Chapter 15: The Mochikko Plushie and the Chance to Get a Princess Job
At the training grounds, starting with Lana, the rest of the party showed off their new skills and spells, and practiced linking them together in combos.
From a distance, other classmates who had been training on their own stopped and just stared at us, dumbfounded.
Come on, guys—if you don’t hurry up and get a Job, the gap is only going to keep widening.
"Whew, that was a good workout."
"Yes. A very productive session."
The two frontliners, surprisingly sporty, wiped away sweat with towels. The sight was… oddly sexy.
And in contrast—
"Thanks, Hanna."
"Kalua-chan, you could at least wipe yourself, you know…"
There was Kalua, standing there like a doll while Hanna wiped her sweat for her. The little-loli squad was just plain adorable.
Technically, Kalua is over 150 cm tall, but with her baby face, she looks pretty childlike.
As for Lana, she’d already run out of MP and had been on break for a while now, sipping juice through a straw.
"It’s about noon anyway. Let’s wash up."
"Yeah."
So we decided to split up for lunch and a quick refresh, planning to meet again in the evening.
After heading back, showering, and grabbing lunch at the cafeteria, I remembered something important—
A critical purchase I’d been putting off.
"Hmm… this one looks good, doesn’t it?"
I had stopped by a general store, and what caught my eye was a giant <Mochikko> plushie.
Our guild is made up entirely of girls—and as expected, they all love cute things. They’d been wanting a mascot plushie.
If I didn’t do something, who knew when <Lucky Cat-sama>’s paws would strike again? We needed a substitute mascot, fast. And this jumbo plush looked like it could fill that role.
But just as I reached for it, another hand came in from the side and touched it at the same time.
"Hm?"
"Oh?"
I turned and realized there was a girl standing next to me. Somehow, I hadn’t noticed, and we’d just done one of those cliché manga moves.
"……"
Our eyes met.
She had long hair tied in a ponytail, with a sports cap pulled low so I couldn’t see her face well. In disguise?
From the blue embroidery on her collar, I could tell she was a first-year girl.
Strangely, she gave me a sense of déjà vu. Was she a character from the game? …But no, I didn’t recall anyone like her.
"…You want this plushie too?"
While I was racking my brain, she spoke first.
"Ah—yeah. ‘Too,’ meaning you as well?"
"Indeed. But there is only one. A problem…"
Even the way she talked—somehow it sounded familiar. Where had I heard that before…?
She frowned a little, clearly troubled, while I kept digging through my memory. In the end, I was convinced this was our first meeting.
"Should we ask the clerk if they have another one? Wait here, I’ll check."
She started toward the counter, but honestly, I didn’t care about the plushie that much. So I held up a hand to stop her.
"No, it’s fine. I’ll find something else. You go ahead and buy it."
But then she stopped me in turn.
"Wait. You wanted this <Extra-Large Mochikko Mochi-Mochi Plushie>, didn’t you? Then I’ve no reason to accept it."
…So that’s what it was called? That name sounded tasty. Damn it, now I kind of wanted it after all. But what would I even do with it? I could already picture my guildmates snatching it away.
"Nah. Thinking about it, I’d be satisfied with another one. If someone really wants it, they should be the one to buy it. No doubt about that."
"Mmm… I see. Truly? You’re sure?"
"Go for it."
"…Very well. You have my thanks."
She must have really wanted it—once I yielded, the matter was settled just like that.
Not that I did anything worth thanks, but watching her trot off with a bright smile to buy it, I couldn’t help but feel like I’d done a good deed.
But then—trouble.
"That’ll be 120,000 miru!"
"120,000 miru!?"
Her anguished cry rang through the store. Fortunately, I was the only other customer.
Still, hearing that scream, I had a bad feeling about what was going to happen next.
"I-Isn’t there any way to lower the price? For example… down to, say, five thousand miru?"
"No."
Merciless.
Yeah, no way they’d slash it to 1/24th the price.
"…Ah."
Our eyes met again.
The joyful, slightly blushing expression she’d had moments ago was gone without a trace.
