Part 58: Just Two Quests

Update 47: Just Two Quests



Ah... I feel so much stronger after yesterday!
Mrrrnr.
Mhm, good morning, Freyja. Heard you and Stardust trounced a dragon yesterday.
It was nothing, honestly... Um, where are Realga and Stardust?
Last I saw, getting practically-dragged to breakfast by Jackie. Think Ranger was tagging along too.
Hrrrrm...







Here's everyone's final builds. I rested Ursa and Realga to get them back to normal builds, instead of wasting tons of skill points on attacks skills I'm not gonna use on either of them. By this point, most of my skill points are just going into passives.




Here are two things I unlocked. Exciting!

Volt Whip (+204 ATK, +5 AGI, normal attacks become Cut+Volt) is unlocked by selling 1 Emperor Barbel. I'd buy this for Freyja if it wasn't ridiculously out of our price point right now--it costs a whopping 420k en.

Hasta (+47 ATK) is unlocked by selling 5 Aragonites and 5 Spotted Carapaces. Yeah, I didn't unlock this super-earlygame spear until just now.




This is the spot we have to go to for Nupital preparations.

SYSTEM: He spares you a glance, then looks away disinterestedly--turning his eyes back up to the sky.


Your son asked us to come talk to you about his marriage.
SYSTEM: You tell him that you came to speak to him regarding his son's marriage, and he lets out a small, weary laugh.
Shoulda figured. Y'know...this is a nice place. Peaceful, isn't it? Something...nostalgic.


All I remember about this place is getting stressed out from being chased by dinosaurs.


My wife used to tell my son to grow up to be a strong man that can protect someone... 'Course, I feel the same way.
SYSTEM: The guard takes out a necklace with a vivid green gemstone from his pocket. Staring at it, he speaks again, voice wistful.
I only proposed to my wife when I could prove I was a strong man. I had to show I had the grit to see it through. ...Just wish my son could prove he had that resolve, instead of having to rely on someone else...
Kinda hard when you're born with a large brain in exchange for minimum muscle.
Sorry to turn you away after all that, but I won't approve of the marriage. I'd like to be alone now, if you don't mind.
SYSTEM: It appears staying further will do no good. You should go back to the bar to report to his son...
If this turns into an endless back and forth, I'm just gonna go back to bed until one of them gives in.
B-but the reward is 40k ental...
Even that much money isn't worth this.



Oh, welcome back. Were you able to meet my father?
Yes. Uh... It didn't go very well.
...I...see. Then he wouldn't let me...after all. Well...how was my father?
He got really wistful, and pulled out a necklace with an emerald in it.
What? An emerald necklace? P-Please, wait! Did father say anything else to you?
Uh, um... H-he said that you...should be a strong man...
He said I should be a strong man...and said I should show my resolve without relying on others...? Hm... But how do I prove my resolve...? Wait... That necklace... Did father...? In that case, that quarry must be on the 2nd floor...! Maybe there's another way...but maybe, if I can do the same thing my father did...!
What the hell are you babbling about?
I'm sorry, everyone! I need to go find that ore! I'll take care of it from here! No, I... I must do it on my own!


Just something about an emerald necklace. He's headed to the quarry on 2F to get ore, I assume.
...I see. So that's how it turned out... But that kid can barely swing a sword. Tch... I'm kinda worried. He said he's gotta do it on his own, but...if anything happens to him, his lass is gonna cry her eyes out. Could yeh go after him?
AaaauuAAAGH! Fine, we'll do it! Where the hell is this quarry?!
Yeh're askin' me? I'm not an adventurer, yeh know. I'd never remember somethin' like th...wait! I just remembered! There's a rumor that someone saw emerald ore at a mining spot on the 2nd floor. If I remember right, it was northwards.
Ah, the mining spot that has salt!
Ask me again if yeh can't find it. Sorry to push this on yeh, but yeh're the only one I can ask.




You MORON! STOP!
SYSTEM: You draw your weapons, but the son barks an order not to interfere. Battered and hurt, he charges the monster head-on. The guardsman's son is holding his own, but each successful hit from the monster nearly sends him to the ground... He takes hit after punishing hit...but then, seizing his chance, he lunges forward and lands a sudden counterattack! He has only time to grin in triumph before the enraged monster slams into him, sending him flying back off his feet! The guardsman's son hits the stone wall with a painful thud, and he collapses forward, with no strength left.
A simple mole. Absolutely no challenge at all.
SYSTEM: You swiftly move between the monster and the unconscious scholar, and raise your weapons. With a roar, the monster charges!




This is a Mole with 929 HP, 47 STR, and Destructive Claw, aka that skill that White Apes had. There's no point to showing off this battle, because nothing intersting happens in it.



A-Aghh... Wh-What happened...? Where's the...the monster...?
We took care of it, don't worry.
...It's... you...? I see... I couldn't defeat the monster on my own...after all?
Nope, and you were, frankly, kind of an idiot to even try.
Gah...how humiliating... O-Oh, right! The ore! Where...where's the ore!? Phew, it's here... I need to show my father this ore... That should show him...what my resolve is...!
SYSTEM: With that, the guardsman's son stands up...but staggers, badly wounded. Continuing would be impossible for him.
No. Absolutely not. With wounds like that, you are going back to town, and walking to the hospital immediately. I don't think Dr. Stiles is busy today--just ask for him. Lemme patch up the worst lacerations real quick...
Are you going to charge him for that...?
Nope, I'll just put it on my normal bill.
SYSTEM: Leaving him to his death would be unthinkable. You suggest that you deliver the ore, and he seek medical attention. He protests vehemently, but cannot argue against his wounds for long. He sadly hands you the ore, and uses an Ariadne Thread. After seeing him off, you decide to head to the small room where his father is, in the northeast of the 2nd floor.


