kscans

Chapter 209 - A Single Ember

On the way back from the church, Yuri was in a good mood as he looked at the paper with his appraisal results written on it. Lately, Adon, Kudol, and even Old Man Audel and Dona had been looking at him with suspicion.

"If I show them this appraisal certificate, they won't be able to say a word!"

It should make it clear that his status was perfectly normal, though his perception was already mistaken at this point. After all, he was at the very bottom of the Salt-Sour Mountain hierarchy. He wanted them to stop treating him like an outcast. Well, all of that would be settled once he showed them this appraisal certificate. So he thought, and his steps were light and buoyant. But eventually, his pace slowed, and after a while, he came to a complete stop.

"This appraisal certificate doesn't have Pharmacology, Alchemy, Blacksmithing, or even the Enchantment I just got. Isn't that bad?"

It was already known that he could make low-grade potions, and he had hinted to Adon and the others that he possessed Alchemy and Blacksmithing skills. As for Enchantment, he had just used it the other day in the presence of Adon, Old Man Audel, and even Helman and Nagara. And yet, none of them were listed.

"In my case, Pharmacology, Alchemy, Blacksmithing, and Enchantment are all sub-skills of Rural Life Guide. If I conceal Rural Life Guide, the sub-skills are inevitably concealed too."

To put it in a word, the situation was very bad.

It was true that simple tasks could be done without skills, but the skills Yuri had shown so far could not be explained away as skill-less. If he tried to argue the point, it would only fuel more suspicion and interest as to how he could do so much without skills. To make matters worse, the dagger and sword skills he should have had, as well as the martial arts skills he used to beat up the thugs, were not displayed at all. This too would surely arouse suspicion.

"If I show them an appraisal certificate like this..."

It would be like confessing that he had a falsification skill.

"What should I do?"

After wracking his brain, he came to the conclusion that it would be fine if he could change the falsified content of his Status Board. He would keep Rural Life Guide concealed and just add Pharmacology, Alchemy, Blacksmithing, and Enchantment to the skills section. That should work. The problem was whether such a falsification was possible.

"Yeah, it seems I can do it."

In any case, Yuri's skills had strange suffixes like (Strange), so he couldn't display them honestly as they were. He would have to falsify and display something that looked plausible. That matter was settled, but the problem was...

"The problem is that nothing has been solved."

The appraisal at the church had already been done, and the results did not list Pharmacology, Alchemy, Blacksmithing, or Enchantment. There was no way to show a new falsification. No, it was better to say he couldn't show it than to have no way to show it.

"If by some mistake, Adon and the others see these appraisal results, or if that priest lets it slip, no, he probably wouldn't be a priest if he just blabbed personal information, but, just in case, if that happens..."

It was as clear as day that things would get very complicated.

"What should I do? Fortunately, that priest seemed like the type who would listen, rather than be manipulated. Maybe I should ask him to keep it a secret?"