The tent was a decent place to sleep, much better than the street. We chatted with Yamal, the blacksmith, who shared stories of his adventures. He mentioned how blacksmithing had evolved, with skilled craftsmen now creating magical items using boss drops. This innovation, combined with the influx of new adventurers, led to increased demand, prompting Yamal to return to work.
The night was filled with conversation, and eventually, we drifted off to sleep. The next morning, I roused Rox and suggested returning to Viperspire Mansion. Despite our recent leveling up, we were confident we wouldn't take long to level up again.
We approached the digital board to find a suitable quest. We wanted something achievable yet rewarding. While we could freely explore and hunt, it was important to secure a quest on the board since they were being taken at a fast rate.
The quest we chose required 16 Plushies, 10 Green Herbs, 8 Feathers, and 5 Carrots, offering 400 zeny. It wasn't much, but it was the best option for our current level and would provide a good amount of experience.
We ventured back into the jungle, focusing on our hunting and adapting our strategies with each encounter, the repetition of combats bringing new ideas to mind. Hours passed as we faced familiar monsters and collected the necessary items. By late afternoon, we had gathered the itens required by the quest.
While observing the monsters yesterday, I recalled the possibility of making them pets. Poring was easy to capture but wouldn't be very useful. I then considered the Lunatic. The Alpha Lunatic we defeated dropped a Rainbow Carrot, which could be used to capture a Lunatic pet.
We successfully reached level 11, surpassing the requirement for the Merchant Class in my case. Since we only got one Rainbow Carrot, I proposed I'd keep the carrot and a 3-slot club, while Rox could have the 4-slot club and other items.
As we prepared to leave the camp, we encountered Yamal, who was already packing up his tent. He greeted us warmly and expressed his pleasure at meeting us.
I thanked him for his hospitality and asked for his ID Number, hoping to repay his kindness in the future."
Yamal departed, and Rox and I headed to the Viperspire Mansion to complete our quest. We received a reward of 200 zeny each and quickly hurried through the portal to return home.
At the Gate Watcher's location, I noticed a merchant advertising the purchase of Fly Wings. A nearby sign indicated he also bought Butterfly Wings.
Ignoring the crowd, I approached the merchant and inquired, "How much do you pay for each Fly Wing?"
He eagerly replied, "100 zeny. Do you have any to sell?"
I quickly responded, "No, I was just curious about the price."
The merchant's offer was significantly below market value. I decided to hold onto my Fly Wings and check prices in Einbroch."
As I passed through the portal and returned to the Gatewachers' grand mansion in Einbroch, I noticed another sign informing me that they also bought Fly Wings and Butterfly Wings there. Fly Wing was an item that was quite popular among solo adventurers. Considering that they were relatively easy to obtain, the demand for the product seemed high in the Gatewachers' guild.
When we passed through the portal, it was already night, and I was eager to return to the inn. My plan for the next day was to go to the Merchant Guild and obtain my merchant class. The weight of the decisions that awaited me mixed with fatigue, and soon I drifted off to sleep.
...
Dawn came faster than I expected. I woke up early, eager to start the day. As I was getting ready to go to the guild, I noticed that Rox was not in the room. He would probably also get his class today, although I didn't know which one he would choose. That got me very curious.
Going down the stairs of the inn, I found Tayla at the reception. She greeted me with a warm smile. "Good morning, Mr. Azoth! Are you going to renew your stay with us? Today is your checkout day."
I realized I'd forgotten about that. Despite my progress, I felt my finances were growing too slowly. I currently had 1,745 zeny and a full inventory.
"Can you wait until tonight? I'm going to take care of some things today, and if I have any money left over, I'll advance you a few days."
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
"Of course, we'll be waiting! We really hope you continue to stay with us" she replied genuinely.
Leaving the inn, I was greeted by a cacophony of construction noise. The city was undergoing rapid development, with numerous inns under renovation to meet the growing demand for housing.
Walking through the city streets, it was now impossible to ignore the massive presence of adventurers. Many of them wore impressive helmets and armor, with intricate designs and high-quality materials. The number seemed to have tripled from the previous days, but upon closer inspection, I noticed that they were not newbies. They were experienced adventurers, with equipment that showcased their journeys and achievements.
