“There’s our stall.”
Here we are at the First City where I bought my boat last week.
The stall is lined with boats that look identical to the one I have.
Running it is a Jewel girl with muted blue-grey hair and a marine blue gemstone embedded in her chest.
Sheryl is blankly staring into the sky, looking as bored as she was a week ago.
“Oh, your point of contact is a lady.”
“Miss Kizuna has but eyes for the ladies.”
“… why does it feel like I’m getting bullied here?”
I go up to the stall, fleeing from their abuse.
Sheryl finally looks down and at me.
“Hmph.”
… what does that grunt mean?
Is that her way of greeting people? I’m not sure I follow.
“I’m Kizuna; I just contacted you earlier. Brought my friends along like you told me to too.”
“‘kay.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Hakoniwa Shouko.”
“‘kay.”
“Yamikage is my name, but thou canst call me Dark Shadow.”
Both of them introduce themselves to Sheryl.
But hey, Yamikage, you’re gonna reuse that old joke?
“… okay. I’ll call you Yammy then.”
“Gah!”
I cover my gaping mouth.
“Wh-Whence did thou hearest that name?!”
“… what?”
Great minds think alike, eh?
… jeez. I almost felt some kind of sympathy for Sheryl.
Anyway, we’re here for business.
If she wants something outrageous for a boat, then no deal.
“So, why did you need the other two here if we’re just discuss about making a boat?”
“I want to know why you need it.”
“…? Why I need it and how many of us there are aren’t really relevant, is it?”
“Not exactly. You wouldn’t be able to row it solo.”
That makes sense. It was tough already with my small rowboat, but a bigger one would definitely be worse.
“So? What do you need a big boat for?”
“There’s no reason for me to lie, I guess. It’s because the experience out there is simply enticing.”
“… ‘kay.”
As expressionless as Sheryl is, she somehow seems disappointed with my answer.
That’s all I can say on behalf of my party, but I have reasons of my own too.
“When I went out onto the sea, I really got into it. Well… putting it like that might be a little strong, but still.”
“It’s piqued your interest?”
“Yeah. Since you make them, surely, you’ve been out to sea before as well.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Call me delusional, but I want to find out what’s beyond the horizon. It’s like the wind calls to me. Or something like that.”
“… hmph. I feel the same. I guess… I could tell you about it.”
I furrow my brow, wondering what she meant.
The other two make the same face too.
But almost as if she doesn’t care, Sheryl begins to speak again.
Maybe I’m just imagining it, but as expressionless as Sheryl is, she seems to be a little more fired up than before.
“I did some investigating on my own and it seems like there’s not really anyone interested in the ocean right now. Everybody’s too focused on reaching the Second and the Third.”
“Forsooth?”
“I mean, I’ve only been near the water for about a week, but now that you mention it, I haven’t seen anyone else in a boat.”
I guess that’s why seabream and tuna sell for so much.
It makes sense considering what Sheryl just said.
Even though I made a small fortune with Empty Cans, 40,000 serin isn’t anything to sneeze at. It’d be hard to make that much if I relied solely on fishing and without my gutting skill.
Plus, the people who actually have money—the frontliners—are trying their d.a.m.nedest to reach the Third City.
It’s only natural that they’d neglect the sea in the First.
“Not to mention, there’s only so much we can do alone in this game. Initially, I swam out to the open sea, but couldn’t progress any farther. There’s probably a set limit for solo players.”
“Well, it’s an MMO after all.”
If you can do everything solo, why bother playing with others, right?
Sure, you can do a lot on your own, but they’re selling this game as being different than other MMOs and billing it as a “Second Life”. It’d only make sense if you have to interact with other players. And since there aren’t any forums or walkthroughs, if we want anything, we’ll have to delve into it ourselves.
“… that’s why I’m looking for rich and powerful people to go out to sea with.”
“Unfortunately, I’m really not that powerful.”
“Hmpf.”
“That said though, Shouko used to be at the frontlines. She’s got the skills to show for it.”
“What, me?”
“Aye. For a surety, thou art the strongest one of us.”
“P-Please, you two are exaggerating. There are so many stronger than me.”
Shouko is blushing ever so slightly. But I feel the same too. There are tons who are many times better than me.
They say that there’s always someone better than you at whatever game you play.
That’s not necessarily a good or a bad thing though.
… I’ve certainly experienced my fair share of it in fighting games.
“I want to see what there is on the other side of the ocean. No one else cares, but… there has to be something.”
We do think alike after all.
Well, anyone who ventures out there would think the same, I’m sure.
But what’s exactly out there?
“I couldn’t get very far on a small boat before the currents became too strong. I could make a bigger, better boat if I had the materials, but there are lots of monsters as well. I’m sure I’ll just die out there. There’s a limit to what I can do by my own and that’s why… I want your help.”
Personally, I’d love to help you out. No, I will help, even if the others say no.
I’ve got 100,000 serin, which should be enough to cover the costs of building a boat.
My concern is whether we’ll be strong enough to slay monsters. I mean, I’m not specced purely for combat. That means we’re back to square one—we need the other two to join us.
What a catch-22.
“Kizuna!”
“Wh-What?”
Shouko grips both of my hands tightly in hers.
Whatever does this mean, I wonder?
“Let us help her!”
“… you sure ‘bout that?”
“What do you mean? It is such a… wonderful thing to be helpful for others.”
Hakoniwa Shouko is a lady full of kindness and sympathy.
Alright, even if I’m half-joking, I’m glad she wants to help.
“You, too, would help, right, Yamikage?”
“Forsooth.”
They’re oddly accommodating.
I thought Shouko would care more about experience and effectiveness with her being an ex-frontliner.
“Well, there you have it. What will you have us do?”
I turn to face Sheryl and direct the question at her.
Honestly, there’s no one else I can get a boat from, so everything will begin with her.
“Are you all sure?”
“Yeah. And the three of us are Spirits as well as you may have noticed.”
“‘kay. We’ll need—”
We’ll need a boat that can fit us three and Sheryl.
And if we’ll have to cross currents, then naturally, we’ll need a big boat.
These mats are what we’ll need:
500 Treant’s Wood
200 Tough Cloth
20 Iron
10 Windcutter Ore
That’s quite the shopping list.
I wonder if we’ll have enough if we pool our money together.
“How much of it do you have already, Sheryl?”
“I’ve got 10 Windcutter Ores, 100 cloth, and 200 of the wood.”
“About half of it, then? I might be able to get everything, depending on the market price…”
“… you really are rich.”
It’s ‘cause the cans and tuna were easy money.
Anyway, I know who to call when there’s anything to do with the market.
“Give me a sec. I know a guy who has connections. Lemme see if he can’t get us the mats for cheap.”
We made money together on the cans, so I should be able to get a favor from him.
More likely is that he’ll say yes because he stands to make a profit here. How often does anyone get such a fantastic chance like this one?
“Then let Yamikage and I handle the Treants. It should be quick and easy.”
“Aye, aye.”
I don’t know how strong Treants are, but judging by those two, they shouldn’t be that tough. It’d be real helpful if they could get the wood for me.
“… lemme help too.”
“Then why don’t you join our party? It’ll be easier that way, right?”
“You sure? I’m… only level six.”
I wouldn’t know whats high or low.
Plus, it’s not about what level you are; MMORPGs are about partying and hanging out with the people you like.
At least that’s more fun than just grinding for me.
“Levels don’t mean a thing. It’ll be a cinch with your help. Right, guys?”
“Of course!”
“So long I can use Drain, I have no objections.”
“… thanks.”
You have sent Sheryl an invitation to your party.
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