Instead, her eyes were brimming with tears.
I could easily imagine what she was feeling.
If she couldn’t buy it now, that plushie she’d once held in her hands would never return to her. Someone else—me—would snatch it away.
That must have been what she was thinking. Proof enough was the way her hands clutched the <Mochikko> plushie tightly, as if to say she’d never let it go.
But—
"A-aah, I... I can’t... I just can’t do it…"
Her despairing voice reached my ears.
Where had that composed, dignified girl from moments ago gone?
Standing there now was nothing but a young girl, clinging to her favorite toy so it wouldn’t be taken away.
…Well. What was I supposed to do in this situation?
.
.
.
On the way back from shopping, I found myself walking alongside the girl I’d met at the store.
"Uuugu… s-sorry. I’ve caused you trouble."
There it was—the classic uguu.
"It’s fine, really. I had my eye on it too, so I’ll just enjoy it for a while before handing it over."
In the end, I was the one who bought the jumbo <Mochikko Mochi-Mochi Plushie>.
A lot happened, but to keep it short—
That plushie was apparently crafted by a well-known third-year senior. It was a one-of-a-kind piece made from rare materials, so there was no stock and no scheduled restock either. In fact, chances were slim that it would ever be made again.
The girl had known about this. She’d come here after hearing a new one-of-a-kind plushie was being put on sale.
Honestly, who uses rare materials for a plushie? The production department really goes off the rails sometimes when rare mats are involved. A 120,000 miru plushie—seriously?
When the clerk explained this, her face looked like her soul had left her body.
It was too pitiful, so I made a proposal:
I’d buy it for now, keep it safe, and once she saved up the money, I’d hand it over.
Her expression lit up as if she’d just seen a ray of hope, and she agreed—leading to the situation now.
"Don’t apologize. Instead of ‘sorry,’ I’d rather hear a ‘thank you.’ That’d make me happier."
"Ah… ahh, you’re right. Forgetting gratitude is unbecoming of me. You have my thanks for your kindness."
"You’re welcome."
She was a good kid at heart. The way she switched her mood so quickly left a good impression too.
"Oh, I haven’t even introduced myself to my benefactor. I’m Rika. I plan to enter the <Dungeon Exploration Department, Combat Division>."
Rika, huh? No name I recognized. Definitely our first meeting.
Still, why the disguise? Maybe I shouldn’t pry.
"Well, I’m Zephyrus. 【Hero Level 26】. Same division as you—Dungeon Exploration, Combat. I already have a tentative spot secured."
"Muh? So you’re Zephyrus the 【Hero】. Truly as generous as the rumors say."
Right now, I am in my regular school uniform, fresh from a shower. My gear was left in my room’s cleansing device, and by the time I got back, it’d be spotless.
Since I wasn’t wearing the <Sky Series> equipment, she hadn’t realized I was that Zephyrus. Not surprising—this was our first time meeting.
Besides, the recruitment wars had calmed down, so going around in uniform wasn’t much of a problem anymore. I kind of wanted to enjoy normal school life for once anyway. Wearing the academy uniform boosted my mood in a different way than armor did.
After that, we strolled down C-Street, chatting about random things and about ourselves.
But listening to her, I thought—Rika, it’s way too early to feel indebted.
Apparently, she hadn’t acquired a Job yet, so she couldn’t even enter dungeons. For now, her allowance came from her older sister. Of course, she couldn’t afford 120,000 miru.
She’d need to reach at least Beginner Low-tier dungeons to start earning. But realistically, with early equipment upgrades and expenses, she’d need to reach Beginner Mid-rank dungeons to save up that much.
The Beginner Low-tier dungeons material inflation boom was long over.
Back when I started, I didn’t have to sink money into gear, and with Hanna as a two-person party, the loot split was huge. Plus, the resale value of boss mats was insane. That’s how we passed 1,000,000 miru in no time.
But now? With a five-person party, you’d be lucky to take home 20,000–30,000 miru per person. Barely enough to keep your gear updated.
