The sky was high and blue. Not a single cloud marred the vast expanse, and the sun’s rays poured down brilliantly.
It was truly the height of summer. In the midst of temperatures that could only be described as nearing thirty degrees Celsius, Rei and Elena walked along Exil’s Main Street.
Unusually, they were without Seto and Iero; the two of them were completely alone.
As they had promised the night before, they had come to purchase desert countermeasures equipment for the dungeon floors from B11F and beyond.
"But, thinking about it, we have to clear B10F first," Rei muttered, bringing a sandwich he had bought at a nearby stall to his mouth.
Elena brushed back her golden hair, which seemed to challenge the radiance of the pouring sunlight, and gave a wry smile at his words.
"We start with the tenth floor tomorrow, it's true. But we can hardly expect to conquer that floor, return to the surface just to buy desert gear, and then head right back down, can we?"
Rei nodded in agreement as Elena gave a small shrug.
An ordinary adventurer party might have taken such a measured approach due to the sheer volume of luggage they could carry. However, Rei had his Misty Ring, and Elena possessed a magic pouch. While her magic pouch held considerably less than his ring, it could still easily accommodate a basic set of desert survival tools without any issue.
"So, did you find the place?" Elena asked while Rei finished his snack.
Rei hadn’t bought the sandwich from the stall owner for no reason. Of course, since two hours had passed since breakfast, he was a little hungry, but his primary goal had been to ask the stall owner for a recommendation. The sandwich—filled with grilled chicken and a spicy sauce—served as an informal information fee.
"Yeah. Apparently, if we go straight down this main street, pass the Guild, and walk for about ten minutes, we'll find a signboard depicting a rock and a hammer. They sell gear for the desert floor there, and the quality is supposedly quite high."
"A rock and a hammer? That sounds like a shop run by a dwarf."
"Actually, the owner is a dwarf, so it makes sense. I heard he’s usually cooped up in the forge nearby, though."
Rei tossed the final bite of the sandwich into his mouth. It was a substantial snack, but for someone with Rei's metabolism, it was nothing more than a light appetizer.
They continued their walk down the main street, eventually passing in front of the Guild.
"Don't screw with me! Do you have any idea who I am!?"
A rowdy shout erupted from near the entrance, but the two passed by without paying it any mind.
Normally, or perhaps if they were feeling particularly nosy, they might have stopped to see what the trouble was. However, they were currently enjoying a shopping trip that felt very much like a date. Getting involved in a dispute would only waste time, potentially leading to questioning by guards. Neither of them had any desire to ruin the mood.
(Besides, trouble seems to have a way of finding me anyway. There’s no need to go looking for it.)
With that thought, Rei passed the Guild with Elena. Before long, they discovered the signboard depicting a rock and a hammer, exactly as the stall owner had described.
The shop was of average size—neither particularly grand nor cramped. The area in front of the store was neatly swept, which left a positive impression on both of them.
"Hoh, it seems like a respectable establishment. Well then, let us go inside at once. This direct sunlight is becoming quite unbearable."
Elena glared up at the sun as she spoke, though not a single drop of sweat graced her brow. This was likely a benefit of having inherited the power of the Ancient Dragon Magic Stone.
From Rei's perspective, Elena could probably operate in the desert without any specialized gear at all, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Above all, the ability to endure discomfort was not the same as being comfortable.
As for Rei, he wore the Dragon Robe, which acted as a portable air conditioner, so he anticipated no issues in the heat.
"Now then, I look forward to seeing their inventory."
Elena, usually so dignified, gave Rei a small, genuine smile.
Rei felt his heart skip a beat at the sight. To hide his reaction, he quickly reached for the door. As it opened, the cool chime of a bell echoed within the shop.
The sound was likely intended to alert the staff to a customer's arrival, but to Rei, the combination of summer heat and a clear bell brought to mind traditional wind chimes.
"Welcome... Is there something you're looking for~?"
A woman greeted them in a drawling tone. She was quite short, her head only reaching Rei's chest—and Rei was already considered small for a human in this world.
However, she did not look like a child. She possessed the mysterious, mature allure of a grown woman.
"Ah—we’re looking for desert countermeasures equipment for B11F and beyond."
"For how many people~?"
"For Elena here. And I’ll take a look as well to see if anything catches my eye."
"Yes, yes. I'll get a full set ready for you then~."
With that, the woman, who was indeed much shorter than Rei, disappeared into the back of the shop.
As she left, Rei lightly touched the arm of Elena, who was curiously observing the interior—the shop currently held only a few other customers.
"That clerk... she's a dwarf, right?"
According to Rei's knowledge, members of the dwarf-kin were short regardless of gender. They were also supposed to be incredibly sturdy and strong. The dwarves Rei had encountered previously had all matched that description. However, he had only ever met male dwarves.
He might have passed one in Gilm or seen one during the war with the Bestia Empire, but he had no clear memory of it. Thus, he sought confirmation from Elena.
"Hmm? Have you never seen a female dwarf before, Rei?"
"No."
