Chapter 57 Equipment
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”…Oh right, you guys didn’t have names yet.”
I woke up early this morning. Since everyone was still asleep, I got ready and quietly left the room to feed the horses breakfast.
”I can’t just leave you here, so how about we go to Razia Village together?”
I talked to the blue horse I rode during the second half of our journey.
”Oh, Hiroya, good morning. You fed the horses!”
Rena came out, looking sleepy.
”Good morning, Rena. I usually leave it to you. I woke up early for a change, so I thought I’d help out.”
When I turned around, Rena was right next to me.
”…Hiroya, even though I ran away yesterday, what did you think of me in my underwear?”
Rena clung to my waist with a mischievous smile. A goddess but also a little devil…
”I-it was cute… I mean, it was kind of sexy.”
I honestly shared my thoughts. Yeah, I’m a bit of a pervert.
”Alright. Then I’ll show you something different next time.”
With that, Rena ran back to the inn.
”…I guess I have to fight my desires again…”
I sighed deeply while stroking the blue horse’s neck. Not that I mind, actually. More like, ‘I’m all for it.’
* * *
After returning to the room and finishing the breakfast prepared by the inn, we all left. Our destination was Toldo’s shop.
”It’s probably too early to get everything done, but let’s look for weapons in the meantime.”
Liz said as she opened the heavy door to the shop.
”Hey. I’ve been waiting for you.”
Inside was Toldo with a pipe in his mouth and the 3 sisters having tea at a table.
”Wait… are you already done?”
Liz peeked into the shop, surprised to see 5 leather armors displayed.
”They may look like regular leather armor, but all the parts are reinforced with that special alloy, so they’re really strong. My apprentices are skilled, so they work fast.”
Toldo said with a grin.
”It’s good to wear this under the leather armor.”
He had even prepared enough undergarments for everyone.
”It’s made from wire spider threads, so it’s strong against impacts and hard to cut through.”
Aluda handed me a set in black.
”Everyone, go change. The two girls should let Eluda and Meluda help them.”
With Toldo’s help, I put on the leather armor. The parts were minimal, focusing on the important areas, except for the chest.
”Your leather armor is known for being easy to move in, and it won’t get in the way of your sword skills. However, since you don’t carry a shield, I made the forearm parts larger for you.”
It really was easy to move. My joints weren’t restricted at all. And it was light. The shin guards I attached over my leather boots were also very light.
”I think I can move just like before. Thank you, Mr. Toldo.”
Soon, everyone in leather armor gathered in the shop.
Liz and Martina also had designs focused on movement, with parts for the chest, waist, arms, and legs. The waist parts were attached over short skirts. The undergarments were red and light pink for each of them.
”Yeah, I really wanted the pants type.”
Liz looked a bit embarrassed, but the 3 sisters said,
”””Cutness is important too!”””
They were wearing underwear, so it wasn’t like anyone could see their panties.
Kazumi and Rena had similar parts, but they also had extra pieces for their knees and elbows. Their underwear was light green and sky blue.
What’s great is that these parts can be attached ‘over regular clothes.’ In fact, Kazumi and Rena just took off their leather vests and put the parts over their usual dresses.
It seems like the 3 sisters really care about fashion.
”Oh, Hiroya’s chest piece has cherry blossoms carved on it.”
When Kazumi said that, I looked at her chest and saw cherry blossom petals carved there. When I checked my own chest in the mirror… yep. Same pattern.
”Rena and Martina have ‘White Flowers (Eternal White).’ Just like the pendant Kazumi gave me!”
”I think mine was ‘Rose’…” said Kazumi
”It’s Ms. Martina’s idea. Aluda is good at these detailed designs.” said Rena.
Aluda puffed out her chest with pride.
”Since Aluda had a beautiful design carved on her music box, I asked her to carve emblems on our armor too.”
Martina smiled. So that’s what she was secretly talking about with Aluda yesterday.
”Yeah, it feels really good to have my own armor.”
I gently touched the cherry blossoms on my chest with my finger.
”And I want 3, no, 4 of the same crossbow.”
Liz showed Toldo Kazumi’s crossbow.
”Those are piled up over there, so just take them.”
Toldo pointed to a shelf where the same-sized crossbows were carelessly stacked.
”Martina is skilled, so use 2. The rest, Rena and Hiroya can carry.”
Liz handed each of us a small crossbow.
”No, I don’t need it. I want to fight with my sword.”
I really want to gain experience fighting with my sword.
”No way. You need to keep this too.”
Liz looked at me with a serious expression.
”When winter comes, packs of ‘Snow Wolves’ will appear around the village, coming down from the north.”
Liz took out as many arrow magazines for the small crossbows as she could find from the shelf.
”These guys are bigger than regular ‘Gray Wolves.’ And of course, they travel in packs. When you encounter them, you need to reduce their numbers from a distance. Even you, Hiroya, can’t fight a pack up close. Well, this also applies to goblins…”
She lined up the magazines on the table and turned to me, saying it like a lesson.
”‘Don’t fight too many at once,’ Hiroya. Even if they’re weaker, take them out when you can. Reduce their numbers.”
Liz offered me the small crossbow again.
”To minimize risk, you should be able to use it.”
She was right. I accepted the crossbow. Toldo was nodding along while puffing on his pipe at the table.
”For now, I’ll bill Elberhardt, so take whatever you like.”
At Toldo’s words, we started looking for weapons without holding back.
”I really wanted a mangosh!”
”I’m good with just a knife.”
”Rena wants a nice dagger.”
”I should probably have a short sword too.”
”I’ll take a knife and… oh!”
Then I remembered the gift for Koichi.
I explained Koichi’s build to Toldo and asked him to prepare a 2-handed sword that would fit him.
”I have just the thing. Take this long sword made from that special alloy. It’s light.”
He rummaged behind the counter and pulled out a long sword.
When I took it out of the sheath, it was indeed light. It had a sharp blade, even though it was lighter and had less striking power.
”Make sure to tell him to take care of it. If it loses its sharpness, it’s just a regular long sword.”
”I’ll let him know.”
So, we spent time at Toldo’s shop gathering our gear until noon.
Liz had her usual composite bow and quiver on her back, and she added a new short sword to her left hip. She also had a knife at her back.
Martina had a short sword on her left hip, a man-gauche on her right hip, and 2 small crossbows hanging from her belt on both sides, with 2 daggers on each thigh. She also had a knife at her back.
Rena had 2 daggers on her hips, a small crossbow slung across her back, and a knife at her back.
Kazumi had a knife at her back and a small crossbow on her back.
I had the ‘Yamikirimaru’ (Ōwakizashi) on my left hip, a small crossbow on my back, and a knife at my back.
(Good. Now we can go back to the village.)
Tomorrow morning, we will leave the royal capital. Since we are returning with 2 groups, it will probably be a big caravan with about ten carriages.
* * *
”Liz, are we going back on horseback?”
I asked Liz while we were walking to the central square for lunch.
”Yeah, that’s the plan. We can’t just leave the horses we got from the Zett merchant guild here.”
”Rena, we’re friends now, so we have to go back together!”
”That’s right. I’ll ride behind Hiroya again.”
”…No, we should practice too, Kazumi.”
As we looked for a café to have lunch, we talked about how to spend our last day in the royal capital.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.