Which meant—I’d probably be holding onto this plushie for a while. Two, maybe three months.
I told her as much, simply and directly.
"W-what!? Really!?"
She looked shocked, as if this had never occurred to her. Rika gave off the impression of someone sheltered—almost too sheltered.
And sure enough, when I glanced at her belongings, I spotted a familiar symbol.
A <Sword-shaped Keychain>.
Just as I thought—Rika was a marquis’ daughter.
The "Marquis" crest was small, usually attached to a student handbook, so it was easy to miss. Right now, it was only barely visible, peeking from her blazer’s waist pocket.
In the game, it was more obvious.
So yeah—she was a sheltered noble lady, through and through.
Now, what was I supposed to do with this (presumably) naive young lady?
"Race" Category: "Marquis".
If we’re talking "Marquis", that usually leads to the 【Warrior】 job path. That includes stuff like 【Samurai】 and other warrior-type jobs. They’re close-range specialists—great for both offense and tanking.
But if she goes the "Princess" route, she could end up with unique classes like 【Sheltered Noble Lady】 or 【Sheltered Girl】.
Oddly enough, those are magic-based jobs. Magical attackers and tanks. Also known as the Box Mages. Honestly? Really strong.
Basically, a complete upgrade over the 【Barrier Master】 job line. Bind! Annihilate!
Whichever path she takes, anything under the "Marquis" job tree is solid.
And if she’s not already part of a guild—which she says she isn’t—this might be a golden opportunity.
A rare opportunity to recruit a <Princess Job>—no way I’m letting this slip by. We’re still actively looking for more guild members, after all.
"So, Rika, I was wondering—would you be willing to come talk things over with my guild?"
Time to give this sheltered young lady a taste of the harsh realities of negotiation.
From inside my <Item Bag (Capacity: Large)>, I could swear the oversized <Mochikko Mochi Plushie> gave a little thunk.
"So here’s the deal—if you join the guild <Eden>, you’ll be free to touch and cuddle that giant Mochikko plush anytime you want."
"I’ll join!!"
Instant answer.
After I pointed out with a little dramatic flair that it might take months for her to save up enough on her own, then casually added "but if you join the guild…"—Rika took the bait without hesitation.
Honestly, it’s worrying how quickly she agreed. Shouldn’t she be thinking about more important things than stuffed animals?
But thinking it through, she is a "Princess". Meaning her family could easily provide her with gear. With that kind of support, she could solo the Beginner low-tier dungeons without issue, meaning all the earnings would be hers alone. Saving 120,000 miru? A matter of time. Not that I’m telling her that.
And hey, it’s not like I lied. Everything I said was technically true. Besides, Rika hasn’t actually told me yet that she’s a "Marquis"’ daughter, so… it’s fine. (Okay, maybe not.)
Of course, before scouting her, I did explain our guild’s goals and philosophy.
Still, there’s one concern.
Does Rika really have the resolve to aim for an S-rank guild? I’m not entirely sure…
...Well, no matter.
If someone wants to leave, that just means I wasn’t convincing enough.
If they accepted the guild’s terms but then slacked off, I can always kick them out. That's part of the game, after all.
…Still, I should put at least one little "hook" in place to keep her from leaving too easily.
"Oh, almost forgot. If you join the guild, Rika, that Mochikko plush will become guild property. The earlier arrangement—me holding onto it for you—won’t apply anymore. Is that alright?"
"Of course."
She agreed without hesitation.
In other words, if she ever quits, she’ll lose access to the Mochikko forever—never to touch it again.
………Pretty weak as far as shackles go. She could just say "don’t need it" and leave. Yet for some reason, I can’t picture Rika walking away from that plush.
Is the oversized Mochikko Mochi Plush really that irresistible?
I glance at it again. It looks… soft. Mochi-like.
Sure, it’s cute, but when did this thing turn into a full-on recruitment incentive? Nobody told me.
When we reached the guild, I pulled the plush out of my <Item Bag (Capacity: Large)> and placed it on a table right next to the shrine for the <Lucky Cat-sama>. Hopefully, this setup will keep its divine paws safe.
