Frontiers ~Chronicles of Bucket-san’s Detailed Pioneering~ - Chapter 108 – Could you be Bucket?

Good morning.

It seems like there is a typhoon approaching today, so the weather outside might be a bit wild.

Still, my room is as comfortable as always, and so is Frontiers.

It was raining in-game right now, but that’s not very frequent and never lasts long. Some unique mobs appear only when it is raining though, and they’re mostly strong mobs, so the rain is actually a good thing in Frontiers… Or at least, it’s good for the people that care about those enemies.

However, the rain doesn’t seem to affect the event mobs, and that’s what people are hunting the most right now, so not many people are hunting the special rain monsters. I guess they’d need to give a better reward to be worthwhile during an event.

In any case, let’s go make products to restock the store.

I’d also like to check the forums to see what people are talking after seeing Hime’s new doll in action, but I think I’ll do that after I’m done crafting.

Hime already participated in raids yesterday, so I’m sure there will be plenty of people talking about her.

Though Hime seems to have stayed up until late at night yesterday while gaming. I have to live a pretty regular life, so I always sleep at 10pm, but the same doesn’t hold true for her.

Nor to Mika, who seems to often sleep at school… I’m a bit worried about her grades.

Hime doesn’t seem to live as much of an unreasonable life as Mika though. Still, she apparently stayed up until past midnight yesterday. And she had already been online for over six in-game hours by the time I went to sleep.

In any case, with her playing this much and with us sharing information about the doll in advance, I’m sure enough time passed to let people start talking about the spider doll… I’m looking forward to seeing what they’re saying, but I’m also a bit scared of what I’ll read, so let’s work on crafting first.

Let’s do this!

******

After I finished crafting, making priority sales, getting the items evaluated at the Guild and restocking the store, I checked the forums.

Quite a few new threads were created to discuss the spider doll, and some people tried summarizing the known information about it too, but there was hardly anything there that we hadn’t already shared in advance.

That’s only natural though, since performance details can’t be shared without directly asking Hime about it, and she has no obligation of answering this kind of question.

Yesterday night Hime did participate in a raid and used the new doll there though, so people could see the dolls performance firsthand at that occasion. And the raid was a big success, of course.

The doll seems to be particularly useful in killing the mobs that spawn after the raid boss is defeated.

With its eight leg-swords, the humanoid and the fang, Hime can make short work of the mobs before they have a chance to attempt picking up the Shadow Tears.

That’s only possible due to how great Hime is at controlling the threads though.

Still, this definitely created a lot of discussion on the forums… As expected of Hime.

And well, as we already said in advance that I was the one who made the doll, plenty of people ended up saying that they’d like me to make one for them.

Even one person from Gospel asked me about it in fact, since they have access to priority sales and stuff.

But making this doll consumes way too many intermediate materials, requires the help of the twins, needs hard-to-obtain silver ores and attribute crystals, while also being quite hard to craft, so… I refused.

If the silver ores and the attribute crystals became easier to obtain, then I might reconsider it, but right now I can’t even purchase many silver ores, so I have no intention of making another spider doll any time soon.

Though well, I also reduced how many silver ores I was willing to purchase, I mean… Silver gear is worse than steel gear, so my only use for silver ores is making Magic Silver.

So, overall, purchasing the store at Dotril wasn’t a very successful investment. I purchase too few materials there right now, and the hired clerks hardly have to do anything.

It would be nice if I could get something more out of Dotril, but I guess I have no choice but to wait until the area is further developed.

Well, there might be people inspired by the Dotril Silver Mine being found, so they might work hard at doing some woodcutting near Dotril, but… The event is still going on, and it’s slowly approaching its end, so most of the top combat-focused Pioneers won’t be trying to find new areas.

Hime certainly won’t participate until the event ends, and then there is also the fact that the areas near Capital Sabrina need to get regular maintenance woodcutting, which also makes it hard for people to explore the surroundings of Dotril.

So far, not a single area near Capital Sabrina has been unlocked since the Shadow Mobs event started for one… But well, the event is approaching its end, so let’s work hard on this last spurt!

Though what I do is the same as always… Well, I am getting pretty close to obtaining the Magic Mirror Minicot at least.

I should also be able to get the Count Woof Minicot after that, and the rest will be trivial to purchase.

Obtaining all event Minicots is no longer a dream!

On a side note, Singy was yawning at the desk where I draw Magical Formations.

