Moving away from Kukults’ excavation sites to the town center, I was amazed to find it bustling with shops.
In this world, ores aren’t just used for metalwork but also as magical jewels and mana stones, which might be even more important.
There were not only the staffs that Hagasaki-kun was looking for but also various interesting magical tools.
Some ores have inherent attributes, like warmth or heat for fire attributes, and depending on the quality and processing, they can even produce flames.
Tools made from these ores support the town’s industry.
At a glance, there were household items and daily necessities like pot stands that keep heat, thermoses that cool drinks, makeshift refrigerators, and fan-like devices.
Such items seem deeply integrated into everyday life.
…I might be interested in a stick blender using wind attribute ores.
However, focusing too much on household goods would mean neglecting Hagasaki-kun’s quest for a staff, so I had to stop myself there.
…I ended up buying the stick blender anyway. No regrets. It’ll make preparing things like puréed soups much easier. Who could regret such a purchase? Certainly not me.
“Hey, Maito, look at this.”
Hagasaki-kun was holding two staffs.
“Take this.”
“Why?”
“Just do it.”
He handed me one of the staffs.
…It had a white spherical stone attached to it.
“…What’s this?”
“Hmm… Give it back.”
When the staff returned to Hagasaki-kun, the sphere changed to a translucent light blue.
“It’s a magic power meter.”
Ah, I noticed a sign on the staff saying “Feel free to try,” albeit in the language of this world.
“This is used to determine one’s magical attribute for choosing a staff.”
“Interesting.”
So, the color change indicates one’s magical attribute. The translucent light blue must symbolize ice or water, fitting for Hagasaki-kun.
…But what does my white color mean? Milk… Milk attribute… No, that can’t be right.
“Have you chosen one?”
Then Hagasaki-kun showed me the staff with the light blue stone.
Hmm. It’s brighter than his previous staff, with a slightly stronger green hue in the RGB spectrum. The stone is still transparent, but the light refracts strangely inside it. Very fantastical.
The staff itself looks white, but wait, it’s not just white. It’s frosted!
Originally silver-colored metal, it’s turned white due to extreme cold! Wow!
“Doesn’t that make your hands too cold? You have poor circulation, right?”
“Actually, it’s not cold at all. It seems to have excellent compatibility with me.”
As he spoke, Hagasaki-kun touched my hand with his free hand, and indeed, it wasn’t very cold, considering the usual body temperature differences.
However, that means if someone other than Hagasaki-kun with less compatibility touches it, their hand might stick to it and skin could peel off… I’ll avoid touching it.
“So… this is over budget.”
…Looking at the price tag, it was 500 gold coins, about three times the cost of a high-end sword in this town.
This staff is one of the priciest in the shop. Well, it makes sense given its fantastical features.
But finding a compatible staff is what matters, especially since we don’t have many other expenses.
Besides, we have George-san as an infinite source of funds. We appreciate his support.
“Excuse me, we’ll take this one, please.”
So, we headed to the counter.
…The shopkeeper seemed quite surprised. Well, it’s understandable, considering it’s a staff that can cause frostbite upon touch, combined with its hefty price. They probably didn’t expect anyone to actually buy it.
As a result, we received a ring as a bonus. It seemed to be a sort of charm, relatively inexpensive, but we graciously accepted it.
…I did, actually.
Hagasaki-kun already had a ring that boosted his stats, so he said he didn’t need another, leaving it to me.
Well, rings are cumbersome when doing housework, so what to do with it?
The ring had a stone about the size of a pinky nail with radial lines engraved on it.
…Wait, I’ve seen this pattern before. Oh, it’s like the one on the clothes from the temple, the one with “Divine Protection.”
Does this mean the pattern itself carries some effect? But embroidery didn’t work.
…The mystery deepens.
However, we finished shopping quicker than expected. I hope I didn’t rush Hagasaki-kun. Sorry about that.
“So, what are you going to buy?”
“I’m looking for interesting food items and… maybe a powerful feather duster.”
“There’s no such thing. ‘Powerful duster’? That’s a contradiction.”
“Right, it is.”
Really, if there were a strong feather duster, it could potentially enhance my “Cleaning” ability… What would a powered-up duster be? A vacuum cleaner? A Ro*mba? Maybe Ro*mba could become a familiar for maids. I should consult Katori.
Anyway, that’s no longer a duster. I’ll give up on that idea.
