Chapter 13

The goddess was an A-rank adventurer. Of course, the low-level mobs would be scared.

"Thank you very much."

I stood up and bowed slightly. The goddess patted my head, making it spin. I'd be grateful if she could stop, as I feel like my neck might snap.

"Don't worry about it. That's just how adventurers are."

Indeed, everyone around agreed. Of course, I understand. I've already met some nice parties.

"Here, take this."

Something was handed to me. There were two silver coins. Must be the ones that guy scattered when he left. But is it okay to take them? Five silver coins is a lie. I didn't have any money to begin with.

The goddess smiled and said, "Just take it."

"You need a weapon, or you'll be taken lightly."

"Right. Thank you."

Indeed, I only had a knife for dissection. I plan to take on city jobs for a while, but it's still a bit unsettling.

The goddess smiled brightly and walked over to another receptionist. She must be a solo adventurer, given that she's carrying a large sword.

The guild was already calm, as if nothing had happened. It must be a daily occurrence.

"Let me explain again."

The receptionist started explaining as if nothing had happened. Someone brought a stool, so I didn't have to stretch.

I wrote my name and age on the paper handed to me. I don't need anyone to write for me; I can do it. There's a skill section, but it seems optional. I wrote "bow" just in case. That's it. Wow, the bar for adventurers is low.

The receptionist was doing something with the paper I handed over.

"Okay, now drop a drop of blood on this."

"Whoa."

I made a strange sound. This is starting to feel like a different world. The item handed to me was a copper dog tag. It read "Reito, 7 years old, F-rank." I was supposed to drop blood on it. I didn't get a needle, so I bit my finger to make it bleed. I spat the blood onto the tag.

The tag glowed faintly.

"Registration is complete. Show this when you take on a job or report. This time it's free, but reissuing it will cost money, so don't lose it."

She attached a chain, so I hung it around my neck. Some people apparently turn it into a bracelet. I'm fine with the chain, but I might get a stronger one when I have more money.

Next, I listened to the guild's system and rules. It seems to align with what I know from light novels.

However, F-rank has a short renewal period. If there's no contact with the guild for 10 days, it expires. This rule was made because many people registered but didn't take on jobs. In this world, where travel takes time, 10 days can pass quickly, so I need to be careful. I should stay in this city until I rank up.

"Oh, by the way, if you go down those stairs, you'll find the guild's store. The items are reliable, so it's good to use it when you're not used to it. Also, the first room on the second floor is the reference room. You can browse freely, so it's good to check it out."

After saying, "That's all," the receptionist kindly added this information. I should go and check it out.

I thanked her with a big smile and decided to check out the store first.

The basement was narrower than I expected. There were only rooms on either side of the stairs. The door on the left was closed. The one on the right looked like a cluttered warehouse.

"Welcome."

A man was sitting by the door. He looked sleepy and seemed to be the shopkeeper.

"Hello. Can I come in and look around?"

"Huh? If you want something, just tell me, and I'll get it for you."

I see. I can't just pick things up and look around.

"Then, um, I want a bow. One that I can draw, and not too expensive."

I showed him a broken bow and made the request.

"Oh, and a leather armor, if possible. I don't have money now, but I want to know how much I need to save."

"Hmm."

The shopkeeper looked at the bow and me carefully, then walked skillfully through the gaps between items. I wondered why everything was just placed on the floor instead of being neatly arranged.

While I was thinking about this, he came back with a few items.

"The bows are these. There aren't many small sizes. The red one costs three silver coins. The white one costs one gold coin."

"Whoa. Why is there such a price difference?"

"The red one is a regular bow. The white one has enchantments. It has better accuracy and strength, and a longer range. There are also arrows enchanted with fire magic."

He chuckled. "But they cost more."

Enchantments, huh. So there's such magic. But honestly, I wonder if the performance justifies the price. Are there bows that can fire rapidly or don't need arrows?

By the way, how can you tell what enchantments are on an item without the "Appraisal" skill?

"Oh, that's because there are spec sheets."

He showed me a piece of paper. It listed the enchantments, the maker, and the materials used. Items made in workshops are sold with spec sheets, which also increase the price. I was told to keep them. Without a spec sheet, you can only trust the seller. Until your eye is trained, you should buy from reputable workshops.

That makes sense. Even spec sheets can be faked. If it only activates once, there's no way to verify it. I'll stick with a regular weapon.

"The only leather armor that fits you is this one. It costs seven silver coins and fifty copper coins. It doesn't have enchantments, but it's resistant to dirt."

The armor he showed me was quite ordinary. However, the leather around the stomach was green. It looked like a frog. Apparently, it was made from the skin of a frog-like monster.

"I see. Thank you. Um..."

Should I buy the bow? I thought not having a weapon was unsettling, but my wallet was even more unsettling. As I hesitated,

"You don't have to rush. The ones I showed you aren't bestsellers. You can look around and think about it."

"Sorry. I'll put it on hold for now. I'll come back after I earn some money in the city."

The shopkeeper didn't get angry at me for not buying and said, "Come back when you feel like it." He put the items he brought back down and sat in his chair. I wonder if he remembers where everything is...