Chapter 77
"Sorry, I got a little carried away."
"You okay? Is this thing really that good?"
Whether it was because Nel the Fortunate joined the battle or because we won the RNG lottery, this time, our spoils from the Marsh Dragon fight came in two parts.
The first was the Marsh Dragon’s spine—longer than our height.
The second was something so rare that I couldn’t help but shout when it dropped, and even now, my cheeks hurt from grinning.
"Good? This isn’t just good—having this or not makes a world of difference in future drops!" "This weird doll thing?" "Yeah, this weird doll thing."
You know those wooden carvings made by strange tribes you’d find on overseas trips? The thing in my hand was a palm-sized doll—a long, vertical dragon bone carved with a slightly eerie face, like a totem pole.
"This is the *Dragon’s Sentinel*. It’s a dragon-type exclusive, but it gives a 10% chance for an extra drop." "So?" "Field bosses have a max of three drop slots. But this thing adds more *outside* those slots." "That’s insane!" "Right?!"
This item is essential for farming gear. Honestly, I’d even consider swapping out the *Bracelet of Training* for it in my accessory slot.
"The best part? You can upgrade it to increase the drop rate." "By how much?" "At max (+100), it hits 40%." "So one in every three kills gives extra loot?" "Exactly!! And if multiple party members equip it, the effect stacks. More wearers = more drops!!" "That’s amazing!!"
With this, we can farm dragon materials at an insane rate. Given how often we’ll be fighting dragons, this is a must-have.
Dragon-based gear is top-tier, after all.
"Right?! Right?! And if we fuse *Proof of the Weak*, we can guarantee upgrades!"
This thing has a 0.4% drop rate. Getting it on our first try is absurdly lucky.
"At this rate, we’ll have a full Marsh Dragon set sooner than expected."
The sound of mental calculations clicks in my head. Plans are shifting in the best way.
I made Marsh Dragon hunting our main skill-grinding target because its gear is exceptional.
Marsh Dragon weapons can be forged with either water or earth attributes, while a full armor set grants **moderate resistance** to water and **weak resistance** to earth.
Both weapon and armor are **Class 5**.
The weapon’s base stats are **3-4x** our current steel glaive’s, and with upgrades, **5x** is a given.
Attribute effects boost attack by **20%**.
For armor, **moderate resistance** means **30%** less water damage, and **weak resistance** means **10%** less earth damage.
With resistances like these, hunting water/earth monsters becomes way more viable.
Given our ties to the ducal family, powering up fast is a priority—so this drop is a godsend.
"Alright, we’re done for today! Let’s head back and replan for tomorrow!" "Ooh!" "Exciting!" "Understood."
No reason to stay. We gather loot, regroup at Angler, and since recast time is up, I activate the Pendulum of Transfer.
Destination: home.
A flash later, we’re back.
Man, fast travel is *convenient*, even with recast delays.
"You all seem tired, so I’ll prepare a light meal." "You sure? You must be exhausted too." "I am, but this is my duty as a maid." "I’ll help." "Then, Lady Nel, please assist me." "Amina and I will stow the gear." "Okay!"
I’m tired enough to faceplant into bed, but leaving weapons lying around would burden Ingrid. Gotta handle my own equipment.
Glaive, leather armor, Angler, traps—everything gets stored in its proper place.
By the time I return to the living room, a delicious aroma fills the air.
"Soup and sandwiches. Please help yourselves." "Thanks, both of you." "Don’t mention it. I just tweaked last night’s leftovers." "Really? Smells great anyway. Nel, thanks—these sandwiches look fantastic." "Just sliced and stacked. But yeah, they’re good."
Perfect timing. Ingrid appears with a tray of soup bowls, while Nel carries a plate of sandwiches.
I’m *starving*. They say hunger is the best spice, and it’s true.
I thank them both—of course. Ingrid is her usual stoic self, while Nel arranges the food with a hint of shyness.
"We’ve already washed up. You two should do the same before eating. You’re filthy from battle." "Oh, right! Be right back!" "Got it."
Post-handwashing, we return to find Nel seated and soup served at each spot.
"Dig in?" "Mm." "Yeah!" "Yes."
Ingrid initially refused to eat with us, but after convincing her this was a commoner’s home, not a noble’s manor, she relented. Now she joins us at the table.
