Chapter 327: Raid of the Appraisal Team
“Appraisal?”
Regarding the matter of our false rumors coming from the Dusk Street, we have decided to steadily bring them out and buy some time to see what happens.
In other words, it has been wrapped up.
And yet, it looks like there’s new problems coming out from the woodwork as if natural.
It has been around 3 days since the Weitz Orphanage was built from the ground up. It is now after dinner.
In the report of Tomoe and Shiki, there was the word ‘Appraisal’ under the category of strange movements.
“What’s that-ja, Shiki? In Rotsgard, too?” (Tomoe)
“…To think it would be the same in Tsige. Is this a coincidence?” (Shiki)
Shiki and Tomoe were surprised as well.
When talking about appraisals in this world, it isn’t the kind of appraisal of knowledge and experience.
It is a Skill that exposes the abilities, origins, and nature of the goods. Just that, different from the Appraisal Skill and Items of games, it is not as all-powerful.
By the way, all of us can use it to a certain extent. In my case, I can do it with [Sakai].
Yeah, I can’t use the Skill itself.
Cause the Appraisal Skill is special in the way that adventurers who have reached a certain cla.s.s learn as they gain experience.
There’s no detailed way of obtaining it, but it is a pretty important and rare Skill, and owners of it are pretty proud of it.
For example; Shiki can get detailed information with an Appraisal from things like medicines and monsters, but when it comes to weapons and foodstuff, he only gets rough results.
Mio can obtain pretty detailed information on ingredient related stuff, but when it comes to construction materials, minerals, equipment, and miscellaneous goods for daily life, it turns into an extremely tragic result.
There was one time when we had Mio appraise a whole bunch of cheap long swords in a barrel for sale, and an amusing appraisal result came out that said ‘Unappetizing, I want at least a hundred’ which completely ignored their actual function.
‘If it tastes bad, I want quant.i.ty’, is basically what it was saying.
When I looked at Mio with a deadpan expression, Mio’s cheeks were red in embarra.s.sment.
In Asora, only Sari can use it…no, Tamaki can too.
In other words, all my followers, and the demon Sari can use it.
It seems like it is based on the person’s own subjective opinion, experiences, and knowledge, so I feel bad for putting it this way, but the reliability of the Appraisal is completely different depending on the person’s track record and job.
That’s why we didn’t feel much danger towards the Appraisal Skill.
“It seems they are gathering people with the Appraisal Skill to sniff out the origins of our goods.” (Shiki)
“From Tsige’s side, it is a parting gift from Rio. I would say it is around the area of ‘if our relationship fails, trouble him a bit’.” (Tomoe)
Even though Rio is gone.
But that’s possible.
He isn’t the type to give up, or be upright anyways.
It might also be because the Anti-G.o.ddess Cult blew up the heritage of Rio before running away.
But to think even in Rotsgard it is happening.
I thought our friendship meter was pretty high over there.
Did the timings overlap unluckily because of me?
“Then, there’s no real need to do much for the Tsige one. The products from Asora can’t be pinpointed accurately with Appraisal, right?” (Makoto)
I don’t think even a specialist in Appraisal could be able to tell the place of origin.
We have tested with the adventurers that have come to the Mirage Town, but there hasn’t been a case where they have been able to properly appraise the ceramics and ingredients.
The only information it shows is a bit about the taste and the material properties.
“…Right. It depends on the people Rio has gathered, but it most likely won’t show up that it originates from Asora. If it shows up, it would be as Mirage Town Origin…or Parallel World Origin?” (Tomoe)
I see.
From their point of view, j.a.pan is a parallel world after all.
Even so, things from Asora won’t show up as originating from j.a.pan. Even with my Sakai, it doesn’t show up as Asora Origin.
It shows as Made in Kaleneon.
Sakai and Appraisal are different, so it doesn’t serve much as reference though.
In the past, it showed Made in the Border of the World.
It probably changes here and there depending on the tie of Asora to this world, or like, where the print of it was left.
“About the adventurer test…” (Makoto)
“From the ones that went to Mirage Town and were made to use Appraisal, only one showed up as Mirage Town Origin. The remaining ones had ‘unknown’.” (Tomoe)
“Right. It doesn’t show the environments it can grow in either, right?” (Makoto)
“It seems they can only appraise if it is edible, and its taste. The one who managed to appraise it as Mirage Town apparently had some weird text in it, but well, it isn’t a problem.” (Tomoe)
“Text?” (Makoto)
“It was like filling in the blank s.p.a.ces with generic stuff. To summarize it, it was something like: ‘If you want to get more skilled, you should eat this’.” (Tomoe)
That sounds like the text of a bonus item in an RPG.
But at the time when I used Sakai to check them all, there was no such stuff showing up.
What does that mean?
“By the way, what was the food appraised?” (Makoto)
“Dried persimmons.” (Tomoe)
“Do you have them right now?” (Makoto)
“Of course. I hide some for pastries after all.” (Tomoe)
“…You really love it. At first, you said it was a waste of time to air them, and Komoe and you were against it.” (Makoto)
“If you had said it was astringent persimmons, we wouldn’t have complained.” (Tomoe)
“And yet, you seem to be experimenting ways to make sweets and other stuff with the astringent persimmons.” (Makoto)
“…Cause they are a delicacy-ja. Muuh.” (Tomoe)
Even if Tomoe tries to say it cutely, Tomoe is still Tomoe, huh.
