"...Then, thousands of years of trade later, you have that." she finished.
"Neat." I made a thoughtful expression. I hadn't heard a word. "What about currency?" I had to make sure my riches worked in this world.
"Usage of coins were widespread by the Dwarf Kings. Every nation has their own version, only adding their national symbols." She summoned three coins. One brown, one silver and a golden, thicker coin.
"Copper, mostly used in day to day expenditures; food, gate taxes, expendable tools. Silver, staying at an inn, purchasing livestock, long term tools. Globally, one hundred coppers make a silver. Some countries use a thicker copper coin that go for 50 simple ones, same for silver. Gold, however, is reserved for more 'permanent' things. Land, a store, crafting permits; things that would be useful for settling down as an individual. Most educational institutions deal in gold, such as Universities, Academies, and others that offer specific education. One hundred silver is one gold coin." she put her money away.
"Then we have platinum plaques. Those are used among businesses for large purchases, renting large amounts of land and transactions of that nature. One platinum plaque is worth one hundred gold coins. Countries deal with large amounts of platinum plaques." she was staring in front of her while talking.
"Can I see them?" I asked, extending a hand.
"Here." she summoned them back out and dropped them on my open palm.
The copper coin was thin as a five cents coin. It had markings on its border much like modern coins, with a pickax on one side, and a ship on the other. The silver one was practically identical except for the material and the size, being slightly thicker and wider, but not by much. The gold coin, however, was thick and twice the size of the copper coin. The pickax and ship depicted in the same fashion. I took a glove off and held the coin in my palm.
I had been ignoring it, but my skin color had solidified the past few days, making me gulp as I recalled the actress from Goldfinger as she was covered in gold. Though, in my case, it looked incredibly healthy instead of a substance that would poison me. The coin was, surprisingly, a shade duller than my own gold, even without me having the shine that metal had.
"Good thing you're wearing loads of armor, otherwise you'd be a small sun with the amount of glow you'd emit." she had seen me comparing my skin with the coin, grinning after joking.
I hope that's a joke.
"Good to know." I returned the coins and summon my own. "Would this one work?" I offered the single gold piece.
"Yeah, no problems." she took a single look. "Just don't break the economy."
"How would anyone know if they're not counterfeit?" I asked, eyeing my coin. It was chubbier and only had a seven pointed star on one side, different from the image files the game showed.
"That is considered Halve currency. You all carry the same coin. It has an E'er trace unique to currencies. Courtesy of the universe, I guess." She explained, pointing at my coin.
"Why no breaking the economy?" I ask, storing the coin back.
"Come on." she rose a brow and smiled. "That armor looks like it would be a national treasure by aesthetic standards alone. Same with your spear. I don't know much about Halves, but one thing is clear." she took a dramatic pause. "Something happens before you are born into this world. No one has ever witnessed a Halve's birth, or reported such a happening. Where do these possessions come from? Massive wealth, weapons and armor beyond what even master craftsmen can make." she looked at me. "And where do you learn languages, definitions, the specific set of skills that can be recognized as a class." her face relaxed into a smile. "Does it not make you wonder?"
"I have no clue how it works, to be honest." I kept the where to myself. "Maybe cosmic beings, or E'er is sentient?" I shrugged. "Why do you always gravitate towards existential topics like that?" I asked, my eyebrows knitting. "True, it's an interesting topic and the mechanics behind it all do make me curious, but remember, I woke up not even a week ago." I gestured to the surroundings. "My priorities are more concrete at the moment."
"Yes, I get that." she sighed. "Can't help it. I'm a scholar, the thirst for knowledge is addicting." she deflated slightly.
"As I see it, it's not the only thing you're thirsting over." I smirked at her.
She blushed slightly. "Well, can you blame me?" she snorted and crossed her arms. "You're a fine specimen."
"A specimen?" I let laughter overtake me. "You have no subtlety." I wiped small tears forming at the edges of my eyes.
"Pardon?" she turned to me in mock offense. "I'll have you know it's worked so far with men."
"I'm no man, though?" it was my turn to play offended. "You saw me naked in the river." Then I remembered my now hidden new companion, whose existence I almost forgot due to the fact that it was shrunk underneath my underwear. "Bar the penis, I look like a female no matter how you slice it."
"Ah, yes. Those shapely breasts." she started, drawing herself closer and whispering in my ear. "Those toned legs and arms that look strong, yet flexible." she rested a hand on my own. I noticed I hadn't put the plated glove back on. A thought that quickly melted along with her voice. "Those sculpted abs. That bubbly butt, which I'm sure is as strong as those luscious thick thighs. How I would lick it all over and take you to heaven." she breathed slowly into my ear. I felt the few hairs on my body rise along with a tickle at the base of my brain that threatened to melt reason.
I silently hoped with all my heart the golden tone of my skin would hide the blush on my face.
I simply nodded. "That's better."
What felt like an intense and personal, albeit short, ASMR session left my heartbeat surprisingly calm.
Damn these sensitive ears. I was both flustered and surprised inside. I must keep her away from my chest at all costs.
She gave me a shit eating grin. "And that has worked with women." she let out a hearty laugh at my silence, retaking her position at her side of the cart seat.
"I must ask." I began. She turned to me as I hesitated. "A… are men…" I cleared my throat. My next question would weigh my opinion on potential partners. "You know..." I fixed my posture. "Dominating in bed?"
As soon as I finished my sentence, she exploded in laughter.
"HAHAHA!! OOHHAHAHAHA!" she laughed so hard she was wheezing, squeaking, gasping. All the works. Sneaking glances my way every time her laughter was subsiding only to burst again.
Well, that's a no. A smudge of disappointment darkened my heart.
