#48 Upgrade for Special Class?
After we left the Palace, we made a quick stop at the bakery near the shopping district to buy some cookies. Then we returned home and Kurome started her daily training while I went back to my room just to discover numerous books lying on my desk.
Nice, looks like father already took care of what I have asked from him.
I thought and went to sit down and look through all the books on my desk.
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After 3 days spent being locked up inside the room, reading books.
"*Yawn* Finally done! I hate books." I muttered when I closed the last book and started stretching my arms.
"You have done well, young master!" Aiko who was standing next to my chair immediately praised me and poured me a tea into my teacup with a bright smile on her face.
You don't need to praise me for something like that...it's only embarrassing.
"Thank you, Aiko. You have been here with me for the past few days from the early morning till the late at night, you should get some rest." I thanked her for tea and suggested her to rest a bit.
"No need, young master. Observing you is never tiring or boring! Plus if you would no longer require my services, I would be without a job." She said with a smile but it felt more like she was begging me.
I only want you to take one or a few days off...you won't lose your job. *sigh*
Alright, for the rest of the month, I will dedicate myself to practical blacksmithing. I already know a lot of theory but I also need to practice. I guess I won't have any time to go hunt any Danger Beasts until Esdeath's ceremony to select her Teigu.
"Aiko, I will be going out for a few next days in a row and I will come back quite late too." I said with a smile as I stood up from my seat.
"Oh? Understood! I will inform your father and mother." Aiko seemed a bit disappointed but in the end, she nodded her head with a smile.
Alright, the prescriptions from Babara already arrived and I let Ichika take care of everything. I told her to not buy anything on big scales, we need to be as discreet as possible. Plus it's something I will be using only for myself, Ichika, Kurome, my parents and that should be all for now. When I will have a stable income of money I will start using it also on our other loyal guards but not now, I will have a problem sustaining it only for 5 people not to mention more than 20...
I disguised myself in some rags and went to the different part of the city just to make sure no one recognizes me. I also used coal to make my face a bit dirty.
...
"Hey mister, don't you need any helper?" I asked with a little forced smile.
*Clang* *Clang*
"Huh? Piss off kid, I am indeed in need of helper but I don't want just hands to help around. I need someone who knows a few things about blacksmithing." Man with a long brown beard stopped hammering the sword to look up at me before losing interest in me.
"I know something about blacksmithing and it's not just a few things. You can try me out with a few questions. If I get anything wrong, I will give you this gold coin, these are my last money. I am dead serious." I said with a serious expression.
He looked slightly surprised by my words so he stopped hammering once again and put his hammer aside to look at me more closely. He looked at the golden coin in my hand and immediately gestured me to hide it away.
"*Are you nuts, kid? Don't go taking out money like it's nothing. And what you are doing is pretty stupid, I could just trick you and take your money.*" He whispered to me while looking around and then shook his head.
"*I have a good eye when it comes to someone in need of help. You would rather take capable helper instead of 1 gold coin, isn't that right?*" I said with a silly smile.
"Haha, you are really nuts but you have guts, I have to give it to you. I am indeed in big need of help, I have a contract with a few Empire's soldiers but I am not capable enough to make it in time all alone. You are really interesting kid and you also look hardworking so I will give you just a few easy questions." He laughed aloud and stopped whispering, he explained the situation with a forced smile.
I nodded my head with a determined expression.
"Kid, tell me what is slag."
"Leftovers from the smelting process." I instantly responded.
"Hm, good. Now, tell me what would you do if I told you to "quench" something" He nodded his head with closed eyes and then asked another question.
"I would rapidly cool it in some kind of liquid, depending on what." I responded while staring at him with strong eyes.
"...Good, at least you aren't a complete idiot and since you look interesting and confident, I can accept you as my helper. Do you need a place to sleep or do you already have a place to stay?" He said with an appreciative nod and then asked with a small smile.
"Hm, yes, I have place to stay at." I replied with a grateful nod and smile.
We started discussing my pay and other things until we spent more than 1 hour of talking. When he noticed how long we were talking, he wanted to pluck out all of his hair but unfortunately, he was already bald and the only thing he could pluck out was his beard.
And like that...I started helping that man every day in his shop.
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"Jack, can you sharpen that sword for me?" The man who accepted me as his helper shouted at me.
"Sure thing, consider it done, Zak!" I shouted back and started sharpening the sword on the grinding wheel. It has been already a few weeks since I have started "working" here. Most of the time, I was just observing Zak. Although I can't say that I would be able to create a great sword right now, I can easily say that I would create a much better sword than the one I created in that cave.
I have already told him that this will be my last day working here. So after numerous hours passed by...
"Thanks for everything, Zak." I thanked him when I was about to leave for the good.
"Here you go, kid!" He said and threw at me a smaller bag filled with coins.
"Hm? I have already got my pay" I looked at him with a confused expression.
"That's just a little bonus. You were a good helper so take it with you!" He said with a wide smile, showing off his teeth.
"Hmph, I don't need it. You better use it to buy more materials, haha!" I completely changed the tone of my voice and simply said that I have no need for it before throwing it back at him. While he was preoccupied with catching the bag, I already disappeared from the street when he looked up with his dumbfounded face only hearing my laugh in the distance.
