SWNOVELXO Chapter 27: New Equipment
“Um… Sir. Could you possibly lower the price a bit more? You said it was already half off. It wouldn’t hurt to take a few more silver coins off, would it?”
“Oh, come on, you’re acting like a bandit! You know I’m selling at a loss, and you still want to haggle further?! I told you, this coat is made from Ainokion leather without a single scratch! It won’t even get a scratch if you strike it with a sword!”
“I hate to say it, but it’s dead stock, isn’t it? There’s no one else who would buy it, so just take a few silver coins off, please? I’m begging you.”
“Hmph, if you’re a gold rank, you should be generous with your spending, my friend! Fine, 3 gold and 22 silver coins! I can’t go any lower! If you ask for more, that’s just being a bully, a bully!”
Myungho, perhaps not wanting to receive more money after already having been paid, was trying to haggle for a lower price. Then, his eyes caught sight of a coat.
The black coat, with its refined sheen, didn’t have a single scratch even after the merchant struck it forcefully with a sword.
I wonder what would happen if I slashed it with my claws. It looked better and seemed much more durable than what he was currently wearing.
After spending a gold coin on shoes and pants, he managed to buy the coat and a large number of silver coins for 4 gold coins, using a pitiful tactic.
“Spending lavishly just because you got some money? You used to say we should save on spices. Now you’re throwing off your armor to look stylish. Do you want to look good that badly?”
“It’s not like that! This is much better! Ainokion leather without a single scratch! Do you know how sturdy this is?”
He immediately put on the coat over his leather armor, looking excited. It fit him perfectly, as if it were made just for him.
“…You’re going to wear that ugly leather armor with that? Sigh, you have no sense of aesthetics, just like you have no business ethics. Here, try this on too. It’s a shirt made from fabric woven with fairy grass and soaked in troll’s blood. You don’t have to worry about it getting damaged, and even if it tears, it’ll reattach itself. Plus, it has a stylish red color.”
The shop owner’s mouth and eyes were wide with a smile. It seemed that 4 gold coins were worth more than I thought.
Myungho took the shirt, went into another room, and soon came out wearing the red shirt and black coat instead of his leather armor.
When he wore that muddy brown leather armor, he looked like a naive fool no matter how you looked at it, but dressed like this, he was quite presentable.
His actions aside, his face was also decent. He was tall and looked good.
I had no romantic interest in him. But… yes. It was stylish. It felt like the aesthetics I had long forgotten were stirring within me.
“…How is it? Altera. Do you think it looks okay?”
I wondered why he wanted my evaluation, but there was no reason to speak ill of it, and it was true that he looked much better, so I gave him my honest opinion.
“It looks good. At least you’ve improved from wearing tree bark.”
Now he finally felt a bit like a ‘hero.’ I didn’t know what being a hero meant, but it just felt that way.
“Really…? If you say it looks good, then everyone must think so. Thank you for the excellent recommendation, sir. So how much is it?”
“30 silver coins, young man. If you’re a stylish man, shouldn’t you pay without haggling? Hmm?”
The shop owner replied with a sneer. Myungho, with an awkward smile, handed the silver coins to the shop owner.
If he just kept his mouth shut and paid, he would look like someone who could charm women. But in the short span of two days, he had done so many foolish things that he just seemed comical.
Well, he couldn’t possibly be trying to look good for me, right?
“…Sigh. Yes, Akash. I think you’re right… I was being too extravagant. Oh, don’t worry, Altera. I’ll buy yours even if I have to spend my own money.”
Of course, you should. Without responding, I followed him to a shop that smelled of books.
“Yeah, yeah. Try to earn some points. I’m going to buy some maps and spices. Let’s meet at the guild.”
“Where are you going alone, Myungho? I will keep an eye on Akash. To make sure no funny business happens. It’s hard to trust.”
However, before entering the book-smelling shop, Yuna and Akash went elsewhere. Those two seemed to have a bad relationship, yet they always stuck together like a set.
Were they in that kind of relationship? It was frustrating not understanding their words. Feeling a desperate need to learn the language, I pushed his back and entered the shop.
As soon as I entered, the overwhelming smell of old books filled the air. It was a scent that made me dizzy as soon as I smelled it. It was the smell I used to get when I frequented bookstores.
