Chapter 6

Hikaru asked Jil a few questions. One of them was about a simple inn for beginners.

When he showed his adventurer guild card, the gruff clerk said,

"100 Gil for one night."

Hikaru handed over a silver coin and headed to the second floor, where the accommodation was. The vast room was covered with wooden planks, and straw mats were laid out. He was supposed to lie down on one of them.

There were a few other adventurers in the room besides Hikaru, but they were either young or suspicious-looking. There was no conversation among them, except for those who already knew each other. No one noticed Hikaru, who had activated "Stealth."

Hikaru didn't feel like talking to adventurers his age, and he certainly didn't want to talk to the suspicious ones. After eating a bowl of yakisoba, he went to sleep.

Remaining: 19,890 Gil

He woke up in a corner of the simple inn. His body felt stiff. The fullness from the yakisoba seemed to have suddenly made his body ache. Thinking about it made him hungry.

Hikaru went down to the first floor and stepped outside. Even though he had deactivated "Stealth," the gruff clerk behind the counter didn't even look at him. It was a perfect inn for Hikaru.

He thought the stall that gave him yakisoba last night was good, but it wasn't there. It might have been too early. Different types of stalls were out early in the morning.

Fruits, sandwiches, fried bread, something like ramen, and juices.

"There are these things in this world too, huh."

Among them, Hikaru was drawn to the hot dogs. A dark bread split in half, with a sausage placed inside. He held up one finger to order.

"Sure, kid. One for 30 Gil."

A muscular man, who looked like he should be an adventurer, quickly made the hot dog and handed it over.

"Amu."

The hot dog vendor looked at Hikaru with a face that said, "How is it? Isn't it delicious? Isn't it delicious?"

"......"

Hikaru's expression changed. It became blank.

(What is this... this feeling of "It's not quite right"...)

The sausage was plump, and the bread was a bit hard, but it wasn't too bad. The problem was the sauce.

Why is it sweet and grassy? Who benefits from this?

"... Hot dogs are supposed to have ketchup, right?"

Hikaru muttered and left, while the hot dog vendor watched him go, dumbfounded. He had expected the kid to say, "It's delicious!" and be happy like a child.

"What's with that guy... But he said something... ketchup? Is that the sauce...?"

The vendor muttered to himself, deep in thought.

Hikaru wandered around the town, creating a mental map. He would definitely be staying in this town for a while. As he walked, he passed by the adventurer guild. It seemed to be quiet in the early morning.

"... What is it?"

But Jil was at the counter, face down.

"Is she sleeping? ... Well, it's fine."

He thought about checking the quests later since he needed to get equipment today. Just as he was thinking that, Jil suddenly sat up.

"Hikaru-kun!? You're here!?"

"Huh?"

Me?

What?

"Um, um, that is—"

Jil was hesitating to say something. Sensing a troublesome atmosphere, Hikaru said,

"Good morning."

He was about to turn around and leave, but this was a mistake.

"... Hehe, right. Good morning, Hikaru-kun."

Jil smiled at him.

(Danger... This is. Honestly, I don't really want to get involved with her, but she is beautiful. When a beautiful woman smiles at you, it's incredibly powerful.)

A few people in the guild were buzzing.

"Hey, Jil just—"

"Smiled! She smiled, right!?"

"What's that kid's deal!?"

Jil, who seemed to have calmed down, said to Hikaru,

"Thank you. I'm glad you came again. I thought you might not come..."

"Why?"

"... W-well, because I was cold to you..."

"Oh."

If you're aware of it, you shouldn't act that way.

But he thought,

"It doesn't matter. I have business at the adventurer guild, so I'll come here many times regardless of how the receptionist treats me."

"... Hikaru-kun, don't you get called cheeky?"

Hikaru shrugged.

"Are you going to take a quest?"

"No, I need to get equipment first—oh, right. I wanted to ask you something."

"What?"

"Why has your attitude changed so much since yesterday?"

"......"

It seemed to be an unexpected question.

"... W-what do you want to know that for?"

"If you're apologizing, I'd like to know the reason."

"... W-well, to put it simply, I realized that I shouldn't take out my frustrations on others, using my busyness and difficulties as an excuse."

Isn't that obvious for a human?

Hikaru didn't say it out loud, though.