SYSTEM: He notices you approach, but simply turns his gaze to the sky.


He... He fought a vicious monster alone, just for your approval.
That so...? I see. I guess he was always like that. He always watched for my reaction on anything he did, and was dead set on trying to live up to my expectations. ...But I think he's changed. I think...he'll get married, even if I don't approve of it.
Are you REALLY sure about that?
Look, just see this...
SYSTEM: The guard stands quietly, looking into the distance, and you hand him the bag with the ore inside.
Hah...a rough-cut chunk like this...? He's a smart boy, but sometimes he really misses the point...just like me. It might have been a bit misguided, but I guess this is his resolve... and his answer for me.
SYSTEM: The guard laughs quietly, but follows it with a deep sigh. After a moment, he turns in your direction.
...When my son showed up and told me he was getting married, and becoming a scholar... I was glad to hear it. If a child just keeps following in his parents' footsteps, then he's just going to be a child forever. But he thought for himself, and decided something on his own...and showed me that he had learned independence. I'm sorry, but would you return to town and tell my son this? You will never have my approval for your marriage. Don't expect any handouts or support when life gets rough. Get married, and I'll disown you. You'll be on your own from now on.
Oh, COME ON! Just reconcile already so we can be done with this!
...I'll take his ore with me. It's too rough to make a proper necklace out of. You should give him this instead.


I HATE THIS. ...Okay, no, it actually is kinda nice, but... What are you even trying to say?


SYSTEM: Was the guard giving the couple his blessing, in his own way...? When you have time, go to the bar to report this to the guardsman's son!
No answer, huh? Bah, back to the bar.



Oh, everyone, welcome back. I'm sorry I caused you trouble earlier...
Did you go to the hospital, like I told you to?
How are your wounds? Are you feeling better?
...Oh, my condition? Ahaha... Well, it's probably going to ache for a long time, but I'm getting better. I'll live. And, also...could you please bring that emerald ore to my father?
We did. He took the ore, and said he'd never approve. Then he gave us this necklace.
...Huh? Something from father? That's--That's mother's necklace... But why...? My father gave this to my mother, and he always took great care of...hmm? What's this on the back...? Father's writing? This is mother's name...and my fiancee's name?
Please tell me that means what I think it means.
Hahah...ahahahaha! This... I guess this is his way of congratulating me. Seriously, what an awkward man...
Well, it worked out in the end. Congratulations, incidentally!
Oh, thank the gods, we're done. ...Also, yeah, congrats.
...Thank you very much for your help. I left your reward with Cass, so please accept my gratitude! Now, I have a new duty to fulfill--to deliver this necklace to a very important person. So...please excuse me. Everyone...thank you so very much for your help.
Best of luck to the both of you.


Hey, I heard about what happened. Like father, like son, I guess... They're both damn weird in their own ways.
You don't have to tell me twice.
I guess the dad went to a friend of his son's to get the bride's name, just to get it engraved and make a statement... Haw haw haw... The old coot's soft after all, huh? Yeh wouldn't guess it, but I'm a sap for this kinda story...
W-well, Realga is t-- Oops...
...WHO TOLD YOU? Screw it, whatever, I'll deal with you later. Just get on with it, Cass.
I figure he knew it the whole time...that his son was already a grown man. He can stand on his own now, and do what needs doin'. Well, anyhow, the quest is complete! Here, make sure to take yer reward! See yeh next time!



40k en for a quest that's mostly just dialogue plus one easy event fight isn't bad at all.




I sent the Byeahs out after that to get all the materials for The courageous knight.



They also got this thing. Brawn Rings give +7 STR to the holder, which is a pretty damn big boost to physical damage. I put this on Asriel later in the update, since he needs all the help he can get to stay competitive.



Ey, welcome back! Let's see...ah, yep, that's all 3 of them awright! That's this quest taken care of, then. The Knight piece is yers now! It's takin' a lot of work, but it looks like yer chess set is really comin' together. They do say haste makes waste, eh? Take it slow and steady, kids! And I should know! I'm used to waitin' around! Ahaw haw haw haw! Here yeh go--yer reward. Only a little more left to go. Don't give up! Awright, see yeh next time!



Just one piece left.



Getting Revive back up to where it once was.



And maxing out Formula Mastery on Stardust for more tiny bonus damage.



And here's some stuff I unlocked.

Crescent Sword (+139 ATK) is unlocked by selling 5 Moonstones.

Blitz Staff (+103 ATK, +30 TP, +4 TEC is unlocked by selling 3 Tourmalines.

Bright Sandals (+23 ATK, +2 STR, +2 AGI) is unlocked by selling 1 Tourmaline. Those bonus stats are pretty nice--I buy sets for both Asriel and Freyja.

Bind Charm (+30% resistance to all binds) is made from 1 Shine Rock. I'd rather have the individual Guards, since immunity to one specific type of bind is a lot more useful than 30% resistance to all of them.

Next time: 24F. Because while this update is short, it's also simultaneously long enough that it'd cause the update to ram squarely into the character limit with 24F. Sorry!