Laying in the surprisingly comfortable wooden bed filled with hay, Michael cussed at himself for being dumb enough not to move here earlier. For over a month, he endured the cold and hard stone bed, and all that time, he had THIS option available!?
Muttering with discontent, he kept revising the information handed to him on a platter by the Wanderer trio. They didn't say much, but he could infer enough.
'If I had played the damned games before this one, things would've been much easier now...'
Nursing a belly full of complaints, he fell asleep on the surprisingly soft bed. But it only felt like a short intermission, as the sound of banging on the door scared the soul out of his body.
He could swear he threw the roaches and had nothing to hide in the apartment. So why was the police knocking in such an adamant way?
[Wake up, sunshine! You promised to cook breakfast for us, remember?](Aylin)
"Huh? Cook??? Oh... Sanctuary... *Yawn* Coming."
Slightly discombobulated, he shuffled towards the door where he saw the pretty Sorceres giving him the stink eye. Confused even further, he scratched his chin and was about to ask when the answer hit him hard... and wet.
"What the fuck!?"
[You smell. Horribly!](Aylin)
"..."
Thoroughly drenched by a sudden water spell, he perplexedly looked at the smiling face before him and wondered if he would get turned into cinders upon punching her square in the nose.
[Here. They are regular clothes, but they should be much better than whatever rags you're wearing.](Aylin)
Grabbing the boots, pants, and shirt thrown at him out of nowhere, Michael was knocked back a couple of steps by a gust of warm wind that dried him and the wet floor. A wind spell!
He was pretty surprised by the magic this Sorceress showed as she conjured water and wind out of nowhere. Not to mention that the water was freezing cold and the wind very warm.
'That means temperature control through fire element, maybe? So, she already had access to water, wind, and fire and could combine them. Perhaps she can also use earth, making her an Elementalist.'
With the cogwheels inside his brain still turning, he undressed to his very worn underwear and, with a sigh, disposed of it.
Luckily, he managed to bribe the merchant that Gonk was guarding with some furs, earning him extra pairs of underwear and socks.
Aylin was right, though. His clothes stunk severely, as there were no ready-made showers in this camp.
The best option available was drawing water from the fountain and using a cloth to wipe your body with. Soap? Shampoo? What's that!?
Touching the new clothes, he felt the soft fabric and almost moaned at the thought of wearing such comfortable things on his skin. Not to complain too much about the Hide Tunic and Pants, but it felt itchy with the fur patched on top! Itchy to the point where one would lose his mind!
[ Martel's Tunic
Torso: Chest Armor
Item Power: 82
----------------
71 Armor
+3 Willpower ]
[ Martel's Pants
Legs: Pants
Item Power: 68
----------------
45 Armor
+2 Strength ]
[ Martel's Boots
Feet: Boots
Item Power: 93
----------------
35 Armor
+5 Dexterity ]
He was speechless. He truly was! As for a reason, it was between the fantastic boost in armor and even attributes just gained, as much as it was the fact that Martel the Rogue was a fucking tailor on the side.
Life professions weren't a big deal in games, but seeing such a dissonance between the mysterious Rogue and the incredible products in his hands... he was stumped. He truly was!
'How does he even ask for measurements? Does he threaten his clients with a dagger?'
Laughing while dressing up, Michael brought the Character Interface and happily watched the sudden increase.
[ Attack Power: 33
Armor: 160
Life: 40
--------------
Strength: 9
Intelligence: 10
Willpower: 11
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Dexterity: 14 ]
Grinning from ear to ear, he opened the door and walked to see Aylin looking at him with a smirk of her own.
This woman... he was 29, alright!? He did notice that his body here looked much younger, but this... Sorceress was treating him like a child!
[At least you now look somewhat acceptable. Also, keep your thanks to yourself and don't say anything to Martel. Hoduin had to bribe him with rare Jewels in exchange for those clothes. It's his hobby, but he usually gets teased because of it. So, don't blab about things you shouldn't.](Aylin)
"Got it."
[Well? Ready to cook?](Aylin)
"Sure. Show me your ingredients and spices first."
[...just so you know, it's bad manners to ask that.](Aylin)
"What? About spices?"