"I see. I understand."

"... And because I don't sense any ulterior motives in your actions."

"... Ulterior motives?"

Hikaru hadn't thought about it, but the words continued.

"Other men try to seduce me or make me their own, and it's obvious. It's even more complicated with women, who might use their charm on adventurers or think they're cute. But I don't see any of that in you. You're honest and don't lie... You seem to have thought seriously about accepting quests. Of course, you had some luck, but you gathered the necessary information and collected the micro-luminous poison grass appropriately. I've never met someone so humble."

"That's an exaggeration."

Looking at the list of professions, there were many dark ones. He would probably have to kill people in the future. Skills like "Stealth" and "Assassination" were inherently for shady activities.

"I think I have a good eye for people."

"Is that so? Then you should be nicer from the first meeting."

"... I'm sorry! Please forgive me!"

Seeing Jil's flustered state, Hikaru couldn't help but smirk.

"Still... you look quite exhausted."

"Ah..."

Dark clouds hung over Jil.

"... There are four receptionists."

"Four? What about the other three?"

"One is on a business trip to the capital with the guild's sub-master. One is on an annual visit home. One has had a cold since the day before yesterday..."

"I see. That's why you look so worn out."

Hikaru felt a bit of sympathy for Jil.

"Hikaru-kun, you're a civilian, so don't overdo it. I finish my work at noon, so I'll look for a good quest for you tomorrow."

"Hmm."

"Not 'hmm.' For a new adventurer, a quest that seems 'delicious' might be a 'trap' from a professional receptionist's perspective."

"Like the 'Micro-luminous Poison Grass Delivery Quest'?"

"......"

Jil puffed up and looked at him with teary eyes, clearly reflecting on her actions.

"Um... I'm sorry."

"... It's fine. Is there anything else you want to know about the guild?"

"No."

Hikaru thought for a moment.

"... Not about the guild, but is it okay to ask?"

"What?"

"I heard something in the town. Something about a big shot being killed. Is that a big deal?"

"!"

Jil's expression clearly showed shock.

"... Hikaru-kun, that's top-secret information. Only a few people know about it. Where did you hear it?"

Not good, thought Hikaru. The death of Count Murgstadt seemed to be more concealed than he thought.

"I was really hungry and feeling dizzy, so my memory is a bit fuzzy. But if such confidential information has reached a guild receptionist, are adventurers involved?"

"No."

Oh... That's a pretty clear denial.

"I came to the guild to inquire about information. They asked me to check if there were any adventurers with highly advanced assassination-related 'professions.' I only know about the assassination information because I helped with the inquiry. It was just a coincidence. They didn't really expect to find anyone—why do I have to explain all this to Hikaru-kun?"

"You just did..."

Hmm.

It seems they don't suspect me.

He felt relieved, but Hikaru wasn't stupid enough to show it in front of Jil.

"I understand. Thank you."

"... Don't stick your nose into unnecessary things. It's a rule for a long-lived adventurer."

"Sure, sure."

"Say 'sure' once."

"See you."

Hikaru raised his hand and left the adventurer guild. He couldn't say he was already "involved" in the matter, let alone a "party to it."

After leaving the guild, Hikaru first gathered essential items for daily life.

Underwear, soap, handkerchief, toothbrush, flint, rope, and a backpack to carry them all.

The total cost was 500 Gil.

"Let's see... Armor is here, right?"

He wanted to buy armor to replace Roland's clothes, which he had been wearing. He had learned the location from Jil yesterday. "Dodrono's Armor Workshop"—Dodrono was the name of the owner. It was common in this world to name the workshop after oneself.

"Wow."

When he entered, he was surprised.

The clothes displayed on wooden mannequins were all frilly and dressy.

Some even looked like Gothic Lolita.

This must be run by a very stylish owner...

"Welcome!"

A deep, rough voice came from the back.

"Hey, you came to my workshop!"

It was a dwarf.

He had a long, curly beard braided, but he was a male dwarf.

"......"

He was stunned.

A dwarf? A dwarf famous for forging? A dwarf who sings "Ho ho" while drinking?

What is he sewing dresses for?

"Ho, I can see what you're thinking. 'A dwarf, and...'"

"A, no, I—"

"Be honest!"

Dodrono stomped his foot and grinned.

