Free Project Daily Grind (Mirror World Book #1) by Alexey Osadchuk

“You've nailed it,” I said, then hurried to add, “A very good morning to you too.”
    “So! At the moment, you have three sets of clothes available, a tool and a shoulder bag. What exactly do you have in mind? A Hulk? Speedo? A Duracell Bunny? Or is the price an issue?”
    “The price?”
    “Exactly. I can offer a Goner’s Universal kit. Its elements fit any kit without affecting its bonuses. Its pros: low price and zero durability. Which means it's fatigue-free, if you'll excuse the pun. You just can't wear it out. Its cons: a drop in characteristics and no bonus. What would you prefer?”
    Eh,” I faltered. “Honestly, I've looked it up and I was thinking about the speedy one. Doesn't it have an energy bonus?”
    “Absolutely,” the Dwand said. “I can tell you more: all the chars of your build seem to go for it,”
    “You mind if I give it some thought?”
    “Of course,” he smiled. “To tell you the truth, it's the first time I see someone contemplating the purchase of a zero-level kit. You'll kill it in a week and be back here with me.”
    “Pardon me?”
    “You heard. It only has 20 pt. Durability. The first rockfall, a ricocheting pick or even a friendly slap on the shoulder from a Horrud will all shave some off. An herbalist can afford to roam around the fields in the same gear week in, week out. A Mine Digger can't. It's a dangerous trade—accident-prone, if you know what I mean.”
    “I see,” I said. “So this generous promise of 'gear kit on the employer' has strings attached.”
    “ Heh! You haven't read the fine print. The start-up gear kit is on the employer.”
    “Very well. So how much is this Speedo kit?”
    “Let me see. The start-up kit contains five pieces: some clothing plus a pick which too has a tendency to break often. It is... thirteen gold and seventy silver.”
    “Which makes it about sixty gold a month. Plus energy restoration. So!”
    “Well, at an average wage of four hundred and fifty gold a week, it won't break the bank, will it?”
    “I’m getting paid piecework plus extracted value,” I mumbled, desperately trying to find a solution.
    “You don't mean it!” the Dwand shook his head. “Talk about bad luck!”
    “I know, I know,” I waved his sympathy away. “Everybody and their grandmother have already told me about the local mines.”
    “Here, if you’re paid piecework, the most you can make is two hundred gold a week after taxes. Give or take a few. I might be wrong, of course. Eight hundred gold a month,” he paused and added, “That's if you live that long.”
    “Is it so bad?”
    He shrugged. “You won’t understand until you try.”
    I sighed. “Four hundred and fifty a week just won't cut it, I'm afraid.”
    He chuckled. “You have some appetite!”
    I looked up at him. He promptly shut up.
    Apparently, there was something in my stare these days. That’s the second time it had happened to me here. I couldn't remember any such reactions to my gaze in the past. But then again, imagine a sullen Ennan with a pitch-dark glare... it couldn't be that nice.
    I felt awkward. “My daughter's dying,” I explained.
    He nodded. What did I care about his feelings? And if so, why should he care about my problems?
    He stepped back behind the counter, giving me some space to think. I concentrated on the gear's stats. The five items of Speedo, counting the pick, offered 25 to Speed, 11 to Strength and a bonus of +5 to Stamina. I opened the stat simulator and did a rough calculation. This was what I had:
     
    Speed: 29
    Strength: 15
    Stamina: 8
     
    I had 30 points left to spare, but I'd better save those for any additional skills. I had big plans regarding them. I opened the Goner’s kit. This was how it looked:
     
    Speed: 19
    Strength: 9
    Stamina: 3
     
    Stamina was so low because the Goner had no bonus. So I'd have to splurge on it from my reserve. Apart from that, the Goner looked rather decent. Why not? Indestructible duds, what’s there not to