Let's be an Adventurer! ~Defeating Dungeons with a Skill Board~

“It seems like the weapons that I ordered will arrive tomorrow, so please come and return everything that I paid today!”

Somehow, Akane’s words after she was demoted sounded like a losing gambler’s threat.

She truly did not seem like a clerk.

However, her outspoken personality made her appear interesting.

What kind of items could make her looks like this?

It made him curious because it was she who acted so strangely.

But, her company will not ignore the existence a person like her.

Companies always prefer reliable people.

The next day, when he opened the prefab’s door with Karen, he saw his neighbor, Kitora-san in the shop.

It seemed that they were having a pleasant chat. They laughed loudly.

Eh, wait. Since when are they close?

They finally realized Haruki’s and Karen’s presence once they were greeted. Akane glanced at the entrance with her mouth still open.

“Ah… I’m sorry, grandpa. Let’s stop here, my customers have arrived.”

“Okay, call me if something happens.”

“Thanks.”

After Kitora-san left, Akane’s face which had looked good and energetic turned sour instantly.

“It’s only you. Does Air not come?”

“……I’m in front of you.”

I think maybe my presence has grown as lately I keep using that mask, but…….

As I expected, my presence is thin when I don’t wear the mask.

However, she had realized Haruki’s presence before…….

Apparently, she stopped paying attention carefully to her surrounding more than he imagined.

“No, if my presence erased that much, I’ll truly become Air.”

“Hahaha!” Akane laughed.

She laughed like a girl who enjoyed her conversation with her lover.

But, she didn’t talk with Haruki, but his wallet.

At last…….

“Then, bring out all of your money– ah, I mean, please buy all my items immediately!”

“……Well, err.”

In the shop, there were 2 additional orange boxes and some weapons lined up on top.

Even if you forced me to buy it, there are 7 pieces of equipment on those boxes.

……It was hard for him to answer it.

*Stare*, he turned his gaze to Akane who moved her hand like a confused person.

“We, well, it can’t be helped, right!? There is no way I’d order items whose salability is uncertain! Moreover, the transportation fee is not cheap. Even though those items will not spoil, if I put them in the inventory, the transportation fee will leave me in the red if they’re not sold!”

She started to make an excuse even though no one paid attention to her.

However, he knew her level of seriousness after examining the equipment.

Akane had probably thought seriously about what kind of items she could sell.

There were exactly 2 types of armor, shoes, and gloves. One of them was a chest-plate for a female.

Those items were really suited for Haruki and Karen.

The shoes were Mitsubishi’s ‘一’ entry model.

They were made by using monsters’ materials.

To increase the shoes’ protection, metal plates were attached here and there.

However, they were very light.

When he tried them, those shoes truly fit his foot.

……Just when did she measure my feet?

She must have understood Haruki’s doubtful gaze, for Akane showed a proud smile.

“I took it from your footprints when you came here before.”

I see.

She is clever.

I can’t imagine it from her usual attitude.

The gloves– ah, if I’m not mistaken, are called gauntlets. Those are also from ‘一’ series.

The back of the palm is affixed with thick skin, and the finger areas use soft material.

They don’t obstruct movements as they are really well made.

When he tried to hold his dagger’s hilt, there was a “gyu!” sound from the gauntlet’s skin, like it was stuck to the hilt.

It seemed hard to make it slip.

When he tried to walk around, Haruki realized how amazing those shoes are.

Their soles were really effective.

Furthermore, they didn’t make too much sound.

“……This is great.”

To make me want to buy those gauntlets and shoes later, her suggestion was really worthwhile.

However, for her to correctly guess items that Haruki will want, Akane must have high competence.

It was not unusual for her to be sent to a place like this.

Karen had tried it too and seemed to have a similar impression as Haruki.

She was amazed as she tried to move her body lightly.

“Other equipment are a dagger and a…… rod?”

There were a 45 cm dagger and a flat rod.

The rod looked exactly similar to a pilgrim’s stick.

“What is this?”

“I don’t know. Is that stick made by Mr. Dungeon?”

Why would you ask me…….

