Chapter 167: The Magic Tinkerer-in-Training.

Chapter 167: The Magic Tinkerer-in-Training.

I seeSorry for that. I didnt mean to call you like those damn fire-slinger, the half-masked man apologized after I explained everything to him; about my nonexistent service to the church of Aurena, my dislike for Shiterno, and also the fact he summoned a giant toad which horrified me. Talon. Adventurer. Dungeon Guide. Treasure Hunter. If you have the Davi, I can get you through the dungeon safely for the first couple of floors.

Youre a treasure hunter? I tilted my head.

The dungeon spawns loot boxes and random treasure. I find and then hand them over to clients, for a price. Dark elemental magic is useful for this job, but my empty vessel magic is better suited, Talon stated, prompting me to remember what he did back in the dungeon.

Would that be the floating toad and the mirror-like wall you created? Ellaine asked. Our whole party was sitting at the same table with Talon right now, listening to what he had to say.

[Illusion Magic]. Despite being a compound element of light and dark, you cannot acquire it by increasing both skills to level 10, but are required to learn it from a practitioner or through instructions. As its my empty vessel skill, I would prefer it if you didnt ask for further details, Talon said in a deadpan voice. However, sorry for opening an old wound. I didnt know toads or frogs would cause that reaction from you. Traumas are hard to learn before I use my spells, but I rather not cause others that much fear.

He sounded rude but he doesnt seem like a bad guy. Well, he did mention that he wanted to swipe the treasure chest away from under our noses so I dont know if I could call him selfless or something. It was his job to acquire chests for his clients, but it didnt mean I should like it as I was a victim of his illusions.

While he was speaking, I began to feel more curious about his half-mask as it was covering the entire right side of his face. The moment he noticed my stare, I apologized to him since staring was kinda rude of me. And just leave it be. You have your own issues, I do, too. Now, if you four arent here to hire me for my spells, then I would suggest you leave. I would like to eat in peace.

Talon began to eat the moment he said that, ignoring us as if weve already left. Rude as it was, he had no reason to stay polite after the misunderstanding was resolved. Still, I had some questions for him, Do you know any good blacksmiths in the city?

Im not an information broker.

He was being stubborn but I kept speaking, I know, but you should have been in Cedaraille longer than us, right? As an adventurer wouldnt you know any competent blacksmiths in the area?This chapter was first shared on the Ñøv€lß1n platform.

Im a mage. For my gear, I visit the alchemy guild, the tailor guild, and the mages guild. If you want information on blacksmiths, ask the blacksmith guild, was Talons answer. It honestly didnt look like he wanted to speak at all, so I had to give up entirely.

Jeez, does he really hate white robes that much, or is it cause he doesnt trust my word that I wasnt a Danterno follower? Shiterno, you inconvenienced us once again!

After asking a bit more inside the hunters guild for information on a blacksmith, we returned to our lodging, deciding to postpone our trip until tomorrow. Once we were back at the inn, Ellaine let out a sigh and complained about what had happened today, There were quite a lot of rude and insensitive people today, even if you ignored those who boldly showed their lecherous gazes at us. I never expected all these commoners to show their true feelings so publicly.

Including Talon, there were quite a lot of hunters and mercenaries who didnt care much about what we wanted to ask, shooing us away if they were preoccupied with something else, either talking with their own party or enjoying their lunch break. Of course, some were helpful and gave us some tips, including the guild staff, but there were also cases of creeps and perverts.

I raised a brow when she said this, remembering the tea party we attended in Firwood, I presume nobles are less conspicuous about it? Hiding everything behind a mask like when we first met, Ellaine? The Chezaic twins tea party demonstrated that there are plenty of rude people even in high society. I should know, I had to experience them on Earth, too, at my school.

Saori concurred, Wealth and influence alone do not make a better man or woman in any society, it is the values they learn from birth into adulthood that comprise their personality and conduct. Despite the advantages of being born into wealthy families, some students at the school I worked at would behave less than acceptably. On the other hand, those with fewer opportunities can turn out good through their humble beginnings. People can end up rough around the edges either way, though, although the latter group probably knows how to hide it better.

I seeyou two experienced your aristocrat-like society on Earth in different ways, yes? As you would expect, learning how to hide your true feelings and motives is something I learned very early on from my mother. Saori would be a perfect fit with her stoic exterior, but Hestia would be too emotional to handle putting on a mask. She wasnt wrong, Im still impulsive even after all Manuela taught me how to act more like a lady. I know that not all commoners are as rude as those adventurers we met. Josine is the perfect example for this, and the other servants also were very kind. Still, seeing them all act like that was not pleasant for me.

