Chapter 12: Tailor Iori

2 DAYS AGO 2 COMMENTS

Translator: Soafp

After killing time at the dojo, I returned to the tent where I had come from, keeping my presence out of sight.

　In the midst of the still crowded tent, there was a very distinctive figure near a tall girl in the back.

　She had long blonde hair that reached down to her waist and was parted into several strands before being loosely curled.

　If it had been curled more tightly, it would have been called a drill.

　Well, that much is still understandable. With her height, I’d say she looks pretty good.

　–If she hadn’t been wearing an over-the-top kimono, that is.

“Oh, Sensei!”

” …… have you noticed me?”

　And then, Fino noticed me and waved at me with the same sleepy expression on her face.

　At the same time, the kimono-wearing girl also turned her gaze towards me —- her jasper eyes shining brightly.

“Well!　Well, well, well!”

“O-oh?”

　The girl, who was approaching me with a lot of tension, closed the distance without hesitation and circled around as if she was observing me.

　Apparently, her gaze was focused on my equipment.

　No, if anything, her gaze is focused on my entire figure, clad in my equipment.

　After observing me for a while, the girl claps her hands in a really good mood and starts talking.

“That’s wonderful!　I haven’t seen anyone dress this well in my clothes untill Hinasa came by!”

“Ah, ……, well, I’m used to wearing kimonos.”

“That’s right. After all, experienced people are different, right?”

　What can I say, she is a unique person in many ways.

　Her face is well formed – probably more like a foreigner’s face.

　Her blond hair and blue eyes made her look very attractive, but the fact that she was dressed in a kimono made me puzzled.

　On top of that, there was this young lady’s tone. At the very least, it is sure to leave a big impression. [TL: She ends her sentences with ” Desuwa”]

“Uhm, are you Iori-san?”

“Yes, that’s right. It’s nice to meet you, Quon-san.”

“Yes, same to you. So, did you bring my order?”

“Yes, over here.”

　Iori then took out two cloaks.

　One is a very ordinary dark brown cloak, and the other is…

“…… Oi, why did you bring these things?”

“Fino said that Quon-san was a better samurai than Hisana, so I thought this would suit you!”

　A haori dyed in light blue with only the cuffs white.

　Any Japanese person would recognize this haori as an image of the Shinsengumi.
[TL: The Shinsengumi was a special police force organized by the Bakufu during Japan’s Bakumatsu period in 1863]

　It’s true that I look like that with my hair wrapped around my head, but underneath I’m wearing a kimono, not a hakama.

　The color of the kimono is the same as the color of the hakama, so the haori of the Shinsengumi would not be appropriate.

“I hate to say it, but I don’t think this look good in my current outfit. You made it, so you know what I’m talking about.”

“Muu. …… Well, I can’t deny it. But, this suits you just fine, just like Nakamura Shusui!”

“…… Really?”

I wondered if she was a historical drama freak or something.

　Well, as long as she brought the equipment I requested, there was no need to pursue the background.
　At any rate, I ” identify ” the dark brown cloak I received.

Armor: Ornaments: Mori spider silk cloak (dark brown)

　Defense: 6

　Magic Defense: 2

　Weight: 2

　Durability: 100%.

　Added effects: None

　Created by: Iori

　The performance of this equipment is not that high, but I guess that’s what you get when you put it in the decoration category.

　I smiled at the thoroughness of the equipment, which had the family crest of a flower on a circle, but I checked the condition of the equipment.

　The cuffs are wide, but not too long, so they won’t get in the way of swinging the sword.

　So for now, I’ve achieved my goal.

“Okay, that’s about it. How much will it cost?”

“Ten thousand will do. In exchange for this, I would like to say that–“

　As soon as I told her that, Iori began to operate some kind of menu in her hand.

　Just as I tilted my head to see what she was going to do, a window appeared in front of me.

[“A friend request has been sent from [Iori]. Do you want to accept it? Yes/No.”]

“Fumu……You’re being abrupt again. We’ve barely met.”

“You’re one of the few customers who can wear kimono equipment!”

　Although I’m not sure what the criteria are, somehow he is a craftsman that Fino approves of.

　If that’s the case, then it’s safe to say that she’s one of the most skilled fabric producers in the world.

　It wouldn’t be a bad thing to make a connection with her. So I nodded and agreed to be her friend.

　I smiled at Iori’s good mood, almost humming, but I nodded in satisfaction as well.

　This would be a good match. I may need her help in the future when I upgrade my equipment.

“Fufu, you saved me a lot of trouble. Thank you, Quon-san.”

“I didn’t help you, did I?

“You bought my work.”

“…… Iorin is a skilled cloth equipment maker, but she only makes Japanese clothes, so …… demand is niche.”

　Fino’s words convinced me, though I made a half-eye roll.

　This is a fantasy world. In all honesty, I don’t think kimono would suit me that well.

　On top of that, cloth-based equipment seems to be basically geared towards the rearguard. …… it can be said that this equipment is not suitable for the vanguard who fight with swords.

“The orders that came in to me were always for archery body suits or shrine maiden uniforms. …… It”s not bad, but I wanted to make normal kimonos.”

