When I arrived outside the guild, Philia and the others were already waiting.
"Morning, everyone."
After my greeting, each of them replied in turn.
"About lunch today—can we grab something quick? I brought up the gear we talked about yesterday to the blacksmith who looks after me, and he said he'd hear us out."
"Erik-kun, you know a blacksmith?"
"Yeah. The folks at my inn introduced us. But if you and Alan already have a smith you regular, Philia, we don't have to go."
When asked, both of them admitted they didn't have one.
With that settled, we decided to head over to Harold-san's shop right after lunch.
We made our way to Sara-san's cafe for a quick meal.
We placed our orders, sat down, and before long, the food arrived.
"Oh, right. I spoke with Olivia-san today, and she said we can set aside full days to hit the dungeon from the morning whenever we need to."
"Wait, really? But are you sure about that, Erik-kun? Spending the time you'd otherwise have learning from a Platinum Rank adventurer on us..."
"It turns out Olivia-san had some work she needed to take care of at home anyway, so our schedules just happened to align."
Olivia-san had mentioned that unless she compiled the findings from her [Appraisal] research into proper documentation, it wouldn't be of much use as reference material.
I figured I could use the time she spent drafting those reports to explore the dungeon with Philia and the others.
"In that case, if we've got the time, spending a full day in the dungeon sounds like a great idea."
"Honestly, as a test run, I think an overnight stay could work too—though we probably don't have enough party funds to buy all the necessary camping gear..."
"Well, if we stick to the bare minimum, I think we can manage... Leticia-san, would you be fine with spending a night in the dungeon?"
Truth be told, I could fall asleep just about anywhere if I put my mind to it.
Back home, I had slept in the harsh conditions of an attic.
Alan and Philia were also from rural villages, and I'd heard they only experienced true comfort after arriving in the royal capital.
"I'll be fine. I've spent my life aiming to be an adventurer, so of course I know the basics of camping. Besides, with Garm around, the night chill won't be an issue at all!"
"Gau!"
"Ah, that sounds wonderful... Sleeping beside Garm-kun would definitely keep you warm."
"Hehe, then if we do end up staying overnight in the dungeon, Philia-chan, let's sleep together."
Philia beamed happily at Leticia-san's suggestion.
Once we finished eating, I led the group toward Harold-san's shop.
"Harold-san, these are my party members."
"Nice to meet you."
As we stepped inside, Harold-san emerged from the back room.
I spoke up to introduce everyone.
"I heard about 'em from you, kid, so these are your companions... Wait, aren't you the little lady from House Fortis?!"
"Ahaha, it's been a while, Uncle Harold."
"Well, I'll be. Never would've guessed the little lady was the kid's party member..."
Apparently, Harold-san and Leticia-san already knew each other.
After asking for details, I learned that Harold-san was entrusted with forging the equipment used by House Fortis.
Naturally, the gear Leticia-san carried had also been crafted by his hands.
"Wait, you didn't know?"
"We always conducted our business at our estate, so I'd never actually been to his shop—I had no idea until he walked out from the back. Honestly, I'm more surprised that you have connections with Harold-san, Erik-kun."
"The people running my inn introduced me to him."
I offered my explanation to Leticia-san while still recovering from my own surprise.
Harold-san then fixed his gaze on Alan and Philia, inspecting them closely.
"Hmm. Would you two mind showing me the gear you're currently using?"
"Y-Yes, sir!"
"H-Here you go..."
Overwhelmed by Harold-san's imposing presence, Philia and Alan nervously handed over their equipment.
"The gear itself ain't worth much, but it looks like you've been taking good care of it... This shield here's pretty fresh, though. Just replace it recently?"
"Yes. When we fought a wild boar, my old shield was ruined, so I had to buy a replacement."
"I see... Still, the armor looks properly broken in. Do you maintain it yourselves?"
When Harold-san asked, Philia and Alan both nodded in confirmation.
Harold-san fell silent, lost in thought for a brief moment.
"Alright, good enough. It's barely a passing grade, but seeing as you're companions of the kid and the little lady, I'll fix you up with some proper gear."
"Thank you so much, Harold-san."
"Thank you very much!"
We all bowed our heads in gratitude for his approval.
"So, what's the plan? Custom orders are probably out of the question financially, right?"
"That's right. Just out of curiosity, about how much would that run us?"
"Even if you supply the raw materials yourselves, you'd need at least ten gold coins."
Hearing that number, we knew it was impossible with our current funds.
Instead, we decided to browse the ready-made stock Harold-san had crafted in his spare time and displayed around the shop.
"The pieces over here go for about thirty to fifty silver coins."
"T-This gear is only a few dozen silver coins? The craftsmanship looks incredible, though..."
"Well of course it is. It might just be a hobby to kill time, but they're still my own creations. I pour all my heart and soul into every single piece."
Harold-san puffed out his chest at Philia's awe-filled remark.
Alan and I picked out a sword and shield each.
Philia purchased a staff, looking absolutely thrilled with her selection.
"Must be nice, everyone... getting brand-new equipment..."
"In your case, Leticia-san, your gear is top-tier to begin with. If you're looking for an upgrade, wouldn't that only be once we're actively delving around the 40th floor of the dungeon?"
"Oho, you understand how it works, kid. You've got a sharp eye."
With our new equipment in hand, we thanked Harold-san and stepped out of the shop.
Eager to put our new gear to the test, we immediately set off for the dungeon.