Episode 59 — Conventional Diemond
Twelfth Day in the Month of Willow (March 12) in the Year of the Griffon
Floor 35 — Front Line 57
Diemond stood in front of the council in their guild’s meeting hall. She was wearing her "idea dress," but it wasn't helping. She understood what they were asking of her, but she was unable to deliver. This was a first for her. Of course, there were some different considerations in Aincrad, specifically with the armor classes. Bladescape couldn't change armor classes at this point. Maybe if it was first started as a new skill, but she couldn't just replace it. Diemond had been working for three days on new designs, but none of them were landing.
Yes, Bladescape needed to have a more visible presence in inter-guild affairs. Her jackets and Lamellar armor looked good, but they didn't project outward. They didn't make her look bigger than she was. She looked more roguish than knightly, as if she was a one woman show. They didn't have the imposing nature needed to compete or even stand on the same platform as Commander Heathcliff of the Knights of the Bloodoath. Her armor was roguishly good looking, yet failed to be fierce. Even Asuna eclipsed Bladescape in her specialized sub-commander armor.
Diemond didn't know how to do what they needed her to do and that was the issue.
"Don't take this the wrong way," Knightstar said. "But you are conventional."
"Darling," Diemond said, pointing her pencil at Knightstar. "What you are wearing is not conventional."
"I mean in your use of materials," Knightstar clarified. "There is a whole other world out there. You make tons of outfits and clothes that all look great and have impressive defense stats, yet they center around several fabrics that all either are in the real world or have a direct counterpart. Aincrad has a lot of other things that can be used. That need to be used. I don't actually expect you to know it all, not with how you are out there every day with us, beautifully bashing your way through each fight."
"Thank you, darling," Diemond said. "That was lovely alliteration."
Knightstar nodded and continued. "You don't have time to chase down all of the possible leads in the fabric scene. Even if you did, you are not a gamer. You don't think like one. You don't know where to look for game type materials. You need to learn, somehow, but until you do, we are stuck. Outside of armor, that’s not a problem."
"Can we drop the names?" Diemond asked. "It's just us four in here."
"No," Knightstar said. "Because what I'm saying applies only to Diemond, not to Rarity. Rarity doesn't fight goblins and demons with a mace. Diemond can learn how to adapt to Aincrad. If Konpeito can, so can you."
"But she at least gets the same ingredients and seasonings," Diemond said.
"Actually she doesn't," Knightstar said. "She is recreating the seasonings she knows through experimentation. It's why she is making her cookbook. I have them for my guides as well, but I really can't follow what she is doing. I only log the successes. She has a lot more failures than I can keep track of."
"If you don't have one, can't you buy a guide or something?" Diemond asked.
"I looked," Knightstar said. "I ran down every lead and came up empty. No one is sharing their trade secrets. Not even the cooks. My Cooking Guide is mostly leveling strategies, no extra recipes or flavoring guidance. The guides available for metal smithing are incomplete and pathetic. Anyway, on topic, we have no way of helping you other than pointing out that you are beating a dead horse. At least you know."
Diemond didn't know if she was about to erupt in rage or burst out crying. Virtual Reality bodies emoted more so that intentions were not misread. Crying was the easiest example. Players cried way more easily than they would in real life. But this didn't feel like that. She was completely perplexed about the turmoil in her heart. It could go in either direction. It had to go somewhere. If it didn't, it would consume her.
"You're not the only one struggling," Bladescape said. "The only reason I went to a player-made weapon was because I learned the hard way that dropped weapons really don't compare to what players can make. SAO is the opposite, in that regard, to most games I've played. Listening just now, I finally understand why Konpeito keeps buying cookware and what has happened to the others. She’s been breaking them when she failed the experiments."
"Even I'm outclassed by SAO," Natora added. "I was on top of it for a while, but I didn't realize I fell behind. All we can do is catch up. The biggest issue was that we didn't know. Now we do."
"I'm starting to rethink everything," Diemond admitted. "We still look better than most guilds, but we come up short in certain areas compared to the KoB. They had the advantage of watching us so they could outdo us."
"They have more players," Knightstar said. "I've paid attention to what they have, purely out of curiosity. They only have a few variations. Everything is centered around one design and adjusted for roles and armor class from there. But they all basically look the same for a reason. We won't fix Konpeito, although she oddly matches herself, but we can step up our game. We never changed gears after the KoB arrived. We still played our image like we were dealing with Lind and Kibaou. The council failed to turn the boat all the way."
"I can absolutely up our game," Diemond said. "But I'm afraid it won't go far considering my current shortcomings in the field. That also still leaves Bladescape looking less than stellar."
