183-167 Woven

On the way back from the guild, I dropped by Gantz's store and found that the boots were already finished.

The leather armor and other armor seemed to be in the final adjustment stage, and would be completed in a few more days, so I could probably use the new armor for my next job.

At any rate, Mr. Gantz said, "Try on the boots," and we put on the boots he gave us.

"Wow!　These fit so well!　It's not like any other boots I've ever worn.

"This is more than I expected from .......

Yuki, who had quickly changed into her new boots, stepped into them and sounded surprised.

Haruka also nodded, bending and rolling her ankles.

The boots we had been wearing so far were trekking boots that covered the ankles a little, but these boots were lace-up boots that covered the knees.

In spite of this, the moving parts of my ankles and toes are not constrained and are not affected by strenuous movements.

They are truly one-of-a-kind, made just for me, and they hug my feet nicely.

The only drawback is that they are lace-up boots, so they are quite cumbersome to put on, but this is unavoidable because you don't want them to come off by any chance.

They're made from the wooden pattern of your feet. Well, as soon as you grow up, you won't be able to wear them anymore, but I'm sure you guys will be fine.

Although my race has changed since I came here, it is true that the size of my feet does not change that much at my age?

In the original body, the growth period seemed to be over, but with elves, ...... no, it's probably about the same. I'm sure you'll be able to find something that works for you.

I'm sure you'll be able to find something that works for you. Especially in our case, we walk long distances and over uneven terrain.

The laces are made of Dahl's Bear leather. I don't think they'll break easily, but I'll give you a spare set each.

Thank you, sir.

Let me know if you have any problems. An undercarriage malfunction can be fatal.

Yes, sir.

We thanked Mr. Ganz again and left the store.

Incidentally, the boots were made of Dahl's Bear leather and cost 25 gold pieces per pair.

I thought the price was pretty good, but Natsuki said that even in the original world, expensive leather boots would cost more, so the price might be reasonable considering the low labor cost and the fact that we brought in our own materials.

I'm sure you'll be able to find something that will help you get through the day.

This is the first time I took a bath in a long time.

After returning home and enjoying a bath for the first time in a long time, we ate some of the food we had stored and had a relaxed discussion in the living room.

This living room was originally going to be a western-style living room with sofas and chairs, but this is a house full of Japanese people. In a relatively short time, the plan was changed.

Although the sofas and chairs are still there, the room is completely off-limits to foot traffic. There is a carpet in the center of the room where you can freely roam around.

There is also a storage room in the corner of the room where drinks, snacks, and light meals are stored, and you can eat and drink without leaving the room.

It's quite a comfortable space, and all of us usually gather here when we're not busy.

Especially Natsuki and Toya can't use their own magic to control the air conditioning, and it's too much trouble for us to keep using magic by ourselves, so gathering together is more efficient in many ways.

It's been getting a little hot lately, so Haruka and the others are working on a prototype gosa.

When it is completed, they plan to spread it instead of a carpet.

There are also air-conditioning devices available, but they are made to order and take a long time to make, and it's a bit of a hassle to make them ourselves. At present, we don't have much trouble, so we just leave it at that.

I'm planning to take about three days off this time, is that okay?

Is that because of the armor for Dahl's Bear?

Yes. So if it's not finished, we can either extend the vacation or pick it up at .......

Hmm, that's good, right?　But what's the next step?　Are we going to go to the other end?

The "beyond" that Toya refers to is the area where the Skeleton King was in the dungeon (presumably), and the slope that appeared there.

Or we can explore the forest. ......

If you're only looking to make money, the forest is probably the better option, right?

It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for. There is a difference of more than 10 times even if you compare only the magic stones.

Of course, the strength of the monsters is completely different, but considering our current skills, the monsters in the abandoned mine are in some ways too easy, so we are a little concerned about using them as our main target.

We probably won't be able to expect much in terms of experience either.

So far, I've gotten the impression that the amount of experience gained from a normal fight is roughly proportional to the purchase price of the magical stone, so this prediction is probably correct.

The important thing to remember is that even if the relationship is proportional, the experience is not constant.

Is that hard to understand?

For example, at level 10, you can get 100 experience from enemies with 100 rare magic stones and 1,000 experience from enemies with 1,000 rare magic stones. That's how it works.

In other words, the experience gained from the price of the magic stone is predictable, but if the enemy is too weak, no experience will be gained.

Even if we kill a goblin with magic, the experience will be equivalent to ...... "I practiced magic".

But hey, it's hot in the woods. ......

The one who complained about my opinion was Toya.

The time I returned this time was just before noon, so it must have been out of the hottest time of the day, but even so, the temperature was still high enough to make me sweat when I fought.

Considering the fact that the temperature will be on the rise for some time to come, it is understandable that Toya wants to avoid the forest, and I agree with her.

That's what I'm struggling with. ....... I'm sure you'll be able to find a lot more information about dungeons and demons in ......

I'd certainly like to have a book on dungeons, and one on the demons we've been talking about.

