POV: Lucia

I've tried a few times to create a weapon for Iris. I made a dagger of each sub-type I'm able to but so far I haven't produced one I'm fully satisfied with. I only have these six failures to show.

And now it is almost evening.

Guess I should close the shop soon. Maybe I can try again tomorrow.

How many materials do I have left? ...doesn't look too good. Damn.

I wish Jared would've kept more materials for me.

...

I check again what I've created so far and I must admit my smithing skills have actually improved - to my dismay a lot even.

I hate it.

I worked my ass off all those years and made barely any progress. Then... that event happened and now... I guess I made some things even the master would've trouble creating.

I should be happy making such progress but it feels hollow...

...

Ok, that was the last of the materials I had for a dagger for Iris. Now, which one is most suited for her...

Ring Ring

Huh? A customer arrived at this time?

A familiar voice shouts, "Hey, Lucia? Are you there?"

Think of the devil...

"Hey, Iris. I'm in the back. Feel free to come here."

"Okay, I'll be there in a moment."

Just as she said, Iris enters the forging room.

"Kinda hot in here."

"What did you expect, Iris? It is a forge after all."

"True... Doesn't the heat bother you now that you're undead? You know, because of the fire weakness."

"You would think so but for some reason, it just doesn't."

"Alright. May I ask what you're working on?"

"Actually... I wanted to gift you a better dagger since you'll be accompanying us but... I tried a few times and now I'm out of materials. And honestly? I'm not really satisfied with any of the results."

"Can I see them anyway?"

"Knock yourself out, it was for you anyway. They are in that barrel over there. Just take the one that speaks to you the most."

"And the rest?"

"The other five will get sent to the military. There may not be many dagger users but they want all the weapons they can get anyway. A contract is a contract after all..."

"Sure, let me check."

Iris goes over the indicated barrel and takes out one of the daggers.

She looks at it for a moment, then puts it back and takes the next.

"I've... no idea what exactly I should look for. I may have the dagger skill but I've never used one. Any suggestions?"

"Can't help you there. Most of it is just experience or instinct. Just take a dagger and check how it feels in your hand. Take a few swings. If it doesn't 'click' with you try the next. I'd say, in the end, most of it is down to personal preference which dagger would be the best for you."

"Alright..."

She tries a few daggers as instructed but isn't satisfied with any of them.

"I don't know, Lucia... what is with that greatsword? Did you sort it in the wrong barrel?"

"Believe it or not, that one is still a dagger... Supposedly it is a style that was popular with a few 'Lost Ones' in the past. Called it an 'ahnimay' class weapon, or something like that. Hmm, maybe Jared knows the proper name?"

"You're pulling my leg. This so-called dagger is almost as tall as I am."

Despite her objections to accepting it as a dagger - and I don't blame her for that - she tries a few swings with it.

"It is kinda heavy..."

"Given its size, what did you expect?"

"I guess you're right... say what, I'll take it. I don't have much STR to speak of so its special property is perfect for me. And I won't say no to extra reach."

"Which property was that again?"

"Here, that one."

"Your call, really. But 117+426 STR isn't bad for a start. In fact, that should put you above the average soldier. Cheater. Hmm... since it is basically a sword, Marca should be able to teach you a few 'sword' skills you can adapt for it."

"Sure, I'll ask her next time."

"Say, if you only care about the reach, I could next time try to make you something with even more reach like a dagger on a stick."

"You mean like a spear?"

"I think it would be more like a scythe. A very... very broad knife on a stick."

"...maybe once my STR exceeds this not-sword."

"That will take a lot of time though. But what were you actually here for, Iris?"

"Nothing in specific. I was just finished with my preparations to relocate from the church to your mansion and wanted to check up on you."

"Well, I guess you did that AND ruined my surprise in one go. So... well done, Iris."

"Eh, otherwise I would've asked you to make me a weapon anyway. Probably would have called that in as a favor. You still owe me one for that familiar trickery..."

"Shit, I could've gotten away THAT cheap? Bah!"

Iris starts laughing, "No, not really. I would keep reminding you again and again anyway for as long as I live. And given a certain skill that appeared in my skill list, this will be a very long time."

"Remind me again, who of us is the creature made of evil again?"

"You, and then you additionally got changed to a vampire. So I guess not much has changed in the end."

