セレーネさんが落ち着くのを待って、現在の俺達の状況を説明した。
パーティの人数、それぞれの職業、それとこれから向かう地域について。
「なるほど、砂漠......」
「もしかして、嫌でした? だったら、今からでもギルド入りを拒否して下さって構いませんが」
「ううん、全然いいよ。むしろ、山では採れないレアメタルとかが眠っているかもしれないし」
「ああ、確かに。そう考えると、砂漠も悪い事ばかりではないのか」
「RPGの定番、砂漠の秘宝なんていうものもあるかもね?」
砂漠に何らかのお宝が眠っている、というのは現実でもゲームでもありがちな話で。
ピラミッドなり古代の遺跡なりが存在していれば、より実在の可能性が増すことだろう。
「しかし、生産系で苦労しそうなのは変わりませんがね。特に農作物に関しては」
「でも、ハインド君のことだから何か考えてはいるんでしょう?」
セレーネさんが俺を試すような目で見てくる。
そうだな......いくつか有力な案が無くもない、というのが正直なところ。
「まあ、一応は」
「さすがだね。じゃあ、私も期待しちゃおっかな」
「それはプレッシャーですね。頑張りますが」
セレーネさんの調子が戻って嬉しく思う。
この打てば響くような会話のテンポが、俺としては非常に心地良い。
と、そういえば渡すものがあるんだった。
インベントリから足を痺れさせつつ作った防具――というか服を引っ張り出して、セレーネさんに見せる。
「これは......?」
「世の中には、おしゃれツナギなる未知の物体が存在するそうで。雑誌とかネットの画像を見ながら作ってみたんですが......どうでしょうか?」
「え? もしかして、これを私に?」
「はい。セレーネさんの為に作りました」
先程と同じ状況を招かないように、敢えて直接的な表現でプレゼントするという意志を伝える。
その言葉に顔を赤くしているセレーネさんを見ると、俺まで少し恥ずかしくなるが。
メインのプレイが鍛冶のセレーネさんには、華美な服よりも実用的な物の方が喜ぶと思っての選択だ。
彼女、未だに初期装備のままだし......。
「まあ、おしゃれと言ってもそこはツナギなんで限界はありますが......試しに、着てみてもらえますか?」
「う、うん!」
通常のツナギと違うのはボタンのデザインが凝っていたり、襟の部分がシャープだったりと些細な違いではあるのだが。
セレーネさんがメニューを開いて装備を変更すると、光が弾けて一瞬で着用状態に変わる。
サイズは目測だったのだが......それほど問題なしか。
ツナギはその辺りの誤魔化しがきくタイプの服だしな。
しかし、何というかツナギを身に着けたセレーネさんは......
「似合いますね。こういうラフに着られる服は」
「あ、ありがとう......? それは褒められているのかな?」
「似合っていて悪いということはないでしょう。で、ベルトもしちゃいましょうか。それと、インベントリのポーチの位置も調整して......」
「あ、うん。首元、もう少し開けてもいいかな? ちょっと苦しいかも」
「ええ。デザイン上、だるっと着てもサマになる筈なんで。むしろそっちの方が良いくらいでしょうよ」
こうして微調整を重ねていき......。
金属製のベルトのバックルやボタンをアクセントに、ラフでありながら全体で見ると引き締まった印象の装備が出来上がった。
うーん......どうだろうか?
「これで完成です。確認して頂けますか?」
「あ、えと、鏡は!? 鏡!」
「ここには無いですけど......メニューの装備画面から、自分の状態を見られるボタンがありますよ。それを使って下さい」
「ほんと!?」
割と基本的なことなのだが、知らないのは自分の装備に無頓着だったせいだろうか?
メニューを開き、己の姿を食い入るように見つめるセレーネさん。
「パッと見、鍛冶屋というより機械技師みたいですけれど......。あ、それと鍛冶の時に役立つかと思って、耐火性能も付加してみたんですが――」
「......うん。うん!」
どうですか? と問う前にセレーネさんが俺の手をがっしりと掴んでくる。
出会った時のことを思い出す動きだ......彼女は感動すると、こうする癖でもあるのだろうか?
