Chapter 82

"Mr. Jay, I apologize for disappointing you on your first visit to our terrarium's shopping store. I thought the potion shop, which has a very high performance and rating within the shopping store, would be easy to handle, but I was mistaken."

The personal shopper apologized so humbly that I felt uncomfortable. It wasn't her fault. She probably thought a highly-rated shop would handle things well.

I had a rough idea of how the shop owner's performance and ratings were built up. He must have been good at talking. He probably flattered people and created an atmosphere where they felt they had to buy something or give a good rating.

Originally, people like him would pressure you to give a rating. If someone as emotionally weak as me had been properly caught, I would have given a very good rating with a bitter expression and then regretted it. But I was someone who had a stronger affection for my dryad. How could I let my child down?

"The potion shop's performance has significantly increased due to Mr. Jay's purchase, but the most important rating has dropped so much that they will no longer be able to receive premium service. They will be excluded from the guide event list, will no longer receive tax benefits, and in severe cases, they may have to transfer the shop to someone else and move to the outskirts of the shopping store. Our administrative officer will carefully review today's incident. I am very sorry for the inconvenience."

"No... Well, that's enough..."

I was slightly worried that the measures were too harsh. Reading my expression, she said that my evaluation merely brought a problem that was already under the surface to light and that I had handled the situation very politely.

If an administrative officer from another terrarium had visited and a similar incident had occurred, it could have escalated into a conflict between terrariums. Oh... This could have become a diplomatic issue...?

I needed to think more about my position as an administrative officer. Having my own terrarium is great, but the external factors that come with it make me feel like I'm wearing a very heavy crown.

The next sign to deliver was for an equipment shop. It was definitely wider and had more types of shops than the 26th terrarium's market. The problem was that there were two equipment shops side by side, and I was confused about which one to go to.

Each shop had no specific name, only "equipment shop" written on them, and it was hard to tell which one to enter just by looking at the entrance.

Are they the same place? It seems like they have different owners. Can I just go into any of them?

"You can enter the one you like. Both are run by famous artisan families, with one side run by the parents and the other by their children. However, the parents, who have been running the shop longer, have a higher rating."

"Oh, so they pass down their business to the next generation here."

While I was thinking, some familiar people passed by. It was the druid party I met at the potion shop.

"Let's just change one pair of shoes. The water seeped in during the last battle because they were torn."

"Buy it with your own money. I know it was all torn up by your goblin needle."

"But our child is so considerate and wants to wash them... The mud is so dirty, and he wants to wash them himself. How can I refuse?"

"You lost your gloves the same way last time and had to buy new ones! I told you not to entrust anything to him again?"

"Jah probably doesn't have any money left..."

They were still noisy. The slender man who had been scolded at the potion shop was being scolded again by the woman who had given me advice, and the goblin needle dryad was still a topic of conversation.

From the small, quiet man to the large, silent man, they seemed to have a good balance.

They chattered and naturally entered the equipment shop run by the child. Oh, should I go there too?

"Really, just one pair of boots. In return, you'll go hungry tonight. You're the one who changes equipment the most often, always from the back of the battle."

"Food... Please let me eat... Please... If we leave this terrarium, we'll only have emergency rations again..."

"That's not my problem! Do you know how much the team's common fund has been drained because of you? We've almost spent all the money we received from the mission! This terrarium has no more jobs because someone already completed all the missions. If this continues, we'll go bankrupt before we get a new mission in the next terrarium!"

Oh... A mission... They must be mercenaries! A druid mercenary party! How interesting... Indeed, mercenaries are the flower of fantasy. This is the first time I've seen real mercenaries.

Wait a moment. If a mission is a quest, and I accept and complete a quest, am I not a mercenary too? In fact, I was a mercenary... Thinking about it this way makes me feel really cool?

"Welcome..."

"Wow, that's impressive."

Mercenary Jay, I was feeling so cool, but my heart almost dropped when someone quietly approached and spoke to me.

"Is there anything specific you're looking for...? If not, I'll be at that counter... Please come over when you've chosen something..."

The woman who spoke to me disappeared with quick steps. She felt different from the shop owners I had met so far. Her small, ant-like voice and hunched shoulders made her seem very unconfident, like our Baegot.

"Oh, the quality here is good. Besides, the fit is excellent. Should I buy gloves instead of your boots? They feel like they're made just for me."

"I don't think so... They're too small for me. It seems there are no shoes that fit my size here."

Their voices were like the BGM of this quiet shop. Although noisy, they weren't unpleasant to listen to. It felt like I was eavesdropping on the ordinary life of druids I was curious about, like listening to a radio broadcast.

