I had lost all track of time in my concentration. Sebas’s voice eventually pulled me back, and he used Warp to return me to where the Young Lady and the others were waiting. It was only after we arrived that I realized just how far I had traveled during my practice sessions.
“Welcome back, Ryoma-san,” Elia said.
“Welcome back. You were gone quite a while; how far did you go?” Elize asked.
“Were you able to master the new magic?” Reinbach added.
The group hurried over as soon as they noticed us teleport in.
“Yes, thanks to Camille-san and Sebas-san’s help.”
“That’s good to hear,” Reinbach said with a nod. “Well then, if you still have mana to spare, why not show us what you’ve learned?”
At his request, I first demonstrated the sequence of elemental spells Camille-san had taught me. Next was Dimension Home. The entrance took about ten seconds to manifest—it definitely required more training to speed up the process.
“Dimension Home.”
The spell was a success. When I opened the rift and looked back, everyone except Sebas stood rooted to the spot. Come to think of it, for someone my age, just being able to use an Item Box would be considered a major achievement. I had gotten carried away and forgotten to hold back. Oh well. Sebas already knew, and they likely would have found out sooner or later even if I had tried to hide it. In fact, the four of them were already huddling around Sebas, pressuring him for details.
They soon turned their attention back to me, showering me with praise. I knew it was an impressive feat, but having my head patted by everyone was a bit embarrassing.
As the sun began to set, we discussed returning to the inn. Since repetitive practice is the most effective way to master Space Magic, I decided to Warp back as part of my training. Sebas accompanied me just in case anything went wrong.
Along the way, Sebas spoke up as if the thought had just occurred to him.
“Ryoma-sama, tomorrow we plan to visit an abandoned mine to give the Young Lady some experience fighting monsters. If you are interested, would you care to join us?”
“That sounds great. Are you sure I can come along?”
“Of course. The Young Lady would be delighted. Do you possess any weapons other than your bow, Ryoma-sama? The interior of a decommissioned mine is quite cramped, so I cannot recommend a bow. You will also require proper armor.”
“I have daggers. I can also use magic and hand-to-hand combat, but I don’t have any armor yet.”
“The weapons should suffice. The monsters there are weak, and guards will be present. The goal is strictly to provide the Young Lady with experience and force her to think tactically during an engagement.”
“Then I’ll stick with the daggers. As for the armor...”
I could have fashioned something rudimentary with Earth Magic, but poor-quality gear would only hinder my movements. Come to think of it, the Guildmaster had given me a letter of introduction. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to buy some proper equipment.
“I think I’ll go buy some once we’re back in town. I have a letter of introduction from the Guildmaster of the Adventurer Guild.”
“I see. That is excellent.”
Once we reached the city, we parted ways at the gate. Sebas headed back to the inn while I went in search of the weapon shop. When I finally located the recommended establishment and stepped inside, I was greeted by a burly man wearing an eerily wide, forced smile.
“Welcoooome! What can I do for ya today?”
“U-Um... I’m looking for weapons suitable for narrow spaces, like an abandoned mine. Daggers, for instance. And I also need armor.”
“Daggers are over on that shelf, please have a loook!”
“...Excuse me, but are you forcing yourself to do that?”
The man’s face went blank. “..................Can you tell?”
“It’s very easy to tell.”
His customer-service facade collapsed in seconds, twisting into a strange grimace before his face settled into a naturally sullen expression.
“Ah, forget it! Forget it! Sorry about that. A pal told me I was too unfriendly, so I figured I’d try acting sociable. Clearly, it doesn’t suit me.”
“I see. By the way, this is Digger’s Weapons and Armor Shop, correct?”
“Yeah, that’s right. What of it?”
“I have a letter of introduction from the Guildmaster of the Adventurer Guild. He told me to show it to you.”
I held out the letter.
“Wogan sent you? That’s a rare one... You’re a rookie, aren’t you? My gear is expensive, kid, though I guarantee the quality. You got the coin?”
“I do. I’m not sure about the market rate, but I can pay up to thirty Small Gold Coins.”
“That’s more than enough. What’ve you been using until now?”
“I usually use a bow, but it’s too unwieldy for a mine.”
“Makes sense. Daggers are a good choice, then. Or maybe a short spear or a one-handed sword.”
“I’ll take two daggers. Also, do you have any throwing knives?”
Despite having the Throwing skill, I had never progressed beyond hurls stones. This was a good time to upgrade.
“It’s one Small Gold Coin for a set of ten. They aren’t cheap, but the quality is high. If you recover them and maintain them properly, they’ll last you a lifetime.”
“Then I’ll take ten throwing knives and two daggers.”
“The daggers are two Small Gold Coins each. Two of those plus the knives brings your total to five Small Gold Coins. Now, you said you needed armor?”