「ありがとう、ハインド君! すっごく嬉しい! 最高のプレゼントだよ!」
「いえいえ、セレーネさんには今日まで大変お世話になりまして......あー、それと。今後も宜しくお願いしますということで、一つ」
「ううん、それはこちらこそだよ。本当にありがとう!」
頬を紅潮させて喜ぶセレーネさんは、まるで無垢な少女のような表情で。
でも、そろそろ手を放してくれないかな......そんなにしっかり握られると、さすがに照れるのだが。
その後、セレーネさんが荷物を纏めたのを見計らって鍛冶場の椅子から立ち上がる。
ユーミル達の方も、そろそろ準備が終わる頃だろう。
「それじゃ、みんなと合流しに行きましょうか」
俺がそう言うと、セレーネさんは急に挙動不審になった。
両手をさまよわせてオロオロし出す。
「ど、どうしよう! か、菓子折りでも用意しないと......!」
「ゲームのプレイヤー同士が会うだけなのに、それはおかしいでしょう......?」
「え? あ、そうだよね......」
「普通に行きましょう、普通に」
「うぅ......大丈夫かな? 変に思われないかな......」
そんな不安を隠せないセレーネさんを連れ、アルトロワの鍛冶場を出てヒースローへと向かう。
彼女のレベルを少しでも追いつかせるため、パーティを組んでなるべく道中のモンスターを倒しながら進んで行く。
装弾に足を使って全身で弦を引くため「足弓」とも呼ばれている。
その中でも特に大型のものを担いでおり、打ち出す矢も相応に大きい。
以前にも触れたが、素攻撃力によって武器重量が軽くなるので、こういう現実では扱えないものを使えるのもゲームならではの魅力だろう。
本来なら、女性ではアクゥアルの矢を装填することすら難しいはずだ。
弓術士は後衛の中では最も攻撃力が伸びるので、女性でも大きめの弓やクロスボウを扱うことが可能となる。
レベルがまだ低いセレーネさんにアクゥアルはギリギリのようだが......まあ、それも直ぐに解消されることだろう。
このことからレベルの高い重戦士であれば大斧を振り回す少女、なんて図も実現可能ということになる訳だ。
村を出た俺達は『ドンデリーの森』を抜け、そのまま二人で順調に進んだ。
結果『ホーマ平原』中央部に通過する時点でレベルが10まで上昇し、これでセレーネさんもスキルが分岐する位置まで進んだことになる。
セレーネさんが歩きながらメニューを開き、スキルポイントの割り振りを考えて少しだけ首を傾げた。
「やっぱり、単発型が良いよね?」
「迷う必要はないですね。クロスボウの時点で、装填には時間が掛かりますし。武器はそれが気に入っているんですよね?」
「うん。ちょっと大きく作り過ぎたけど、弓よりは扱いが楽だからね。レベル5の時よりも、大分軽く感じるようになってきたし......問題ないかな。じゃあ、ブラストアローを取得するよ」
弓術士のタイプは、サイネリアちゃんが選択したようなアローレインに代表される「連射型」の人口が最も多い。
狙いが悪いプレイヤーでもある程度のダメージを期待できるため、弓術士で安定性を考えるならこれを選べば間違いない。
もう一つが短剣を同時に装備可能になり、体術系のスキルが増える「近接型」であり、事実上のロマン枠。
遠近の使い分けが難しいが、技が決まった時の格好良さは断トツである。
尚、与えるダメージ量がそれに伴っているとは限らないそうだ。故にロマン枠。
そしてセレーネさんが選んだ一撃重視の「単発型」が最後の一つ。
以上の三つが弓術士に用意されているタイプということになる。
単発型は連射型よりも大幅にスキルによる攻撃回数が落ちるので、正確な狙いが必要とされている。
「ちなみにセレーネさん、視力は? 眼鏡ということで心配だったんですけど、狙いがやけに正確で驚いているんですが」
「ああ、コレ? 私、実は遠視なんだよね......小さい頃から視力のトレーニングしてたから、本当はもう眼鏡はいらないんだけど。無いと落ち着かなくて」
「つまり、それは伊達眼鏡だと?」
「そうそう。一応、今の視力は2以上あるよ。遠視用のレンズは凸レンズだから、度が入っていると目が大きく見えるんだよ。これはそんなことないでしょ?」
なるほど、遠視か......。
今の所、一射も矢を外していないのでおかしいとは思った。
「ガァァァァッ!!」
「――! あっ、そうか......忘れてた」
「え、何々? 今の叫び声は何?」
突然の叫び声に一瞬驚いたが、現在地を確認するともう北エリアに足を踏み入れていた。
エリアボスに関しては、パーティに倒した履歴の無いメンバーが居る場合に出現するという仕様となっている。
セレーネさんはアルトロワ以外の街や村に行ったことがないので――
「ゴアッ!」
棍棒が叩きつけられる。
ホーマ平原のエリアボス『オーガ』レベル15が出現し、三度俺の前に立ちはだかった。
今は前衛が一人も居ない状況だが......レベル差もあるし、何とかなるか?
I waited until Selene-san calmed down and explained our current situation.
The members of the party, each of our jobs and regarding the area we plan to head towards.