Before I could deliver the sign, the shop owner had already left, so I had to chase her to the counter.

"I came to deliver the sign. Let's see... Who has the equipment shop sign this time?"

"It's me!"

Daisy handed me one of the signs she was holding. This shop owner was different from the previous one. She looked a bit surprised and carefully read the sign. There were no other signs around her.

"Usually, people don't come to our shop to deliver the sign but go to the next one because they have more impressive equipment... Hmm... You're a beginner druid, aren't you? Welcome to our shopping store..."

"Can you introduce some equipment that might suit me?"

I opened my robe to show the equipment I was wearing. It was a set of equipment I had bought recently and hadn't yet tamed, making it a bit uncomfortable.

"The fit seems a bit large... Would you like to come this way...?"

She walked with feather-light steps to where many wooden mannequins were set up.

"What type of combat do you prefer...?"

"Um... I haven't actually been in combat yet."

I only have a diamond, and my special skill is throwing diamonds. If I have to categorize it, it's a ranged attack. It's sad.

"Druids often participate in combat, but if you're not yet capable, staying out of harm's way can be a big help... In that case, equipment that allows you to move easily would be good. Leather is lighter than metal and good, but the larger the area, the heavier it gets... So, we use cloth and leather in a way that only covers the joints and vital points..."

"You're right! The equipment I'm wearing now is a bit heavy. Of course, my stamina is terrible, but still."

I clapped my hands, delighted with the armor she introduced. How could she introduce such a perfect product? In that moment, my personal shopper listed the gloves and boots that matched the armor I liked.

It's been a long time since I've shopped so comfortably, even if I don't know what to buy!

The shop owner encouraged me to take off my robe. The black robe that had been wrapped around me since before I left the 26th terrarium was finally taken off. She scanned me once and pointed out the parts that were particularly worn out.

There are more scars on your right glove, so you probably catch yourself with your right hand when you fall, and you seem to find gloves that cover all your fingers inconvenient, as the ends are very wrinkled. So, we should wrap your right hand more and your left hand this way...

While she was doing this, my personal shopper chimed in, saying that since I prefer dark colors and care for the dryads I bring, the color scheme with Daisy and Baegot's colors as accents would be better. She said that wearing this would make me feel like I'm in a couple with the dryads... The two of them were a perfect match for me.

The chatter of the druid party, who had been quiet while looking at the equipment, started up again.

"If I had visited this equipment shop when I was a beginner, it would have been even better. When I first got my equipment, my waist was too big, so I had to wear a tight belt. But here, I see a lot of equipment that fits my body."

"Really? Mine fit perfectly."

"Your size is probably standard. Usually, druids build muscle before going on a journey to prepare for combat, so the equipment is made to fit larger bodies. I didn't prepare at all, so I couldn't find equipment that fit me. I like to run around, so I looked for light clothing, but they were all heavy."

"Anyway, I need to go to the next shop to buy shoes."

"That's a shame... These gloves fit me perfectly... Hey, let's look around a bit more."

I also remembered when I first bought equipment. I wore the recommended beginner equipment, which was a bit large, but it wasn't too uncomfortable since it was made for beginners. However, wearing equipment that felt like it was custom-made for me was a completely different experience.

"Um, do you usually make clothes in sizes smaller than standard?"

"Seeing the beginner druids who visited my parents' shop... I decided to do it... My parents sell equipment for larger sizes and experienced druids, so I thought it would be good to sell equipment for beginner druids..."

"Wow, that's great."

This shop should do well!

"Still, my parents are not satisfied... Standard sizes sell better... Unless custom orders are made, small sizes can only be sold to beginner druids..."

"But it fits me perfectly! Look! I have no muscles, so it fits me perfectly. It would be perfect to change the shop's focus to beginner druids! Or to druids who specialize in watching battles like me."

"...Thank you for your kind words... But soon, this shop will merge with my parents' shop... The sales performance is not good. When that happens, after the inventory is depleted... all the equipment will be standardized to standard sizes..."

Oh! That can't happen. There will be druids like me who need help in the future! I can't let a shop that is so considerate of beginners disappear.

But it was difficult for me to boost the shop's performance. Equipment is not a consumable item, so I couldn't just buy a lot like at the potion shop. It's frustrating. Even if I bought several sets of the same equipment, it would only fill my inventory, and it would be impractical to change armor every time since it's a hassle to put on and take off without help.

"Hey!"

I called out to the druid party, who were enthusiastically shopping.