"Hey! That's going too far, Iris."

"What? Can't take a joke? Can only dish them out?"

"Nah, but some things go too far. I'll have you know I am... was the Holy Maiden. An evil creature would never be chosen for that position."

"What, I thought you hated that role, Lucia?"

"I didn't hate the role itself but the treatment that came with it. You know that."

"Right. Well, it is getting a bit late, and I don't know what all still needs to be done before I can sleep in my new room."

"You know that you don't need to sleep anymore since becoming our familiar, right?"

"Oh... that is... true... I still need to get used to the changes. Anyway, I want to just get those things done. See you later then."

"Right, later."

Iris leaves again.

I want to get back to smithing some weapons.

Given the time, I can only make one more today.

Previously, SP would've been a major issue but the passive regeneration just removes that concern.

Now, what should be the last thing I make...

---

POV: Jared

Ever since settling things with Elly, we've checked through the glitched titles. Well, after confirming that she knows nothing worthwhile about monsters. Really, she sat thousands of years at the source of knowledge and didn't even bother to find that out...

During our search, I didn't have any luck finding another title with a useable effect.

Elly on the other hand... at least claimed to have found several overpowered ones but before I can check them they disappear from the list. Allegedly she founds titles that give fifty percent more stats, make summons free to use, double exp gain, make levels always cost 1 exp, remove the need for Class Cores or remove the cap on taken classes...

Could've really used any of them...

Now I'm not sure if Elly is trying to prank me or if reality is. Given my luck, probably both.

"Maybe we should just give up for now. Aside from 'Ruler of Familiars' I just have no luck finding anything and all the interesting titles you find just disappear the moment I look for them, as if they are Schroedinger titles."

"It is probably something like that. Each title has a requirement you need to meet to unlock it and those probably check for conditions that are effectively random."

"What, they check for the time of day or something?"

"Something like that, Jared."

"Well, that's nothing we can change then."

"So we're calling it quits now?"

"Yeah. I'll maybe risk a look when I have some downtime, Elly, but having you help me ironically doesn't help. It rather makes me feel scammed because you make me aware of all the overpowered shit I've missed."

"Well, that's how it is. So what else should I work on? Seemingly, I can't help you with these titles, the gibberish book is out as well, what I know of Gzeph's notes won't help us either..."

"Have you already checked all of the stuff he sent with us?"

"Yeah, it is either broken or lacks context I don't have either."

"Perfect... can you prepare some plans based on the knowledge about the system you shouldn't have?"

"...if I must. What do you have in mind, Jared?"

"Are there any alternative means to obtain classes we don't know yet?"

"Aside from the variants, none I know of."

"Would've been too easy. Maybe any specific titles I really should acquire?"

"You already know 'Enduring Soul', 'Variant' and 'Summon Master'."

"Yes, any others?"

"The only other critical title I know of would be this one."

"Are elite classes that important?"

"Depends on what you want exactly. Stat wise they aren't better, the total stat growth rates are about the same. The major difference is that a few skill types can never appear on a base class, like flight, or any skill that has a cost over a thousand of any resource can only appear on an elite class. Also base classes kind of waste skill space for a base version in a given skill tree. For example, if you want a passive that improves summons the base class that carries it will always also have a summon skill variant itself."

"And elite classes just expect you to already have that base skill so they can improve upon it?"

"Correct."

"Good, what are the requirements for the 'Elitist' title?"

"Just a total of fifty levels in elite classes."

"So levels seventeen to eighteen in the three elite classes I can take by default. So we mostly need the Class Cores."

"Yeah, it always comes down to the class items..."

"Any other titles?"

"None I know of. Rest is for a lack of a better word trash. At least nothing that would help us in a significant way."

"Got it."

Now, what else should Elly do?

Before I can come to a conclusion a system message says hello.

Thanks, jerk... Did you get greetings from Gandhi?

Sigh

At least it changes nothing that I didn't already know.

If you want to win me over to your cause - whatever that may be - you should've sneakily included a small buff for me and not just a detriment.

Elly is exasperated, "Graham, what are you doing..."

"Forget it, Elly, we can't change it. Unless you have some secret access to the dev console?"

"Sorry, don't."

I check [Undead] again.

"Yeah, that changes nothing. Just stuff we already knew or in the case of affinities suspected."