“I am fine with that. The koshu persimmon is like the representative of the astringent persimmons. Airing them and making them into dried persimmons is a natural practice. In Asora, those koshu persimmons for some reason have some that are sweet persimmons, so we have to check them individually at times though.” (Makoto)
I thought the kaki persimmons were astringent, and the fuyu persimmon and jiro persimmon are sweet, so we ended up getting tricked quite a lot in Asora.
Persimmons were the first thing I checked the nature of with Sakai.
It is a nostalgic memory.
Tomoe and Komoe coming to give me their reports about astringent persimmons with their tongues out and a bitter expression was a pretty fun experience too.
I was wondering why the first thing they did was eat it.
For people, astringent persimmons are closely treated as poisonous.
While I was relishing those past memories, Mio came with dried persimmons.
I use [Sakai] to imitate appraisal.
“Hmm, there’s no such weird text in mine. ‘An aired persimmon. It has been dried well’… Hm? Made in Mirage Town? That’s strange. Last time I checked, it was ‘Originated from Kaleneon’.” (Makoto)
By the way, the first [Sakai] said Originated in Wasteland.
“Probably because it has been processed. The dried persimmons were made here after all. About the text, it is most likely because the ingredients of Asora have effects on the body. I tried it out with fruits before, and it is true that it increases certain abilities.” (Shiki)
An understandable explanation from Shiki.
I see.
I also recognize this place as the Mirage Town. I do see it as Asora as well, but how to tell the difference between them?
Also, the food experiments.
We tried it out with Jin and the others, and it does increase their abilities.
In that case, persimmons increase abilities particularly well.
That appraiser must have been quite the skilled one.
But with just plain text like that as information, there shouldn’t be that many people who would believe it.
It will probably be washed away as an unlikely possibility.
“I see, that does sound plausible.” (Makoto)
“It is quite the ambiguous Skill even among Skills after all. Unless there’s matching information by several people, the credibility of it is low. It doesn’t seem there’s a need to worry, Waka.” (Tomoe)
“In Tsige, that is. Even if it said it is from the Mirage Town, they would just go ‘I see’ and just accept it.” (Makoto)
“If we are asked the route we used to acquire it?” (Tomoe)
“Of course, we will say that we used money to become their intermediaries.” (Makoto)
“Right.” (Tomoe)
I feel like I was taking a test here.
Tomoe’s satisfied expression at that is pretty amusing.
“I think the Rotsgard case is just a vain struggle from a minority of the teachers. That said, Izumo is going to be returning to the Academy soon, so I would like you to come to the lectures to pump some spirit into the students, Waka-sama.” (Shiki)
I see, Izumo is coming back, huh.
I do have an interesting construction video.
Also, according to Shiki, Jin and the others are working hard.
I consulted with Shiki and we decided to have them train their juniors, and it seems like it has progressed in a favorable direction.
I guess I will pa.s.s the matter of the G.o.ddess’s Apostles to Rembrandt-san and the others for now, and head to the Rotsgard Academy.
Our store there has newcomers that have lower teamwork than in Tsige, so I want to check out how they are doing too.
“Shiki, Waka-sama is working on a lot of things, you know? And yet, you are telling him to come to Rotsgard just for the minuscule growth of the chicks? Is that what you are saying?” (Mio)
Shiki told me he wanted me to come to Rotsgard, even when in the presence of Tomoe and Mio.
Mio doesn’t seem to find this agreeable at all.
She is pretty much speaking out her true feelings here.
However, saying that I have worked a whole lot from just moving a bit here and there makes my back feel itchy. It is not like I have done any big job or anything!
I know Mio has no ill-intent at all.
I can easily imagine her doing something similar to a wife scolding someone saying ‘my husband is a really hard working man!’.
Yeah, let’s work a bit at the Academy.
“T-That’s by no means what I meant!” (Shiki)
“Right. I have been absent from the Academy for quite a long time. Zara-san has been adjusting for us quite a lot too, so let’s go to the Academy. Are there any issues with going tomorrow?” (Makoto)
“Of course not! The next lecture plans and reports of their current state are already prepared.” (Shiki)
“Uuh…Waka-sama, don’t push yourself.” (Mio)
“I will be eating and sleeping here at night as always. It won’t be as different as usual. I will be leaving the investigation of the war and the matters of the company to you two though.” (Makoto)
“Yes, leave it to us!” (Mio)
“Count on us.” (Tomoe)
In that case…
Shiki said it is okay to go there tomorrow, but I should read the doc.u.ments a little bit, especially the ones about the new students.
I will do that after eating, and I will probably be done by the time I have to take a bath.
I may have said all that, but I am looking forward to it.
From what I have heard, it seems like Daena has become interesting.
What has become of that guy with a wife and a child, I wonder?