Purchasing Equipment, and an Elf?

As dusk fell over Wingen Town, the crisp, metallic clanking of clashing gear echoed through Blackstone Street.

Lynn walked down the road carrying a large bundle. Inside was the newly purchased weapons and armor, which were the source of the clattering sounds.

Just moments ago, he had first gone to 36 Blackstone Street to deliver Rogan's message.

When Rogan's cousin heard he was from Yar Village, she welcomed him warmly, insisting he stay for a meal and stuffing a large bag of bread and other dry rations into his hands before he left.

Afterward, Lynn went to Old Henry's blacksmith shop, which Betty had recommended, to purchase a whole set of equipment.

He didn't actually see Old Henry himself; it was his apprentice who attended to Lynn.

Betty was right—Old Henry's blacksmith shop offered excellent quality at a fair price. He wondered how a wealthy young lady like her had found out about a shop like this.

Under the apprentice's enthusiastic pitch, he bought quite a few essentials for adventuring.

First was armor. As a mage apprentice, Lynn could go without a weapon if he had to, but armor was absolutely essential.

He hesitated for a moment between cloth armor, which favored agility, and leather armor, which balanced flexibility and protection.

As for heavy metal armor like plate mail, which would hinder Stealth, he didn't consider it at all.

At this stage, Lynn's combat style was still primarily close-quarters, making injuries inevitable. Therefore, prioritizing safety, he ultimately chose leather armor.

It was a set of tanned leather armor made of thick cowhide, hardened at high temperatures and soaked in wax, reinforced with metal rivets to protect against slashing attacks.

The interior was also lined with several layers of stitched linen padding, improving its protection against blunt force trauma.

This leather armor cost him a whopping fourteen silver coins, wiping out most of his original savings.

Though it pained his wallet, he couldn't afford to skimp on armor.

As for why he didn't just take a set of leather armor from the village militia to save those fourteen silver coins...

Lynn still remembered how easily the goblins' daggers had sliced through the militia's “antiques” in the cave last night.

For the sake of his safety, it was better to spend the money and buy some peace of mind.

Next was his choice of weapon. Adhering to the principle of “an inch longer, an inch stronger,” Lynn still chose a spear as his primary weapon.

However, to make Stealth easier, he purchased a 1.2-meter spear this time—though perhaps it was better described as a short spear.

At this length, it was actually comparable to a two-handed sword.

Yet the price difference was night and day.

Longswords generally cost five to eight silver coins, but the spear only cost Lynn two silver and fifty copper coins.

Furthermore, a spear was relatively simple to use, lacking the steep learning curve of swordsmanship.

Aside from his melee weapon, Lynn also bought a hand crossbow, which was easy to pick up quickly, to supplement his ranged combat capability once his mana was depleted.

He had initially considered buying a bundle of javelins for throwing.

But due to budget constraints and the fact that throwing spears required extensive practice, he ultimately abandoned that idea. He opted instead for the hand crossbow as his ranged weapon; though slightly less powerful, it made up for it with precision.

This hand crossbow was only about forty centimeters long, and the blacksmith shop had thoughtfully included a bundle of fifty fifteen-centimeter bolts.

The whole set cost Lynn twelve silver coins, nearly as much as the entire set of leather armor.

After this shopping spree, Lynn's personal savings were completely depleted, and even the one-gold-coin stipend from the Mages' Association was gone.

In the end, he had to tap into the “emergency hidden fund” his childhood friend Sarah had given him to secure the gear.

Sarah and his childhood friends in the village had pooled their savings for him. Counting it up, there were twelve silver coins and a scattering of copper.

Praise Sarah.

He used those copper coins to trade with a herbalist he met on the street for some paralyzing herbs, which he crushed and coated onto his spear and crossbow bolts.

When dealing with monsters, one had to use every dirty trick in the book.

Lynn didn't plan on touching the remaining money. After all, he still needed to find a place to stay, which would be another significant expense.

Sigh. No wonder none of the young people in the village ever left to become adventurers. Just the cost of this equipment alone was enough to crush the dreams of most.

Here it is.

Lynn looked up, and the inn's sign came into view.

“Moonflower Inn”

This was the inn Rogan's cousin had recommended to him. She had mentioned that renting by the month would be cheaper, and the environment was excellent.

As for buying a house, Lynn hadn't even given it a second thought.

Wingen Town was a major hub, so property prices were naturally steep. Even in a remote location, it would cost thirty to forty gold coins to buy a house large enough for a family of three.

In a place like Wingen Town, where adventurers made up the majority of the population, staying at an inn was the most popular way to live.

Lynn pushed open the inn's front door, chiming the wind chimes behind it.

Alerted to a guest's arrival, the woman who had been staring at the ledger behind the counter looked up and greeted him with a smile.

“Welcome. Are you here for a meal, or would you like a room?”

Lynn walked over and noticed that the landlady seemed a bit different from ordinary humans...

Why were her ears so pointed and unusually shaped?

An elf?

Though his mind was filled with questions, Lynn politely suppressed his curiosity.

“What are your room rates?”

Hearing that he wanted to stay, the landlady's beautiful eyes lit up. “For lodging, a bed in the common room in the backyard on the first floor is only twelve copper coins a day. A private room on the second floor is thirty copper coins a day, breakfast included.”

Twelve for the common room, thirty for a private room...

Lynn calculated the costs in his head. The price did indeed seem cheaper than elsewhere.

After Rogan's cousin recommended it, he hadn't come straight here. Instead, he had asked around at other local inns first.

At other places, a bed in the common room was usually fifteen copper coins, while private rooms went for thirty-five.

However, Lynn didn't rush to agree. Instead, he asked, “Could you show me the rooms? Just the private rooms is fine.”

“Of course, sir.”

The suspected elven landlady stepped out from behind the counter, and only then did Lynn realize that her figure was almost unfairly stunning.

Standing at five-foot-eight, she was tall and elegantly proportioned. Even though she wore a very ordinary apron, she exuded a regal grace that wouldn't look out of place at a royal banquet.

He wondered why someone like her was running a small inn here.

The landlady led Lynn up to the second floor and pushed open the wooden door of an empty guest room.

Lynn's eyes lit up.

The room was much tidier than those of typical inns. The table, chairs, and bed were wiped spotlessly clean, showing that it was maintained with care.

A gentle breeze drifted through the open window, carrying a faint, refreshing scent of herbs that felt clean and soothing.

In this world, finding accommodations with such standards was a rare treasure.

Without much hesitation, Lynn turned to ask, “I heard that renting by the month is slightly cheaper?”

The landlady immediately realized she had a major client on her hands. Her eyes sparkled, and her voice became noticeably sweeter. “If you rent by the month, it will only be eight silver coins!”

Saving a whole silver coin was no small discount.

Lynn paid the rent on the spot and secured the room.

With that, his savings were down to just two silver and fifty copper coins.

However, Lynn wasn't worried about money.

On one hand, the stipend from the Mages' Association was enough to cover his living expenses even if he didn't go out adventuring.

On the other hand, given his strength and a little help from his cheat, Lynn didn't think he would ever be short on funds.

...

The next day, Lynn woke up early.

The landlady, Aurora, had prepared breakfast for him. Lynn quickly scarfed down a few bites, grabbed his gear, and rushed to the Adventurers' Guild.

According to Betty, commissions suitable for low-tier adventurers were quite competitive. Many goblin-related quests were snatched up the moment they were posted.

However, Lynn wasn't worried.

The commission he intended to accept targeted a type of monster that all low-tier adventurers detested.