Even if you ask me, there’s no way for me to know the answer, Haruki frowned.

“Then, why is this item here?”

“They forced it to me because they can’t sell it.”

Akane grumbled as she really despised it.

I see. Because this place is not popular, they treat this place as a warehouse.

He reached his hand out to hold the stick.

However, the stick refused to move.

It was similar to the high-level dagger from before, he really couldn’t see a sign that it would move.

“It’s a high-level weapon.”

“That’s wrong. There are some of our company’s employees who can lift it even though they never enter dungeons. As for me and other strong employees and customers, we can’t lift it at all. The result from a detailed appraisal is also an unknown.”

“So, your appraiser can’t find out anything at all?”

“Yes, our appraiser’s level is not enough.”

“I see.”

According to rumors, the item detail changes according to the level of appraisal skill.

So, it’s possible that an item can’t be appraised if the level of the appraiser’s skill is lower than the item’s level.

I don’t know if it is a magic tool or not, but it seems this stick doesn’t move not because of my level but my aptitude.

Haruki would never be able to equip it.

As it becomes like this……

Haruki shifted his gaze to Karen.

Karen seemed a little bit restless because of her new equipment.

If Haruki was not there, she would directly go to the dungeon.

She seemed like a pup holding its leash in her mouth, asking the owner for a walk.

“Does Karen want to try it?” (Haruki)

“Me, too…….” (Karen)

“Ah, I think you can equip it.” (Haruki)

“Oh well. However, you must buy it if you can equip it.” (Akane)

“It depends on the price.” (Haruki)

“I’ll give you a discount.”

While Haruki and Akane were joking around, Karen reached the stick.

Then, unbelievably, Karen could lift the stick – which Haruki couldn’t lift – easily.

“Oh…….”

She can lift it while I can’t…….

Haruki felt a mixture of awe and envy.

It was a situation where she could easily use a weapon that he couldn’t use.

I’m so jealous!

“……This is really good.” (Karen)

“As you can see, how much is it?” (Haruki)

“1,000,000 yen.” (Akane)

“Karen put that stick down. You don’t have enough money to buy it, right?”

“Wait a minute!”

Akane shed tears in protest to Haruki’s decision.

“You can equip it, right? Isn’t it okay for you to buy it!? Just think of it as helping me.”

It is weird.

I don’t have any intention of helping her at all.

“How much is the base price?”

“…….”

When he asked her, *set set* Akane’s eyes moved here and there.

“Well……. let’s buy the shoes, gloves, and weapon in Sapporo.”

“Uwahaa hahaaan! I’ll say it! I’ll say the price, so please don’t buy them in Sapporo!”

Akane jumped to Haruki while crying out some big tears.

This is the result of your overconfidence.

As this place only has a few customers, customers have more power than vendors.

Therefore, I think it’s better if I use my advantageous position effectively.

“So, how much is the base price?”

“It is 10,000 yen.”

“Then, you can sell it to me for 20,000 yen.”

“This item is a drop form Chikaho’s 30th floor, and I also need to pay the transportation fee! It must be at least 50,000 yen.”

The value easily dropped from 1,000,000 yen to 50,000 yen.

Is it okay……?

“Then, 30,000 yen.” As he though like that, Haruki started his attack once more.

Akane gnashed her teeth.

“40,000 Yen!”

“Okay, 35,000 yen.”

“Ugh…….”

Your profit is enough, you know.

Give up, because I’ll buy other equipment too.

“Thank you very much. Somehow, you defeat me.”

“Yes, you lose. You truly lose……. Hahaha”

Akane’s eyes died.

Was I too pushy when cutting the price?

While scratching his head, Haruki reached out the last item, the dagger.

Isn’t this dagger a little bit heavy?

And, it seems I can’t use it.

The dagger’s blade was a dimmed silver color. It turned to a dark grey when it met a light.

He tried to touch the tip lightly.

He touched it lightly while thinking it was okay if it cut his finger slightly. But, there was no sign it would cut his finger.

“……Is it trash?”

“It’s not trash!”

The panicked Akane perked up her shoulder.

