“… So then, this will definitely become a legendary sword.” (Jiro)

“No, most end up useless.” (Shopkeeper)

“What the.” (Jiro)

“Did I ever say that? That’s the reason it’s called the ‘Blacksmith’s Tears’ since it can make them tear up in laughter.” (Shopkeeper)

In short, I thought it was a hidden treasure rolled in because it uses a rare material. It was a joke that rolled in instead.

If there was a material that had a high probability of turning into a legendary sword on its own, then there would be no need for blacksmiths to make weapons.

So, instead of weapons, Mineral Trees will line up the store, but just I saw a Single Mineral Tree in this store, but it was in a glass case, and it was in a place that was not very noticeable.

In other words, it’s a high-class gamble.

If you’re lucky, you’ll have the potential to get a cheap, legendary sword.

“Well, it’s about one in 10,000 that this one will become a legendary sword. I’ve been a blacksmith for a long time, but I haven’t heard about it happening.” (shopkeeper)

It is wise to follow the advice of the shopkeeper who tells me that I should buy a decent sword.

But I thought that would be boring.

I was already at the end of my twenties, there was no end in sight, and even if I could see that I would fail, there was something different about taking the high risk.

“Shopkeeper, I’ll buy this one.” (Jiro)

“… Do you need an ENT?” (Shopkeeper) [T/N: ENT or Ear-Nose-Throat doctor or Otolaryngologists. They are the ones you call for hearing problems.]

“You did not mishear me.” (Jiro)

“Hey, hey, Customer Are you insane? Did you hear what I just said? Are your ears for decoration? This thing will become a money-grubber. Even if you stick it in the ground to plant it later, it won’t fetch a decent price until a thousand years from now. If you’re a long-lived species fine. However, you’re a human, you’ll live another sixty years at the most, and you’ll never get your money’s worth, you know?” (Shopkeeper)

“I don’t mind, if I fail, I fail, I’ll just laugh about it as I drink.” (Jiro)

“And if you go into debt, it won’t be funny either.” (Shopkeeper)

Apparently, this shopkeeper is a gentle giant who cares enough about me to worry about me.

Then I’ll give it back with a fearless smile that will dispel that anxiety.

“Fortunately, I’ve saved enough money to buy this. Of course, it’s a single payment.” (Jiro)

“… Huh! You’re an idiot! Oh! Then I won’t stop you! If you pay properly, you’re a customer! Unlike some eccentric dwarves, we giants give weapons to those who ask for them! There’s no point in storing them! We’ll give them to anyone who’ll pay us well! I don’t give a damn about your abilities! A weapon is a weapon! Weapons are useless if you don’t use them! If you’re a customer, get your money out!” (Shopkeeper)

“Wow, you went from zero to a hundred.” (Jiro)

“Of course I am! It’s been a long time since I had the moron to laugh at! With a weapon that may become useless, still, you’re trying to grow a legendary sword with a measly chance of success. Still, I am in this kind of business! If I don’t grab this opportunity, I am denying being a giant.” (Shopkeeper)

Was I a fool who was shopping way over my budget? Still, I withdrew money from an ATM and brought it to the counter. The shopkeeper accepted it without calling me a fool.

“By the way, how do you carry your weapons?” (Shopkeeper)

“Well… I have it in my hand?” (Jiro)

“You carry your weapon with you all the time, idiot. Here’s a tool to keep your weapon on your back. It’s a magic stone tool, so if you want to put it on, it will stay on, and if you want to take it off, it will unfasten!” (Shopkeeper)

“Woah!” (Jiro)

Are you some gentle giant, you can probably be called the gentlest giant?

It’s probably the result of buying big, like an extra discounted product. It’s like buying an expensive car, so you can buy a car navigation system at a discounted price.

“I’ll give this to you for 100,000 yen!” (Shopkeeper)

I withdraw my previous statement, he was not a kind giant, but a giant with a strong business spirit.

“You still want to take my money!” (Jiro)

“Haa! That’s right! Giving away your work for nothing is like smearing sh*t all over your work!” (Jiro)

Life was never truly kind.

I could understand what he was saying, but after spending so much money, I couldn’t accept it.

I looked up at the shopkeeper’s stern face with a frown, but he just smiled and shook the belt-type fixture, which seemed to be of good quality, and said nothing.

The Mineral Tree is a type of longsword, but it is slightly longer than the wooden swords I’ve used so far, and the weight is also doubled.

No matter how much my body is strengthened by my status, it is impossible to keep holding at it at all times.

“Every time you use it—the Mineral Tree will grow so wield it properly and let your magical power flow! If you have any questions, you can come here!” (Shopkeeper)

In the end, I ended up buying the magic tool, and my savings ended up plunging more than I thought.

The magic tool I bought as a bonus was quite a painful expense.

“Next is armor and medicine.” (Jiro)

For now, I’m wearing a suit and carrying a single-edged long sword that looks like an iron plank.

