Chapter 81: Commission and New Equipment

The long voyage was coming to an end.

Accompanied by the cold wind, we arrived at the port of the Karma Empire.

The port of the Karma Empire looked no different from when I had departed.

The cold that gripped this country remained unchanged, and the frozen ground showed no sign of thawing.

“Disembark!”

At the captain’s command, workers bundled up in thick winter clothing began moving busily.

Merchants and onlookers crowded near the docks, eager to acquire the rare materials brought from Monster Island, which arrived only once every six months.

Leading Nightmare, I disembarked along with the other adventurers.

I exchanged brief farewells and watched my former comrades fade into the distance.

Though we had worked together as pioneers on Monster Island, the moment we arrived here, they returned to their roles as adventurers.

Thus, the parting was light.

Frrrtt—

“Hm…”

I glanced around.

Due to Nightmare’s unusual appearance, many people’s gazes gathered on us—some filled with curiosity, others revealing a hint of greed.

Guiding Nightmare through the crowd, I heard the rhythmic clack clack of its hooves.

Sensing its overwhelming presence, the people instinctively stepped aside, allowing us to pass.

Unlike before, the capital’s streets lacked vitality.

Worry and concern replaced the usual smiles on people’s faces, and the children who once played outside were nowhere to be seen.

An unending winter, frozen earth, vanished smiles of the townsfolk, and streets devoid of life—all of it made one thing clear.

The wrath of Kashpa, which I had once heard about from a young sailor, had yet to subside.

I tilted my head in thought.

The dragons I knew possessed the power to reduce a city to rubble with nothing more than a breath.

Kashpa was no different in that regard.

So why hadn’t Kashpa acted directly, instead choosing to bring about an eternal winter?

The question lingered and grew.

I hadn’t given it much thought before, but after learning more about dragons, I couldn’t help but find it intriguing.

Frrrtt—

“Alright, I got it. Let’s go.”

Perhaps I had been lost in thought for too long.

Nightmare nudged me forward impatiently.

Leading it along, I searched for a suitable inn and secured a room.

“Oh, my goodness…”

As expected, the inn’s staff gasped upon seeing Nightmare.

The employee hesitated, clearly intimidated by its massive size.

“D-Do we need to remove its armor?”

Their gaze flickered between Nightmare’s feet and head, mistaking the white crystalline formations clinging to its body for special armor.

The resemblance was undeniable, though in reality, it was a part of its body.

“No, just lay down plenty of soft bedding, and provide it with fresh meat.”

“Meat?”

“It’s of the Hiran bloodline.”

“Ah…!”

The staff member let out a small exclamation of understanding and nodded, seemingly relieved to have an explanation for Nightmare’s enormous build.

Frrrtt—

“Go wait patiently.”

Nightmare sulked, reluctant to leave, but when I furrowed my brows and shot it a stern look, it lowered its head and trudged after the inn staff.

I had a mountain of tasks ahead of me.

First, I needed to report to the Adventurers’ Guild, submit my completed request, and collect the base reward.

Next, I had to handle the monster byproducts I had brought as additional compensation.

There were also gifts from my former comrades that needed sorting.

Sighing, I hoisted my heavy bag and headed to my room.

Materials retrieved from Monster Island sold for particularly high prices due to their exceptional quality and scarcity.

Nobles were willing to offer exorbitant sums for such rare goods.

A bundle of blue bird feathers I had brought back sold for 400 gold.

Their unique iridescent shimmer, which changed depending on the angle of view, and the faint chill they emitted had captivated a noble.

Materials purchased by nobles were rarely crafted into equipment; instead, they were used to create luxurious clothing and accessories.

Flaunting rare, expensive fabrics was a symbol of status among the aristocracy.

I stared at my now-bulging coin pouch in disbelief.

I had only kept the materials I planned to use and sold the rest—yet I had amassed nearly 2,000 gold.

As I pondered what to do with such a large sum, my thoughts drifted to my family back home.

When I had left, I had stolen from my mother’s emergency funds.

It was time to repay that debt.

I acquired a safe about the size of my head and stuffed roughly 500 gold coins inside.

The delivery process was similar to when I had previously sent a letter.

I had to visit the Adventurers’ Guild, hire an adventurer, and entrust them with the package and the designated address.

However, this was no ordinary letter—it was a safe containing 500 gold.

I had to be extremely careful in selecting the right adventurer.

My request was formally posted on the adventurers’ board.

Since I offered high compensation, many applicants showed interest—but none of them looked trustworthy.

Then, a familiar face appeared before me.

A man with an exotic face and dark skin. Even outside the desert, he wore a turban—a peculiar sight.

Kashin.

“Well, well…”

“We meet again.”

At this point, I couldn’t help but wonder if he was stalking me.

The world was vast, so how did we keep running into each other?

