6-2. Let's Train
Satou's here. Some people said that making cakes are like doing chemistry experiment.
I think that's a big fat lie, I think people who make confectionery have had good tastes from the beginning.
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Now then, for several days in this trip, let's activate numerous skills. I wouldn't use up half of my points even if I maximize out all the skills that I've obtained, but since skill like [Appraisal] encompass several other skills in function, I'll exclude skills with questionable or redundant effect.
First, I had wanted to level up Weapon skills, but I already acquired enough skills needed for close combat, so I'll put the other weapon skills to reserve. For once, since I've read useful appliance for Dagger skill from many history and tales, I activate it.
I enable almost all Physical combat-related skills. Since the demerit from [Reckless Courage] skill seems to be high, I leave it inactive. I don't know the usability of Shield Bash so I only level it up to 5. If it's useful then I'll maximize it.
Tactic skills are another ones where I don't feel the actual effects, but I activate them all following Arisa's advise.
I'm told that if I combine commands and cooperations together, the party members could then use combo techniques. Seems that this is an information from the hero yet Arisa herself doesn't know how to concretely do it, oioi you have to verify that.
Although she says, "When we level up in the labyrinth, we'll learn it.", when I consult to her, it doesn't seem like they'll be able to do it right away.
I've already activated most physical-related skills already so I just activate the remaining, Herculean Strength skill.
Although I'm already strong enough to play with a lump of iron like it's clay, so I don't feel stronger. Let's just believe that it'll make a difference when I fight a solid enemy.
The Magic skills branch underwent no change at all. There's no meaning to it until I can successfully chant.
I also think that Resistance skills have subtle effects, but I activate them just to be safe. However, I only level up [Fear Resistance] skill to level 3. This is only a hunch, but I feel that I shouldn't maximize it. It has the same kind of smell as [Reckless Courage] skill.
I level up Production skills, [Carpenter], [Leather Craft],[Weapon Creation], and [Blacksmith] to level 4. Leaving me better than the averages, but not quite an expert. Since I'm scared if I was to drink half-finished medicines, I raise the related skill to the maximum. With these levels of skills, it should be enough for repairing or making things in daily life.
I level up Science skills, [Experiment], [Appraisal] and [Education] to the max,、and [Demon Language], [Ash Rat Tribe Language] and [Green Scales Tribe Language] to level 1, beside those I don't make any other change since they look subtle.
I don't do anything with art-related skills. Confirming it with Arisa, singing skill doesn't have anything to do with rhythm. It seems to be a skill that would make people deeply moved with the thing you're conveying with your singing. I can't understand that at all, but even if I argue I can't refute it.
I can't succeed with the chanting anyway, since I have nothing to lose, maybe I should try raising it?
I level up Commerce-related skills, [Poker Face], [Persuasion], [Bribing], and [Lip Service] to level 5-- expert levels.
I didn't have the chance to use [Bribing] skill in Seryuu city, but according to the travel journal I've bought, there are a lot of people who need bribes for smoothening things up at the towns ahead. That's troubling.
Labor skills are mostly unchanged. I maximize [Surveillance] and [Capture] skills, but only leave [Marshalling] skill to level 5.
For labyrinth skills, [Item Box] is unchanged, while [Trap Usage] get to level 5, but I raise all other skill to the maximum.
In this world, I don't think that I'd be unrelated to labyrinth after all.
The most troubling ones are Specialty skills. Skills that are certain to be useful like [Lip Reading] and [Straining One's Ear] are raised to the maximum, but I'm wondering whether to activate stuffs that are too dark like [Behind the Scene], or [Assassination], and decide to activate the ones that looks usable for scouting and fighting. I was at loss for a moment, but I decided to put aside, [Conspiracy], [Condemnation] and [False Charge].
Of course I leave the Night Time skills alone. It's no good to cheat there right?
Even after allocating this many, I haven't even use 30% of my skill points.
Since I'll need considerably more points when I can use magic, it's fine not to force myself to use skills like [Mowing] or [Transporting].
