Chapter 8: To the Elf Village 09
The incineration site was a deep, hemispherical pit dug into the square, and I began tossing the corpses I retrieved from my Item Box into it one after another. By the way, it seems that stripping weapons, armor, and even clothing from the bodies is common practice, as they are considered valuable items. From a Japanese perspective, putting items taken from corpses back into the Item Box feels a bit unsettling, but at this point, it’s too late to worry about that.
Once I had thrown in everything that wasn’t from the fallen adventurers, Lady Sfenia unleashed a series of fire spells, turning the remains to ash in the blink of an eye. The magic of a C-Rank adventurer is terrifyingly powerful.
However, the casual manner in which the bodies were disposed of is surprising, even in a fantasy world. “If we start worrying about the identities of every bandit, we’d never finish,” said Larni, but I couldn’t help but wonder what if they weren’t bandits… It turns out that the mysterious function of the Adventurer Card can determine whether the defeated foes were indeed bandits. If this treatment is based on such a hidden system, I suppose I can somewhat accept it.
In any case, with the Item Box considerably lighter, we parted ways with Lady Sfenia and headed straight for the Dungeon.
The F-Rank Dungeon in Marulo Village was a massive tree-shaped structure nestled within the forest. It was of the same type as the one we had explored in Tolson, and the monsters that appeared—Killer Bees, Killer Scissors, and Killer Worms—posed no challenge at all.
The boss was a rather rare sight: a single Killer Bee Soldier, which was swiftly dispatched by Freinir’s Holy Light spell.
The new Skills we acquired were Charm Resistance for me, Steel Body for Freinir, and Poison Resistance for Larni.
It feels somewhat significant that I, a man, gained Charm Resistance. Freinir acquiring Steel Body, which enhances her defense, is quite substantial. It’s also crucial that Larni, who is often on the front lines, gained Poison Resistance, especially since it seems to be effective against plagues as well.
After about three hours, we conquered the Dungeon and returned to the surface, where we found a suitable clearing in the forest to conduct our routine training.
Freinir did not sense any Undead until we returned to the village. I hope that incident was just my overthinking.
As we passed through the village gate, Larni stepped in front of me and said, “Hey, Soushi, we have some time before dinner. How about we explore the Elf Village?”
“That sounds good. Since we’re here, we might as well take a look. We might find something to buy. What do you think, Frei?”
“Yes, Soushi-sama. I’m also a bit interested in Elf clothing and accessories.”
I sensed a rare enthusiasm in Freinir’s voice. Now that I think about it, she had bought quite a few clothes before, so she might have an interest in fashion.
“Elf clothing does seem a bit different and interesting. The accessories look like they might be quite expensive too.”
“Yes, I think so. I’ve heard that the accessories made by Elves possess special powers.”
Hmm, could they be accessories with game-like status boosts?
As we walked down the main street, there were fewer people due to ongoing plague measures, but the shops seemed to be open as usual.
After checking out a few grocery and clothing stores, we entered an accessory shop.
“Welcome! …Could you be adventurers?”
The Elf man sitting behind the counter had apparently been working on some decorative items, as he set his tools down and turned to face us.
“Yes. May we take a look?”
“Of course! Are you looking for a gift for a girl? Or perhaps something useful for your adventures?”
“I’m after something useful…”
I glanced at Freinir and Larni.
“I’m… looking for both.”
“I’m also looking for both!”
“That’s what we’re after.”
The shopkeeper chuckled and said, “Haha! To your right are the regular accessories, and to your left are the practical items with magical effects. Feel free to take your time looking around.” He then returned to his work.
Following his instructions, I turned to the left shelf, which held the practical accessories. Freinir and Larni, being girls, began to browse the fashionable accessories on the opposite side.
As expected, the shelf displayed rings, bracelets, collars, and anklets. True to their practical nature, these items had minimal decoration and didn’t seem to be made of precious metals. Instead, they were embedded with something resembling crystals, giving them a somewhat magical tool-like appearance.
Beneath each item was a tag with a description and price, stating things like “Fire Resistance +1, 700,000 Rom” and “Body Enhancement +1, 1,600,000 Rom.” While the high prices were to be expected, the effects sounded so game-like that they seemed almost like a scam.
“What’s it like over there… wait, that’s expensive!” Larni exclaimed, peering over at my shelf in shock. Indeed, the prices were steep for a party just starting at D-Rank.
“Though the prices are high, it seems to be common for higher-ranked adventurers to wear multiple accessories. If you think of it as the price of life, it’s a bargain.”
The shopkeeper continued his work while saying this. Well, he’s not wrong. If these items truly have the effects listed, you’d want to wear as many as possible.
“These are a bit out of our reach right now. Besides, I don’t feel like my skills are lacking at the moment.”
“Maybe once we earn a bit more and start tackling C-Rank Dungeons, we can reconsider.”
I responded to Larni’s very reasonable observation and shifted my gaze to the shelf where Freinir was looking.
This shelf clearly displayed various intricately designed accessories. The prices ranged widely, from a few thousand Rom for something that looked like it could be sold at a stall to several hundred thousand Rom for items in elaborate cases. I wondered if it was really okay to display such expensive items on the shelf, but perhaps the Elf Village has good security.
I called out to Freinir, who was intently examining the items.
“Did you find anything you like?”
“Ah, yes… I think this one is cute.”
She pointed to a pendant shaped like a bird. The price was well within our current earnings. Given Freinir’s background as a high-ranking noble, I expected her to have a discerning eye for accessories, but it seems she’s quite earnest.
“Hmm, so Frei likes cute things more than I thought? I figured you’d be used to more sparkly items.”
Larni, as usual, was unreserved, but Freinir chuckled softly at her words.
“I was never allowed to wear animal-shaped items at home or in the church. I actually liked things like this.”
“Oh, really? Then it’s great that you became an adventurer!”
“Yes, indeed. I’ve met both Soushi-sama and Larni.”
While it turned into a somewhat heartwarming conversation, I noticed the shopkeeper in the back glancing at us with a smile. His eyes seemed to say, “You’re going to buy that, right?” but I suppose that’s just how these situations go.
“Ah, then I’ll buy that pendant as a gift for you. Larni, pick something out too.”
“Eh!? Is that okay? Thank you so much!”
“Lucky me, I’ll choose something expensive!”
It felt like a father buying something for his daughter at a festival stall. I never imagined I’d be doing something like this in another world, but… perhaps this isn’t so bad after all.