Cherreads

Chapter 19 - Chapter 19: Preparing for Multiple Quests

"Here's your Neroid and your Cabbage-based dish~"

The gentle voice of a guild waitress catches my attention as I observe the quests selected for today.

They're all quests that adventurers don't want because of their high risk, but I see an opportunity here.

Especially those about a manticore and a wyvern, which are formidable creatures but way too close to a town like Axel.

Luna must really have problems.

Obviously, I plan to do them alone in case Megumin's absent today.

Besides the quests in my hands, I've also taken care of some things I'd neglected due to circumstances.

For example: my clothes.

After the Hell'Paradis incident, my top was ruined.

I bought an outfit in a rush, but it doesn't really suit me.

That's why I placed an order for military outfits from my past life, as well as Killua's.

After all, I look like that assassin, so might as well copy his excellent sense of fashion.

Even the seamstress appreciated their unique appearance.

Setting clothes aside, I also dealt with my weapon problem.

I've reached a stage where I can no longer afford to be cheap with my personal equipment.

So I placed orders through the guild with a blacksmith who has a good reputation.

"I just hope he'll be as passionate about working on the bow as he was during our theoretical conversation about its design."

I don't remember professional bows well from my past life, since I wasn't really close to archery clubs in high school.

So I just described the shape and appearance of modern bows from my former life that I could remember visually.

The blacksmith was taking notes and expressing his opinion on certain features related to carbon fiber properties or "technical plastic" in the bow's composition.

He seemed impressed by the structure, but many of these materials don't exist in this universe.

Sometimes not yet invented, or simply impossible to find in the wild.

The peculiarity of these materials had to be replaced based on their characteristics, to find equivalents thanks to the blacksmith's experience.

The blacksmith, Drol, mentioned that if this bow really has the traits I wanted, even without magic, then there would be enormous room for magical improvement.

He offered to create it in series, after verifying the feasibility of its manufacture, while keeping the final characteristics like: stabilizers, sight, cam system (pulleys), and mechanical trigger.

Drol was optimistic about his creation, and he even offered to add enchantments related to sales for free if successful.

Of course, I accepted the idea of mass production, as well as his offer.

As for the other weapons ordered, they're adamantium forearm guards and gauntlets of the same metal.

I plan to use these for close combat, since I'm a martial artist before being an archer.

I used the bow at first because of circumstances, and I just plan to make the points invested in it profitable.

Finally, I asked for light leather armor, adapted for mobility, because of my fighting style.

All this cost me a total of 500,000 Eris.

It could have gone up to millions if I'd used purely magical materials everywhere.

But I opted for unknown non-magical materials that will potentially need to be created by an alchemist.

The only magical metal requested is adamantium, and even then, in small quantities.

There's also the element of the potential partner, which played in my favor.

"Not bad, this stuff."

Neroid is a non-alcoholic drink popular among adventurers, which makes sense.

Who would want to lower their efficiency in broad daylight?

Especially since I haven't undertaken any quests yet, nor met the manor seller...

"And these Cabbages~"

I'm literally gaining experience by eating... It's beautiful, the power of money.

"You seem to be enjoying life..."

As I eat my lunch several hours late.

Two faces I haven't seen in hours appear before me, with a gloomy... or exhausted look?

"Hey Kazuma and... Lady Aqua..."

Maybe my presence has disrupted the chronology, but Kazuma seems to be taking monster subjugation quests earlier in this timeline.

Why this conclusion? Aqua reeks of giant toad smell.

"...I-I'm defiled, Renji *sniff*"

The people around us were glancing at her, as if I should say something to Aqua.

Damn guys, I don't have that kind of relationship with her!

But... I had to express myself somehow here, because my reputation was at risk.

Pat on the head.

"Come on, come on, Lady Aqua."

Even though my hand might catch that unpleasant smell, I kept a kind face.

"You've suffered a lot. As compensation, I'll pay for your meal..."

I hadn't even finished my words when Aqua immediately hugged me tight.