"A dwarf with 'excellent taste'! This! You're an honest guy! I like honest people!"

He was a very positive person.

Hikaru answered the budget and let Dodrono choose the clothes for him—.

"They suit you!"

"... Hmm."

"Kukuku! My fashion sense is amazing!"

"Thank you, at least."

After paying, Hikaru left "Dodrono's Armor Workshop." At first, he thought it was all dresses, but those dresses were made from monster materials and were much harder than metal armor.

Following Dodrono's recommendation, Hikaru bought and equipped the following:

- Night Wolf Jumpsuit... A jumpsuit made from the tanned fur of a pitch-black night wolf. It's quite strong but light. It has an effect to not be noticed by others, but it's completely black, so direct sunlight is harsh.

- Night Wolf Boots... Same as above. The laces are sprinkled with silver threads, which is Dodrono's style.

- Mantle (fabric)... A mantle to deflect direct sunlight, with a hood.

The total cost, including size adjustments, was 9,500 Gil.

These were apparently a bargain for such equipment.

It seems that Dodrono, despite being a master craftsman, is not popular due to the prejudice that "a dwarf should be a blacksmith, not a tailor." He buys cheaper materials and sells them at a lower price to cater to new adventurers. However, once those new adventurers earn enough, they tend to leave Dodrono's shop to get their equipment checked by "proper people."

"They've grown, haven't they!"

Dodrono grinned, but he looked a bit lonely.

Hikaru folded the clothes he had been wearing and put them in his backpack. He had completely moved on from Roland's appearance.

It felt wasteful, but there was a risk of being traced from these clothes.

He found a garbage incineration site and burned them there. Of course, there were residents nearby, but he used "Stealth" to avoid being noticed.

The only thing left from Roland was this body.

With that, Hikaru headed to a blacksmith to buy weapons. He needed them for self-defense, and it was inevitable to think of weapons when it came to adventurers.

He went to "Renewood Weapon Workshop."

Smoke was rising from the chimney attached to the workshop.

"Whoa."

When he entered the shop, the walls were lined with long swords. There were also metal armor samples. Some were even on sale like wooden swords in Kyoto.

"Welcome! You're a new customer, aren't you?"

A very stylish person came out from the back, and Hikaru froze again.

"Forging is art, and art is strength!"

The person with rolled-up sleeves was a skinny man—no, an elf male.

His ears were pointed.

He had blonde hair and green eyes.

"I don't discriminate against young customers! How about this Claymore... Isn't it breathtaking? It even has a blessing that provides a bonus effect."

Wow, that's impressive!

Hikaru stared at the Claymore hanging on the wall.

A two-handed sword with a blade length of about a meter. Hikaru couldn't use it, but with a bonus effect, it must be a high-quality weapon.

"It provides a positive bonus to spirit magic!"

"......"

Huh? He almost asked.

Spirit magic? A Claymore... isn't it a physical attack?

"Next, this steel longbow. It also has a bonus effect—"

The elf puffed out his chest.

"Right after you shoot an arrow, a cool breeze blows!"

"......"

It was useless, or rather, meaningless.

"Are you wondering what the point is?"

No, I think it has no point—Hikaru couldn't say it.

"Surprisingly, it's cool after you shoot!"

Of course, it had no point! He felt embarrassed for even thinking there might be some effect on the arrow!

"—Is that equipment from Dodrono?"

"A, um, yes."

The elf suddenly said in a serious tone.

"Right. Then it must be a recommendation from the guild... Jil-kun. I should prepare something appropriate. —I am Renewood = Mar = Evora. What's your name?"

"Hikaru."

"Hikaru-kun! I have something good for you!"

Thus, Hikaru was chosen a weapon in the same way as at Dodrono's place.

- Short sword of strength... 5,000 Gil. A short sword preferred by those who need agility, but it has a blessing that enhances strength. The blade length is 25 cm. It seems more useful for daily tasks than for killing.

Hikaru chose this weapon because, with "Stealth," he knew that getting close wasn't too difficult.

Therefore, a strong weapon for close combat was better.

Also, his budget was tight.

Other weapons were over 10,000 Gil, even at the lowest price.

He had earned 20,000 Gil yesterday, but it quickly reduced to 4,860 Gil.

Still, Hikaru's equipment was now complete.