Did she already know what I would ask her for?

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'Space travel'

After passing through the illusory door, I appear in my house in the capital of the kingdom.

"I think before I go to see Erick, I should take a shower, as it will be very late afterwards and I still have to get back to Alessia. Ha... how hard is the life of a humble womanizer..."

 

...

 

After showering quickly to get rid of any smell that might incriminate me in front of Alessia, I head towards Erick's shop.

'The Wind brazier is fine, but it's too big. I should find out if there's a way to acquire a magical item that allows me to fly and is smaller. Something like a ring or a bracelet… Someday I have to visit old Gerald to ask him.'

If I approached a big city with the Wind Brazier, I would probably be shot down with arrows or magic.

That's another reason why we didn't get very close to the capital earlier today, when I came with Delia to the labyrinth.

'I have to stop being content with the scraps I find along the way and start actively looking for more tools. Like I did back in the day with my bow and arrows.'

If the battles in the full-scale war have taught me anything, it's that I need all the tools I can get, which is why I'm now going to Erick's shop to place an order that he is probably not expecting of me.

After all, it's not something which fits in very well with my usual fighting style.

'But I have to learn from my mistakes. If I had been better prepared, I wouldn't have had to sacrifice two of my precious arrows'

While I was resting with Yair and his group, I realized that, when the enemy Admiral General attacked me, I could have simply covered myself with Hernan's shield.

But it didn't occur to me because I had very little reaction time and because it wasn't an object I was used to, but....

Why couldn't I have my own shield and get used to using it?

My inventory is unlimited.

Why am I limiting my own possibilities?

Those are the conclusions I came to while pondering in the rest tent.

In the battle between the two admiral generals, I saw firsthand how magic items can tip the balance in combat.

So…

Shouldn't I get my own magic items?

After all, I have plenty of money. And I can always get more thanks to the golden labyrinth.

While I'm thinking and analyzing all these things again, the daylight around me grows dimmer and dimmer until, by the time I reach Erick's place, it's already completely dark.

Yet, as I suspected, the shop still has light inside.

"Hello, Jack, Is Erick still in the shop?"

I say to Erick's slave when I see him in front of the shop counter, as there is no sign of the blacksmith.

"Hi. Yes, master is still here, though we're about to close. Do you want me to call him?" Jack says, giving me a tired nod.

'Looks like I'm not the only one who's had a busy day'

I'm about to answer him, but then Erick's voice is heard from the back of the shop.

"Who are you talking to at this hour, Jack? Whoever it is, tell them to come back tomorrow. We're closing," says Erick's tired voice from the back of the shop.

"Whoever it is… Are you sure?" I reply in the direction the voice is coming from.

I've never been this late to Erick's shop before, but I can see it's not a very good idea.

At least not if I intend to find the blacksmith in a good mood.

"Agh, no. I see I'm going to have to eat my words.... You are one of my most valuable customers. I can't just kick you out of my shop. What do you need this time?" The blacksmith says, appearing from the back room and rubbing his hands together in anticipation, albeit with large dark circles under his eyelids.

"A shield. One that's as big and tough as you can make it, and with three free slots."

"Hahaha haha, you always ask for exaggerated things. But I like challenges. Anyway that order may take a very long time, Emir, and it won't come cheap..." Erick laughs, and for a moment, the tiredness seems to be erased from his countenance.

"Money is no problem. And about the time... How much time are we talking about?"

I already figured I'd have to shell out a few gold coins for the shield, but I don't care.

I'll invest the reward for putting my neck on the line in the full-scale war in something useful.

"For an order like this.... I don't know… a month?" Erick says, glancing briefly at Jack to consult him and reaffirm his assumptions. "I might be able to get it ready sooner, but I can't guarantee anything. Of course, if you were a bit more flexible with what you want.... is it really necessary for the shield to have three free spaces?"

"Yes. It's very important."

"Haa... Okay. I won't ask you what you want it for because I guess it's a stupid question. What runes do you want on the shield?" Erick asks, looking at me curiously.

"Two magical defenses runes and one of psychical defense. I had a chance to try out a shield with those runes, and let's just say I liked it so much I want to get one of my own."

"I wonder what you've been doing. There aren't many shields like that in the kingdom..." Erick begins to say, rubbing his forehead with the palm of his hand.

"... But that's none of my business. Very well. I'll try to get it ready as soon as possible. Stop by once a week to check how I'm doing with the order and to help me check how many free slots the shields I'm creating have. Also, you can still check out the free slots of my other creations as part of your payment for your shield. Now go away. I have to close up shop."

If it were any other occasion I would be offended that Erick would dismiss me like this from his shop, but right now it is understandable.

It says a lot about his professional sense that he decided to listen to my request at such a late hour.

"Thank you very much, Erick. See you in a week," I say, and start walking in the direction of the exit.

"Ahh, one more thing.... You better bring Alessia with you next time! I haven't seen her in a long time," Erik says, giving a wide yawn.

"Yeah" I say, and I walk out of the shop.

'Now it's really late...'

If it wasn't this dark, I was thinking of going to the archer brothers to try and get more arrows like mine made.

I know the archer brothers didn't appreciate my bow and arrows and thought they were little more than rubbish.

But I'm sure a little money could change their minds quickly.

After all, the carrot-and-stick technique worked quite well with them last time.

'Hmm, now I should go to Alessia.... And tomorrow I'll have to take her and Delia to the war zone.... Haa... This situation with my girls won't go on much longer. But first I have to convince Delia to move somewhere else and give up her 'job' in the army so she can have a more real job.'

While I was getting bored at the makeshift camp with Yair and his group, I came to the conclusion that I had to get Delia out of the Solitary Temple and take her somewhere with more entertainment.

That way, my little fox girl won't be thinking all day about how she has to go to the war zone to do her duty as an underpaid army healer, and I can hire a group of people to repair the Solitary Temple.

'If possible, I don't want to go back to fighting in a large-scale battle with my karma in red numbers'

The idea of Delia healing people in the army seemed good to me at first, as it would help her level up her religious classes.

But things have changed now that the risk of an all-out war is much more feasible.

Besides, I was already thinking of an alternative....

'Once I achieve that, I should try to get my two women to meet and accept our relationship.... Yeah, it's best to leave that last one for later.... For much later, though... Haa... I'm already running out of excuses to distract Alessia while I go to see my cute workaholic Saint.'