“Old man, one regular meat skewer and two premium ones.”

I placed my order with the meat skewer vendor and handed him one silver coin.

“Much appreciated! …Hey, aren’t you the kid from earlier? You already earned some money!?”

As he grilled the skewers, he handed me seventy-five copper coins in change.

So it really was one hundred copper coins to a silver coin.

“I’ve only registered so far.”

“Then who’d you rob to get that money?”

Well, that was a fair question.

Someone who’d been completely broke a little while ago suddenly carrying money did seem suspicious.

Especially since I’d told him earlier that I didn’t have this country’s currency.

“I sold an accessory I had.”

“Come on now. Don’t go wasting the money you finally managed to get.”

Saying that to a customer trying to buy something from your own stall…

What an odd thing to say.

He was probably a genuinely good guy despite his intimidating appearance.

“I’ll earn more soon, so it’s fine.”

“I’ve still got a little money left anyway.”

The old man handed me the first skewer.

“Here. Start with the regular one.”

“Thanks.”

I took a bite.

It was a little tough and had a slight gamey smell, but it wasn’t bad.

It had a satisfying chewiness that suited my empty stomach.

“So you’ve got a little money left.”

“But you’re going to need weapons, armor, medicine, and all that, right?”

“You sure you’ll have enough?”

“…Good point.”

I hadn’t even thought about that.

Come to think of it, how much did equipment even cost?

“You seriously didn’t think about it?”

“Haa…”

“Well, can’t be helped.”

“Guess meeting you was fate.”

“Walk back toward the Adventurers’ Guild, and the first combined weapon and armor shop you see belongs to someone I know.”

“Tell him Kazael sent you.”

“He might give you a bit of a discount.”

“At the very least, he won’t rip you off.”

“Oh, and Kazael’s my name.”

What an incredibly kind guy.

We’d only met today and barely talked, yet he was willing to help me this much.

Normally I’d suspect a scam.

Especially with that face.

But according to my Appraisal skill…

He was marked as [Ally].

Sorry for judging you by your appearance!

“I owe you one.”

From now on, I’d buy my meat skewers here whenever I got the chance.

The old man handed me one of the premium skewers.

“No problem.”

“Here’s your first premium skewer.”

I’d already finished the regular one, so I bit into it immediately.

“What the…!?”

“This is amazing!”

“Right?”

“The meat’s good, but it’s my grilling that really makes it.”

He wasn’t kidding.

It was so delicious that I’d already finished it.

“Old man, you’re pretty good despite that face!”

“My face has nothing to do with it!”

The cheerful old man suddenly shouted with a look of shock.

He had quite the intimidating presence.

“My bad, my bad.”

“That slipped out.”

“So… what kind of meat is this?”

“The first one was Rabikel.”

“The premium one was Cowbull.”

I regretted asking.

I’d been hoping to hear something simple like beef or pork.

That was my mistake.

After chatting for a while and finishing the last skewer, I parted ways with Kazael.

I eventually arrived at the combined weapon and armor shop Kazael had mentioned.

It was so small that I wasn’t even sure this was the right place.

Well…

Standing around outside wouldn’t accomplish anything.

I stepped inside.

“Welcome.”

Looking toward the voice, I saw a middle-aged man sitting behind what looked like a register.

He seemed a little older than Kazael.

He looked so lifeless that calling him an old man felt natural, though he probably wasn’t quite that old.

I walked over to him.

Might as well confirm I was in the right place.

“Hey.”

“Kazael sent me.”

“This is the place, right?”

“So Kazael’s sending rude brats who can’t even use polite language now?”

“Hey, kid.”

“You got any money?”

What was with this foul-mouthed guy?

Not that I was one to talk.

“I’ve got some.”

“Just not much.”

“I don’t even know how much weapons and armor normally cost, so I have no idea if I’ve got enough.”

“Prices vary all over the place.”

“Look around and bring me whatever you want.”

“If it’s something I can discount, I’ll knock the price down.”

“If all you’ve got are copper coins, dig through that barrel over there.”

“I’ll sell you anything in it for twenty copper coins as a special.”

His mouth was crude, but it sounded like he really was planning to honor Kazael’s introduction.

I looked around the shop.

Since it was so small, I finished a full lap almost immediately.

Several things caught my eye.

Greatswords, axes, and shields were out of the question.

I’d never used them before, so buying them now seemed pointless.

I considered an ordinary sword or spear, but none of them felt right.

The first item that truly interested me was a pair of gauntlets.

I’d spent years settling things with my fists.

Those felt the most natural.

Maybe it was Observation Eye, but something about these gauntlets told me they were good.

Next was a dagger.

Having a blade definitely seemed useful.

A dagger would be easy to carry and simple to use.

It also gave me the same feeling.

It seemed like a quality item.

There were chainmail, boots, rings, earrings, headbands…

But those could wait.

I’d buy weapons first, and if I still had money left, I’d think about the rest.

“I want these gauntlets and this dagger.”

The shopkeeper looked at the items, then slowly looked me up and down.

“You’ve got a good eye, kid.”

Was he talking about Observation Eye?

Though honestly, all I knew was that they felt like good items.

