WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Alyo
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Surviving as a Warrior in a TRPG World ◈
Chapter 70: The Return (4)
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From full plate to plate mail and scale mail, Gerik tried on every kind of armor, checking the fit and suitability of each type and weight.
Grimdal watched Gerik move about in the armor, then spoke after a moment of thought.
“Is it your build...? I’ll be honest. Even now, your strength isn’t bad for your size.”
It was a sharp assessment. After watching only a few movements, Grimdal had correctly realized that, thanks to Wild Blessing, Gerik was stronger than others of the same build.
“If you can increase your strength further through a skill, plate mail with vambraces would probably suit you best.”
Grimdal said Gerik could likely handle full plate if he pushed himself, but it would not suit an adventurer who had to travel on foot without a mount.
Especially for an adventurer traversing the rough terrain of the Demonwild Forest, full plate would likely become a burden instead.
“I have a rough idea now. But to get an accurate estimate, we’ll have to test you again after you learn that skill.”
Grimdal explained that this would make it possible to craft equipment perfectly suited to Gerik’s physical traits. It was a reasonable suggestion, so Gerik readily agreed.
Once they had settled the matter of armor, Gerik took out the Grizzly Owl talons again.
“Right. So, are these talons useful?”
“Of course!”
Grimdal said Grizzly Owl talons were excellent material for forging swords, especially shortswords or versatile adventuring blades.
“The Tyrant’s talons are light and sharp, yet sturdier than any metal! They’re a little awkward for longswords because of their length, but for making daggers, they’re truly the finest material!”
Gerik had originally intended to sell the talons. But after hearing Grimdal’s passionate explanation, he found himself more interested in having equipment made from them.
“Then if I give you all these talons, could you make me a sword?”
“One sword? That would be far too favorable an offer for me. I’m no thief!”
Grimdal waved both hands with a stern expression, then made another proposal.
“Let’s do this instead! I’ll take five of the ten talons as payment, and make you several blades with the other five.”
Grimdal listed them one by one: shortswords of different lengths, a skinning knife, a camp knife, and throwing knives.
The Grizzly Owl talons were so light that carrying several blades would not be much of a burden.
It was an excellent offer, so Gerik accepted without hesitation. Then he remembered the beak and asked Grimdal another question.
“I see. By the way, what can I use the beak for? Can it be made into equipment too?”
“That? It’s perfect as a magical material.”
Unfortunately, the Grizzly Owl’s beak did not seem especially useful for making equipment.
Since Grimdal was not a mage and had no use for it, he offered to introduce Gerik to a nearby mage. Gerik could sell it there and make a tidy sum.
“Hmm... I see. How much is it worth?”
“The beak? You should get at least ten gold coins.”
“What? Ten gold coins?”
Gerik was surprised by the larger sum than expected. Grimdal snorted at the reaction.
“Even ten is cheap. If you go to a Mage Tower in a big city and bargain well, you could easily get fifteen. Do you think the Tyrant of the Forest is just some mutt’s name?”
Gerik nodded at the explanation. He had little interest in magic and wanted to sell the beak, so he asked Grimdal for an introduction to the mage.
“Of course. Shall I write you a letter of introduction too?”
For Gerik, a big spender who paid generously every time he visited, Grimdal was even willing to vouch for him. Gerik gratefully accepted the letter and received directions to the workshop.
“Thanks for the introduction. I’ll see you again in a few days!”
Gerik said his goodbyes and turned to leave, but Grimdal stopped him.
“Are you really going to leave the armor you’re wearing in that condition? Take it off and leave it here. I’ll repair it in the meantime.”
“...Oh! You’re right. Just a moment.”
Come to think of it, though they were in relatively better condition, Gerik’s Grizzly Owl leather-lined armor and leggings had also suffered severe damage during his journey.
Without complaint, Gerik took off the armor and leggings and handed them to Grimdal.
‘This feels strange.’
He had worn the armor and leggings almost every day for nearly a month. Wearing only ordinary linen clothes again after so long left Gerik feeling oddly unprotected and uncomfortable.
‘According to Ilvern, it’ll take at least three days...’
He had time before acquiring the Strength Enhancement skill anyway, so Gerik left Grimdal and headed at an easy pace toward the mage’s workshop Grimdal had introduced.
‘What kind of building is this...’
Was this what a witch’s house from a fairy tale in his previous life had looked like? A two-story building, so ramshackle it seemed almost bizarre, stood before Gerik.
Creeeak...!
“Is anyone here?”
Gerik opened the poorly maintained, squeaking door and stepped inside, calling for someone.
‘Well... it certainly looks like a mage’s workshop.’
All sorts of miscellaneous items lay scattered across the interior. At the counter in the middle of the room, a freckled girl with striking red hair was dozing off.
“Excuse me...?”
“!!”
