Chapter 12

While walking down the street, I watched the people passing by.

Not only was I sensitive to the people passing by, but also to the presence behind me.

My right hand was placed over the left chest pocket, and my fingertips were focused on the hard sensation through the bag.

The reason I was tense and my expression was stern was that I currently had a large sum of money.

I was about to go to the weapon shop to buy weapons necessary for the adventure.

If I were pickpocketed on the way, it would be unbearable. That's why, to me, every passerby looked like a thief, and I was more alert than in the dungeon, making sure no one came near me as I walked down the street.

"Welcome."

When I entered the weapon shop, the shop assistant greeted me.

"What are you looking for today?"

This is the largest weapon shop in town.

The store is spacious, with a large number of weapons leaning against the walls.

All of them were polished to a shine, and it was clear from the way they were handled that the shop took pride in its merchandise.

"Um, I came to look at short swords."

"Right this way, please."

The shop assistant led me to a corner of the store.

"This is the short sword section. We stock them from blacksmiths around town, so please feel free to handle them and choose one that suits you."

"Are they all the same price?"

"Yes, they are all 50 silver coins."

This is the appropriate price for a new short sword. The short sword I'm currently using is a used one for 25 silver coins, so I was excited.

At first glance, they all looked the same, but the performance of the weapons varied depending on the skill of the blacksmith. Since I was going to spend a lot of money, I wanted to choose the best short sword.

"Um, can I ask you to wait a moment?"

"Sure."

After excusing myself to the shop assistant, I opened and operated my status screen.

My status screen is invisible to others, so she looked at me curiously as I moved my hands.

After finishing the operation, I closed the status screen.

"Can I take a closer look?"

"Of course, please feel free to handle them."

Taking her up on her offer, I picked up a few.

'Short Sword A'... Power: 8, Durability: 200/200, Skills: None, Special Effects: None

'Short Sword B'... Power: 6, Durability: 180/180, Skills: None, Special Effects: None

'Short Sword C'... Power: 9, Durability: 150/150, Skills: None, Special Effects: None

Thanks to the new 'Item Appraisal' skill, the performance was clearly visible.

If I wanted to hunt steadily, Short Sword A would be the best, but Short Sword C had higher power. However, it had the drawback of lower durability.

While I was pondering which one to choose, the shop assistant spoke to me.

"If you don't like these, we also have dungeon drops."

"Can I see them?"

Since I couldn't decide, I decided to see the dungeon drop swords.

"Here they are."

Unlike the short swords I had seen earlier, these were displayed in cases.

In the dungeon, there is a low chance that a treasure chest will appear when a monster is defeated. Inside, there are magical items, weapons, armor, potions, and items that cannot be made by humans.

Therefore, dungeon drops, especially high-end items, are strictly managed.

"Each item has a price and performance listed."

On display were short swords, daggers, potions, and ornaments.

The blade, pulled from its sheath, glung with a blue light, and I was captivated by one of the short swords.

'Icebrand'... Power: 20, Durability: 300/300, Skill: Freeze (Can freeze the target's body with a low probability on attack)

"Wow, this is amazing."

I couldn't help but mutter after seeing the appraisal results.

"Yes, this item recently dropped from the boss of the 15th floor of the dungeon."

No wonder it has such good performance. I glanced at the price tag.

"50 gold coins!?"

"Yes, when it strikes, it can freeze the wound, and it is particularly effective against plant-type monsters on the 7th and 8th floors of the dungeon, so it is very popular."

Even so, it's expensive. Adventurers generally spend money on equipment.

A typical family of four, with two parents and two children, would generally live on 3 gold coins a year.

In contrast, adventurers have to spend money because their weapons and armor get damaged in battles with monsters, and they need to use potions.

If you plan to stay in the lower floors, a blacksmith's short sword would be fine, but if you aim for the deeper floors, it's a different story. Since their lives are on the line, few adventurers compromise on their equipment.

That's why the higher the rank of the adventurer, the more they seek powerful equipment, making it expensive.

"Still, this is a bit... Hmm? What about this one?"

"Oh, that one... It's a drop from the boss of the 20th floor of the dungeon, but as the description says, its effects are not very good..."

What I saw was a dagger.

'Magic Dagger'... Power: 12, Durability: 150/150, Skills: None, Special Effect: Can add magic power to attacks.

"As you may know, people can learn both swordsmanship and magic. However, it's impossible to excel in both with ordinary effort."

"I see, so a regular warrior who goes to the lower floors would rather buy a regular sword than rely on such a special effect?"

"Exactly. Warriors usually buy long swords because they have more power than this dagger."

Long swords have more power than short swords, so they are more useful.

The adventurer's principle is division of roles. Warriors focus on weapon skills, scouts on support, mages on the four elemental magics, and priests on healing and support magic.

Even if someone could do everything, it would be less beneficial if it meant their other abilities were mediocre.

"Wait a minute...?"

I can freely manipulate my own status and acquire skills at will.

When I looked at the price tag, it read 2 gold coins.

"I'll buy this Magic Dagger."

I can make the most of this weapon. That's why I decided to buy it.