[Ugh... Asking for viewing permission of one's inventory. It's not something you can casually do.](Aylin)
"Well... sorry?"
[I wonder why my knuckles get itchy every time I see that fake smile on your face...](Aylin)
"*Cough* You're imagining it. Definitely!"
[Humpf! Here.](Aylin)
The adorably cute face of the pouting Sorceress vanished when covered by a prompt from the system. It looked similar to a trade window between players he saw in previous games, though his inventory was empty right now, and he had nothing to offer in exchange.
Pondering momentarily if he should ask Ayling to be his sugar mommy, Michael almost keeled over after seeing the list of ingredients this woman had stashed.
From at least twenty types of meat to the hundreds of types of herbs, to the strange mushrooms, and finally to the Heavens know how many spices... This woman had them all.
Wasn't there a limit to how much you can throw in there!?
"Now I understand why you get so many marriage requests..."
[Brat! That's because of my looks, not because of the ingredients!](Aylin)
"Ahem... well... sure..."
[What? Unconvinced!?](Aylin)
"I wouldn't dare!"
[Humpf! So?](Aylin)
"Well... it's breakfast, so food should be on the lighter side, though, hearty enough to give us energy. Especially with Wanderers that need much more of that..."
[Stop with the fancy logic. Get on with it.](Aylin)
"Yes, yes... Hmm. I'm thinking 'Smoky Bacon Cheddar, Breakfast Hash.'"
[The what in where?](Aylin)
"Hahaha! I saw cured bacon in your inventory, besides some eggs, potatoes, and cheese. Also, please get me some onions and peppers. Oh! I assume you also have a proper pan, right?"
[...](Aylin)
"What? Don't tell me you're allergic to something. I swear to the Heavens, if I find out that Wanderers can have allergies, I'll lose my shit."
[What? Huh? No... I mean, I think I don't. Anyways, I do have a pan, but can you really cook?](Aylin)
"Of course. Why?"
[What you just said sounds like a Curse more than a recipe. If you ruin my ingredients for nothing, you're getting doused hard in ice-cold water! For a full day!](Aylin)
Already shivering while imagining the threat, he cursed this goddam game for actually giving the natives knowledge of waterboarding.
Surprise after surprise followed as Aylin brought him outside the makeshift inn and took out a portable stove. It seemed to work on coal, and she said it's considered Equipment; therefore, you can store it in your inventory.
Her pans were also decently made, even by modern standards, and she confessed to having spent 20.000 gold coins to get them custom-built from magic materials.
Listless due to being poor, Michael started preparing the ingredients. Using two buckets of clean water to properly wash them, after which he cut them into small cubes using one of Aylin's cooking knives.
The fact that the cooking knife had over 200 Attack, a sharpness option, an armor-breaking effect, and gave +35 Dexterity was quite the mental blow. Fortunately, it also had a level restriction, which lessened the impact on his psyche.
Thinking of a young master spending tons of his parent's money to get fully decked in Legendary Equipment and then steamrolling demons almost made him puke blood. Fortunately, Aylin laughed it off, saying that no such things were possible due to the Sanctuary's intervention.
It sufficed to say that he also learned about the inventory being able to keep the ingredients fresh, as proven once the first pan was cooked. Aylin put everything on a plate and hurriedly stored it, mentioning the time-stopping effects of the Consumables inventory.
Furthermore, the reason for the high number of ingredients was because the inventory they were in considered whatever went in a slot. So if one added a huge bag filled with different crap, it would still occupy one item slot only.
"I mean... it makes sense and all since whatever potions you keep in there need to be maintained fresh, but it's still quite a blow knowing that there's someone out there able to mess with both time and space..."
[Huh? Quit muttering and get on with it. Those two should wake up any moment now. Why did you put the bacon first?](Aylin)
"It gives the dish a much better taste and helps prevent the burning of the vegetables. You cook the bacon until it's nice, crispy, and the fat has rendered. This means that the fat has been separated from the bacon. The less fat the bacon has, the crispier it is, so you can cook it to your preferred crunchiness. Once done, put the bacon on a paper towel and leave some fat in the pan. I mean... a different plate or bowl. Put the bacon on a different plate or bowl."
