The Adventurer Who Lacks Magic Power

“Kaito, not just the rush wolf, but you’ve made something like this, huh?”

“I received the bestowal ceremony for earth magic. I was practicing when I got surrounded by rush wolves. This one fell headfirst into the pit I made, so I buried it alive. I really thought I was going to die.”

“So, you’re selling everything, including the magic stones?”

“Yes, please.”

“Alright, wait in the cafeteria. It’s in excellent condition without any wounds, so I’ll appraise it high for you.”

I bowed to Yahan and went to Fuyusa, the woman who bought medicinal herbs.

“Fuyusa-nee-san, please appraise the medicinal herbs.”

“Eight Sarasa fruits, seventeen Yoisame leaves, five Wind Chime Grass, and the rest is miscellaneous. There’s only one iron coin. With a total of sixty-two, that’s 65,200 dara. Well done.”

I received the money, pretended to put 50,000 dara in my pocket, and pocketed the remaining 15,200 dara.

“Hey, Kaito, you’re making quite a bit of money.”

It was the three trashy guys with red faces since the morning. If I met them outside the town, I’d often end up having my collected herbs taken or getting punched.

“You can’t defeat a rush wolf. Where did you steal that from?”

“None of your business. Do you understand? Half of the money is a thank-you gift for your daily ‘services.'”

“I like obedient kids.”

“Are you planning to gather around a child? Drunk in the morning and threatening a kid… aren’t you embarrassed?”

“You’re a noisy hag. Shut up and get lost.”

“Is that so? You seem prepared. That child is not an adventurer but a citizen. Do you know what will happen if you touch her? There are rumors that you’ve been stealing herbs from her and using violence. She might become a criminal slave one day.”

“An annoying old woman. Do you have proof? There’s no way rumors would turn her into a criminal slave. Let’s go; I feel sick.”

Yodo and Gil left the guild with a disdainful laugh after looking at my face. They didn’t know that, now that I have magic, I’m planning to repay them for everything.

I was called by Yahan and headed to the purchasing counter.

“The fur is clean and it’s large, so with the magic stones, it will be 150,000 dara. Is that acceptable?”

“Yes, thank you very much. Yahan-san, how much is a clock?”

“If it’s second-hand, it should be around 50,000 to 60,000 dara. You should be able to find one at the adventurer’s specialty store down the road.”

I thanked Yahan-san and went to the adventurer’s specialty store. I told them I wanted a clock.

The clerk, with a suspicious look in his eyes, showed me a clock when I displayed the silver coins in my hand. It was a simple one with a brass-like color and intricate patterns carved on it. There were no chains, and there were small scratches, but no dents. When I opened it, the inside looked clean.

“How many days does it last when wound once?”

“Well, about 2 to 3 days. If it’s a high-quality one, it can last 4 to 5 days. In that case, it will be six silver coins.”

“Five coins then.”

After a bit of negotiation, we settled on 55,000 dara. As a bonus, I received three large, three medium, and three small herb pouches.

“You’re quite shrewd. So, you haven’t registered as an adventurer yet?”

“Not yet. I can’t do it until next year.”

“There was a wolf in front of the guild. The adventurers were talking about it; did you bring it? It’s said that you brought herbs from her outside the town and used violence. Be prepared; sooner or later, she might become a criminal slave.”

“What are the prices for boots?”

“There won’t be anything that fits your feet here. Go to the shoemaker. Your clothes are quite worn, but they won’t fit here unless you go to a second-hand store.”

I thanked him and left the shop, discreetly storing away the rest of my money from the knife and clock. Combining the leftover money from before and this time, I had about 20,000 dara, so I went on a shopping spree for food.

I couldn’t pass up the opportunity for bread with lots of ingredients, so I bought ten from one shop and another ten from a different one. I pretended to load them onto my backpack and discreetly stored them away. I also bought skewers, fruits, beans, sweet potatoes, and soup powder, storing them away one by one to avoid suspicion. Finally, I decided to visit the shoemaker and the second-hand store.

At the shoemaker’s storefront, an old man asked curtly what I wanted. I explained that I needed sturdy shoes for herb gathering and asked how much they would cost. I showed him the pocket watch and informed him that I had enough money to buy it.

I pretended to take it out of my pocket and showed it to him, and he didn’t seem to notice.

I was satisfied with my training paying off.

He asked to see my feet, so I took off my shoes and placed my feet on a table. After examining them, he went to the back of the shop and brought two pairs of boots.

“Try them on.”

I put on socks and tried the first pair. They were a bit tight, and my toes touched the front. He then handed me the other pair, which fit perfectly. They were snug, soft around the ankles, and comfortable everywhere. They were priced at 80,000 dara, but since my feet were important, I bought them on the spot.

At the second-hand store, I bought a pair of pants with side pockets and a jacket with a hood, suitable for adventurers, for 40,000 dara. I was almost broke.

I didn’t have any more business in the town, so I quickly headed back to the grasslands. I knew the trio of troublemakers were following me, but I acted as if I didn’t notice. I left the town with a quick pace and made my way to the campsite, pretending to carry my backpack. The backpack was empty, so my steps were light.

After walking for over two hours, I stopped and pretended to notice the trio for the first time, occasionally looking back and then walking briskly again.

We reached a place where the bushes were dense and visibility was poor from the roadside. I pretended to see them and looked around. Confirming there was no one around, I slipped into the dense bushes.

I watched them run but calmly entered the thicket and sat down. They soon caught up, but instead of showing fear, I sat down calmly, puzzling them.

I picked up rocks and dropped them into the hole, saying, “Pon,” “Squish,” and “Thud,” while they begged for help from inside. I left an air hole to prevent them from suffocating and sealed the lid tightly.

Since they didn’t have any belongings on them, I looked around, knowing they must have left something somewhere when they started running. I found their things bundled near the base of a tree.

I retrieved their belongings and headed back to them. I widened the air hole to the size of their faces and greeted them.

“How are you, Nayya? Consider whether you want to stay there until you die or if you’ll obey my commands.”

I relayed the same message to the other two. I then constructed tonight’s sleeping place nearby.

I designed it to look like a rock from the outside. Inside, it was spacious enough to sleep comfortably. I added monitoring and ventilation holes. Afterward, I took out the clock and checked the time. It was 6:00 PM. The summer sun was still high, but I used my magic to strengthen the dome and closed it with a “Patankyu.”

**************************************************************

I woke up and checked the clock; it had passed 1:00 AM. I realized my magic had recovered in just over six hours. Magic recovers surprisingly fast, I thought. Buying the clock was the right decision.

I built a small stove, raising the chimney high. I took out firewood from storage and lit a fire. Magic was indeed convenient. With earth magic, I created the stove, eliminating the need for a tent. I could store food in my pocket (storage) without it rotting, and the temperature remained consistent. It was a world of difference compared to camping in Japan. Well, at least in terms of camping.

I boiled water in a pot using life magic and watched the flickering flames. It was a blissful moment, but the kind of bliss I used to experience in Japan had become a part of my everyday life now.

I nibbled on the bread with plenty of ingredients while I poured soup powder into a cup and waited for the water to boil. Waiting patiently for the cup noodles, which used to be a luxury back in Japan, felt like a distant memory now.