“Yes. I’d like something that doesn't restrict my movement. What do you have?”
“For mobility, leather is your best bet. If it’s made from monster hides, it’s often sturdier than half-baked metal suits. There’s enchanted plate that lets you move like you’re wearing leather, but that stuff rarely hits the market, and I certainly don't stock it.”
“Then monster leather armor, please.”
“Got it. But I’ve only got two sets that’ll fit your build right now. Anything else would take a day to adjust. You want to see them?”
I needed it for tomorrow, so I had to stick with what was available. “I’m heading to the mine tomorrow morning, so I’ll take whatever I can buy today.”
“Right, understood.”
The man disappeared into the back and returned with two sets of armor.
“These are both monster leather. This first one is made from Grel Frog hide. It’s very flexible, easy to move in, and reasonably tough. It’ll cost you four Medium Silver Coins.”
It had a rubbery texture. Frog hide... it felt exactly like it sounded.
“The other one is made from Hard Lizard. This one is much more expensive—five Small Gold Coins.”
“That’s quite a price jump.”
“It’s the material. Hard Lizards live in the wasteland and are rarely found. More importantly, they use an ability similar to Physical Hardening magic, making them a nightmare to hunt. You can’t cut through them without real skill, and using magic usually ruins the hide. Honestly, even at this price, it’s a steal.”
Physical Hardening was a spell that coated the skin in mana to increase defense. I could see why a monster with that ability would be difficult to harvest.
“Killing them properly takes luck and talent, but the leather is light and has the unique property of hardening when you channel mana through it. It stays as flexible as regular leather until you need it to be tough. It’s popular with mages who don't have much physical strength.
The thing is... I made this out of leftover scraps from a larger order a long time ago. There was only enough material for a child’s size. Adult adventurers can’t fit into it, and most kid adventurers don’t have the coin to afford it. I don’t have any more of the material to resize it, either. It’s been sitting on the shelf for two years now. If you’ve got the money, I’d appreciate the sale. The quality is leagues beyond the frog hide.”
The description was definitely convincing. Since the Guildmaster had recommended this shop, I doubted the man was trying to swindle me.
“I understand. I’ll take the Hard Lizard armor.”
“Much appreciated. For the weapons and the armor, that’ll be exactly ten Small Gold Coins.”
I pulled a pouch of coins from my Item Box and paid. Once the man confirmed the amount, I stowed the daggers, knives, and armor away.
“Thank you very much. I realized I haven't introduced myself—I am Ryoma Takebayashi. I’ll come back if I need anything else.”
“Right. I’m the owner, Darson Digger. As long as you don’t do anything stupid and keep up with the maintenance, that armor will serve you well. Once you outgrow it, come back for another set. I’ll give you a bit of a discount next time.”
I thanked him and headed back to the inn.
The Next Day
I spent the morning swaying in a carriage as we made our way toward the mine. The road was progressively worsening, but the weather was perfect. We were told it was about a three-hour journey from the city, so we were likely close to arriving.
“...”
I glanced at the Young Lady sitting next to me. Something was off. She had been quiet since breakfast, seemingly lost in thought.
“Young Lady? Are you feeling alright?”
“Yes, I am fine.”
She didn't look ill, but she was clearly tense.
“If I may ask... is this your first time fighting a monster?”
“No, not exactly. Though I wouldn’t say I am highly experienced...”
“In that case, you need to relax your shoulders, Elia,” Reinbach said.
“Grandfather...”
“He’s right,” Elize added. “If you don’t calm down, you won’t be very convincing.”
“Even you, Mother...”
“Hahaha, well, it has been a while since your last outing,” Reinhardt said with a chuckle. “We’re almost there, so why don't we review the plan for today?”
He likely figured that a distraction would help ease her nerves.
“First, our destination is the Gimul Northern Mine. As the name suggests, it’s a mine north of town that’s been decommissioned for quite some time. Now, what is our objective?”
“To survey the mine,” Elia answered promptly. “We are gathering preliminary information so we can issue a request to the Adventurer Guild to clear out the monsters. It also serves as my combat training.”
“Exactly. Normally, we would rely on the patrol reports from the town office’s management records... but our recent investigation revealed that the officials were likely embezzling the maintenance funds for the Northern Mine. Their data is no longer credible.
So, today we will enter several shafts to investigate the conditions and identify the types of monsters living there. Based on our findings, we’ll determine the details of the official guild request.”
It was impossible to say how many monsters were lurking in the entire complex, but a full extermination would likely be a multi-day operation. Today was simply a reconnaissance mission and a chance for Elia to practice.
While the official reports were unreliable, there had been no signs of high-rank monsters in the area. It was the perfect environment for a student’s first real outing.
As the carriage continued to roll along, I looked out the window at the clear blue sky, feeling quite relaxed about the day ahead.