Under the pouring autumn sunlight, Rei walked through the streets of the Imperial Capital.
He hadn't found anything to buy at the magic item shop Most had recommended previously, so he set out to explore the city again, hoping for better luck this time. While he remained interested in the matches at the arena, he was following Elk's advice: focusing too intently on a single goal could lead to missing the obvious answer.
Otherwise, he likely would have spent his time watching other matches or training to grow even stronger. However, his usual training ground was currently unavailable. The fact that he'd been targeted by assassins twice was one reason, but the second attack had been the decisive factor.
Being discovered by the guards was a hassle, he thought. In the end, they hardly told me anything about the group called the Moonlight Bow. On top of that, I can't use that place to train anymore because they claimed they needed to investigate the area.
At that point, Rei realized his thoughts were straying back toward combat. He gave his head a small shake. He understood the wisdom in Elk's words. If he focused too much on one thing, his vision would narrow, and he'd likely end up making some foolish mistake. That was exactly why he had designated today as a rest day to wander the capital.
...Of course, the fact that he was searching for practical magic items during a "rest day" suggested he was still somewhat missing the point, but he didn't seem to notice at all.
"There are supposedly fewer people around, but it's still quite a crowd," Rei muttered as he watched the passersby.
The numbers had certainly dropped since his arrival in the Imperial Capital. The fact that the crowds no longer blocked the paths made that obvious. Even so, the streets were far busier than those in Gilm. That was only natural, considering people from all over the Bestia Empire had gathered here.
It was definitely the right choice to leave Set behind, Rei thought. Even if it was a bit sad for him.
If he had walked through the city with Set, it undoubtedly would have caused an uproar. Whether that would be out of fear of the Gryphon or because someone was targeting Rei specifically—or perhaps some other reason entirely—he couldn't be sure.
"But first..."
He stopped, his eyes drifting toward a nearby stall. The aroma of freshly baked bread stimulated his appetite, and his stomach growled in agreement.
"Oh, welcome. Young man... or is it a young lady? Well, no matter. What'll it be?"
The stall owner hesitated for a moment, unsure of the gender of the person hidden beneath the Dragon Robe's hood. Rei didn't bother to correct him, simply ordering a sandwich with plenty of cheese, grilled Fang Boar meat, and leafy vegetables.
The sandwich was hearty enough to serve as a proper meal rather than a light snack. Rei bit into it. First came the unique, slight acidity of the black bread, followed by the savory juices of the grilled meat and the rich flavor of cheese spreading through his mouth. The crisp texture of the leafy vegetables followed, cutting through the heavy flavors of the meat and cheese.
"Delicious..."
"Of course it is! I've been running this stall in the capital for years. More importantly, shouldn't you be at the arena watching the tournament?"
For a second, Rei wondered if his identity had been compromised, but the stall owner showed no unusual reaction. He let out a quiet breath of relief, concluding that the man had taken him for a common tourist come to spectate.
"I don't have any particular matches I'm interested in today. Actually, I was wondering if you knew of any shops that sell magic items."
"Magic items? Ah, so you're an adventurer. Well, magic items... people flock to the capital this time of year, and the merchants follow. Plenty of folks come here just to stock up on magic items and the like. After all, the amount of magic items circulating in the capital has surged over the last few years, hasn't it?"
"I see."
Technically, it was the advancement of alchemy that had led to the increase, but Rei kept that to himself. The stall owner continued with a somewhat vague air.
"Let me see. I'm not sure what their stock is like, but if you head down that alley, turn at the third corner, and go a bit further, you'll find a shop handling magic items. It's run by a picky old man, though, so he won't sell to you unless he likes your face. ...Well, that's why he hasn't sold out yet, even with the crowds."
"Hoh. Thanks for the information. I'll take five more of these sandwiches while I'm at it."
Not only as an information fee but because they were genuinely tasty, Rei bought more. After storing them inside the Misty Ring, he headed toward the shop.
"Is this it? It looks like a normal shop."
Following the directions, he eventually found the place. It was a common building that didn't look like the home of an eccentric.
It's perfectly possible for a shop's appearance to have nothing to do with the merchant's personality, Rei mused. If anything, the last place Most had recommended—where someone had been thrown through the door the moment he arrived—was the outlier.
He opened the door and stepped inside.
"Hoh."
Rei let out a small exclamation. The shop was cool. True to its nature as a magic item shop, a cooling magic item was running inside. It was perhaps to be expected, but since he had rarely seen them in use until now, he was genuinely surprised.
