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[ Chapter Size: 3092 Words ]
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" We got a request to join the expedition tomorrow, I won't be able to train you today. Sorry, Light."
" I'll let you know the training dates as soon as we return from the expedition. "
Noin was sitting in front of me with regret written on her face.
I was currently in the Stardust Garden, Astraea familia's house.
As it was Saturday, I had remembered about Noin training's session and had come to Stardust Garden instead of going to the dungeon.
But Noin had given the bad news that due to a sudden request to join the upcoming expedition, they needed to prepare and she could not train me.
Feeling dejected, I bid her goodbye and went to my next stop, the guild.
...
' No matter what, it always tastes good. ' I had bought a few sticks of grilled meat with different flavors and was snacking on them.
After a few minutes of walk and tasting the a few different flavors of grilled meat, I was standing in front of the guild.
I took my bag that I was hanging on my back, and transferred my so-called, 'Status Sheet', from my inventory to the bag and then taking it out, began walking towards the guild's entrance.
As for my 'status sheet', 'Hehehe'
....
A few hours earlier in the day.
I woke up refreshed after a night of good sleep.
Remembering that it was Saturday and recalling my training session with Noin, I started to quickly get ready.
There were separate bathrooms on the first floor and the second floor, so no cliched events.
After getting ready and wearing just a pair of shirt and pants, my armor was stored in my inventory.
Heading downstairs, I saw Ereshkigal sitting on a chair and writing something on some papers,
"Good morning Ereshkigal-san, what are you writing ? "
Ereshkigal who was fully focused on writing on the table jumped at my greeting, turned around and seeing it was me, let out a sigh,
"Ahem, Good Morning Light, I'm filing the forms Rose had given us yesterday. Just a minute, and there all filled. "
Looks like she had filled all the forms, "Ereshkigal-san, then can I see them ? "
" Sure, here you go. "
Picking up all the sheets from the table she arranged them and handed it to me.
Receiving the paper's I pulled out a chair opposite the goddess and sat down and started reading them.
Reading the first line made me raise my brow and ask the goddess looking at me, " Ereshkigal-san, shouldn't the familia name be Ereshkigal Familia, why have you filled the Familia name as Tiamat Familia? "
" Because it's cool !" Ereshkigal tilted her head.
' Yea, Tiamat in fate was really cool. I also want the name to be Tiamat Familia. ' I thought, remembering how Tiamat looked in Fate and giving a praise to Ereshkigal in my mind.
" Ahem, okay. But I'm not sure if we can choose a different familia name, because till now Familia names are based on the God or Goddess of the respective Familia's. I'll check with Rose about this. "
Next was the type of familia, which was filled as ' to be declared. '
Following were some more details like the current number of people in the Familia and the target amount and some similar questions.
Turning the page made me twitch my brow once again.
I re-read it once again and then holding the paper and turning it towards Ereshkigal, I asked my goddess, " Why is the emblem of our Familia a teddy bear? "
" Because it's cute ! Aren't teddy bears the cutest ! And more importantly I like them! "
Ereshkigal replied and gave a huge smile while bringing her arms together as if holding an imaginary teddy bear.
" Okay Ereshkigal-san, let me check about this with Rose. " Looking at Ereshkigal's smile, I who couldn't bring myself to say otherwise, silently decided to ask Rose if a Familia can have two emblems.
" Also, Light what do we do about your status sheet, I thought a bit about it. Either we can get it forged or ask the guild if they can ignore the status sheet. "
As I was going through the details, Ereshkigal asked me a valid question, what to do about the status sheet.
Adventurers also had to submit their status sheets after a level up, at least the stats part after a level-up so that the guild can confirm that they had indeed levelled up.
And the status sheet could be in either hieroglyphs or Koine, both were accepted.
After all, there were no foolish gods or adventurers who would report false level-ups.
The guild would assign quests based on the level of the adventurers and being assigned a level 2 quest as a level 1 was basically a death sentence.
It would even affect the quests the adventurers familia receives.
There was no one foolish enough to try that...
...
" Ereshkigal-san, about that I have an idea, come with me. "
After thinking for a while, I got an idea, asking Ereshkigal to follow me, I went up the stairs and into the library and started searching for something.
After searching for sometime, I held up a bunch of papers in my hand and exclaimed,
" Ereshkigal-san, found it. These were some duplicate status sheets which my sister had bought saying that she wanted it for something. We can use these and make a replica and see if it works. "
*growl*
Just as Ereshkigal came forward to take the papers, my stomach let out a protest that I had still not eaten my breakfast.
" Ereshkigal-san, how about we have our breakfast first and then continue. How about omlette and a few sandwiches. "
Before Ereshkigal could even say anything, I quickly left the room and started walking towards the stairs and then the kitchen, my ears red.
I could hear a chuckle behind me but I ignored it.
...
