No to Being the Suffering Heroine!

To show my gratitude for Kikel’s thoughtfulness, I introduced him to the best shops I knew one by one.

“The prices are not much different, but at least they won’t mess around with your goods. They’ll at least give you a fair price when selling loot.”

Ka-chack! “Thank you!”

Just that alone made them the most conscientious merchants on this street.

The trashy merchants didn’t just add extra charges; they slyly mixed in defective goods or offered ridiculously low prices for buying loot.

Of course, they only had the guts to do that when dealing with copper or wooden badge adventurers, and the scamming lessened a bit when it came to silver badge adventurers.

Starting from the silver badges, the guild began to listen to their complaints.

You needed at least a dozen friends to go complain together, but hey, they listened at all!

So, if you want to actually be a proper adventurer, getting a silver badge is a must, not just an option.

If you’re unhappy, just rank up!

◆◆

After that, we walked down the street and entered a rugged-looking smithy.

Before buying the necessary supplies, I wanted to get rid of my dungeon loot, which was nothing but a hassle.

“Hmm… Did you come from a grave or something?”

The blacksmith shook his head when he received the rusty swords and spears we presented as loot and asked about their origins.

“That’s just how undead weapons are.”

Well, if you think about it, we technically did come from a grave.

Unlike other graves, the bodies of the elderly folks, unable to stand up, were up and about thanks to the Abyss Priest’s magical rejuvenation.

“It’ll be hard to give you a good price in this state. I’ll buy it for 24 copper.”

24 copper. Barely enough to cover three or four days’ worth of food.

“Can you give me a little more? I was thinking of buying a shield and a great sword here.”

“Hmm, if that’s the case… I can offer 30 copper. That’s about it; anything more wouldn’t be worth the iron.”

Just saying I’d buy some stuff made the selling price shoot up by 25%.

How about that? Now you get an idea of how much these merchants are ripping you off?

And this guy was relatively ethical by their standards. The dishonest ones would offer around 20 copper from the start and then act generous by bumping it to 24 when you tried to haggle.

“Alright, 30 copper it is.”

So, I didn’t argue further and accepted the 30 copper, handing half to Kikel.

“So… Is this shield for this big lizard guy here?”

“That’s right! A leg-protecting shield! Long! Sturdy!”

Kikel nodded excitedly.

“What… what?”

The blacksmith seemed slightly flustered by Kikel’s clumsy yet odd way of speaking, twitching his beard and eyeing him suspiciously.

“I mean a large shield that can protect the lower body. Ask for one reinforced with leather or metal.”

“Oh, that’s what you meant! In that case, I have just the thing!”

Nodding, the blacksmith rummaged through the storage beneath the counter and pulled out a large shield to show us.

It was a kite shield that resembled a teardrop. A sturdy wooden shield with a thin layer of iron to enhance its defense.

The sharp tip was honed to a point that could be used as a weapon, and the front had a slightly rounded curve to deflect any arrows or spears easily.

“What do you think? Is this good?”

Ka-kak! “Looks great! Really great!”

Kikel expressed great satisfaction as he lifted the shield.

It was a bit heavier than the round shield he used to have, but the increased defense and the ability to protect his lower body seemed to make him happier.

“The price is 3 silver.”

Of course, he wouldn’t be pleased with that. Selling all those rusty spear and sword combos was barely worth 30 copper, yet this single shield costs 3 silver—300 copper!

There’s no way rusty junk and a decent shield would be of similar value, but 10 times more expensive?

Honestly, it felt like a revolution was brewing in the cost of living.

If Marx had seen this scene, he’d have drenched his furry beard with tears, urging adventurers worldwide to unite and fight back.

We’d all be screaming about losing chains and all that jazz.

Of course, contrary to the swindler’s claims, what the workers lost was not their collars, but their lives.

Ka-chak…

Kikel let out a somewhat deflated laugh and retrieved 3 silver coins from his pouch, handing them over to the blacksmith. The hit to his wallet must have been considerable, as his tail drooped behind his cloak.

◆◆

I purchased a new great sword.

The one I used before had chipped blades and cracks from my battle with the wight, so it was on the verge of breaking at any moment.

A simple crossguard with a handle about one and a half hands long and a blunt metal pommel at the end. It was your typical bastard sword.

And it was extremely expensive, too—3 silver and 40 copper.

They claimed the blade had some special treatment to prevent rust, but even considering that, the price was absolutely outrageous.

The sword I originally bought was barely 70 copper. To be charged five times that? Ridiculous.

