'Whew, it's really hopeless.' Ark heaved a sigh.

He stopped Merpeople at random and asked, but it was of no use. Finding information about Christin was going to be harder than expected. Judging from past experience, there was only one way to solve situations like this. He must raise his intimacy with the Merpeople.

The problem was the information required significantly high intimacy.

Based on the Mermaid Guards' reaction, the favor he'd earned from just a few words was no use. In addition, he didn't know how to increase intimacy in this strange Underwater City.

'The first thing to do is to gain information about Merpeople other than Christin.'

Ark decided to relax and took a stroll around the city.

Nodelesse was slightly different compared to a Human Village. Human Villages, no matter how small always had a tavern, inn, and various shops. However Nodelesse even though it was 3, 4 times larger than a Human Village, only had one restaurant and a General Store.

'Should I clean out my japtem for now?'

After wandering in the ocean for nearly half a month, his bag and Snake's stomach were full of items.

"Oh, you're a Human. It's surprising for a Human to come to my store. Right, what are you looking for?"

As soon as he entered the store, an elderly Merman greeted him. With his wrinkled face and shaggy beard, the Merman didn't look quite right, but Ark still sported a friendly smile.

"I have some things to sell and things to buy. May I look around the shop?"

"Go ahead."

Ark went through the goods in the store.

All of the items available in the store were things he had never seen before. It was inevitable since he was in an Underwater City, and because all the materials could only be acquired in the ocean. Shields made out of seashells, bows made out of Whale bones, Spears carved from tuna bones, etc.

The materials had a slightly crude feeling to them. Perhaps because it was a difficult city to come to, the stats transcended his imagination.

Clam Shield

Gear Type

Shell Shield

Defense

190

Durability

60

Weight

30

Usage Restriction

Level 50, Warrior Related

This shield was made by polishing a large Clam shell sturdy as steel, so it cannot be broken by any sword. It was made with a streamline surface, so it is easy to carry it and swim.

Price

1, 3777P

Electric Eel Breastplate (Magic)

Gear Type

Leather Armor

Defense

70

Durability

55

Weight

50

Usage Restriction

Level 55

Armor made from the hides of Electric Eels living in the ocean depths. Attacks will slide off its slippery surface. The characteristic of Electric Eel remains; it will emit an electric shock with a fixed chance when hit.

Attack Nullification: 30%

10% Chance of counter-attacking with an electric shock when hit.

Price

2,500P

Even a normal defensive gear, Clam Shield, had an enormous defense of 190.

Well, Shields were originally set with high defense since the defense was added when the player actually blocked with it. Even so, 190 was definitely an incredible defense.

The added special effects of the Electric Eel Breastplate were also no joke.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it rare. It is attractive enough to want to buy 1 or 2 if the price is right. But strangely enough, the price was in units of "P."

"What does P mean?"

"Hm?"

The store owner twisted his head around wondering what Ark was talking about. After staring blankly at Ark for awhile, the store owner nodded in understanding.

"Ahh, you are a Human. P means this." The store owner raised a Pearl as big as an eyeball. "Here at Nodelesse, Pearl is used as currency."

"Then for 2,500P, you need 2,500 Pearls to buy the item?"

"Of course."

Ark's jaw dropped unconsciously.

He had gathered 3 or 4 pearls when he crossed through the ocean. At that time, Ark was very happy. Since they were rare jewels, he thought they could be sold for a really high price. So far, the jewels he'd occasionally earned were 10 Silver for the low-quality ones, and the high-quality rare ones were worth 5 gold.

But he need 2,500 of those Pearls to buy one armor? Doesn't it mean even if he bought it for a cheap price, it would still amount to 250 gold? No matter how good the performance of the item was, it was an unbelievable rip-off.

But Ark soon changed his way of thinking.

'No, it might be because the the value of the Pearls are unbelievably low in this place.'

If so, there was nothing more to desire. If he acquired Pearls in bulk in this place and took advantage of the value difference, he could amass a sizable fortune.

