A small amount of satisfaction enters my mind as I examine my Status as I unload some of my loot now that I'm home, though there's also a little bit of concern over what I see in the window floating in my vision.
Rowan Zovanzik HP: 1,984/3,400 HP Regen: 0.034/second MP: 13,492/19,400 MP Regen: 0.194/second Strength: 71 Constitution: 43 Dexterity: 40 Magic: 189 Mind: 59
The gains themselves are actually quite good, even if I'm still nowhere near back to where I once was. Even if I pushed myself in the mines every day and they actually had enough floors to manage it, it would likely take me more than a year or two to reach those stats.
Part of that is because of how Skill EXP requirements scale as a Skill goes up in Level, but also because a large part of it right now is how much some of my spells actually generate for me. That doesn't scale up as I get stronger but remains static, so each Skill Level into the related magic's Skill means casting the same spell earns me a lower percentage towards the next.
However, where I'm at now should be more than enough for the time being. All of the Skills which were used during my trip into the mines are also guaranteed to gain a Level when I sleep tonight, boosting me further.
Sleeping will also push [Time Magic] up to Level 20, which several others reached or exceeded during the trip. That Mastery Threshold also adds the base bonus to the Leveling Bonus, which is part of why I jumped up so high in actual power Level. Not the entire reason, but it's still one of them.
This is a decent level of power, and one reached by less than a third of all mages. It should be more than enough to handle things in case of an attack. Only the Magi Robin and Rose are stronger than me in the area when it comes to people, and only monsters deep in the mines or the Mistwood can match me. Unless something really unexpected happens, I should be fine for now.
What concerns me, though, is how hard I pushed myself with this. I really could have gone further and only stopped because my bracelet was full of loot. If it weren't for that, I would have gone for longer. The Skill Levels for the primary magics I was using are at about where they would be if a normal person were taking on the tenth floor, which means that I could have gone for longer before reaching around the equivalent Skill Levels for me in terms of earned Skill EXP.
One of the reasons I gave up my old life and was willing to let my Status get reset was because I wanted a calmer life, one without as much stress as before. Yet if I'm going to push myself like this – even while restricting myself specifically to make sure I don't go too far beyond what I should – that means I'm still stressed.
If someone else had been with me in the mines, I probably wouldn't have pushed myself that hard. The goal was even to just gain maybe 5-10 Skill Levels in total, not more than 30.
A small sigh escapes me as I think about this. It's going to take some getting used to, not needing to push myself and make sure I'm at my best. This is a calmer life than before, not one where I should be worrying about attacks.
I'll need to find a way to remind myself of this so I don't go beyond again without a good reason.
For now, I finish unloading some of the items from my bracelet, ones which I can just leave out and not be worried about something happening to, or which I can store in the storage room in my home and one of the spare bedrooms. Not the spare bedroom next to my own, though, as that's where Nolan takes his naps.
The only items from before the tenth floor which I kept are the ones with spatial and temporal magic properties, as those are rare enough on their own. The rest of my loot comes from the tenth floor, and I really did pack my bracelet pretty tightly with it.
At least I don't have to worry about causing a calamity with my trips into the mines. The Labyrinth is so backed up that it actually needs someone to come in and take a bunch of stuff out of it. Even if it didn't, I'm not clearing it enough to start causing problems, not on my own.
Maybe if I went in there every single day and did this, but I'm not going to so there's no reason for me to worry.
I fix my armor onto the stand for it in my room, then stretch a little and teleport to Tempest Oak. Before settling down for the day, I want to take care of a few things.
My first destination is the loot shop I've visited a couple of times before, where I'm greeted with a friendly smile by the same clerk as before. There's a little bit of curiosity in his mind upon seeing me as well, and maybe a touch of hope. Is he thinking there might be more earth magic crystals suitable for golem cores today?
"Welcome back," he greets me as I approach. "Here to make a purchase or perform a sale today, Lord Magus?"
"Both," I answer. "Let's start with the sales."