So, we moved on to check out the food.
…There are fruits and vegetables I’ve never seen before, but nothing extraordinarily new.
For food, Deichemoore might have been more advanced. It seems challenging to snack on the go in this town. The options are either buying ingredients to cook or dining in a restaurant.
“So, Hagasaki-kun, if there’s anything you want to eat, just let me know.”
“Nothing in particular.”
Oh, I see. That’s typical for him. I didn’t expect anything else. Not at all.
Oh, there’s an unusually large turnip being sold. It’s about the size of an armful. Why do vegetables in this world tend to be unnecessarily gigantic?
Let’s go for a turnip and chicken pot-au-feu today. We can pickle the leftover turnip.
Alright, I’ll buy this giant turnip and head back.
…It’s big, but I can manage to carry it if I hug it. Yes, this is doable.
While I continued browsing the food market with the enormous turnip in my arms…
“Hey, isn’t that Hagasaki?”
“…No, you’re mistaken.”
“Hey, it is Hagasaki! You’re alive? How’ve you been?”
Before he could deny it, Hagasaki-kun was grabbed by the hand and enthusiastically shaken up and down.
“And that must be Maito with the turnip, right? How are you? Still a maid?”
Luckily, I was spared the vigorous handshaking due to holding the turnip.
“…How’s the classroom gathering going, Homura?”
Yes, this boisterous person is Homura-kun.
“Hmm? Well… kind of at a standstill? Like, prioritizing lives over classrooms?”
…Interesting.
While waiting for the others to join us, we entered a nearby café, a regular spot for Homura-kun.
…As you might guess from him having a regular spot, Homura-kun is currently living in this town.
In fact, Homura-kun and a few others from his party have been using this town as their base of operations.
“We headed east from that lava area, right? Then in the royal capital Aegis, I found my friend being sold, so we saved up money and bought him back.”
“Oh, I see. So, Aegis is the capital of this place, huh? It sounds like a country with a strict slave system, thanks for letting me know.”
“So, we bought them back, but they’re frozen and won’t wake up? So we need to return them, and then…”
“Wait. Frozen and won’t wake up? What exactly is the situation?”
When Hagasaki-kun interrupted Homura-kun’s story and asked for clarification, Homura-kun seemed to struggle for words and scratched his head.
“Well… um… yeah. It’s like they’re plant people? They don’t move at all.”
…So, it’s as if they’re dead, is that what you mean?
I’m interested in that information too. It might be related to the issue of life and death.
“And then, since Aegis is expensive, and there are more job opportunities in Kukults, we came here…”
…At this point, Homura-kun hesitated.
If he’s hesitating to talk, it must be a pretty tricky situation.
“This town is a mining town, right? So, you’d think there would be plenty of people working in mining, and they even seem to be recruiting quite a bit. But, you see, mining is still dangerous, right? So, people who work in such places… well, they seem to have some issues, you know?”
…Alright, I get it.
“Like… you know, we have it tough trying to survive in this world, right? We don’t have much money, and we don’t even know the market prices and stuff. So, those kids who started out in this town, they had no choice but to work in those places, it seems. And now, we’re doing part-time jobs to help those kids.”
…The first and second parts of his explanation don’t quite connect, but I think I understand. Essentially, they just need money, right?
“So, how much for one person, and how many of them are there?”
“One person costs 250 gold coins… and we’ve confirmed about seven of them, I think?”
I see. So, it’s 1,750 gold coins in total. That’s 175 platinum coins.
…They’re getting quite a discount.
Miura-kun and Misaki-san were paid much more.
Well, selling to nobles and selling as laborers might be quite different.
“Yeah, I think we can handle that.”
“Huh!? Seriously!? You’re not kidding, are you? Are you rich!?”
“Rich? More like having an unlimited money generator.”
“Wow, that’s amazing! Then you can help everyone!”
Homura-kun is getting excited, but there are so many questions I need to ask before we proceed.
“But why do you need money just to help those who are working in the mines? Were they captured and almost sold as slaves or something?”
“Nah, that’s not it. They’re not selling the people they captured.”
Homura-kun, you may be laughing, but there’s something you don’t know. If you head further south from here…
There’s someone who was captured and almost sold right there.
However, at this moment, Homura-kun’s expression turned serious, and he said something terrifying.
“…They were sold. The club members.”
…What?
