After Two Days

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Your tamed monster's Race level has increased.

Your tamed monster's Job level has increased.

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As expected, I couldn't log in the day before yesterday or yesterday because of overtime... This is the sad part of being a working adult. I'm logging in for the first time in two days!

The moment I logged in, an announcement played saying Kal had leveled up. Jigoro and Genjuro must have taken him hunting. With Kal joining those two, hardly any enemy would stand a chance.

"Oh, it's Izamu! Long time no see!"

"Izamu-san! Hello!"

"Ah, hello."

When I left my room and entered the living room, Ruby and Shio were chatting there. Oh? Shio was no longer a gray-feathered chick. Apparently, Shio had evolved.

"Looks like Shio evolved."

"Yes! I became a Hawk Birdian! Just as planned!"

Hmm, when you hear 'hawk's eyes,' it certainly brings to mind an image of a skilled sniper. I can't say I know whether that's actually true, though.

"Oh, right! While you were gone, Shii-chan found an interesting quest!"

"Really? What kind of quest?"

"It's called 'Trial for the Young'!"

To summarize Shio's explanation, Birdian youths who have been recognized as possessing a certain level of ability have a custom of forming a party and going to a boss area on the night of the new moon at the beginning of each month. Yes, the night of the new moon. In other words, the night of the 'Trial of the Azure Moon.'

Shio is a player, but apparently he was permitted to challenge that trial. For now, he was hunting with the Birdian NPCs who would form his party and training to coordinate with them.

Gah! It really bothers me that I wasn't there when such an interesting quest became available! But I suppose I couldn't help it, given my work schedule.

"I see. Do your best. And what about everyone else?"

"Grandpa and Jigoro are outside training their resistances. Iris is run off her feet with requests from the Birdians."

"Ah, right. She did accept some requests, didn't she?"

Iris had learned how to make bows under a bow craftsman. Apparently, word had spread among the Birdians that she was a highly skilled artisan, and she had been asked to make all sorts of items and to teach blacksmithing and magic-item crafting techniques unavailable at Birdy Perch.

Iris seemed to be letting out happy cries over all the crafting work she loved. On the other hand, she seemed to find it painful that she couldn't go adventuring.

"Oh, speaking of Iris, I hear the new equipment is finished. She should be in the workshop outside, so go show your face at least once."

"Oh, really? It's finished!?"

The new equipment, whose completion had been delayed for so long, was finally ready. Actually, after fighting Tarasque, I had entrusted some of the items I obtained to Iris. These were the materials.

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Thick Hide of the Poison Flame Tortoise Dragon Quality: Good Rarity: S (Special Class)

The thick hide of a Poison Flame Tortoise Dragon that mutated after gaining a dragon's power.

It is resistant to fire and poison, and is water-resistant as well, making it suitable as armor material.

A material from dragonkin, it is also an excellent catalyst for magic.

Young Dragon's True Scale Quality: Excellent Rarity: S (Special Class)

An exceptional scale shed by a young dragon only when it evolves.

Despite coming from an immature dragon, its hardness is comparable to that of an adult dragon's scales.

A material from a true dragon, it is ideal as a catalyst for magic.

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There were other materials from Tarasque as well, but this hide was about the only one that seemed usable for my equipment. Everything else was too heavy, and I had other uses in mind for it all.

The real centerpiece, in a sense, was the scale Kal shed when he evolved. True Scale was a rare item shed only during evolution. I wondered what sort of equipment it had been used in.

All the other materials they must have used came from Vetus Floating Island, so there was no doubt that some excellent equipment had been completed. I was excited even before going to pick it up.

"Then I'll head downstairs. What will you two do?"

"We'll chat here a little longer and then go. Shii-chan's pickup will be here soon."

"You mean the Birdians you'll be fighting alongside. I understand. Shio, don't level up too much before the trial, all right?"

"I know! I'll adjust my level properly!"

"See you later."

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After parting with the two of them, I headed to the workshop where Iris should have been. Her workshop stood alone a short distance from the base of the giant tree, so it was very conspicuous... or at least it had been.

"Is this... really the right place?"

For some reason, a splendid forge had been built where her workshop was supposed to be. It was surrounded by thick walls, and from inside came the sound of metal being hammered, along with shouts that easily surpassed it in volume. A tall chimney rose from near the center, belching thick smoke into the sky.

"Oh! Ain't that the Bone Boss?"

"...Hm? Ah, you're the Worker Birdian who became Iris's apprentice."

The one who called out to me as I stood dumbfounded by the forge's imposing appearance was a young Worker Birdian. At the elders' behest, several Birdians, including him, had been assigned to Iris as assistants and apprentices. It allowed her to divide up her workload, while giving the elders a chance to learn her techniques, so their interests aligned and the arrangement was made.

Incidentally, the reason I don't call him by name is neither to harass him nor because I don't know his name. He simply doesn't have one yet. In Birdian culture, people apparently aren't given names until they are eligible to attend a meeting like the one I had attended before. Obtaining a name seemed to be a kind of social status. Interesting.

"Boss Lady's working in the back. Want me to call her?"

"No, if she's working, let her finish that stage. I'll wait here."