I place a few magic crystals on the counter, including water, earth, metal, plant, acid, and poison. Along with those, I set down some of the monster part drops I'm not interested in using, and some iron ore clumps. Plain iron isn't worth much compared to the others, but I'm not setting down the plain iron that dropped – there's Tier 5 magical energy in these ones, with a few different affinities.
Those will sell for quite a bit as they can be fashioned into weapons, mining tools, and other items. So can regular iron, but having the magics in the metal helps with enchanting them or using them for certain purposes. While plain iron can be turned into magic iron with magic crystals, I'd rather keep the plain stuff for use back home.
The clerk appraises each item I set down and makes notes on a sheet of paper. Unlike my previous two trips, I have quite a few items so it can't all be tracked in his head. At least, I don't think so. This could also just be him doing the logging of the items now rather than later.
With everything being at Tier 5 in quality, the earnings are quite high. He attempts to give me a price a little higher than the full fair value, and I round it down to an even number before accepting the payment in coins.
"Will that be all for the sales?" The clerk asks as the boy from before takes away the tray with the loot on it.
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"Yes," I answer. "For purchases, I would like some holy magic crystals, fire magic crystals, air magic crystals, and ice magic crystals. Tier 5 in quality is preferred, though I'll accept lower. They're to prepare a bathing system, cooking appliances, and cooling and freezing items. Also, five gallons of plain slime goo, if you have it."
I decided not to add a freezer to my cabin as I'll just be tearing it down soon, but I want the crystals now if they're available. That way, I can get to work on those enchantments immediately once I build a proper cabin for myself.
The clerk heads into the back and returns after a few minutes with a tray containing the requested crystals while the boy accompanies him, carrying a large bucket of slime goo. I examine everything, then purchase three of each and the full bucket of goo before leaving. There are three things I want done today, and the second one is at the smithy Ash's family runs.
No one is in the shop room when I arrive, though Ash comes out after minute, a small bit of happiness in his mind upon seeing me. Not one which indicates a sudden attraction to me, just the sort where he's happy to see me. A little hopeful about… something, too.
The temptation to peek into his mind to find out what his interest in me is strong, but I resist it. There's nothing malicious in the emotions I'm feeling in his mind, so it's entirely possible that he just wants to be friends since I'm living in Mistwood now. I did get the impression he's friends with Thomas during the festival and I know he's interested in Elaina.
"Hello, Magus Rowan!" He greets me. "How may I help you today?"
"I would like to commission a few more items," I inform him, then pull some pages out of my bracelet. "I need one bracelet with spatial and temporal properties, to the specifications given on the first page. The second page shows another bracelet design, this one with just spatial properties. I would like two of those bracelets. The third page is for a cuff, also made of spatial mithril. I would like just one of those. You'll note that the fourth and fifth pages are for a sword and matching knife. I would like one of each of those, and can provide the mithril necessary for them, as with the others. The sixth page contains designs for mithril arrowheads. I would like thirty-nine of them to those specifications in each type, if possible. The seventh page contains the design for a knife. I would like two of those, please."
Ash looks through each page, his mind fully focused on each one, though I can tell by the small shifts in his emotions, his surprise, and his curiosity that the items I'm commissioning are interesting to him.
While I might use the weapons to boost my Constitution via their Skill Levels, the real reason for them is because I didn't want four sheets. That's an unlucky number to me, so I went with seven instead. The last knife design is actually meant for processing hides, meat, and other materials which might require some extra strength and therefore, dull blades faster.
"This is a larger order," he says. "And we won't be able to finish it in the next day or two. Are there any items which you would like finished on a rush?"
"The bracelets and cuff, if possible," I answer. "The spatial-temporal bracelet on a lower priority, that's simply to replace the one I'm wearing and I won't need the bigger space for that for at least a few days."
With the spatial mithril bracelets, I'll be able to create enough space to store a lot of that extra wood I've been acquiring due to cutting down the trees and not burning the remains. As for the cuff, that's for a much larger spatial pocket, one which I can use to transport wood from the edge of the forest to my home.
That's really all I need now for constructing the new home, as that's where I'll find an abundance of the wood of a suitable diameter. The other option is just cutting the trees around my home down to square logs, but I like the look better when a building is made out of ones that are still round. Something about that just makes it feel more homey to me.