"You have an idea," Knightstar prodded. "What is it?"
"Well, I need to find a tutor," Diemond admitted. "That will help me think in the ways I need to, however, it likely won't help me with Bladescape. It’s a question of style, not of stats. Materials increase stats, but they won't fix style. IRL, I would use a crafting foam and either paint it or cover it with a fabric to appear like metal, maybe some rhinestones for trim, but SAO won’t let me do that. I did try."
"But you have an idea," Bladescape said. "You're holding something back."
That was true. She was holding something back. Admitting it and openly saying it was not something Diemond wanted to do.
"Well," Diemond said, pausing. "I do, but it's not an option I like. Which I admit is somewhat vain of me. There is likely one other person, player, who could pull off what Bladescape needs."
"And that would be?" Knightstar asked. She was really giving no quarter today as she pressed for solutions.
Diemond really didn’t want to say it.
"Just say it," Bladescape said. "You're among friends. We know how good you actually are."
"Fine," Diemond huffed. She took a deep breath in. "As much as it pains me to admit it, you should speak with Ashley."
"Why is that painful to admit!" Knightstar exclaimed. "What's the big deal?"
"Jealousy, mostly," Diemond admitted. "I could be her if I wasn't bashing my way through the floors. I could run circles around her, certainly when it comes to real fashion, yet she is the one who gets the praise and the honor of being called the first to max Sewing, if she really did. All because she sells her clothes. Meanwhile, mine have been piling up in wardrobes, being seen by nobody unless a friend is wearing what I give them."
"I understand why that is tough to admit," Bladescape said. "However, just to be clear, are you saying you beat her to maxing the Skill?"
"Maybe," Diemond clarified. "It's close. I don't know the exact date I maxed it. I was designing and making a lot that week. While it may have looked like I let the Skill transition out of leveling, I was maximizing my experience return for most things. You spent a lot of sleepless nights grinding monsters for XP. I spent those nights making all sorts of clothes. Because why not? Especially if I had to spend the day bashing enemies. It wasn’t like I could sleep anyway."
"Why are they in wardrobes?" Knightstar asked. "Why not open a shop and sell them? Lisbeth has that NPC store-tender. That would help you."
"Darling, have you looked at the cost for buying a decent shop?" Diemond asked. "I'm basically broke. I'm not really broke, I just have no disposable income. My return has been on experience, not in Col. A whole lot of experience. I couldn't afford a place that's worthwhile, especially a location that is capable of competing with Ashley. The clothes can, but the location does matter. It has to be on par or better than what she has. It has to show the customers that they should be coming to me. Even if I did, I wouldn't be able to do custom orders. Although Ashley has tapered hers back significantly as well because too many people want things from her. She is coasting on her success and what her boutique generates from off the rack items. Still, I'm on the front line too much to even casually tend a shop.”
"That cost you a lot to get that info, didn't it?" Natora asked.
"More than I'll ever admit," Diemond grumbled. “Argo’s silence didn’t come cheap either. It will hold because I’m a Wondercolt and I keep her look updated.”
"Okay," Bladescape said. "I have two solutions. To start, while it's not a part of the solutions, tomorrow we are not going to hit the field. We will run a free day. In the morning, Diemond, Knightstar, and I will go meet up with Ashley to see what she can do."
"Pause," Diemond interjected. "I can't be there. If Ashley is even slightly open about what she can do, if I am there, I will understand her secrets and we could pull out and let me do it. You might get an audience, but you won't get a solution with me there. She is well aware of who I am and what my skills are. She didn't pay for Argo's silence."
"Okay, then who should go with me?" Bladescape asked.
"Why should anyone accompany you?" Diemond asked. "You are the recognized leader of the Wondercolts. You can barter as well as most players."
"Okay," Bladescape said. "Fine. Then I'll go to see Ashley in the morning. Diemond can find someone who can help her expand her creativity to the virtual game environment. Everyone else can run skills or farming. Whatever they want. As sudden as it is, we could use a break."
"I agree with the break," Natora said. "Also with the plan. You had something else though?"
"Yes," Bladescape nodded. She looked at Diemond. "Die, how much clothing do you have that could be sold?"
"Darling, it's not just clothes," Diemond explained. "I also have armor in all four categories. From boots to helmets, I could easily outfit fifty players for front line duty. Even more for the intermediate players. As to clothes specifically, we are talking about three hundred outfits for both men and women. Maybe four hundred? I haven't counted in a while. And those are just complete sets, not the other stuff that doesn’t have a specific partner, such as skirts, blouses, pants, and shirts. Most are unique pieces or limited runs, at least for the clothes. The armor has a lot of the same pieces since I can’t freehand metal like I can fabric. I also wasn't making things in our colors. I can only do so much blue and gold. Thankfully Aincrad doesn't have sizes, so they will fit anyone."