Moving away from Kukults’ excavation sites to the town center, I was amazed to find it bustling with shops.
In this world, ores aren’t just used for metalwork but also as magical jewels and mana stones, which might be even more important.
There were not only the staffs that Hagasaki-kun was looking for but also various interesting magical tools.
Some ores have inherent attributes, like warmth or heat for fire attributes, and depending on the quality and processing, they can even produce flames.
Tools made from these ores support the town’s industry.
At a glance, there were household items and daily necessities like pot stands that keep heat, thermoses that cool drinks, makeshift refrigerators, and fan-like devices.
Such items seem deeply integrated into everyday life.
…I might be interested in a stick blender using wind attribute ores.
However, focusing too much on household goods would mean neglecting Hagasaki-kun’s quest for a staff, so I had to stop myself there.
…I ended up buying the stick blender anyway. No regrets. It’ll make preparing things like puréed soups much easier. Who could regret such a purchase? Certainly not me.
“Hey, Maito, look at this.”
Hagasaki-kun was holding two staffs.
“Take this.”
“Why?”
“Just do it.”
He handed me one of the staffs.
…It had a white spherical stone attached to it.
“…What’s this?”
“Hmm… Give it back.”
When the staff returned to Hagasaki-kun, the sphere changed to a translucent light blue.
“It’s a magic power meter.”
Ah, I noticed a sign on the staff saying “Feel free to try,” albeit in the language of this world.
“This is used to determine one’s magical attribute for choosing a staff.”
“Interesting.”
So, the color change indicates one’s magical attribute. The translucent light blue must symbolize ice or water, fitting for Hagasaki-kun.
…But what does my white color mean? Milk… Milk attribute… No, that can’t be right.
“Have you chosen one?”
Then Hagasaki-kun showed me the staff with the light blue stone.
Hmm. It’s brighter than his previous staff, with a slightly stronger green hue in the RGB spectrum. The stone is still transparent, but the light refracts strangely inside it. Very fantastical.
The staff itself looks white, but wait, it’s not just white. It’s frosted!
Originally silver-colored metal, it’s turned white due to extreme cold! Wow!
“Doesn’t that make your hands too cold? You have poor circulation, right?”
“Actually, it’s not cold at all. It seems to have excellent compatibility with me.”
As he spoke, Hagasaki-kun touched my hand with his free hand, and indeed, it wasn’t very cold, considering the usual body temperature differences.
However, that means if someone other than Hagasaki-kun with less compatibility touches it, their hand might stick to it and skin could peel off… I’ll avoid touching it.
“So… this is over budget.”
…Looking at the price tag, it was 500 gold coins, about three times the cost of a high-end sword in this town.
This staff is one of the priciest in the shop. Well, it makes sense given its fantastical features.
But finding a compatible staff is what matters, especially since we don’t have many other expenses.
Besides, we have George-san as an infinite source of funds. We appreciate his support.
“Excuse me, we’ll take this one, please.”
So, we headed to the counter.
…The shopkeeper seemed quite surprised. Well, it’s understandable, considering it’s a staff that can cause frostbite upon touch, combined with its hefty price. They probably didn’t expect anyone to actually buy it.
As a result, we received a ring as a bonus. It seemed to be a sort of charm, relatively inexpensive, but we graciously accepted it.
…I did, actually.
Hagasaki-kun already had a ring that boosted his stats, so he said he didn’t need another, leaving it to me.
Well, rings are cumbersome when doing housework, so what to do with it?
The ring had a stone about the size of a pinky nail with radial lines engraved on it.
…Wait, I’ve seen this pattern before. Oh, it’s like the one on the clothes from the temple, the one with “Divine Protection.”
Does this mean the pattern itself carries some effect? But embroidery didn’t work.
…The mystery deepens.
However, we finished shopping quicker than expected. I hope I didn’t rush Hagasaki-kun. Sorry about that.
“So, what are you going to buy?”
“I’m looking for interesting food items and… maybe a powerful feather duster.”
“There’s no such thing. ‘Powerful duster’? That’s a contradiction.”
“Right, it is.”
Really, if there were a strong feather duster, it could potentially enhance my “Cleaning” ability… What would a powered-up duster be? A vacuum cleaner? A Ro*mba? Maybe Ro*mba could become a familiar for maids. I should consult Katori.
Anyway, that’s no longer a duster. I’ll give up on that idea.
