Chapter 43 – Parting Gift
Roddy-san, the head of the dismantling site, was working as usual, skinning something on a workbench in the back of the building.
“Good morning, Roddy-san.”
“Oh, Loki. You can take any basket you want from there.”
“No, I didn’t come here today for a basket; I came here to ask you something.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
After saying that, Roddy-san stopped working and walked over to the counter while wiping his hands with a cloth, so I apologized briefly and just told him what I wanted to ask him.
“I’m sorry to bother you while you’re working. I’m planning to go to the Rocker Plain tomorrow, and I wanted to ask you about material parts that can be exchanged for cash.”
“Oh… So you’re already in the Rocker Plain, huh? Well, you’ve been hunting Palmera’s monsters so consistently. Does anyone complain?”
“Hahaha… I’ll be right back if I think it’s too early.”
“First of all, there seems to be no problem, but don’t push yourself too hard, okay? Now, there are two types of monsters in the Rocker Plains: the Poison Mouse and the Air Mantis. And the only things that can be bought here as materials are the head of the Poison Mouse and the magic stone of each.”
“Hmm… it was written in the book in the reference room, but only the heads are in demand as materials? If that is the case, it seems that the actual profit will be less…”
“It depends on the hunter. The ones who can do it in numbers will make more money compared to Palmera, and there are those who do not go to Lulub and stay in the Rocker Plains. Think about it. The Rocker Plain takes about an hour each way. How many times a day can you go back and forth with a lot of materials?”
“Oh, I see… so you’re saying that the small size of the material is an advantage?”
“That’s right. The key to the Rocker Plain is how many baskets you can fill in one trip. The Air Mantis magic stone also has a rather high purchase price, you know?”
“Is that because it’s an attribute magic stone?”
“Yes. It is not as popular as the ice attribute, but the wind attribute is also quite popular. An Air Mantis magic stone is worth 8,000 beeke; go there for a day and kill 10 of them. If you add up all the other materials and stuff, it would probably exceed Palmera’s income, right?”
“Sure… Even if I kill that many, my basket won’t be full, so I only need to make one round trip.”
“The only problem is that the poison of the Poison Mouse can be very annoying. Although it is not fatal, it can make your limbs heavy and make it difficult to move. So it is up to the hunters who go to the Rocker Plains to show off their skills to see how many they can handle without drinking the poison potion.”
After that, I asked him for more details, and he told me the following;
Poison Mouse: 1,200 beeke per body by regular subjugation request, another 1,500 beeke for the magic stone, 3,000 beeke for the head (poison bag), and it is recommended to take the head after dismantling it. The subjugation part is the tail.
Air Mantis: 1,800 beeke per body by regular subjugation request, another 8,000 beeke for the magic stone, and the subjugation part is the head.
However, it is said that Poison Mouse has high fertility and grows quickly, so there is a possibility that the reward for an urgent request to kill Poison Mouse will increase up to twice as much.
This is what I learned.
Unlike the Great Forest of Palmera, I had to check the request board first thing in the morning.
I thanked Roddy-san, apologize for interrupting his work, and left the dismantling site at the back entrance, as it would be inconvenient if I ran into Amanda-san.
Then I think about it on my way to the weapons shop.
About 6,000 for a Poison Mouse and 10,000 for an Air Mantis… Poison Mouse seems to be more numerous than Air Mantis, so I go for a day and get 5 out of 10, which is 110,000 beeke.
That’s a little less than the income from Palmera Great Forest, where I took the pills.
No, I don’t know how much the potion is, but if I consider taking it frequently, my goal would be about 10 out of 20 bodies per day?
I mean, if there were no emergency subjugation requests, it would be a good idea not to force them to fulfill the constant subjugation requests, right?
No, but taking a lot of rat tails back to the inn to sleep is, as expected…
Even though I bought a medium-sized basket, it would be too creepy to share a four-and-a-half mat space with them in it, and the smell would be too strong, so I guess I’d have to call it off.
While I was thinking about it, I seemed to have entered the weapon shop before I knew it, and I noticed that Paisa-san had a suspicious look on his face.
“What are you doing standing around in the store?”
“S-sorry… I have a bad habit of getting lost in my thoughts!”
Hmm… close, too close!
I got there in no time, even though I went out the back door.
Well, time is limited, so never mind, let’s get on with the story.
“I’ve finally saved up enough money! Please sell me weapons and armor!”
“Hmm? I’ve heard of weapons, but… armor? What kind of armor do you want?”
“I want something that can withstand the Rocker Plains and, if possible, the Lulub Forest.”