That is why you should start learning how to chill out more, Ellaine. This is the life we have to handle regardless of whether we like some of the people or not, I shrugged, displaying how indifferent she should act when some people annoy her. Defending yourself when somebody wrongs you is fine, but acting on every single provocation or mistake will just tire you out.

Chill out? Ellaine gave me a look of confusion.

Yeah. Try not to let everything trigger you since the world wont change to fit your ideal in this case. With that discussion down, I took out some of Ellaines belongings and a small orb from my storage. Here you go, your artificer equipment and also the [Season Regulator]. Well probably make the innkeeper angry if we make too much of a mess so please be careful while you handle them, Ellaine.

Of course, Hestia.

Sitting at a table in one of our rooms, Ellaine first put on a thin glove with sharp metal claws and a rune on the palm side. As she was checking if it was properly on her left hand, I asked her what the glove was. This is a Mana Breaker Glove. They allow artificers to grab manatech safely by protecting their hands from arcane corruption. As you should know, Hestia, arcane corruption is caused by mana which attacks our bodies like a toxin if the concentration is too high.

In simple terms, arcane corruption was like CO2, a leftover after your body uses oxygen. CO2 was toxic to the body but it would be expelled from the body through the respiratory system where we breathe it out. Arcane corruption was similar, where our body removes mana from our body through mana paths before it starts to affect our body, however, since magicians used magic like crazy, building that stuff up inside our body was quite easy. Other than medicinal herbs like fulinoe leaves or spells like [Sacred Veil], which reduced the creation of arcane corruption outright, only the skill [Arcane Corruption Resistance] could increase our tolerance for it, delaying any harmful side effects and the status ailment [Arcane Corruption].

Ellaine continued, This same principle happens with manatech. The glove is for my protection as I hold onto the item, as a manatechs mana battery can radiate arcane corruption and accumulate it into our bodies through touch. I am not sure why it only happens with manatech and not other magic tools, but mother mentioned it is due to materials used to make a battery.

Marianne doesnt know? I repeated.

My mother is at best a journeyman-level artificer, capable enough to save our house money by repairing our manatech but not proficient enough to create new inventions out of thin air. She is not the most knowledgable in this field, Ellaine explained. Regardless, the most important fact is that I can protect myself while adjusting this [Season Regulator].

The glove had eoriant claws designed like sharp spikes to hold onto the manetech as comfortably as possible, which causes the mana to collect in the claws and pass back into the item in a perpetual circle, preventing the eoriant claws from overloading with mana and the manatech from releasing any arcane corruption from inside it.

The rune on the palm side was a rune of magic protection, meant to be used as a circuit breaker. If a mana related issue were to happen, the rune would protect the artificers hand, although it had to be reapplied every time it was used up.

I then created an [Air Shield] around us to stop eavesdropping, Then, it is time for me to be more truthful. Ellaine, this happened before you officially joined and concerns the grimgarian army. Saori, Tasianna, and I have unanimously decided to not interfere with the impending war.

W-What? she stumbled in surprise.

We three arent strong enough yet and we dont know if we can become strong enough whenever the army attacks. After fighting against that lone B rank High Ogre, I do not think Aurora should participate in a war we arent affiliated withuntil you actually joined. I wanted to inform you this when we met again in Griffonpeak but you suddenly joining, well, I couldnt find the moment to tell you about it, I forced myself to say all of that, waiting for Ellaine to speak up. WellIm telling you this since I trust you. I trust you as a friend. Not as your liege or something else. Saori and the garms have been guarding us against spies and you kept your promise of not leaking the information on my dragon mother.

Nobles were crafty and with the resources they had; they could do whatever they wanted, really. Theodore was able to craft a whole string of rumors to help Ellaine and me during the Chezaic tea party while also getting the evidence to incarcerate House Chezaic. They proved themselves competent, so it wouldnt surprise me if they somehow talked Ellaine or House Helvas into informing them about everything, even the stuff Ellaine learned after she joined us.

However, she didnt. No external contact during our travels nor when we reached Cedaraille. Sure, there was the chance that she could do this later on but that would be paranoid at that point.

Uhm, well, what I want to say is what would you like to do, Ellaine? You are a member now so we have to take your opinion seriously. If the grimgarians were to attack the Kingdom of Artorias, what would you do?