"Okay, well, figure it out," Bladescape said. "Because you need to unload that stock. You might not be able to have a shop, but that shouldn't stop you from selling it."
"I'm not going to peddle that much stuff sitting on a vender's carpet," Diemond stated. "It would ruin the brand's image."
"Right, but we could turn this headquarters into a shop for a few days," Bladescape explained. "And by we, I mostly mean you and Knightstar, because the rest of us won't know how unless someone directs us. Diemond, you need to get a return on your investment. More than experience. That starts by knowing exactly what you have so that we can pull this off. I'm thinking we can take an ad out in the paper and really push it for a week or two before the actual sale event. We’ll probably need a whole weekend with the estimates you just gave."
"Now you're speaking my language," Diemond said, a sly grin growing on her lips. This was an exciting idea. "It would be really nice to let all of Aincrad actually see my fashion brilliance. l already have a few ideas about how to organize this place to sell it all. I'll have an inventory list for you in the morning."
"Are you sure you will have time to do that?" Knightstar asked.
"Darling, I've not been stuffing them into random wardrobes," Diemond explained. "My work room may look messy, but it's an organized mess and it is also separate from the way I actually store finished products. I am much more organized about end storage."
"The earlier you can get us that information, the earlier we can schedule this," Bladescape said. "First you need to learn to expand your game material knowledge, but then we will sell what you've made. I don't think any of us realized you, A, made so much, and, B, hadn't been doing something to move what you made. That was our bad to assume you were selling them."
"Understood," Diemond replied. "I'll go start counting right now."
Diemond forced herself to walk out of the room. Skipping or running wouldn’t be graceful. She had some dignity left, mostly because the battlefield required very little. She could hardly contain her excitement at the idea of selling everything and, more importantly, having strangers wear her masterpieces. She was very proud of some of her designs. Several rivaled what she had made IRL. A short sale using the headquarters hadn't occurred to her. It also would not blow her exclusive status.
Her friends really had no idea how organized she was. One wardrobe just held male outfits; another held dresses; a third was solely for other miscellaneous women's clothes — such as blouses, skirts, and sweaters — that were not matching; one chest held fashionable footwear; another chest held unclassed armor; a third chest held leather armor; a fourth was just for light metal armor pieces; and a fifth was for heavy metal armor; the sixth chest was all for capes and cloaks; a seventh was full of helmets; and a the last chest was specifically for combat boots and gloves that any class could wear. Each storage unit told her how many items were in each. For the armor, she had to parse out what part of the body the armor fit on, but it didn't take long to write it all out. She had amassed more than she had realized. Knightstar would need to give the armor some form of grading for the sale, so they could separate the pieces in a way customers could quickly understand and also price them in batches, but they could do this and the prospect was divine.
Diemond got to bed later than planned, but it was still enough time to refresh her beauty. In the morning, the first thing she did was hand Knightstar her list. Knightstar was speechless as she read it. Her eyes said it all. She hadn't believed Diemond, not because she didn't trust her, but simply because it was more than any of them realized she was doing. That was enough to brighten Diemond’s heart as she sat down to eat.
As she ate the quiche Konpeito had made, she tried to figure out who she should go to. She knew some of the bigger players in the Aincrad fashion scene and was decently connected, all because of the color theory classes she taught from time to time, but most of them were not doing armor. They might have ideas, but she needed an armorer.
She decided to start with Lisbeth. She might know who to go to. Diemond didn't want to get involved with the crafting guild, Ishoku Inji, if she didn't have to. It would get complicated pretty quickly if she did. They likely wouldn't appreciate her having split focus and they would question her loyalty. She needed someone smaller. Someone who could understand her situation and preferably keep it quiet. The designer for the Wondercolts needing to be an apprentice this late in the game was scandalous. At least to the fashion scene it would be scandalous.
Diemond finished breakfast and bid everyone around the table a quick goodbye before heading out on her own. She was sharply dressed in a teal spring ensemble that brought out her eyes. It was professional yet fun.
Lisbeth had opened her shop only a few minutes prior to her arrival. Diemond found her at the counter, giving an order to a customer. However, it was not the same Lisbeth she had seen several days prior. Bladescape would have mentioned the change if she had seen it. Lisbeth had redone her hair, dyeing it pink and putting a white pin over her right side to keep her hair from falling in front of her eyes while working. It was a cute upgrade that suited the smith, drawing out many of her cuter features.
