WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Irevi
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ I Became the Academy's Turn-Based Swordsman ◈
Chapter 120: Bound for Rainport
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“Crazy... Are all of these really Spirit Herbs?”
“That’s right.”
“They’re usually hard to get... Mister, is it really okay to just give all of these to us?”
“They would be meaningless in my hands anyway.”
As a game neared its end, there was always a point where growth began to feel slow.
Once you had finished your Shard setup and acquired all your final equipment, there were no avenues left for further stat upgrades.
Around then, the developers would toss in bonus items as if saying, Here, eat these and get lost.
Those were the Spirit Herb series sitting before me.
Spirit Herbs were medicinal plants, much like the mystical elixirs found in martial arts novels. Consuming one immediately and permanently raised the relevant stat by one.
They were precious items normally obtained only through late main-quest rewards or certain hidden quests.
One reason players went out of their way to take the horribly inefficient herbalism class was because it was one of the few places where they could farm Spirit Herbs.
However, in the original game, stats gained through Spirit Herbs did not carry over into subsequent playthroughs.
Even so, the number of Spirit Herbs obtainable in a single run was fixed, so players often deliberately saved them to consume all at once in their next run or the one after that.
And plenty of players quit the game with heaps of them sitting unused in storage.
Of course, reality did not have a second playthrough, so it was not something I needed to worry about.
Anyway, the box contained five roots of each of those precious herbs.
I suddenly wanted to praise myself for fitting a trip to Gravner into our schedule.
Click.
I closed the box and slipped it into my pocket.
“What? You’re not eating them right away?”
“Just in case.”
“Are you the type to save delicious things for later?”
“Most plants don’t taste good.”
I wanted to raise my stats immediately too.
But considering the variables, I judged it would be better to save them until the situation called for it.
A moment when I lacked one point of Defense and could not withstand an enemy attack, or when I lacked just a little Attack and could not defeat a boss.
When that moment came, these Spirit Herbs might provide the breakthrough I needed.
For the future, it was best to keep them for now.
“Thank you. I’ll put them to good use.”
“So then. Can you come tomorrow morning at seven?”
“...”
Wait, he still hadn’t given up?
It wasn’t as though I couldn’t go.
I had time, and accommodating Enedor’s preferences wasn’t particularly difficult.
However.
‘There’s no reason to go.’
I hadn’t quietly accepted Enedor’s special training solely out of courtesy.
I had expected Smithing proficiency to rise.
In game systems, skills generally gained proficiency the more they were used. Naturally, I had expected Smithing to be the same.
But.
[Proficiency Level: 1]
Even after hammering metal for half a day, there was no sign of my proficiency increasing.
‘Is there some condition for gaining proficiency?’
Just as my ability could only grow under the special circumstances of turn-based combat, I was certain Smithing proficiency would not rise through the ordinary training methods of a craftsman.
Perhaps experience was gained only when I used specific materials to produce a finished item.
There was no reason to waste time here, then.
As I hesitated to answer, Enedor spoke with a disgruntled expression.
“Looking at your face, your heart has already moved on.”
“...I’m sorry.”
“There’s no need to apologize. You’re a warrior, not a craftsman. Just don’t go around saying you learned hammering from me. It would damage my reputation.”
I nodded.
I had never intended to become a craftsman in the first place.
“By the way... It will take Elia quite some time to make that remote whatsit you mentioned.”
Enedor asked,
“Will you remain in Gravner until then?”
After defeating the mid-boss yesterday, I had no more business in Gravner.
I had already bought out the worthwhile items in the market, and there were no decent dungeons near the city besides the Demon Dungeon, so I couldn’t even grind.
Waiting here, twiddling my thumbs until Elia finished the drone, would be terribly inefficient.
“I plan to finish my business and return here to meet up with Elia. Then we’ll clear the Evil God Dungeon to the end.”
“Hmm. So this place was only a stop along the way.”
“That’s right.”
“I understand. Then even if you leave, be sure to return later.”
“To pick up Elia?”
“That too, but... the Dronium Ore you brought. Judging by its size, there should be quite a lot left even after making the remote whatsit.”
Enedor smiled meaningfully.
“I may not be able to make you a sword, but... I believe I can devise something useful for you from the leftover material.”
‘Oh.’
He was offering to make me a secondary item from the remaining materials.
Looking at the case of the Work Straight Sword, I had no reason to refuse, whatever it might be.
No, I should welcome it with open arms.
‘I have to come back after finding Siren’s Song anyway.’
Even the route worked out neatly.
“Understood. I’ll be back soon.”
With that promise to Enedor, we finished all our business in Gravner.
We returned to the inn and began a late dinner.
Perhaps because the sea was not too far away, the table was filled with seafood dishes that Adeline supposedly liked.
The main dish at the center was steamed ray cut into large pieces.
‘Why a ray, of all things?’
You would think Forneus would ruin her appetite, but Adeline did not seem bothered.
When I cut off a piece of fish and placed it on my plate, Adeline asked,
“You’re not pouring that sauce on it?”
“...”
‘What do they take me for, some mutt?’
No matter how much I liked spicy food, I knew which foods suited sauce and which did not.
It was plainly steamed fish with a light flavor. How could dumping spicy sauce over it possibly make it taste better?
Pour.
Just as I thought that, Luna was already pouring sauce over her steamed fish.
I hadn’t realized one of my party members was a mutt.
I should respect her preferences.