Ark thought of this and opened his bag.

"If I sold all of this, how much can I get?"

The bag was filled with Clam shells, seaweed, and things like the flesh of marine monsters.

But the store owner muttered in an uninterested voice, "Why would I buy them?"

"What? What do you mean?"

"Those things are everywhere outside, so there's no need for me to buy them."

The store owner was turning his head uninterested, but then he flinched. He pointed at one item with fascinated eyes.

"Wh-what is that?"

"What? This shoe?"

"Shoe? Ooh, you call it a shoe? It looks marvelous. Do humans wear those on their feet? But I think this is the first time I've seen such material. What is it made out of?"

"What do you mean. It is just animal hide..."

While answering with a flummoxed expression, Ark suddenly had an epiphany.

'Right, this is an Underwater City!'

An Underwater City, the City of Merpeople who spent hundreds of years without any contact with the outside world.

Just like how the Underwater City items were fascinating to Ark, the items found on land were fascinating to the Merpeople; even if it was just a ragged leather shoe. Since they lived underwater, they never had a chance to glimpse at land animal leather before.

In other word, scarcity! No matter where you are, rarity is what decides the value of goods.

Indeed, the store owner's eyes were filled with desire.

"Interesting! Very interesting! Are you saying this is an animal hide? Why did you only show me trash when you have such amazing goods? I don't need the other things, but if you'll sell that or similar goods, I'll buy them all. I'll give you a good price too."

The store owner shook the bag filled with Pearls to say he wanted to trade immediately.

The items Ark currently possessed were no more than japtem. Plus, they were goods with only 1 durability, since he used them to raise his Magic Restoration skill. At a normal village, it was difficult to receive even a few coppers. But the shop owner was saying he would buy them for a good price.

This was definitely a bonanza.

But Ark's hand that was taking out items suddenly stopped.

'Wait, if these items have good value here, then I don't really need to sell them at a shop, right? And I have to raise intimacy to gain information... What if I sell them to Merpeople in the city?'

He could raise intimacy. Granted, there is a limit when raising intimacy by trading. But if he raises his intimacy to a certain level, he would naturally earn the favor of the Merpeople and might come to learn of another method to raise intimacy.

"I'm sorry. I will return."

"H-hey, wait!"

Ark quickly packed his things and left the shop.

The place Ark sought was the plaza situated at the center of the city, where many Merpeople gathered. Then he found a decent place and spread out land items. When the first Human they ever saw started spreading out items they have never seen before, Ark became the center of the Merpeople's attention.

"Huh? It's a human."

"How did it get here?"

"But what are those goods? What exactly are they made of?"

"It is sparkling? Perhaps it's what you call iron?"

In Nodelesse, iron was something difficult to even catch a glimpse of, there was no way to mine iron ores and refine them underwater. Clam shells, rock, and bones were substituted for iron.

Ark sent out a greeting to the Merpeople who gathered like clouds around him. When it came to selling things, it was something he had done countless of times in reality.

Of course it was his first time having fishes as customers...

"Merpeople with beautiful silver tails, I greet you. I am a Human who is by chance enjoying the honor of visiting the gorgeous city of Nodelesse. They call me Ark."

"Beautiful silver tail, hmm, it's the truth"

Merpeople are simple. He figured it out by taking to the Mermen guards. Just a little bit of sugar coating can instantly raise intimacy, but declining was also instantaneous.

"Today, I will show everyone a couple of items found on land."

Ark skillfully explained like a celebrity who hosts a shopping channel.

"What you are seeing now are various armors made of animal hides which cannot be acquired underwater. In addition, there are iron weapons made with the hearts and souls of Humans. Ah, I know what you are thinking. You must be thinking the performance is subpar. However, these products I'm selling, are not meant for you to use."

"Are you saying we should buy something we're never going to use?"

"You do not understand? Think carefully again. The performance alone isn't comparable to the great weapons of the Merpeople, but they are all made of materials unobtainable underwater. In other words, no matter how thoroughly you look, only one of these items exist in Nodelesse! Only those who purchase them from me can enjoy the right to possess them."

