Wof 13 Years Old ⑤
OOPArts.
In my previous life, it was a general term for products of technology that shouldn’t have existed in that era.
Famous examples include crystal skulls, golden shuttle figurines, and dinosaur dogu figures.
But in this world, it’s a little different.
OOPArts amplify the power of Relics.
They are mainly weapons, armor, accessories, and the like, often found as treasure in Dungeons.
There’s a lot that’s unknown about OOPArts.
They have compatibility issues; they don’t amplify the power of just any Relic.
Apparently, the Relic’s owner can sense this compatibility.
It’s like they are guided or chosen.
It’s fate, I guess.
OOPArts are rare.
They are sometimes traded at high prices.
However, if an OOPArt isn’t compatible with a Relic, it’s just an ordinary weapon or accessory.
OOPArts are merely mediums.
Separate from those are Legacies.
Items that hold the power of a Relic.
In terms of my past life memories, “magic items” would be the closest description.
Although they are items, all Legacies are consumable.
Permanent types are called Legendaries.
Both types are valuable and expensive.
“An OOPArt?”
“No doubt about it. Saw it with my [Appraisal] Relic.”
The Relic [Appraisal] is a commonly known Relic.
It can discern the quality of weapons and armor, and whether something is an OOPArt.
“To think you can’t buy it…”
“Wof. I’m taking this thing to the Seeker Guild.”
“To the Seeker Guild?”
I furrowed my brow skeptically.
Arifa-san continued with a serious expression.
“There was a search request with an illustration of a ring that looks a lot like this one. I’m taking it to see if this is it.”
“What happens then?”
“If it’s the requested item, I’ll give the reward money to you, Wof, minus the brokerage fee.”
“And if it’s not?”
“In that case, let’s see. There are a few people who want OOPArts. How about I sell it to one of them, take out the fee, and give the rest to you, Wof?”
“Understood. Please do.”
As long as it sells, I don’t care.
I left the ring with her and exited the Antique Shop.
Four days later.
I entered the Dungeon’s Junkyard.
As usual, I used my Relics [Danger Detection] and [Wheel of Fortune].
“…Hmm.”
One green light. Two green lights.
No yellow lights. And naturally, no blue lights either.
However, there’s one yellow light at a red point that’s almost white… No, let’s give up on that.
I want to eliminate the possibility of getting injured as much as possible.
I headed towards the first green light.
As I climbed a trash heap and reached the target location, I heard voices.
“Hey, did you hear?”
“Hear what?”
“That Forest. Some idiot tried to challenge it again.”
“Again? Even Tier II Seekers couldn’t handle it.”
“Talk about reckless. They’re just going there to die…”
“Seriously. Even if they say there’s amazing treasure there… How many Seekers have already been sacrificed? But how do they even know someone went in?”
“I don’t really know either, but apparently, a Whistle kept at the Guild starts sounding.”
“A Whistle?”
“That’s how they know, they say.”
“What the heck is that?”
They were chatting nearby.
“More importantly, hey, did you see?”
“See what?”
Chatting while searching.
It was two boys.
“You know, that Tier III Seeker party… the really pretty one…”
“Ah, ‘Torquetum’?”
“Torque… what?”
“That’s their party name. Torquetum.”
“Huh, you know a lot.”
“My old man apparently found out when he went to the Guild.”
So they’re called Torquetum.
“Your old man… he was a Seeker, right?”
“Just a humble Tier V.”
“Isn’t he gonna rank up?”
“He used to be fired up about it, but he’s given up now.”
“I see. The talent wall. Heard it’s tough. Oh, an Emblem!”
“That’s rare. Which party’s is it?”
“A crow… Raven Saga… Know them?”
“Dunno.”
“Yeah, figured.”
“Let’s get going.”
“Our haul is 6 arrowheads, an undamaged pouch, and this Emblem.”
“Mine’s a broken bronze sword, a steel plate, and a rabbit’s tail.”
“That’s a lucky charm, isn’t it? Nice find.”
“You think? If it was, I doubt it’d be lying around here.”
“…Yeah, right.”
And with that, they left.
That’s a decent haul for them.
“Ah!”
While I was looking away, my Knife snapped with a crack.
There was metal used in a part of the leather armor I was struggling to remove.
It got caught awkwardly on that, and the Knife went snap… it was over.
It’s finished. Haaaah.
“……Haa.”
A sigh escaped me. I’m in shock. So shocked it feels empty.
Having no choice, I used a minimal [Vanish] to erase and remove it.
I don’t really want to use it out in the open, but it can’t be helped.
“Just my luck…”
It was cheap, but it was a Knife I’d sharpened myself and even used like a kitchen knife.
I was quite attached to it. I’d taken care of it in my own way.
It snapped clean in half, right down the middle.
It seems like the Knife’s durability limit was near.
“…Knife… Haaaa.”
Another pent-up sigh escaped. This is a painful expense.
A Knife is indispensable, so going without one is unthinkable.
I hoped the green light under this armor would at least be a dagger, but what came out was a cigarette case.
Made of bronze. Simple, with no patterns or decorations, so probably for a commoner.
The tobacco inside was completely dried out and crumbling.
I threw away the crumbled tobacco.
The next green light was an hourglass.
This world also has the concept of time, and clocks exist.
However, a day in this world is 26 hours long. About two hours longer than in my previous life.
Well, so what?
There’s a clock tower in the Royal Capital.
But normally, people tell time by the sound of church bells.
The church bells ring once every hour from 6 AM until evening.
At night, they ring only once, at midnight, which is 26:00.
It’s confusing, but this world’s sense of time isn’t precise, it’s rough, so this is fine.
And while there are no wristwatches, pocket watches exist.
However, they are crafted with the height of technology and are items for nobles.
I don’t know the exact price, but they’re expensive.
Probably about the same as luxury watches from my old world.
Like 10 million, or 100 million.
Hourglasses have the same uses as in my old world.
They’re treated more like kitchen timers than stopwatches.
There are also water clocks, fire clocks, and the like.
Also, apparently, there are Relics that let you know the exact time.
It’s plain, but convenient if you think about it.
Then there are Legacy clocks.
The price? Astronomical, or rather, they’re national treasures.
“A cigarette case and an hourglass, huh.”
Green lights indicate rarity. But whether they’re things that will sell is another matter.
Just because it’s rare doesn’t mean it will sell. The fact that Super Ultra Rares don’t sell is a good example.
Even so.
I don’t feel like my haul will fetch a higher price than what those two guys I overheard earlier found.
Still, sometimes things sell for strangely high prices, so you never know.
Well then, shall I get back to excavating?
Let’s stay a little longer than usual today.
I need money to buy a Knife.