I pretty much always keep it out, and I noticed that Singy is a pretty relaxed cat.

Though even those small cute gestures end up being quite lovable and help me keep motivation when I stare at him in-between my crafting streaks.

Not to mention its incredibly lovely paw…

And due to that, the Wandering Mushroom Minicot hasn’t been brought out in quite a while. Singy is just way too cute, it can’t be helped.

Though I’m also looking forward to Count Woof. I wonder what it is like…

That said, I’m not sure what to expect of the Magic Mirror. Neither its name nor the preview image makes it look very appealing, so… Why is it the most expensive Minicot? Does it have anything special?

Well, I’ll see it once I get it.

In any case, it’s free time now. I already finished browsing the forums, so let’s go read a book and get new recipes.

Some new Magic Circles would be pretty nice… Which book should I choose?

******

“I’m here!” Lolita exclaimed.

“Aye aye.” I replied as I let her inside.

It was evening in real time now, and all members of Works gathered in my workshop.

This was not a girls-only gathering, but instead the showoff of the spider doll.

It’s a bit strange to show it off after it already had great results in battle, but everyone requested for it, so here we are.

“Oh? So that’s what it looks like.

“Why did you choose a male humanoid though? Wouldn’t a female one be better?” Lolita asked.

“You think so? I think the male one fits in perfectly.

“Also, would you look at that? Large swords instead of legs… This is very interesting.” Kuuruu said.

“You’re right!” Mii exclaimed.

“It’s amazing!” Muu exclaimed.

“We helped make it!” They said together.

“It’s a bit scary, but… It’s definitely amazing.” Lulu commented.

“This is certainly huge. No wonder there was so much talk about it on the forums.” Mukaida said.

Hime nodded to that comment.

“Me, Mii and Muu worked hard on this.” I told them all.

“We did out best!” The twins said in unison.

“Great work.” Lolita said.

“Good job.” Mukaida added.

“Thank you for your hard work… Do you want to eat some marron glace?” Lulu asked.

“Eat.” Hime already took a bite of it as she said that.

“You’re fast, Hime.” Mika commented.

Lolita just laughed.

“I’ll eat!” Mii said.

“I’ll eat a lot!” Muu said.

“Drink! Hot!” They exclaimed together.

After showing the doll off, it became a party where everyone talked while eating the souvenirs brought by Lulu.

We also shared information on recent research and on NPC quests.

I also told them about things I found on the second floor of the library and about the attribute crystals.

It was also interesting to see that Kuuruu was familiar not only with Chinese food, but also French food.

Though it’s hard to serve the French meals that he knows how to make in his restaurant, so he focuses on the Chinese ones.

I’d like to eat cassoulet and galette if he ever makes those. They’re French dishes, right?

In any case, Lulu seems to be pretty stimulated by learning that Kuuruu knows those things too, so she was quietly burning her fighting spirit.

Seems like Kuuruu is a good rival for Lulu.

******

After the party disbanded, I logged out to do my usual things, such as dinner.

Then, I logged in again, and it was now time to go to an NPC that Mukaida told us about.

I’m not sure if I’ll be able to get information on Improved Intermediate Tools there, but the NPC quests I’m currently taking are leading me nowhere, so it’s a good idea to try a new NPC.

I want to update my tools… Let’s aim for steel gear with two Options!

I went to a blacksmith workshop that was near the North Gate. It was pretty far from the South Gate, where my own workshop is located, so I used a carriage to move there.

To think a quest was found in such a faraway place… Thanks for sharing this information, Mukaida!

“Excuse me.” I said once I reached its doorstep.

“What is it lass…? Wait, could you be Bucket?” The man that came from inside the workshop asked.

“Ah, yes.” I replied.

He definitely looked like a blacksmithing, but he was also short and had a big beard, so… Could he be a dwarf?

“Did Mukaida tell you about me?” He asked.

“Ah, yes, he did.” I replied.

“As expected of that guy!

“Honestly, it’s a big deal to just see your helmet, you know? I heard quite a bit about you.” The blacksmith told me.

“Is that so?” I said.

“Yes! Okay, you’re good, come on in!” As he said that, he turned around and started moving inside the workshop.

“Eh? O-okay.” I then started following him inside.

Things are progressing pretty fast, which is quite helpful as it saves me some trouble.

Mukaida’s introductions are certainly wonderful.

Though I wonder what were the rumors that he heard about me… I hope they’re good ones.