Logging into the game, I opened my eyes to the city of Arialight at night with people, both players and NPCs, roaming about.

The first thing to do is bring out Lampy, who remotely went and comfort itself in between my chest. Then, it's off to the market for me!

Along the way, I've noticed some players staring at me, murmuring something.

They must be jealous of my Lampy's cool-looking top hat and monocle for sure.

Anyways, I wonder where he is...

Ah! There he is.

"Diego!" I called out to him.

He turned, looking at me and waved smiling as I walked up to his store front.

"Hello there, Yoru. It's been quite a while. How have you been? I heard you stirred up some trouble yesterday."

"I did? I don't remember doing something like that though. Ah, but anyways I'm doing well. I have just reached level 32 after doing some intense grinding in the new region yesterday."

"Uhh... I'm pretty sure that was the trouble I was talking about."

"Is it?"

"Yeah... So anyways! Are you here to buy something? May I interest you with some items that you might like?"

"Umm, no. I'm not here for that. I wanted to consult with you about something actually."

"Consultation, huh?"

"Yes. I want to ask— Hm?"

Before I was able to ask Diego about how I can set up a mini food store by the street that Sanae and I had discussed before, he placed his hand out with an open palm and a wry smile, bearing the clear intent of telling me to pay up before I consulted him with the matter.

"Seriously?"

"Yes."

"Everything's a business to you, huh?"

"Yup~"

"Can't you make an exception just this once or something?"

"But that would be unfair for those who have consulted me with stuff before. It will be 100,000 gold by the way."

This sly elf...

I paid up. Then, I asked.

"So how does one set up a store around here?"

"That will have to depend on what kind of store you want to run?"

"One that sells street food."

"I see. As I recall, you did buy those equipment from me the other day to boost your dexterity for cooking. How were they?"

"Ah, right... Those things..." As Diego mentioned that, I was reminded of another one of my objectives for finding him today in Arialight's marketplace. "Do you have any equipment that I can replace them with? Especially for the apron..."

"Is there a problem with the apron?"

"Yes! The problem with it is that it's only an apron when I equipped it. I was butt booty naked in it with nothing but a ray of light censoring my behind!"

"Wait. For real?" Diego questioned me, seemingly appalled by what I've just told him.

"Yes, for real! Was it not the same for you, Diego?"

"No... I got a shirt and shorts automatically when I equipped the apron myself. I thought it would be the same for you." Diego pondered on it for a moment and soon realized why the difference was like that. "I see... So the female variant for that equipment is a naked apron, huh?"

"So it's the game's fault that I got that?"

"Basically."

What the hell is wrong with this game!?

"Curse you, devs..."

"Hahaha! It must suck to be a woman in this game, huh?"

"Urk... Shouldn't have hit that randomize button." I muttered under my breath.

"Well, look... How about this? I'll make you a replacement for the apron for free."

"Seriously? You're not going to charge me for that?"

"No. Since I had no idea that the game would put you in a naked apron appearance, I'll make an exception just for it. I'll even make it have better stats than the one you have since my Smithing skill has improved since then."

"I see. Thanks, Diego."

"No problem, Yoru. Just let me add you to my friend list, so that I can inform you when it's ready." Said Diego, sending me a friend request which I promptly accepted as he returned to the original subject at hand.

"Ok. So back to the subject of your store now, what sort of design would you like it to be?"

"Uh, a normal one would do? How do you even open one to begin with?"

"Simple. You make one using the game's crafting system. Well, you need the Smithing skill to be exact. So it's either you try to make one yourself which I wouldn't recommend considering your character's build, or have someone whose build is specialized in it to make one for you. Otherwise, you just buy a mat from any general store and claim a spot to run your 'shop' which I wouldn't recommend if what you want to sell is food."

"And I'm guessing that 'someone' you're implying is you, Diego."

"Hehehe. You understand me well, Yoru."

Well, you did mention before that your character is better for smithing...

"But how is making a store categorized as smithing?"

"Well according to the game, carpentry is part of smithing."

"Oh... I see... So how much must I pay you to craft a mini store for me?" I asked Diego, who had already decided on his price, stating it without hesitation.

"Two million golds."

"Too expensive. Make it five hundred thousand golds at least."

