I slept like a rock for ten hours today. Yesterday was really tiresome. I had to almost completely deplete my MP in a really, really short and anticlimactic fight with a level 2 and a ghoul made of flames. Luckily, mana recovers the same as energy; just eat or sleep and you'll be fine.

Yesterday, I had the time to set up my status with the points I had due to the system. I even tried reclaiming some skills/spells I had from Earth. Like for example, [Lightning/Electric Magic]. I had most of my Skill points distributed between it and my [Body Enhancement] skill since it's what I would almost always use on Earth. I do kinda want to be able to use other elements but that'll have to wait until I get used to the magic system here.

On another note, I checked the <Eclipse> Skill tree that I got at the same time as my title. It was how you'd expect it to look like. From a single cell, it branched out into hundreds of others. The skill tree branched out into all the main classes that I could choose from. The system told me that I could only choose up to two classes, and that if I had already chosen, I wouldn't be able to reset it.

The classes were just separated into seven classes; Fighter, Swordsman, Brute, Archer, Mage, Alchemist, and Healer. Though all of the classes had an attribute of [Darkness]. I didn't really have two classes in mind but the Mage class is already set in stone, I just had to choose another. Also, I wasn't able to choose one first then the second one later. I would be stuck with just one class if I did so. And since that was the case, I left it for later.

Also, expenses in this world are really easy to understand and manage, as long as you have the money. The food and living expenses are just the perfect amount for the amount of money I have. Everything is practically perfect here!(minus the literal dangers that is almost everywhere)

I was going to stay in the inn for about a week or so before I probably give Markus an answer. I can't really get used to being asked to be their child. Really, I don't even know why but it gets me embarrassed.

So, after I left the inn to go either down the dungeon, or find something else to do in town to save the dungeon for later. I just wandered around for a while until I saw something interesting.

At the end of some small path between two shops, I caught a glimpse of something that shined, like a metallic shine that you would only be able to see from afar if it's been really well-made. I went towards the isolated part of town and once arriving in front of the place I saw the shining metal, which was from a set of armor. It was a weapon/armor blacksmith shop.

Seeing that I don't really have any sort of armor to protect myself(except for the fur coat I was wearing). As I opened the door, a shrill sound came from the chimes above. Walking inside with the intent to find some sort of armor that would be enough for me and would also look good, I found out that there were almost no product inside that looked crude. They were all really well made.

From the swords that hang on the walls, to the armor, whether bulky or small, looked really durable. I was really surprised that the equipment hasn't even sold out yet.

Then, I saw the one behind the counter. He was someone that looked about my age. He was even sleeping even though the sound coming from the chimes should've already woken him up. His hair looked a fair bit in the middle of the color orange and red but was still really red. It was messy, as you would expect of someone who sleeps on the job and is just about to start puberty, or maybe I'm just being biased.

I knocked four times on the counter to see if he would wake up. He didn't, is what he thinks that I thought. I saw his eyebrows crease for a fraction of a second before he returned to his sleeping expression.

"Oi, I know you're awake." I said, but of course he didn't respond. He just stayed there trying to pretend to be asleep. It irritated me teensy little bit.

Then, from behind the shop, entered a brunette girl with a pair of blue eyes wearing what seemed to be a dress. She was carrying several folded cloaks and also looked about the same age as I am. Then, as she saw me and the red haired boy sleeping and ignoring me, she gently placed the cloaks on top of the counter and…

"Gah!!!" The boy yelped as he had his ear pinched by the girl. "That hurts!"

She looked annoyed, like a girl seeing her close friend not helping with the group project. I don't know why I compared her to that but I just did.

"There's a customer! And you're just going to ignore him?" She scolded the boy.

"Bu-"

"No buts!"

He looked defeated, and just stood up. He seemed like he was really reluctant to talk, but forced himself to do so since the girl beside him said so.

"G..good morning and welcome…I'm Vel, Vel Blazen and...this here is Tia Frinz. H...how may we help you?"

His face gave me the sign that he really doesn't like talking to others, except for the girl, Tia. He even looked like he was about to vomit. I just hope he could hold it in.