If you're looking for a lot of books, Kergu is probably the place to go, but ...... it's not a good idea to go there now, and the town beyond is difficult.

The town beyond Kergu is called Pining, and it is the capital of Viscount Nenas' domain.

Naturally, it's the biggest town in the area and probably has a wide variety of books available for purchase, but we should think a little about whether we should avoid Kergu and go for that town or not.

We don't know the extent of the chaos in Kergu, but we can't deny the possibility that people will be wary of us just because we come from that direction.

Diora asked, "Do you want to negotiate with Viscount Nenus yourselves? If you have that letter of introduction, things might go smoothly, but on the other hand, you'll have to deal with the hassle of 'negotiating with nobles'.

We should consider carefully whether or not we should go to Pining.

"I'm going to look for it in the bookstores in this town for now. ...... Do you want to go to Sarstat?

"Oh, there. I'm hoping for a few bargains there.

It's a place where you can get a grimoire of space-time magic for cheap.

"It's about to get hot, and although it's not exactly a summer retreat ......, how about going for some leisure and fishing as well?　Instead of a vacation.

"Fishing and water sports ...... sounds good!

I didn't say water sports......, well, yes.

There was no reason to disagree with Natsuki's suggestion, and their vacation in this town was reduced to one day.

The plan to go out the day after tomorrow was easily approved.

By the way, do we have to report to the guild about the dungeon?　It's almost a dungeon, right?

We looked at each other as Toya said, as if remembering.

"Report? We weren't told that we needed to report anything when we signed up.

We were never told about the dungeon. Maybe it's because there aren't any near here.

The only explanation Diora gave me about adventurers was about their rank.

I wonder if dungeons are actually that important?

But didn't she say that you need a rank to enter a dungeon?

Yes, rank 4 or higher. In guild-controlled dungeons, that is.

In other words, if you're not in a guild-controlled dungeon, you can freely enter ......?

We all looked at each other, but none of us could answer, only twisting our heads.

After all, a group of people with no knowledge can never become Monju.

There is no point in discussing it.

The next time you go to the guild, I'll tell Diora about it. I'm sure he'll tell you what you need to know then.

That's what it comes down to.

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The next day we were free to go.

Toya, Haruka, and Natsuki went to the bookstore, Yuki went to buy food, and I went to the temple alone.

As usual, I threw in a large silver coin and asked for experience.

--Hmm, one level up.

I didn't kill many strong enemies, but there were a good number of them, so I guess that's why.

Thank you for everything.

I turned around to go home, and there she was, the beautiful priestess that I often see in this temple.

As I turned around to leave, I saw a beautiful priestess who was often seen in this temple. She greeted me smilingly, probably because I frequently visited the temple and paid her an offering every time.

I've seen you around a lot lately.

I've been seeing you around a lot lately. hahaha ...... I think it's because of the blessings of Adversus that I'm alive and well.

Seriously.

If it wasn't for the skills and level ups, I probably would have died right away.

If it weren't for those things, those of us with no connections would have been day laborers for a long time and probably would have died in middle age.

But the priest, perhaps surprised that I, an adventurer, had said such a thing in such a serious manner, rolled his eyes and raised his voice.

"Well!　I'm sure your faith will reach the gods.

"Oh, I'm sorry?

I'm not that religious - well, I believe in God, but I don't know anything about his doctrine, so I'm not sure if I'm religious or not.

What I want is worldly gain.

So I was going to give him a vague Japanese smile and just fade away. .......

Hmm?　Why am I in the orphanage behind the temple?

No, it's not that I was distracted by the soft touch of the sister's arms holding me tightly.

You know, if you pull it out by force, you might hurt the sister, right?

I've been working out for a while now, and I'm pretty strong, too.

--Yeah, I lied a little.

I can't deny that I followed her because she was a beautiful woman.

If it had been a male priest, I would have just left.

However, it's not a lie that I was a little interested in the orphanage. I think it is a barometer of the state of security and governance.

If it's too bad, I'm not sure I'll be able to settle here. .......

So this is an orphanage. ....... How many children do you have?

There are currently 23.

The orphanage we were taken to was about the size of two slightly larger detached houses in Japan.

It was probably bigger than my two houses, but definitely smaller than Natsuki's.

The garden, or playground, attached to the building is large enough for running around, but the rooms seem to be small.

The building itself is a little old, but from the outside, it does not appear to be fatally damaged.

The building itself is a little old, but it doesn't look fatally damaged from the outside.

How much money does this place have?

The money we receive from our lord and your generous donations. That's how we make ends meet. ......

Not much to spare, he said.

The building we entered was old and in need of repair, but considering the fact that it was being repaired, it was not too bad.

"Shin Kancho-sama~!

As I was being led through the orphanage, a little girl came running up from the other side of the corridor, noticed me, and hurriedly applied the brakes.

She looked up at me and cocked her head.

The little girl looked up at me and tilted her head.

You will find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their lives.

"This is the man who donated to .......

The priest who tried to introduce me, ...... no, the chief priest?　I'm not sure if you've heard of it, but I have.

