Chapter 52: 51

51: [Free Exploration] Dungeon Shop

“So what are you selling?”

I asked as I squatted in front of the mat. No Name pointed at the items with her finger.

“The items are different every time, but one thing is certain. They are precious items that cannot be obtained in the human world.”

Of course. This dungeon was undoubtedly inhumane.

This place was far from being like the human world in many ways.

However, the fact that these items are high-quality seems to be certain. At least, there were only things that could not be obtained in Crossroad.

‘There’s a lot of decent items.’

I lifted one of the rings and examined it as I groaned.

All these items were emitting either purple or golden lights. It meant that they were SR~SSR-ranked items. I can’t believe such items are being sold in a shop like this.

‘Usually, merchant NPCs do sell pretty decent goods, but she sells especially higher quality items.’

No Name, this person really might be a useful NPC…

As I began to seriously examine the items one by one, the party members also began to peek behind me, taking a look.

As the number of onlookers increased, No Name flicked the items with her fingertips.

“These are the things I gathered while wandering around the Lake Kingdom. The quality won't be so bad compared to the outside world. Feel free to take a look.”

“How do I pay for the items?”

“Currency from the outside doesn’t mean much here.”

No Name took out a shining magic stone crystal from her cape and showed it.

“Magic crystal or crystals. That is the payment that I accept.”

As I expected.

Magic crystals are a kind of payment item. They are subject to exchange.

Either exchange them for imperial currency or use them when trading with random merchant NPCs in dungeons.

The problem is the current situation. Every time magic crystals were gathered, I immediately sold them in exchange for imperial currency, so there was nothing left.

‘How would I have known that I’d meet a merchant NPC so quickly…’

It felt like I was going to miss out on the chance to get all these expensive items in front of me.

I shook off all the magic crystals and cores I had collected while progressing through this dungeon and pushed them forward.

“How much are these worth?”

“Hmm, let’s see…”

No Name took the three R-ranked mana cores and the magic crystals in the pocket and weighed them for a while.

“Honestly speaking, not much, but…”

Soon after, No Name took them into her cape and nodded her head.

“It’s our first deal. And I understand that you’re more serious about exploring this place than I thought, so… In the sense of cheering, I’ll let you choose one item.”

“Are you an angel?!”

I almost bowed to her without realizing it.

For only this amount of magic crystals, I can choose one SR~SSR ranked finished item? What is this, a charity?

“No taking back! You said I can choose one item among these, alright?! You know that the national rule is you get punched in the nose if you take your words back, right?!”

“I do not break promises. Go ahead and choose your item.”

After taking a gulp, I scanned the list with the eye of a hawk. Which one should I choose?!

Meanwhile, the party members who were watching the negotiation process from behind began to appeal the items they wanted one by one.

“Your Highness. This old lady doesn’t want much. However, I feel like I’d get younger by 10 years if I could just take a bite of this ‘100-year-old ginseng’…”

What, it’s not even an item that helps in combat. This granny was choosing ingredients that are good for her health.

“You can buy it with your own money.”

“Tch.”

Jupiter backed away as she grumbled. And this time, Lucas cautiously handed out an item to me.

“Master, how about these feathered boots?”

It was a pair of white boots. After a rough appraisal, it was a shoe with the ‘explosive movement speed increase’ option attached. Whoa.

“Lucas, you want to secure mobility, huh?”

“No. It’s not for me. I was thinking that it’d be useful for Master in an emergency.”

“Lucas, you…!”

Sob, you… It’s really touching to see you always think of me as your top priority in a situation like this too.

However, there is no need to consider my equipment as I am not the main combatant right now. I’m gonna have to reject this too.

Next in line was Demian. Demian hesitated and he held out what he had picked.

“This seems to be… a potion generator.”

“Oh?”

It looked like some kind of a mobile water fountain.

After appraising it, it really was an item that refilled potions at regular intervals. What a strange item.

“I thought having this in the temple would be of great help in the treatment of wounded soldiers.”

He is right. Even if the refill cycle is a bit long, if the potion continues to be generated, it will be of great help in managing injured soldiers.

However, if I were to ask if this item was an irreplaceable item that could only be obtained now, the answer was no.

