#236
In the Great City of Tarak in the northern region of the Tulke Kingdom, avatars had unexpectedly gathered.
Beyond the Steel Fortress to the north lay the Northern Mountain Range, rich in rare monster bodies, minerals, and herbs.
To the southeast, trade routes connected with the Azerion Empire, which dominated the central continent.
To the southwest, there were high-quality iron ore mines, a pride of the Count of Aonia’s Territory, known for its numerous skilled artisans.
‘That’s why I chose this place as the starting point for Hubert Association.’
A city where the mercenary and weapon industries thrived, boasting a blessed position in trade.
The Hubert Association had quickly developed into one of the premier guilds in such a place.
‘Of course, it wasn’t all achieved through fair competition.’
It was only natural that an association that had been founded only a few years prior wouldn’t grow this quickly through standard methods.
Hmm.
Hubert gazed down from the rooftop of the association’s headquarters, taking in the sight of bustling people below him.
The beginning had been substantial initial capital arranged with Hans’s support.
Recruiting talents and employing aggressive mergers and acquisitions had rapidly placed his association on the right track, and the status of the co-representative Harley, who began to rise, had served as a protective shield externally.
‘Establishing friendly relations with the noble Count family of this land and flaunting ties with the church through Heinrich also helped a lot.’
Thanks to the vampires under Heinz II, he had gained a favorable position in the underground struggles.
In that process, some troublemakers were thoroughly punished to serve as a warning.
‘Additionally, the premium spices and rare items brought from Earth, along with the high-quality goods managed through “Appraisal.”’
Also, real-time information about the Undead King’s attacks led to bold investments and business moves that consistently succeeded.
Every attempt made by the Tulke Kingdom Merchant Union to restrain him had dwindled significantly, coincidentally influenced by the involvement of the undead army.
It felt as if the heavens were favoring him as he continued his string of successes.
In the Tarak commercial world, Hubert was even referred to as “the man loved by the God of Wealth.”
It was no surprise that he became the owner of the largest guild in northern Tulke Kingdom, with considerable influence even in foreign lands.
And it remained true at this very moment.
Indeed, the heyday of Hubert Association was an ongoing reality.
“Ah! Association Head, you’re here!”
While he was lost in thought observing the crowd, he heard the familiar voice of a woman.
Hubert slowly turned his head to see a girl approaching the rooftop railing.
“Diana.”
Gone was the small, frail girl he had met before, replaced by a healthy young woman who seemed more mature than her actual age.
She had climbed to her current position, winning recognition from everyone, and now served as his personal secretary.
“I have a matter that requires your approval today! It’s regarding the expansion of the restaurant ‘Dance with Orcs,’ which you initiated…”
She approached him, a competent career woman holding a folder in one hand and skillfully continuing her briefing.
She exuded an aura that would suit her well with glasses.
‘She mentioned studying hard before coming here… No, this level of proficiency is beyond just studying. It must be hard work paired with talent.’
Initially, he had thought to assign her tasks based on her extraordinary sense of smell, but she was excelling in this area far beyond his expectations.
Diana’s efforts must account for a significant part of Hubert Association’s recent surge in success.
‘It was a bit disappointing that Hubert’s personal growth seemed stagnant, but with this smooth expansion of influence, it’s not too bad. As long as it helps in any way, I’m good with it.’
An avatar aimed at dominating the commercial world of the continent, Hubert.
He was created just after Harley but felt less than satisfied with his development in terms of personal growth.
Though he had not expected much in combat from the start, he had thought he would at least gain a few merchant-related skills like “Bargaining” or “Persuasion.”
‘Who would have thought that I wouldn’t acquire any of them until the association grew this large?’
Upon reflection, he believed he understood the reason.
Skills were often tied to individual abilities.
Merchant skills typically relied on personal insights and judgment rather than specialized powers.
It was different from training martial arts or magic, which were inherently linked to abilities.
‘If I had the skill “Bargaining” to get better prices, it would be akin to a mental magic rather than genuine merchant ability.’
Of course, there might truly be skills tailored for those who chose the merchant’s path that he hadn’t yet grasped; however, at this point, those assumptions felt utterly meaningless.
Currently, he was more of a captain determining the course of the grand ship known as Hubert Association than an active fighter.
‘Still, it’s not like there have been no results.’
Just a moment ago, he had finally obtained a new skill.
To be precise, it was the evolution of the “Appraisal” skill that had reached a certain level of proficiency, combining with the status enhancement “Insight” into a new skill.
“I spoke with Uncle, who is the grocery manager at ‘Dance with Orcs’… or rather, Mr. Volt. We discussed adjusting the supply price more efficiently…”
This evolved skill, “Analysis,” was a higher-tier version of “Appraisal,” enabling previously impossible insights.
As he watched a bubbly Diana chattering away excitedly, he immediately used “Analysis” on her.
[Diana]
– Associated with Hubert Association. Despite her young age, she shows remarkable talents in merchandise. Aware of her shortcomings, she constantly learns and works hard to grow. Excited at the thought of being helpful to the one who saved her. Today, she had bacon sandwiches for lunch.
– Major Traits: Mysterious Sense of Smell, Blind Loyalty, Devoted Family Love, Genius Merchant, Extraordinary Mental Ability, Ordinary Physical Ability, Despairing Unluckiness
– Trust Level: 98%
The biggest difference.
Unlike “Appraisal,” which could only be applied to objects, the evolved “Analysis” could be used on people as well.
‘The detail of the information seems to depend on how well you know the subject, but this level is already impressive.’
The reason he had been overlooking the bustling people below was to confirm this ability directly.
At that moment, the information he could verify was only trivial things like “nervous about failing to meet the delivery deadline” or “lying to cover up infidelity,” with only a couple of main features visible.
