Chapter Thirty-Three - Soldiering On

Oh no, I tripped~ Anyway, new chapter!

(I know, yucky AI art, but I'm writing faster than the artists can keep up, I 'm sorry!)

But also, from Jegsuu:

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Chapter Thirty-Three - Soldiering On

They passed through Alivaville at a jog, which made this the furthest Lucky had ever been from home. She kept moving, her feet not nearly as busy as her mind.

It would have been stupid of her not to have second thoughts about this.

What did she know about the [Swordmaster] setting the pace ahead of her? Well, she knew that she was an elf, which meant the fact that she looked no older than her early thirties had little bearing on her actual age. Lucky had only encountered elves a few times, and always from afar. She knew them by reputation, of course. They were one of the founding races of the Aerie, lived in giant forest cities, and were generally considered a snobbish, rather elitist sort, but that was often outweighed by them earning that snobbishness.

They were probably the race with the greatest number of Titled, at least on this end of the world. 

Rosario Thorn was one level away from being Titled. In fact, she might have the prerequisite already and was just waiting to unlock her Titled job in another place. When someone became Titled in Alpta, there was always a ceremony. It hadn’t happened in a year or two, but when it did, it was cause for celebration.

What else? That information was superficial. Race and age and job wasn’t enough to truly know someone.

Rosario had moved to save Lucky’s life with no hesitation. She had given her, freely, a potion that was worth more than Lucky would earn in a lifetime of farming work. She had a close friend in Cricket who was... worth her own inspection and study. Most of all, Rosario just gave her a good feeling.

Maybe it was just her hope doing weird things but...

Rosario Thorn was proof that someone could be a max-level [Swordmaster]. A woman, even. Not that there was anything that made adventuring woman impossible, it was just... less common. 

“Ah, a caravan,” Rosario said. 

“Oh, very... nice, good good, they can, ah, watch us,” Cricket said.

Lucky had the impression that the bug-woman was a lot more chatty when she wasn’t so clearly out of breath and covered in sweat. She almost felt bad for the [Jester], especially when during their only stop so far, Rosario had had the woman do handstands and cartwheels whenever she wasn’t moving to help.

Lucky swiped her hair out of her face and squinted ahead. There was, indeed, a caravan coming down the road. A dozen carts being pulled by horses, donkeys and catidid, with a small team of guards on horseback guarding it.

“Let’s pull up here for a moment,” Rosario said.

Lucky was all too glad to stop. Her Constitution was high. Relatively high, at least. But a full morning of jogging meant that every step now sent a thump though her femur and she felt like her feet were swollen in her boots. Not to mention the way all of her clothes stuck to her. She likely reeked. 

The [Jester] had it worse. She suspected that it wasn’t a job that came with very much Constitution. Dexterity a plenty, but not the kind of stats that gave endurance for long runs like this.

Rosario... had mostly just walked. Her longer legs and fast stride meant that she was the one setting the pace. She was straight-backed, entirely untouched by sweat or road dust, and seemed as fresh as though she’d stepped out of a bathhouse.

The elven woman waved the caravan down, and three of the guards rode up ahead of the rest. “Hello there,” she said. 

The three eyed them, but must have decided that they weren’t a threat.

Honestly... that was maybe foolish. A [Swordmaster] could scythe through a caravan like that in seconds, but they were rather obviously not bandits. 

“Ahoy there,” the leader said. “And good morrow to you, adventurers. How fare you?”

“Well,” Rosario said. “Is this a caravan on the way to the capital?”

“Aye,” the leader said. “You’re heading the other way, I take it? Any news on the road.”

“Not very much.” Rosario said. “There’s some drama in Alpta, but you’ll hear more once you’re there, I suppose. Say, I notice your men have swords. How much for... call it three of them?”

“Our swords?” the man asked. He squinted at her. “I’m afraid that what we have may not be suitable for a [Swordmaster] of your rank.”

Rosario shook her head. “I’ll pay in gold,” she said. “One per.”

Now they were haggling. The guards obviously didn’t want to give up their swords, but it looked like they mostly used spears, their swords were sidearms more than anything else, and it made sense for men on horseback and even for those riding along in the carts. The reach was better, and they likely fought more wild monsters than people. 

The price was eventually agreed upon, and then gold traded hands. Rosario’s coinage was commented on, and the price changed again as they were very old mint worth a little more. Fortunately, the merchant caravan did have a [Merchant] who was happy to stick his nose into the deal.

They came away with some added supplies, bedrolls, some rations, and some long daggers as well as three swords that Rosario inspected at a glance.

Then the caravan was off again, and Rosario turned towards Lucky and Cricket. “I think I’ve established that you’re tough enough to make it,” she said. “But we’re wasting time with you grinding [Farmhand], so we’re getting you the [Soldier] job.”

“Why not skip straight to [Swordsman]?” Cricket asked.

Rosario paused and considered it.