Anyway, potions are something that can be supplied from outside. It's a waste to use this one-time exchange opportunity on it.

After explaining this point well and consoling Demian carefully, I looked at Evangeline, the last member of the party.

She took a few steps back from the seat and glanced around. I gave her a gesture.

“Aren’t you gonna pick anything?”

“I’m only here as a temporary member.”

Evangeline shrugged her shoulders.

“And I’m not quite interested in equipment. When I graduated, the headmaster gave me the finest cavalry spear and shield.”

“...Ah.”

“You said that they were being repaired in the forge, right? That’s enough for me.”

I froze up with my mouth wide open.

Lucas, who was standing beside me, started to shed cold sweat.

‘Right! We were here to farm magic cores in order to compensate her for breaking her equipment!’

Blinded by greed, I forgot about it. Dammit.

Taking a dry gulp, I whispered to No Name.

“Uhm, No Name. Do you… by any chance have any cavalry spears or shields…?”

“I do have a set right now.”

No Name dragged a cavalry spear and shield from the other side of the seat and placed them in front of me.

Brilliant golden color! They are SSR rank!

[Devil of Spear (SSR) Lv.35]

- Class: Cavalry Spear

- Attack: 35-40

- Durability: 20/20

- When attacking an enemy's weakness accurately, the damage dealt increases by 30%.

[Giant of Shield (SSR) Lv.35]

- Class: Shield

- Defense: 35-40

- Durability: 20/20

- When blocking an enemy's attack accurately, the damage received decreases by 30%.

> Set Effect: The Devil and the Giant

- If both items are equipped at the same time, the coefficient of the special ability increases to 50%

<”The monster’s energy…! Disappeared…?” - A certain Spear Knight’s Peer>

* * *

* * *

“Sheeeesh!”

I couldn’t help but let out a weird noise.

Good. Very good. A spear embossed with a snake or a dragon, whatever it may be, was cool, and a shield shaped like a huge fist was also cool. Their abilities are great too. It’s all great.

‘But they’re a set of equipment!’

Without one side, full performance cannot be achieved.

I have to get both… But she said I could only choose one.

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As I groaned while alternating between the spear and the shield, No Name smiled faintly.

“Didn’t I mention? There’s a buy one get one event going on, remember?”

“Huh, hm?”

“Take both of them, it’s a gift from me. They’re a set in the first place.”

My eyes widened. The strange woman in front of me began to appear not as an angel, but as the light itself.

“R-really…?”

“Yes. Hurry and take them. They’re useless to me anyway.”

No Name nodded, holding out the spear and shield in front of me.

“In return, I ask you to keep exploring this place in earnest, and when you find me sometimes, buy some of the items from me.

Is this like helping a newbie out as a pro in an online game?

Anyway, there was no reason for me to decline this offer. I received the spear and shield as I bowed to her.

When I turned around, Evangeline was making a puzzled face.

I handed over the two pieces of equipment and confessed to her what happened yesterday.

“You see, yesterday…”

Evangeline's expression turned even more puzzled when I said that all of her own equipment had been smashed to pieces by my punch and that this was the compensation.

“I don’t understand.”

“Huh? What don’t you understand?”

“I started the fight yesterday. To be honest, Sunbae only fought back after my attack.”

“Hm, but we still fought you 2 on 1…”

“You were assaulted first, I don’t think the number matters here.”

Evangeline did not receive the spear and shield and pushed them away.

“I lost in the first place, and my equipment was damaged in the process. That is my responsibility. You don’t need to take care of me like this.”

However, I had no intention of backing off either. I grinned.

“Then take this as a gift from the 3rd Imperial Prince, Ash. Not as compensation.”

“Pardon?”

“It is a graduation present sent by the Imperial Prince to his Hubae in the Academy, Evangeline Cross. Don’t tell me you’re going to reject a present from a person of the Imperial Family?”

And also for Earl Cross, who dedicated his entire life to the city.

I felt guilty for destroying his daughter’s equipment instead of congratulating her on her accomplishment.

Of course I was not going to say that out loud…

“Anyway, stop rejecting and just take’em! Alright?! When an adult gives you a present, you take it politely!”

“......”

When I stubbornly continued to offer them, Evangeline, who had no choice but to accept them, looked up at me, and before long, bowed to me.