"Understood."

I decided to wait in the waiting area near the entrance to the forge. Still, I had some time to spare. In that case, I might as well train 【Talisman Arts】 to pass the time.

I took out paper and a pen and set to work on the table in the waiting area. The work, of course, was making more talismans to replenish my dwindling supply. Talismans were extremely useful both for everyone's training to overcome their weaknesses and as a regular means of attack. Whenever I had time, I should make as many as I could.

Besides, unless I raised the level of 【Talisman Arts】, I couldn't make new talismans. Making talismans regularly was important for earning experience, too.

"Whoa! The Bone Boss is making some weird stuff!"

As I diligently made talismans, the Worker Birdian from earlier leaned over to peek at my work. He seemed intensely curious about something unfamiliar to him.

"This is a talisman made using 【Talisman Arts】, a magic-type Skill. Give it a try."

As I spoke, I held out one talisman. The Worker Birdian took it with an eager expression and stared intently at it. He was almost certainly using Appraisal.

"This thing's amazing! Even someone like me, who's completely hopeless at magic, can play at being a mage with this, eh?"

"Yes, that's right."

A talisman's effect depends on its creator, but anyone can use the talisman itself. Conversely, if one of my talismans were stolen, someone else could use the magic I had worked so hard to learn, albeit in a weakened form. I needed to manage them carefully.

"Good grief! How much more are Boss Lady and the Bone Boss gonna surprise us before you're satisfied?"

"Hm? I have no intention of doing that..."

It was true that very few players had already learned 【Talisman Arts】. I hadn't heard anyone mention it on the forums, and for all I knew, I might even be the only one who had it.

But even if it wasn't common among NPCs, there had to be a certain number who had learned it. After all, I had learned it by reading materials belonging to an Undead Mage who had apparently been an NPC while alive. If I went to his homeland, perhaps I could learn it fairly easily there.

"I don't know much about business, but this'll sell! Warriors who can't use magic will be lining up to buy it!"

"So... it probably would. It certainly is convenient."

"Right? Then..."

"Sorry to keep you waiting!"

Just as the Worker Birdian was about to say something, Iris came hurrying over from the back of the forge. Her countless tentacles held various tools. She must have come as soon as she reached a stopping point in her production work.

"Two days—no, eight days in-game since we last met, Izamu."

"Ah, long time no see... I suppose?"

In real life, you wouldn't call it a long time after being apart for only two days, but in-game time moves four times faster. So we hadn't seen each other for more than a week in-game, making it fair to call it a long time.

"Heeheehee, I seem to remember having a similar conversation before."

"Did we?"

"More importantly, the new equipment is ready!"

Oh! That's what I'd been waiting for! Hurry! Let me see it!

"Heehee, were you really that excited? You have a childish side to you, too."

"Ugh... I-it's fine."

"I didn't say it was bad. Now, let's stop teasing Izamu. The equipment you've been waiting for is this way. Please follow me."

I followed Iris as she started walking and entered the forge. At first, it had been barely wide enough for her to extend her tentacles fully, but now there was a hallway broad enough for more than three people to walk side by side. It had really grown.

"While you couldn't come here, a high-ranking Birdian gave me a personal commission. The forge's expansion was my payment."

Iris noticed that I was wondering about the forge's development and explained the reason. As payment for a commission, it seemed more than a little generous.

"Can I ask about the commission?"

"Of course. The client was one of the elders' sons, and he wanted a piece of woodwork in a design uncommon in Birdy Perch."

"Woodwork? What a nice hobby."

"No, that's not it. It wasn't for himself."

"Huh?"

"He had a woman he liked, and it was a present with which he planned to propose to her."

I see. That was certainly worth shelling out a fortune for. After all, his whole future was at stake.

"The forge has expanded this much, so I take it the proposal went well?"

"Yes! ...Ah, here we are."

Apparently, while we were chatting, we had arrived at the room where my equipment had been placed. Or rather, was this a processing room specifically for armor? The nameplate attached to the door was engraved with 'Armor.'

"Come in."

"Ah."

I entered the room at Iris's urging. Two Birdians were hard at work inside. When they noticed Iris and me entering, they silently bowed their heads and returned to their work. That was when I noticed something.

"Oh? Aren't they Worker Birdians?"

"Yes, they are. Young Birdians who aspire to become craftsmen have started coming here to train as well."

Iris said it with a mischievous air, as if to say, Pretty impressive, right? I could only praise her sincerely.

"Now, about that equipment... Here it is!"

Iris pointed with a tentacle at something covered by a cloth. Judging from its silhouette, it seemed to be a mannequin. Gah! Was she really going to keep me in suspense even after I got here!?

"You want to see it already, don't you? Then, open!"

"Ooooooooooh!!!"

Hidden beneath the cloth was a complete set of equipment in subdued black and purple. There was a robe for the torso, gauntlets for all four arms, a belt for the waist, and trousers and boots for the legs.

I-it was magnificent! The design was exactly to my taste. Once I put it on, I'd look like a villainous mage from every angle.

I had to equip it immediately! Thinking that, I hurriedly navigated the menu screen.