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After I registered George as a friend, I left “George’s ☆ Skill Arts Shop” behind me.

According to George, “An NPC’s name will be displayed, but players can choose to hide or display their names. I chose to hide mine. In this game where PvP is commonplace, it’s a measure to make it harder to identify a player as an adversary by name alone. It’s a nice consideration for those with skills that can disguise their appearance…”
So he said.

As I suspected, it is easy for grudges between players to fester, especially with how common PVP is in this game.

So there’s an element of identifying players by their appearance alone.
If you became friends or were in combat, your character name will be shown regardless of whether or not you choose to display it.
I immediately toggled the setting to hide my name.
There were also other minor setting items, but they were tedious, so I skipped them.
I can do it later.

By the way, George managed to get to level 10 despite today being the first day of service because he was a beta tester just like Yuuki and Kouya.
Apparently, the level cap during the beta test was 10, so George had the highest level then. No wonder he already has his own shop on the first day of service.

It seems that George has a production-type skill. Using materials looted from dungeons, he manufactures ‘arts’, decorations, and accessories, and then sells them to players. He also might have invested points into a decoration skill.

“Haa… an effeminate guy huh.”
To think that the memorable first friend that I made in “Moon’s Tear”, the world of Clan Clan, was a dark-skinned effeminate guy… It was a little vexing, but he was a good fellow, so we became friends anyway.
I’m kind of a GIRL myself, after all.
I won’t look for faults in other people.
GIRL is an abbreviation of Guy In Real Life. It’s the term used for someone who’s a man in real life, but plays as a girl online.
Technically, I wouldn’t be a GIRL since I have a girl’s body in real life, but I insist that I’m a man, end of the story.
“Haa…”
If I go to the town hall or hospital and ask for a thorough medical checkup, they would conclude that I’m a girl, won’t they…
W-well… it’s fine, for now.
To forcefully crush the depressing anxiety, I redirected my attention back to the game.

Either way, only beta testers have gone dungeon diving, so I might be able to get some beneficial information out of this friendship. I’m also calculative.

Some time later…
Right now, I’m in the middle of exploring “The Beginning City of Michelangelo”.
To be specific, I was looking for alchemy materials.

George told me that you can find the materials in the field¹, outside the city, or inside the city.

Right now, it’s twenty minutes past 10. I will be meeting sis at 11 o’clock sharp, so I decided not to go to the field.

Our meeting location was at the “Church”, however, I didn’t know where the “Church” was, so I decided to look for both the “Church” and alchemy materials at the same time.

While walking down the road, I would search inside the jars and wooden boxes on the side of the road.

“They seem to be pretty common in these spots.”

Sometimes the searches came up empty, but when they didn’t, I would obtain 《Water》 from the jars, and miscellaneous items from the wooden boxes.

So far I have obtained a《Miko Seed》²,《Dung》,《Horse’s Dung》, 《Cattle’s Dung》,《Weed》, and so on. Water, dung, and weed are self-explanatory, but I haven’t the slightest idea what a《Miko Seed》 was.

Even if you tell me to look at the description, it only says, “A highly nutritious seed”.
It looked like a pretty normal red tree seed, two centimeters big.
Aside from that, I have also gone into the corners of back alleys where sunlight wouldn’t reach. From these, I obtained a small amount of materials called《Moss》and《Mold》. I also obtained《Hard Stone》when I examined spots where the stone paving had chipped from wear and tear.

“I have gathered some materials. Shall we try transforming them?”

I sat down in a back alley, away from the public eye, and began using the《Copper Scale》.

A scale is a tool that uses leverage to measure the mass of an object. You use it by placing an object on one side, and a counterweight on the other.

When I selected the scale from my inventory, it materialized out of thin air.

“Oooh.”

When nothing was placed on either end of the scale, the scale maintained its equilibrium.

Now then, let’s start transforming.

If I remember correctly, the ability〈Conversion〉can either upgrade or downgrade materials and items.

In other words, I can convert the aforementioned materials into better materials, or vice versa.

It’s an ability that really suits alchemy, an art that can turn iron into gold³.

Firstly, I took out《Water》, the material that I have the biggest quantity of, from item storage.

The《Water》materialized in a wine bottle-like bottle.

I put that on the left side of the scale as is.

I was intrigued by how the scale didn’t tip, but whatever.

That concluded the preparation.

Activate ability,〈Conversion〉!

………….
……….

Neither the scale nor the《Water》reacted.