Soon after passing by the alchemy store, I came across an imposing building that displayed the name "Merchants' Guild" on its facade. The entrance was busy, with merchants constantly coming and going, engaged in heated negotiations, carrying heavy bags and papers, exchanging information and discussing prices.
Inside, the Merchant Guild building was even more impressive. The main lobby was spacious, with a vaulted ceiling adorned with gold accents and hanging chandeliers that illuminated the space with soft light. The walls were covered with tapestries showing ancient scenes of trade and commercial expeditions. There were several negotiation tables spread out, where merchants gathered to close deals. The atmosphere was intense, full of murmurs and calculations, a true temple of commerce.
Going up the side stairs, the environment became more formal. Hallways were decorated with busts of notable merchants, and shop windows displayed rare and valuable items, a constant reminder of the rewards that success in this profession could bring. The air here was calmer, but carried a palpable expectation.
After being dazzled by the grandeur of the place, I approached a counter to look for information on how to obtain the Merchant Class. I was attended to by an elderly man, who, after listening to me, instructed me on where to go. "Upstairs, you will meet the Senior Merchant. He will explain the preparations and requirements to you."
Upon entering the room, I noticed that there were already some apprentices there, all waiting patiently. As soon as I walked through the door, I was approached by a person who said he was the Senior Merchant's assistant.
"Are you also going to participate in the Coin Ceremony?"
I didn't understand what he meant and asked, curious, "Coin Ceremony?"
He gestured with his hands as he explained, "The Coin Ceremony is the ritual that formalizes the transition to the merchant class. The requirements are simple: be at level 10 and pay a thousand Zenys to the Adventurers Guild."
A thousand Zenys… Each new step brought more expenses, and at times it felt like the unexpected costs were overwhelming. But this was necessary. Becoming a merchant was vital to expanding my resources. I nodded, accepting his words, and the assistant motioned me to join the others waiting.
As soon as the tenth person entered the room, we were guided to a larger room, where the Senior Merchant was waiting for us. He was a serious-looking man, but with an air of wisdom and authority. He introduced himself as one of the apostles of Forseti, the God of Justice and Negotiation. With a firm voice, he announced that, at the end of the ritual, everyone there would become merchants.
The ritual was simple, but full of symbolism. On a table in front of us, ten silver coins were laid out, one for each of us. We were instructed to pick up a coin and hold it with both hands. The Senior Merchant then began to chant ancient words about prosperity and fairness in negotiations. When he finished, each of us had to flip the coin. As it fell, the metallic sound echoed throughout the room. This was the sign that we had completed our transition – the coin symbolized exchange, commerce, and our commitment to the profession of Merchant.
When the ceremony ended, something inside me changed. I picked up the coin lying at my feet and looked at it. The feeling of being a merchant was now real. I felt more confident, as if I could see opportunities where before I had only seen obstacles. The ability to calculate profits, predict the value of items, and make shrewd trades seemed to be part of me instinctively.
The Senior Merchant then looked at us and declared that we were now officially trained as merchants. He told us that payment would be made to the assistant, who was waiting nearby, and informed us that some new features would be available on our status board that he would explain.
----------------------------
Protagonist Data:
----------------------------
Day: 8
-----------------------------
Class Level: 1
Base Level: 11
-----------------------------
Life Status:
HP: 200
MP: 45
Attributes:
STR: 15
AGI: 5
VIT: 5
INT: 5
DEX: 6
LUK: 5
Combat Statistics:
ATK: 34
MATQ: 14.5
HIT: 6
Critical: 1
DEF: 12
MDEF: 5
Flee: 5
ASPD: 106
-----------------------------
Zeny: 945
-----------------------------
Equipped Equipment:
Knife
ATK: 17
Description: A simple knife.
Cotton Shirt
DEF: 10
Description: Simple cotton shirt. To be used on any occasion.
-----------------------------
Inventory:
Items:
Flower: 4
Sprout: 4
Stem: 6
Lantana: 2
Felpa: 5
Mint: 2
Romantic Flower: 4
Celatom: 2
Melody Plant: 2
Makulrata: 2
Bitter Herb: 2
Green Herb: 6
Sharp Scale: 2
Aloes: 2
Aloe Leaf: 2
Romantic Leaf: 2
Red Herb: 6
Yellow Herb: 3
Clovers: 8
Jelopy: 1
Flywing: 3
Rainbow Carrot: 2
Equipment:
Mace [3] : 1
-----------------------------