Just as I finished setting it down, the guild door slid open with a clatter.
"Oh! Zephyrus, you’re here!"
"Hm? Ah, so you all came together?"
Led by Lana, the whole party filed into the room one after another. Apparently, they’d all been out together.
Looking outside, the sun was already low. Guess that whole plushie drama had dragged on longer than I thought.
"Hmm. Who’s she?"
"What’s going on, Kalua ch— …er, Zephyrus-kun. May I ask who that young lady is?"
At Hanna’s words, everyone’s gaze turned to Rika, seated in the back. And wait—did Hanna just use polite speech?
A sudden chill ran down my spine. Just my imagination, right? Anyway, better make introductions.
"Ah. This is Rika—she just decided to join our guild, <Eden>."
"I’m Rika, first year. From today, I’ll be in your care here. Pleased to meet you."
Standing up, Rika removed her hat (headgear) and gave a polite bow to the guild members.
Her black ponytail swayed slightly, drawing my eyes without me meaning to.
"Another girl!? Geez, Zephyrus! You said you were done meeting new people! The second I turn my back, you drag in another one!"
"L-Lady Lana, please calm down. Your tone is slipping."
Even though I’d just brought in someone who looked like strong new blood, Lana was clearly upset, while a flustered Ester tried to soothe her.
"She’s beautiful…"
"Mm. Gorgeous."
Meanwhile, the loli duo were staring at Rika in admiration.
With her hat off, Rika revealed a face so striking it was impossible not to stare.
Unlike Sierra’s delicate charm, Rika had the tall, refined figure of a model, paired with a cool, dignified aura.
As expected of the 【Samurai】 lineage, the daughter of a "Marquis". If she wore a kimono and let her hair down, she’d look just like a proper Yamato Nadeshiko.
"Oh my, isn’t that Rika?"
"Sierra! So you’re a member too? And even the princess?"
Oh? Looks like Rika and Sierra know each other.
"You joined without knowing?"
"I only just met her a little while ago. I barely gave her the minimum explanation. I was about to fill her in when everyone showed up."
Rika raised her voice in surprise at finding Sierra among <Eden>’s members, and Sierra, for some reason, gave me a reproachful look.
Well, it was decided out of nowhere. I haven’t even explained jobs yet.
"Fine, whatever. Still, Rika, are you sure you’re okay being here? The guild your elder sister is in… oh, right. That place is impossible for you, isn’t it?"
"Yes. It would’ve been ideal if I had at least awakened to a better job, but I’m still stuck at 【Bushidō】."
【Bushidō】 is a high-rank mid-tier job. For someone with the "Marquis" and "Princess" titles, it does seem underwhelming. She’s probably hesitant—like, is it really okay to waste my one awakening on 【Bushidō】? Definitely not. Way too wasteful.
By the way, unrelated side note: I could also unlock 【Bushidō】.
That’s because the "Protagonist" "Race" is designed to unlock almost any job. If I wanted, I could become a 【Paladin】, a 【Shota】, or a 【Samurai】—basically any rare job I liked. Well, except the Princess-only jobs, for obvious reasons.
…Anyway.
"So you know Rika too? Sierra, you really do have a wide circle of acquaintances."
"Rika’s family is special. Our houses were connected, and since we were close in age, I often played with her and her sisters when we were little."
"I’m the youngest of four sisters, and since all of my older sisters are close in age, we were always in the same group with Sierra and the other girls. Those days were fun."
A long-awaited reunion, huh. The way Sierra and Rika were practically glowing, they must’ve been very close. Seems like they have plenty of catching up to do.
"Four sisters close in age, huh? Any of them at this academy?"
"All of them, actually."
What…!? That’s a surprise. Four sisters, all "Marquis" and "Princess"? I definitely need to keep tabs on that.
"The eldest has already graduated. She works here now as a teacher."
I see. Then she’s out. Dungeon diving can only scout current students, after all.
"The second and third are in the same guild, a high-ranking one. Like Sierra mentioned earlier, there’s no way a newbie like me could just slide in thanks to connections."