It was a fair question. Lucky had been going around and practicing a lot to unlock that job herself. A lot of second tier jobs could be first tiers. There were advantages and disadvantages to that. Fewer levels in the job, for one, which meant fewer job-specific skills.

“I suppose,” Rosario said. “From what I recall, [Militiaman], [Soldier], [Squire], [Duelist], [Fencer], and [Guard] can all lead to [Swordman]. Or you can take it as your first tier job. Ideally, however, if your ultimate goal is to be a [Sword Saint], then you’ll want two prior jobs with the Sword keyword.”

Lucky blinked even as she fell back onto her heels. That was a lot of information. The kind of thing that someone couldn’t just learn so casually. Then again, Rosario probably had years of experience and planning behind her own jobs. “I... will defer to your judgement,” she said.

Rosario hummed. “[Fencer] and [Dualist] would both be better options now. Your Constitution is good enough to start, but your other stats are... poor. Actually, show me your full stats.”

Lucky swallowed. 

Rosario might as well have asked her to undress right here out in the open. Still...

“Rosario, you can’t simply ask a young maiden to bear herself to the world like that,” Cricket admonished. “It’s improper!”

“I’ll do it,” Lucky said. She licked her lips, then displayed her status. There really wasn’t much to show.

Lucile ‘Lucky’ Smith

Current Job: [Farmhand] - Level 21

Stats

Strength 17

Dexterity 14

Constitution 31

Intelligence 15

Wisdom 10

Charisma 10

Mana 150

Stamina 744

Combat Jobs

Crafting Jobs

[Farmhand] - Level 21

[Labourer] - Level 7

[Harvester] - Level 4

[Farm Child] - Level 5

She swallowed thickly as Rosario inspected her stats without any obvious emotions and Cricket stared with wide eyes. 

“I see,” Rosario said. “All tier one crafting jobs. That makes sense. Low intelligence and Charisma. I’m changing some of my plans, then.”

“You are?” Lucky asked. She quickly dismissed her stats page. It felt the same as lowering the hem of a raised skirt somehow. 

Rosario nodded. “You’ll want some balance in your skills, which usually comes from more diverse second tier jobs. Once we get you to that level, we’re getting you [Fencer] instead of [Swordman]. Which means that we will need [Swordman] as your tier one job.”

“Why [Fencer]?” Cricket asked.

“It boosts Charisma and Dexterity, whereas [Swordsman] as a second tier is Strength and Dexterity. Her Strength will fall behind, but once she takes [Swordsmaster] as a third tier job it’ll come back up relatively quickly. [Sword Saint] gives points in Strength, Dexterity, Constitution and Wisdom.”

“Yes, but why would Charisma be important?” Cricket asked.

“All stats are,” Rosario said. 

“Wisdom?” Lucky asked, she had focused on that being one of the stats that came from the job she wanted so much. Her head was swimming a little. That was a lot of knowledge just being passed around so casually.

“Do you think a saint would be unwise?” Rosario asked with a little smile. For some reason, Cricket was giving her a very particular look. Rosario placed two of the three swords she had purchased away, then unsheathed one of them as well as the two daggers, setting all three weapons on the ground. “First, if you are to unlock [Swordsman], then we might as well use the time it takes to train another job. So, [Soldier] first. The added Constitution will be nice as well.”

Rosario pulled out a knife from her inventory. It was gorgeous. Even with no knowledge about such things, Lucky knew that it was expensive.

And then the elf held it like a pen of all things and started to carve right into the steel of the swords and then the daggers. She moved fast, dozens of precise cuts that left furrows in the metal as though it were soft wood. Then she pulled out a silver coin and... it melted? 

Lucky stared, rather confused, as Rosario did magic. She moved the melted silver into the carvings on the three weapons, then rubbed them clean with the pad of a thumb. “That’ll do,” she said.

“What was that about?” Cricket asked.

Rosario grabbed the sword and inspected it. “Just a simple enchantment.”

Lucky used [Inspect] on the sword.

[Guardsman’s Small Sword]

Enchanted Sword - First Tier

“Ohh, magic weapons~” Cricket sing-songed. “Why didn’t you tell me you could do that? I have a lot of knives and knick-knacks that could use some magic! Can you make things sharper? Can you make them vibrate?”

“Shush, you,” Roario said. “I’m merely an [Apprentice Enchanter] so first tier is the best I can make under normal circumstances. In any case, these are now enchanted with Harmless. It’s an effect that makes they less-lethal.” She placed the edge of the sword across her hand and swiped it in a way that ought to have left her with fewer fingers, or at least a nasty cut.

“Weird thing to do, that,” Cricket said.

“Why? Now you both have weapons to spar with.”

Cricket blinked. “Oi oi! I don’t want to spar!”

“Or we can continue running,” Rosario said. 

“Do I get to sit while the girl’s on her butt?” Cricket asked.

“Yes.”

Cricket turned towards Lucky. “I’m so sorry, horsey, but you’re between me and sitting time. I will have no mercy for thee.”

Lucky swallowed but... wasn’t this exactly what she wanted?

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