He looked around and saw a mountain of tools that looked like piles of junk. At first, he wondered if they were all magic items, but he quickly realized most were worthless tools or well-made replicas.
"Who is it?"
A voice called out from behind a stack of replicas at the back of the shop. Rei looked toward the source. A bald old man appeared. Though he was aged, his back was straight, and his movements were brisk. He held a cane, but his pace and posture suggested he didn't actually need it to walk.
Probably a magic item, Rei noted.
Judging that it wasn't a magic catalyst but an item with a specific effect, Rei addressed the man.
"A sandwich stall owner told me you handle magic items here. I'd like to see what you have."
The old man shot Rei a sharp look—and then his eyes went wide.
"You... that robe..."
Rei was taken aback. This was the second time a shopkeeper had seen through his Dragon Robe. He hadn't expected it to happen again so soon.
I hope the concealment effect isn't starting to wear off, he worried. He didn't truly believe that was the case, but the thought was hard to suppress. After a long moment spent studying the robe, the old man sighed.
"You possess such a high-quality magic item, yet you have business in my shop? I have nothing here that can even hold a candle to the robe you're wearing."
"I'm aware. This Dragon Robe is special in many ways. However, I have a hobby of collecting practical magic items. That's why I'm here."
At the mention of "practicality," the old man's eyes widened slightly. His family had run this magic item shop in the Imperial Capital for generations—since his grandfather, or perhaps even his great-grandfather.
However, with the rapid development of alchemy over the last decade, magic items had become mass-produced. He didn't mind that other people sold them, but it bothered him that so many people now treated magic items like mere art pieces or status symbols. It went against his principles. Consequently, he refused to sell to most nobles, earning himself a reputation for being eccentric.
And now, here stood Rei, specifically asking for practical magic items. Their interests were perfectly aligned.
"I see. Wait here. I'll show you an interesting magic item I acquired recently."
The old man retreated into the back of the shop. Rei waited with anticipation, glancing around the room.
Even if these are replicas, the quality is quite high, he noted. A halberd leaned carelessly near the entrance. It might not be a magic item, but it was a superior weapon. It was almost too good for a low-rank adventurer.
Shouldn't he be more worried about theft? Rei wondered.
Soon, the old man returned, holding a quiver. Based on the man's attitude, it was certainly a magic item, but Rei didn't use a bow, so he initially thought it wouldn't be useful. However, the old man ignored Rei's tepid reaction and set the quiver on a nearby counter.
"This quiver has the ability to create arrows using the user's magic power."
"What?"
Rei had been ready to decline, but that description caught his interest. The old man seemed to enjoy Rei's change in expression. He gave a triumphant smirk and continued.
"In other words, as long as you have this quiver, you'll never have to worry about running out of arrows—the greatest weakness of the bow."
"If that's true, it's an incredible magic item. Archers would kill for something like that."
"Indeed. But naturally, such performance comes with restrictions. It has several drawbacks."
"I figured. It would be too good to be true otherwise."
An inexhaustible quiver. In a sense, it was a magic item that could rival the Dragon Robe. But the drawbacks the old man listed kept it in check.
"First, while it creates arrows from magic power, those arrows automatically vanish after a few minutes. Furthermore, because they are formed from the user's magic power, no one else can use them. If you were to hand an arrow to another person, it would likely vanish in seconds."
"That's... a bit of a mixed bag."
The ability to create unlimited arrows was amazing, but the fact that only the creator could use them was a significant limitation. If he could have given the arrows to others, it might have been useful for his allies, but as it stood...
"As you can see, I don't use a bow. This item would be a dream for an archer, but for me..."
Rei trailed off, a thought occurring to him. If such an item existed, then perhaps...
"Is there an item that can create things other than arrows from magic power?"
"Hmm? What specifically are you thinking of?"
"Spears."
"Did you listen to a word I said? Things created from magic power vanish after a few minutes. If you create a spear and it disappears in the middle of a fight, you'll be putting your life at risk."
The old man's logic was sound—for someone who intended to use a spear as a primary weapon in melee.
"Don't worry. It's a bit hard to explain, but I use spears as throwing weapons."
"You throw spears? With that small frame? No... considering your physical strength, I suppose it's not so strange."
With that, Rei realized the old man knew exactly who he was: Crimson. The fact that the man remained unfazed was likely due to his years of experience.
"I see. Well, I don't know if such a magic item exists, but I'll look into it for you. Come back in a few days."
The old man likely didn't have a specific item in mind, but Rei bowed his head in appreciation.
"Price isn't an issue within reason, so please find one if you can."
With that, Rei left the shop, feeling as though he were being hurried out by the old man.