第二十七話 泣き声
「〈輝くラーナの飾剣〉が二本手に入ったのは大きい......。上手く捌けば、これだけで三千万ゴルドになるぞ。さすがにこの額のアイテムは、ちょっとでも高く買い取ってくれるところを探さないとな」
額が額なので、変に名が知れたり、目を付けられたりするリスクも大きいので難しいところだが。
ルーチェも巻き添えにしかねないので、その辺りはしっかり相談して考える必要があるだろう。
「さ、三千万......三百万が十個......」
ルーチェは未だに信じられないらしく、ぶつぶつとそんな言葉を繰り返していた。
ただ、成金ラーナを探すのにかなり時間が取られてしまっている。
今日の内にあと一体は難しいだろう。
放っておけば成金ラーナが枯れるかもしれないし、誰かがここの〈夢の主〉を討伐して〈
だが、それでも無用に事を焦るべきではない。
命を落とせば元も子もないのだ。
それに、これだけレベルが上がれば、もっと強い魔物が出てくる〈
【エルマ・エドヴァン】
クラス:重騎士
Lv :33
HP :68/82
MP :14/34
攻撃力:22+5
【装備】
〈下級兵の剣〉〈狂鬼の盾〉
〈鉄の鎧〉
〈なし〉
【通常スキル】
〈城壁返し〉〈ディザーム〉〈パリィ〉
〈不動の者〉〈E級冒険者〉
大分俺の〈ステータス〉も格好がついてきた。
半ば特例でE級冒険者に押し上げてもらったところだが、そろそろ都市ロンダルムの上位......D級冒険者として戦えるレベル帯だ。
そして......スキルツリーの方もどうするべきか。
[残りスキルポイント:12]
〈重鎧の誓い〉[20/100]
〈防御力上昇〉[0/50]
〈初級剣術〉[5/50]
〈燻り狂う牙〉が来た時のために、ある程度はスキルポイントを残しておきたい......という欲求がある。
いや、しかし〈燻り狂う牙〉を十全に活かすためには、結局〈重鎧の誓い〉も伸ばしておく必要があるのだ。
それならば今の間に〈重鎧の誓い〉を伸ばしておくのは、全く悪くない。
......ただ、〈初級剣術〉もそこまで悪くないのだ。
〈当て身斬り〉は有用であるし、〈燻り狂う牙〉の枠のために消すのは〈防御力上昇〉で決まっている。
それなら〈初級剣術〉を伸ばして、『剣装備時に【攻撃力:+5】』を取得するのも悪くない。
素の攻撃力が低い重騎士の序盤に大きな助けになるし、【攻撃力:+5】は後でも充分ありがたい。
妥協案的な位置にはなるが、安定性が高いという意味でも検討する価値のある選択肢だ。
「必要に応じて、だな......。それまでは確保しておくか」
スキルは状況が嵌れば強力な強みになる。
〈初級剣術〉の攻撃力上昇を取れば、爆発的な強みはないが安定して強くなれる。
〈燻り狂う牙〉は......どうせ手に入る頃には、もっとレベルが上がっているだろう。
それならそこまで躍起になってスキルポイントを今温存する必要はない。
防御面の強化が必要な状況に迫られれば〈重鎧の誓い〉を、攻撃面の強化が必要な状況に迫られれば〈初級剣術〉を、どちらも特に必要にならなければ〈燻り狂う牙〉まで取っておいても悪くない、といったところか。
急ピッチの強化を要するような事態にならないのが一番いいのだが、何が起こるのかわからないのが冒険者の常というものである。
「アタシ今、【Lv:31】でスキルポイントが【10】余ってるんですけれど......どっ、どうしましょう、これ? 何かに振っておいた方がいいですか? エルマさん、エルマさん、ちょっとこれ......また〈ステータス〉のスキルツリーを見てもらってもいいですか? 自分で振るの、滅茶苦茶怖いんですけれど......」
「前も言ったが、〈ステータス〉はあんまり人に見せるものじゃないんだが......」
「前も見せたんで、今更ですよぉ。大丈夫です! エルマさんにはここまでレベルを上げていただいたご恩があるので、もし仮に利用され尽くしてボロ雑巾みたいに捨てられても恨みませんよ!」
ルーチェがぐっと握り拳を作り、いい表情でとんでもないことを口走る。
「そこまで行ったら逆に恨まれない方が精神的にキツそうだが......」
......まあ、今のルーチェのスキルツリーの状態は把握できているので、今更なのは実際そうだ。
既にステータスポイント振りに口出ししてしまっているのも事実だ。
こうなれば、間違いがないようにしっかり確認して、適切な助言を出しておいた方が誠実というものだろう。
[残りスキルポイント:10]
〈愚者の曲芸[10/100]〉
〈豪運[15/70]〉
〈攻撃力上昇[0/50]〉
正直、悩ましいところだ。
最終的に強くなりたいのであれば、〈愚者の曲芸〉や〈豪運〉を伸ばしつつ、今後も効率的なレベル上げを狙っていく必要がある。
だが、そのためには自分に適した〈
「当たり前だが、ルーチェがどうしたいか......そして、どうなりたいかによるな。もっと上を目指したいなら、今は温存しておいてE級冒険者になってポイント割り振り上限が外れてから〈豪運〉に振るべきだろう。ただ、今のレベル帯でもっと安定して戦える力が欲しいなら〈攻撃力上昇〉に振るべきだな」
「な、なるほど......そう突き付けられると、なかなか難しいですねぇ......。アタシだって、冒険者になった以上は一流を志したいって気持ちはありますけれど......正直、自信がないなって気持ちもあって......。で、でも、エルマさんはきっと、もっと上を目指してるんですよね? だったらアタシも、仲間ですし......!」
ステータス上昇系スキルツリーは、最終的に強くはなれないかもしれないが、安定感がある。
ルーチェのレベルで今あるスキルポイントを全て〈攻撃力上昇〉に振っておけば、道化師の攻撃力不足を誤魔化すことができる。
その上で持ち前の素早さとトリッキーなスキル、幸運力が残るので、金銭にもパーティーメンバーにも困ることはなくなるだろう。
それを蹴って一緒に上を目指してくれるというのならば俺は嬉しいが、勢いで決断させていい部分ではない。
今回はこれにて引き上げようと〈天使の玩具箱〉の出口へ歩き始めたのだが、ルーチェが途中で足を止めた。
「どうした?」
「......エルマさん、なんだか、赤ちゃんの泣き声のようなものが聞こえませんでしたか? アタシの気のせいですかね」
「赤ん坊の、泣き声......?」
俺には聞こえなかったが、情報として心当たりがあった。
〈天使の玩具箱〉での赤ん坊の泣き声。
それは〈夢の主〉のものである。
だが、通常〈夢の主〉は〈
Ch 27