[I see. So you then cook the vegetables and eggs in the fat, giving them a stronger taste?](Ayling)
"More or less. Next up, the potatoes. Fill the pan with diced potatoes and cook until they're good and golden. Then, it's time to add the onions and peppers to the mix!"
[What about the spices?](Aylin)
"Well... I had to improvise there. You did have paprika, salt, and pepper, but no cream or proper sauce. So I replaced the cream with butter and used that mixture you call 'Blight.' It provides the perfect balance since its taste is tangy, savory, sweet, and salty.
After that, mix everything well, letting it simmer over low heat until thickened. Cut the heat and add the cheese and green onions! Then watch it turn into melty, gooey goodness while frying the eggs in a separate pan."
[Why a separate pan? Why not wait until the pan with everything inside is cooked? You can put everything on a plate, store it in the inventory, cook the eggs, and then place them on the plate.](Aylin)
"The tastes blend better that way, I guess."
[You guess?](Aylin)
"Hey! I'm not a chef, so cut me some slack. I know some recipes, but that's about it."
[Hmpf!](Aylin)
About half an hour later, four plates were served before the three veteran Wanderers and the newbie. The trio was looking with wonder at the plates, entranced by the smell.
After a couple of bites, Hoduin was so pleased that he took out a barrel of something called Rose Nectar. It was some sort of juice with alcohol, but entirely natural, apparently.
It was the best cocktail Michael had drank in both his lives; that much was certain!
The Rogue was delighted as he patted Michael's shoulder and walked out. Noticing his questioning gaze, Hoduin explained that he was going outside to scout. Martel left some traps in the bushes around the camp in case bandits followed them and now would check if it was the case.
In the meantime, a satisfied Aylin was slurping her glass of Rose Nectar as the Druid answered more questions from the curious newbie.
[How many classes are there? That's a bit complicated. Some claim that there are only three, while others claim endless variations.
In the past, the Classes were separated into Ranged, Melee, and Magic. However, if you have a Druid who fights in ranged and melee and uses magic on top, you wouldn't know precisely which Class to place him in.
That's why we started recognizing Classes as a mix of combat specialization and other unique features.](Hoduin)
"I understand combat specialization, but what does classify as 'unique features'?"
[There are all sorts of things. Alignment to good or evil as per one's personality, the tribe they belong to, their faith, bloodlines, and even curiosity that has been pushed far enough can result in a particular Class. That's how you have Barbarians and Warriors, Priests, Mages and Sorcerers, Druids and Shamans, Necromancers and Paladins, Rogues and Assasins, Summoners and Demonologists. The Church of Light records hundreds of Classes, and the Horadrim claim to have thousands.](Hoduin)
"So, if something is making you special and you become a Wanderer, the chances of getting a unique Class based on your trait are high?"
[Not high, but almost guaranteed. It has to do with the Sanctuary's view of your potential. Becoming a Barbarian wouldn't make sense for an intelligent person with elemental affinities. However, the Horadrim claims that one's preferences also play a part in our choices for a Class.
So, if a talented melee fighter with strong faith wants to become both a Priest and a Warrior simultaneously, the Sanctuary tries to accommodate by providing a Class that gives out both. We call those Hybrid Classes.](Aylin)
"Are Hybrid Classes more powerful than normal ones?"
[Yes and no. You could say that they have better utility. However, they lack proper specialization. For example, a Paladin can heal and deal damage but won't excel in both.
A limited number of Skill Points and Paragon Points are available to us. Trying to do a bit of everything usually leads to an early death.](Aylin)
"Jack of all trades, master of none..."
[Hmm... I like the sound of that. It sounds like veiled mockery. Will use it on that dumbass Connie when I meet her again.](Aylin)
Looking quizzically at Hoduin, all he got back was a wry smile and a shrug of shoulders. Sighing, he couldn't help but add 'petty' to Aylin's appraisal in his mind.
About three hours later, Martel returned and shook his head, indicating that nobody followed them. The other two nodded and went back to their conversation.
The Rogue, though, had other plans.
[Gear up, brat! It's time to get you some fighting experience if you're headed back to that fucking strange place.](Martel)
"You mean..."
[We'll be 'sparing,' of course.](Martel)
"..."
Michael felt something wrong about how the Rogue pronounced the word 'sparing,' but he prayed he was imagining things.