“What’s your budget?”
“About 300,000 beeke, I guess.”
“Then you can’t go for metal armor, so it would have to be leather armor. It can protect the chest and torso, so as long as your head is well protected, it is unlikely to be fatal. It’s not possible to use that much good monster skin, but… it should be fine until Lulub Forest.”
“Oh! That’s good, it’s like that!”
“What do you mean ‘like that’? …Well, come over here, and I’ll measure it for you.”
“…..Hmm? Measurements? Don’t you have it in stock here?”
“Idiot! Weapons can be stocked, but armor? If you don’t make something that fits the body properly, it will be difficult to move and will hinder you in battle. And even if there is a stock, it is for adults. With your height, a little adjustment won’t help.”
“W-what? By the way… how long will it take you to make it?”
“I have the skins in stock, so I can do it in five… or even four days.”
Seriously… I screwed up.
I screwed up, I screwed up, I screwed up!
For some reason, I had assumed that I could buy it like clothes, like in a game…
Oh… stupid me…
I had plenty of time to prepare beforehand…
I thought I could go to the Rocker Plains tomorrow…
“Aaaaaaahhhh!”
“What is it? I always thought you were a weird guy, but now you’ve become even weirder?”
“Ugh… look at my tears! I’m about to collapse from shock, even though I deserve it!”
“You don’t look like you’re crying at all… I’m sure you’re in shock. Why do you want to go to the Rocker Plain so soon? You’re making money in Palmera, aren’t you?”
“It’s not just a matter of money… I want to go there as soon as I can if I think the place will help me grow. That’s what hunters are all about! Maybe.”
“Tsk… you sound just like my son.”
“Oh, you have a son? From what you said, it sounds like he and I are in the same line of work, hunters.”
“That’s right.”
“Sigh… It can’t be helped. I’m going to ask you to take some measurements for now.”
While I was being measured for chest circumference and so on, I looked at the sword I was looking for.
“Come to think of it, I was about to buy that weapon I had reserved just because of its size, but I didn’t realize that it had a magic power enhancement attached to it.”
“Ah… thanks to that, that weapon didn’t sell at all. I’m relieved to finally find a buyer for it.”
Come to think of it, the price is lower than other weapons.
I thought it was short, and the cost of materials was low…
“Is it possible that the granting of magic power enhancement isn’t very popular?”
“Well, yes. Magic power enhancement is originally for mages. In this city, there are only E-rank hunters at best. They don’t bother to have such an expensive replacement weapon. At best, it’s a dagger that can also be used for dismantling.”
“But that was made by Paisa-san, wasn’t it? The Onee-chan at the magic stone shop told me. She said that Paisa-san can also add grants to the weapon.”
“That idiot… That’s right. I did indeed make it.”
“Hmm. Did you make it even though it’s hard to sell? …Ah, could it be for your son?”
“…..”
I thought I said so much.
Why is his son’s weapon on display?
If it’s been used to some extent and has become secondhand, it’s usually in the barrel.
This one is probably brand new because it’s hanging on the wall…
“I’m sorry. I may have asked the wrong thing…”
“…No, it doesn’t matter. You’re the one who wants to buy this weapon. It’s just like you imagined. So take good care of it.”
“…Of course.”
After the measurements were taken and some requests were made, I told Paisa-san that I would buy the weapon anyway.
“Anyway, I will buy the weapon today. Please don’t worry. I won’t ask for a discount this time.”
“That’s fine, but… you’re not going to the Rocker Plains before the armor is ready, are you?”
…It’s easy to deceive him.
Just tell him that I’m going to the Great Forest of Palmera until the armor is finished.
If I do that, it’s even less of a problem.
But there is already too much leeway in the Great Forest of Palmera.
Now that the quota has been filled, it will be painful to continue hunting there unless there is another goal or objective.
And considering the level factor and the selling price of the magic stone, there is no problem with the Rocker Plains. I haven’t had any experience with the level restrictions up there in Palmera Great Forest.
If I were to go to the Rocker Plains at my current level, I might already be slightly above the appropriate level.
Then it should be safer to go there, and it’s more likely to be safer with armor, but not necessarily.
Hah――…
I guess I shouldn’t lie here.
“Sorry, I want to go, even if only to get used to it. The Great Forest of Palmera is too spacious for me.”
“I knew it. Unlike Palmera, there are few people without armor in the Rocker Plain. If you are not careful, Air Mantis’ magic will rip your guts out. Are you sure about that?”
“I think so. I’ll do my best to prepare, but I won’t know for sure until I get there.”
