As is usual in games, specialized skills can’t be used just anywhere.
Charm items or blessed jewels can be used immediately, but those related to crafting require a designated workshop to activate the skill.
Following this setup, the original game of the Reincarnated Hero also had the concept of location.
From apprentice workbenches to professional workbenches, and finally to artisan workbenches.
In other words, the reason I sought out Anchorpol’s workshop was precisely this.
His ancient workbench, infused with his spirit.
Ding!
[Artisan’s Workbench (Anchorpol)]
[A workbench favored by artisan Anchorpol. Increases success rates for crafting and appraisals!]
And,
[Artisan’s Tools (Anchorpol)]
[Tools favored by artisan Anchorpol. Increases success rates for crafting and appraisals!]
Using the tools he has continuously used would grant me additional proficiency benefits.
As an aside, I think there were fun items later on that could be used as weapons or for proficiency, like the [Dwarf’s Golden Hammer].
I politely asked Anchorpol, who looked as if he doubted his own ears.
“If you don’t mind, may I borrow your tools?”
“…Young man. Are you being serious right now?”
Anchorpol’s expression turned serious.
The most common phrases I hear here seem to be things like “Is this for real?” or “Are you out of your mind?”
“Of course, it’s not that I don’t trust your skills.”
“Well, I’ll accept that, but…! Didn’t you say it belonged to my family? Do you really intend to break it in front of me?”
“I have no intentions of breaking it.”
“…Ha.”
Gulp, gulp.
Anchorpol downed his beer, clearly not understanding me at all.
Well, if someone else saw this, they’d probably think it was seriously crazy behavior.
But this was the only method available to me because of my ‘Gamer’ trait.
When I approached the workbench without hesitation and put on his sweat-soaked leather gloves,
“Ha ha ha! Are you really going for it?!”
Anchorpol laughed heartily.
“I thought I was the only one focused on my craft. Youthful enthusiasm is a good thing!”
“Is that so?”
“Indeed. A crazy person who directly engages in work with the Empire’s best blacksmith is someone I’ve never seen before…! And I won’t see anyone else like that in the future.”
Gulp, gulp!
“Ahhhh… but seeing you reminds me of my own youthful passion and zeal…”
Perhaps due to his drunkenness from the strong liquor, Anchorpol seemed lost in thought.
“I truly hope you don’t end up with a disappointing result. I’m serious about that.”
Like all adults, when they recall their past glories, it quickly turns into ‘back in my day~.’
A Dwarf’s past wouldn’t be something that could be relinquished over a beer.
Honestly, I wasn’t curious about it, nor could I even imagine it.
Just as I was thinking that, a status window popped up.
Ding!
[Your affinity with Artisan, Anchorpol has increased.]
‘Ooh.’
“I…”
Was it because of the affinity?
Anchorpol’s tone had become slightly more dignified.
“…I underestimated you.”
He stood up and entered a narrow storage door that was about two-thirds my height.
Creek…
Then he started rummaging for something.
I could see the thick dust illuminated by the lantern.
“…Try this.”
What he handed me after brushing off the dust was none other than an appraisal scroll.
A purple appraisal scroll,
Made of silk, and by the color, it seemed to be something considered noble in this world, so it didn’t appear to be a mere commercial commodity.
As I accepted the scroll from him, a familiar status window greeted me.
Ding.
—————————————————
[Professional Appraiser’s Appraisal Scroll]
[Allows appraisal without regards to proficiency or skill when using the scroll.]
[Only usable on legendary-grade items.]
[Creator: Clarks Haisman]
[Success Rate: 30%]
[*If the appraisal fails, the item will be destroyed.]
—————————————————
Clarks Haisman.
One of the old war heroes.
‘Well, that’s not what’s important right now.’
Anyhow, the standard appraisal scroll has a success rate of 10-15%, but this one boasts a whopping 30%.
This scroll alone would surely worth a considerable amount.