So they’re in a top-tier guild, huh. Well, they are "Marquis" and "Princesses". Makes sense.
Joining above your level only ruins you. That’s just common sense here. Even being sisters doesn’t change that rule.
Still… why does this sound so familiar? In my mind, I picture a certain new teacher and a senior in a hakama with a black ponytail. Weren’t they both 【Samurai】-types?
"I’d been getting guidance from my sisters about how to awaken, but it wasn’t going well. Just then, Zephyrus reached out to me. Honestly, no other guilds even tried to recruit me—out of respect for my sisters’ guilds. So his invitation was a godsend."
Rika explained everything, including how it all came to be.
So that’s it! Rika was already unsure about her future, so when I scouted her, she just jumped at the chance.
I thought she was just a sheltered princess who joined because of a plushie bribe. Sorry for doubting you, Rika.
"Even so, I’m now officially a member of <Eden>. Since I’ve joined, I’ll devote myself wholeheartedly. Everyone, I ask for your guidance."
"That’s wonderful! A new member is always a good thing! You’re welcome here!"
The first to react was Lana. It’s like all her earlier fussing never even happened.
Well, she is a tsundere. And that’s why I like her.
The others followed suit, responding with self-introductions.
"Mm. Kalua. Nice to meet you."
"I’m Hanna. Pleased to work with you."
"I’m Ester, Lady Lana’s guard. I look forward to it."
"We’ll be counting on you, Rika."
Naturally, Lana skipped her own introduction. Figures.
Once the greetings settled, the topic suddenly shifted.
"Wait, hold on! What’s with that squishy-looking plushie!? It’s adorable!"
Lana’s sharp eyes sparkled. So she found it.
"Allow me to tell you a story."
Rika stepped forward with a sharp, dignified look.
…Hold up. Did she just say "explain"? No—she said "let me tell you a story."
What the heck is about to happen?
"Whatever, that’s fine. Just let me touch it for a second!"
But since Lana refused, nothing ended up happening.
Rika looked utterly dejected. …What a tragedy.
Sierra, seeing this, tried to change the subject for her.
"Anyway, Rika, what’s your job?"
"Ahem. Well, this is embarrassing, but I haven’t awakened one yet."
Rika cleared her throat, resetting the mood, and answered Sierra.
"Then you should ask Zephyrus! He can definitely get you the job you want!"
That suggestion came flying from Lana, who was happily hugging and squishing the plushie.
When I glanced back, I saw Hanna and Ester had also gone over to touch the Mochikko plushie.
The Mochikko is seriously popular. At least the cursed hands of mischief never reach dear <Lucky-Cat-sama>. Just for that alone, spending 120,000 miru was worth it.
"Thing is, I haven’t actually asked her what she wants yet. —Rika, do you have a job you’re aiming for? If not, I could introduce you to a few options."
The "Marquis" race jobs are incredibly powerful, but the catch is that only two people per guild can have them. So deciding which route to develop was always a thorny issue.
"Hmm. Zephyrus did say earlier that he could let me take the job I wanted… but was that not a joke?"
"It’s no joke at all! Every single one of us here got our jobs thanks to Zephyrus!"
For some reason, Lana puffed out her chest with a smug look.
Oh, you’re showing off now? If I point it out, she’ll start flustered panicking again, so… I’ll spare her this time.
"If you don’t have anything in mind, I’d like to recommend four jobs. Is that alright?"
"Ah, yes… please do."
The "Marquis" line had four iconic top-tier jobs:
【Demon Rōnin】, the strongest attacker of the "Warrior" line.
【Princess Samurai】, another samurai branch, excels as both a melee attacker and a tank.
【Mononofu】, samurai again, focused on defense.
And finally, a special, mage-type job: 【Sheltered Noble Lady】
Among these, 【Princess Samurai】 and 【Sheltered Noble Lady】 are <Princess Jobs>.
Of course, I introduced 【Demon Rōnin】 and 【Mononofu】 as well, but since she’s a "Princess," I really want her to pick one of the <Princess Jobs>.