"Hey now, I can't sell myself too cheap here. It's my skills you're buying." Diego argued, stating his next offer. "One million, eight hundred thousand golds."

And so, the bargaining begins.

"Six hundred thousand golds."

"One million, seven hundred thousand."

"Seven hundred thousand."

"One million, six hundred thousand."

"Nine hundred thousand."

"One million, four hundred thousand."

"One million, two hundred thousand."

"Hmm... Ok. Deal!"

Accepting my bargain for 1,200,000 golds, Diego and I shook hands as I pay him half of the amount first and half later once he's done with it.

Was it worth it? Probably not. At this point I still have like 15 million golds in my possession, so I wouldn't really care about that.

"Glad to do business with you again, Yoru. Is there anything else you need or are you done now?"

"Yeah, I think that's al—"

I stopped myself at the last second, remembering that there was still one more thing I could use Diego's help with.

"No. There is actually one thing I would like to request your smithing services for." I said, bringing a wide grin across Diego's face.

"Of course! What do you want me to make, my friend?" He asked.

I opened my inventory, moved to the slot where my Umbra Crystals are and took them out. Placing all five of them onto the counter in front of Diego, whose expression quickly turned from a cheerful sly grin to an expression of surprise and astonishment as he stared in awe at the crafting materials I have brought out to his face.

"Hold on. Are these Umbra Crystals?"

"That is what they are called. You know about it?"

"How would I not! According to the game, Umbra Crystals are the rarest and the highest quality metal you can acquire in the game. It is named after the game's title after all, being a unique metal in this game's world. Where in the world did you get this, Yoru?"

"From the Arialight Liberation Quest when I cleared it. They were part of my reward."

"I see... So you can get them from Liberation Quests too, huh?"

Too?

"How do you normally get them?"

"Well according to the UFO forum, Umbra Crystals are exclusive drops from Raid Bosses. But the chances of them dropping it are low so you'll likely to ever get them once every ten battles. But that information was from players who had played the beta, so I guess the devs must have added it as a Liberation Quest reward too after that."

So it's a raid boss exclusive drop for the most part. I hope they drop when Sanae and I challenge the Umbra Lord of Marionettes.

"So anyways, do you think you could make a new staff for me using these, Diego? That's my request by the way."

"I see. Well... if you're fine with leaving the design and perks of your new staff to me."

"Sure. I look forward to what you can create, my friend."

"Leave it to me, Yoru. I swear I won't disappoint. In fact, you don't need to pay me this time. The Umbra Crystals here will be enough for that."

"Great. Glad to do business with you, Diego."

"Hey, that's my line. But yeah, my pleasure, Yoru."

And with that, my business with Diego is done. We waved goodbye to each other, as I proceeded to make my way to the west gate where Sanae and I had planned to meet up.

As I arrived there first, I stood at the side and waited. While doing so, however, someone snuck up behind me and covered my eyes.

"Guess who~?" The person said, pressing their soft chest against my back.

"Akatsuki."

"Bingo!" She said, removing her hands from my eyes and jumped in to my front.

"Did I keep you waiting?" She asked.

"Nope. I had just arrived myself." I answered.

"Then let's go!" Sanae shouted, as we stepped outside of the city and made our way into the Sacrecy Region again.

Sanae is now level 29 after our grinding yesterday and I'm level 32. As we traveled deeper into the darkness of the Sacrecy region to find a new spot to grind out levels some more, Sanae suggested a different plan to me instead.

"Hey Yoru, why don't we go and fight the Umbra Lord of Marionettes instead of grinding tonight?"

"Now? Will we even be able to beat him with just the two of us though?"

"Likely not. But we don't know anything about the boss now, do we? That's why I suggest we go and see what this raid boss is like to learn of his attack patterns and stuff like that. What do you think?"

"Hmm..."

What Sanae said has a point. But I feel like we should increase our levels some more before we do so. However, all in all, I am a bit curious about the Umbra Lord of Marionettes the game wants us to beat for the quest. So...

"Let's do it. We will likely die to the boss and face the EXP penalty upon revival, but I'm curious like you so bring Bane out and let's go!"

"Aye aye, sir!"

Bane was brought out as Sanae and I rode him all the way to the location where the Umbra Lord of Marionettes is. Although I'm not showing it, I am excited to see what this raid boss will look like.

I can't wait!