"I cannot be certain without asking, but she is almost certainly a dwarf. Unlike the men, female dwarves do not grow beards, so one must judge by their height and build. That said, the dwarf-kin take great pride in their heritage. She will likely tell you if you ask."
"Are they all fond of alcohol? The dwarf I met before was an extreme drinker."
The image of Brasso from the C-Rank Party Crushing Warriors flashed through Rei's mind. Brasso was a man who seemed to be drinking whenever he wasn't working, and despite being smaller than even the slight Rei, he easily swung the Earth-shaking Hammer—a magic item larger than himself—thanks to the Herculean Strength of his race.
"Many of us dwarves do love our ale, but that varies from person to person, you see~."
It was the clerk who answered, returning from the back of the counter with an armful of items.
She carried a mantle, a canteen, a small folded tent, a fire-starting magic item, and a medicine box containing a compact assortment of supplies for the desert. Her ability to carry such a load in a single trip, which would have taken an average man several turns, was a testament to her dwarven strength.
Setting the items on the counter, she continued.
"Some dwarves can't stand the stuff~. And yes, as you guessed, I am indeed a dwarf~."
"I-I see."
Her peculiar, drawling way of ending her sentences made it difficult for Rei to find his rhythm.
Unaware of how unusual her speech sounded to him, the woman pulled a mantle from the pile. It was a sandy-colored garment designed to cover both the head and body.
"First is this~. As you know, the sun in the desert is harsh, so a mantle to block it is essential~."
"Is the sunlight in the dungeon desert really that intense?" Rei asked.
He remembered the dungeon containing the Altar of Inheritance, which had featured a forest floor with a sun that rose and set despite being underground—a truly unnatural phenomenon.
The dwarf clerk nodded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"It is a desert, after all, and that sunlight brings incredible heat~. Rumor has it some areas reach nearly fifty degrees~. ...So, to conquer the desert floor, you need a mantle like this to ward off the light~. It's a simple piece, but it's been enchanted with alchemy for heat resistance~. ...Though, it only lowers the temperature by about five degrees~."
"Five degrees, huh? In that case, I don't think I'll need one."
The dwarf woman tilted her head curiously. "What do you mean by that~?"
Rei lightly patted his Dragon Robe, ignoring the way her tone threw him off.
"This robe is a special magic item. It has temperature regulation enchanted into it."
"Hoh, hoh hoh hoh. That's quite something~. Well then, how about the beautiful lady over there~?"
Whether she believed him or simply didn't mind the lost sale, the dwarf clerk turned her attention to Elena and held out the sand-colored mantle.
"I see. I will take one, then. What else do you recommend?"
"Well~ hydration is the most important thing in the desert. How about a canteen~?"
"A canteen..." Elena mused, picking up the item.
It was made of high-quality monster leather, certainly superior to anything found in a general store. However, for their group, no water supply was better than Rei's Dagger of Flowing Water, which could generate fresh water as long as he had magic power. Bringing a canteen would just be a waste of space. Elena shook her head.
"We have our own means of providing water, so we won't be needing that. Next, please."
"Is that so~? This canteen is very sturdy; in a pinch, it can even serve as a simple shield~. It's a shame~."
"...A shield?" Rei asked, incredulous.
The item was essentially a leather water skin. He couldn't fathom how it was supposed to serve as a shield.
"That's right~. It's made from ogre leather, so it's quite tough~."
"Ogre leather, I see. That would certainly be durable. ...But as we said, it isn't necessary for us. Next."
The clerk seemed particularly proud of the ogre leather canteens. She let out a small, disappointed sigh before presenting a compactly folded tent. But...
"We don't need that either," Rei said flatly. He already owned a magic tent, a top-tier luxury.
"Indeed, we have no need for it," Elena added, having enjoyed the comforts of Rei’s magic tent many times.
"Ehh? Not even this~?" the dwarf clerk lamented.
It was understandable; she had brought out a full kit for the desert floor, only to have nearly every item rejected. However, she had her pride as a specialist.
While her speech was slow, she was surprisingly competitive. She looked at her two customers—one a woman of resplendent, dignified beauty, and the other a younger boy. When they first walked in, she had wondered if they were lovers, a married couple, or perhaps siblings, but she couldn't quite pin down their relationship. She had realized, however, that the boy possessed an impressive array of magic items.
If they were to stay overnight in the dungeon, they would need a way to start fires as the temperature plummeted—but they likely had that covered. Her final gambit was the box of specialized supplies.
"The desert is full of poisonous monsters, and their toxins vary wildly~. General antidotes often have little to no effect~. But this medicine box contains antidotes specifically crafted for desert monster poison~. It has other essential medicines for the desert as well. How about this~?"
"Heh... True, we can't be too careful with poison. Rei?"
"Yeah, that’s fine. You can never have too much medicine. We'll take it."
'I won!' the dwarf clerk thought triumphantly. Seizing the momentum, she began pitching even more utility items.
In the end, Rei and Elena were talked into purchasing several silver coins' worth of miscellaneous desert gear.