Chapter 330 - A Slot Is Open
"—Ah, Haru!"
I waited for a short while at our meeting spot, receiving glances from the players passing by.
I was staring at my status window when a voice called out, and a figure came pattering towards me from the front. The person was, of course—
"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting!"
"You're still five minutes early."
It was my partner, Sora-san.
Even though an avatar's body doesn't run out of stamina from a little exercise, she was out of breath from sheer excitement, which was just like her.
"Were you doing something?"
"Yeah, just confirming a few things."
She must have noticed the window I closed as she arrived. She tilted her head, and I smiled back, telling her it was nothing important.
Today, we'd managed to clear about five dungeons, including the [Four-Sided Mixed Tower]. While we got plenty of materials and loot, my skills hadn't seen much growth.
Even counting my revenge match against [Angalta, God-Wedge Sword-King], I feel like I've earned a decent amount of experience in total…
I guess that's it. My avatar is probably past the newbie growth spurt phase, huh?
"Alright, shall we go?"
"Yes!"
Unlike me, who has been here countless times, Sora's memory of the place was a bit hazy, so we'd arranged to meet a little ways away from our 'destination.'
As we started walking together, the stares directed at me—at us—didn't stop. In fact, they seemed to increase. However, my partner didn't seem to mind.
Rather than feeling sorry, I should feel grateful and walk beside her.
"—So, how's your body holding up?"
That sudden question wasn't just something I blurted out to break the silence. It was out of concern for her, as she was walking somewhat stiffly, her boots clacking on the ground.
"Ah, haha… It's a bit… difficult."
I knew she'd reply with a wry smile like that. You didn't even have to look closely to see that she was clearly having trouble moving her avatar.
The reason was simple.
Unlike me, who has already accumulated a significant amount of experience—and then some—through training and wars, Sora's avatar hadn't been able to play Arcadia properly for a while. It was right in the middle of a massive growth spurt.
On top of that, with the guidance of her all-too-reliable predecessors, a tidal wave of experience had flooded in from this recent expedition—which naturally meant that a mountain of new skills had manifested.
And, as I'm currently struggling with myself, a sudden change in one's build greatly affects avatar control, for better or worse.
In other words, Sora-san is currently in a state of 'being overwhelmed by her skills,' though perhaps not to the same extent as me.
It seems she's acquired a few passive skills that can't be turned off, too…
"…Things might get even more difficult for you."
As we walked towards our 'destination,' I thought of the ring on my right hand, and a mix of teasing and worry escaped my lips.
Sora blinked for a moment, then must have understood what I meant. But instead of glaring or pouting, she turned to me with an unusually playful look in her eyes.
"Unlike you, Haru, I have always cherished our relationship."
"That one cuts deep…!"
Hey, I've cherished our relationship in my own way—wait a minute. Stop reading my mind and materializing on your own. Where do you plan on bringing down that raised pommel, you…!!
I frantically held up my hands to placate my Anima, which was trying to deliver a physical retort to my very thoughts. The white sword vibrated as if to express its displeasure before returning to the ring.
This thing… I'm seriously scared it's going to turn on me in the middle of a battle one day…
"Fufu… But it looks a little fun. I'm envious."
"Whoa, that's a dangerous thing to say. These Anima are eavesdropping on every word we say."
My beloved sword, at the very least, is definitely holding a grudge over Sora's comment about envying her Anima. A good relationship requires daily consideration.
"I'm sure it will be fine."
Ignoring me as I affectionately tapped the ring, trying to get it to cheer up, Sora took 'her own ring' from her inventory and placed it in her palm.
[Cradle of Sword-Craft]—the silver ring adorned with an amber gemstone that always shines on her right hand.
As its master gently stroked its surface with a soft gaze…
"Because this is the child who answered my selfish wish."
The Anima that had opened the path to its next tier was wrapped in a faint light, pulsing like a heartbeat.
◇◆◇◆◇
"I see… So that's how it is."
Several minutes had passed since we arrived at the workshop of Halzen, the magic crafter who created both my and Sora's Anima.
Got it, wait a sec, done—swallowing a wry smile at the NPC artisan who continued to be the very definition of curt, I examined the Anima that had 'evolved' at his hands.
I was scratching my head, wondering 'what to do now' at the slightly unexpected result.
[Cradle of Sword-Craft], Second Tier—its name unchanged, its appearance the same, yet having undergone definite growth, the Anima was already back on the middle finger of Sora's right hand.
A silver ring with an amber gemstone and exquisite engravings. Its appearance was completely unchanged… but somehow, its aura was clearly different.
The pressure of information radiating from its small gleam had certainly increased.
"Um… Haru, what do you think I should do?"
"Hm, hmm, hmmm………… Let's see…"
Sora sought my opinion with a troubled look, and I couldn't blame her.
I'd heard from the artisan on the very day she received it how her Anima would grow.
So this evolution was within my expectations… but the details had turned out to be a 'specification' that made me hesitate, thinking, 'Ah, so that's how it is.'
"Uh… Master?"
"What."
I can't just wing this. In place of Sora, who was being intimidated by this silent mountain of muscle, I spoke up to squeeze the necessary information out of him.
"This thing… its properties will change depending on what's imbued in it, right?"
"Probably."
Right, that much is easy enough to imagine—
What's important is the range and whether there are any restrictions.
"Between a player… a 'Rare Person,' and a monster, is one better than the other?"
"Monsters are no good. The nature of the mana they wield is different. If a Rare Person is using it, imbuing it with another Rare Person's mana will make for a finer sword."
I see, so it's limited to players.
"Any recommended attributes?"
"Decide for yourself. That thing will stabilize whatever you put in it."
"It's better to use the biggest one possible, right?"
"It'll have some effect. But as you train with it, the initial difference should shrink. Rather than saving it, imbue it with the best you can hope for now and use it."
"Ah, I'm glad to hear that. That's a huge weight off my mind."
What were we talking about? None other than the magic to be imbued into Sora's ring.
[Cradle of Sword-Craft]—the vessel of a magic sword that will one day achieve 'versatility.'
I had assumed that with each evolution, it would automatically gain a new usable attribute, one by one… but it seems the correct specification was that an empty slot would be added.
In short, the nature of the next magic sword will be determined by the magic that Sora, or 'someone,' imbues into it from now on.
"Sora, did you get all that?"
"Y-Yes… I'm sorry, and thank you."
Don't worry about it. You're still a little scared of this muscle-head, aren't you? I get it.
"Are you done with your questions?"
"Hmm… Well, probably………… Yeah, I think I'm good."
At the very least, I understood that the choice being asked of us was the type that could be undone. In that case, there was probably no need to be overly anxious.
In any case, the owner isn't me, it's Sora. I acted as a proxy and asked all the questions I could think of, but if she had anything else she wanted to ask… ah, she seems fine. Okay.
"Um, thank you very much!"
After nodding back at me, Sora stepped forward and bowed deeply to the magic crafter.
As the girl offered her sincere gratitude, her golden hair swaying, Halzen's stern expression softened ever so slightly—
"Come again."
As always, he replied with his characteristically blunt and concise words.