Diemond stepped up to the counter on the other side of the line. Lisbeth finished the transaction and smiled at her. "Diemond, what brings you here and looking all fancy?"
"Can I pick your brain for a quick minute?" Diemond asked. "I have a private, but simple, question."
"Sure!" Lisbeth said. She looked at the line of customers. "Everyone, I'll be right back. This won't take long."
Out back, Diemond suddenly choked over her question and revealing her own shortcoming. She changed tactics. "I see you changed your hair. It looks nice. It compliments you very well."
Lisbeth let out an annoyed sigh. "Asuna saw me on opening day and convinced me to do it. The customers love it. I've been getting compliments from almost everyone, but I'm not that sold on it. It makes me look younger than I am. Still, if it's good for the business, well anything to smooth over my rough edges. It takes some of the edge off when I snap at a customer."
"Customers rarely understand the artist," Diemond said. "It's so easy to be harsher than we mean when the work piles up and looking pretty can go a long way when our fuses are unintentionally short. Incidentally, that is why I came to you. I’m at the end of my fuse and I’m hoping you can help me. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm in a rut. I can do real fashion, but I can't do the game stuff. There are so many materials I don't know, things I don't know how to find to even experiment with. Metals are easier to figure out, but I'm coming up short in many regards. I was hoping you would know who to send me to? Someone who could teach me the game materials side of crafting armor and clothes?"
"I can understand why someone of your skill would find themselves in that situation. Let me think for a minute. There aren’t a lot of independent crafters, and most of us aren’t keen to share our secrets..." Lisbeth replied. She paced back and forth through her workshop a few times before a solution came to her. "I know someone who might be able to help and he isn’t connected to Ishoku Inji. He just got a shop in Lindarth and opened it yesterday. The guy's name is Ryukoken. Four houses south of the church, the one with two waterwheels. I got my armor from him and his weapon was made by me. Tell him I sent you. That should help."
"Thank you, darling," Diemond said, bowing. "Hopefully this will fix everything properly and make it so I can overhaul our look."
"If anyone can, it's you," Lisbeth said. "Well, maybe Ashley too. But I've seen your stuff and I've worn it. I still wear it to bed. It's wonderful, true art. You have an eye few players have and you get amazing defensive properties out of the basics. I can't wait to see what you do with whatever other materials are out there."
Diemond bid the smith farewell and let her get back to her customers. She went to find Ryukoken's shop. It was not hard to find, Lisbeth's directions were spot on, but what really stood out was his sign. It was a simple chest plate with an "R" stamped on it as big as possible.
Diemond entered the shop. No one was inside, not even an NPC store-tender. A few different suits of armor were on display. There were a bunch of shelves full of various helmets. Gloves were laid out in a glass display case, while a range of jackets were hung up on a rack. Diemond started to peruse the jackets while she waited.
"Welcome to my shop," an older gentleman said as he came to the front. His hair was white, giving a clue to how old he was, yet he dressed like a man half his age. He clearly had a sense of modern fashion. His eyes were appraising as he saw her and put on a smile Diemond recognized as that of a businessman. "What can I do for you, Miss? You don't seem like the kind of woman who needs armor."
"I don't, but that's because I make my own," Diemond explained. "Lisbeth sent me to you.”
If anything, his eyes turned sharper at the mention of Lisbeth, “Well, she recommended me for a reason, but why don’t we go to the back workshop where I have some seats,” he said. “It will be more comfortable. I still have to get customer seating.”
Diemond followed Ryukoken to the back where one of the waterwheels was hooked up to a spindle, making thread. The shop’s proprietor apologized for not having anything more than water to offer to drink as he led the way, to which she graciously accepted. They sat down at the work table after Ryukoken shifted some things to the side and set out two cups and a gourd pitcher.
“Now, what has you seeking me out?” Ryukoken asked as he poured their drinks.
Diemond took a sip to buy time and get her thoughts in order, but not so long as to seem insulting before answering. “I make the Wondercolts' equipment and design our image,” Diemond explained. “I'm a fashion designer, not a gamer. There is a whole world of different materials that can be used to make equipment. I don't know how to find them or make them work. I was hoping to learn from someone who is well experienced in the art. Lisbeth suggested you and I can see you have a good eye."
"You're Diemond?" He asked, setting his own glass down in surprise. Diemond simply nodded in response, causing him to sit back, humming in consideration. "I didn’t recognize you without your armor and you’re wearing makeup today. I know your work. I've seen your designs. I scouted your guild a few times to check out your direction. It's very, very impressive work. But, I understand why you came to me. That couldn't have been easy for someone of your skill. I won't let that information out if you don't want it known."
