At the Sui Shou Ancient Bookstore, after fully enjoying our time there, I, along with Tira, headed toward the meeting place.
The children were already gathered.
Great, Narg and the others have returned safely as well.
“Oh?”
I noticed that Narg and Regin seemed to be in unusually high spirits.
The reason was quickly evident.
They were wearing brand new swords and breastplates. Judging by their appearance alone, they looked like fully-fledged adventurers.
Mitera reported to me.
“They insisted that they would protect the orphanage from now on.”
Judging from her somewhat exhausted expression, it seemed the two had put up quite the fuss.
I’m sorry, Mitera-sister.
What Narg and the others were wearing was simple, functional gear. It was likely selected by Mitera. Since their bodies hadn’t fully developed yet, it seems the types of equipment they could wear were limited. Knowing them, they probably made a fuss about wanting to wear “cool armor!”
Watching Narg and the others proudly show off to everyone at the orphanage, I came up with an idea.
“Everyone, head back first. I have one more stop to make.”
“Aww, take us with you!”
“If we leave Raederia alone for too long, she’ll feel lonely. Go tell her what happened today.”
At my words, they reluctantly complied.
“Oh, Fiole, you stay behind.”
“Huh!?”
She let out a startled yelp.
What was that expression, somewhere between laughing and being surprised?
Stay immediately chimed in.
“Fiole-sister, that’s not fair. It’s like a date!”
“N-no, no! That’s not it at all! …Right, Isto-san?”
“Well, it is an important matter.”
I walked down the alley with a flustered Fiole.
We headed in the opposite direction of the shopping district.
As we neared our destination, the atmosphere around us changed.
Heat and smoke filled the air.
This was the workshop district.
At first, Fiole seemed excited, but gradually she began to look confused.
“Isto-san, where are we?”
“I wish I could have taken you somewhere you would enjoy more, but…”
I stopped and gave a preface.
“Considering what lies ahead, I’m relying on you. I thought we should prepare as best we can. We’re here. This is the place.”
Together with Fiole, I looked up at the entrance of the building.
The sign read, “Asataris Workshop”—it had a stern, rugged appearance with metal plates nailed onto it.
This place dealt in weapons and armor.
I discovered this hidden gem through a job while working for Barba.
The store was run by a stubborn craftsman with no interest in customer service, which is why there were no general customers around.
However, his skills were undeniable.
“For the last of our shopping, let’s get Fiole equipped.”
“Isto-san, for me…?”
“You are the keystone of Elpida Orphanage’s defense. It’s not enough to rely on Narg and Regin. Also, good equipment will protect you as well.”
Fiole, with her powerful Gifted Skill, was the orphanage’s strongest asset.
Given her personality, if she thought she could handle it, she would likely charge into battle, even against monsters.
What Fiole needed now was defensive gear.
If paired with her Gifted Skill [Barrier], it would form an impenetrable defense.
Fiole seemed to understand my explanation and looked rather pleased.
“I’m excited to see what they have!”
“Take your time choosing. The shop owner here is someone you can reason with if you talk to him.”
We entered the store.
It wasn’t spacious, but the weapons and armor on display were carefully selected.
“Wow, this is amazing…” Fiole’s eyes sparkled in awe as I tilted my head.
Huh? The atmosphere feels different from the last time I came. Wasn’t the place more cluttered with stuff?
“Welcome.”
A cheerful voice rang out, and a slim, gentle-looking man emerged from the back.
Hmm? That’s strange. The shop owner here was supposed to be more robust with a gruff voice.
…Wait, who is this?
“Oh! Aren’t you Isto-san from Barba?”
“You know me?”
The slightly older-looking man spoke with a pleased expression.
“I’m the son of the shop owner. I remember you because my father once praised you. He said, ‘Among the rotten guild lot, you’re one of the few who understands things.’”
“That’s quite something…”
“My father said your keen eye could be trusted even if you weren’t holding a sword. It was rare for him to speak so highly of anyone, so it stuck with me.”
Well, that’s… humbling.
Back when I worked at Barba, I was just focused on doing my job to the best of my ability. Procuring weapons and armor was part of that. Since the guild wasn’t exactly financially well-off, I couldn’t afford to choose bad equipment. I studied every detail and sometimes even asked for advice from craftsmen, even if they yelled at me. That hard work is probably why I was able to create the Enestea Spear.
The son seemed open and friendly right from the start.