I had no idea what actually made them good.

“I can just kind of tell they’re good.”

“That’s about it.”

“You’re right.”

“Both of these have blessings.”

“So I can’t lower the price any further.”

“But I’ll throw in a weapon belt for free.”

“Everything together will be fifty silver coins.”

Fifty silver coins for both!?

That’s a bargain!

“A belt?”

“A belt for carrying your weapons.”

“Don’t tell me you planned on walking around town holding them.”

I hadn’t really paid attention to the people around me.

Come to think of it, nobody had been walking around with weapons drawn.

“Then I’ll gladly accept.”

“By the way, what blessings do these have?”

“The gauntlets carry the Blessing of Lightness.”

“They’re made of steel, so they’re naturally pretty heavy.”

“But thanks to the blessing, they hardly feel heavy at all.”

“The dagger has the Blessing of Blood Repulsion.”

“Unless the owner intentionally touches blood with it, blood won’t stick to the blade.”

“That means it won’t rust.”

“It’s worth carrying even if you don’t use it.”

“Though it’s made of steel, so unless you actually break it, it’ll last forever anyway.”

Those were some pretty useful blessings.

I still had enough money left after spending fifty silver coins.

Might as well ask about the chainmail and boots too.

“What about these two?”

“So you’re planning to walk out of here with all my good stuff?”

“The chainmail is fifty silver coins.”

“The boots are ten.”

“Sorry, but I can’t discount either of them.”

The chainmail cost twice as much!?

“Why’s the chainmail so expensive?”

“It’s made from chains forged with Magic Iron.”

“So it’s excellent armor.”

“It also carries the Blessing of Fire Resistance.”

“It won’t make you completely immune.”

“But unless you’re dealing with something truly extreme, fire won’t do much to you.”

Seriously…

I could afford it…

But should I?

I still needed medicine after this.

Better hold off on the chainmail for now.

“What about the boots?”

“They’ve got the Blessing of Swift Feet.”

“In simple terms, you’ll run faster.”

That blessing felt a little underwhelming compared to the others.

Still, they were cheap.

“I’ll take the boots too.”

“Got it.”

“Since Kazael sent you and I couldn’t give you much of a discount…”

“I’ll throw in a used Magic Bag.”

“A Magic Bag?”

“You don’t know?”

“It’s a bag that doesn’t get any heavier as long as you stay within its storage capacity.”

So basically…

A shoulder bag version of Doraemon’s pocket.

“Thanks.”

“No problem.”

“You kept saying you were broke, but you’ve turned out to be one of my better customers.”

I handed over sixty silver coins.

After changing into the boots, fastening the weapons to the belt, and storing my sneakers inside the Magic Bag, I left the shop.

Looking up, the sun had noticeably begun to sink lower.

I’d better hurry if I wanted to go hunt monsters today.

I rushed around looking for what seemed to be a pharmacy.

No luck.

Guess I’ve got no choice…

“Old man!”

“One premium skewer!”

“Much appreciated!”

“Hey, kid! You’re eating again?”

“I got a little hungry.”

“And I wanted to ask where the pharmacy is.”

I handed him ten copper coins.

“If you’re an adventurer, I’ve heard medicine’s cheaper at the guild.”

“If you’re looking for alchemy books or high-grade potions, there’s a big pharmacy on Castle Gate Avenue.”

“Oh, and there’s a smaller one over there too.”

He pointed toward a tiny shop about the size of one of those convenience stores you’d find inside a train station.

“You’re a lifesaver, old man!”

“No problem.”

“But you’d better hurry before it gets dark.”

He was right.

Traveling at night would be much more dangerous.

“I know.”

“I just ended up taking longer than I expected getting everything ready.”

He handed me the freshly grilled skewer.

“Here.”

“Nothing wrong with taking your time to prepare properly.”

I accepted it and devoured it in one go.

It was so tender it practically melted without chewing.

The texture going down was incredible.

“Thanks.”

I finished it in no time and headed for the pharmacy.

“Stay safe!”

I decided to check the small pharmacy first.

As soon as I opened the door, the scent of herbs drifted out.

Was it just me, or was it ridiculously dark inside?

“Welcome~”

A girl wearing a black one-piece dress emerged from the back.

Her bangs covered most of her face, making it hard to see her clearly.

She looked a little younger than me.

If you gave her a ribbon and a broom, she looked like she could start a delivery service.

I’d planned to browse on my own.

But since I couldn’t read the labels, asking the clerk would be faster.

“I’d like the minimum medicines an adventurer should carry.”

“And if you have an illustrated herb guide, I’d like that too.”

“So, things an adventurer needs~”

The girl slowly wandered around the shop.

Her unsteady movements made me a little uneasy.

Eventually, she returned to what looked like the register with several items.

