Chapter 2-4 : Necromancy (part 1)
「We can talk about how famous Alice-chan is later-nya. So, how can I help you today?」(Lynette)
「You see she’s still wearing beginner’s armor, right? She needs new gear.」(Alice)
「I see-nya~ What kind of armor would you like-nya?」(Lynette)
「I want a kimono like Alice!」(Umika)
Umika leaned against the reception desk and looked at Lynette with sparkling eyes.
Come to think of it, she really wanted a kimono the first time we met.
However, Lynette shifted her gaze and scratched her cheek with her index finger awkwardly.
「Umm, I’m sorry-nya, but making a kimono would be a bit difficult now. I still have so many orders to complete-nya.」(Lynette)
「That’s too bad…」(Umika)
Feeling disappointed, the sparklings in her eyes gradually faded.
「I can’t make a kimono, but I can make a cute dress for you-nya. It’s easier-nya.」(Lynette)
「A cute dress?」(Umika)
「Yup. Or do you want something more unique, like a maid outfit-nya?」(Lynette)
「Ma-maid outfit!?」(Umika)
I think a maid outfit will look good on her, but she refused.
「No, no. I’ll stick with the dress!」(Umika)
「If you say so-nya. Alice-chan, how about you-nya?」(Lynette)
「Eh?」(Alice)
Lynette suddenly passed the ball to me.
「Oh, that’s a brilliant idea! Alice in a maid outfit… Ahhh~ She will surely look cute~!」(Umika)
「Right~? You have good eyes-nya.」(Lynette)
This is not good. I don’t want to be treated like a dress-up doll ever again.
「No, no, no! The one who needs new armor is her, not me! Besides, I don’t have much money right now. You don’t want me to pay you cheap, do you?」(Alice)
「That’s a shame-nya. Alright, I won’t force you-nya.」(Lynette)
Phew. Good thing she likes money.
「Well then, Umika-chan, since you’re Alice-chan’s friend, I’ll give you a discount-nya.」(Lynette)
「Really? Thank you!」(Umika)
「It originally costs you 6000G, but I’ll give it to you for 5000G-nya. You can pay me when I finish the dress-nya.」(Lynette)
「Sounds good to me.」(Umika)
「Lynette-san, how long will it take?」(Alice)
「Won’t be long. A few days-nya.」(Lynette)
「Can you make it before the event starts?」(Alice)
「Ah, so you want to join the next event with her-nya. Alright, you can leave it to me-nya.」(Lynette)
「Thank you.」(Alice)
「Thank you, Lynette-san!」(Umika)
「Also, since we’re going to hunt monsters in the forest today, we need temporary armor for her.」(Alice)
When I said that, Umika tilted her head and looked at me.
「I’ve been wondering, but do I really need it? The monsters around here are not that strong, right?」(Umika)
「Yeah, but you can’t underestimate them. It would be bad if you got hurt.」(Alice)
「…..」(Umika)
Suddenly, Umika’s face turned slightly red.
She then put her palms on her cheeks and whispered.
「Kyaa~ Alice is worrying about me~!」(Umika)
「Hm? Do you say something?」(Alice)
「Ahem! It’s nothing.」(Umika)
Hm? Did I say something weird?
「If you’re looking for cheap armor to wear while waiting for your new dress, you can check the racks over there-nya.」(Lynette)
Lynette pointed at the cloth racks in a corner of the store.
「Since I won’t be using it for long, I guess I’ll take this one.」(Umika)
Umika approached one of the racks and took a plain leather armor piece.
It only had slightly higher DEF than her beginner’s armor, but still, it was better.
「How much is it?」(Umika)
「200G-nya.」(Lynette)
「That’s so cheap compared to the dress!」(Umika)
「Well, just like Alice-chan’s kimono, your dress will be a premium piece of armor-nya. The cheap ones on the racks are the products I made just to grind EXP-nya」(Lynette)
「I see.」(Umika)
Umika took out 200G and put it on the counter.
「Thank you-nya. Oh, right. I almost forgot. Before you leave, Alice-chan, I have something that may interest you-nya.」(Lynette)
「Hm?」(Alice)
Lynette grabbed the coins and grinned at me.
It’s Lynette we’re talking about. It may be something silly, but I guess I’ll listen to her first.
「I know an interesting skill you may want to learn-nya. You want to hear it?」(Lynette)
「An interesting skill?」(Alice)
「It’s called【Puppet Arts】-nya.」(Lynette)
「【Puppet Arts】, huh?」(Alice)
Judging from its name, I think it’s a skill to manipulate a puppet.
That’s kind of interesting.
「How can I learn it?」(Alice)
「It’s an advanced version of a skill called【Manipulation】, and you can learn【Manipulation】 from someone who has passed a certain level threshold on【Tool Mastery】skill-nya. You might wonder where you can find such a player, but have no worries, because you’re looking at one-nya!」(Lynette)
Saying that, Lynetted puffed out her chest.