"Hm? Wait, there’s one job I’ve never heard of before?"
Rika tilted her head at 【Sheltered Noble Lady】. Well, no surprise there.
In the game, that one only showed up during a certain quest, where you stumbled across a hidden library in the Marquis estate using the 【Chuunibyou】 skill 『Nothing escapes my Evil Eye』. That’s the only way you even learn its name and awakening conditions.
That said, once the method was out, the quest became unnecessary, so 【Chuunibyou】’s worth stayed about the same. Especially since the guide sites listed all 1,021 job requirements anyway.
…But I’m getting sidetracked.
I carefully explained the details of that special route.
But Rika’s reaction was lukewarm.
"I see… so I had such a possibility. But forgive me, I am the daughter of a samurai house. I have already invested too much time preparing to become a warrior to suddenly turn toward sorcery."
Hmm.
Unfortunate, but that’s reality. Someone who’s devoted their whole upbringing to sword and bushidō can’t just flip over to being a mage, even if the path exists.
The "Box Mage" job is strong, though.
Oh well. Nothing to be done.
In the end, Rika decided on the other princess's job.
"【Princess Samurai】… Could it truly be possible for me to attain it? Even my brilliant sisters never reached that peak."
Well, yeah. To people in this world, it sounds unbelievable. Lana and the others reacted the same way at first.
"Hey, just give it a shot. Worst case, nothing happens. If it works, you hit the jackpot, right?"
"No… Zephyrus, your words carry a strange weight. I’m sure it must be true. It’s just that I’ve been too bound by common sense and kept turning my eyes away from reality. Forgive me."
"No need to apologize for that."
Anyway, the direction was set.
I’d love to get started right away—but I already have another appointment.
It was nearly evening now, so Marie-senpai’s class should be over by this point.
Rika’s job could wait until later. First, we decided to head over to see Marie-senpai.
"Marie-senpai, are you in?"
"I’m hereee~."
Since we had the chance, everyone went together to <Wappen Seal Sticker>.
When we entered the shop and called out, a figure appeared—swinging her long twin-tails, looking like nothing more than an upper-grade elementary schooler. Needless to say, that was Marie-senpai.
"Oh? Looks like ya got more folks in yer party, huh?"
"Yeah, we picked up two more. Today, I want to get equipment made for one of them. And while we’re at it, I’d like to negotiate about the appraisal sheets, so somehow the whole gang ended up coming."
"Gotcha. It’s cramped up here, so let’s use the back room."
She was right. Seven people crammed in the shop’s entrance were tight, so we followed her into the big room in the back.
There, I asked if we could cancel one of the <Giant Bear Anteater Pelts> we’d put up for sale and instead use it to make Kalua’s equipment.
"No problem. Long as we handle it, we got no complaints."
"Marie-senpai, you’re always quick on the uptake."
And with that, Kalua was quickly taken aside for measurements.
I slipped back into the shop front. A guy like me couldn’t exactly stick around during a girl’s fitting session.
Everyone else stayed behind, except for Rika.
Since yesterday’s Beginner Mid-tier appraisal was done, I collected the reward and decided to take Rika back to my room to fulfill her job requirements.
No point hanging around here.
By the way, the payout for 20 runs of the <Knight Goblin> boss, including trash mobs, came to 7.8 million miru. About 300,000 per boss run, treasure chests included.
Rare (Silver Chests) drops, I kept. Harvest-type items mostly went to Hanna, so none were sold.
So yeah, the numbers lined up.
Still, I’d like to earn a bit more.
When Rika saw the amount, she muttered, "Amaaaazing… so many Mochikkos…" looking slightly spaced out.
You too, huh? Sorry, but there’s only one Mochikko plushie.
Alright then—time to help Rika unlock 【Princess Samurai】. The awakening conditions are as follows:
① Must be both "Marquis" and "Princess."
② Train with a katana and samurai-type equipment.
③ Block or deflect 100 monster attacks with a katana.
