Chapter 63

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 63

Chapter Title: Records - 2

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Traits are no different from an adventurer's identity.

The same path yields the same class, and the same shop provides the same gear.

Unique classes and equipment exist, of course, but they can ultimately be substituted with similar ones or matched in performance.

But traits are unique, and their influence far surpasses other factors.

What trait you possess ultimately determines your combat style.

In simple terms, it's the cornerstone of your tech tree.

In that sense, my trait had little impact on climbing.

Record Viewer.

The first time it manifested was in seeing the numbers floating above adventurers' heads, regardless of my will—their most important record as adventurers: the highest floor they'd successfully climbed.

The ability to view others' records like that.

I got more value than expected from discovering my senior's record, but objectively, it's not a very useful ability.

It doesn't directly aid combat, and even with my senior, I ultimately relied on other adventurers for benefits.

Fortunately, the trait's limits didn't stop there.

The second manifestation of 'Record Viewer' came at the forge.

I saw Harman's record—as a blacksmith.

All the creations he'd made in his lifetime gathered like a massive wave.

I couldn't examine everything in detail.

So I filtered for weapons, then swords among them.

Among those remaining, I pulled out the foremost one, and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠clear lines drew themselves in my mind.

'It's doing this again. Every time I check, it says it's hungry.'

Up until then, the trait showed no changes, but it started shifting little by little.

After viewing Harman's record, as if it had opened its eyes, it began occasionally speaking to me from the 2nd floor onward.

What was it so hungry for, when it wasn't even alive?

It relentlessly demanded records from me.

After finally viewing Mariel's record too, the trait's rank rose from Common to Rare.

'I've never heard of traits changing ranks anywhere. Let alone speaking like a living being.'

Adventurers might not know.

Not even the current generation's rankers.

Even my senior showed no sign of knowing.

She already knew my trait was Common rank and even mocked it self-deprecatingly.

I wondered if she had a way to check others' traits, but seeing she didn't pry into unspoken details, it didn't seem likely even for her.

'If records are what you want, Senior has way more, so why keep pushing me toward mages?'

'Digestion? Picky eater. What's the pain about?'

'This thing?'

The trait talks too much unnecessarily, but its overall assessment isn't bad.

Its rank rising a step hints at further growth potential.

Who knows.

It might even reach the highest rank.

'Hey, besides eating records, is there nothing useful for me?'

'So I can use it like an AI notebook. Anything else?'

'Dressing up "nothing" so nicely.'

I glimpsed the blacksmith's records, the enchanter's, even the mage's, but gained nothing tangible.

I hoped for a skill acquisition, but with growth prioritized, nothing seemed possible right now.

As the trait said, if it grows further and ranks up, maybe then.

"I never thought I'd end up a frog in a well too."

"...?"

"Ah, did I spoil it for a newbie? Pretend you didn't hear that."

I'd forgotten I was talking with Amelia.

How far had I gone?

"Did you get all the slimes?"

"Yeah. Just five, after all."

With so many adventurers, slimes weren't scarce, and 1st floor requests felt simple now.

Amelia had fulfilled the quest conditions long ago too.

"Something happen? You're extra weird today. Though you're always weird, this is double."

But her sword didn't stop.

The crisp sound of slimes being sliced still rang in my ears.

'You're eating Amelia's records right now, right?'

'With Harman or Mariel, I could see their records too. Wouldn't seeing the magic Amelia can use help me?'

Harman's records let me read his countless creations.

Mariel's let me read her countless enchants.

So this time, I thought I could read Amelia's magic.

'Fine. Eat it all yourself.'

I didn't want to bicker with my trait and waste stamina.

I could just close the window.

Senior's long slime massacre finally ended.

"Hey, how many did you slice? You're gonna need a shower first thing back."

"Slimes are great and all, but the splatter every time I catch one is so annoying."

"Catch too many of anything, and you get dirty."

I waited a long time, but she looked a bit more refreshed now.

'They seem close. Is hunting together like this routine for them?'

No picture of Senior passing next-floor tips while slaying slimes with me.

With a week left, hearing them late wouldn't be a problem.

I understood why Ellie felt competitive toward her.

Personally, there were differences ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in their relationships.

'Ellie and Senior have this ticklish vibe, but here it's just... casually laid-back.'

Like decade-long friends.

Normally, seeing them together, bottom-floor stuck adventurers would gawk at how a newbie knew such a big shot.

Now it was the opposite: how was Amelia so chummy with Senior?

The lead adventurer and the one lingering at the bottom.

How much time do they even share in the same space?

"Let's head out first. To the forest."

Koon was still at the entrance.

Seeing Senior's state, his eyes widened hugely.

Even with her face mostly hidden by the helmet, her expression showed through.

"Whoa, had me worried for a sec. I know Earthbound Spirit isn't someone who'd fall to mere slimes anymore."

"Hm? Oh, just some splatter on me."

"You took longer than usual, so how many slimes did you even hunt?"

Koon scanned Senior up and down.

No spot lacked slime remnants.

"You'll get an earful from Ellie like that."

"I know. Planning to wash up in my room anyway."

"Good thinking."

The trait reacted on its own again.

'What? I didn't even open the window. On its own?'

'Hungry again? Weren't you just gorging on Amelia's records?!'

The trait only reacted to certain targets.

Senior was an exception—maybe not to its taste—and it preferred high-level rankers like Amelia.

It reacted to record-creators like Harman and Mariel too.

No reaction from residents like receptionists, potion shop owners, or innkeepers.

'Why the guard? Doesn't Koon have fewer records worth peeking than even Ellie? He just stands there all the time.'

With its whimsy, seriously pondering might be pointless.

While Senior went to wash off the slime remnants, I ended up alone with Amelia.

"Just curious, but how long do you plan to stay here?"

"Huh? Uh... well..."

"You're not planning to settle on the 1st floor for good, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠right?"

"W-Well, you see...?"

'She is settling.'

At this rate, Crimson Flame Guild recruitment wouldn't resume anytime soon.

No proof Fria got a direct offer from Amelia either.

First, I needed to check if Amelia had forgotten Fria.

Her response far exceeded expectations.

"Ah. Right."

"...You forgot?"

"Sh-She'll handle it herself, right? She already boasted and left, so I don't have decision power in Crimson Flame anymore..."

"..."

How many enter the tower following such thoughtless people.

...Including me.

Better to separate ranker Amelia from the adventurer before me as different people.