When Gerik spoke from in front of the counter, the girl sprang to her feet, startled by his sudden presence.
“Uh... what can I do for you?”
She looked at Gerik with an exhausted expression. Perhaps because of his shabby ordinary clothes, she did not seem to regard him as a proper customer.
Regardless, Gerik unpacked his things, showed Grimdal’s letter of introduction and the Grizzly Owl’s beak, and spoke.
“I’m an adventurer sent by Mr. Grimdal. I killed a Grizzly Owl this time, and I’d like to sell some of the materials.”
When the huge beak, distinctive to the most dangerous monster of the Demonwild Forest, was placed before her, the girl’s half-closed eyes widened like lanterns.
She apparently could not imagine that the young man in front of her, dressed so ordinarily, had killed the Tyrant of the Forest and come to sell its materials.
“Just a moment...!!”
Her attitude changed at once, and she told Gerik to wait before hurrying up the stairs to the second floor.
“Grandpa!”
Before long, a crash and clatter! sounded, and a white-haired man with sharp features came down the stairs behind the girl.
He wore an outfit much like Minos’s, the kind that practically declared, “I am a mage.” He stopped before Gerik, looked him up and down, and spoke.
“You came to sell a Grizzly Owl’s beak?”
Gerik nodded and took out the huge Grizzly Owl beak wrapped in cloth once more. The mage’s eyes lit up.
“An intact beak. And a high-grade specimen at that!”
The mage was deeply interested. Without even asking Gerik’s permission, he quickly picked up the beak and began examining it from every angle.
It was rude behavior, in a way, but Gerik did not bother stopping him.
“Wow... this is... a fully grown adult, isn’t it?”
The mage seemed to like the beak greatly. He examined it for a long while, then stroked it as though he had obtained something precious before asking Gerik.
“...How much do you want for it?”
“Mr. Grimdal told me I should get at least ten gold coins for something like this. Is that possible?”
The mage realized Gerik had already received a proper price estimate from one of the town’s established craftsmen and let out a low groan.
After thinking for a while, he looked at the beak with obvious regret and spoke.
“I dearly want to buy it, but I poured money into a new experiment recently... I don’t have ten gold coins in cash right now. Would you be willing to accept barter for at least part of it?”
Rather than being disappointed, Gerik looked intrigued at the word barter.
‘Barter...’
In truth, he was not especially short on money right now.
Even after paying thirty gold coins for equipment, he would have the considerable sum of twenty gold coins left from his reward. On top of that, he still had all the money he had earned before. Gerik had a full thirty-five gold coins in his possession.
“What kind of items do you have?”
When Gerik showed he was open to a deal, the mage’s expression brightened at once. In an excited voice, he began describing his workshop.
First, he said the first floor stocked various low-grade potions, including healing potions, antidotes, and stamina potions.
It also carried several low-grade scrolls with effects such as light, identification, water creation, and warmth maintenance, which he said would be truly helpful for adventurers.
“And while they’re low-grade, I have a few artifacts as well.”
The mage enthusiastically listed his items one after another. There was a ring that cast a low-grade acceleration spell for five minutes once a day, though it caused thirty minutes of exhaustion afterward.
There were boots that offered no defense at all but muffled the wearer’s footsteps. There was even a magic lamp that illuminated the surroundings for one hour each day.
‘They’re all mediocre, but what are these prices...’
The cheapest item started at eighty silver coins. Gerik inwardly shook his head at the mage’s explanation.
All the artifacts were mediocre low-grade goods, already making him hesitate over whether to buy them. Their outrageous prices did nothing to tempt him.
He gently interrupted the mage’s impassioned speech and asked,
“I’m more interested in healing potions than artifacts... How much are those?”
When Gerik showed interest in healing potions, the mage’s eyes brightened as he began boasting about the potions he made.
“As for our workshop’s healing potions, even among low-grade potions, their restorative power is known to be a clear step above the products from Lushana’s Magic Basket! Well... there is the minor issue that they cost about twenty silver coins more per bottle.”
‘...Twenty silver coins is minor?’
Gerik was dumbfounded, but the mage casually brushed aside the price issue as though it were nothing.
Then the mage passionately explained that, unlike Lushana’s Magic Basket, which sold only healing potions, this place also carried stamina potions and antidotes.
“...May I take a look?”
“Certainly!”
The mage personally led Gerik to the display case holding the healing potions.
Gerik calmly picked up one bottle, pretending to inspect it as he opened his Status Window.
[Low-grade Healing Potion]
『Type: Potion』
『Grade: Low-grade』
『Effect: Stops bleeding and rapidly heals wounds through magical healing power. Its effectiveness decreases for severe wounds or repeated use.』
『Note: ...Let’s just call the side effect a “special sensation,” shall we? - Vitalis Holdings, Employee of the Month Philip J. Smith -』
‘Not bad.’
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