So, we moved on to check out the food.
…There are fruits and vegetables I’ve never seen before, but nothing extraordinarily new.
For food, Deichemoore might have been more advanced. It seems challenging to snack on the go in this town. The options are either buying ingredients to cook or dining in a restaurant.
“So, Hagasaki-kun, if there’s anything you want to eat, just let me know.”
“Nothing in particular.”
Oh, I see. That’s typical for him. I didn’t expect anything else. Not at all.
Oh, there’s an unusually large turnip being sold. It’s about the size of an armful. Why do vegetables in this world tend to be unnecessarily gigantic?
Let’s go for a turnip and chicken pot-au-feu today. We can pickle the leftover turnip.
Alright, I’ll buy this giant turnip and head back.
…It’s big, but I can manage to carry it if I hug it. Yes, this is doable.
While I continued browsing the food market with the enormous turnip in my arms…
“Hey, isn’t that Hagasaki?”
“…No, you’re mistaken.”
“Hey, it is Hagasaki! You’re alive? How’ve you been?”
Before he could deny it, Hagasaki-kun was grabbed by the hand and enthusiastically shaken up and down.
“And that must be Maito with the turnip, right? How are you? Still a maid?”
Luckily, I was spared the vigorous handshaking due to holding the turnip.
“…How’s the classroom gathering going, Homura?”
Yes, this boisterous person is Homura-kun.
“Hmm? Well… kind of at a standstill? Like, prioritizing lives over classrooms?”
…Interesting.
While waiting for the others to join us, we entered a nearby café, a regular spot for Homura-kun.
…As you might guess from him having a regular spot, Homura-kun is currently living in this town.
In fact, Homura-kun and a few others from his party have been using this town as their base of operations.
“We headed east from that lava area, right? Then in the royal capital Aegis, I found my friend being sold, so we saved up money and bought him back.”
“Oh, I see. So, Aegis is the capital of this place, huh? It sounds like a country with a strict slave system, thanks for letting me know.”
“So, we bought them back, but they’re frozen and won’t wake up? So we need to return them, and then…”
“Wait. Frozen and won’t wake up? What exactly is the situation?”
When Hagasaki-kun interrupted Homura-kun’s story and asked for clarification, Homura-kun seemed to struggle for words and scratched his head.
“Well… um… yeah. It’s like they’re plant people? They don’t move at all.”
…So, it’s as if they’re dead, is that what you mean?
I’m interested in that information too. It might be related to the issue of life and death.
“And then, since Aegis is expensive, and there are more job opportunities in Kukults, we came here…”
…At this point, Homura-kun hesitated.
If he’s hesitating to talk, it must be a pretty tricky situation.
“This town is a mining town, right? So, you’d think there would be plenty of people working in mining, and they even seem to be recruiting quite a bit. But, you see, mining is still dangerous, right? So, people who work in such places… well, they seem to have some issues, you know?”
…Alright, I get it.
“Like… you know, we have it tough trying to survive in this world, right? We don’t have much money, and we don’t even know the market prices and stuff. So, those kids who started out in this town, they had no choice but to work in those places, it seems. And now, we’re doing part-time jobs to help those kids.”
…The first and second parts of his explanation don’t quite connect, but I think I understand. Essentially, they just need money, right?
“So, how much for one person, and how many of them are there?”
“One person costs 250 gold coins… and we’ve confirmed about seven of them, I think?”
I see. So, it’s 1,750 gold coins in total. That’s 175 platinum coins.
…They’re getting quite a discount.
Miura-kun and Misaki-san were paid much more.
Well, selling to nobles and selling as laborers might be quite different.
“Yeah, I think we can handle that.”
“Huh!? Seriously!? You’re not kidding, are you? Are you rich!?”
“Rich? More like having an unlimited money generator.”
“Wow, that’s amazing! Then you can help everyone!”
Homura-kun is getting excited, but there are so many questions I need to ask before we proceed.
“But why do you need money just to help those who are working in the mines? Were they captured and almost sold as slaves or something?”
“Nah, that’s not it. They’re not selling the people they captured.”
Homura-kun, you may be laughing, but there’s something you don’t know. If you head further south from here…
There’s someone who was captured and almost sold right there.
However, at this moment, Homura-kun’s expression turned serious, and he said something terrifying.
“…They were sold. The club members.”
…What?