④ Fulfill the conditions for 【Samurai】, 【Bushidō】, 【Swordmaster】, 【Miss Sword Girl】, 【Female Swordmaster】, 【Dual Swordsman】, and 【Swordsman】.
⑤ Defeat 100 monsters consecutively with one-hit kills using a katana.
Since it’s a high-ranking job, there are five conditions.
As usual, ①, ③, and ⑤ weren’t too hard.
For ③ and ⑤, we used the same method as with Sierra—<Monster Throw> slime baseball. Rika just needed to keep batting, and the conditions would be met.
The tricky ones were ② and ④, since they depended on quests or classes, and the benchmarks weren’t clear.
Still, if she spent just a week in class focusing on katana and sword drills, she’d complete most of them. Even if she hadn’t met them yet, it wouldn’t be long.
And so, after the usual Slime Pop Marathon grind, Rika successfully obtained the 【Princess Samurai】 job. Turns out she’d already satisfied ② and ④. Lucky.
The job required a katana, but she said she had one in her room, so she went to fetch it. Times like this, having the same noble dorms was convenient.
Soon, she returned, katana in hand.
Oh? A mid-tier blade: the <Steel Katana Murasaki>. A fine piece that boosts STR. As expected of her, she had good gear. With just that, she could solo Beginner-level dungeons and easily rake in 120,000 miru—but some things are better left unsaid.
She went on to slash and parry through 200 slimes. Since she had already met the 【Bushidō】 conditions, that alone was enough to unlock the job.
"Incredible… it wasn’t just a dream after all?"
"See? Told you so. Congrats on your awakening."
"Yeah. Thank you, Zephyrus. I owe this to you."
I’d seen a lot of reactions when people got their jobs—shock, despair, joy—but Rika was definitely in the shocked camp.
Nice. I never get tired of seeing these moments.
Now that she’d unlocked the job, the next step was leveling up.
We did a slime marathon and boosted her straight to Level 6. While we were at it, I explained my personal strongest build strategy.
"【Princess Samurai】 is both a close-range attacker and a tank. No magic, all melee. It’s strong in one-on-one fights, tanking while whittling down the opponent."
Slashing, deflecting, parrying with the katana—it’s a tank that doesn’t use a shield.
That’s why it excels most in single-target battles. Its flaw is being weaker against groups, but when facing a single boss, nothing beats it.
As I explained, I drafted notes to outline the training approach.
"That’s the idea. What do you think?"
"Hmm. It sounds logical. The others followed your advice and found success, correct? Then I have no objections."
With Rika’s approval, I committed to that build path for her.
Alright. For now, here are her stats—
――――――――――
Name: Rika
Race (Category): "Marquis", "Princess", "Female"
Job: 【Princess Samurai】 Lv. 6
SUP (Status Up Points): 20 points total
Restrictions: <STR +5 or VIT +5>
【HP 30/30 → 96/96】
【MP 20/20 → 50/50】
【STR 10 → 40】
【VIT 10 → 40】
【INT 10】
【RES 10】
【AGI 10 → 25】
【DEX 10 → 25】
【SUP 120 → 0】
【SP 11 → 0】
《Skills》
『Dual Wield LV5』
『Duelist LV2』
『Counter Slash LV1』
『Cut Through LV1』
『Dual Slash LV1』
『Battle Cry LV1』
《Magic》
None
《Unique Skills》
Not acquired yet
《Equipment》
<Goto Murasaki> Right hand
『STR +20』
<Kodachi Ame> Left hand
<Princess Samurai Full Set> – Head, Body 1, Body 2, Arms, Legs
――――――――――
First, let’s talk about stat allocation.
Since the role is both a melee attacker and main tank, the main focus goes into STR and VIT.
I also put points into DEX to ensure accuracy and hit rate.
Because of the nature of the 【Princess Samurai】—matching an opponent’s attack with the blade—it’s better to raise DEX a little. It makes blocking and deflecting easier.
Next up, <Skills>.
The 【Princess Samurai】 path basically splits into two big directions:
Single-sword style or Dual-sword style
The skill build changes depending on which you choose.