"So that's how it is!"

"For those who still don't quite get it, close your eyes and imagine. Land monsters you cannot even take a glimpse at here. A monster clearing the forest and racing across the plains has been defeated after a fierce struggle by a Warrior. Then it left its hide and was changed into gear such as this. These aren't just items. They are items filled with the history and a touch of the adventurer who hunted the monster galloping down the plains. You can decorate your living room with this. When will there ever be such a luxury underwater again?"

The light in the eyes of the Merpeople looking at the item changed.

Land monsters which cannot be seen or heard underwater! There was no practicality for either a glove or a shoe. But simply purchasing a single sword, they could imagine a world they had never seen.

This mentality stimulated the Merpeople's desire to purchase the items.

Of course, Ark's Art of Communication special stat was applied and it had a large influence on convincing the Merpeople. Art of Communication didn't demonstrate much of an effect in normal stores. But in a special case such as now, it caused profound influence.

"What is this made out of?" A Mermaid child pointed at the glove as it asked.

Ark sported his most friendly expression as he answered, "Ah, it's a leather of a monster called Magal Wolf. Its whole body is covered with black fur, and countless sharp canines are embedded within its gigantic mouth. They looked like they can swallow a person whole. Try touching it. You can imagine the monster called Magal Wolf by the touch it, right?"

"Whoa, feels amazing."

"H-how much is it?" A Merman who couldn't wait anymore fretted as he asked.

'They're hooked! The fish is hooked!'

"There isn't a set price. The quantity is limited, so please understand. I will award the honor to the one who calls out the highest price. First, this glove this cute child showed interest in!"

"50P!"

"60P!"

When he finished talking, the Merpeople called out prices frighteningly.

At best, they were goods he could only get 10 Silver on land. But 60P! One pearl was 10 Silver, so it amounted to 60 Silver, 10 times the price!

Ark wanted to hit the ground and wail.

'If I knew this was going to happen, I should have brought anything and everything japtem...'

Not even a few minutes later 20 or so japtem were sold like hot cakes.

Whenever his florid speech raised the price, his Art of Communication also rose. When he had cleaned out all his goods, his Art of Communication stat rose by 13, and he also gathered 450 pearls. Of course, all the Merpeople who bought the goods left with satisfied faces, so his intimacy also rose considerably.

But they still wouldn't tell him about Christin.

Ark didn't worry. 'There should be a strategy even in an unexpectedly ridiculous place!'

After finishing his successful business, Ark became confident.

'Cultural difference is money!'

Nodelesse was completely segregated from land, and that fact held the strategy to raise intimacy. Something completely useless on land had unexpected effects here. As long as he found out what those were, it was no problem to raise intimacy.

Ark immediately gathered information as he wandered through Nodelesse.

What came next to Ark's attention was the restaurant.

The Merpeople had no concept of cooking. Even if you ordered food at a restaurant, only raw seaweed and shellfish were served.

It was inevitable. Fire cannot be used underwater.

However it was different for Ark. The Survival Cooking Pot Ark possessed could boil water without fire, and roast ingredients regardless of time and place! Just like the name 'Survival Cooking' implied, as long as you put your heart into making something, you could even make ramen underwater.

'They'll eat it. Without a doubt, they'll eat it.'

Ark immediately started a food stand in the plaza.

He had so many ingredients left, to the point where they'd rotted and became overripe.

Among the dishes Ark could make with the ingredients he had, Ark chose several good tasting dishes with decent effects. The result was just as he expected.

Merpeople had never even seen cooked food before.

They couldn't even imagine food made from land ingredients. The Merpeople went as far paying an exorbitant fee of 1P per serving and ate the food. And the word-of-mouth of the Merpeople who had eaten it once spread from tail to tail, and long lines formed day after day at Ark's food stall.