I also try to appraise the two unusable unique skills, but they're unknown like always. I'd like to have tutorial or help functions. Even though it was available in the original menu screen.
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After I've completed my skill activation work, what I should think next is how to learn skills that my companions have.
The skills they have that I don't are [Etiquette], [Thrusting], [Dismantling], [Heavy Blow], [Enemy Search], [Cooking], [Collecting], [Nature Art], and [Spirit Vision].
Among them, the [Nature Art] seems to be the same thing as Arisa's unique skill so even if I'm attacked by that technique, I won't learn it. According to the books left behind by Trazayuya-shi, Homonculus have organs that enable them to use nature arts. It's probably something like a race-specific skill.
Mia's [Spirit Vision] seems to allow her to see spirit, but I can't even imagine how to acquire it so I give up on it. Of course, I asked Mia about it, but I only got these, "I can see it you know?", "You can't?", "Why?", kinds of answers. Let's ask from some adult elves on Bornean forest.
The skill that I need to learn most is probably [Enemy Search]. The map and radar are excellent for searching vast area and specific enemies, but they're not good for fuzzy ones. Even after setting it to look for the familiar like the other day, that kind of threat was still easily escaped from it.
The runner-up should be [Thrusting], and Heavy Blow]. Seems they would increase my attack power in combat.
The remaining ones are [Collecting], [Dismantling], [Cooking], but I don't need them with Liza and the others here. I feel that I don't have particular need for [Etiquette] skill, but looks like it could be used together with [Education] skill so let's plan to acquire it for now.
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I decide to learn [Dismantling] and [Cooking] from Liza on the next rest.
I've wanted to learn [Thrusting] and [Heavy Blow] first, but there's no enemy to fight. If I was to practice with Liza, I'm afraid that I would hurt her. Although she could be healed with medicine and Mia's magic, I still feel reluctant. I am also not able to learn the skill that I want most, [Enemy Search], since there is no enemy.
By the way, the wagon is about to leave Seryuu's earl territory and entering the neighboring earl's territory since yesterday. There are a lot of basins in this territory. Right now, the wagon is advancing on one such basin.
There are monsters in this territory, but there is absolutely none along the road, they only occasionally appear deep in the mountain. On the other hand, there are a lot of wolves' packs and hibernating bears. Since there seems to be a lot of beasts in the vicinity we are going tomorrow, I decide to have the combat training there.
Now then, let's put aside the planning for now and begin the dismantling.
Of course there's a reason why I want to learn dismantling now. It's because we've bought fish from the children on a village located near a river we've crossed earlier.
The hurdle of doing it with mammals are too high so when we got the fish I thought that it was a good chance to learn it. Since I've dissected fish before, it's probably going to be alright.
Sharp is better than dull. Thinking so, I take out a magic tool from the storage to use. [Troll Slayer], beside the attached property, it's a dagger without anything special except that it cuts well. Of course it cannot be compared to normal dagger although not to the degree of holy swords. It's carved with [RAZ] signature, I wonder if it's an inscription?
Following Liza's instruction, I cut through the fish without any resistance. I was able to cut it into 3 pieces in an instant.
After that, when I throw away the fish's intestines and head, the quite serious Liza scolds me.
>[Cooking Skill Acquired]
>[Dismantling Skill Acquired]
>[Dissection Skill Acquired]
I allocate points to maximum for dismantling and cooking skills and activate them. Since it's fish, let's grill them with salt and miso.
Since I don't have grill mesh or something alike in my Storage, I reluctantly use skewers made from trees and grill them with bonfire. When they begin to change color, I spread miso on it.
Everyone beside Mia and Nana are staring at me intently, so right when the grilled fish are done I distribute it to them.
"Yummy~""Delicious, nodesu."
"Delicious... It's been awhile since I've had fish, but this is more delicious than the one from my hometown by far."
"It's really delicious desu."
"DE-LI-SH~! rather, what's this, what's this, way too tasty."
They're quite popular.
Mia looks curious with them so I offer her a bite, but she says, "...don't want." with a slightly frustrated voice. Nana looks at me while looking like she really want to eat it, but I can't let her do that, so I endure it. Since her eyes have become teary, I'll fix her mood by dripping several drops of fruit juice for her cooled water.
