Chapter 33: The Submaster in High Spirits
When I showed up with the submaster, the old man in charge of dismantling came rushing over.
Under the submaster’s expectant stare, I started lining up my kills—beginning with the birds.
Chikki chikki Birds: 18
(I even threw in the ones I’d kept for food.)
Runner Birds: 14
Green Birds: 15
Red Chickens: 12
Large Horn Boars: 2
Carrion Beasts: 9
Mid-sized Elk: 1
Buffalo: 1
Black Wolves: 7
Gray Wolves: 4
Black Bear: 1
High Orcs: 2
Orc: 1
“No way!”
“This little squirt caught all that?”
“He really hunts solo?”
When I turned toward the voices, I saw that the chatty bunch from earlier had followed us.
“You lot still thinking about fighting this guy after seeing that?”
The submaster’s voice made them shake their heads—though they couldn’t take their eyes off the mountain of prey.
“With this many Chikki chikki Birds, His Grace the Duke will be thrilled.
It’ll also rub the Warrens Trading Company the wrong way—and prove that the guild doesn’t answer to mere viscounts.”
“Hey, make sure you give him a good price!”
With a cheerful grin, the submaster called out to the appraiser and walked off.
I didn’t have to go all the way to the next town anymore, but I still didn’t feel quite satisfied—so I decided to grab a drink.
When I went back to the dining hall, I noticed people staring. My back started to itch from all the attention.
Meanwhile…
“Guildmaster, I’ve got something that might really stick it to the Warrens Trading Company.”
“Oh? You actually found something that convenient?”
“You remember that kid Leon—the one the Warrens Company put a bounty on after their men vanished in Korche?”
“Yeah, the one with the Chikki chikki Birds or whatever.”
“Well, that Leon just showed up downstairs. He’s putting up eighteen Chikki chikki Birds and fourteen Runner Birds for appraisal.”
“Heh… this could get interesting. Inform His Grace the Duke immediately. And make sure that Leon kid doesn’t get handed over to the Warrens bunch.”
“They’ve only issued a search request—no formal warrant. As long as we don’t deal with them directly, it’s fine. Besides, after seeing what that kid brought in, I doubt they could easily capture him anyway.”
“He’s that capable, huh?”
“He’s got his haul lined up in the dismantling area. Want to see for yourself?”
As I was munching on some ale snacks to fill the gap from my half-finished meal, the submaster came back—this time walking a step behind a barrel-shaped old man.
“You’re Leon, right? If anyone from the Warrens Trading Company shows up, notify the submaster immediately. Also—you’re promoted to Bronze Rank, Class Two.”
He said just that, turned on his heel, and left.
The submaster gave me a wry smile.
Less than two years, and I was already Bronze Class Two.
From around me, I heard people whispering—
“Direct promotion from the Guildmaster himself!”
Wind magic’s a pretty low-key discipline, so I’d planned to keep a quiet profile and earn steadily.
Apparently, things don’t go so smoothly in this world.
To begin with, wind magic gets lumped in with water magic as “useless,” but maybe I overdid it with the Chikki chikki Bird haul.
All that hard work to buy what I wanted seems to have backfired—but it’s too late to hide it now. Might as well give up.
Appraisal results:
Chikki chikki Bird – 78,000 Dara each
Runner Bird – 40,000 Dara each
Black Wolf – 35,000 Dara each
Gray Wolf – 40,000 Dara each
Black Bear – 260,000 Dara
High Orc – 115,000 Dara
Every single one set a new record high.
The others were priced generously too.
Total: 4,247,000 Dara.
Honestly, that number’s a little scary.
With my on-hand funds exceeding 11 million Dara, I decided to upgrade my clothes and weapons.
At the counter, I collected 42 gold coins, 4 silver coins, and 7 copper coins.
The people at the counter murmured in surprise, but I ignored them, asked for a good hotel recommendation, and left the guild.
No tag-alongs this time, so I headed comfortably to the hotel they’d told me about—
The Adeliana Hotel on Adeliana Street.
They’d said it was mid-range, but it looked a bit rundown.
I didn’t mind—it was clean enough.
I told the lady at the counter that the Adventurers’ Guild had recommended it, said I wanted to stay two or three days, and placed down two silver coins.
“One night’s four copper coins. Meals are separate at the dining hall.”
I agreed and asked her to arrange a carriage tomorrow for a trip to a magic-tool merchant.
Once again, clothes got postponed, but flashing a few gold coins should make things easier.
Tomorrow’s plan:
- Visit the magic-tool shop.
- Go to the blacksmith.
- Order new boots.
- Finally, buy clothes.
Mom used to say even off-the-rack clothes can take time with fittings and adjustments, so that’s last on the list.
Later, the gate guard brought a sealed letter addressed to the duke’s butler—an unusual delivery from the Adventurers’ Guild.
When Duke Barland entered his office the next morning, his butler Nilbert handed him the letter.