If I craft it today, then I can spend the next few afternoons collecting the wood. More than enough wood for not just the new house for me, but for a couple of more buildings. At least, for their exteriors.
We negotiate on the price after that, though Ash seems to want to give me a little bit of a lower fee for having some of the items expedited. For some reason, it seems like he's trying to earn my favor and I'm not sure why.
It's not like I can offer him a higher salary or priority for work in a camp, he's got a job here in town and I don't have such an authority here. Since I've visited his shop multiple times now, I'm sure he can tell I like the work that's performed here.
Whatever the reason is, I'm sure he'll eventually reveal it to me. I shouldn't stress myself over his strange motives.
Once we finish the negotiations, he takes the amount of mithril necessary and I pay him the costs for the commissions, then leave.
My last task for this visit is to find out if there is any rapeseed, safflower, or peanut stock in a large quantity. It'll take me time to acquire enough peanuts from the plants I moved into my back yard to produce plenty of frying oil and I want to do some frying soon. A few things just taste good that way.
After almost an hour of speaking with different vendors, I find one who has enough raw peanuts for me to make five gallons of frying oil with and enough to make plenty of peanut butter with. I buy more than that, though, just so I can do other things as well.
I almost buy some flour, sugar, and other cooking staples, but my instincts stop me. Thomas brings enough to last me a few days, maybe a little bit more, depending on what I make. That's every four days, and while it has been six since the last one, he'll be back at my place in less than two days with the next payment. While I do want more than what I know he'll be bringing me, even if he increases the amount again… my instincts about stuff like this are rarely wrong.
So I decided to hold off on buying them. Trading with someone in the village might be doable for me now for some reason despite me not really interacting with anyone except Thomas, Dylan, and Chief. That's the most likely explanation I can think of. If that's the case, then I really won't need to buy staples here in town.
For the rest of the time until I can pick up the items that will be ready today, I wander around the market district, examining items more out of boredom than anything. None of the crafted goods at any of the stalls are items I either need or can't make myself. As for the food items, there are some things here I haven't seen in Mistwood yet, but I decide not to purchase them.
There's no real reason for me to not, it's just something I decide to not do today.
When it's nearing the time I can pick up my commissions at the smithy, I return there to find Ash speaking with a man who looks to be in his forties. The man is on the more buff side and doesn't have very much mana. Potentially a lesser noble, or someone attempting to work his way up to nobility. Also possibly just an experienced adventurer.
It sounds like he's commissioning a sword which channels air magics well, though out of steel – the more standard metal for weapons. Once that finishes and he leaves, I step up to the counter.
"Welcome back," Ash smiles, genuine happiness behind it. "I have the bracelets and cuffs done, let me grab those real quick."
"Alright," I say, then wait for him to retrieve them from the back.
"I was able to finish the spatial-temporal mithril bracelet as well," Ash tells me as he sets the tray with my commissions down. "Though the weapons, arrowheads, and other knives will still take more time. And no, you won't be required to pay a fee for the bracelet being done now, I was just able to work it in while doing the others."
If he knew I was able to feel his emotions, he'd probably not try lying to me about that. He definitely adjusted his schedule a little so he could finish it by the deadline for the others. The hope in his mind makes that much clear.
Why in the world is he so set on trying to impress me? I know it's not out of attraction, but there is definitely something that's making him want to impress me. It can't be entirely that I'm a magus, either.
"Thank you," I tell him, then examine each bracelet and the cuff. "To my exact specifications, too," I send all of them into my stasis pocket bracelet, then flip him a platinum ciirvrios coin. "For the excellent work, Ash. I'll be back in four days to pick up the rest."
"Alright," he says, a hint of pride in his voice, which I can tell is from the compliment. "Thank you for the patronage, Magus Rowan. May the gods and spirits guide your paths."
"May the gods and spirits guide your paths," I return, then leave.
Time to return home and enchant the bracelets and cuffs. After that, I'll take the rest of the day off from unnecessary work. I could definitely use the rest and relaxation.