Chapter 60


    Oh.


    The shop owner folded his arms and smiled.


    Arent you a freshman? A skeleton archer already?


    Yeah. Im nning on giving it a try.


    There were different positions for skeletons.


    Skeleton archer, skeleton mage, skeleton rider, etc.


    The skeleton archer was simply a skeleton that used a bow as its main weapon.


    At first, Simon gave the Ind Ratman skeleton a bow and made it try archery, but it was a total mess. It couldnt even hang an arrow properly, let alone pull the string.


    So when he looked through textbooks to find a solution, he found that there was a different kind of skeleton suitable for skeleton archers.


    Sapiros should be safe for a beginner to try out a skeleton archer. This way, please.


    Simon and the shop owner headed a little deeper in from the wide, central hall.


    Simons eyes moved wildly. There was a pile of things that he couldnt understand how to use. He thought that itd be quite interesting toe here and take a look if he got some time.


    The sapiros bones are over here.


    The shop owner got down on one knee and pulled out a box in apartment under the shelf.


    As he blew off the dust, you could see silver letters on a ck background. It had a very luxurious look.


    Shall I show you the inside too?


    Yes!!


    Simon answered with a voice that was almost a scream. The shop owner opened the box with a smile, looking at his cute junior.


    Woah!


    The inside of the box was covered with an antique red cloth, and in the center was the skull of a sapiros with two horns sticking out. In each space around it were vertebrae, arm bones, leg bones, and more, each stored by type.


    Vani makes the highest quality skeletons.


    Said the shop owner, getting the arm bone and flicking it with his finger.


    Did you hear that? It means that its been properly refrigerated. For the ones thatll be used as skeleton archers, the joint of the arm is important. Ah! Of course, the magic circle is also drawn on the skull.


    The shop owner carefully lifted the skull and showed its insides. You could see quite aplicated jet-ck magic circle.


    Its a magic circle that professional necromancers have carefully engraved inch by inch. The defect rate is remarkably low, and even if theres any defect,pensation will be given from the brand who made it. Bring it to the store, and Ill exchange it for a new one.


    He was saying things so fascinating that Simon should be ecstatic, but on the contrary, the smile on the corner of his mouth was shaking.


    I-It must be really expensive then, huh?


    30 gold per box. But as its the Vani brand that everyone knows, its worth your money.


    30 gold!


    Simon sighed inwardly. He knew that Summoning cost a lot of money, but it was no joke after all.


    Of course, it didnt really matter to Simon as a Commander, but 30 gold per unit was terribly expensive considering the short period of use for the skeleton.


    Isnt there anything a little bit cheaper?


    Of course there is! Ill show you.


    The shop owner got up and looked through the boxes. Then, he carefully pulled out a few boxes and ced them in front of Simon.


    Starting from the right, its 27 gold, 24 gold, and 22 gold.


    Even Simon, who didnt know much about the undead yet, could see that the quality of the bones became poorer right to left.


    And theres also a 20 gold one made by an unknown Necromancer.


    As he opened the box that had been roughly tied with string, you could see a huge mess of bones with a musty smell. After rummaging through the bones, he pulled out the skull and revealed its magic circle.


    The magic circle is still working properly, but itd be hit and miss whether its a defective product or not.


    Ill have to avoid that.


    Simon looked at the other boxes.


    [What are you thinking about, Boy?!]


    Th-That startled me.


    [Of course you should choose the most expensive Vani brand! Its not like you cant use your skeleton if it breaks like other Necromancers! Doesnt it all be the strength of the Legion?!]


    Thats true, but


    Simon looked at the boxes while pondering. What Piers saying wasnt wrong either. If youre buying something, wouldnt it be better to choose a good quality one?


    Ill have three Vani sets.


    Oh my, a big spender! Sure thing.


    The shop owner whistled and pulled out two more boxes with Vani written in silver. Simon, who was watching him, suddenly became curious and asked,


    By the way, why is the brand name of the undead products called Vani?


    The shop owner took out a bone and sniffed it.


    Its because the bones smell like Vani.


    Im just joking. Thest name of the founder of the brand is Vani. Now, lets proceed to the counter.


    Ah! Wait a minute, Senior.


    Said Simon while gulping down his saliva.


    Theres one more thing Id like to purchase


    Upon hearing what Simon wanted, the shop owner smiled.


    Oh, thats gonna be really expensive Shall I guide you?


    [Damn crazy! Hey, calm down! Do you n to spend all the money you earned from the mission?]


    Simon nodded his head, smiling, as he sweated profusely from his back.


    Yes please.


    * * *


    Pleasee again~!


    The shop owner bowed, and Simon left the Necromancer shop with a light-hearted smile. As a bonus, he also received three bows for skeleton archers.


    [Tsk tsk. Are you that happy?]


    Pier grunted.


    [You ended up buying that expensive thing.]


    Ahaha Sorry for spending recklessly without any consultation, Pier. But


    His heart was pounding. Hed ced the items he bought today into the subspace, but he wanted to open it up and touch them again.


    I thought it was essential for this Duel Evaluation.


    [Well, if that''s the Commanders decision, I have nothing more to say. Since you already bought it, use it without regrets!]


    Yes!


    He had to go back to Kizen before it was toote. He pressed on the hood and moved on.


    Perhaps because he stayed too long in the Necromancer shop, it was alreadyte at night, and there were no people on the roadside.


    When Simon was moving at a fast pace


    Ah!


