Chapter 106 - Increased Payment (2/2)

Judging from Dia’s explanation, he could tell that it was a very valuable metal.

The rarer something was, the more expensive it was, so Loren decided to confirm with Dia, and she looked at the sword and thought for a moment.

“It’s made of genuine magic iron. Its core is most likely magic iron as well. On top of that, there are many runes engraved on it as well. I’m not sure why a rune to make it lighter isn’t incorporated…”

As she muttered that there should be room to include it, Dia gave her conclusion after a while.

“With the material and runes, gold worth ten times its weight wouldn’t be enough. If you are a true swordsman, you wouldn’t try to let go of something like this.”

Loren gulped at Dia’s appraisal.

The amount of money that he had borrowed from Lapis was quite a bit but finding out that it was worth way more than that, Loren couldn’t help but be surprised, and while he sat there speechless, Lapis, who seemed to have finished packing everything up, was next to him.

“That’s incredible. Loren you’re so lucky that you could buy something like that.”

“Is that so?”

Loren’s words implied something.

When Loren had bought the great sword at Kauffa, Lapis and the shop owner had been suspicious, so Loren believed that Lapis had prepared it somehow and made the owner sell it to him.

Loren asked Lapis if it was fine to say that he managed to get his hands on something he wouldn’t be able to buy at its full price by chance, but Lapis answered with a smile.

“Of course, it is.”

“I see. So that’s what it is.”

From their conversation as well as her realizing what Lapis was, Dia had understood what was going on.

“Don’t sell it just because it’s expensive, okay?”

“I know. I won’t.”

Nodding at Lapis, Loren took the sword from Dia, stood up, and strapped it onto his back.

Watching him with a satisfied expression, Lapis clapped her hands.

“So, we’re done with packing up, so let’s get moving. Loren got some rest as well, and it’ll be bad if we get attacked again.”

“Not going to lie…I can’t deal with that many opponents for a while. I’m the weakest out of all of us her, you know.”

Although he replied so, despite what he just said, he could feel his body recovering at a rapid pace.

Of course, this wasn’t Loren’s own power.

It was Shayna, who was within Loren, using the life energy she had siphoned using energy drain and pouring it into Loren, speeding up his recovery in an inhuman speed.

If she poured in too much, she would drain her own strength, but Shayna was powerful enough to aid with Loren’s recovery without a problem.

‘I sucked out a lot from the attackers, so don’t worry Onii-san.’

Loren was slightly worried that Shayna was using her powers to help him recover, but when her words that seemed to laugh his worries off reached his mind, Loren laughed nervously.

“But compared to the great sword and coat you’re wearing; your armor is quite shabby.”

Dia told Loren as she started leading the way, leaving the campsite behind.

Out of his equipment, his great sword and coat was something Lapis had readied, but his clothes and leather armor were normal ones he bought at the shop.

To Loren, it was enough to serve its purpose and didn’t feel like he needed anything better, but to Dia, it seemed unsatisfactory.

“You have such fine equipment, so you should be at least be using armor that meets the standards as well.”

“I can’t afford them, so.”

It wasn’t like there weren’t any items like his sword and coat that were worth way more than their price but coming upon such items wasn’t easy.

And although his debt had decreased, he still owed ten gold coins, and since his income wasn’t much either, he didn’t have the money to upgrade his equipment.

“From the attack last night, I was just thinking about how the payment I promised you wasn’t enough. If we manage to get to our destination, how about I present you equipment?”

“Thanks for offering, but the payment is split between me and my partner.”

Loren thought that he shouldn’t accept payment that only he could receive.

There was the option of getting the payment in money and splitting it with Lapis, but that would mean that there would have to be money that was worth half of the price of the equipment Dia would give him in his wallet, but he didn’t have that amount.

“I don’t mind at all. Loren’s equipment being upgraded means that I’ll have an easier time.”

“That might be true, but…”

“If you want to say it won’t feel right, then there’s also the option of increasing your debt by half the amount of the price of the equipment.”

“I don’t want it to raise it any further…”

Since she didn’t remind him, the load wasn’t too heavy, but Loren didn’t want to increase it if he didn’t have to.

“Then how about I ready some other type of payment for Lapis. That’s fine, no?”

“I guess, yeah.”

“Wow Loren, extra payment. It makes you want to try harder, doesn’t it?”

Lapis said happily, but the thought of the pack of undead from the night before lied heavily in Loren’s mind.

It was doubtful that those were the full force of whoever sent them, and the closer Dia got to the ruins, the higher the chance of something more dangerous attacking them.

Having thoughts that he should be happy after the extra payment after he had survived the whole thing, Loren quickened his pace slightly.