Taking a deep breath, I gathered the remaining thief's equipment.
The contents had all been digested.
It was a relief that I didn’t need to undress them.
"You've really put them through a lot."
"No, it's fine. Besides, you took care of all of them, Master."
While picking up the equipment, I also observed Roxane and the others' expressions.
I wondered if they were okay after defeating the thieves.
"Something like this can happen anytime. We're lucky to have survived."
Indeed, it seemed that Célie's words made the most sense.
The three of us had grown up in a world where thieves attack people.
Dealing with thieves was probably within our expectations.
"××××××××××"
"××××××××××"
"××××××××××"
"Miria seems quite shocked, but I told her that for Master, this is nothing and to keep it confidential."
It seems that some people were out of their depth in a different way.
It feels a bit off, but intervening would be troublesome, so I left it alone.
I made a mistake with the training.
Without comment, I focused on collecting the equipment.
The thieves' equipment included a mix of leather and hard leather gear.
Hard leather hat, hard leather gloves, hard leather boots.
These could all be upgraded.
Some items even had empty skill slots.
I casually checked them and threw them into the item box.
The hard leather armor... seems like only I can use it.
Just holding it up made Célie glare at me.
It seems that the shape of the chest is too obvious, so it's not suitable for women to wear.
The item box was running out of space, so I had Célie carry some.
It might be time to remove the alchemist and add a cook.
Miria has grown, so she should be fine without the coating.
"There's even a Ring of Resolve."
Among the thieves' equipment, there was a Ring of Resolve.
Ring of Resolve Accessory
Skill Attack Power Increase Enhanced Against Humans
It was an item with a skill.
It was equipped by a vicious thief.
"That's a legendary item."
Célie informed me.
A legendary item.
It does seem like a good piece of equipment.
The weapons included two steel swords and the rest were iron swords.
They had no empty skill slots and weren't particularly impressive.
I might keep one steel sword for emergencies.
There was also a rapier and a steel shield.
The pirate was equipped with a one-handed sword.
"A rapier?"
"Yes, it's a thrusting sword. Higher-level one-handed swords are more effective at thrusting rather than slashing, which changes the combat style slightly."
"Is Roxane okay with it?"
"Leave it to me. Besides, the rapier has an edge, so it can still be used for slashing as usual."
Using a rapier would probably involve fencing-like attack methods.
Since she can still use her usual style, it should be fine.
"Then the rapier goes to Roxane. The scimitar and iron shield go to Miria."
I handed the rapier and steel shield to Roxane.
Roxane passed the scimitar and iron shield to Miria.
Célie took the dagger and wooden shield from Miria and put them in the item box.
There were ten magic crystals.
It seems each thief had one.
When selling magic crystals at the guild, intelligence cards are not checked.
Thieves can also exchange them for money.
One magic crystal was yellow.
A yellow magic crystal is a valuable item, one step away from the final stage.
It indicates that over 100,000 monsters have been defeated.
It might even be worth more than the bounty.
"Um, it's a bit early, but we should go home and clean up. We should wash our clothes and maintain the equipment."
After gathering everything, Roxane suggested.
My clothes were splattered with blood.
My face might be in a mess too.
We should go home.
I couldn't fight while carrying the wrapped wrist.
My MP was full after consuming the rest of the strengthening pills and absorbing MP from the thieves.
I went home.
The eastern sky was brightening, and it was almost dawn.
I immediately took off my clothes and wiped my body in the bathroom.
Roxane washed my clothes next to me.
"Roxane, thanks for today."
We managed to defeat them, but engaging with the thieves was a mistake.
We were led into a trap.
If we had faced stronger thieves, the outcome could have been different.
I could have been more cautious.
When I first came to this world, I would have been more careful.
I could have retreated and monitored the entrance to the dungeon.
Why didn't I do that?
It was because I had become accustomed to fighting.
I had grown complacent, thinking I could handle it.
We did manage to defeat them, so my judgment wasn't entirely wrong.
In this world, getting used to combat isn't necessarily bad.
However, complacency is dangerous.
I should have been more cautious about the battle and the strength difference.
If I hadn't, I might have been caught off guard.
Victory is only the beginning; one must remain vigilant.
Today's experience will be a good lesson.
"What are you saying? It was a wonderful battle. Defeating thieves is a given."
Even if fighting is the norm in this world.
I left the bathroom and changed my clothes.
I organized the item box.
With the help of the three, I gathered and organized the equipment, making space in the item box.
We could probably manage without a cook for a while longer.
I combined the magic crystals left by the thieves.
Magic crystals turn white after absorbing the power of a million monsters, which is the highest level.
The magic crystal I had already absorbed the power of over 10,000 monsters, turning it green.
The yellow magic crystal left by the thieves contained the power of over 900,000 monsters, and my green magic crystal had the power of nearly 100,000 monsters, so there might be some waste.
I kept my green magic crystal and combined only the thieves' magic crystals.
The yellow magic crystal didn't turn white.
I'll keep the green magic crystal and use the yellow magic crystal in the future.
I put the items I would use in my item box, the items I would sell in Célie's item box, and moved the items I wouldn't need soon to the storage room.
I leaned the copper spear against the wall in the storage room.
In the empty storage room, I chanted to reset my character.
I allocated points to the bonus equipment and obtained the second accessory.
It was the first piece of equipment I had when I first came to this world.
After completing the reset, a ring appeared on my left index finger.
Ring of Resolve Accessory
Skill Attack Power Increase Enhanced Against Humans
As expected.