    Simons face suddenly turned white when he saw the person walking from the other side. He immediately turned around and entered the alley between the buildings.


    [Hm? What?! Whats going on?!]


    Its someone I know.


    Simon stealthily peeked out.


    Although he was wearing a robe, the face and white suit that could be seen through it was a figure that any Kizen student could recognize.


    Professor Bahil? Why are you in Rochest?


    [Is there a problem? Maybe he wanted to have a drink after work.]


    Mm.


    That was true. The private life of the professor after work wasnt something Simon should be concerned about.


    * * *


    * * *


    Haaah Im finally here.


    Fortunately, he arrived at the dormitory without any incident. In the middle, he was in a dangerous situation where he couldve been caught by the Keeper scouting around Kizen, but he passed through without any problems.


    When he opened the door to room 409, his home sweet home, he was greeted with the usual view.


    Rick rolling in his bed while reading a magazine, and Kajann snoring with his nket up to the top of his head.


    Oh, Simon, youre back!


    Rick stood up and said,


    Were you okay? Today was the day the Keepers roam around.


    Simon shrugged.


    I almost ran into one, but I escaped safely.


    Haha! You got a lot of nerve, really. Even if you have an earnest image in ss, you always deviate and escape to Rochest. Arent you going out more often than me these days?


    Simonughed it off, removed his uniform, and hung it in the closet. He changed into a light, short-sleeved outfit and prepared to leave the room.


    And where are you going now?


    To make some skeletons.


    All of a sudden at night? What are you nning to make anyway?


    Skeleton archers.


    With those words, Rick jumped out of bed like a spring.


    Woah! Woah! Are you already trying to use the skeleton archer? In this Duel Evaluation?!


    Yeah. I dont know yet whether itll work or not.


    It should be difficult for us to assemble now! What brand is it?


    Vani.


    Ricks eyes lit up while he grabbed Simons shoulder.


    Ah, what are you doing? Hurry up and lead the way!


    Haha.


    The two left room 409 and headed to the lounge. They headed there because the dormitory self-study room was crowded with people, and they had to be quiet.


    This ce would be perfect.


    There was no one else in the huge apart apart from two students talking to each other. Simon and Rick sat down.


    Hurry up! Bring them out.


    Simon opened the subspace and took out the box. The word Vani was written in shiny silver letters on a ck box.


    Kyah! Can I open it?


    Of course.


    When Rick opened the box, white bones appeared on the luxurious red cloth.


    Look at this charming color.


    The students who were chatting in the seat next to them seemed to be curious as well.


    Whats this?


    A Sapiros Skeleton Archer Set. Its apparently from that Vani brand.


    Woah!


    This is Vani?


    Everyone was looking at the box with eyes as if they were looking at the newest product.


    Simon looked at those students and chuckled. He liked the fact that they hadmon interests because it was a school of Necromancers.


    But wheres the assembly drawing?


    Hold on.


    Simon found a piece of paper enclosed below after rummaging through the box. He opened it, and everything was ready.


    Okay, Ill begin now.


    Go, go!


    Simon first inserted jet-ck into the Summoning magic circle drawn on the skull.


    The colorless magic circle was dyed ck, and the runes interlocked and rotated to build an ecosystem called the magic circle.


    Is it done?


    The magic circle was working, but there was no movement in the skull. Looking at the magic circle, some runes didnt activate properly yet.


    Look at this, Simon!


    Rick, who was examining the assembly drawing, said,


    See the four corners of the magic circle here? Apparently, you have to Circling the jet-ck and put it in!


    Whats Circling?


    It must be the technique used to create magic circles in Mechanics of Jet-ck. We havent even learned this yet.


    After all, from the beginning, it was a difficult skeleton for a freshman to make. Simon took out the Mechanics of Jet-ck textbook from the subspace.


    Circling Circling


    While halfway through the table of contents, he found the entry for Circling. Simon opened that page.


    Huh? Isnt this?


    He wondered why it seemed familiar, but the content was simr to when he listened to Bahil about core operation in the past.


    The cycle of jet-ck.


    Meditation.


    ckhole.


    It was almost like the core operation Simon was using now. He thought that the tip Bahil gave was probably based on this thing called Circling.


    I might be able to do this.


    Simon slowly raised his right arm and closed his eyes.


    Cycle, not transformation. A circting image.


    Swaaaaaaa


    Jet ck began to rise from Simons palm.


    <em>Jet-ck has a tendency to remember.</em>


    Bahils voice from his memory echoed in his ears.


    <em>Just like the hands and feet of humans. If you repeat the same movements hundreds of thousands of times, the jet-ck tries to reproduce the acquired flow without realizing it. Isnt it amazing? Thats why its important to practice repeatedly and develop the right habits.</em>


    Simon clenched his teeth. Just focus and contemte. Make the jet-ck remember this flow and keep it this way.


    Swaaaaaaa


    The jet-ck had entered a stable state. Sweat dripped down from Simons body.


    It worked.


    Now, even if he paid attention to a slightly different ce and looked back, the jet-ck was spinning on its own.


    This was Circling.


    Simonpressed the whirlpool-like jet-ck into a small area and then inserted it directly into one of the four corners of the magic circle.


    Whirrrrrrr!


    A light came on in the corner. Like a mechanical device that was supplied with power, the runes that had stopped around them came to life and began to move.


    Hey, what the hell are you?


    Rick was left speechless.


    Youre following it after going through a textbook once? Are you for real a genius or what?