"That would be very appreciated, dear," Diemond replied.
"I can take you on as my apprentice," he said with a nod, leaning forward and picking up his own glass again and taking a drink as he thought. “But what I can teach you will be entirely up to you, and how much time and effort you put into learning. I understand that the first might be limited given that you fight on the front lines.”
Diemond had to suppress a smirk as she put her glass down. “No more than a week, but more realistically probably less than that. I wasn’t given a hard time limit for how long I could be away, but as you said, I do have other commitments to the front, and even though we haven’t put out the advertisement for it yet, the Wondercolts are planning on helping me move my backstock in the next couple of weeks so I will need to be there for helping to organize that. As for my ability to learn, well, while we can’t all be Knightstar, I do have a keen mind for new materials and fine details in the IRL fashion scene, and for everything else I am a meticulous note taker. It is only these virtual materials that trouble me since they often have strange sources, synergies and preparation methods that don’t quite make sense to me.
Ryukoken nodded his understanding and held up three fingers. "In three days, I can have you up to speed on at least the basics of everything available and how to determine the new stuff that is applicable to your craft. It will cost you though. Both for materials and for my time. It's nothing personal, just business. If I'm going to share my secrets, I need to make something off it."
"That's alright," Diemond said, taking another sip. "It's embarrassing, but it will be even more embarrassing later, if I must stop making our equipment because I lack the ability to make sufficient pieces. Being your apprentice hurts my pride, but that is just a bruise, nothing permanent. I promise not to share your secrets."
"What are your levels?" Ryukoken asked. "Just so I know you can do what I expect to teach you."
"That's fair," Diemond said. "Sewing is maxed. Light metal armor is over eight hundred. Heavy metal armor is over four hundred."
"That's absolutely enough skill," Ryukoken said. "I’m actually shocked you have sewing maxed. You’re always on the front. About the front, are there things you need to do, or can you start immediately?"
"I am free all day," Diemond said. "I'm sure it won't be hard to get permission for the other days. I just need to send a quick message."
He nodded and Diemond sent Bladescape a message about her timing. Bladescape told her she had it off and wished her luck. Ryukoken's fee was only fifteen thousand col, five thousand for each armor class. It would set her back for the upgrade she was about to do on her mace, but that couldn’t be helped. Selling her excess clothes would more than make up for it. What she learned about crafting leather armor would translate to unclassified armor. Diemond paid him and they got to work on leather crafting, starting with a list of the different types of hides that could be tanned.
BLADESCAPE: Level 77 — Two-Handed Sword — Searching — Weapon Defense — Leather Armor — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Sprint — Blade Throwing — Extended Weight Carry — Acrobatics
NATORA: Level 74 — Two-Handed Spear — Purchase Negotiations — Sales Negotiation — Weapon Defense — Light Metal Armor — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Acrobatics — Armor Pierce — Sprint
KNIGHTSTAR: Level 69 — One-Handed Sword — Shield — Light Metal Armor — Equipment Appraisal — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Acrobatics — Extended Weight Carry — Armor Pierce
MALUS: Level 73 — One-Handed War Hammer — Greatshield — Heavy Metal Armor — First Aid — Extended Weight Carry — Battle Regeneration — Fishing — Search — Martial Arts — Rend
THUNDERBORNE: Level 73 — Rapier — Sprint — Acrobatics — Weapon Defense — Light Metal Armor — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Armor Pierce — Martial Arts — Blade Throwing
KONPEITO: Level 73 — Two-Handed Axe — Cooking — Weapon Defense — Light Metal Armor — Martial Arts — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Music — Blade Throwing — Bard — Extended Weight Carry
DIEMOND: Level 74 — Mace — Greatshield — Sewing — Heavy Metal Armor — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Light Metal Armor Forging — Heavy Metal Armor Forging — Extended Weight Carry — Jewelry Crafting
DOOMBUNNY: Level 70 — One-Handed Dagger — Hide — Fighting Spirit — Blade Throwing — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Familiar Cooperation — Mixing — Search — Listen — Reveal
KIEFER: Level 71 — One-Handed Curved Sword — Slash Weapon Forging — Light Metal Armor — Weapon Defense — First Aid — Katana — Battle Regeneration — Slash Weapon Forging — Blade Throwing — Armor Pierce
SORYUTO: Level 69 — One-Handed Sword — Shield — Light Metal Armor — Music — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Fighting Spirit — Armor Pierce — Acrobatics
REISENKI: Level 71 — One-Handed Axe — Greatshield — Heavy Metal Armor — Equipment Repair — Metal Equipment Repair — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Cooking — Metal Refining — One-Hand Weapon Creation