“My lord, it’s a report from the Guildmaster of the Adventurers’ Guild.”
“And what does it say?”
“It seems the Warrens Trading Company has issued an informal search for an adventurer.
Their emissaries approached him for a commission and never returned—they suspect the man killed them. That adventurer is said to be staying in this city, frequenting the Adventurers’ Guild. He has brought in a large number of Chikki chikki Birds and Runner Birds for sale.”
“Warrens, huh? That gluttonous man who’s always making waves.”
The duke muttered.
“If he’s putting out a search order, his agents will show up in this city sooner or later.”
“I’ve already arranged for the guild to notify us if anyone from the Warrens Trading Company appears—on the pretext of negotiating the purchase of Chikki chikki Birds and Runner Birds,”
Nilbert replied.
“Good. I’ve heard that man’s been cozying up to Marquis Fleming, and the marquis is giving him favors. Don’t let him do whatever he pleases.”
Bowing deeply at the duke’s words, Nilbert began making plans to handle both the purchase of the birds and the possible arrival of the Warrens’ agents.
After breakfast, I relaxed with a cup of tea while waiting for the carriage to arrive.
When it did, I handed the driver four silver coins and asked him to take me around to a magic-tool shop, a blacksmith, and somewhere I could order boots.
The first stop was Molphet Magic Tools—I’d seen one in Rosenne, so it must be a chain store.
I showed the guard at the entrance my Rank 5 magic bag and told him I was there to request a time-extension enchantment; he let me through right away.
I asked for a 30-hour time delay on my Rank 5–30 magic bag and placed 32 gold coins on the counter.
Once upgraded to Rank 5–60, I wouldn’t have to worry about stored prey spoiling for quite some time.
My food supplies were in a Rank 3–50 bag, so even things that normally lasted only a day could now keep for fifty—no rush to expand that further.
I got back in the carriage and had the driver take me to a blacksmith reputed for good craftsmanship.
From the back of the soot-darkened building came the rhythmic sound of hammering, and when I opened the door, a wave of heat greeted me.
“Welcome… oh? What can I do for you, kid?”
“I’d like to order a short spear.”
“You? I can tell you’re an adventurer, but custom work doesn’t come cheap.”
Without a word, I showed my guild card.
“I’ve earned enough to afford it. I want a short spear made of magic steel—and, if possible, a knife as well.”
The woman gave me a double take from head to toe, then beckoned me inside.
She led me into the forge, where two men—father and son, judging by their resemblance—were hammering away.
“Hey, you’ve got a customer. He wants to order a short spear—hear him out,”
She said, heading back toward the front.
The older man wiped his brow.
“A short spear, huh? What kind are you looking for?”
I pulled out the one I’d bought from an adventurer’s shop. He grimaced openly.
I explained that I wanted something a little thicker, about 140 cm long, with a 60 cm single-edged blade.
“A single edge, you say?”
“Yes. I work solo, so I often clear underbrush while traveling. If the underside’s sharp, I have to be careful not to nick it on the ground. A single edge lets me cut through without worrying about scraping it. Please use magic steel.”
“That’ll run you at least 500,000 Dara.”
“I’ll also need a knife.”
I handed him my current knife. He glanced at it, then pointed toward the wall, which was lined with blades of all shapes and sizes.
“Pick a shape and size you like.”
Scanning them, I chose one resembling a machete, about 30 cm in blade length.
The short spear came to 850,000 Dara, the knife 320,000 Dara, and I asked for a plain sheath that wouldn’t draw attention.
I paid 1,170,000 Dara in total, with pickup set for a week later, then moved on to the next stop.
The next shop sold purely functional leather armor—just the kind I needed.
The driver clearly knew his stuff.
The friendly-looking shopkeeper’s smile faded when I said “boots,” though.
Maybe he’d hoped I’d buy armor instead—since few adventurers actually splurge on full leather gear.
Even combat-focused parties usually just wear a breastplate or gauntlets, so his disappointment was obvious.
He took my foot measurements anyway, and I asked how much the best quality boots would cost.
“For top-grade adventurer boots… about six gold coins—600,000 Dara,”
He replied with a sheepish grin.
I silently handed him six gold coins and said I’d like them ready in a week.
His face lit up instantly. “Leave it to me!” he said.
His every thought showed plainly on his face—I almost laughed, but he seemed like a decent guy.
Finally, I had the driver take me somewhere I could get decent clothes.
But as soon as I walked in, they told me, “We don’t carry adventurer outfits here.”
“Not a problem,”
I said.
“I just want something a bit nicer—street clothes that won’t look out of place at a decent hotel or a merchant guild.”
In an instant, the clerk’s expression flipped—“Right this way, sir!”—and I was led inside with all the charm they could muster.
Unfortunately, the clothes weren’t much better than what I’d worn before leaving home.
Sighing, I pulled a few gold coins from my purse and said,
“Show me something that would make me look like the young master of a respectable shop, at least.”