“What if I told you that I won’t sell you the sword until the armor is ready?”
“I would probably take the knife you let me buy here. No doubt. Of course, I don’t want to overdo it, so if I feel it’s stronger than I expected, I’ll turn back like an adult.”
“I bet… that idiot said the same thing. …And he died while I was in the middle of making a special weapon for him.”
“…..”
“Why are so many hunters idiots? Don’t you think they are overconfident in their own abilities?”
“I don’t know. But at least you have to be confident to put your foot forward. That way, for whatever reason, you’ll make your own way.”
“Hah… wait a minute.”
With that, Paisa-san went to the back of the store and came back with something in his arms.
“This is a parting gift. It’s used, but not much, and the size will only need a little adjustment. My son was about your size.”
“…A memento, right?”
“Yes. My son died in the Lulub Forest. He was in a party, and since he was in the rear guard, he said he could handle it as long as he had armor. The one who survived brought it to us.”
“Then I can’t accept it… it’s very important, isn’t it?”
“You idiot. I’m an armorer, too. What good is a good piece of equipment if you leave it lying around? You have to use the equipment, right? It’s best if it helps the guy survive.”
“I’m sure I can survive without this armor, but are you sure you want to give it to me?”
“Tsk, you’re cocky, aren’t you? So you can wear it and survive at any cost. If you die on the way, I’ll stab you again.”
“That looks scarier than a monster… I’ll just have to survive with your son’s sword and armor to protect me, right?”
Perhaps because he was able to confirm my willingness to receive it, Paisa-san silently adjusted the size of the armor to fit me.
Of course, it fits pretty well to begin with, so if you squeeze the girth a bit, it will be the perfect size.
――Was he really waiting for someone to buy that sword?
――Or maybe he was looking for someone like his son?
This shop is the only weapon and armor shop in the city of Bezart.
Hunters who look up, even if they don’t like it, visit this shop.
Among them, there are quite a few kids like Zink-kun and others.
There must have been a lot of them before.
Judging by the size alone, there must have been someone who could fit.
In that condition, he could have sold it if he wanted to, and there must have been someone to whom he could entrust this equipment.
When I saw Paisa-san holding the short sword with a smile on his face and saying, “Come on, hold it for a minute,” I felt like making a vow in my heart.
Chapter 43 – Parting Gift
Roddy-san, the head of the dismantling site, was working as usual, skinning something on a workbench in the back of the building.
“Good morning, Roddy-san.”
“Oh, Loki. You can take any basket you want from there.”
“No, I didn’t come here today for a basket; I came here to ask you something.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
After saying that, Roddy-san stopped working and walked over to the counter while wiping his hands with a cloth, so I apologized briefly and just told him what I wanted to ask him.
“I’m sorry to bother you while you’re working. I’m planning to go to the Rocker Plain tomorrow, and I wanted to ask you about material parts that can be exchanged for cash.”
“Oh… So you’re already in the Rocker Plain, huh? Well, you’ve been hunting Palmera’s monsters so consistently. Does anyone complain?”
“Hahaha… I’ll be right back if I think it’s too early.”
“First of all, there seems to be no problem, but don’t push yourself too hard, okay? Now, there are two types of monsters in the Rocker Plains: the Poison Mouse and the Air Mantis. And the only things that can be bought here as materials are the head of the Poison Mouse and the magic stone of each.”
“Hmm… it was written in the book in the reference room, but only the heads are in demand as materials? If that is the case, it seems that the actual profit will be less…”
“It depends on the hunter. The ones who can do it in numbers will make more money compared to Palmera, and there are those who do not go to Lulub and stay in the Rocker Plains. Think about it. The Rocker Plain takes about an hour each way. How many times a day can you go back and forth with a lot of materials?”
“Oh, I see… so you’re saying that the small size of the material is an advantage?”
“That’s right. The key to the Rocker Plain is how many baskets you can fill in one trip. The Air Mantis magic stone also has a rather high purchase price, you know?”
“Is that because it’s an attribute magic stone?”
“Yes. It is not as popular as the ice attribute, but the wind attribute is also quite popular. An Air Mantis magic stone is worth 8,000 beeke; go there for a day and kill 10 of them. If you add up all the other materials and stuff, it would probably exceed Palmera’s income, right?”
“Sure… Even if I kill that many, my basket won’t be full, so I only need to make one round trip.”
“The only problem is that the poison of the Poison Mouse can be very annoying. Although it is not fatal, it can make your limbs heavy and make it difficult to move. So it is up to the hunters who go to the Rocker Plains to show off their skills to see how many they can handle without drinking the poison potion.”
