Vol 1 Chapter 13 (1/2)

‘Jirgs Kingdom’ is a wide country that is located around the middle of the continent.

Even though it’s facing the demon territory and sharing its border with it, the land is fertile and has a warm climate. The country is slowly and securely developing under the rule of their king, Remonaz; it’s a stable country at the moment.

The country doesn’t have a clear direction it’s heading to, but its national power can be called something to be reckoned with by the whole continent.

I have heard that the capital has a population close to ten thousand, and is surrounded by reinforced walls.

In the center lies the white royal palace, which is able to be seen from anywhere within the capital, a high tower flag is visible from the palace.

“Ho~~, There are a lot of people. It seems like the humans of this era have prospered a lot.”

When Kail and his party left one of the many shops, and started to walk around, Sildonia materialized herself and suddenly speaks up.

Kail and his party entered Marado just a while ago, just like Sildonia said, it was literally overflowing with people.

“Umm, In the legends it’s said that Zars was a city with a million people, or so I’ve heard.”

“This scene isn’t that uncommon, right?” Lize asked.

“Yeah, it’s just like what you’ve said. However that was just the knowledge of Sildonia, I have not experienced it. This is the first time Sildonia is walking among humans.” Sildonia said.

“I see, so that’s why….”

I remember when Sildonia was asking a lot of questions about things, whilst we were travelling to Marado.

She is an unbalanced existence who has a lot of knowledge, but doesn’t have much experience.

“Oh, it has a good smell to it.”

Lize follows with a wry smile after Sildonia, who was unsteadily moving towards the stall, while being lured by the smell.

“She completely looks like a kid who came from the countryside.”

Seran was going, “Yare, yare.” the whole time, but both Seran and Lize are in the same boat, since they’ve rarely left the town of Rimase, and it’s their first time in Marado.

Gazing at the things they’ve never seen before is exactly something a country hick would do.

“Hmm, it’s not on the level of Lize’s cooking but it’s still good. Now the stall there is…….”

Sildonia returns while munching on some meat skewers. She just kept eating, under the pretense of it being for her magic supply.

“You can leave the eating for later, I want to go shopping like planned.”

“Shopping….. You were going to buy armor and weapons, weren’t you?”

“Yeah, the equipment we have now isn’t good enough. At this rate we won’t be able to put up a decent fight, we have to get the best armor we can get.”

Except for Kail’s sword, Sildonia, the rest only have some basic equipment that can’t even be compared to that of normal adventurers.

“Of course even if we buy good equipment it only strengthens us to a certain amount, but there’s no doubt that it’ll make us stronger.”

And above all it’ll become harder to kill us, I added.

In this one year, I have seen more than enough comrades dying—– that’s what I don’t want to see anymore.

“Being able to keep a life with gold, that’s a cheap price. I’m not going to regret it.”

In a small town, one shop dealing in weapons and armor is enough, but in a big city like this, there are a lot of them.

There are many shops aimed at beginners, intermediate, and experienced fighters.

The shop Kail and his party went to was the best one, shopping there once would already cost tens of thousands of Gador, and its usual clients were all well known adventurers and n.o.bility.

The shop was built from st.u.r.dy stones, and it has no sign, since it doesn’t need one.

This isn’t a shop like the ones on the street, where you can just come and go, only people who have a recommendation can come in.

The entrance was guarded by buff looking guys, the old man in the middle, who was wearing the shop’s uniform, came over to Kail’s party in order to talk to them.

“Is there anything you would need from our shop?”

“Yeah, I want to buy equipment.”

“I may offend you, but have you received a referral from someone?”

“No.”

“Then are you aware of the condition for entering this shop?”

“If I’m not mistaken it was…… For a completely new customer, without a recommendation, he has to pay a certain amount of money, right?”

Kail remembers it from the last time, his previous life.

“Yes, I give my utmost apologies, but first time customers will have to entrust an amount of one thousand gador. Of course, it’ll be returned before closing time.”

The clerk apologetically bowed deeply, but he said it clearly.

Inside the store they deal with very expensive products.

Leaving aside n.o.bles, or those who’ve already paid the price, most customers are fully equipped adventurers and mercenaries, so if they ever visit with the intention of robbing the store…… That’s what they’re afraid of.

For that reason they don’t accept customers without a referral, but they can’t just completely refuse any new customers, because they might miss new opportunities for business, so they made a system where they temporarily hold onto your money.

It’s a suitable way to do it, also if you can’t pay up immediately, that just means you aren’t qualified for the shop.

“Is it alright if I pay with five Zars gold coins?”

Kail hands over the ancient magic kingdom’s coins which are known as Zars coins to everyone.

Zars coins have a fine design, and have simple protection magic cast over them, for that reason even after a thousand years have pa.s.sed, quite a few are still left on the continent and can be used in shops with high grade items.