The single-sword style is about taking the opponent’s attacks head-on and winning through sheer endurance. It mainly uses 『Stance』 type skills like 『Blue Eye Stance』 or 『Iai』, where you charge up and then unleash a massive blow. This build leans more toward the attacker.
Another approach is using parries to deflect, cause knockback, and create openings before delivering a big hit. That one’s more of a counter-type setup, fit for longer fights. Kiri-chan-senpai’s fighting style was closer to that.
But the one I recommend is dual-sword style—it’s better balanced overall.
You equip a <Wakizashi> or <Kodachi> in the left hand for defense, and a <Katana> in the right for offense.
If the enemy comes at you aggressively, you can block with both blades. Conversely, you can also switch into an all-out offense with both swords. Once you’re used to it, it’s incredibly powerful.
Rika didn’t object, so dual-wield it is.
For the skill build:
Start with 『Dual Wield』 to raise proficiency. The higher the level, the more the left-hand weapon’s stats are applied. At level 5, the left-hand weapon only contributes 70%, so ideally you’d want to raise it to level 10.
Next is 『Duelist』. It’s a passive that increases damage the longer you keep attacking the same enemy. At level 5, it can boost damage by up to 80%, which is huge. It’s especially effective against bosses. Just don’t switch targets, or the effect resets.
『Counter Slash』, 『Deflecting Slash』, and 『Dual Slash』 are defensive active skills. Like my own 『Defense』 skill, they’re mainly used to intercept enemy attacks. If used well, they cancel out the attack, deal damage, or even knock the enemy down. On top of that, they generate aggro, so if mastered, you can maintain enemy focus almost indefinitely. They’re a little different from standard counter-skills.
The last one, 『Battle Cry』, is an aggro skill. It’s identical in effect to Sierra’s 『Provoke』 and my own 『Appeal』.
It’s a bit disappointing that there are no direct offensive skills in the first tier, but just like basic spells, the tier-one attack skills are low-tier anyway. Considering SP costs, until the second skill tree unlocks, she’ll have to rely mostly on normal attacks. With the <Goto Murasaki>, that shouldn’t be a problem.
That about sums it up.
"Splendid. That’s very rationally thought out. I didn’t realize you could build it like this…"
"Damn right. Think it’ll work? Dual-wielding seemed like the tricky part."
"No problem at all. Dual-sword warriors aren’t rare. I’ve trained in that style myself. Besides, this defensive-leaning setup matches my preferences perfectly."
Glad to hear that.
In real <DanKatsu>, personality and aptitude matter too. We had that whole issue with 【Sheltered Noble Lady】, but it looks like this time things will be fine.
By the time we looked up, it was already 9 PM. We’d started in the evening and even stopped for dinner in between. Good timing—probably best to wrap up here.
"Good thing Kalua was on standby. With the two of you, you should at least be able to handle Beginner Mid-tier dungeons."
"Indeed. I can hardly wait to try a dungeon myself. I’m very much looking forward to it."
"Kalua’s gear should be finished by tomorrow evening. So tomorrow during the day, you two should clear the <Beginner Dungeon>. That way, the day after tomorrow, you’ll be ready to challenge the Beginner low-tier dungeon."
"Ah, yes. That makes sense. Then I’ll do exactly that."
So, Rika and Kalua’s direction is mostly decided.
We had planned to introduce the new members to the <Princess Job> group, but thanks to this quick resolution, that’ll be pushed back a little.
Either way, scouting for new members continues.
For now, tomorrow Rika and Kalua will hit the <Beginner Dungeon>, while the rest of us head for a new one.
From here on out, more and more new members will keep joining.
The guild will gradually grow livelier—and more fun.
Next target: E-rank. Requirement: the guild master clears three Beginner Upper-tier dungeons.
The path to becoming the strongest has only just begun. Both in member count and levels, we’re still at the very first steps.
The guild <Eden> will keep clearing dungeons one after another, slowly but surely leveling up.
Slowly, but steadily—toward the strongest. One step at a time.
Man… this is fun. I can’t wait.
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