[I see, the desert...]  (Selene)
[Do you dislike it by any chance? In that case, I don't mind if you decline joining our guild now.]  (Hind)
[Nope, I don't mind. Rather, there might be rare metals that you can't find in the mountains lying there.]  (Selene)
[Ah, that's true. If you thought it like that, the desert is not all that bad.]  (Hind)
[It's standard for an RPG, there might be hidden treasure in the desert, right?]  (Selene)
Be it in the real world or games, the fact that there might be treasure hidden in the desert is something that's talked about usually.
If there were stuff like pyramids or ancient ruins, it'd probably increase the chances that they existed.
[However, that won't change the fact that it's the sort of stuff that's difficult for crafters. I'd say especially for those specializing in agriculture.]  (Hind)
[However, since we are talking about you here, you probably thought about something right?]  (Selene)
Selene-san looked at me as if she was testing me.
Well...honestly speaking, it's not like I don't have a few ideas.
[Well, more or less.]  (Hind)
[As expected of you. In that case, guess I should have high expectations.]  (Selene)
[That gives me quite the pressure, though I'll do my best.]  (Hind)
I'm happy that Selene-san's back to normal.
The rhythmical tempo of this conversation is something I find quite pleasant.
Wait, now that I think about it, I had something for her.
From my inventory, I took out the armour that I made while my legs were numb...though I should call them clothes and showed them to Selene-san.
[This is...?]  (Selene)
[In society, fashionable jumpsuits are still things that are not that well known. So I made this while looking at magazines and the internet...what do you think about it?]  (Hind)
[Eh? By any chance, is this for me?]  (Selene)
[Yes. I made this for you.]  (Hind)
Like that time with the invitation, I directly showed my intention to offer this to her as a present.
When I saw Selene-san turning red because of those words, even I started to feel slightly embarrassed.
Since Selene-san focuses mainly on blacksmithing, there was the option that she would have preferred practical clothes instead of something fancy but...
She was still wearing the beginner gear...
[Well, even if I talk about it being fashionable, jumpsuits have their limits...but how about you try it out?]  (Hind)
[Y-Yes!]  (Selene)
Compared to a normal jumpsuit, the buttons were engraved and there were things like the collar being sharp and other minor differences.
Selene-san opened the inventory and changed her equipment and after a burst of light, what she was wearing changed.
The size was made by eye...but it seems like there's no issues.
Jumpsuits are that type of deceptive clothing after all.
However, how should I say this...Selene-san wearing a jumpsuit is...
[It suits you. This kind of casual clothing.]  (Hind)
[T-Thank you...? Is that a compliment?]  (Selene)
[There's nothing bad implied when someone tells you that it suits you, right? So, should we put on the belt now? After that, we change the placement of the inventory pouch...]  (Hind)
[Ah, Yup. Can you make it so the bottom of the neck is slightly more open? It might be a bit tight.]  (Selene)
[Yes. Because of it's design, it should look good even being worn plainly like that. In fact, it's probably better like that.]  (Hind)
Like that, I kept making small adjustments...
A metallic belt accentuated by a buckle button, while being casual it also gave it a lean look.
Yup...what will she think of it?
[With this, it'll be done. Can you try it out?]  (Hind)
[Ah, eh, where's the mirror!? The mirror!]  (Selene)
[There's none here...but if you open the equipment window, there's a button to look at your current status. Use that.]  (Hind)
[Really!?]  (Selene)
It's supposed to be something really basic, but maybe she didn't know because she didn't particularly care about her own equipment?
She opened her menu and stared intensely at her herself.
[At first glance, instead of a blacksmith it makes you look like a mechanic but...
[...Yup. Yup!]  (Selene)
How is it? before I was able to ask that, Selene-san firmly grasped my hands.
It's an action that reminded me of when we first met...I wonder if she has a habit of doing this when she's deeply moved?
[Thank you, Hind-kun! I'm really happy! It's the best present I could ever get!]  (Selene)
[No worries, you have helped me out a lot since the first day so...oh, and...
[Yup, that's what I should I be saying. I'm really grateful!]  (Selene)
Selene-san, whose face was blushing from happiness, looked like a pure maiden.
However, I wonder if it's about time she let go...if she keeps grasping my hands this firmly, even I would start feeling embarrassed.
After that, Selene-san collected her belongings and stood up from her chair within the blacksmith's workshop.
It should be also around the time Yumir and the others are done with their respective things.
[Well then, shall we go meet everyone else?]  (Hind)
Once I said that, Selene-san started to act all weird.
She started to move both hands around in a panic.
[W-What should I do!? I-I got to prepare a box of cakes...!]  (Selene)
[You are going to meet fellow players there, wouldn't that be weird...?]  (Hind)
[Eh? Ah, you are right...]  (Selene)
[Let's go normally, normally.]  (Hind)
[Uu...will it be fine? Will they think I'm weird...?]  (Selene)
While keeping the uneasy Selene-san company, we left Altrowa's blacksmith's workshop and headed towards Heathrow.