‘Moreover, the trust level of someone he had never met didn’t even display, and even among his association’s employees, it was rare for it to exceed 60%.’
Seeing this, he realized how absurdly high Diana’s trust level of 98% was.
The “Blind Loyalty” trait included among her major traits likely indicated that.
‘But aside from everything else… Despairing Unluckiness.’
Hubert watched Diana, who was still chatting brightly, and quietly stroked his chin.
Of course, considering her past, it was an understandable remark.
Before Aaron was kidnapped, she had managed to avoid danger only through her keen sense of smell and desperate determination; she had been trapped in precarious situations repeatedly.
If she hadn’t met him that day, she might have ultimately lost her brother and lived a wretched life alone.
‘But she doesn’t seem that unhappy now. Why is it still there among her major traits? …Hmm? Wait a moment.’
Suddenly, he recalled the circumstances that led Diana’s family to Tarak.
It was an incident involving a greedy educational instructor who had put her family in jeopardy.
What if Count Heinz II hadn’t paid a visit at that time?
The kind uncle and aunt who welcomed the poor siblings would have lost their shop and home, and their only daughter Rafi, who hadn’t received proper treatment, might have faced misfortune as well.
Had things gone that far, would the Volt family have held Diana responsible? And could Diana forgive herself?
‘…If I had been just a little later, that happy family would have been completely shattered.’
Indeed, the variable was himself.
To be precise… it could be attributed to the intervention of an Awakened One from another dimension, shaking the predetermined flow of “misfortune” in this world.
“…Then, I kindly ask for your approval!”
Just then, having wrapped up her explanation, she cheerfully extended the folder and pen she was holding.
Hubert stared at her bright smile for a moment before slowly nodding and accepting them.
Dividing thoughts was as natural as breathing for him, so even while distracted, he did not miss a single word she said.
‘Anyway, this “Analysis” is quite a useful ability. It’s excellent for managing subordinates.’
It now allowed him to easily identify loyal and capable subordinates.
Moreover, as he continued to develop this skill, he would eventually gain more detailed insights into Diana’s sense of smell and her unluckiness.
Until then, it would be wise to keep her close to prevent her from being swept into needless misfortune.
“Then I’ll implement this right away, Association Head!”
“Hmm, alright.”
This girl, who followed well and worked hard—his first connection in this world—held significant meaning for him.
*
The only workshop located in the expensive land area of downtown Tarak.
Unlike other workshops in the industrial district, this particular one had been exclusively prepared for “Jaonick Steelstone” by the lord’s order.
Clang—! Clang—!
Naturally, everything from the facilities to the various equipment scattered about was top-notch, and none of the prepared materials were of poor quality.
Moreover, Jaonick himself was a dwarf, a member of the artisan race.
“Wow, every time I see it, I’m amazed. What a monstrous…”
However, the owner of the workshop was currently gazing somewhere with a wry smile and taking a break from his work.
Not long ago, he had to teach the basics to this child, and now he was witnessing that incredible growth.
‘I knew from the start that he was a genius.’
One could say that teaching one thing to him resulted in tenfold understanding.
He had barely begun wielding the hammer when he received the blessing of the forge, so his talent was unquestionable.
He was even carelessly using branches from the World Tree, which were supposedly hard to find, like ordinary firewood.
Plus, his stamina was so good that there were numerous occasions when the boy wore him out simply trying to keep pace with him.
Sigh, I was so spry when I was young.
Jaonick recalled his embellished past and shook his head.
Even by those exaggerated standards, this was quite excessive.
‘Not to mention his willpower.’
Once he started working, he eliminated all distractions and focused solely on completing the piece; he resembled a mechanical golem rather than a living being.
While dedicating oneself entirely to one’s work was common among artisans, Howard’s demeanor felt alien even by Jaonick’s familiar standards.
‘He was already showing such monstrous growth…’
But it exceeded comprehension to the point where it finally transcended what Jaonick could understand only a few days ago.
Every strike of the hammer felt like the twentieth hammering, and the next strike seemed to surpass the previous ones by leaps and bounds.
It was as if he lived through dozens of times the normal span of time all by himself.
Yes, it was more akin to evolution rather than mere growth.
How could it be that the inexplicable phenomenon continued for days? At some point, Jaonick had stopped teaching him and merely observed him from behind, occasionally offering insights.
Finally, Howard had risen from a novice requiring mentoring to a worthy artisan who had earned respect in his path.
While Jaonick’s skills were still superior, at this stage, differences in approach only represented “differences” rather than “mistakes,” rendering instruction nearly meaningless.
Hoo—!
And after yet another round of work had come to an end.
Finally pulled from his trance, Howard let out a deep sigh as he wiped the sweat from his brow with a towel.
In front of him lay a single piece of armor still warm from the fire, reflecting the flickering flames with its smooth curves and shimmering metallic glow.
“Isn’t it about time to let me know what you’re making? This internal structure seems awfully complex for ordinary armor. My goodness, where did you learn such unusual designs?”
Having completed his work, Jaonick grumbled quietly, somewhat frustrated at having not received a clear answer despite several inquiries.
“Uh-huh! Is this it?”
Howard beamed, completely unconcerned with the lingering heat, gently stroking the smooth component.
He had doubted it until now, but having just completed the arm section, he could finally affirm its potential.
‘I hadn’t mentioned it because I was uncertain until now.’
Though this was still a simple prototype, and it would require further upgrades to be ready for actual combat…
If he could complete it, such hardships would be trivial.
That was because this was—
“Iron… ahem.”
The culmination of everything he had vowed to create since he embarked on the artisan’s path.
“A versatile combat exosuit.”
That was precisely what it was.
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