"We give thanks to the gods and the earth’s bounty. *Itadakimasu.*" "***Itadakimasu.***"
This mealtime prayer combines the local custom with Japan’s *itadakimasu*. At first, I just said the latter, but skipping prayer seemed odd to them, so we compromised.
The clasped-hands gesture isn’t a thing here, so I taught them it’s *my* way of praying.
Nel, Amina, and even Ingrid now mimic my *gassho* instead of the local prayer pose.
Dinner begins—but not in silence.
"Tomorrow’s plans: morning at the reconstruction site for Amina’s performance, then leveling Ingrid in the afternoon." "Got it." "Okay!" "Are you certain?" "Leveling together keeps our pace synced."
First, we lock in tomorrow’s schedule—live show at the construction site, then Haniwa hunting.
That area’s already registered in the Pendulum, so travel’s easy.
"Oh, Ingrid—can you draft a letter? Any contract issues?" "None. Lady Liberta has granted permission, so no penalties. To whom?" "The Duke. I don’t know noble phrasing, so I’m counting on you."
Next, based on today’s skill gains, Nel, Ingrid, and I should expand our skills and grind proficiency.
That means buying Skill Scrolls.
Our party funds aren’t limitless—we’ve spent on weapon crafting, Amina’s *Singing Art* and *Song of Acclaim*—so we’ll need to budget.
Thus—
"Understood. What should the letter say?" "Ask if he needs Marsh Dragon materials. Not selling yet, but hint we *might* have surplus soon. Don’t want him buying out everything—just selling extras after our own needs." "Understood. I’ll draft it for your review later." "Thanks."
This doubles as a money-making move.
Rice toner sells, but dragon materials are far more profitable. A few days of hunting could net us gear *and* ducal sales.
Given how hard *Sandwyrm* parts were to get, the Duke will likely jump at Marsh Dragon materials.
Plus, consistently proving our usefulness keeps him from doing anything rash.
Better to stay on his good side.
"Tomorrow’s set, but beyond that, we’re focusing on skill optimization. Regular Marsh Dragon hunts for funds, then filling all skill slots and mastering them."
Once we hit Class 2, we’ll need to farm EXBP.
"Nel, you’ll take *Axe Art*, two active axe skills, and *Parry* for defense." "Got it."
Class 2 requires two EXBP per level.
First condition: Master **three skills** (active/passive) before leveling. Essentially, **max out** your current level.
"Amina, add *Tailwind Song* to *Singing Art* and *Song of Acclaim*. That covers Class 1." "Live performances should max the first two, but what’s *Tailwind Song*?" "Boosts party movement speed. From now on, you’ll support with *Acclaim* and *Tailwind* during hunts." "Leave it to me!"
Second condition: **Chain battles**.
The interval between kills must be **under 30 seconds**. The first kill doesn’t count—only subsequent ones.
Meaning: Nonstop monster slaughter. Without *Proof of the Weak*’s EXP penalty, it’s a brutal treadmill.
The saving grace? Party kills count toward the chain, and Amina’s songs can lure monsters, maintaining aggro for uninterrupted farming.
"Ingrid, learn *Life Magic* for *Air Clean*, then retake *Cooking* and add *Butchery*." "Understood."
First kill: *Bracelet of Training*. Then swap to *Proof of the Weak* and chain.
With this, we can hit Class 2 cap in **2-3 days**.
Then, more Marsh Dragon hunts to max skills and fill slots.
"What about Liberta?" "I’ll take *Scythe Art*, *Stealth*, and *Slash* for an active skill."
It’s early summer. Goal: **Class 3 by autumn**, leveling complete.
Beating Marsh Dragons has accelerated our schedule.
Last time at the skill shop, I memorized the inventory and prices.
Backtracking from that, we should be ready by harvest festival.
If there’s an event, we *must* be Class 3 with full gear.
"Alright, team—things are about to get hectic." "Aren’t we already running around nonstop?" "It’ll get *worse*?" "Yep!" "That’s… decisive." "Don’t worry, we’ll still take breaks!"
Schedule-wise, it’s tight.
Of course, unexpected quests might pop up, but we’ll adapt.
"How much worse, exactly?" "We’ll keep two rest days, but the goal is **two Marsh Dragons per day** by next week. So **ten per week**." "TEN?!" "Can we even do that?" "Today’s fight gave us the timing. It’s doable with planning."
Right now, we know three spawn points, but more will come.
This is getting *fun*.
"Leave it to us."