“…… So, people like me and Hisana are valuable?”

“Yes. There are very few players who can play in the vanguard while carrying a sword with cloth-based equipment, with an emphasis on mobility. In that sense, Quon is a player I’d like to get to know very well.”

　Well, in short, it’s a mutually beneficial relationship.

　I have no problem with that, and I think it’s a good idea to be friendly with her.

“Uhm, there is one thing I would like to request of you, Quon-san…….”

“Yes?　A request?

“Yes. I would like you to join me in defeating the boss of the Eastern Forest.”

“The Eastern Forest?　The field to the east of this city? Do you have to defeat the boss there?”

　There are different enemy fields on all four sides of this city, and there is a deep forest on the east side.

　To be honest, I was only interested in the northern plains, where the enemies were the strongest, and I thought I could ignore the rest.

“Are there any perks for defeating the boss there?”

“Not really, it’s more about what that boss drops. The boss is a Greater Forest Spider, which is a giant spider, and I need the threads it drops.”

“I see, you want to use it to make equipment.”

　Naturally, a craftsman would need fabric as a base for making cloth equipment.

　Creating cloth naturally requires thread. I guess she wants to use the material of the boss in the Eastern Forest for the thread.

　The boss’s material is probably the strongest material currently available.

“Of course, I will use that thread to make equipment for you, Quon-san. I will also accept custom-made. What do you think?”

“…… What’s in it for you, making equipment with that thread?”

“The locals have asked me to make a piece of equipment with a certain level of performance. However, with the materials that are currently available, it is difficult ……”

“So that’s where the boss’s materials come in.”

Fumu. Well, I can’t say no if it means she can make me good equipment.

　The current equipment is not bad by any means, but I can’t shake the feeling that it is just a temporary fix for what is currently available.

　If it can be changed to more powerful equipment, it should be.

　On a side note, the ability to fight bosses is also appealing.

　They may not be as strong as the Wolves of the North, but they’re sure to be strong enough to be called bosses.

　In addition, fighting in the forest, under special circumstances, will be a good experience in itself.

“All right, I’ll accept your request.”

“Really!?　I’m glad …… everyone didn’t take the job because spiders are disgusting……”

“Yeah, well, there are people like that. As for me, if I can fight, I’ll fight.”

“Sensei, you love to fight, huh. ……”

When Fino muttered to me with a somewhat dumbfounded expression, I lightly shrugged my shoulders.

　This is the reason why I started this game in the first place, to fight.

“So, are you leaving now?”

“Ah, no, …… I’ve already done a lot of quests today, and I’m worn out. I’m sorry, but can we do this tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow? It’s Sunday, I believe. …… If it’s after two o’clock outside, I’ll be fine.”

“I have no problem with that time either. Well, I look forward to working with you tomorrow.”

“Yes. I’m counting on you, too.”

　Iori smiled a big smile, and I nodded along with a chuckle.

　I don’t know if it’s going to slow me down or not, but I guess that’s okay too.

　It is also one of the training to fight while paying attention to the surroundings.

” Now that I’ve done my business, …… fumu, it’s about time.”

“Ara, are you going to log out?”

“That’s right. I’ve been enjoying myself since day one. Even though I relied on Hisana, I’m grateful for the opportunity to make so many good connections. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yes, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Bye bye”

　Iori, who bowed politely, and Fino, who put her long-handled hammer on the floor and leaned her body against it.

　With these two seeing me off, I finished my first day of logging in.

　I opened my eyes with a tugging sensation, and my darkened vision returned to my room.

　I raised myself up from the reclining seat, stood up and moved my body – relieved to find that the discomfort was almost non-existent.

　This would allow me to refine my senses with a little practice.

　Nodding, I took the wooden sword in my hand and headed out of the room towards the edge.

　On the way, I saw Asuka walking down the corridor towards me.

　When Asuka caught sight of me, she also opened her eyes slightly and rushed towards me.

“You’ve logged out, Sensei?”

“Yes. I’ve got a lot of work to do. I’m going to go do some light exercise now.”

“You wielded a sword in the game, but you still want to do it ……”

“But of course. After swinging a sword in actual combat, it’s fundamental to swing it properly and fine-tune it. You should do the same.”

“Uu, you’re right. ……”

“As long as you understand it. Be careful not to let it get rusty.”

　I gave her a quick pat on the head and walked down the hallway to pass Asuka.

　Tomorrow I would have to fight a big spider. Maybe I should try to get that image into my mind as well.

　Thinking to that point, I suddenly realized that I was bored. The boredom I’ve been feeling lately has completely vanished.

“Haha, …… how great, even better than I expected.”

　It’s a bit too recent to be nostalgic, but this is certainly the same passion I had when I was challenging the old man.

　To be strong, to fight. The endless possibilities lie dormant in that world.

　Yeah, this is good, this is fun.

“Thank you, Hisana. I think I’m ready to move on.”

　–I muttered to myself, and began to swing.

TL: I usually don’t advertise my things but I have updated my patreon page. By being a supporter + you can read all my draft works. That means everything that I have translated so far and it will be updated regularly. It’s not a paywall and I refuse to do that.