“Upper Conversion!”
I let out a beautiful voice, yet it still wouldn’t budge.

Hmm. Is there anything I can do?

I stared at the《Water》.

The water was in a wine bottle-like bottle, and it was sealed with a cork-like plug.

That’s it!

Can I transform it if I remove the plug?

I opened the《Water》, accompanied by a little “pong” sound.
And so, I put it on the left side of the scale and tried the ability again.

“Upper Conversion!”
However, no reaction at all.
What is the meaning of this?

Could it be that I need to pour the water directly onto the scale’s plate?

I have a few bottles of water, so I decided that it would be fine if I only wasted one of them. I carefully tipped the bottle’s mouth towards the plate of the scale.

When I did that, the unthinkable occurred.

The water, which had been pouring out in accordance with gravity, was suspended in the air on top of the plate without touching it.

It turned into a sphere while being suspended in the air.

As for the bottle that came with the《Water》, upon the depletion of its contents, it was covered in a white effect, which disappeared along with the bottle.

“Amazing… as expected of fantasy!”
And so, the scale inclined towards the left side, which had the water sphere.

“Hee…”

I assumed that the scale being tipped meant that the materials were recognized as a 〈Conversion〉 material.

I’m getting excited. Slowly and steadily understanding things, just like being a researcher, truly feels like alchemy.

“Ahem.”

Now then, I will use〈Conversion〉again for the third time.
“Upper Conversion!”
However, there’s no visible change this time either.
Both the water sphere and scale stay unreactive.

So something’s still missing.

There’s a chance that 《Water》 can’t be used as an object for “conversion” in the first place, but it’s still too early to give up.

The material was already in place. The ability had already been acquired and activated.
So why can’t I transform it?

It might be that the item quantity was simply not enough.
After figuring that out, I open the next bottle and pour it into the water sphere.

The water sphere quickly expanded, and the scale tipped accordingly.

Furthermore, the scale itself also expanded.

This is…
When 10 bottles of《Water》were poured out, a change occurred.

The tilted scale promptly rebalanced itself to equilibrium.

It was obvious that the scale was tilted towards the left plate, the plate where the water was floating, but now both plates are even.

It indicated that the left plate, the plate with water × 10 was just as heavy as the right plate, the plate with nothing on it.

Then, that meant…

If I use conversion, then the upgrade to《Water》will appear on the right plate!

“Higher Conversion!”

According to plan, the scale shone softly—
The water on the left vanished, and on the right, an unclear water sphere floats.

Such a shameful log appeared.

It failed…

• Sewer water 【Dirty water】

W-well, I managed to grasp the scale’s method of use and mechanics, so it’s all good.
However, this is interesting.

After that, I continued to use〈Conversion〉on the materials that I was carrying. From that, I learnt this:

In summary, about the higher conversion, which can upgrade a material.

First, place the material on the left plate. Until the balance reaches equilibrium, keep adding the same material.
The amount required for equilibrium depends on the material.
All types of dung requires three pieces in order to reach equilibrium and for upper conversion to be possible. (EDN: all kinds of..?)
Finally, any material subjected to upper conversion will come out in lesser quantities.

“So upper conversion consumes a huge amount of the same material, and create a material that’s one rank above the previous one, more or less…”

In contrast, for lower conversion, only one unit of the material on the right plate is enough.
The balance reached equilibrium with only one material on the plate, and “lower conversion” was performed.
And so, the defining trait of lower conversion is that one material is turned into a lot of materials after being converted.

The results were as follows:

Upper conversion
Dung × 3 → Fragrant Dung × 1
Horse’s Dung × 3 → Black Lump × 1
Cattle’s Dung × 3 → Light Brown Lump × 1
Moss × 5 → Clean Grass × 1
Miko’s Seed × 10 → Scrap Seed × 1

Regardless of whether or not the upper conversion succeeds, the resulting material will still come out as a lesser amount.

As for the lower conversion,

Water × 1 → Mud Water × 10
Water × 1 → Mud Water × 2
Miko’s Seed × 1 → Chiko’s Seed × 5
Hard Stone × 1 → Pebble × 10

As shown above, the quantity of the resulting material will increase when they go through lower conversion.

Furthermore, my alchemy skill has levelled up from level 1 to level 2.

Apparently, as I keep using skills, not only do I level them up, but I can also get skill points. Moreover, you also get a skill point from leveling up your character.