I also eat it, but it's really too delicious.
I don't actually like river fish, but the flavor is the best. The savoriness overflows or rather, the oil enhances the taste of the white meat just right. I didn't think that the effect of level 10 cooking would be this much. I lament at the fact that there's no cooked rice. I do have 3 liters of rice, but I'm not sure how to heat it. I feel like I could make the best rice porridge, but I feel like I couldn't heat it right at all to make it fluffy.
Next I try sampling the taste of the fish with miso.
...It's tasty, but there's something different. It feels like there's something missing.
The miso fish is well received by everyone, but Arisa has the same impression as me.
"It's really delicious, but unlike the salted fish, there's something not right."
Even if your cooking skill level is high, it's no good if you don't know the recipe huh. I know somehow that the amount and method are perfect, and the miso usage is probably not wrong. I had wanted to make Sawara Miso Grill, but since I wasn't cooking much in the previous world, it might had been reckless of me.
I ask Arisa what I should do, but she says, "I know the taste isn't right, but I completely don't know how to do it right." with her hands on her hips while acting bossy in despair, is she feeling guilty or something?
Among the books that I've bought from the bookstore, there's no cooking books. I've completely overlooked it. Let's look for it in the next town.
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After dinner at the same day, I have Liza demonstrates [Thrusting] and [Heavy Blow]. I forwarded the plan because I saw a large beast approaching our camp site not so far away.
"Then, I will do a normal stab, a thrust, and a heavy blow in turns."
Liza says so, sets up a black spear and stabs three times with it. With beautiful stance, she's stabbing the spear more powerfully compared to some average territorial soldiers. I hear the sound of tearing air accompanying each stab. I don't quite understand the difference between the first two stabs, but the last one is clearly different.
Like a bowstring pulled to the limit, she twists her body back and then strongly lunge the spear forward. A single blow that reverberates with the whole body. It's similar to her single blow that pierced through the rhinoceros beetle monster in the labyrinth back then, but it's more polished by far.
Hmm? What was that just now.
"Liza, I'm sorry, but please do the last blow once again."
"Yes!"
She puts the stance like earlier and does the blow that shakes the ground. There really is a red trace-line coming out from her spear for an instant. Checking Liza's stat, not only her stamina has decreased, but her magic power too. It might be an additional effect of [Heavy Blow].
I decide to borrow Liza's spear and try to test it myself.
First let's warm up while using it normally.
Unfortunately, I don't produce powerful sounds like Liza does. It's probably because I'm being careful as not to gouge the ground, but it's lonely to not even make "Gou" or "Shun" sounds.
"Truly splendid stabs."
Liza is praising me, but since they're just stabs without power, I'm embarrassed with the excessive praise.
Next, I try to imitate thrusting. Something's not right.
"Master, please excuse me for a bit."
Is she unable to watch me twisting my wrist several times, Liza hugs me from behind and grasps the spear while explaining.
"To do thrusting, when master stab the spear, master has to half-rotate your wrist for an instant. Loosen master's hand for a moment and then grasp it tightly when master stabs. I will show it slowly, please feel the movement of my fingers and wrist."
Liza puts her hand on top of my hand and demonstrates the timing.
I see, this is something that's hard to transmit with just words.
Liza separates from me and I begin to do as demonstrated.
Yes, this is it.
"As expected of master for mastering the secret just by doing it once."
"It's because Liza is good at teaching."
The fact that Liza's teaching is good is the truth, but I could learn it just by doing once is unmistakably because of the spear skill level 10.
I do it several times until I memorize the feeling.
Still, even though I've become able to use it, I don't seem to get the skill. So it's true that in order to learn weapon skills I have to use it against an enemy.
The same thing happens with heavy blow. It goes without saying that I am not able to get the skill.
I wonder if it's because I don't have the skill, even though I can imitate heavy blow, my magic power isn't decreasing.
I want to quickly learn the skill and let out that red shines.
The blue light from holy swords is good, but I think that the red light really suits Liza.