She stood a few times only to bounce about and dance a little. She choked three times, taking water I offered. She was red as a tomato and tears streamed down her face. She opened her mouth when the excess laughter cramped her cheeks, and started actively fighting the laughter when her stomach began to ache.
I just nodded along and sadly chuckled for the entire thirty minutes she spent rioting in joy.
When she succeeded in the herculean task of calming down, she plopped a hand on my shoulder.
"Please." she began, a short fit of giggles preventing her from continuing. I didn't interrupt, though. "Please don't tell me you're submissive." she was smiling as wide as her facial muscles allowed.
"I'm not." I shook my head.
"So you just like it rough?" she asked, coughing a few times.
"Pretty much." I said begrudgingly.
"Well, maybe you don't know yet. You do have a penis, so yeah..." she sighed, patting her chest. "Ayayay. That was a good laugh." she yawned, stretching and leaning back on the seat.
I want to laugh too. Though my situation was utterly tragic, I could see how funny it was. I choose to take deep breaths.
"This better stay between us." I said.
She just gave me a thumbs up and closed her eyes, soon falling asleep, not before leaning on my side. I summoned a pillow and let her head rest on my lap.
I released a deep sigh. Her complexion was looking better thanks to the potions she consumed. I didn't know if too many potions were bad or what. Her malnourished body had gained a better color and she didn't look like a zombie anymore, compared to the first time I saw her.
Based on her initial reaction, health potions might be expensive. The first one had been a lower level one, supposedly healing a small chunk of damage with a thirty second effect that further healed the same amount over time. The result here, however, was surprising. Wounds disappeared along with bruises and broken bones. The shittiest potion healed her broken finger in a matter of seconds. I wondered what the best would do.
Recover lost limbs? Mortal wounds? I let my imagination soar. Though if there's any logic to it, the drinker has to be conscious for the body to heal.
I searched my inventory for the resurrection scrolls, and to my surprise, instead of being in the hundreds for emergency pick ups in dungeons, raids or junctions as I remember having, there were none.
Is it to avoid abuse? So it's not that easy? I pondered for a few minutes. In that case, why such a high level? Why my main character and not my healer focused cleric? That bitch could mass resurrect. I smirked at the though. Maybe too much.
I thought back on my other characters and realized they all had main skills that would challenge reality. Though if my Lancer class was any indication, some feats would be completely changed or nerfed. A game mechanic as basic as projectiles bouncing from enemy to enemy might aswell not exist in this world in the same way. Unless you take into account this miraculous thing that is E'er.
Mhm. How about class restriction.
I summoned my archer's mythical bow. A two meter long weapon materialized in my hands. The material was a flexible stone-like substance that had a marble like texture just as the flavor text suggested. The string was supposedly taken from the world tree, which I highly doubted was brought to reality.
Taking aim, I pulled the string with surprising ease. To my utter shock, an arrow materialized once the string was pull taut. I slowly relaxed my string arm, not firing the projectile. I did not know even the basics of archery. If the arrow flew off to Riverfield, that'd be pretty dangerous. I did not want to kill people by accident. At least not again.
After returning the bow, a staff that looked quite similar to my pike came out. Instead of a blade, the tip had floating gemstones and the opposite end had a fist sized red jewel. Supposedly crafted from the same Demon God, the staff was extremely useful for a single class in the entire game, a Geomancer. Intrigued by a magical class oriented weapon, I used my Geass of Information Dominion, or whatever its true name was.
[+100 Alma Stoneweaver (Mythical) {Ascension Lvl 10}]
(E'er Efficiency SSS+)(Durability S)
-E'er Efficiency + 100% ({Lvl 10 Ruby}x10)
-Spell Intensity +20% (Enchantment)
-INT + 250
-WIS + 200
-CON + 180
-Shifts Geo Formula for weight values
*T^2=0.001TE
-Petrification Formula
*(TL/2+TW+TI)/100=PR
-Petrified enemies become (TW/2) % more brittle
-When a petrified enemy dies, it shatters, damaging enemies in TL/5 m for PAWx10
-INT + 250 (Transmutation)
-WIS + 250 (Transmutation)
-DEX + 250 (Transmutation)
-Using Geo Formula, (MW/5) % is transformed into a shield around you
"What in the flying fuck?" I said under my breath.
I felt my brow knit at the absolute cluster fuck this weapon turned into. Petrification? That's new. I once again felt a slight pain behind my eyes. Math is not for me. For a second, I regretted not having honed my skill with numbers beyond the basics. But then, I remember the fulfilling life being an artist allowed me to have.
However. There was a stinging pull at the back of my heart accompanied by a mild nausea. This was not Earth anymore, nor was it a game. These 'game mechanics' were now a part of reality, whether I sucked at math or not, it wouldn't change to accommodate me.
What if I faced a stronger enemy that uses magic, or E'er as they called it here? Would I understand enough to know what to do? Could I really just go about with just instincts and overwhelming violence? Perhaps. Would I die because of my ignorance? Most likely. This is not a pg-13 world. My first interaction with a human was them trying to kill me. I could consider myself lucky the power difference was so large.
I noticed my eyes stung as a few tears ran down my face. The frustration that comes when one feels stupid, something I had not experienced in many years. The anger that comes with said frustration reared its ugly head. What do artistic skills matter when I can't understand if the equation in front of me is simple or not? Though I'd never seriously consider myself stupid, I was painfully aware the abilities I developed with much effort were not really useful in my current situation. I had a retarded amount of money, I realistically didn't need to work anymore. I could buy a country and have spare money for a few others.
Would that make me happy? Just sitting around, doing nothing. Not at all. What I really wanted, even if it sounded childish, was to explore this brand new world I knew nothing about. To quench that thirst that plagued humanity the last few centuries. Born too late to explore the world, born too early to explore the stars.