Because of the good quality of the Zars coins it’s treated with care, its maximum worth is estimated to be twice that of a thousand Gador.

Furthermore, the use of the so called equivalent, a ‘gem’, is some kind of crystal which is said to be worth ten thousand Gador, they are only used by the rich n.o.bles, so there aren’t many people with gems.

When the clerk took the coins into his hand in order to confirm it, he bowed deeply yet again.

“I certainly have received it. Then, I shall guide you inside.”

After a heavy and st.u.r.dy door opens, a pa.s.sage was revealed, after advancing for a little, a similar door appeared.

For the sake of crime prevention they probably have reinforced doors.

After entering the opened second door, a wide floor could be seen.

There weren’t any windows, but there were magic tools with [light] cast on them, and the humidity and the heat were also adjusted to the right temperature.

And there were a lot of armors and weapons that were hung, in such a way that they looked as good as possible, on the shelves.

Maybe it’s because of the time, but there weren’t any customers, well, this isn’t a shop where everyone could just enter, originally.

“I welcome you to our store. I am known as the shopkeeper, Fespa. It is a honor to meet you.”

A portly man about fifty years old, greets Kail and his party.

The ones responsible for new customers for this store are either the shopkeeper or the ones responsible for the floor.

In order to check what kind of customers he has, checking if they’ll be worth it or not, in order to know what kind of att.i.tude he had to take with customers, even now, Fespa is doing the same, even though he’s smiling gently his eyes are sharply observing Kail and his party.

“What kind of business would you have here today?”

“I would like to be shown some magic armor and weapons.”

“Understood. We have a big amount, so, let me guide you.”

Even if I ‘simply’ said, magic armor and weapons, there are many different kinds.

There are those that simply raise the sharpness or the weight of a weapon, or those that are empowered with the elements of flames, ice, light, darkness, and in contrast, there are armors with resistances to one of those elements……

There are also many other types, but basically there aren’t a lot of them made.

Because, unlike with magic tools, it takes more time and labor for armor and weapons, most of the ones going around were those made by the ancient magic kingdom.

“Hoh, there’s a great number that comes from Zars…. Oh, if it isn’t Merans’s work.”

Sildonia says, in front of one of the armors with a crest from the ancient magic kingdom.

“How knowledgeable. This here is one of the ancient magic kingdoms master magic armor maker Merans’s work…..”

“No, that guy wasn’t that great. It’s true that he made some masterworks but he got carried away. When the original piled up all of his mistakes he began to break into tears. Well after that he did repent on it…..” Sildonia said.

“Wha!?” Said the guy from the shop.

“Ah, don’t mind it….. This child is, well, she’s a pitiful child…..”

Kail makes a remark in a quiet voice, since he would be sorry if the person in question heard him.

“Eh?….. Ah, I sincerely apologize for my rudeness.”

Fespa who understood what I meant, called an attendant, when he did, a female attendant led Sildonia to the negotiation table with a friendly smile.

“Hmm? What’s wrong….. Oh, aren’t these some nice snacks.”

As expected of a high cla.s.s shop, it has high cla.s.s snacks for premium customers, while Sildonia keeps eating the snacks, Kail bows his head and Fespa answers with a smile that says; you also have it hard, haven’t you.

“Hoh, this is….”

What caught Kail’s eye, was a light blue armor within a gla.s.s case in the center of the shop, he though it probably is the most expensive high cla.s.s item inside the store.

It’s an armor made from leather from an animal, it’s called ‘leather armor’ and is an armor for warriors who fight with speed.

Normally the leather used is from livestock, but this armor used a leather that is fundamentally different.

“So this is an armor made from the dragon race….. Does it also have magic cast on it?”

“Yes, a dragon’s skin originally has high defensive power, magic resistance, increases your own defensive power, and also has resistance to heat and cold. Furthermore the cloth within the armor is woven from the feathers of a phoenix.”

He’s probably used to the questions from first time customers, without hesitation he keeps his explanation going.

“When you say phoenix, you must mean the immortal bird?”

“Yes, the legendary beast said to be equal to dragons. It’s called the sign of life, so that’s why it has resistance to poison and sickness, and furthermore, though it may be small, it also has the effect of speeding up the wearers recovery.”

It was truly a great armor, the way the shopkeeper suggests it, means he can call it a ‘one of a kind’ masterpiece with pride, since this armor can be called a masterwork among all these masterpieces.

If I look at the bottom of the case I can see the attached price tag which has three million Gador written on it.

It’s enough to buy a castle with some land, located a little bit away from the capital, and you can even buy employees for the castle, it certainly isn’t a price for an armor.

“Well then, the armor is on this side so let us go…..”

“All right, I’m going to buy this.”

“Wha?!”