Even though I had acquired [Perception Impairment], I wasn't going to dive straight into practicing [Space Magic].
First, I had been told to raise the skill level of [Perception Impairment].
"I think you'll be safe even if someone uses [Appraisal] on you, as long as it's at least level 5."
"...Still, that's the catch, isn't it? [Perception Impairment] doesn't do anything unless it's actively in use, right?"
"Yes, which is why you need to raise its level quickly. Once it ranks up, the mana cost will decrease, so you should be able to keep it active while going about your daily life."
"Understood. In that case, I'll keep it active as much as possible to level it up."
With that conversation with Olivia-san, today's training came to an end.
Afterward, I immediately left the room with [Perception Impairment] activated.
The skill was still only level 1, but it definitely worked.
As I approached the counter, Reina-san looked over at me with a puzzled expression.
"Erik-kun, did you pick up another new skill?"
"Yes. I acquired [Perception Impairment]. Just so I'll be protected if bad people try to use [Appraisal] on me in the future."
"You possess such incredible skills, Erik-kun, so that really was necessary. I should have suggested it myself. I'm sorry."
"No, that's nothing you need to apologize for, Reina-san!"
After reassuring her, I mentioned that we were heading to the dungeon this afternoon and stepped away from the counter.
Outside the Adventurer's Guild, Philia and the others were already waiting, but none of them noticed me.
"Woof?"
"Oh, Garm spotted me, huh."
When I walked closer, Garm turned toward me and tilted its head.
Following Garm's lead, Philia and the rest finally noticed my presence.
"Erik-kun, another new skill?"
"Yeah. Olivia-san warned me that things could get dangerous soon, so I needed an ability to block [Appraisal]. Since I've been watching how Leticia-san's magic tool works, I managed to learn [Perception Impairment]."
After filling them in, we headed out to grab some lunch.
I had thought about going to Sara-san's cafe, where we ate quite often, but the place was packed today.
Instead, we chose a restaurant that served rice; perhaps due to the steeper prices, it was relatively uncrowded.
"Erik-kun, after this, we're stopping by the commercial district before heading to the dungeon, right?"
"That's the plan. I have a shop in mind, but if there's anywhere the rest of you want to check out, let me know. I don't want to make the call alone—I'd rather we decide together."
With that said, I tucked into the meal that had just arrived.
Once we finished lunch, we made our way to a shop in the commercial district that sold adventuring gear and supplies.
It wasn't my first choice, but Alan and Philia mentioned it was a place they often talked about.
"Hmm, they have what we need, but..."
"It's pricey. We can afford it, but it'd completely wipe out the party's savings."
"If anything, we won't even be able to get everything unless we pitch in from our own pockets too, right?"
The first shop only carried items on the pricier side.
Next, we headed to a store patronized by House Fortis.
"I expected as much, but this place is even more expensive."
"Well, it is the kind of establishment that caters to nobility, after all."
The prices at the second shop were even higher than the first.
At the same time, the merchandise was of exceptional quality, making the premium seem well justified.
Agreeing to come back when we had more coin to spare, we left the shop.
"Well then, shall we head to the place Erik-kun wants to visit?"
"Yeah. Though I'm sure you all know it already. We're going to the Starsia Company."
With that, I led the way toward the Starsia Company storefront.
"Well, well, if it isn't Erik-kun! Long time no see!"
"It's been a while, Laila-san."
As soon as we stepped inside, a female clerk called out to me.
It was Laila-san, the manager in charge of this Starsia Company branch.
"Could the kids behind you be your party members, Erik-kun? Nice to meet you all! I'm Laila, the store manager here. Pleasure to make your acquaintance!"
Laila-san gave an energetic greeting, and Philia and the others politely returned it.
"So, what brings you in today?"
"Actually, we're planning to stay overnight in the dungeon soon, so we came to look for camping gear. We'd like to buy some if it fits within our party's budget. Could you show us what you have? Even secondhand gear is fine if it's in good shape."
"Camping gear... Ah, we've got just the thing!"
After a moment of thought, Laila-san dashed off toward the back storeroom.
She soon returned carrying a large box alongside another clerk.
"It is used, but how does this look to you?"
At her invitation, we checked inside the box.
It contained two tents, ground tarps, and sleeping bags.
There were four sleeping bags in total—the exact number we needed.
Everything was in remarkably pristine condition, making me wonder if it was truly secondhand.
"...Is this really used?"
"Originally, a noble's child bought it while playing at being an adventurer, only to get rid of it after using it a handful of times. We bought it off them and kept it in the back hoping to sell it eventually. It was practically forced on us, so we didn't mark the price up very high."
Hearing that, I checked the tag—the entire set was going for 20 silver coins.
Seeing the price, I glanced around at Philia and the others.
Everyone nodded in agreement, and I decided to buy the set right then and there.