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GOLD: 6120
SILVER: 145
My money is slowly disappearing, sustaining all 5 people regularly taking these medicines each day is truly expensive but I already noticed small changes on Kurome. It was almost the entire month since she started using them and I must say that she looks less troubled than before. She must have been thinking about her sister a lot but right now it looks like her mind is becoming clearer and clearer.
Anyway, I also asked my father to build a little forge down in our cellar so I can keep on practicing in peace without anyone spying on me.
Tomorrow is the day when Esdeath will choose her Teigu. I should go to sleep earlier today...
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The next morning, I was already waiting with Esdeath in front of the treasure vault where all Teigus are hidden.
I was leaning my back against the wall with closed eyes when...
"Hoho, you are earlier here! Esdeath and...you must be Akashi of Phoenix house right?! It's nice to finally meet you, haha! I am the Prime Minister Honest." Honest, the current Prime Minister said without extending his hand since his hands were full of food.
I abruptly opened my eyes and glared at him before smiling a little.
We aren't earlier, you are just late, you stupid pig.
"It seems that my reputation precedes me. It's nice to meet you too, Prime Minister Honest!" I replied with a polite smile but didn't stop leaning against the wall which would look extremely offending if it wasn't for my background.
"Prime Minister..." Esdeath nodded at Honest.
"Hoho, let's not keep you waiting any longer, shall we?" He said and opened the vault by dropping a drop of blood on the small altar standing next to the doors leading to the vault.
*Creek* *Creek*
Thick metal doors slowly opened in front of us and revealed an enormous room with a lot of weapons being restricted in chains but one could still easily touch them, however, taking them away was impossible.
All three of us walked in and Esdeath started looking around, trying to feel attraction towards any weapon but to her disappointment.
Even after 5 minutes of walking around the enormous room, looking at many different weapons, she looked disappointed.
Until she directed her gaze at the middle of the room.
I noticed that it was the first time she looked somewhere so attentively so I decided to follow her gaze and noticed the transparent container being wrapped around by the chains. All of that was done just to seal inside a small urn.
...This looks similar to the goblet I found back in my old world. But I can feel that it's not as strong as what I have found.
"I want that one!" Esdeath said with a determined face while pointing at the container.
---
'Hm, if it is her, she might be able to tame it. But if not...there is still that kid who is said to be quite strong. Although I don't know where he has got that fire-type Teigu, he can stop her in case she loses it.' Honest thought when he saw what Esdeath wanted.
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"Alright, I will open it for you." Honest said and removed the chains and carefully opened the container.
"This is the Demon's Extract, an Elemental-type Teigu that gives its user the ability to manipulate ice. The amount of blood you drink will determine how strong it will be." Honest explained and slowly handed the urn with black blood within it to Esdeath.
"I will go out of the vault since I am not allowed to eat inside by the Emperor's orders. Shout at me once you are done." He said with a small smile and then went toward the doors.
What the fuck are you talking about? Weren't you eating just when we walked in? He probably thinks that Esdeath won't be able to tame it. What a coward.
However, I must say that it slightly attracts me but I am not sure if it would give me any benefit...After all, I can feel that what I have consumed was of much higher purity and density. It was definitely something much stronger.
"The more I consume, the stronger I will get?" Esdeath ignored Honest's absence and muttered while looking at the black blood with an absent-minded expression.
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'Maybe if I will consume it entirely, I will be able to perform the similar things to what Akashi has done.' Esdeath thought and started gulping down all of the blood.
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?! Is she crazy? She truly doesn't fear anything...
I thought with a small smirk while glancing at her.
I noticed that she was easily devouring it until the time for the last swallow.
"?!" She opened her eyes wide in shock and it looked as if she was unable to swallow the remaining drops of blood in her mouth.
"? Are you okay?" Even I was confused after seeing this, it didn't look like she was in pain or anything but she simply couldn't swallow.
"Spit it out." I said with a slightly confused expression but she shook her head, however, it wasn't her playing stubborn but more like she couldn't spit it out either.
What the hell is going on? I understand the fact that she can't swallow the rest but why can't she spit it out?!
I was totally confused by this situation.
Suddenly, Esdeath caught her head with both of her hands as if she had headache which I was already expecting that but her expression didn't say that she was having a headache, more like she was confused by something.
After a few seconds, she stopped holding her head and snapped her head at me. I frowned when I saw that but I waited for her to do what she wants.
She suddenly put her hands on my cheeks and I finally realized what she was trying to do.
Is she trying to give it to me? It looks like her only remaining plan since she is completely helpless right now. That small amount of blood won't cause me anything not so mention that I can even evaporate it if it will cause me any problems.
Her hands are extremely cold...if it wasn't for my affinity with fire, just her touch would hurt me. Anyway, I should help her with this small thing, I might even gain something good or I won't gain anything. Either way, I won't lose anything.
Esdeath saw that I understood her intention and she brought her face closer to me and sealed our lips together. Both of us opened our mouths a little and I could feel extremely cold liquid pouring down in my throat but it wasn't uncomfortably cold.
After a small moment, our lips slowly parted ways but they were still connected by our saliva. I quickly used my flame to get rid of it.
"Haaah *sigh*" Esdeath breathed in and out very deeply, it seems that she was having a problem with breathing while the blood was stuck inside her mouth.
*ding*
[Congratulation, you have unlocked the chance to upgrade your Special Class: Fire Monarch]
[Upgrade can be done only once your Special Class hits level 10]
Huh?