Chapter 44 (1/2)
Volume 1
Chapter 18 – The Hero will help a bit 2
「Such wonderful clothes, is it really alright for me to wear them?」
With the streets of the Royal Capital dyed with the evening sun, Minnalis had changed from wearing her old rags, which, as slave clothing, only had holes to fit one’s head and arms, to wearing light clothes from a thrift store .
Though Minnalis said they were wonderful, in truth, it was only slightly better than what people casually wear .
So Minnalis meant that it was better than the slave clothes she had been wearing, not that was incredibly happy because they were wonderful . Incidentally, I had also changed into clothes suitable for a regular townsfolk .
「It’s fine because you are beautiful . In this country, we need to hide your ears and tail because grandly displaying those will only attract trash nobles and random idiots . 」
I remembered something unpleasant, so I just spat out what was on my mind .
Slaves are generally treated as “things . ”
Therefore, when trash nobles see “good things” next to commoners, they try to forcibly make them their own to show off their money and power . There are also those who abused their own power to extort money and acting like hoodlums .
During the first run-through, I had disputes with low-lives like that who were only out to satisfy their own greed . At that time, I met an aristocrat who didn’t even try to hide his greed yet was really good at saving his own neck .
Returning to the conversation, said hoodlums rarely frequent the main street, so there will be few problems . However, if we get involved with the nobles, that will be a problem . Starting a fight which would make us stand out is out of the question . I prefer to be less conspicuous .
Thanks to the forceful recovery from the potion, the pitiful bruises all over her body vanished . Her black eye vanished as well . Her cheeks might be hollow, but ignoring that unhealthy look, she was still on a level of considerable beauty .
Even without the prejudice towards beastkin, if her being a slave was exposed, the possibility of being entangled with nobles was still quite high .
「…… Beautiful? I am… beautiful?! Kufu~, Kufufufu~」
「Hmm? What’s wrong? Are there any adverse effects from using the potions to forcibly heal yourself?」
Suddenly, Minnalis stopped walking, and turned her face away while trembling, then spoke in a low voice .
Since HP potions restore the body’s vitality, in the same vein, willpower is restored with MP potions . So “stamina” is also recovered . However, Minnalis’ weakened condition was not an abnormal state caused by magic or poison, it was instead due to being exposed to a harsh environment . It was not something that can simply be removed with potions .
To recover from this weakness, one needs to sleep well and eat nutritious food . Otherwise, the weakness from this abnormal state will continue . Incidentally, a beastkin with advanced physical abilities can recover from this weakened state in a mere three days .
「Sorry, but please endure until we reach the item shop . Even if an abnormal status potion is ineffective, it will become little easier with a relief potion to reduce the effects . We cannot relax until we leave town . 」
Even if I said to drink a potion, its effects were varied .
For example, there are ones that recover HP and MP, ones that temporarily raises one’s status, ones that decrease one’s status instead, ones that nullify abnormal states for a fixed period of time, ones that assist skills by strengthening senses, and ones that have some combination of those effects .
Among the potions concerning abnormal statuses, medicine that targets the source and helps one recover from said abnormal statuses belong to the 『Recovery system』, and those help weaken the effects of abnormal statuses . Potions of the 『Relief system』 on the other hand, are more like first-aid .
In her current state, potions from the relief system should be effective on Minnalis . It is only a symptomatic treatment, but it should be able to take effect quite easily .
Or so I was thinking, but Minnalis shook her head as if to say that she was all right .
「No, my body is not in a bad enough state where a potion is necessary . Sure, I do feel a little heavy, but it seems killing those goblins were treated as if I defeated them, so I leveled up . With that, I should be fine within a day . 」
Saying that, Minnalis showed a thin smile . But her expression was different, her delicate face reddened .
Sure, something was definitely a little off, but it didn’t seem like she would accept the potion either way .
This is bad, do I have to force her to drink one again? And while thinking that, I tried to match Minnalis’ pace as we walked .
While we were walking I was worried about Minnalis as she seemed to be restless . Certainly, only that much doesn’t seem to be a problem . As usual, she showed a perfect smile when she turned her face my way . Although her complexion hasn’t returned to normal, it doesn’t seem to hinder her very much .