I mean, why did they bring me here?

I know you probably want donations, but ...... did you think I had faith?

Did you think that if you saw the current state of the orphanage, people with faith would give you money?

I'm not sure. Thank you very much.

The girl bowed her head in a polite but lispy manner.

I looked at the chief priest without thinking, but he quickly averted his gaze.

I'm not sure if I'd want to give money to someone who showed me this, rather than have an adult ask me for a donation.

...... Isn't that a little cruel?

I'm sure the chief priest sensed my feelings, and as if in a panic, he called out to the girl without looking at me.

I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not.

"Oh, that's right!　Brother Koro and Brother Jay are fighting!

Well, well, well. That's not good!

I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure I'm not the only one.

For a moment, I thought about turning on my heel and going home, but it was difficult because Remy was glancing back at me as I walked away.

A child's gaze is not fair.

I gave up and followed him, and we arrived at the dining room.

In a large room, two boys of about seven or eight years old were rolling around on the floor, fighting with each other.

Some children were watching from afar, some were playing in the corner of the room as if they didn't care about it, and some were making noise as if to agitate them.

Many children, both boys and girls, were gathered in the room.

As expected, when the children who had been playing along noticed the chief priest's appearance, they panicked and said, "Oh no! But the two who were fighting each other didn't notice, and they were still engaged in a battle.

No, even though they were fighting, it didn't look like a serious fight, more like a joking match.

Then, the Chief Priest's thunderbolt strikes them.

"Hey!

"!　Oh no!　Run!

What were they fighting about just now?

The two of them said the same words in unison, and then quickly broke apart, both of them running away together into the depths of the orphanage.

Oh my god, those two are ....... I'm sorry to bother you.

Oh, no. That's what kids of that age are like. I think they're fine, don't you?

At least they have the energy to fight.

However, he doesn't seem to have enough food, and he seems to be having a hard time finding clothes, so if he gets too energetic and tears his clothes, the chief priest who is taking care of him will be in trouble.

Especially in this world, clothes are so expensive that they can become assets if they are not well taken care of.

In Japan, casual second-hand clothes are only worth their weight in gold.

Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Ishka, and I am the head priest of this temple.

My name is Nao. I'm an adventurer based in this town.

You must be Nao. Please come in.

After leaving the cafeteria, I was led to the orphans' bedroom.

The reason I didn't go home was, of course, because I was interested in the orphanage.

My arm was firmly grasped by Ishka again, but I had nothing to do with her.

The room was about six tatami mats with two triple bunk beds. A room for six people. That's six rooms.

Only four of the rooms are occupied now, but in the past, there was a time when two people occupied one bed because they couldn't fit in this room.

Fortunately, since Ishka has been in charge of the orphanage, all the beds have not been filled. .......

Are all the orphans in town here?

At least all the orphans that are identified are collected here.

The area where we live is one of the unsafe areas in Laffan, but we haven't seen any orphans like street children so far.

There are no slums, and even if the area is unsafe, there is no danger of being attacked just because there are some bad characters (mainly adventurers) walking around - well, not as far as we are concerned.

Most of the people in this town are in the noble professions, and there are almost no adventurers with children of any rank in this town.

Thanks to you, this town is just barely getting by, but it's still not easy. I wish more blessings for you and for these children.

I wish more blessings for you and for them.

And behind her, Remy-chan and the others are also staring at me.

Yeah, you're asking me to guess, right?　I understand.

But, "blessing"...

I've come to believe in the existence of God since I came here, but I still don't believe in the framework of man-made religions, and I don't intend to in the future.

However, I have received some 'benefits'... I got the benefit of increased experience.

I don't really feel it, but I don't think God would lie about it. ...... No, I want to believe it.

I'm sure you'll be able to figure out how to get the best out of it.

I'm not sure how much I can do, but I'll try.

It's not a lot of money, but it's worth it.

It's not a lot of money, but it will add up to something.

But the amount of money I gave Ishka seemed to be more than she expected.

His eyes widened a little and he bowed deeply with a softer smile than before.

Thank you very much. I will take your kindness very seriously.

Ah, five gold coins is a lot of money for an adventurer based in this town.

But if it's for the sake of the orphans here, I don't think this amount of donation is too much to ask.

If I continue to be an adventurer in the future, there's a good chance that my children will be taken care of here.

--I have no plans to get married, though!

I'll stop by again when I get the chance. ...... Don't get your hopes up too high, though.

"Of course. If you could just share some of your spare time with them, that would be enough.

But when a combo of a cute kid and a beautiful chief priestess comes along.

But if the combo of a cute kid and a beautiful priestess comes, I'm afraid I'll be forced to donate a little.

Especially if you become friends with the kids.

Yeah, let's get out of here.

I told Ishka that I was free and left the room.

And then Remy, who was attached to the chief priest, waved me goodbye and I left the orphanage.

--Well, I'm sure I'll be involved in the future.

As long as there is such a thing as "level", we can't keep our distance from the temple of Adversus.