After having breakfast, both me and Ereshkigal were sitting at the table, with the status sheets I had found in the library room and plain papers next to it.
Another problem had cropped up, how to replicate the status sheet ? There were no printing machines here and handwritten ones could be easily found out.
We had tried to modify a status sheet, but that also had come out abnormal.
Then I realized that I still had a skill, Mimicry.
I opened my system screen and the skills section and brought up the detailed explanation of the Mimicry Skill.
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Mimicry: A mutated version of the Mimic skill.
• Allows the user to make an object a complete replica of another object, the replica being temporary or permanent depends on the user. Can make additional changes on the replica. Requires mana.
• Allows the user to copy others skills/ abilities temporarily by using mana, the higher the level of the skill or the stronger the copied skill, the more the mana cost.
The user must observe the the skill/ ability being used before it can be copied.
• 3 slots are available, 3 skills/ abilities can be copied.
• Magic cannot be copied.
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Here focusing on the first part, I took a plain sheet and a status sheet with details, and tried to copy the details onto the plain one.
I was able to easily copy the details, next taking another sheet, I copied the details but tried to make changes to the details being copied.
After a few attempts, I was able to succeed in copying and changing it to what I wanted.
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LIGHT
LV 1
STR : I 0
VIT : I 0
DEX : I 0
AGI : I 0
MAG : I 0
MAGIC: ( )
SKILLS: ( )
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The perfect 'status sheet' was ready.
"Ah, Ereshkigal-san, ehehehe, this is also one of my abilities. "
Ah, come to think of it, while I was excitedly trying my Mimicry, I had completely forgotten about Ereshkigal.
I could feel her stare trying to bore a hole through me.
Scratching the back of my head, I gave the 'Status Sheet' I had created to Ereshkigal.
" Ereshkigal-san, also try to infuse a bit of your divinity or your aura into the sheet, as I'm not sure if normally a status sheet has some of the divinity of the gods and goddess when they update status for their familia members. If you can do it , otherwise no need. "
The paper floated from Ereshkigal's hand for a moment and then she handed it back to me.
...
" Ereshkigal-san, I've kept 10k Valis on the table, please have lunch if I'm not back by afternoon, I'm going first for training class and then to the guild to submit the forms and then to the dungeon if time is there. "
Keeping ten big Valis coins on the table, I bid goodbye to the goddess who was now lying down on the sofa.
...
Back to the present.
Entering the guild entrance, the lobby was once again empty, the guild advisors sitting behind the counters, either writing down something or chatting with the guild personnel in the counter next to their.
Rose was sitting and resting her head on one hand on the table behind the counter.
Maybe she sensed my footsteps, her ears twitched and she looked up.
Upon seeing me approaching her, she stood up and gave a small nod towards me.
"Hello, Light-san, how are you? If I guess, you are here to submit your Familia related forms no? "
The female werewolf had already guess my purpose before I could even start speaking.
"Hello, Rose-san, yes Kami-sama finished filling the form this morning so I thought of submitting it to you. "
I handed over the paper in my hand, and continued,
" Also this is my status sheet, I am also finally a true adventurer and can level up. "
" You've really come a long way Light-san, congratulations! "
Rose flashed a smile at me and then started going through the forms to see if at the details were filled.
" Rose-san, is it okay to choose the name as filled by kami-sama ? And also can we choose two emblems instead of one for a Familia ? "
Seeing Rose look at me after just reading the first line, I spoke about it to clear her doubts and my confusion.
" Yes, in theory as long as the name is not chosen, you can choose it, but in my entire time in the guild, I have not seen any god or goddess chose a different familia name not based on their name. Such cases were not even found in the guild records I have gone through. "
" But still, there are also no rules stopping you from choosing the name of your familia. And the same about the emblem, you can choose more than one, but no one usually chooses that option. "
" Shall I register the name as it is, and do you have the copy or a drawing of the other emblem you want ? "
Rose, put away the papers which I had given to her, asked me for confirmation.
" Yes, let's go with that Familia name and for the other emblem, just a minute", saying that I took out another sheet of paper from my bag, the drawing on it was the cage type weapon which Ereshkigal uses and the Design of my Magic Crest.
" Light, another thing, the guild has put up a notice for recruiting porters for the upcoming expedition, Level 1 or above can apply to it. There only job is to carry supplies and pick up drop items. Adventurers who join as porters will also be compensated by the guild. Sorry, but the specific amount is not not mentioned. "
" Thank you for keeping a eye on it Rose, also can you please sign up my name for the expedition as a porter. It'll be a good eye-opener for me. "
" And I don't need to worry as the Loki Familia will be heading the expedition. "
I felt that this was a good opportunity to try and use the other ability of my Mimicry Skill, copying skills.
Rose stared straight at me for a few seconds and then sighed, "I'll sign up your, just stay safe and follow any orders given to you. "
...