However, unexpectedly, Ellaines firmed up and she kneeled down, speaking clearly, Lady Hestia, I have sworn my fealty to you and only you. While it would pain me to see my kingdom attacked while I stay out of it, it isnt as if my participation will help anybody. I know my limits, I know I am too weak to be even a fraction of a factor in any war. However, I cannot force you, Miss Saori, or Miss Tasianna to risk your lives for my kingdom. As a friend, I couldnt do that. In the first place, I dont think of myself as somebody special enough to decide on such an important decision.

I was surprised to hear her downplay herself this much before me. What am I doing?!

Until the day I met you, I had only lived by the rules and decisions of my parents and brother. The failure of a noble that I am did not deserve to decide on what I wanted to doand even after all that I learned from you, I dont think I do now.

But you rebelled against your mother to join us earlier. If you ask me, that was a significant decision to change your life around, I argued.

Well, I guess allowing myself to be selfish for a moment was nicebut if I hadnt experienced your stubbornness nor your will to be free, I wouldnt have dared to do so. But, enough of that, Lady Hestia, my decision to your question is that I will follow yours. However, I do so hope that you could change your mind one day, Lady Hestia. As you said, I love my kingdom.

Why are serious talks always this serious? So annoying

After calming down, I changed the subject to Ellaines magical training. It was something to help both of us get our minds away from the heavy topic of before. Fortunately, it actually helped as Ellaine finally mastered the last of the four advanced casting methods [Delayed Cast]. We cheered together as the talk we had just disappeared into the evening. Once Saori and Tasianna came back, we had dinner and then went to sleep on a very large bed suited for five people to sleep on. Our inn was decent, but it wasnt the most expensive one in town the House Helvas mansion in this city was.

Once morning came, we visited the blacksmith guild, asking them for any competent blacksmiths who could fulfill our orders. Similar to the other guilds, well-groomed men and women manned the reception despite the number of sweaty, muscled men in their late thirties who were waiting in a line.

Once our chance came, Saori asked the beastman receptionist, A blacksmith who can work with dragonewt scales? Yours, I presume, Lady Priestess?

I nodded. That would be correct, Sir. My scales are quite thick and resistant to fire so it should be somebody who is used to high temperatures. Maybe a dwarf?

However, instead of the receptionist, a man from the line suddenly started laughing boisterously, Hahaha! The only dwarf in the city is somebody who is abandoned by Bleidla! Imagine that, a dwarven blacksmith abandoned by his racial god! What a jest! Lady Priestess, if you need armor or weapons, come over to the Tunging Hammer! My master will serve you well!

Ahh, shut it, Marcel! Trying to hype everything up when youre only an apprentice handling errands. My Lady Priestess, come over to the Iron Crevasse for all your equipment needs! Weve worked with C rank monster materials before, and I can bet you we will turn your scales into the prettiest thing ever!

My scales are B ranked...and are from a fire dragon. You need some hardcore fire to melt that.

As the guildhall became so loud it was hard to hear anybody, the receptionist quickly gave us a list of the most renowned blacksmiths in the city including the one dwarf they had mentioned before. Since I still had a good experience with Kraftja and Ogni, including their token of respect, I decided to visit the dwarf blacksmith first before scouring the others.

Saori handed me some of our partys funds, mentioning that she wanted to visit this merchant corporation Zeather mentioned. As Ellaine would be responsible for our future dealings, she was to accompany her while Tasianna would come with me in case I needed to know about some dwarven custom.

Strangely, the address wasnt in the middle district, it actually was in the slums! You could imagine our surprise when a respectable dwarven blacksmith would be relegated to the backdrop of the city. Merchants and adventurers rarely visited the slums if it wasnt their home already, so how could the dwarf pay for anything if the clientele was so meager?

But then I realized how shallow my thinking was. It doesnt matter if you only received a few customers when all of them are high-paying ones! Similar to how Kraftja and Ogni handled their store. Highest prices among the blacksmiths and also the least popular location in the middle district, but regulars came regardless.

That has to be it!

However, what we saw wasnt a cool-looking shop but some weird caravan that looked like some recreational vehicle, an RV. There wasnt even a sign to tell people this was a shop and even Tasianna and I would have been confused by it were it not for the receptionists instructions.

We knocked on the door, waited for the moment until somebodys quaking footsteps approached us. The wide door opened up and a very familiar face appeared before us again.

What in Crustacias name are you waking me up in the fucking morning?! Bladdarg! Who the hell are you?

Its the taz.