Vol 2 Chapter 10.2 (2/2)

「Well then, we will be off.」

The price of the White Magic Crystal was supposed to be 380,000 Dalas. However, because Marita was in a good mood, she b.u.mped it up to a final price of 400,000 Dalas.

Four white gold coins, huh… Shouldn’t I just switch jobs from Adventurer to Miner?

Jokes aside, after leaving the jewellery shop, Lim and I headed to the Industrial District on foot.

My entire fortune was about 500,000 Dalas.

Even if I purchased Rook, I would have a lot in spare.

With this, I could do as I please at Jig-san’s shop.

I didn’t mean that money wouldn’t last overnight, but it was a world fraught with dangers. If it could be used, it had better be used.

「――Even if you bought a better armor, it would be absurd to lose your life the next instant!」

Receiving Jig-san’s words 『E-Even if you put something better on, danger would still be danger☆』 with thanks, I bought a new set of armor.

What he recommended me was a cloth armor made by weaving the Black Steel Thread, which was tougher than low grade metals, spat by a spider-esque monster called 《Gran Spider》, that was native to Aesha Continent.

As the name of the material would suggest, it was black in color.

Lately… Jig-san would understand my taste even if I didn’t tell him…

Because the cloth armor contained cus.h.i.+oning inside, it could block not just slashes but blows as well.

Furthermore, it contained Mythril fragments to protect such parts as shoulders, elbows and knees. It cost a total of 180,000 Dalas.

An excellent item would obviously cost a lot. An armor contributed greatly toward survivability.

Even if it were expensive, I would not compromise.

Now then, here I was facing Feeder Pops’ in the state of heightened tension. The reason being, I recalled a certain something.

The thing is… Although I loaded magic into the White Magic Crystal at Marita’s behest, I forgot to teach her the words of invocation.

In which case, it would be unable to be used for self-defense.

――Oh well. What can I do?

If it were needed, they would say something.

…Come to think of it, I had quite a few encounters today…

The two of us rode Rook, encountered a demon, then a battle broke out. The two of us rode Rook again, encountered the lord’s daughter, then I piqued the princess’ interest.

It was already past 6 o’clock.

Indulged in ‘I wonder as to which of Dario-san’s cuisines I will be having for s.h.i.+me’ thought, I opened the door.

(Translator’s note: s.h.i.+me – last meal when going restaurant hopping)

What entered my line of sight was a wolf beastkin, Arnold-san. Sitting across him with a well built body was… a dog beastkin? However, they were reveling drunk.

Dario-san, who was carrying liquor to the two of them, stopped and called 「Welcome back」 out upon seeing us.

What greeted us were three middle aged men.

…What’s going on?

I know this inn is called Feeder Pops’, but…

For the whole inn to be filled with pops getting fed.

Un… Totally…

Thereafter, we forced our way to the middle, took our seats and had dinner with everyone.

The cuisine was exceedingly delicious as ever. Doorey-san――the dog beastkin whom I met for the first time――relished at eating.

Doorey-san seemed to be from the same village as Arnold-san, but he was now active as a merchant.

I got to hear various stories. However, when the conversation proceeded toward the humans of Souven Empire, whom they didn’t have good impression of, they turned agitated.

Fumu… I would have to be careful of humans who called beastkin beasts (※Contemptuously suggesting that they and animals were one and the same kind)

I didn’t think there would be such people.

――Thus, the dinner came to an end without them learning of the events transpired at the Paudal Wetland Belt.

Lim returned to her room while Arnold-san and Doorey-san continued to drink.

As for me, because I was tired, I decided to retire to my room. Right then――

Someone’s hand emotionally caught my shoulder.

When I slowly turned my head back, I found Arnold-san smiling with a liquor jockey [stein] in one of his hands.

…I get it. I would have to accompany them even if I couldn’t get drunk…

After we took our seats back and drank for a while――the unusually restless Arnold-san asked me.

「N, jun…Thanks for taking Lim along with you today. And… there, nothing, happened… right?」

Upon hearing the question, I almost sprayed the liquor, which I was trying to gulp down, out.

This is bad… Has my fighting a demon somehow been exposed…?

But there was no sign of him suspecting the new armor.

No, wait.

He couldn’t have heard it anywhere. There must be something on his mind, but it wouldn’t come out.

I tried to feign composure as much as possible.

「Nothing worth mentioning. Are you talking about something specific…?」

After our eyes crossed for a while, Arnold-san burst into laughter.

Simultaneously, he *bang* patted Doorey’s, who was sitting next to him, back.

「Kuhaahaahaa! I knew Doorey was thinking too much into it.」

「Geho! No, I told you it was a joke.」

Although I didn’t know the details of their exchange, Did Doorey-san find something unnatural in Lim’s and my story…?

A merchant’s keen eye… scary…

――Thus advanced the night of an already long day.

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