“So, what brings you here today?”
“Well, I’m looking for armor that would suit this girl.”
“Ah, armor… I see. It seems she already has an excellent weapon.”
As expected from the son of a craftsman.
His eyes were sharp at moments like these.
Fiole had been grinning non-stop for a while now.
When I asked what she was so happy about, she replied, “I’m just proud that Isto-san is recognized even in a place like this.”
Seriously, this girl… What am I supposed to say to that?
I decided to trust the son’s judgment and asked him to help us pick something out. When I mentioned the budget, he looked surprised.
“You’ve really splurged.”
“I can’t put a price on this girl’s safety. I want something durable and reliable.”
“Hmm… In that case, maybe… but…”
The son seemed to be lost in thought.
Feeling a bit idle, Fiole reached out to touch a nearby shield.
Immediately, a sharp crackling sound echoed through the room, and purple lightning flashed.
“Kyah!”
“Fiole!”
I rushed over to her.
I grabbed her slender hand and checked for injuries.
To my surprise, her skin wasn’t burned at all.
In fact, she didn’t even seem to be in pain.
…Instead, she was smirking.
“Hehe…”
“Hey!”
At least look more concerned!
The son looked wide-eyed in surprise.
“That shield is imbued with lightning, so touching it bare-handed is dangerous.”
“You should’ve mentioned that earlier.”
“My apologies. However, it seems that girl has a very strong defensive skill. Yes, this might work.”
Ignoring my complaints, the son seemed to have had an idea.
This must be the craftsman gene at work.
“Isto-san, I think I have something perfect for her. Please, come this way.”
He led us to the second floor, which served as their living quarters.
“By the way, where’s your father?”
“A large monster subjugation mission came up recently, so he’s helping with the repairs at another workshop.”
We arrived at what appeared to be the father’s private room.
The son entered without hesitation, and we followed him inside.
The room was filled with blacksmithing tools, blueprints, and what looked like prototype weapons and armor, much more prominent than typical living essentials like beds or bookshelves.
It was very him.
“If my father were here, I’m sure he would show it to you.”
The young man pointed to “it,” leaning against the corner of the room.
It was a shield, shining in pure white.
Is it slightly smaller than a typical shield? It seems easy to handle.
But most striking is the aura of elegance radiating from the entire shield.
“My father called this his ‘masterpiece failure.'”
“What do you mean by that?”
“In order to enhance its defensive power, he embedded magic stones into it, but the effect came out too strongly. While it boasts the highest level of durability, when an ordinary person holds it, the aura from the shield affects their body negatively.”
As the young man brought his hand closer to the shield, the air around it slightly rippled.
“To wield this shield, the user must have strong magical resistance. It’s a ‘masterpiece failure’ because you need a ‘living shield,’ a body with resistance, just to handle it.”
The young man turned to look at me.
“But I think Miss Filoe might be able to handle this shield.”
“Do you think so, Filoe?”
“I’ll give it a try,” Filoe nodded.
She stood in front of the shield and took a deep breath.
“Gifted Skill: Barrier.”
A light, shining in seven colors, appeared.
It was the same light as when I repelled the “Earth Whale.”
Filoe deployed the light thinly over her entire body. Then she gradually narrowed its range, until it covered only her left arm from the elbow down.
A skill I could never pull off. She’s quite dexterous.
Filoe slowly grasped the shield.
The aura that had been emanating from the pure white shield wavered as if resonating with Filoe’s Barrier, then gradually settled.
“Wow…!”
The young man spoke excitedly.
“That’s amazing! This is the power of a Gifted Skill. It’s my first time seeing one…! It’s like person and shield have become one. Truly moving!”
Filoe tested the shield’s fit.
Judging by her expression, it seems she liked it.
A pure white shield. Yeah, it suits Filoe perfectly.
“May I keep this?”
“Please do. My father would be happy. One Rio gold coin for the materials will be just fine.”
…Of course, it wouldn’t be free.
Yeah, I figured. Makes sense.
I asked Filoe,
“How does it feel? The shield.”
“It’s so good! It feels as light as a feather, and I can barely tell I’m wearing it!”
“That’s great to hear.”
“With this, I now have a spear and shield! My equipment is finally knightly! I’ll name the shield right away! Let’s see, how about… Shiny Sparkle Bling—”
“Please stop.”
Ah, right…
I’d forgotten…
Filoe’s naming sense…!
