42 - new equipment

"Oh, you're here. You're early."

I'm sorry I rushed you.

Hello, Mr. Ramow.

"Issatsu. Good morning, old man!

"Hey, how are you?　Boy."

Moe ate a big breakfast and he's fine.

"I see. I see. Well, maybe he'll grow up fast.

Moe lifts his nose in smug satisfaction at the praise of the old man in the leather apron.

After taking a break from the morning's labyrinthine search, Thor and his friends visited an armor shop at the end of an alley.

The leather equipment they had asked for was almost ready, so they went there to check the finishing touches.

"Let's start with you first. Here, try it on."

The shopkeeper handed Sola a brown leather gown.

It had no sleeves and was designed to be worn over cloth clothing.

The outer surface was covered with the tough hair of an armored boar, giving it a rather wild appearance.

"Wow!　How does it fit?　Tall girl."

"If it's too tight on the shoulders or sides, you can adjust the strings at the chest."　

"Yes, sir. Here it is. ...... the front seems to be a bit loose."

Haha, that means it's growing nicely. Yeah, that's a good thing."

The wide-open collar is lined with metal studs with holes, and the tightness of the collar can be adjusted with leather straps that are threaded through the studs alternately.

Sola, who had happily put on the gown, spun around on the spot.

The shape of her breast, which was not clear in the thicker breastplate, is more clearly visible in this one.

Ramoh's lips lifted up in a nod, as if he was satisfied with his work.

"Okay, it looks like everything is fine. Next, this one."

The shopkeeper presented a new pair of leather gloves covering up to the elbows and knee-length leather shoes.

Both gloves and boots, like the body suits, can be tightened with leather straps.

Sola immediately put them on, and his eyes lit up at the comfort of the garments.

"How do you like it?"

He only asked me a short question to confirm whether I liked it or not, and his pride as a leather craftsman was evident in his answer.

The shopkeeper narrowed his eyes at the girl who nodded her head in silence.

Turning around and reaching for his workbench, Ramow now turns to the girl with the purple eyes.

"The boy's is ready too. First, try this on."

"Oh, what's this?

Moe's eyes widen slightly at what he is shown.

It was a fluffy, angular hat with boar hair on it.

Moe puts the hat completely on his head and lets out a happy laugh without changing his expression at the feeling.

"This is an interesting shape, isn't it?"

"Oh, you noticed. You see, this is what it looks like."

Ramow stretches out his arm and undoes the leather strap at the top of the hat.

The knotted part hangs down on both sides and becomes an earpiece.

The child, his face completely covered, lifts his chin in surprise.

"That's great, old man!"

"Phew, this isn't over yet. This one's next."

Newly emerged were black, rounded elbow and knee pads.

The back part was a belt to hold them in place.

The child, whose elbows and knees were covered perfectly, looked at his arms and legs with his lips slightly open.

"How do you like it?　Boy."

"Yes!　It's weird, but I like it, old man!"

Perhaps wanting to test the fit, Moe lifted his elbow and bumped into Thor and Sola.

The feeling of being bounced back made their eyes sparkle.

"This is a mysterious feeling, isn't it? It's like it's puffy but tight."

Yeah, that's the nub of the boar's armor. When you put many pieces of boar on top of each other, it becomes like that.

Although he says it simply, it is a job that requires a great deal of time and effort.

It is probably the hard work of his two sons who are his apprentices.

Moe was so pleased that he began to run circles around the owner.

He leaps up and starts bumping his head and elbows against Lamou's back and hips.

The bearded old master's usually stern face is replaced by a slack-jawed smile.

"Ugh, if only our boys had gotten wives quickly ......"

"You're still in your mid-20s. It's just the beginning."

"Yes, it is. You're almost 40 years old and you've got a lovely wife and daughter too. It's not too early to give up.

Thor shook his head without saying a word, as if he was tired of having to explain again.

Thora, with a big smile on her face, snuggles into his arms.

Moo came up to him and hugged him tightly around the waist.

Thor, with an indescribable look on his face, turns to Ramo who is still grinning at him.

"By the way, how's my share?"

"Oops, I forgot. Here you go.

In contrast to the previous two, Ramo hands it to me rather carelessly.

However, the item was the most eye-catching.

Smooth, fine scales covered with conspicuous blue stripes.

It is a cloak made of the skin of a blue-striped serpent that lives in the Yokashi Swamp.

"Wow, it's kind of beautiful!

"Torchan, you're so shiny!"

The Yokashi Swamp is a marshland located in a very remote area, and if you set foot in it carelessly, the thick miasma will cause your body to rot away in no time at all.

Naturally, Thor and his friends have a long way to go before they reach this place, and this snakeskin is also a high-grade material that costs several dozen silver coins.

However, it was by chance that Ramo received a request for the repair of this snakeskin jacket a few days ago, which was a stroke of luck for Thor.

The owner of the store cut out several pieces of fabric while them and made them into a cloak, albeit with a lot of haggling.

"Just what I ordered, thanks for getting it done in time.

"Well, this is what I eat. Ask me anything else you want."

f*ck you!"

Three silver pieces for the boar's body armor, one silver for each pair of gloves and boots.

The hat, elbow pads, and knee pads are two silver pieces each.

The snakeskin cloak would have cost about twenty pieces of silver, but because of the cost of the material, it cost five pieces of silver.

Just before leaving after paying the bill, Moe suddenly turns around.

Looking up at Ramo, the child pulled a small drawstring from his collar.

"Thanks for this, old man!

"Oh, you're using it, boy?"

With the corners of his lips pursed, Ramow reached out and touched the leather pouch.

He tilts his head at the strange sensation.

"Yeah?　What the hell is in this?

"You want to?　Here!"

Moe loosened the drawstring and opened the mouth of the drawstring, and lifted it up so that he could easily see its contents.

What was inside was a collection of rugged, transparent magic stones.

"Why are you putting these things in here?"

"Ohanamaru's food!"

"Oha?　Gohan?　I have no idea."

"Yes, I'll explain it to you.

"Oh, girl, please."

"First of all, Ohanamaru is the name of Moo-chan's favorite sled. It's called Ohanamaru because it has a picture of something that looks like a flower on it.

To be precise, the design is that of a multi-headed snake with its neck spread out, but if you try hard enough, it can be made to look like a flower blooming.

"So the magic stone is to keep the sled afloat.

"Oh, so that's why you're eating."

"Yes, actually, Moo-chan, Thor-chan got mad at me because I used a lot of magic stones when I was sledding too much.

"Tor-chan, I'm so sorry!"

"So now when I go on adventures and do my best, I can get magic stones like this."

"Yes, it's called "Kyuryou".

"I see. I see. That's good for you, kid.

Although it was not what he had expected, Ramow tapped the child lightly on the shoulder, happy to see that he was using it.

"Well then, I'm off!"

"I'll see you later."

"See you later, old man!"

"Oh, come again."

Thor and the others, now equipped with new gear, set out for the cave of the little ogres.

Today, the search for the second level begins.