Anyway, I have transformed all my materials, so I can’t continue with my alchemy anymore. However, alchemy seemed to be very deep, so I’m very eager to continue testing it out.

Especially the《Water》. I wonder what material will result from the higher conversion of《Water》.

I’m really looking forward to it.

At that time, I suddenly noticed a bottle sitting on top of a barrel in the back alley.
“Water!”

I took that bottle without hesitation.
From a bystander’s point of view, they would see a thirsty girl grabbing a bottle in a dark alley.

With this, I obtained《Water》 × 1!
Unexpectedly, I can’t believe the note in the log.

『Fine Quality Water × 1』obtained.

This is, it can’t be.
I immediately read the description.
– Fine Quality Water【Clearer than normal water, it tastes of finer quality too.】

No way…
I quickly take out the balance and pour the《Fine Quality Water》onto the right plate.
It was clearer than normal water. The water sphere was beautiful.

No, this is not the time to be deeply moved.
After confirming that the scale was balanced, I initiated “conversion”.
“Lower conversion!”
When I did that, the beautiful water sphere disappeared from the right plate, and in exchange, a water sphere ten times the size appear on the left plate.

……
………

Hey.
Isn’t the fact that a successful upper conversion of『Water × 10』resulted in《Fine Quality Water》that you can randomly obtain on the side of the road improper?

It would be far more lucrative to look for a bottle of it on the street rather than to use alchemy to create × 1《Fine Quality Water》.

What’s the meaning of using alchemy for something like this?

『It would be miserable for a pretty little angel to have bought the trash skill alchemy and……』

The words George said when he gave me the《Copper Scale》echoed in my head.

……

No, not yet. It’s too quick to conclude that alchemy is a trash skill.
As if I would yield to this feeling of meaninglessness.

Walking wobbly, I moved out of the back alley.
The mercenaries (players) that were walking through the street each triumphantly carry their own weapons.

In contrast, my every step was heavy.

My remaining money was 200 Eso.
My item storage contained only materials that were created through alchemy, which usage was unclear.

Contrary to my surrounding’s liveliness, my feeling was down in the slums.

As if sympathizing with my feeling of sentimentality, the time in Clan Clan was approaching evening, with the orange light of the evening sun shining down on the road⁴.
“Khuu…”

Aggravating my gloomy feelings, Miyanouchi Akane’s surprised face from the poopfession incident flashed in my mind.

And just as my melancholic feelings surfaced, that thing showed up in my field of vision.

A male-female pair of mercenaries (players).

The pair, intimately holding hands despite being in-game

There was a couple, bound by mutual love, walking through the streets of a fantasy city at dusk.
Their steps down the hill are light.

“Chii.”

It was as if a pinkish aura could be seen only around the two of them, leaking out their normie, or rather, internetmie⁵ atmosphere.

Even though I had spilled poop in front of the girl I loved…
Meanwhile, they…
This is the world of Clan Clan, a world where PvP is the main attraction.

A world where people fight and struggle against each other.
A dark world where peoples’ hopes and dreams compete.

I have decided.
I looked at the female player who was smiling with scarlet red cheeks.
I looked at the male player whose expression melted as if he ate something sweeter than honey toast.

I shall destroy them in this fantasy world of “Moon’s Tear”.

The time now is forty-five past 10.
There are still fifteen minutes until the scheduled meeting time with my sister. There’s still time.

“Hehehe.”
I’m sure that my beautiful girl’s mouth is spreading, showing an inhumane and disgusting expression.

I cautiously approached them from behind, silently.
Then, I straighten my right palm as if turning it into a blade.

I aimed at the intertwining fingers of those normies, no, internetmie.

I then swung down with the fastest Engacho Chop I have ever done⁶!

I shall cut down your ties!

“Sei!”

Author note:

We received a nice illustration from Poyocha.

Thank you very much!

I was so happy that I put it up (“v.”)

1. Field, as in the wilderness, outside the city limit.
2. By the way, judging from the way it was written in the original text, I don’t think it refers to “shrine maiden”
3. You know, I always thought that alchemy was an art that turned lead into gold, but maybe I misremembered
4. I know what you’re thinking, but it really said evening.
5. Internet and normie, get it? I will excuse myself.
6. Engacho is a children’s slang, used to tease somebody who has come in contact with filth, or to ward them off oneself. I have to guess that Taro cut their hands so that their filthy normie flirting wouldn’t corrupt him? So this is what those scenes in those romance comics meant. I always thought it is a heartfelt wish for them to break up.