Seated across from each other in the inn’s first-floor dining area, I eyed him warily and asked,

“So, you’re working as an adventurer now?”

Kashin merely smiled and brushed off my suspicion.

He retrieved a silver-rank adventurer badge and said,

“It’s more convenient to be an adventurer than a foreigner.”

“Hm… But why would someone of your rank take on a mere delivery request?”

“You ask a lot of questions. I just happened to see the posting while dealing with personal matters in the Aven Kingdom.”

If he had received a silver rank from the swordsman guild, it meant his skills were the real deal.

Moreover, given his royal status, he was less likely to covet the package’s contents.

I crossed my arms and looked at Kashin.

I had some doubts, but at this moment, there didn’t seem to be anyone more reliable than him.

“Alright, Kashin. I’ll entrust this to you.”

“Is it something important?”

“To some extent.”

I handed Kashin a leather pouch filled with his payment and the safe.

He glanced at the piece of paper with the address written on it, furrowed his brows, and muttered in a low voice.

“Aven Kingdom… Hans the village chief’s place? That’s an unusual village name. And Emily’s house?”

“I’ll leave it in your hands.”

“… I’ll do my best.”

With that, Kashin left the inn.

I leaned slightly out the door to watch him leave and saw him walking with his subordinates.

It seemed they had been waiting outside until he finished accepting the request.

Whether the delivery would go smoothly was uncertain, but at the very least, I felt as if a burden had been lifted from my shoulders.

I turned around, praying that the safe would reach my hometown safely.

The time spent on Monster Island had worn out my equipment faster than expected.

Facing powerful monsters so frequently had taken a toll, and even my ogre-leather armor was no exception.

The numerous patches and stitch marks told the story—by now, it was barely more than rags.

I had used it long enough. It was time to replace my gear.

With the remaining money and materials in hand, I stepped out into the streets.

The cold winter wind had frozen the land, yet there was one place where heat still surged even on a day like this.

Clang—!

A sharp metallic clang rang through the air—it was the blacksmith’s forge.

I walked toward the source of the hammering sounds and the intense heat.

Eventually, I arrived at a familiar forge I had visited before.

Stepping inside, I came face-to-face with someone I recognized.

The last time I saw him, he had been too drunk to function properly.

But now, his eyes were clear as he inspected the shop.

“Hello.”

“…?”

The blacksmith turned at my greeting, tilting his head as if trying to recall a faint memory.

“Ah, ahhh!”

Only after a moment did he finally recognize me, nodding vigorously as he raised his voice.

I smiled and nodded back.

“Have you been doing well?”

“Hah, it’s been a while. So, magician, did I hand over the sword back then?”

“Yes, you gave it to me that evening, just as promised.”

“Hah, good. Drinking too much is a real problem. I was worried I might have lost it or something.”

I tilted my head. It seemed this blacksmith didn’t remember our agreement very well.

“So, what do you need this time?”

“I’d like to buy some armor.”

“Armor, huh…”

He let out a faint groan as he looked me over.

“Do you need it right away?”

“Do you have anything ready for immediate use?”

“I do, but… they’re all too big for you.”

“Then I guess I’ll need something custom-made. How much would a full plate armor set cost?”

“Hmm… What kind of metal are you thinking?”

“If it’s made entirely of Krodium.”

The blacksmith let out a short sigh and gave me a once-over.

“Four thousand.”

“…What?”

“Since you’re smaller than most, I’ve calculated it slightly cheaper for you.”

I awkwardly smiled as I thought about the heavy weight of my coin pouch.

I had wanted to get an impressive set of armor like Selion’s, but it seemed I still didn’t have enough for that.

“Then I’ll just order gauntlets and boots separately. How much for those?”

“Depends on the material.”

“I want them made from Krodium as well.”

“So you’re going all Krodium?”

“Yes. And for the inner lining, I’d like to use this.”

I pulled out a piece of dragonstone wyvern leather and handed it to the blacksmith.

It was a parting gift from my comrades, secretly placed in my bag before we split ways.

“This is my first time seeing this kind of leather. It’s tough, yet light…”

“So, what’s the price?”

“Both together? Eight hundred.”

After naming the price, the blacksmith grabbed an order form, ready to write it down if I agreed.

“I’ll leave it to you again.”

I handed over the payment, and the blacksmith picked up a measuring tape to start taking my measurements.

He noted the size of my feet, the length from my ankles to my knees, and even measured each finger precisely before recording everything.

“Any specific design preferences? I’ll do my best to match it.”

“Hmm, I don’t have any particular taste…”

“Then I’ll handle it as I see fit.”

“How long will the work take?”

“Let’s see…”

The blacksmith took out a small notebook, checked something, then nodded.

“About eleven days.”

Eleven days. That was reasonable—I could take on some guild requests while waiting.

With the order placed and payment settled, I stepped out of the forge.