Volume 4 Chapter 35-2 The Running Red Tail and Preparing the Magic Bullet
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
We’re on standby in Dungeon City.
Waiting for Kéa to arrive in the western town of Saoriba.
Of course, we’re not just killing time here.
Even though we’ve put dungeon exploration on hold, we can’t just sit around in this situation.
There’s gotta be something we can do.
Like, Stampede, we need to think of a way to deal with those swarming monsters.
We only have a few days, after all.
But I want to do everything we can in that time.
Now, I’m not saying we plan to tackle this alone──or that we even could.
There are other adventurers and soldiers around, too.
I’m not against cooperation if it comes to that.
Still, it’s best to prepare for the worst-case scenario.
If push comes to shove, Lifia could wipe out the monster horde with her 9-character Spirit Magic.
But that’s our last resort.
I’d rather not use it if we can help it.
Lifia can’t fully control 9-character Spirit Magic yet.
The impact on our surroundings is just too great.
Last time she used it, it went wild and turned part of the forest into a crater.
It even lashed out at people nearby.
That’s how powerful──and dangerous──9-character Spirit Magic is.
And relying too much on Lifia isn’t a good idea either.
I need to add some tricks to my own arsenal.
With that in mind, I visited the blacksmith Beckus.
”I want you to make bullets for this gun. Here’s the gun itself.”
I showed Beckus the gun I got from the 5th Floor of the dungeon and the remaining bullets.
”Oho, is that a gun? You’ve got another rare item there, Taro!”
The little dwarf elder, Beckus, took the gun in hand and examined it closely.
”Ever handled a gun before?”
”Not much. But don’t worry, making bullets should be no problem for me.”
As I was talking to Beckus, clattering footsteps echoed, and another dwarf elder burst in.
Nokiroul, the magic tool forger and Beckus’s brother.
He helped me out with a magic tool the other day.
”I smelled the alcohol and thought I’d check it out. It’s Taro, huh! Got a new job for us!?”
They probably think I’m some kind of barkeep, huh?
True, I do offer up some drinks as payment when I’m hiring, but…
”Bullet-making for a magic gun, huh? Hand one over! I’ll work for it! And pour me some booze!”
He’s just gonna barge in and take the job.
Well, if he’s willing to help, I’ll take it.
I can spare as much alcohol as he wants.
”And I want these bullets made with magic metal.”
”Using magic metal for bullets? That’s a luxury right there.”
Nokiroul’s got this stunned look on his face.
Magic metal must be pretty expensive, huh?
But I need it.
This gun can’t reach its full potential with just regular metal bullets.
”Sorry, but we’re fresh out of stock.”
Beckus looks all flustered.
”But if you pay upfront in cash, I can get it ready in no time.”
”How much?”
”Ten thousand Aurum per bullet, just for the metal.”
The price throws me for a loop, but now’s not the time to be stingy.
”Alright, I’ll wire over 100 million Aurum. Just tell me your account number.”
One hundred million Aurum is a lot, but I can handle it no problem.
”Huh? You serious?”
”You must be out of your mind!”
The two old-timers are equally bewildered by the sum.
Then Beckus seems to recall something.
”Wait, didn’t you say you had no gold when you made that little lady Kéa’s sword last time?”
”I’ve earned some recently.”
Sold some ‘Love Hotel’ attire and hair growth potions at an auction – it was a big hit.
”Anyway, just make as many as you can.”
I need these bullets for the Stampede – hundreds, no, thousands might not be enough.
And even if I have leftovers, they’ll come in handy in the dungeon.
No point in letting them go to waste.
I’m planning to stock up as much as possible.
”Oh, and if we’re doing magic metal, I want the gunpowder mixed with magic stones too.”
”Will this do?”
At Beckus’s prompt, I pull out a magic stone from a demon sardine from my magic bag.
Lately, we’ve been hunting demon sardines pretty steadily.
And demon sardines are great since you don’t have to dissect them to get the magic stones – they’re easy to gather.
”Huh?”
”The same as before…?”
They freeze up, the both of them.
Beckus stands there, dumbstruck, while Nokiroul’s eyes go wide as dinner plates, staring at me.
I pull out a fish-shaped, red magic stone, plopping it down on the table with a *clunk*.
”O-okay, that’s enough! That’s plenty!”
I stop at the third one, laid out in a row.
”Just tossing around Dragon-grade magic stones like they’re nothing… Who exactly are you?”
”It’d help if you kept quiet about… certain things.”
I brush it off with a casual remark.
They might be starting to figure it out──
That I’m a hero, or something close to it.
”Well, Taro here can bring us interesting jobs and fine drinks. That’s more than enough.”
”Right! All we need is the booze and the work!”
The two dwarves chuckle in agreement.
Top-notch craftsmen, yet here they are, running a shabby shop in this backwater town.
They wouldn’t sell me out for a few coins, that’s for sure.
And seeing them laugh so heartily over drinks and work, it’d be silly to stay on guard.
”Thanks, really. It helps.”
I voice my gratitude.
This connection──I want to cherish it.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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