Because we can’t rest immediately after leaving town, we’ll have to use a relief potion as expected, and while thinking that it was better to buy a little bit more, we stopped by an item shop .
There, we bought some low-grade HP potions, MP potions, every type of relief potion for status abnormality recovery, food and water to last us a few days, and a large amount of seasonings .
「Here, a relief potion for your weakened status . Drink it . 」
「N-no, I’m fine . I can’t take something that expensive . 」
「… Just drink it . Don’t give me extra work . 」
Sure enough, since Minnalis didn’t want to take the potion, I ordered as her master for the first time .
I didn’t use the slave crest to compel the weakened Minnalis . In the first place, using pain to make somebody obey is something I absolutely despised . However, since it will be troubling if she resists, I narrowed my eyes a little, lowered my voice, and more or less coerced her in a serious manner .
Now that Minnalis has become my accomplice and has shared desires of revenge with me, she should not be afraid of such coercion that lacks even a fragment of hostility; I want to believe that what I asserted was somewhat out of dignity .
「I am really sorry . I will drink it . 」
Finally, Minnalis received the potion . It’s not much, but Minnalis looked somewhat awed while drinking it .
For the time being, I checked Minnalis’ status, and what was written on the weakened status has changed . Its effects had decreased from a half to a third . Though her complexion again turned red, it seemed to me that walking to our next destination will pose no issue .
The next store we went to was a weapons and armor shop .
I’m fine because I can fight with the soul sword, but it was necessary to buy a weapon for Minnalis and armor for both of us .
Due to the nature of a beastkin’s magical power, it’s probably best for Minnalis to specialize in close-range combat . That said, there’s no need for her to fight unarmed .
Even without the beastkin’s status, the unique skill Minnalis had obtained, just by looking at its name, was obviously one that inflicts an abnormal condition . Since that’s the case, it seems a lot better to use it in combination with slashing-centric swords rather than striking-centric fists .
「Minnalis, do you know how to use any weapons?」
Even though she didn’t obtain any other skills, I thought that there may be room for her to learn skills with weapons considering that she had an affinity for a Unique Skill . Though I said unarmed, there are other options like using a talon too . There are many ways to fight, so I want to choose an easy-to-use weapon for starters .
「Um, about that, I only somewhat learned how to swing one from playing with the adventurers who came to the village while escorting merchants… I’m really sorry . 」
「Hm? It’s not really something you need to apologize for . It’s fine because you can still learn . In the first place, I didn’t buy you because you are already strong . It was enough that you satisfied the requirements that I wanted from an accomplice . 」
With that, they reached the Weapons and Armor shop .
The store, which was close to the border between the main streets and the slums, had a motley—read as ratty—but still warm appearance, and it had a sign out front that was carved from wood with “Rishall Weapons and Armor” written on it .
「Hm, oh, welcome! I’m sorry, but I’m closing soon . You won’t have much time to look around, so how about tomorrow…」
There was an apprentice looking after the shop at the storefront .
Certainly, night was approaching with the sun starting to set . Stores still open were starting to turn on their lights .
「No, we have already decided on what we want . We won’t be long since we’re not after anything special, and we need it before the day is over . 」
「If that’s the case… Old man!! There are some customers!!」
Minnalis curiously looked around the shop while the boy who had been instructed to close loudly called for the store owner .
「Haaa!? Send them away! Whether they want weapons or armor, if they take their time choosing, we wouldn’t be able to eat our dinner!」
「Seems that they already decided on what to buy!!」
「Then shouldn’t you just sell it!? Once you’re done, hurry up and close the store!!」
The old store owner seemed to be working at the back of the shop . The boy that had been yelling turned around and came to ask us .
「Then, what did you want?」
「Two sets of armor for beginner adventurers, four sets of repair tools, and also regular longswords and sheaths . And please pick out ten appropriate ones . 」
「That many? I’m sorry, but do you have enough money?」
The boy glanced at me in doubt . To afford what we had just requested, we needed more than an average person’s monthly salary(roughly two large silver coins) . It’s obvious that he doubted us since we currently looked like commoners .
Next to Minnalis, I felt a hint of anger rising within her, so in order to hold it down, I decided to speak up first .