compared to waiting for a craftsman to make one, that's a good trade-off.

I also got the location of the woodworking shop from Nils.

I'm hesitant to cut branches in the forest right away.

I bought three logs, including some extras, at a low price.

All three were Kay.

I want to try working with them when I get back to my master's house.

I had a meal in the new adventurer guild building.

Nils was also eating across from me.

It was a hearty dish.

The stewed offal dish filled my hunger completely.

Incidentally, Nils asked for seconds.

What kind of stomach does he have?

Other workers were also gathering to eat.

They were going to set up the tournament venue.

Even though it's not their main job.

Thank you for your hard work.

"Is this a good place to part?"

"Yes, thank you for your help."

"Good luck in the tournament."

After finishing the meal, I parted ways with Nils.

I have no plans for the afternoon and all day tomorrow.

I could aim to level up my skills for the tournament.

I could make some progress in the game.

I could also let my summoned monsters gain experience.

What should I do?

I'll just do what I usually do.

Hunting stray horses as I did yesterday would be good.

It's hard to decide which monster is best for gaining experience.

Stray horses are at least always a tough opponent.

I think the items I can get are also quite good.

I have a request to make a set of equipment, but if I sell it, it will fetch a good price.

Well, let's go hunting.

Protagonist: Keith

Race: Human, Male, Race Level 7

Occupation: Summoner (Summoner) Level 6

Remaining Bonus Points: 15

Set Skills:

Staff Level 6, Strike Level 3, Kick Level 4, Joint Lock Level 4, Throw Level 3

Dodge Level 3, Block Level 3, Summoning Magic Level 7

Light Magic Level 3, Wind Magic Level 4, Earth Magic Level 3, Water Magic Level 4

Fire Magic Level 3, Dark Magic Level 3, Ice Magic Level 1

Alchemy Level 4, Pharmacist Level 3, Glassworking Level 3, Carpentry Level 3 (↑1)

Coordination Level 6, Appraisal Level 5, Identification Level 6, Insight Level 1, Cold Resistance Level 3

Grapple Level 5, Horsemanship Level 5, Precision Level 6 (↑1), Jump Level 1

Heat Resistance Level 3, Climbing Level 3, Dual Wield Level 2, Mental Fortitude Level 1

Equipment:

Kay's Bat × 2, Snow Leopard's Hidden Claw × 3, Wild Rabbit's Chestplate + series

Snow Ape's Arm Guard, Wild Horse's Boots +, Snow Ape's Leather Helmet, Backpack

Item Box × 2

Held Items:

Skinning Knife

Titles:

Apprentice of the Old Summoner, Proof of Forest Guardian, Seeker of Moderation

Summoned Monsters:

Volf, Wolf Level 5 (Resting)

Crescent, Horse Level 3

Helix, Hawk Level 3

Obsidian, Owl Level 4

Jean, Bat Level 4 (Resting)

Jerrick, Wood Golem Level 3 (Resting)

Guardian, Oni Level 1 (Resting)