「So you’re saying you can teach me that?」(Alice)
「That’s right-nya!」(Lynette)
Ah, I think I can see where this is going.
She has an interesting skill she can teach me, but knowing how greedy this cat girl is, I bet it won’t be free.
「Umm, how much do you want?」(Alice)
「Hey, stop that. I indeed like money, but I’m not as greedy as you think-nya. I’ll teach you for free-nya.」(Lynette)
「Really? You’re joking, right?」(Alice)
Wow, that’s rare for her to do something for free.
「I’m not joking-nya. Think of it as my thanks for recommending my shop to Umika-nya. Besides… Rin would come and ruin my shop with her storm if I kept charging her best friend money-nya…」(Lynette)
Lynette hugged herself and shivered. I could tell how afraid she was.
That’s Rin for you…
「There’s no reason to say no. I’ll gratefully learn it from you then.」(Alice)
「Alright, wait a moment-nya.」(Lynette)
She went through the back door and returned while holding a stuffed bear.
「Waah~」(Umika)
For some reason, Umika looked at the stuffed bear with her eyes wide open, looking so interested.
「I’ll use this little one for demonstration-nya. The first thing you need to do is learn【Tool Mastery】from your skill list-nya. Don’t worry, it’s a cheap skill-nya.」(Lynette)
「Alright.」(Alice)
I opened my menu interface, accessed the list of free-to-learn skills, and learned【Tool Mastery】. It only cost me one Skill Point to learn.
「Next step is easy-nya. You just have to watch me using the skill-nya.」(Lynette)
Saying that, Lynette took out a few strands of thread from her pocket and held it toward me.
Soon after, the strands of thread in her hand extended and started wriggling like worms.
「By using【Manipulation】Skill, you can control small objects like thread-nya.【Puppet Arts】is the advanced version of it-nya. It allows you to control puppets, dolls, or stuffed plushies. Like this-nya.」(Lynette)
After demonstrating【Manipulation】Skill, she put back the thread into her pocket and put the stuffed bear she had been holding on the counter. She then took a few steps away and stretched her arms toward the bear.
The stuffed bear then started moving as if it were alive.
「Waahh~…」(Umika)
「You can even give it an order-nya. For example, you can make it dance like this-nya.」(Lynette)
After she said that, the stuffed bear started dancing on the counter, moving around its small limbs and waist.
「Waaaaahhh~ It’s so cute~!」(Umika)
Umika was watching it dance with excitement.
「Interesting, isn’t it-nya?」(Lynette)
「Un, un! Say, Lynette-san, can I learn it too? Please!」(Umika)
「Of course-nya. Now that you have watched me using the skill, you should be able to learn【Manipulation】, but first you need to learn【Tool Mastery】-nya.」(Lynette)
「Got it!」(Umika)
Umika opened her menu and started searching. I wonder why she’s so excited.
「Say, Umika, do you like stuffed animals?」(Alice)
「Eh!? N, not really? I’m an adult, you know? There’s no way I like something so childish!」(Umika)
She shifted her gaze awkwardly.
Suspicious…
「Really~?」(Alice)
I asked her with a slightly teasing tone.
「Ugu… Y, yeah, I like them… Just a little bit!」(Umika)
She admits it.
「I see. That’s cute of you.」(Alice)
「Oya~ Our famous internet idol-chan actually loves stuffed animals-nya~ How cute-nya~」(Lynette)
「Uuu~ Come on, stop teasing me! I said I only like them a little. I only have a small collection of five hundred stuffed animals in my house.」(Umika)
「Five hundreds!?」(Alice)
「That’s not small at all-nya!」(Lynette)
Looks like she’s a collector of stuffed animals.
「A-anyway, I just have to learn【Tool Mastery】, right?」(Umika)
She quickly changed the subject and continued searching the menu.
「Oh, I get a massage. It says I can learn【Manipulation】.」(Umika)
「That’s it-nya. Learn it and you will be able to learn【Puppet Arts】-nya.」(Lynette)
「Waah! You’re right! Thank you, Lynette-san!」(Umika)
「You’re welcome-nya. Alice-chan, how about you-nya?」(Lynette)
Soon after Lynette asked that, a half-translucent window appeared in front of me.
〈Congratulations! Since you have learned 【Tool Mastery】and have been taught【Manipulation】, you can learn【Manipulation】for 0 Skill Points. Learn it now? YES / NO〉
I can now learn【Manipulation】for free. Without delay, I pressed YES right away.
Soon after, I got another message.
〈Congratulations! Since you have learned【Dark Magic】,【Hunter】, and【Manipulation】, you can learn【Necromancy】for 5 Skill Points. Learn it now? YES / NO〉
「Ehh…?」(Alice)
【Necromancy】? I thought I would be able to learn【Puppet Arts】.
What’s going on?
You can gain access to [Early Access] page and read up to ten chapters ahead by supporting me on [Patreon]