SSS-Rank Engineer: Only I Can Create Legendary Weapons

The bakery's sweet smells drifted away as fear crept in. But Percy reminded his silly little body that he made sure no one saw him enter the Tower of Hermetics.

And if Sirena did see him… well, then he would bite ankles and run.

Sirena was dressed in a flowery brown dress and a wide hat that cloaked her elderly face in wide shadows. She let go of his collar and said in a strict voice.

"And where have you been, young man?"

Percy ignored his pounding heart.

"Exploring the city, ma'am. We were following the knights that were following us as a joke before we entered the bakery."

Sirena's suspicion faded, she sighed tiredly. He was just a kid after all, a frighteningly smart one, but just a kid.

"Don't scare them like that, Perseus. They have a duty to watch over you. You've put them through a lot of stress."

Percy nodded and put on his best expression of remorse.

"I won't do it again, I promise."

That was a lie. But he would find ways to make it less stressful on the poor men. Sirena seemed to think he understood the gravity of his actions and turned to Terra with a frown.

"And who is she? You pulled a timid child into your schemes."

"Uhhh, no?"

Sirena thumped him on the head with her bag. How shameless. The girl barely looked like she could speak for herself. Her scattered black hair was a mess that Sirena didn't even want to think about.

"Don't be forceful with girls, you little scoundrel. What is your name, miss? I hope he hasn't touched you anywhere you didn't like?"

Percy turned pale. Such allegations! He was the gentlest of gentlemen! The noblest of nobles!

Terra clutched her hands nervously, head down as she said.

"My name is Terra. He grabbed my hand, but—"

Sirena didn't need to hear more it seemed, she chased Percy around the store, bag raised over her head as she condemned his barbaric nature. Thankfully Terra was able to explain herself.

Once all the problems were smoothed out and Sirena informed the guards that Percy was safe, they got into line to get some pastries.

"Did you bring enough bronze coins?" Sirena asked. "They might not have change for silvers and they definitely don't have enough for gold."

This world's currency was as simple as it could get. A hundred bronze was equal to one silver, a hundred silver was equal to one gold, and ten gold was equal to one whitegold.

"Yep, I carried like twenty copper coins and two silvers."

"I hope you brought enough to buy for Miss Terra too."

He nodded quickly, giving a thumbs up to Terra, who looked like she wanted to disagree with this.

Soon they grabbed their snack and stepped out of the shop. Cinnamon rolls, banana, chocolate and vanilla cakes, and a ridiculous amount of their coffee cakes.

Terra stared at the bulging bag of coffee cakes in his arms.

"You really like coffee…"

Percy raised an eyebrow.

"It's the treat of adults, kid. One day when your delusions of grandeur fade and you land back on—"

Sirena's bag thumped against his head, cutting him off. She gave him a firm glare.

"Don't be mean to your friends."

This made Terra give him the cheekiest smile he had ever seen from her.

Ahh, the kids are growing up, but at my expense. Just wait till Sirena leaves, I'm gonna bully you twice as hard.

The sudden absurdity of his thoughts should have made him stop, but Percy was very adamant in his right to bully children now that he was a kid. It was his birthright.

But something else drew him from his thoughts. A group of people followed them that he had seen before, but ignored because they were close to the tower.

Assassins? He wondered, but they were a bit sloppy, or he was just weirdly observant today. He was expecting Nikos to try something today, considering the quest he had received from Aether.

He tried staying calm, but Terra and Sirena were right here. The street they were on was packed in general. People streaming in and out of shops and inns, heads peeking out of windows as they smoked into the open air.

If they fought here and now, the casualties would be insane. Percy inwardly cursed the stupid baron. Nikos must have sent them after him because of what happened yesterday.

While the baron fled the city, assassins would set out to kill the Viscount's son. It was a stupid plan. No one would oppose Hecate when she came to his barony with fire and blood.

But Nikos didn't seem to be in the habit of thinking often. Percy sighed, glancing at Sirena's face in hopes of conveying the danger without words. Dema's guards were far ahead of them, and there was another batch following behind.

If they could get to the guards then the assassins would have no openings and wouldn't attack.

Sirena returned his look with a calm expression, one that said many things without a single word. She knew that the assassins were following them, but she was not worried.

The confidence in her gaze soothed Percy's worry instantly. Whatever she had up her sleeve must have been enough to protect them.

They reached a break in the road that led to a wide marketplace and Sirena pulled both of them in. Shops were set up against the walls of the large rectangular space.

Not too many people were in the market now, Sirena nodded and let go of their hands. She turned to face them with an adamant look in her eyes.

"This is not the time to play any games, Perseus. Stay behind me at all times."

Percy nodded stiffly, Terra looked unsure what was happening but understood the severity of the matter.

Sirena turned to face the entrance to the market and Percy pulled up his system screen's quest page.

---

Optional Quests

– Make some friends you weirdo (Given by Nyx / COMPLETED): Your loner nature worries the goddess, Nyx. Tomorrow on your visit to the city, make just one friend. Rewards: One Rank 1 customizable reward, two additional stat points. Claim your rewards!

– Kill Baron Nikos before he leaves Dema (Given by Aether): Hasn't the baron disrespected your family enough? Even now he conspires with former Viscount Sion to assassinate your father. Kill him before he can escape to his barony. Rewards: One Rank 3 customizable reward, ten additional stat points.

---

The quest Aether gave him was staring him right in the face. In the back of his head he could imagine the blueprints of a couple weapons that he could make with a Rank 3 customizable reward.

But it was just bait. Bait to make Percy slowly get used to trusting Aether's opinion and appreciating his high rewards.

He claimed the reward from Nyx's quest and a new prompt appeared.

[Allocate Stat points? Or leave them in storage?]

He allocated the stat points to strength and agility. He immediately felt lighter, and wished silently that he had one more point to allocate to constitution.

He left the Rank 1 reward in his storage, but he already knew its weight, density, and mass. There were a limited amount of things he could create with that much customizable material. But he already had ideas.

He snapped from his thoughts as shapes jumped down from the roofs of the houses around them. The assassins surrounded them.

Percy grabbed Terra's trembling hand, gauging their numbers and weapons silently.

Sirena frowned impatiently, and pulled out a small dagger from her purse.

"Don't waste any more of my time please. All of you attack at once."