Volume 4 - CH 3.17

However. . . . . . it might be worth my while to keep Alchemist and its Plating for a while longer, but I definitely do not need Sex Maniac anymore, so I might as well get rid of it now. With the Sex Maniac removed in the process of Character Reset, I did not need to have Sixth Job for now, which means that I have some more Bonus Points that I can reallocate. Okay, now let me see what can I do to tweak my current build a little? Since we gained a new Party member, then maybe I should prioritize getting EXP faster for the time being? Yeah, that sounds like a reasonable thing to do, given my current goal and Sherry’s eagerness to fight on the front lines.

Since Explorer Lv.33 is set as my First Job, them means thirty two Bonus Points, and then my original ninety nine Bonus Points are added to it. And now for the Skills that I am going to choose: One Tenth of Required EXP Value worth thirty one Bonus Points, EXP Gain Times Twenty worth sixty three Bonus Points, Crystal Growth Times Sixteen worth fifteen Bonus Points, Fifth Job worth fifteen Bonus Points, Chant Omission worth three Bonus Points and the rest of the Bonus Points that I had left have been allocated between MP Recovery Speed Increase, Identify, Job Settings along with Party Job Settings and Character Reset. Yeah, this setting should work particularly good for the purpose of raising Sherry’s Villager level as fast as possible. Also, I feel like it is going to be a good decision on my part to put fewer points into Crystal Growth’s speed of filling the Magic Stone with magic energy, because now that the purchase of Sherry and all of the daily necessities that she is going to need has been completed, we have no urgent need for having a large sum of money on us. As long as we are going to have enough money on us to be able to buy ingredients for making breakfasts and dinners, we are going to get by just fine.

「Master, the sun is about to set.」

Roxanne told me that sometime later while we finished another bout of combat with the monsters of the seventh floor.

「Really? Already? How did you know?」

I knew that we have already spent a lot of time in the Vale’s Labyrinth today, but I never would have guessed that we actually took so long that the sun was about to set.  And how was Roxanne able to tell that while being here anyway? Is it due to some kind of Skill of hers typical to the Wolfkin people, or perhaps it is something else entire. . . . . . .

*Rumble Rumble!* *Rumble Rumble!*

. . . . . ly? Ahh, now I see. It is not that Roxanne could tell that the sun was setting even though we have been inside of the Labyrinth the entire day, but she knew that because my stomach started rumbling pretty audibly without me even noticing it. I guess there is the truth in the old saying that you cannot deceive the internal clock that is your stomach, huh? Not to mention that it was pretty amazing how Roxanne’s own internal clock managed to synchronize with my own, but I guess that should not be all that surprising, since the two of us eat our meals at exactly the same times, which is early in the morning and in the evening, so it would stand to reason that our stomach would start demanding their sustenance at about the same time as well. As far as I am aware, it does not look like watches have been invented in the world of this game just yet, so I wonder how exactly are other people able to tell the exact passage of time? Is there some kind of special training that can teach you how to do it, like maybe reading the trajectory of the sun or something of the similar sort? I wonder if Sherry can do that as well, but I do not think I would be able to master such an ability, even if I were to receive the most extensive of trainings with it, most likely because I have already grown too accustomed to living my life with a watch, be it analog or digital one, at my side, and I will be damned if a watch was

not useful when going through the maze-like structures of the Labyrinths for hours without stopping.

「I guess that is true. So. . . .  wanna stop for today and head back home to grab a bite to eat?」

「Yes, let us do that.」

And that brings our exploration of the Vale’s Labyrinth, which started early in the morning and lasted well until just now, to a close. Before we go back home though, let me just have a quick look at Sherry’s Jobs one more time to see what Jobs she managed to unlock after all this time and levels she acquired:

Villager Lv.5, Explorer Lv.10, Herbalist Lv.1, Warrior Lv.1, Merchant Lv.1, Shrine Maiden Lv.1, Swordsman Lv.1, Monk Lv.1

I can see that the Villager Job managed to reach Lv.5 exactly as intended, but even though Monk and Swordsman Jobs were unlocked, Master Smith was still missing, which means that reaching Lv.5 as a Villager was not one of the conditions needed for its acquisition, which is a damn shame, if I am to be honest. But there was a silver lining to this situation as well, in the form of the Job that I did not recognize: Shrine Maiden Lv.1.

「Shrine Maiden, huh? I wonder what kind of Job is that, exactly?」

「. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . !!!!!!」

Oh crap, did I let that one slip out loud again?! I had to, because all of a sudden, Sherry’s expression turned incredibly sad, and she looked as if a shadow had fallen over her pretty face. I must have said something that really got to her now. I quickly glanced at Roxanne to see if she was upset by what I said just now as well, but thankfully her expression remained as warm and bright as always, meaning that whatever offense I just committed, it was strictly limited to Sherry this time. Ugh, god damn it, why is this keep happening to me? Why do I have to keep mumbling things that no one else but me seems to understand like a dumb idiot? Saying them out loud is not going to help me in any way, and it will only make those around me think that I am a weirdo.

「Ah, uhm. . . .  we are going to be getting back home now, but before we head home, we are going to make a quick stop to buy some bread for dinner, okay?」

「Okay.」

「Okay. . . .  I guess. . . . . 」

With both of the girls expressing their agreement (although Sherry did that in an incredibly half-hearted manner) we left the Labyrinth of Vale and emerged back in the Quratar’s Adventurer’s guild. From there, we went to buy bread for breakfast, but the air between the three of us has been noticeably heavier than usual throughout the entire trip, and when we got back home and I was receiving the girl’s equipment back from them . . . . . . .

「Oh? Sherry, is it just me, or does something about your hair seems to be different than usual?」

When I took sherry’s Leather Helmet off, I noticed that something was definitely different about them in comparison to yesterday. It is like they were somehow. . .  softer? Or lighter, perhaps? Or like there is not as much of them as there was yesterday?’

「Let me see . . . . . . . . hmm, I think that they might have been a bit more voluminous yesterday?」

Roxanne reached out with her hand and touched Sherry’s hair directly.

「You. . . . . . . you really think so, Miss Roxanne?」

「Yes. . . . . . . .  ah, I was right! They are so soft and fluffy to the touch!」

「Thank you very much.」

「Come and see for yourself, master. They are so soft that this is unbelievable!」

「Oh really? Then, is it all right for me to touch them as well?」

Not like this is anything new to me, since I already noticed that yesterday when I was washing Sherry’s hair for her.

「Sure, go right ahead!」

「Well, do not mind if I do then.」