Anyway, after changing my weapon, I said my goodbyes to Kikel.

Unlike me, who still had things to do in the marketplace, he finished his business by just swapping shields.

Ka-chak! “Have a good rest! Next meeting will probably be joyful!”

I suppose he meant he hoped we could work together again next time?

Hmm, then…

“Hey, Kikel. I have a proposal…”

I called back Kikel, who was about to leave, suggesting we work together for a while.

I argued that it’s better to work with someone whose skills and trustworthiness have been validated than just forming a one-time party with strangers we just met.

Shaaah…

Kikel licked his tongue and thought for a moment before throwing a question back at me.

“I’m not hardy enough for outdoor work yet. Is that okay?”

That meant he couldn’t handle outdoor missions due to his weak constitution against the cold.

Tasks like slaying monsters that had formed a settlement outside the dungeon, hunting rare beasts, or gathering herbs.

“That’s fine; we can just decide based on the situation. Even if it’s a fixed party, we don’t have to move together all the time.”

I’d simply let Kikel take it easy while I went off on my own for those types of tasks.

What I was proposing was not that we stick together like glue, but that we’d share some of our schedules and have the chance to pick each other for suitable missions, like friends.

Ka-chak! “If that’s the case, then great! You’re strong! I trust you!”

Kikel readily agreed and extended his hand.

“You’re flattering me.”

I shook his hand, expressing my gratitude, and then we talked about our respective places or future plans to coordinate schedules.

Surprisingly, Kikel’s place was quite close to the inn where I was staying, only about a five-minute walk away.

It was a bit pricier than the facilities would suggest, but it was the only inn that accommodated lizardmen, so that’s why he chose it.

I felt sorry for his living situation; he mentioned he slept curled up with heated stones inside a fur sack like he was brooding over eggs.

Anyway, after parting with Kikel, I continued to wander the marketplace.

The next place I visited was a shop that specialized in defensive gear.

While blacksmiths also handled plate, scale, and chainmail armor, they didn’t make or sell leather or quilted armor, being, you know, blacksmiths and all.

“Welcome! What are you looking for?”

“I need a cloak that can cover my head and a quilted armor to wear underneath my armor.”

That wight! It had caused me considerable financial loss.

Not only did it ruin my beloved sword, but it also left my quilted armor and cloak in tatters.

If only it was just a little torn, I could have repaired it, but looking at it, it was beyond any level of mend.

The tattered cloak was barely covering me, and inside, it looked like a drug-addled homeless person’s ripped jeans.

“Are you looking for a cloak and a quilted armor… How about this?”

As the armor merchant echoed my words, he pointed to a quilted armor hanging on the wall.

It was a black fabric armor, about half covering the thighs.

The arms were a bit baggy, while the waist was slightly tightened to improve the fit.

“Looks good.”

Especially the color pleased me.

The simple finishing touch in golden threads on the black cloth made it look surprisingly luxurious, even for a quilted armor.

“Yes, I’ll take this.”

I picked up the quilted armor, and in that spirit, I also bought a black cloak and a pair of pants, heading into the changing room to try them on.

When I stepped out, the merchant was beaming with exaggerated praise.

“Oh! It suits you perfectly! You look like a knight!”

Indeed, it suited me well.

The black quilted outfit adorned with golden threads and silver gleaming steel armor comes together with my lemon-colored hair that flows down to my waist, giving me a princess knight-like aura.

“How much altogether?”

“Four silver… No, I’ll sell it for three! That’s practically a steal!”

What kind of nonsense is that?

Four silver was practically a fortune, enough to make a beggar drool over it like a doctor fish licking at your feet.

What kind of cloth is more expensive than a well-forged sword that can end lives?

Is it because one is a weapon of death, and the other is a protector of life?

“Oh, if you’re thinking of selling your old quilted outfit, I can subtract that… for two silver! How about it?”

While I was chuckling at the absurdly high price, the armor merchant tossed out what seemed to be a great deal.

He was offering to buy my ragged cloak, quilted armor, and pants for a whole silver!

…What is this, a charity worker? Is this guy a benevolent savior?

Or maybe this quilted armor was surprisingly unsellable, a dead stock?

“I’ll take it.”

There was no reason to refuse, of course.

It was a rag that wouldn’t fetch ten copper anywhere, but here he was, offering a silver to take it off my hands.

I handed over the worn-out clothes and two silver coins to the merchant, draping the new cloak over my outfit as I exited the shop, making my way back to the inn.

I may have spent money like water, but overall, it was a pretty satisfying shopping trip.

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