I walk around town square after finishing breakfast. Bjorn's brother runs the blacksmith shop in town, and I can visit the local blacksmith's shop later today to complete the order. If Bjorn and Arne ever need to contact me, they will drop a note with innkeeper.
I start the morning by visiting the tailoring shop. I have worn this baggy robe for awhile. It is time for a new look. The local tailoring has a memorable name in the town square - "The Awkward Dress". I guess been the only tailor in town will keep the customers coming even with names like these.
I browse through the wares. Most of the selections are some forms of re-styled gambeson - protection, warmth, and a high risk of drowning all packaged into one. I meet several townsfolks and adventurers in the shop. I remember only a couple of their names, Felix, Marcus, and a few more. I have this "new person syndrome" where I only remember a few memorable names, but everyone including those that I have never met or seen knows who I am. Most of the customers pick gambeson of different construction and color.
I end up choosing a set of leather armor with vambrace. Leather is harder to maintain, and offers little protection against most piercing attacks, but its chemical and heat resistance is important to me. The armor is constructed with large overlapping pieces of cured leather bonded together with straps. A thick, partially boiled raw hide is attached to the front of the vest for extra protection. The tailor tightens the straps several times so that the armor can fit well on my slimmer build.
After finishing up my shopping trip, I visit the blacksmith's shop to fulfill the orders. Bjorn's brother Bo is running the blacksmith shop most days.
"John, is it? Bjorn told me about you. The materials are at the back. Let me know if you need anything, " and Bo goes back to his work.
Alchemy refinement on existing iron ingot is significantly easier than refining rocks and gives a lot of experience towards alchemy too. I check my status after finishing the refinement. I am very close to level 2 alchemy, and I still have more than half of my mana.
"Hey Bo, is there any left over scraps from smelting that you don't mind losing? I want to practice some alchemy refinement to see if I can level it up." I yelled to Bo over his hammering.
"Here, all of these are impurities left over from smelting iron ore. Most of it is similar to obsidian now. They still have traces of iron left, but too little to be worth much." Bo points to a bag of fine dark shards laying near his furnace.
I kind of want to make myself an obsidian sword just for the fun of it. In my previous world people create all kinds of crazy things. I might as well create something memorable for leveling up my alchemy. Maybe it can be a good gift to Katherine too.
Bo is using the main furnace for an armor project. I fire up the much smaller furnace for making swords, and carefully manipulate my mana to move a pocket of obsidian shards and levitates them in the furnace. As the shards get heated, they melt and form a cylinder rod. I start to apply pressure with my mana to mold it to a blade, but not matter how hard I try, I can only apply an uniform pressure. I can even see the cylinder visibly shrink from the pressure that I am applying.
* Warning: Insufficient mastery to perform molding
I blinked. Maintaining the pressure, I quickly check the system requirements. Turns out I need to have level 5 alchemy or have unlocked mana mastery to form specific shapes with mana. What is worse, is that the brief distraction breaks my concentration and deforms the obsidian cylinder to what look like a cucumber now. Whatever, it is something. I hastily take it out from the furnace and keeping a steady stream of mana circulating within it to ensure it cools evenly.
I watch as it cools - then spontaneously when the glow darkens - the entire obsidian crystalizes into a purple crystal cucumber. Ironically, the imperfect shape gives the crystal a reflection effect and light bounce off from it as if it is properly cut from a crystal.
"By divines, is this how alchemist forges equipment? Amazing!" Bo shouts behind me, "I always wondered how alchemist work with minerals. You folks sure create interesting things".
No actually this is purely accident. I chatted with Bo while I wait for my first alchemical creation to cool completely. I wonder if this is a good gift for Katherine.
* <Amethysts Crystal Object> - created by John the alchemist through alchemy for unspeakable purpose. A faint trace of mana remains.
* Level up! Alchemy level advances to level 2. Your understanding of the world deepens.
* Your <Scholar> class finds a new discovery. <Crystallization> skill obtained