In order to get her to catch up in level even a bit sooner, I partied up with her and we defeated as many monsters as we could on the way.
To load a crossbow bolt, you use your foot to hold the stirrup to the ground, grasp the bowstring, and draw it towards the trigger mechanism by straightening up and using your entire body to pull, with the stirrup holding the crossbow in place. Once the bowstring has been caught by the trigger mechanism, you lift the crossbow up and place the bolt in position, and aim and fire as usual. It's also called [Foot-drawn bow] .
Even among that type it's especially big and the arrows it shoots are also quite big.
I handled it before and since the system makes it lighter depending on your offensive stats, it was quite light. I guess being able to actually use weapons like this is also part of the game's charm.
Usually, loading one of these bolts would be very hard for a girl.
Among rearguards, archers have the highest strength so it's possible for a girl to use big bows or crossbows.
It seems that because Selene-san's level is low she can barely use the Qaws al-rijl...but that should get better soon enough.
From seeing this, imagining a high level heavy warrior girl brandishing a big axe...that kind of image is easily imaginable.
Having left the village, we came out of [Dondery Forest]  and continued at a good pace.
As a result, by the time we passed through the middle of the [Homa Plains]  she reached level 10 and it was time for her to choose a skill branch.
While walking, Selene-san opened her menu and tilted her head while thinking about how to distribute her skill points.
[As expected, I guess the single shot type is fine?]  (Selene)
[I guess there's no need to hesitate. Since you are using a crossbow, it takes time to load a bolt. You like that type of weapon right?]  (Hind)
[Yup. I made it a bit too big, but it's more fun to use than a bow. Besides, it feels much lighter now than when I was level 5...I guess there's nothing to worry about. In that case, I'll take blast arrow.]  (Selene)
Among archer types, the [Rapid-fire type]  that Cineraria-chan chose with skills like arrow rain is the one that's most popular.
Even if your aim is bad, if you want stability as an archer, there's no problems in choosing this type to be able to deal some damage.
There's another one that lets you equip a short dagger simultaneously and they learned martial art type skills, the [Close quarters type] . As a matter of fact, it was the romantic type.
It was the hardest to gauge the distance with, but it looked the best when it finished the target with its skills.
Furthermore, the damage it deals was nothing to scoff at either.
Then there was the type that prioritized a single strike that Selene-san chose, the [Single shot type] .
It was the last type for the archers.
Compared to the other types, it's got bigger skills but the rate of fire decreases and you need to have good aim.
[By the way, what about your eyesight? I was worrying because you wore glasses but I was surprised when your aim was so perfect.]  (Hind)
[Ah, you mean this? The truth is I have hyperopia...since I was young I trained my eyesight, in reality I don't need to wear glasses anymore. However, I can't calm down if I'm not wearing them.]  (Selene)
[In other words, those are just for show?]  (Hind)
[That's right. Actually, my eyesight is better than 20/20. The lenses used for hyperopia are convex ones, your eyes will appear to be bigger than they are.]  (Selene)
I see, hyperopia huh...
Since she hadn't missed a single arrow until now I found it strange.
[Gaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!] 
[!! Ah, right...I forgot.]  (Hind)
[Eh, what? What was that scream just now?]  (Selene)
I was surprised for a moment because of the sudden scream, but when I checked our current position, I saw that we had already walked into the north area.
Regarding the area boss, it'll appear if someone in the party hasn't beaten it yet.
Since Selene-san hasn't gone to another village or town other than Altrowa...
[Goooaaahhh!!] 
It struck violently with its club.
The area boss of Homa plains, the [Ogre]  made its appearance, it was level 15 and this was the third time it had appeared in front of me.
This time we don't have a single vanguard...but since there's a level difference between us, will I be able to make it work somehow?
VRMMO no Shien Shokunin ～Top Player no Shikakenin～
ＶＲＭＭＯの支援職人　～トッププレイヤーの仕掛人～
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/vrmmo-no-shien-shokunin-%ef%bd%9etop-player-no-shikakenin%ef%bd%9e/
Action Adventure Comedy Fantasy Harem Slice of Life
Adventurers Beautiful Female Lead Blacksmith Brother Complex Calm Protagonist Childhood Friends Clan Building Cooking Crafting Curious Protagonist Dense Protagonist Elemental Magic Fantasy Creatures Game Ranking System Gamers Hard-Working Protagonist Healers Level System Love Interest Falls in Love First Love Rivals Male Protagonist Misunderstandings MMORPG Ninjas Possessive Characters Priests Siblings Siblings Not Related by Blood Sword And Magic Virtual Reality Younger Love Interests Younger Sisters
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4014ds/
二階堂風都