I almost frowned since I had no connection with academics, but I managed to compose myself. What I was learning now was because I really needed it.
“…You wanted to learn the language that much? Then… how about this?”
Myungho greeted the shop owner lightly and, noticing my enthusiasm, suggested a book. Judging by the cover, it looked like another picture book.
Myungho seemed to have recommended it considering my level, but wasn’t this underestimating me too much? It was too thin to look at for a long time.
I’m not a child. To learn a language, it should be at least this thick…
“…A dictionary? Really? Can you handle it? I’m not looking down on you, absolutely not. But wouldn’t it be too difficult for now…? I think several picture books would be better…”
Hey. What are you talking about? It’s better to do one difficult thing once than to do easy things many times. Besides, instead of buying books in every city, one thick book like this would be much better.
When I conveyed that thought, he seemed to agree and held the dictionary, contemplating. However, he eventually put it back in its original place.
Was he going to show me picture books like a child after all? Just as I was about to complain, he took out two other books. Books that could not be considered thin.
“…A vocabulary book and a grammar book. You won’t be able to learn the language just by memorizing the dictionary. Let’s do it in order. Okay?”
That wasn’t entirely wrong. I agreed with his words and picked up the two books.
…Actually, conversing directly with native speakers would be the fastest way to learn. But even at the guild, everyone got noisy just by looking at me, so would I even be able to have a normal conversation?
“…Yes, here’s 13 silver coins. Good work. What? Tell her to wear something? It’s indecent… Aha. She doesn’t want to wear anything.”
Even when I opened the books and looked inside, I couldn’t understand anything. Come to think of it, shouldn’t I learn the alphabet first? Maybe I should have bought children’s books after all.
But then I thought, I could just learn that from him.
He has the blessing of language. Then he should be able to teach me easily, right? He was quite good at teaching me before, so I should be able to learn quickly.
“…Then let’s go back to the guild, Altera. We’ve bought everything we need.”
So, will we learn today? We’ll probably be in the city for a while.
…That’s what I thought. But as soon as Yuna and Akash returned after buying something, he went downstairs and looked at something like a bulletin board.
“…What are you doing? Weren’t we going to rest now?”
Did his body itch even after fighting that monster in the morning? I asked out of curiosity.
“I was thinking of doing an easy subjugation request if there is one. To test the performance of the new equipment. Oh, right, you wanted to summon your father… right?”
“Yeah.”
I wanted to find him and beat him up, but since I didn’t know where he was, I was thinking of making him come to me. I hadn’t thought of a specific method yet.
“…Then it would be better to become famous. By solving requests or defeating strong enemies. Um… honestly, it doesn’t seem like a good idea. But if you want it, I won’t stop you. Just, please don’t summon your father to where people live.”
“I’ll try.”
Honestly, I didn’t care what happened to humans. But his advice was helpful. Solve requests or defeat strong enemies to build fame.
Since I was overflowing with strength, that method seemed good.
“Really…? Then do you want to see how to carry out a request? You’re an adventurer, but you don’t know how to do such things. Let me teach you as a senior.”
I didn’t even say I would follow him. But it wouldn’t hurt to know, so I stayed put for now.
“…If you’re famous, you might get personal requests. Those are rare, so you usually carry out requests posted on these… bulletin boards.”
He said, tearing off a piece of paper. I didn’t know anything else, but I could recognize the ugly dwarf drawing. What was this? Kill a dwarf?
“…Since we’re just checking the equipment’s performance, a goblin should be enough. And then, take the torn request form to the receptionist.”
Ah. It’s a goblin. I thought they didn’t exist because I had never seen one before. Looking closely, it was much thinner than a dwarf, had no mask, and, most importantly, had a large nose.
Then they started chattering in a language only they could understand, so I just watched quietly.
I glared back at those who looked at me strangely.
Should I really wear something like he said? But I was already so used to this appearance that wearing something would feel awkward.
It would also have a slight effect on my vibration detection.
“…Um. Now you carry out the request, and bring back proof. For example, a claw, or skin… in this case, teeth would be good, right?”
What. I could just tear off a head and throw it to them, and they would understand.
“The destination is a nearby grassland, so it won’t take long. Let’s go!”
Again, I never said I would follow. He was just excited and making a fuss on his own.
It was funny, but he was my companion. I followed him.