Episode 8.6 (1/2)
Lecan was shocked to find his body aching all over and feeling very languid when he woke up the next day. But when he thinks about it, he did go through a series of battle in which he couldn't afford to lose focus at all on Golbul Dungeon's lower stratum, and the battle against Great Ogre in the lowest floor was absolutely one where he mustered up his everything to overcome.
In consideration of his body's demand for rest, that day Lecan spent all day napping besides for breakfast and light dinner. He was told to get out of his room on noon, but he paid an additional day for his room. Chaney's subordinate dropped by to deliver potions' money in the evening. He stowed it inside <Storage> without counting.
The morning after, he thought his body would have gotten better by then, but instead it felt even heavier than yesterday. He paid the room for this day as well and spent all day sleeping.
By third day, his body could finally move even though it still felt sluggish. Rather, despite the sluggishness, he felt overflowing life force welling up from deep within his body.
Lecan spent this day strolling in downtown. He sat down in an open space and spaced out while gazing at every person who came and went.
He took a look at weapon and armor stores.
He also visited the store where he got rebuked by the storekeeper for appraising the weapons there last time. A customer was asking about swords displayed in the shopwindow, the storekeeper courteously gave a detailed explanation to him. Since Lecan has seen many swords in his life, he thinks himself as a competent sword connoisseur even without the use of Appraisal. He thought the storekeeper was mostly right in his explanation.
However, Lecan found that the sword he appraised back then had a lower valuation on durability than he thought it had. Though it's better than the storekeeper telling it higher than the real value, Lecan was curious about the reason for the imprecise valuation.
”Ain't ya the guy who was appraising my stuff openly back then.”
”Yea.”
The shopkeeper gazed at Lecan from top to bottom.
”You must be quite a skilled adventurer eh.”
”Yea.”
”However, yer' an amateur with <Appraisal> aintcha?”
”Yea.”
”Hold still fer' a bit.”
The storekeeper brought back a sword from the store's back.
”Try appraising this.”
Lecan did as he was told.
It's an ordinary steel sword. It's not a defective good but neither is it anything of note in particular.
”Then try to appraise only the grip.”
Appraising while concentrating on the grip, Lecan found out that its grip had loosened up, the sword was about to slip out of its handle.
”OK now try appraising this sword as a whole once again.”
After doing that, he found the Durability value had been greatly lowered.
”Seems ya got it huh. Next, these two.”
The storekeeper brought two swords.
”Try appraising only these two swords' Durability values.”
One of the sword has a sharp thin tip. The other one has a thick blade and a dull tip.
Looking at the Durability values, the one with a thin tip is higher.
”Next try appraising their durability against side impacts.”
Lecan appraised while being surprised to find that was possible. Appraisal result, the swords' Durability values have been reversed.
”Ya gotta be fully aware of what ya wanna appraise. Doing it haphazardly will only get ya Durability for general usage of that sword and how much it's been used. But there's so many ways ya could use a sword. And that's something unique with every customer. Us storekeepers gotta explain a sword's performance while keeping in mind how that customer gonna use that sword.”
The storekeeper put away the swords Lecan appraised back in the store.
”A well-experienced appraiser ya see, will appraise each sword from all angles and conditions before putting out a comprehensive assessment.”
”I see.”
”But a true master appraiser appraises a sword in one glance. Besides, you've gotta got the insight to fathom what kind of appraisal ya need just by looking at a sword.”