“Thank you, Sunbae. I’ll put them to good use.”

“Of course! Of course you will.”

I watched with a smile as Evangeline put on her new gear. I feel a little better now.

Then Jupiter, who was standing next to him, pointed at herself.

“What about me, Your Highness? Don’t you have a present for me?”

“I pay you wages.”

When I get an item for a mage, then I’ll give it to you, so just wait for now.

This time, Lucas pointed at himself.

“What about me, Master?”

“I made you an armor set…”

I even organized your equipment farming plan separately, so don't worry and just wait.

Lastly, Demian smiled.

“I’m fine, Your Highness!”

Oh, you better be fine. I already gave you that magic rifle just a while ago. And there are a few more to come in the future. Those are expensive too.

“Hey there, merchant lady. I’ll take that one, please.”

After Jupiter bought the ‘100-year-old ginseng’ with the magic crystals that she had kept secret, the shopping was over.

“Hehe, hehehe… If I could just brew a tea out of this and drink it…”

Jupiter hugged her ginseng tightly in her arms and smiled sinisterly.

Hey there, Granny. You’re not going to get younger by eating that, so don't expect too much.

After the business was over, No Name began to organize her items. I hesitantly spoke to No Name.

“No Name. Do you mind if I ask you just one question?”

“Hm? Go ahead. I’ll answer if it’s something I can answer.”

I asked cautiously to No Name who nodded happily.

“Do you know of a man called ‘the Pied Piper’?”

“The Pied Piper? Who is that?”

“A man wearing a bard outfit with a black cone hat. He played the flute to control the monsters. It seemed that he was from here.”

“Ah…”

No Name—thinking deeply—slowly nodded her head.

“You’re talking about that man.”

“You know him?”

“There are quite a few oddballs wandering around the bottom of the lake here, but this guy in particular… is quite famous. I know of him as well.”

I remembered the bard who almost ruined the game by breaking into the previous stage.

It was an NPC that didn't have much presence in the game. I guess he’s quite famous around here?

“If you keep proceeding forward, you will find quite a wide safe zone between Area 3 and Area 4.”

No Name pointed at the road in front.

“It's a place where the several people who are at least sane in the dungeon under this lake visit. It is a place that people often call the ‘base camp’.”

The base camp.

I also know of the place. It’s the safe zone that’s unlocked after clearing Area 3.

It’s a place where NPCs are gathered and maintained, and a base where various facilities and merchants are rallied as well.

The space is also large, and it becomes a bridgehead for later dungeon exploration.

“There is a good chance that the man you are looking for will also stop by there. Even if he's not there, you'll be able to get information from others. There are of course still some other ways to get there, but…”

No Name nodded her head as she looked at us.

“I feel like you’ll get there without a problem.”

After packing up all her belongings, No Name said farewell to us.

“Well then, see you alive again next time.”

Then she disappeared into the darkness beyond.

“Working as a merchant in a place like this… She’s an interesting person.”

Demian muttered in an innocent voice.

However, the rest of the party members were clearly wary of her. Lucas murmured without taking his sharp gaze away from her.

“That woman… We can’t trust her.”

“Why?”

“She’s too strong.”

Lucas turned his gaze to No Name’s previous spot.

Five, no, six steam golems were completely destroyed.

The sword marks left on the fragments were undoubtedly from one person. There was a very high chance it was from No Name.

“She was able to keep a relaxed attitude after taking them all out alone… She’s not just an ordinary warrior.”

I mean, well. You can also do that much more easily after wearing the exclusive equipment fully, hit the max level, and finishing the trait grinding in the third year of the conquest.

At this point in the game, it was quite understandable to see her strength as monstrous. However, I decided to categorize her as ‘friendly’.

‘There’s no way a person who’d give away SSR set items for almost free is bad.’

Even if she's a bad NPC, if she gives me good gear, then she's a great bad person. Yup.

Shaking off my hands, I stood up and saw a large stone building on the other side of the square.

“Okay, let’s go take out the boss mob now.”

The next area was the boss room.

‘I have to kill the boss and farm the boss's treasure chest!’

It may sound obvious when I say this, but I love it when I acquire new items!

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