That smell... but the two soft things on my face are enough compensation.

Is this it then? The power of a shota? But the smell kinda ruins the experience.

"Thank you Renji!! You're really a hero of the Japanese people, not like that stupid hikikomori."

Faced with Aqua's sudden insults, Kazuma didn't let it slide either.

"W-what? I'm the useless one? You're incapable of helping during hunts, and you have no power worthy of a real goddess!"

"Yes I do! I can heal... uh... and heal!"

Maybe because of mental fatigue, Aqua was unable to cite other powers in her possession, like resurrection or her destructive water magic.

But if I inform my senior adventurer about this kind of thing, it would be weird.

Where would a Japanese person freshly arrived in this world know about Aqua's overall powers?

I'll just limit myself to her class.

"Calm down Kazuma, I'm sure Lady Aqua can be useful in one way or another," I said honestly about what I think of Aqua, with a calm tone.

Kazuma looked at me skeptically, while he stole a portion of the food I ordered for Aqua.

A really shameless guy... but that's why I like him.

"And how? She has no offensive spells!" he replied, pointing at Aqua, his voice slightly higher at the end of his sentence.

I shook my head disapprovingly as I continued my words.

"She's an archpriestess, right?"

Kazuma nodded calmly as he watched me finish my speech.

"So she's an extremely dangerous weak point for the undead. And she has buff-type magic."

After that, I started explaining to Kazuma how to use Aqua correctly to increase his level.

The idea of hunting giant toads isn't bad, but ineffective for the current Kazuma and Aqua.

The young Japanese guy should aim for quests related to undead eradication, but also purification.

After all, he has an infinite supply of holy water and an expert in support spells.

Kazuma will just have to contribute during fights to gain experience points, which will be a bit hard because of Aqua's personality.

She'll surely want to 'purify' all the impure creatures herself.

At first, I also acted like Kazuma with fights against giant toads.

But I slowly started moving toward a leveling tactic similar to the description I gave Kazuma.

Except for a few small details, since I use Megumin to help me evolve against high-rank monsters, not a goddess.

If Kazuma and Aqua have to face multiple weak creatures, then I have to fight raid bosses.

We're not playing in the same league.

"Haha, you heard that, stupid hikikomori? You just don't know how to recognize my value!"

Faced with Aqua, who laughed with joy without caring about the looks on her, Kazuma just had to retreat.

And indeed, she was right this time.

"Tch, you're just proud to be good at hunting undead."

Despite his words, I can clearly see a sly smile forming on Kazuma's face.

Aqua's gonna have to work hard soon.

Poor thing.

After a moment of frivolous discussions, I managed to get buff-type spells from Aqua's Archpriestess class.

I wanted the sacred healing magic, which can instantly heal a person, with the only limit being restoration of lost limbs.

But that's worth intermediate magic... I can't learn that now.

I have to save up to learn advanced magic and there are the racial skills I want, like Sylvia's.

So I used 5 skill points for the following 5 spells:

[Name: Blessing]

[Category: Spell]

[Description: A spell that temporarily increases luck.]

[Name: Boost]

[Category: Spell]

[Description: A spell that temporarily increases strength.]

[Name: Haste]

[Category: Spell]

[Description: A spell that temporarily increases speed.]

[Name: Protection]

[Category: Spell]

[Description: A spell that temporarily increases physical resistance.]

[Name: Resistance]

[Category: Spell]

[Description: A spell that temporarily increases magical resistance.]

***

Author's Note: The protagonist is 1.58 m tall (like Killua Zoldyck). Aqua is 1.57 m, Kazuma is 1.65 m, and Megumin is 1.52 m.

I couldn't find the official height for Wiz or Luna, but the lich is shown in the anime to be slightly taller than Kazuma (sometimes around the same height).

So, in this fanfic, she's 1.66 m tall — a reasonable height for a woman who looks to be in her twenties.

Side note: The protagonist's height makes me laugh when I imagine him standing next to characters like Sagiri (1.72 m) lol.

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