“First are potions and healing ointment~”

“I think normal-quality potions are perfectly fine~”

“Potions are great for treating battle wounds and injuries across the whole body~”

“But unless you drink the entire bottle at once~”

“The effect becomes much weaker~”

“So one bottle is only good for one use~”

“On the other hand~”

“Ointment isn’t as fast-acting as a potion~”

“But you only apply as much as you need to the injury~”

“So one container lasts through several uses~”

“That’s why I recommend high-quality ointment~”

“As for the rest~”

“It depends on what kinds of monsters you’ll be fighting~”

“But I think you should definitely carry antidotes and anti-paralysis medicine~”

“If you’ve got plenty of money~”

“A universal remedy is the easiest option~”

“But for a beginner~”

“Antidote Pills and Anti-Paralysis Pills are more than enough~”

“You should buy high-quality versions of both~”

“They can literally save your life~”

“If ordinary-quality medicine can’t fully cure you~”

“And you’ve run into an enemy strong enough to do that~”

“You’re already finished anyway~”

“If high-quality medicine still can’t cure you~”

“Then even at full strength~”

“A newly registered adventurer wouldn’t even be able to run away~”

“So high quality is perfectly sufficient~”

“And here’s the illustrated herb encyclopedia~”

…What was with this painfully slow way of talking?

I appreciated the explanation.

But was she making fun of me?

“How much for everything?”

“Umm~”

“That’ll be ten silver coins~”

Ten silver coins.

Kazael had said medicine was cheaper at the Adventurers’ Guild.

But after wasting time because of this girl’s slow speech…

Ten silver coins wasn’t worth worrying about.

Just as I reached for my wallet…

Something told me I absolutely shouldn’t pay.

Maybe…

I used Appraisal on every item.

They all appeared genuine.

Was the issue their quality?

No…

If quality were different, I had no way to verify it.

I’d asked about the quality, Appraisal said they were genuine, so I had no choice but to trust that.

Then what else was wrong?

“Can you break down the total for me?”

“Tch.”

“…Huh?”

“Umm~”

“Five normal-quality potions at twenty copper coins each~”

“One large high-quality healing ointment for thirty copper coins~”

“Three high-quality Antidote Pills at fifty copper coins each~”

“Three high-quality Anti-Paralysis Pills at thirty copper coins each~”

“And the illustrated herb encyclopedia is one silver coin~”

“So the total is ten silver coins~”

Did she just click her tongue?

More importantly…

“That’s a rip-off!”

“Please don’t yell~”

“You startled me~”

“Do the math properly!”

“That comes to four silver coins and seventy copper coins!”

“Umm~”

“Let’s see~”

“Oh~”

“You’re right~”

“I made a mistake~”

“Sorry~”

She seemed way too stupid…

But something felt off.

Suddenly, my skill menu opened on its own.

The Appraisal skill was flashing.

I selected it.

[Doubt]

It could detect lies too!?

“So that whole act was fake!?”

“Ehh~”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about~”

Not only had she tried to overcharge me…

Even the slow, airheaded way she’d been talking seemed fake.

“So you know I caught you lying.”

“Whatever.”

“As long as you sell me the proper stuff now.”

I handed over five silver coins and received thirty copper coins in change.

Then I packed the medicines into my Magic Bag.

“Aww.”

“I thought you’d be an easy target.”

“You’re an adventurer buying medicine from a pharmacy instead of the guild, so I figured you were an idiot.”

“I didn’t expect you to actually know arithmetic.”

She was way too honest.

Wait…

Did adventurers here really have such a reputation for not being able to do basic math?

Or were most of them just muscle-brained idiots?

“More importantly…”

“That’s no way to treat a customer.”

“That’s because I’m not a clerk.”

“…What?”

“This is my grandma’s shop.”

“She went out for a bit, so the store was actually closed.”

“You ignored the Closed sign and walked in.”

“I figured anyone who couldn’t even read was an easy mark.”

She had a point.

I couldn’t read.

And I had walked into a closed shop.

Maybe all that long-winded explanation earlier was because she assumed I was clueless.

If so…

She might actually be kinder than she let on.

Not that it mattered.

“Sorry about that.”

“But you should stop ripping people off.”

“One day you’ll mess with the wrong person.”

I slung the Magic Bag over my shoulder and headed toward the exit.

“Thanks for the concern.”

“As an apology for trying to scam you, here’s a piece of advice.”

“When you enter a dungeon, keep an Anti-Paralysis Pill in your mouth.”

“Ours are coated, so saliva won’t dissolve them.”

“If you get paralyzed, just bite down immediately.”

“You’ll recover almost instantly.”

“And if you’re fighting a strong enemy that uses paralysis, it’s even better to take one beforehand.”

“The effect becomes weaker if you take it before you’re paralyzed.”

“But for a while, paralysis won’t completely lock up your body right away.”

“That gives you enough time to bite another pill and cure yourself.”

Now that…

Was genuinely useful advice.

“Thanks.”

“Oh, one more question.”

“If I just eat medicinal herbs directly, do they still work?”

“They do.”

“But eating enough of them to get the full effect is pretty rough.”

“I see.”

“Thanks for everything.”

“See you.”

“May fortune smile upon you~”

As I stepped out of the dim shop, the beautiful orange sunset felt almost blinding.

Wait…

It’s already evening!?

I’d gone through all the trouble of preparing.

I was absolutely going to hunt at least one monster today.

Determined to finish before nightfall, I hurried toward the outskirts of town.