After that, I asked him for more details, and he told me the following;
Poison Mouse: 1,200 beeke per body by regular subjugation request, another 1,500 beeke for the magic stone, 3,000 beeke for the head (poison bag), and it is recommended to take the head after dismantling it. The subjugation part is the tail.
Air Mantis: 1,800 beeke per body by regular subjugation request, another 8,000 beeke for the magic stone, and the subjugation part is the head.
However, it is said that Poison Mouse has high fertility and grows quickly, so there is a possibility that the reward for an urgent request to kill Poison Mouse will increase up to twice as much.
This is what I learned.
Unlike the Great Forest of Palmera, I had to check the request board first thing in the morning.
I thanked Roddy-san, apologize for interrupting his work, and left the dismantling site at the back entrance, as it would be inconvenient if I ran into Amanda-san.
Then I think about it on my way to the weapons shop.
About 6,000 for a Poison Mouse and 10,000 for an Air Mantis… Poison Mouse seems to be more numerous than Air Mantis, so I go for a day and get 5 out of 10, which is 110,000 beeke.
That’s a little less than the income from Palmera Great Forest, where I took the pills.
No, I don’t know how much the potion is, but if I consider taking it frequently, my goal would be about 10 out of 20 bodies per day?
I mean, if there were no emergency subjugation requests, it would be a good idea not to force them to fulfill the constant subjugation requests, right?
No, but taking a lot of rat tails back to the inn to sleep is, as expected…
Even though I bought a medium-sized basket, it would be too creepy to share a four-and-a-half mat space with them in it, and the smell would be too strong, so I guess I’d have to call it off.
While I was thinking about it, I seemed to have entered the weapon shop before I knew it, and I noticed that Paisa-san had a suspicious look on his face.
“What are you doing standing around in the store?”
“S-sorry… I have a bad habit of getting lost in my thoughts!”
Hmm… close, too close!
I got there in no time, even though I went out the back door.
Well, time is limited, so never mind, let’s get on with the story.
“I’ve finally saved up enough money! Please sell me weapons and armor!”
“Hmm? I’ve heard of weapons, but… armor? What kind of armor do you want?”
“I want something that can withstand the Rocker Plains and, if possible, the Lulub Forest.”
“What’s your budget?”
“About 300,000 beeke, I guess.”
“Then you can’t go for metal armor, so it would have to be leather armor. It can protect the chest and torso, so as long as your head is well protected, it is unlikely to be fatal. It’s not possible to use that much good monster skin, but… it should be fine until Lulub Forest.”
“Oh! That’s good, it’s like that!”
“What do you mean ‘like that’? …Well, come over here, and I’ll measure it for you.”
“…..Hmm? Measurements? Don’t you have it in stock here?”
“Idiot! Weapons can be stocked, but armor? If you don’t make something that fits the body properly, it will be difficult to move and will hinder you in battle. And even if there is a stock, it is for adults. With your height, a little adjustment won’t help.”
“W-what? By the way… how long will it take you to make it?”
“I have the skins in stock, so I can do it in five… or even four days.”
Seriously… I screwed up.
I screwed up, I screwed up, I screwed up!
For some reason, I had assumed that I could buy it like clothes, like in a game…
Oh… stupid me…
I had plenty of time to prepare beforehand…
I thought I could go to the Rocker Plains tomorrow…
“Aaaaaaahhhh!”
“What is it? I always thought you were a weird guy, but now you’ve become even weirder?”
“Ugh… look at my tears! I’m about to collapse from shock, even though I deserve it!”
“You don’t look like you’re crying at all… I’m sure you’re in shock. Why do you want to go to the Rocker Plain so soon? You’re making money in Palmera, aren’t you?”
“It’s not just a matter of money… I want to go there as soon as I can if I think the place will help me grow. That’s what hunters are all about! Maybe.”
“Tsk… you sound just like my son.”
“Oh, you have a son? From what you said, it sounds like he and I are in the same line of work, hunters.”
“That’s right.”
“Sigh… It can’t be helped. I’m going to ask you to take some measurements for now.”
While I was being measured for chest circumference and so on, I looked at the sword I was looking for.
“Come to think of it, I was about to buy that weapon I had reserved just because of its size, but I didn’t realize that it had a magic power enhancement attached to it.”
“Ah… thanks to that, that weapon didn’t sell at all. I’m relieved to finally find a buyer for it.”
Come to think of it, the price is lower than other weapons.