After finishing our meal, we immediately went upstairs to our rooms.
Naturally, Adeline paid.
“Halibal, Luna. Did you two know something?”
“Yes?”
“That instructors... are paid less than you’d think.”
Information I didn’t want to know. Got it.
Back at the inn, it was time to tally our spoils.
When we opened the chest, Shards poured out as usual.
There were many of them, but unfortunately, not a single Rare Shard.
Instead, quite a bit of equipment had dropped.
Normally, equipment drops were more welcome than Shards.
The problem was...
[Glass Crystal Sword (IV)]
[Attack Power 29 / Defense - 3]
[A sword condensed from the essence of the Crystal Mine. It is sharp but weak against impacts.]
‘...This is bad.’
The dropped equipment happened to be weaker than the Work Straight Sword.
In truth, the Crystal series was not normally such poor equipment.
Even accounting for the minus three Defense, it had at least twice the Attack Power of the Clown’s Sword.
If I had obtained it before coming to Gravner, I probably would have snapped it up without hesitation.
The Work Straight Sword was simply absurdly overpowered.
Still, it had its merits.
A graceful, beautiful blade.
It would be excellent for drawing attention if a noble merely wore it at their waist for ceremonies.
‘Should I give it to Cecilia or Aren Bright?’
But both of them happened to have awakening-type signature weapons.
‘I should hold on to it for now.’
Fortunately, it was not as though we had gained nothing.
[Demonic Staff (IV)]
[Magic Power 31 / Critical Hits 3]
[At a set chance, ‘demonic energy explosion’ activates and pushes the target back.]
Luna’s signature weapon had dropped.
Demonic energy explosion was an especially excellent option for Luna, who specialized in ranged attacks.
When I held the staff out to Luna, she asked,
“Can I really have this?”
“The instructor and I can’t use magic. Besides, you were the greatest contributor to this clear.”
“No, I was.”
Come on. Read the room.
Luna tightly hugged the staff I handed her.
“Th-thank you... I’ll treasure it.”
Her cheeks turned bright red again.
Her treatment for emotional instability was making steady progress.
The final item was a pair of greaves.
[Obsidian Greaves (IV)]
[Health 15 / Defense 15]
Armor with respectable defensive power.
“You should use these, Instructor. I got a sword, and Luna got a staff.”
“Hm? I’m fine.”
Adeline waved her hand.
“I’m sturdy enough without something like that. Besides, they’re heavy and make it hard to move.”
‘They don’t even have a Fluidity reduction effect. What is she talking about?’
I urged her again to take the greaves, but she stubbornly refused.
“I’m not going to take my disciple’s share just because I’m the master.”
She grinned and gave my shoulder a light pat.
“If you really want to give me something, give these to me after you find yourself better equipment. Until then, you use them.”
Even after I offered them that much, she still refused.
There was nothing I could do.
I had no choice but to take them without holding back.
After dividing the loot, we spent our final night in Gravner.
⁎⁎⁎
The next morning.
Unlike yesterday, the streets held noticeably fewer people.
Apparently, many people had rushed to the mines at dawn with pickaxes in hand.
As if proving that rumor, despite the smaller crowds, the city felt even livelier than it had yesterday.
Before leaving, we headed to the workshop to meet Enedor one final time.
“Are you ready to depart?”
“Yes. Thanks to you, we acquired a weapon and completed our maintenance.”
While saying goodbye, I showed him the Glass Crystal Sword we had obtained yesterday, just in case.
Its performance was questionable for use, and I thought it would only become baggage if I carried it around, so I wondered whether I could sell it.
“Oh. Dungeon-made equipment? The finish isn’t bad.”
Enedor examined the sword from every angle before speaking.
“This works out well. If you don’t plan to use it immediately, leave it here.”
“Pardon?”
“Don’t worry. When you return, you’ll never regret it.”
‘Is he going to use it as enhancement material?’
I had no complaints.
It would be far more profitable to entrust it to the Empire’s greatest craftsman than let it rot in my bag.
“Understood. I’ll leave it to you.”
Before leaving the workshop, I looked toward Elia’s laboratory.
From beyond the closed door came the sound of clattering.
“You won’t be seeing him for a while. He’s even skipping meals to work like that.”
Enedor clicked his tongue, but he did not seem displeased.
Rather, he looked proud of his son for becoming so absorbed in his work as a craftsman.
So I decided to skip saying goodbye.
Going in now would only disturb him.
‘I hope it will be finished by the time I return.’
As we left the city, a group of citizens, including the loose-lipped guards, ran over to thank us.
But the clear was not even finished yet.
Popping the champagne too early might lead to bloodshed, so I gave them a suitable warning.
“You must not let your guard down. The Evil God’s threat remains, and its lackeys are still running free.”
“As expected of the Funeral Sword... So cautious!”
They seemed to take it differently than I had intended.
But good was good, I supposed.
When we arrived at the station, a familiar apparition caught my eye.
It was Renee.
For some reason, though, she was wearing a miner’s safety helmet and holding a hammer.
What was this? Had Renee’s costume function been unlocked in the meantime?
That outfit was probably an effect of the Smithing ability I had acquired.
She glared at me with a sullen expression.
When I casually walked past her,
『You are not telling me to shear wool with this, are you?』
‘Work hard.’
I encouraged her inwardly and continued walking.
And so, having finished our business in Gravner, we boarded the train bound for our next destination, Rainport.
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