“My old friend entrusted it to me, and seeing you reminded me I had forgotten about it. Well, I’m not just an appraiser, so why not lend it to you?”
‘If I fail, it’ll be cold…’
Just as I was subconsciously feeling the pressure, Anchorpol patted my arm and encouraged me.
“Give it a try…! I have an idea of what the outcome will be, but ha ha!”
Ding.
[Artisan – Anchorpol is cheering you on!]
[Increases success rate for specialized skills!]
[Remaining time: 59 minutes 59 seconds.]
‘Not bad!’
I took a deep breath and opened the specialized skill status window.
Ding.
—————————————————
▶[Appraisal]
[Proficiency Lv.1]
[Unappraised Item]
▶[??? : Ring of Induction]
▶[Reward : ???]
▶[Would you like to check the unappraised item?]
[Appraisal Success Rate: 0.001%]
[*If the appraisal fails, the item will be destroyed.]
—————————————————
Since my appraisal proficiency is level 1, I have the perception stat, but regardless, the success rate is 0.001%…
Moreover, the bonus from the test server for the first crafting is already used on the Gray Ashen Bolt combination, making this situation way more difficult than last time.
But…!
Ding.
—————————————————
[Base Appraisal Success Rate: 0.01%]
(*Including proficiency level and perception stat.)
+ [Professional Appraiser’s Appraisal Scroll: +30%]
+ [Anchorpol’s Cheers: +10%]
+ [Anchorpol’s Artisan Workbench: +10%]
+ [Anchorpol’s spirit-infused leather gloves: Grants a 10% chance of great success for all specialized skills.]
+ [Mysterious Luck (4.0) increases success rate: +40%]
+ [Mysterious Luck (4.0) increases great success rate: 4%.]
[Appraisal Success Rate: 86% (90%)]
[Great Appraisal Success Rate: 14%.]
[Appraisal Failure Rate: 0%.]
—————————————————
“…”
According to the original plan, to compensate for the lacking success rate, I would wait until Anchorpol was drunk enough to pass out and then sneak in an induction.
‘Well, it’s over.’
[Would you like to appraise?]
Unlike last time, the probability of failure was zero, which is good, but that great success rate of 14% was somehow bothering me.
…I don’t know.
For now, let’s just go for it.
“Appraisal.”
*
“Lady Yeriel, thank you for your hard work today.”
“No! I think Aria and Lev are far more exhausted waiting!”
In Hwangdo, a dormitory exclusively for students at a prime location.
Since it was a lodging prepared for the awards ceremony today, the entire three-story building belonged to Claris’s students.
Lily, who has been immersing herself in research about summoning and summoning catalysts lately, had already fallen asleep on the couch, and in front of a window facing the outside on the first floor, Yeriel and Aria were present.
“Were you two together all afternoon?”
“Yes. Mr. Lev kept me company.”
“That must have been fun…!”
Yeriel brushed her hair back with a comb, thinking.
‘It must have been really… fun…’
But she was busy.
As the representative of the party, Elder Yeriel had to conduct the award interviews, and since it had become her habit to consider others, she had to politely decline any interest shown toward her.
‘It’s been a while since I had a meal with Lev…?’
Back when they were in the Black House, she could often share meals with him. Ever since moving dorms, it had become significantly rarer to meet him.
Especially since they were in different academic years and different dorms.
As she swallowed her slight bitterness, Aria handed her a small box.
“This is for you, Lady Yeriel. Mr. Lev paid for everything…”
“…?!”
It was a cake box tied with a blue ribbon, unlike the others.
‘Only for me…?’
For some reason, it made her feel good.
Even this small thing was somehow making her feel special.
After that, while Aria started pulling out cake and cookies, Yeriel looked on in surprise.
“You got this to-go because there were many people? I thought you came back pretty quickly…!”
“Ah, that was because Lady Aveline…”
“Aveline?”
“Yes, Mr. Lev seemed uncomfortable with something and suggested we step away.”