"Um...I'm looking for a really durable and light sword, preferably a bastard sword…" I kinda felt his awkwardness seep into me. I haven't felt this awkward around people in a long, long time.

Vel had his eyes shine for a short moment before walking towards a box filled with many longswords. He took one and showed it to me. It seemed durable enough. He even looked like he didn't have any troubles in lifting it up. I might buy this one along with some armor.

"It looks great. How much is it?"

He looked oddly surprised. "Y..you're not going to test it out first?" He asked me. His awkwardness seemed to slightly lessen while I talked to him.

"Well, if you say so, why not?" He then handed me the sword.

It felt light. It wasn't even double the weight of my dagger. Then, I looked closely at its blade. It's luster seeming to mirror my face, both my crimson eyes and partially white, black hair being seen almost clearly in the blade.

I flicked the spine lightly, the blade vibrating oh so lightly right after. The way it could easily bend in a way that's not too much, it was almost perfect.

Then, I held the sword at its pommel. The reach was pretty good. I then tried a quick downward swing. Its swift whistle resounding around the shop after it swung. I also kinda played with it, spinning it just like how you would play with a long stick.

"Yep, I'm buying this. Also, are there any armor here that are light?"

"Ah...yes. Those are over here…"

In the end, I chose to buy the sword, a pair of gauntlets, iron boots, a chestplate, and some chainmail. All in all, it cost me thirty silver, which was fine. Equipping all of that, I was just about ready to go back to the dungeon for the second time in my life here.

But as I chatted with the two who took care of the shop, I learned that they were both friends since about a year ago. Vel was the grandson of the owner of the shop, who was also the one that made most of the equipment there. While Tia was the granddaughter of a friend of Vel's grandfather. Both of them were the apprentices of their grandparents. Tia being the tailor and Vel being the smith.

Then, I remembered what the system told me yesterday when I checked my status and the skill tree. That there are things called sub-classes. They're basically professions. For example, a warrior could also be a fisherman.

The two were really nice, especially Tia. She was quite outgoing and cheerful compared to the reserved and socially inexperienced Vel. But when I look at Tia when she's speaking, he seems to look at me with a distrustful, and piercing gaze. He probably likes her. She promised also does like him since I she had a wide grin on her face when she saw Vel talk to me in a less reserved manner. I could guess that he wasn't usually like this.

I was tempted, tempted to tease them just because of their somewhat obvious display of affection towards each other. I really tried not to do so, and I was able to repress my own desire. I somewhat remember an experience where my past parents teased me when I brought a girl home, specifically, the girl I'm hoping to see again. But I can't focus on that now, since I still don't have the ability to travel all around the world and still be safe from its dangers. I kinda wish that she'd just appear in front of me like a princess in a fairy tale…

After chatting for about an hour or so with the two, I now knew and understood them to a certain extent. It was probably fine to describe them as my first friends in this world. I learned quite a bit about them, like how Vel really likes to talk about weapons and especially swords and how Tia likes magic and familiars.

"Say, do you two have an adventurer's licence?" I asked out of curiosity. I just wondered if they would actually be able to join me in the dungeon.

The two looked at me blankly, glancing at each other for a few times before…

"Yeah"

"Yup!"

I cracked up a smile before asking again. "Wanna create a party and go into the dungeon?"

It's my first time asking someone to come with me to someplace I wanted to go. I would always let the other person decide but this is another world so kinda wanted to do something different.

"Well, why not?" Tia answered, while Vel only nodded.

"We don't really have anything important to do right now, but we need to ask grampa first since the two might get mad at us if we just leave unnoticed…"

I smiled at them. "Well, I'll wait there at the entrance then. Just don't forget to come fully prepared. See you later then." I said to them before leaving and walking away from the shop.

I gazed into the window for a brief moment and saw the two of them say something to each other and nod while smiling before running off to the back of the shop.

While I walked farther away, I noticed the continuous sound of metal colliding with each other in a rhythm I could only describe as calming. It came from behind the shop.

Is that Vel making something? Or his grandfather?