It was the Ring of Resolve, just as I remembered.
I had been curious about it since I identified the equipment left by the vicious thief.
The equipment left by the vicious thief and the bonus equipment I obtained seemed to be the same.
They had the same name, the same Ring of Resolve, and the same two skills.
Was there someone else who could reset their character?
The Ring of Resolve I obtained was brand new.
The one left by the thief was dull and had fine scratches.
Just by looking at them, I could tell they were different.
I tried removing the Ring of Resolve, putting on the one left by the thief, and resetting my character again.
Unfortunately, I didn't obtain the second accessory.
If I could have, I would have received 3 bonus points.
Well, that was expected.
This time, I tried a different experiment.
After obtaining the second accessory, I switched to the Ring of Resolve left by the thief and reset my character.
It seemed to work.
I tried removing it.
The Ring of Resolve disappeared.
There was no abnormality with the bonus points.
When I obtained the second accessory again, a second Ring of Resolve appeared.
However, it was new.
The one that appeared was not the dull, scratched Ring of Resolve.
It seems that when equipment is obtained through a reset, it appears as new.
The dull, scratched Ring of Resolve disappeared.
I removed the second accessory, took the new Ring of Resolve, and returned to the room.
"Do you know anyone who can produce rings like this?"
I asked Célie.
"Is it the Ring of Resolve from earlier?"
"Yes."
"It's fixed."
"Fixed?"
It seems there is someone.
"Um, by the way, you don't belong to a guild, right?"
"That's right."
"At the guild temple, you can receive a blessing called 'fixed.' Once you receive it, you can't change jobs, but you become stronger. It's explained as a blessing from the guild's guardian deity."
There seems to be something called 'fixed.'
The guild has a temple because there is a guardian deity.
"Is there a guardian deity in the guild?"
"No one has actually seen them. Whether they really exist..."
Célie is always so rational.
"Does 'fixed' mean fixing a job?"
"Yes. When you fix a job, some people receive equipment. It's considered a gift from the guild's guardian deity."
"Is this ring one of those?"
"I can't say for sure. But if someone can produce this ring, they are probably fixed."
I don't know what Célie thinks about me producing Durandal.
She probably thinks I'm taking it out of the item box.
It looks similar to using the item box without a spell.
Is there someone else who can produce rings?
Fixed might be related to character reset and bonus points.
There is a connection.
The ability to produce equipment.
The inability to change jobs.
Bonus points increase with each level up, so using them means you can't change to a lower-level job.
There was one more thing.
Fixed is said to make you stronger.
Bonus points can be allocated to stats.
"Do you know what kind of equipment appears?"
"It varies from person to person. Some mages get swords, and some swordsmen get staffs. However, the equipment that appears when fixed always has skills. Sometimes, extremely good items appear."
That's a bit different.
The bonus equipment I can produce is only a sword.
It might vary from person to person.
"Is there a pattern to what kind of equipment appears for different people?"
"Generally, people who have excelled in a job for a long time are more likely to receive the blessing. They become stronger easily and are more likely to receive various equipment. Fixed is usually done when someone is considering retirement. Good equipment can be passed down as a family treasure."
It's not exactly the answer I was looking for, but it's understandable.
Is it random, or is there a rule?
The bonus equipment I can produce, like armor, is male-specific.
If a woman produces bonus equipment, it might be different.
If the Ring of Resolve appeared when fixed, it's probably related to bonus equipment.
Bonus points depend on level, so it's better to do it after leveling up.
The fact that people who have excelled in a job for a long time are more likely to receive the blessing is a piece of circumstantial evidence that fixed and bonus points are related.
Fixed and bonus points are probably related.
After talking to Célie, I checked my intelligence cards.
Eight cards had popped out.
What to do with these intelligence cards is also a problem.
I could take them to the knights of Kooltar or the knights of Baire.
The latter would give me the bounty immediately.
The knights of Baire would be better if I want fewer people to know I defeated the thieves.
On the other hand, there's a risk of being targeted, so it might be better to avoid them.
I could also go to the local knights of Kooltar.
However, the first choice would be the knights of Duke Halz.
If I give them to Goslair, it will show that I'm exploring the dungeon within the duchy.
Defeating the thieves in the dungeon would also be a favor to Duke Halz.
It's a valuable connection in this world.
I want to cherish it.
I don't want to be overused just because I'm useful.
It's a delicate balance.
Defeating thieves shouldn't be a problem.
The issue is the intelligence card check.
If they check the intelligence card when I claim the bounty, they'll know I'm not an adventurer.
I shouldn't expect them to let me pass just because we know each other.
If I take the cards to the knights of Duke Halz, I should do it after becoming an adventurer.
I can't claim the bounty until I get the adventurer job.
The minimum requirement for an adventurer is Explorer Level 50, so it will take some time.
"Célie, do you know if the year and month of death can be read from the intelligence card?"
"I haven't heard of that. However, the age at death might be displayed on the intelligence card. It should be possible to narrow it down."
Reverse-engineer from the age at death?
If a thief's birthday is tomorrow, it would be known that they died before today.
However, is the exact birthday of a thief in this world known?
"The exact birthday of a thief is probably unknown."
"The age on the intelligence card increases with each season."
That's how it works.
I didn't know that.
It's like a count of years.
At least, it should be safe until the spring season.
If it takes longer to become an adventurer, I can take them elsewhere.
I'll store the intelligence cards of the thieves for now.