“It’s a magic knife.”

“It’s a magic knife.”

“No, it must be trash, right?”

“I said no!”

“Then, why is it so blunt?”

The Silver-Wolf dagger which he bought in Akane’s shop before could cut his skin even though the blade just touched it slightly.

Other low-quality weapons which Haruki used have better sharpness than this.

If this is a magic blade, it’s impossible for it to not be able to cut my skin with its edge when it touches my finger.

“The more monsters the magic knife cuts, the sharper it is.”

“……Isn’t it a godly item?”

Haruki’s reaction was like a kid.

From Akane’s explanation, it’s a godly item.

“Why is this kind of godly item here?”

“Because no one buys it.”

“There’s no way that no one comes to buy it.”

Isn’t it a weapon that the more I use it the stronger it would be?

Many buyers should be able to use it.

“You also think like that right? But, this is a dagger.”

“……Is there a problem with it?”

“How many adventurers who use a dagger as a main weapon do you think are there?”

“There are only a few people.”

That’s right, only a few.

Maybe it’s not even 1% of all adventurers.

It only happens if low-class adventurers are included and maybe none of them are intermediate and higher level adventurers.

“Everyone must have had an opportunity to buy an amazing weapon. But, rarely anyone can use it.”

“What?”

“That’s why no one buys it.”

“……Aren’t there a lot of strong adventurers besides me?”

“Do you really not understand?”

Akane asked him, but he couldn’t understand the question.

Haruki tilted his head.

“A dagger isn’t a weapon that is normally used to kill monsters. At most adventurers would use it as a sub-weapon by throwing it.  This magic weapon isn’t good without cultivation, to the point where it’s unusable without work.

From the sharpness, it can only be used in the upper-tier at first. Is there an intermediate class adventurer who deliberately goes to the upper-tier floor just to cultivate a sub-weapon with unknown potential?” (Akane)

–Well, none. (Haruki)

“If that person has time to cultivate that weapon, it’s better to hunt in the middle-tier floor and buy a high-level weapon by using the money earned.

That way has a better cost-performance ratio.

Furthermore, no one knows when it will be a strong dagger as it is only a rarely used sub-weapon.

For strong adventurers, their aptitude to that weapon can’t connect.

However, it’s easy for weak adventurers.

But, no adventurer wants to buy an expensive magic weapon as a sub-weapon.

Therefore, no one buys it.”

That was Akane’s explanation.

However, Haruki wasn’t satisfied.

“There must be some adventurers who use a dagger as the main weapon, even if they are just a few people, right? Does no one really want to buy it?”

“You really don’t know anything……”

Akane stared him down with scornful eyes while touching her chin.

“You are the only eccentric reckless adventurer who uses a dagger as a main weapon.”

“……Is it true?”

“So, do you want to buy it or not?”

“Is it okay if I don’t buy it?”

“I’m sorry, please buy it.”

Her attitude easily changed.

Akane’s eyes shone like a light.

“How much is it?”

“1,000,000 yen.”

“I’ll go back.”

“Uwaahahaaan! I’ll decrease it, I’ll decrease its price so please don’t leave…!!”

When he put the dagger down and went to turn back, Akane suddenly held him while crying.

She is really simple…….

The magic weapon doesn’t have an edge.

That’s why it’s unreasonable for a magic sword which doesn’t have even an ordinary level of sharpness to be worth 10,000,000 yen.

As for a magic weapon which is not sharp and used by many people, it’s reasonable if it’s worth 1,000,000 yen.

However, it seems the dagger truly didn’t sell.

“I’ll buy it if it’s only 300,000 yen.”

“Is that okay!?”

At that moment Akane’s eyes shined.

‘……Eh? Could I lower it more?”

It’s quite disappointing, but there’s no problem because I can buy a magic blade for 300,000 yen.

It’s not something regrettable.

Haruki inserted the dagger into his bag and paid for all of his equipment.

The credits on my card are reduced to 100,000 yen, but I can earn it back as soon as possible after selling all of the materials that I’ll gather.

I’ll earn it back today.

I can’t wait to see Akane’s face at that moment.