I thought it was short, and the cost of materials was low…
“Is it possible that the granting of magic power enhancement isn’t very popular?”
“Well, yes. Magic power enhancement is originally for mages. In this city, there are only E-rank hunters at best. They don’t bother to have such an expensive replacement weapon. At best, it’s a dagger that can also be used for dismantling.”
“But that was made by Paisa-san, wasn’t it? The Onee-chan at the magic stone shop told me. She said that Paisa-san can also add grants to the weapon.”
“That idiot… That’s right. I did indeed make it.”
“Hmm. Did you make it even though it’s hard to sell? …Ah, could it be for your son?”
“…..”
I thought I said so much.
Why is his son’s weapon on display?
If it’s been used to some extent and has become secondhand, it’s usually in the barrel.
This one is probably brand new because it’s hanging on the wall…
“I’m sorry. I may have asked the wrong thing…”
“…No, it doesn’t matter. You’re the one who wants to buy this weapon. It’s just like you imagined. So take good care of it.”
“…Of course.”
After the measurements were taken and some requests were made, I told Paisa-san that I would buy the weapon anyway.
“Anyway, I will buy the weapon today. Please don’t worry. I won’t ask for a discount this time.”
“That’s fine, but… you’re not going to the Rocker Plains before the armor is ready, are you?”
…It’s easy to deceive him.
Just tell him that I’m going to the Great Forest of Palmera until the armor is finished.
If I do that, it’s even less of a problem.
But there is already too much leeway in the Great Forest of Palmera.
Now that the quota has been filled, it will be painful to continue hunting there unless there is another goal or objective.
And considering the level factor and the selling price of the magic stone, there is no problem with the Rocker Plains. I haven’t had any experience with the level restrictions up there in Palmera Great Forest.
If I were to go to the Rocker Plains at my current level, I might already be slightly above the appropriate level.
Then it should be safer to go there, and it’s more likely to be safer with armor, but not necessarily.
Hah――…
I guess I shouldn’t lie here.
“Sorry, I want to go, even if only to get used to it. The Great Forest of Palmera is too spacious for me.”
“I knew it. Unlike Palmera, there are few people without armor in the Rocker Plain. If you are not careful, Air Mantis’ magic will rip your guts out. Are you sure about that?”
“I think so. I’ll do my best to prepare, but I won’t know for sure until I get there.”
“What if I told you that I won’t sell you the sword until the armor is ready?”
“I would probably take the knife you let me buy here. No doubt. Of course, I don’t want to overdo it, so if I feel it’s stronger than I expected, I’ll turn back like an adult.”
“I bet… that idiot said the same thing. …And he died while I was in the middle of making a special weapon for him.”
“…..”
“Why are so many hunters idiots? Don’t you think they are overconfident in their own abilities?”
“I don’t know. But at least you have to be confident to put your foot forward. That way, for whatever reason, you’ll make your own way.”
“Hah… wait a minute.”
With that, Paisa-san went to the back of the store and came back with something in his arms.
“This is a parting gift. It’s used, but not much, and the size will only need a little adjustment. My son was about your size.”
“…A memento, right?”
“Yes. My son died in the Lulub Forest. He was in a party, and since he was in the rear guard, he said he could handle it as long as he had armor. The one who survived brought it to us.”
“Then I can’t accept it… it’s very important, isn’t it?”
“You idiot. I’m an armorer, too. What good is a good piece of equipment if you leave it lying around? You have to use the equipment, right? It’s best if it helps the guy survive.”
“I’m sure I can survive without this armor, but are you sure you want to give it to me?”
“Tsk, you’re cocky, aren’t you? So you can wear it and survive at any cost. If you die on the way, I’ll stab you again.”
“That looks scarier than a monster… I’ll just have to survive with your son’s sword and armor to protect me, right?”
Perhaps because he was able to confirm my willingness to receive it, Paisa-san silently adjusted the size of the armor to fit me.
Of course, it fits pretty well to begin with, so if you squeeze the girth a bit, it will be the perfect size.
――Was he really waiting for someone to buy that sword?
――Or maybe he was looking for someone like his son?
This shop is the only weapon and armor shop in the city of Bezart.
Hunters who look up, even if they don’t like it, visit this shop.
Among them, there are quite a few kids like Zink-kun and others.
There must have been a lot of them before.
Judging by the size alone, there must have been someone who could fit.
In that condition, he could have sold it if he wanted to, and there must have been someone to whom he could entrust this equipment.
When I saw Paisa-san holding the short sword with a smile on his face and saying, “Come on, hold it for a minute,” I felt like making a vow in my heart.