"The fact that we got two Rana's Radiant Ornate Swords is significant.... If I can sell those for a good price, then it will come out for about 30 million gold. With items worth this much, it's important to look around for places that hopefully offer more for them."
With the price this high, there is a chance that someone would start sniffing after us, or that someone would find out my family name.
Even Luce might get dragged into things in that case, so I need to talk it out with her first.
"Th-thirty million....three million is a tenth of that...."
Apparently Luce wasn't able to get her head around things yet and she keeps muttering the same words over and over again.
However, it took quite a bit of time to search for the Golden Ranas.
Finding another today would be difficult.
If we leave it alone, then the Golden Ranas might run out, or maybe someone could defeat the Dream Lord of this Dungeon, making it disappear.
Even so, we shouldn't rush ahead without thinking.
If we lose our lives because of that, then there is no going back.
Furthermore, with our levels going up like they did, we could even look for another Dungeon with stronger monsters to hunt.
[(Elma Edvan)] 
Class: Heavy Knight
Lv: 33
HP: 68/82
MP: 14/34
Attack: 22+5
[(Equipment)] 
<Sword of a Low Ranking Soldier> 
<Iron Armor> 
<None> 
[(Normal Skills)] 
<Rampart Reversal> 
<E Rank Adventurer> 
My Status is getting somewhat respectable.
I was half-way pushed up to an E rank adventurer as a special exception, but by now I should be able to fight on the level of the best adventurers that Rondalm has to offer.... which would be the D rank adventurers.
And so.... there is the question of what should I do about my Skill Tree.
[Remaining Skill Points: 12]
<Vow of the Heavy Armor> [20/100]
<Defense UP> [0/50]
<Beginner Swordsmanship> [5/50]
I would like to save some Skill points for when I'll be able to get the [Smoldering Fang of Madness].
Well, to best be able to make use of the [Smoldering Fang of Madness] I will still need to increase [Vow of the Heavy Armor] in the end.
In that case there is no reason not to increase [Vow of the Heavy Armor] in the meantime.
.....and yet, [Beginner Swordsmanship] would not be a bad choice either.
[Vital Blow] is a useful Skill too and it's already decided that it will be the [Defense UP] Tree that I will be discarding in favor of the [Smoldering Fang of Madness].
Because of that, putting points into [Beginner Swordsmanship] and getting [(Attack:+5)]  when I have a sword equipped might not be a bad idea.
Getting [(Attack: +5)]  as a Heavy Knight, which has low Attack by default, would be helpful even after the early game, but would come in especially handy during the lower levels.
This choice would more or less be the compromise option, but it might be worth thinking it over, since it would provide the most stability.
"I'll decide based on necessity, I guess... I'll put it off until then."