“Oh, right. Does this shop receive an order for weapons or items?”

“I have a standard system to receive that order as it would become a stock in my inventory.”

“I see.”

“Today is special!” (Akane)

“How is it!?” (Akane)

“Everything is what you want right? They really fit you, right!?” (Akane)

While showing that kind of face, Akane folded her hand while laughing nasally. Haruki who saw her smiled bitterly.

She truly has a great personality.

This is not bad at all.

Thanks to that, I’m roused to silence her gloating face.

I’m very grateful for her presence which was like an explosion in this slow countryside.

“I want a good dismantling knife.”

Haruki wanted a dismantling knife with a higher level of performance since he had difficulties dismantling the Centipede.

Of course, most of it because of Haruki’s lack of skill.

That was the reason why he needed a good knife.

It’s not too fast to order it.

“Okay, what level of knife do you want?”

“I’ll leave it to you.”

“I understand.”

‘”I’ll leave it to you.” It was amazing to be able to tell everything by only using a sentence.

Of course, he could entrust everything to his opponent because she was Akane.

Rather than a suggestion from me, she must be able to prepare something that really fits my needs.

“It’s production time around 1 month. It will cost at most 500,000 yen.”

“That much?”

“You leave it to me, right? If so, you only need to close your mouth and nod. Hua ha ha!”

Eh!? Why does that make me nervous?

……Well, let’s forget about it.

If it is her suggestion, the product’s performance will be equal to the high production cost.

“One more thing, I want a few types of medicines.”

“Does this town not have a pharmacy?”

“They don’t have types of medicines that are usually used by adventurers.”

Medicines made from dungeon’s materials are very effective.

In a normal pharmacy, there was at most 1 or 2 types of high effectiveness medicines that could be used by adventurers.

However, those pharmacies which sold medicines made from dungeon’s materials were different.

To make sure there was no scientific side effects from the medicines’ effects, they were only sold to adventurers who had an IC-card.

Even though they were treated as human sacrifices, a rapid way to recover from injury was essential for adventurers. So, no one complained.

If a side effect appeared, as long as the party involved didn’t focus only on profit, a trial was unlikely to occur.

“Please gather those medicines.”

“Eh–, no thanks.”

“Oi, are you really this shop’s clerk?”

Haruki’s temple twitched when he heard her words.

She really loses her motivation after being demoted.

“Those medicines can’t be preserved for long. If you want to order them, then please order what you need at that time only.”

“Ah, I see. How much time does it take for those ordered items to arrive?”

“In around 3 months.”

It was too long.

It’s okay if it is only a light injury, but if I take a heavy one, 3 months can turn it into something that can take my life.

“From now on I’m going to lower floors. Therefore, I’ll really be grateful if you can save some of them for an emergency.”

“Okay.”

She gazed him with her shining eyes while answering him.

It seemed that she wanted him to be responsible for clearing her merchandises later.

“It’s hard to count stocks because there are too many types of products.” *Glance glance*.

I also want to consider the customer’s situation, but…. (Akane)

But well, there is no problem if you want to buy everything. (Akane)

It’s not a problem for spending my money as long as I can save lives. (Haruki)

Of course, that depends on my wallet’s condition. (Haruki)

“By the way, how long is the preservation time of those medicines?” (Haruki)

“It depends on the item, but it is around 1 year on average.” (Akane)

“Oh, I see. I’ll take care of them if they are nearly expiring. For now, please prepare 10 cases of salve type medicines.”

“Thanks for your patronage…!”

As she really didn’t want to do it before, her smile seemed fake. ‘The weather today is really nice without humidity.’

“Please call me again if you need something else, okay♪.”

“Ah, hmm.”

“Call me again, okay?”

“………”

“CALL ME.”

“Ah, okay.”

Haruki nodded after being overwhelmed by her realistic smile.

Akane’s shop which didn’t have anything didn’t seem to be prospering, but the security was irreplaceable.

Haruki wrote out his order on the customer comments form and left Akane with a satisfied smile in the shop.

Chapter end

Proofread for Asian Hobbyist by Fenring