Of course, I couldn’t dive into the dungeon looking like this, and the instructors had been messing with my equipment long ago.

Suela arranged for repairs and maintenance, especially for the armor provided, every time after each training, but it was finally done in on the last day of my training and it was just recently too.

It was crushed during my sparring with the toy sword.

According to Instructor Kio, he said that I became strong enough to accept a few slight mistakes in him controlling his strength. Nevertheless, as someone whose armor was destroyed and was forced to spend a lot of money, I felt sad that I had gotten stronger in that way.

And the result is reflected in my armor.

“Excuse me. Do you have any armor that is easy to move in and protects vital points? I am on a tight budget.” (Jiro)

For the time being, I decided on my buying plan and entered the store.

I remembered that I’m the type of person who buys the strongest weapons in RPGs and puts off the armor until later, as I asked the shopkeeper, a giant of a woman with a model body two heads taller than me.

I wandered around the store a few more times, comparing prices.

Honestly, I couldn’t do the same shopping as before, so I went cold turkey at a few stores as I examined them.

However, you can’t have what you don’t have (money).

That’s why I need to examine everything carefully.

“Honestly, I don’t know what I’m looking at.” (Jiro)

“Once you know, you won’t need us.” (Shopkeeper)

The shopkeeper, who was quiet as ever as she watched me go about the armor shop, could see that I was struggling to make do with my small budget and spoke to me.

“Is there something you can recommend?” (Jiro)

I honestly asked for help.

It’s something you see in games, anime, novels, and so on.

The protagonists easily choose their equipment, thinking that this metal is strong, this monster’s leather is rare, this gem has this effect, and so on.

I can only tell if the price is cheap or not.

There are armors that are almost double the price of a single piece of leather armor, even though they are all made of the same material.

“The majority of what you see here is made from materials not found on Earth. Well, there are a lot of design and technical aspects that I’ve used as a reference, but in terms of materials, you shouldn’t rely on your own criteria to apply.” (Shopkeeper)

No wonder they had clothes that looked like some kind of JSDF equipment.

If the equipment on the mannequins were affordable, I would have bought it for sure.

Since the equipment’s properties are different, and even if the armors are divided into clothes that look like cosplay or modern armor, I still want to wear clothes that are accepted by my common sense as much as possible.

What was so sad was that a man who was just before his thirties and had been a salaryman until recently would wear a fantasy-like outfit. Thus making him stand out like he was trying hard to fit in a video game.

If I go that far, I will reach the level of dining entertainment.

The reason I chose this store is that it has more modern-looking clothes than the previous three stores.

Some of my colleagues were happily choosing their equipment at the previous store. However, I felt a generation gap when I saw a group of college students, both male, and female, with a youthful, or should I say Challenger’s, spirit, putting on a lively cosplay show.

“At least I shouldn’t think that price equals strong equipment. Some equipment is rare and effective for certain races, but completely useless when used by others. It’s best to just ask a professional.” (Shopkeeper)

What this shopkeeper was saying was probably true.

But if I took her word for it, I would be shopping like a duck with a target on my back.

I need to compare prices and have enough knowledge through independent investigation.

“Don’t worry. I’m not going to rip you off unless you’re a terrible customer.” (Shopkeeper)

“… Was my face that obvious?” (Jiro)

“That’s not the case. I am just good at reading people. Rest assured, it seems like you’ve experienced a lot, but it doesn’t appear on your face. So it’s fine.” (Jiro)

The shopkeeper’s face was smiling as she pointed to her right eye with a tap.

I don’t know why she wears her hair like that, whether it’s because it gets in the way of her work or because it’s a fashion statement, but along with her short, clean-cut hair, her personality seems to be as smooth as splitting bamboo.

The shopkeeper at the weapons store and the shopkeeper in front of me are both very good at dealing with people.

It’s easy for me, but,

“The weapon on your back indicates that you are a vanguard, or a warrior on the front lines?” (Shopkeeper)

“Well, you’re right.” (Jiro)

“It’s part of my job to keep the customer’s secret, but it’s better to look at their status and recommend an equipment.” (Shopkeeper)

I was confused to be honest because that didn’t happen at the weapon shop earlier, but there are some parts that she said that I can believe are true.

However, I feel that it is better to keep my information secret as much as possible, so there is some heaviness in my heart.

“Wait a minute.” (Jiro)

“As you can see, it’s the first day of business, but the place is deserted, so don’t worry about it.” (Shopkeeper)

It’s up to me to decide whether or not to trust the shopkeeper, who seems to be waving her hand in a carefree manner as if to say that she’s really not busy.

Besides, even if this is a store under a bigger organization, it may be worthwhile to think about whether it makes sense to take my information.

“It’s just the way it is.” (Jiro)

I was confused and worried, but in the end, I decided to let it pass.

I started up the diagnostic app on the device I brought with me and hid the skill part of the status I displayed by activating the hidden function and decided to show the rest.