Yeriel couldn’t recall having seen Lev and Aveline meet separately at any time. Just last time, she had asked him to ask for Lev’s help regarding Edwin and Aveline’s sparring practice.
What could have happened in the meantime?
“Lev wouldn’t act without a reason…”
Suddenly, as Yeriel spoke defensively of Lev without realizing it, Aria cautiously chimed in.
“It seems you always trust Mr. Lev, Lady Yeriel.”
“Huh…? Oh, because he’s a friend? Of course, I have to trust him! Right?”
Even though it sounded suspiciously vague, Aria didn’t pay much attention and continued.
“Honestly, I… initially doubted him. He troubled Mr. Edwin and brought along various negative rumors… a lot of things happened.”
“Right, that can happen…! But he’s not like that now, right?”
“Yeah. He often does unexpected things, but… always, the results seem to be directed toward others rather than himself.”
“Mhm…! Actually, this award is somewhat representative of Lev too.”
Still within the Academy, favorable views on the student Lev Denec weren’t plentiful, but the two of them were different.
There was a feeling of sharing some secret regarding him.
That strengthened their bond.
Of course, both had some questions for each other, but…
Now was not the time.
“Still, it’s a bit disappointing that he sometimes disappears without saying a word.”
“Right. It makes me worry…! He was always late when we were in the Black House too…!”
When they finally came out of the Academy,
Yeriel, as a dormitory supervisor and Elder, and Aria, as a healer, found themselves inevitably watching over him as he appeared lonely.
As she pondered over Lev, Yeriel carefully suggested.
“Let’s invite Lev and Edwin too! Snacks are more enjoyable when shared…!”
“But Lev might not be around?”
“Huh…?”
That’s when Edwin intervened.
“I knocked on the door but didn’t hear a response, so I thought he might be outside.”
And it seemed Lily had woken up, muttering in a half-asleep state.
“I saw him as a familiar. Lev… head toward a dark, red-lit alley…”
“Red light…?”
……
For a moment, the gazes of both Yeriel and Aria intersected.
*
Crafting.
The moment those two simple words were shouted, the status window began popping up.
Shwing!!!!!
[The Goddess of Fortune has enveloped you!]
[You have succeeded gloriously in your appraisal!]
Huh…?
Ding.
—————————————————
[Great Sage’s Memorize: Ring of Induction]
[Rarity: SS]
[A ring that seems to connect something within.]
[Equippable]
▶(Skill Details)
—————————————————
‘Newbie, is this good…?’
“Hahahaha!!!! This is quite something!!”
Even before I could ask, Anchorpol’s hearty laughter echoed.
The ring, which was originally grey, transformed into a luxurious ring adorned with a purple gemstone and surrounded by a golden frame, which was immediately apparent.
It had a beauty that made it seem like if I put it on, I would never be able to take it off, fittingly named a “shackle.”
Surely, the original item’s name had to have been
[Memorize: Ring of Induction].
Did a blacksmith from the gameplay come to help?
“They said it was a family treasure, and no matter how I look at it, your ancestors helped with this! I stake my name as Anchorpol, the artisan blacksmith! This could even qualify for the largest listings at the Empire’s auction house.”
Anchorpol seemed more excited than me as he started prattling on.
View Details.
Calmly, I confirmed the skill details first.
Ding.
—————————————————
[Character Bound Effect]
[Dual Casting]
: You can designate one skill to set a separate casting.
▶[No currently designated skill.]
—————————————————
Right, that’s the effect I was originally expecting.
And…
There was one more thing.
Ding.
—————————————————
[Character Bound Effect]
[Induction Casting]
: You can designate a skill to perform a stacked casting.
(*This skill consumes 3 times the mana.)
▶[No currently designated skill.]
—————————————————
‘Induction casting…?’
A simple ability that amplifies the power of skills but increases mana consumption.
‘This is it…’
It seems that in this portal to the underworld, I could show unprecedented power this time around.
