CH 45

Chapter 45 – I want it…

Interestingly enough, the quest I received was not to deliver the iron equipment, but to get the training from the Master Blacksmith, Merget.

It also doesn’t seem to have any failure conditions explicitly noted, but the quest might still end up being failed if I mess up, so I should be a bit careful with how I proceed.

For now, I suppose I’ll first make something using the beginner equipment on this smithy, which is the same that I can find in the Rental Production Facility, so as to show what I can do to Merget.

The item I crafted was, of course, my signature Iron Bucket Helm. However, even though I already had a recipe for it, I could still not make it as a 4* item yet… Improved Blacksmithing really levels slowly.

“An original item? Great work! There are also no problems with the rank, so this is definitely a good enough iron item! I wish my disciples were as good as you!” Merget exclaimed.

“Thank you!” I replied.

The apprentices inside the smithy also glanced towards us for a second after hearing Merget’s words, but they quickly got better to their own business… As expected of people that make their living through their crafts. Even if someone with a better blessing comes and makes some good gear, they don’t get distracted from their own job.

“Seems like you’re good enough to use intermediate equipment, though the advanced ones are probably too much for you.

“Also, I’ll show you a recipe, so try practicing with that as a sample! But don’t forget to deliver what Mr. Kederick asked you to!” Merget said.

“Yes, master!” I replied.

I didn’t expect them to just give me the recipe as a freebie, but it was nice that he was willing to show me how to make a new item, so that I could try replicating it later.

And so, as Merget started crafting the item, I glued my eyes to him, paying careful attention to each movement that he made.

******

Sadly, it took him a while to finish making the item. It can’t be helped because players have a stronger blessing from the goddess, but I was still a bit saddened from needing to spend this much time just watching.

Nonetheless, he was very careful with his craft and surely made a fantastic final product. Just seeing him make the item was quite the experience in itself.

——

Bronze Light Circlet

Head/Heavy Equipment/6*/DEF +11/MATK +7/CRT +6/Small Critical Chance Enhancement/Small Magic Attack Power Enhancement/Durability 30

——

It was not only a recipe that I never saw before, but also an item with two Options in it.

“Ah, I got too much into it and made an item that can’t be put for sale at the store!” Merget exclaimed.

“Eh!?” Was my reply.

… He then explained to me that the store only puts items without Options for sale. The items that do end up having Options are instead auctioned off. It did explain why I found no items with Options within the store, but it was kinda weird that I never heard anything about that so far.

Merget then told me that the only people that can participate on auctions are those with a guild rank of 5* and above. As there are currently no Player Pioneers above rank 4*, it can’t be helped that nobody at the forums knew about the auctions. Even I am still at 4*, after all.

“In any case, this will work fine as a sample, so make sure to learn the recipe properly!” Merget exclaimed.

“Yes, master!” I replied.

With this sample and with Merget’s work as reference, I should have no problem in making more of those, so… Let’s do our best at practice!

******

However, reality is ruthless. My logout timer is pretty strict, so I wasn’t able to work for long… And by the time I log-in again, the smithy will be closed, so I won’t be able to practice more. Today’s training seems to be over.

It was still nice to get a feeling of what intermediate equipment are like though. I really want some of that for me… However, I don’t have a workshop yet, so for now, that can’t be helped.

Also, practice time from tomorrow onwards will also be limited, as I need to make sure to deliver the requested iron equipment first, so I’ll only be able to practice after I’m done with the daily quota. Today was the first day, so it was an exception, but no such leeway will be given on the next days.

Moreover, the item needs to be something that can be sold at the store, so it can’t have Options in it… Well, I’m not at the point where I can make 4* Iron equipment yet, so I doubt I’ll struggle with that if I use the beginner equipment.

Regardless of all that, I at least had enough time to share lunch with Merget and the other apprentices before leaving, since I’m allowed to eat with them for free during the quest.

And the meal had a very tasty piece of meat in it. I guess they put a lot of effort into preparing it, so as to make sure the blacksmiths are able to put their all into their work after eating… Though Player Pioneers don’t really feel work fatigue, so this point is moot for me. Nonetheless, it was still quite tasty.

During the meal, Merget also told me that I should go directly to the smithy starting tomorrow, as Mr. Kederick is quite busy, so it would be troublesome if he had to come greet me each time.

After eating, I was running out of time, so I thanked Merget and the other apprentices, and left the workshop. I technically could log-out while inside it, but I’d be teleported outside if I logged in when it was closed, so I preferred to leave on my own.

And so, I logged out.

******

After eating lunch and doing my usual things, my parents called me about the Obon festival. They said they were really busy this year, so it would be hard to come see me… Well, it’s okay, I wanted to keep playing Frontiers anyways, so it’s not a problem.

… And well, it’s not as if it’s possible for me to go visit them, so it can’t be helped if they can’t come.

More importantly though, let’s log-in!

It’s 6pm on in-game time right now, so the smithy is, unsurprisingly, closed. Let’s grab an appropriate disguise at the store, then start moving.

I was planning on going to the Rental Production Facility as soon as I got a disguise, but… Once I entered my store, one of my clerks gave me an important information… It was almost time to end the contract for the renting of my store. Dangerous! Too dangerous! I forgot this one wasn’t automatically renewed like the one of the Personal Warehouse!

I hurriedly went after the Real Estate Agent and renewed the contract for another 30 in-game days.

… And since I was at it. I also checked to see if there was any place in the vicinity that was large enough to install production equipment. And luckily enough, there was a land diagonally behind my shop that was vacant.

It was big enough to put the production equipment in it, but installing the equipment in itself would probably be kinda troublesome.

And the price is… Well, understandably high, since I’d be purchasing a terrain, as opposed to renting a store.

Still, it would be really nice to own such a place. With something this close to the store, it would be fine if I were to replenish the shop’s item supplies without wearing a disguise.

However… I don’t have enough money to buy it. I might be able to if I take out all the money stored within the shop, but then I might be unable to buy materials… Also, I still wouldn’t have enough to install the production equipment in it.

But I still want it… I really really want this place… Maybe I can make an advance payment to try reserving the spot and then buy it later when I can afford it?

When I asked the Real Estate Agent about it, they said it was fine to make a reservation. And if I gave up on the idea, I’d receive most of the initial payment back, with only a small fee being lost.

I think I’d normally pass on that, but after experiencing what intermediate equipment feels like, I really do think it’s important to get a location to install my personal workshop, so I went forward with it even if the price was steep.

Though now… I really need a recipe for new crafting tools, don’t I? I wonder which books at the library have it… I’ll need to search more carefully later.

For now though, let’s focus on making iron equipment to raise the funds for the purchase of my terrain! I’ll avoid making many Magic Bronze Accessories and instead focus on Iron Gear for the sake of the best profit possible! Let’s do our best!