*woosh* * thwang*
I was in the dungeon trying my new abilities, the magic circuit was almost like a hardware update for my magic and skills.
If my accel was like 60 fps before, after the magic circuit it was able to run at 120- 180 fps, a complete upgrade.
Before I struggled to change directions mid dash, while I could not do it even now, there was an upgrade.
I could activate the skill, dash in a direction and then immediately stop the skill, dig my heel into the ground and turn in the direction I want and then make another dash.
I was able to now complete the above actions in just two seconds.
My spatial sense had not changed much, but the float skill consumed 30 mp now instead of the 50 mp earlier.
That means nearly four minutes of flight, but due to my mana regeneration increasing up to 20 MP/s from 10 MP/s, I could comfortably use the flight skill and also the compressed air slash from my wooden sword at the same time.
* thwack* *guaooo* *shling* *grouuu*
I was on the third floor of the dungeon, hovering at an height of one meter and hurling compressed air slashes at the monster party I had found.
* GRrrrr* *gauuu*
With my spatial sense spread out, not a single monster was missed.
Whether they were goblins or kobolds or both of them, they all were being cut down, unable to do even retaliate against me as I was in the air.
As soon as they tried to jump at me they were cut down with a compressed air slash.
I stopped floating and landed on the ground after the last goblin fell.
Magic circuits were really awesome, but for the magic crest, as it still did not have any spells stored I was not sure about it.
After farming some more magic stones, I left the dungeon as Rose had asked me to come back to the guild to get the status of my application as a porter for the expedition.
Rose was still sitting behind the counter, but the only difference was the other counters now had a few adventurers while hers did not.
When I informed her that I needed to exchange magic stones, she led me to the same meeting box from before and asked me to put all the magic stones on the tray.
Asking me to wait, she left with the tray.
...
'-and so the great adventurer Light defeated the One-Eyed Black Dragon, everyone applaud him. Now for the rewards to the hero-- '
I felt someone shaking me, and woke up.
Waiting for Rose, I had dozed off. Rose had woken me up by shaking my arms.
" Light, wake-up and here is your total of 30000 Valis. "
Rubbing my eyes awake, I saw three coins on the tray.
[ A / N : Light is only exchanging the magic stones he had farmed on the first floor. ]
" Sorry Rose, I dozed off waiting for you. Also what happened about me being a porter in the expedition? "
Putting it in my pocket, I asked her about the main reason I had come here.
" Your application was accepted, but you'll only be paid 150,000 Valis upfront and another 150,000 Valis after the expedition. I know it's very less, I also tried to get the amount increased, but the guild is also financially not doing well. "
" The guild is already spending money like water helping the normal people of Orario rebuilding their houses and now the upcoming expedition is also being funded by the guild. "
" Rose, no worries, I'm going on this trip to get experience and not to earn Valis. This is a rare chance for me to go to the lower and deep floors. "
....
" If that's all, then see you, I still need to buy ingredients to cook for kami-sama. "
I said goodbye to Rose and left the guild.
After buying some ingredients along the way, by the time I reached home it was already 4 00 pm.
Standing in front of the entrance door, by habit, I reached into my pocket to get the key, but remembered that I had not taken it with me at all as Ereshkigal was in the house.
Knocking on the door, Ereshkigal opened it a few seconds later,
" I'm back, Ereshkigal-san. " I greeted her entering the door.
" Welcome back, Light. " came the reply from Ereshkigal.
Looking at the books on the sofa, it seemed that Ereshkigal was reading them just now.
" Light, I forgot to ask you, but where's your sister, does she live separately? You've only told me about her, never introduced or told me her name? "
Ereshkigal sat on the sofa opposite to mine and asked me about my sister.
" Well for starters my sister's name is Lisa. She's currently not in Orario. Instead of yellow hair like mine, hers is light blue, her eyes are also light blue. "
" She left 5 days after I came back to Orario, saying that her application to the school district got selected. "
" But now that I think about it, there were several loopholes in what she said, joining the school district when the ship itself would be docking here the beginning of the next year if I'm not wrong. "
" And why would she even apply to the school district. She never told me she wanted to become a teacher. "
" But it looked like she had found a good friend, so I did not press her for any details. "
Replying to Ereshkigal's question about my sister, I remembered the night my sister had asked me to meet near Orario's side gate and silently left with another person.
Walking together with her was a beautiful fair-skinned woman with silver hair wearing a dark goth-like dress.
That was all I was able to see in the darkness of the night.
They were visible only for a moment and had vanished the next.
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A / N : Guys, it's official, I'm not good at names, Light and now Lisa, let me know a few good single word names, preferably Japanese, thank you!
Also guessed the other person with Lisa ?
Also I tried to start the expedition in this chapter only, but the other things already dragged the chapter too long, if I included the beginning of the expedition it would go above 5000!
Anyway will try to post another chapter today if it gets done early, if not tomorrow.