Depending on the circumstances Skills can become a serious advantage.
Getting the Attack increase from [Beginner Swordsmanship] won't make me explosively stronger, but it will allow me to get steadily stronger.
By the time I will be able to get the [Smoldering Fang of Madness] I'll be at a higher level anyway.
In which case I don't need to be that worked up about saving Skill points for it now.
If I get into a situation where I need more defense right away then I could increase the [Vow of the Heavy Armor], or [Beginner Swordsmanship] if it's a situation where more attack power is needed, or if neither happens, then I can save it for [Smoldering Fang of Madness], or something along those lines.
It would be for the best if no situation where a sudden power increase was necessary came up, but as an adventurer one can never know.
"I'm [(Lv:31)]  at the moment and I have [(10)]  Skill points in reserve, but.... wh-what should I do with them? Should I put them somewhere right away? Elma-san, Elma-san, can you look at my Status and Skill Tree again just for a bit? I'm incredibly afraid to decide for myself..."
"I've already told you this before, but you shouldn't show your Status to just anyone...."
"I've already shown you before, so it doesn't matter anyway. It's fine! I already owe Elma-san for helping me raise my levels this much, so even if you were to exploit me to your heart's content and toss me aside like an old rag, I wouldn't resent you for it!"
Luce said something outrageous with a serene expression and fist clenched in front of her.
"I think if I ever went as far as that then not having you resent me at that point would be more mentally taxing...."
...well, it's true that I know exactly how Luce's Skill Tree is set up currently, so it's indeed too little too late at this point.
I even interfered with her Skill point distribution already.
At this point, it's better to make sure that she doesn't make a mistake and give her pertinent advice.
[Remaining Skill points: 10]
<The Fool's Acrobatics [10/100]> 
<Great Fortune [15/70]> 
<Attack Power UP [0/50]> 
Honestly, it's not an easy decision.
If her eventual goal is to become strong, then putting points in [The Fool's Acrobatics] and [Great Fortune] and keeping to an efficient leveling strategy would be the best.
However, to do that she would need to visit Dungeons suitable for her, understand the best tactics, and have teammates that would properly coordinate with her.
"It goes without saying, but it all depends on what you want to do... and what you want to be in the future, Luce. If you want to aim higher, then you should save the points for now and once you become an E rank adventurer and Skill point investment limit gets loosened a bit you should then put it all into [Great Fortune]. However, if you want to be able to fight your battles in your current level range in a more stable manner, then you should invest in [Attack UP]."
"I-I see.... when confronted with that choice directly, it's not easy to decide.... Since I decided to become an adventurer I do want to be one of the best, but.... I honestly don't have any confidence in myself that I would be able to.... B-but, Elma-san will be aiming for the top, right? In that case, I will do that too, since we are teammates....!"
By using stat increasing Skill Trees you might not become strong in the end, but it provides a sense of stability.
If Luce were to put all her current points into [Attack UP], then she might be able to counteract the Clown's natural lack of power.
Even then its staple high Agility, tricky Skills, and high Luck remains, so she won't have a problem with money or finding teammates in the future.
I would be more than happy if she decided to throw that away and accompany me on my journey to the higher levels, but that's not something she should be deciding on impulse.
With the intention to wrap it up for the day we started heading towards the exit of the Angel's Toybox, but Luce stopped on the way.
"What is it?"
".....Elma-san, did you hear a noise like a baby crying, or something like that? Maybe I'm just imagining it."
"A crying, baby voice......?"
I didn't hear it, but I have an idea what it could mean.
The sound of a baby crying in the Angel's Toybox.
That could only come from the Dream Lord.
However, ordinarily the Dream Lord does not move from its place in the furthest reaches of the Dungeon, so we shouldn't be able to hear its voice here.
The Reincarnated Heavy Knight Who Was Exiled After A Supposed Big Miss Is Unparalleled With His Game Knowledge
大ハズレだと追放された転生重騎士はゲーム知識で無双する
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/the-reincarnated-heavy-knight-who-was-exiled-after-a-supposed-big-miss-is-unparalleled-with-his-game-knowledge/
Action Adventure Fantasy Romance Shounen
Abandoned Children Adapted to Manga Adventurers Alchemy Arrogant Characters Artifacts Blacksmith Calm Protagonist Clever Protagonist Determined Protagonist Dungeons Fallen Nobility Fantasy World Game Elements Guilds Hot-blooded Protagonist Level System Love Interest Falls in Love First Lucky Protagonist Male Protagonist Mystery Solving Naive Protagonist Nobles Poor to Rich Previous Life Talent Reincarnated in a Game World Romantic Subplot Skill Books Strategic Battles Strong Love Interests Strong to Stronger Sword Wielder Underestimated Protagonist Weak to Strong
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n8465gx/
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