Ark made the menu more varied as the sale improved. An invigorating meal with the effect of Health recovery and a nutritious meal raising Strength or Agility were the vanguard. Those special food were priced at a colossal price of 3P! It was really a gimmick to raise the price and receive more profit.

"Ohh, what is this?"

"Wow, it's such a fascinating taste."

"Is this what they call land meat?"

"For some reason, when I eat food from there, I feel my strength rising."

In a single day, the ingredients from land became scarce. But the business stayed as prosperous as ever.

"This is the seaweed I've always eaten, but the taste is completely different!"

"I can't believe it. How can you make such distinctive taste with shellfish!"

From children to elderly, from Guards to Nobles of the Merpeople, they didn't spare their praises.

Some Merpeople brought their lovers and strutted as they ordered food. Of course Ark, who had a sense for customer treatment, satisfied the Merpeople with services second only to first-class restaurants.

Thanks to his customer service, his popularity soared even more. Soon the line of Merpeople who waited at dawn was long enough to surround the plaza.

"Welcome!"

"Give me the baked shellfish I ate yesterday."

"You need to wait 10 minutes."

It was difficult to handle the customers who kept coming even though he made food without rest. In just a few days, Ark became so famous, there wasn't a single Merperson in Nodelesse who didn't know of him.

But it was only the beginning.

"Ah, this is also almost to the point of breaking. Do I need to buy a new one?"

Guards who sought out the stall sighed while looking at the tattered armor.

Ark rapidly approached and put on a friendly smile.

"If it is okay, could I repair the equipment?"

"What do you mean repair? Surely you're not saying you'll fix it?"

"Yes, it won't be in the same state as before, but you'll still be able to use it for awhile."

"But I have never heard of a human repairing Merpeople's equipment?"

"For now, please give it to me."

The Guard took off and gave him the seashell armor with an expression of disbelief.

The concept of maximum durability didn't apply to the equipment of Merpeople. Since the materials used to make them were seashells, they couldn't be fixed after they were broken. Even for someone who learned the technique from a Blacksmith cannot repair a seashell with a hammer. But the technique Ark had learned was Magic Restoration. It wasn't the concept of repair, but restoring to its original state.

"Magic Restoration!"

When the skill was used, the tattered armor went back to its original condition.

At the sight, the Merpeople couldn't hide their astonishment. Granted, since it was still a beginner skill, it didn't completely return to original. 10% penalty was applied and durability only recovered by 90%.

A player would refuse the services even if they were paid. But this alone was a shock to the Merpeople. Since one equip was over 1,000P, replacing one was a big deal.

"You are truly incredible! Even a Magician wouldn't be able to do something like this!"

Ark spoke while gasping, pretending to be tired, "Huff huff huff, it's very difficult when I use this technique."

"No wonder, since you did something remarkable. This isn't much, but take it."

The guard readily pulled out 50P.

It was better than selling 20 special cooking!

Ark's pupils flashed with golden light again.

'Nice. I was getting worried since there's a limit to the ingredients.'

"It's too regretful to simply throw away the great equipment of the Merpeople when they are broken. It's difficult for me, but if you have something broken, please bring it to me any time. If it's a normal item, I will repair it for a cheap price."

When the rumors spread, all the Merpeople brought their equipment and swarmed around Ark.

'Hahaha this is truly a cinch.'

He was so happy, he might turn insane.

He used ingredients he couldn't sell in the store to earn Pearls. Was that all? Every time he cooked, he raised his Survival Cooking skill. As he used Magic Restoration while earning Pearls, he was also able to raise its skill proficiency. As a result, the proficiency rose insanely and he raised the Magic Restoration level in three days.

Magic Restoration has risen to Intermediate through a great deal of experience.

The usual penalty you received when repairing normal items is gone. It is now possible to repair Magical Items. However, each time you repair a magic item, its maximum durability will decrease by 10%.

Mana Consumption: 20

* Since both the Nursing and Magic Restoration skill have become Intermediate, you have learned Purification Restoration as an effect of set skills. With Purification Restoration, you can purify curses on any kind of item.

'Set skill effect!'