"Oh, right, before I forget again. The 'Enduring Soul' title requires about three million weakness damage, right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Since you're undead... sun exposure damage counts as well to an extent. The part that gets absorbed through your equipment does not count but whatever was reduced through your 'Daywalker' title does. Don't ask me, I don't make the rules."

"That's good to know. So if I continue the way I currently am, I'll earn it without having to tank fireballs with my face."

"Yeah, but we're talking a few months here. And you still need to gain the relevant affinities to negate your weaknesses."

"Well, at least Lucia would immediately lose her fire and dark weaknesses. So about what you should do next... can you research if there is still a way for us to get rid of the light and holy weaknesses? If possible also look into ways to increase the cap of classes my summoned spirits can have. Four isn't enough if that also dictates how many classes my familiars can take for free. Or look for anything else that may strengthen them or my spirits further."

"Can I plan some of the variant classes for that?"

"If they have what I seek, sure, knock yourself out. While you're at it, you could also look if there are other generally interesting variant classes."

"Will do! Anything else I should look for?"

"Just the usual stuff you already know."

"Got it. Now, if you'll excuse me."

Elly leaves my office.

I scroll some more through the glitched titles but find none that seem useful.

Half exp gain, double drop rate? No thanks.

Weakness to everything in exchange for immunity to peanut-type damage? Hell, no, I don't have that allergy!

Unable to take further base classes... Now, you're not even trying...

Hmm... summons are free but my max MP becomes zero... ah, it is gone already. No need to think about it any further.

Urgh... why did only Elly have luck here?

Okay, I'm forgetting 'Ruler of Familiars'. That was a very lucky draw. Saves us a ton of Class Cores. Well, I need to focus more on summon skills and classes but if that in turn means we can have up to forty familiars with the full set of ten classes, worth it.

...

Knock Knock

"Come in."

Iris enters my office, "Hello, Jared. I'm here now."

"Right, uh, Maria should be in the kitchen preparing a meal. Please ask her which room she has prepared for you. She should help you settle in after dinner. We can talk tomorrow."

"Alright, thank you."

With that, Iris leaves in search of Maria.

I continue my title search for a while but nothing comes out of it.

Finally, Lucia returns, "Jared, I'm home!"

"Hey, how was your day?"

"Awful. Just, awful."

"Want to tell me what happened?"

She points at her fangs, "That."

"I don't follow."

She sighs, "Right... so ever since that event changed me... I've become better at smithing. Much better."

"I don't see the problem with that."

"But I do. I've tried all my life to become better but after a while barely made any progress anymore. And now... I've improved by leaps and bounds. Not by my effort but just by chance..."

I try to take her into my arms, "It is okay, you'll still make more progress and next time it WILL be through your own efforts."

She hugs me back, "...thanks."

I give her a moment.

"Wanna show me what you've created?"

"Not really. I made a dagger for Iris. You'll probably see it in the dungeon."

So you want me to wait for three days? Fine, if you say so.

"Or... well, I made another thing I'm not too proud of. I wanted to gift you a new spear, Jared, but... I kinda messed up."

She frees herself from my embrace, takes a deep breath and reveals... a statue of a princess? Uh, what?

"I have trouble seeing how you get from making a spear to... this."

"So... I was a bit distracted..."

"There were two girls walking by my shop and... they reminded me of yesterday night."

"Last night? We were fooling around with [Disguise]. What's that got to do with..."

We found out the [Disguise] has a lot fewer restrictions than we initially thought. Age, gender? Nothing is set in stone. Just need to keep it within the possibilities of what the user's race allows. No three-armed elves or winged humans.

No one would suspect a sixteen-year-old girl to be a male, supposedly ancient vampire progenitor. A seemingly ten-year-old girl though? That would be a dead giveaway.

But how does that relate to the two girls? ...Oh, right, we did that as well, "Oh, err, I understand now."

"Good...", Lucia becomes red like a tomato.

"So, how do you get from a spear to... this statue? If you were aiming for a club I'd understand but that's not even close to the same weapon family. How can you screw up that hard!?"

"Dunno, it just happened."

"Well, either way, it is too beautiful to destroy by use, so... let's just use it as an ornament in the lobby."

"...I think I'd die of embarrassment if you did."

"Even more reason to put it on display, consider it payback for your other pranks."

"Fine..."