Chapter 162
In games, especially RPGs, equipment is an important element.
There are some exceptional players who challenge the game completely unarmed, but they are the rarest of exceptions.
Most people properly prepare gear suited to the current story difficulty to ensure they can progress.
That’s the basic approach.
The day after the live performance, I figured it was about time to get ready, so I took Nell with me to check on the progress of the armor I had ordered.
The enemy we’re about to face is General Locust, a mid-tier player who is notorious for being a tough fight without preparation.
My current gear isn’t reliable enough.
General Locust, along with the Hopping Soldiers, has an earth attribute.
I already asked His Excellency the Duke to forge a weapon for me using the Wind Spirit Stone I obtained just yesterday.
If I can secure a full set of Marsh Dragon equipment, I can gain resistance against earth attacks.
A flat 10% damage reduction is huge.
On top of that, Marsh Dragon gear is a tier above General Locust’s.
Simply put, the defense boost will provide a solid safety margin.
"No!!! I refuse to part with the greatest masterpiece of my life!!!"
"Uh, no? I provided the materials and paid you, so hand it over like we agreed."
The one obstructing my safety margin is a grown man named Ganji, who is currently throwing a tantrum, clinging to the Marsh Dragon armor I’m supposed to wear, and shaking his head furiously.
Seriously, what is this? Is it really this ugly to see a grown man genuinely throwing a fit like a spoiled child?
"I’m really sorry about my husband."
"Uh, yeah, well…"
Watching this, as a former Japanese person, I almost reflexively said It’s fine, but no amount of sugarcoating could make this situation acceptable, so my response came out half-hearted.
Apparently, the gear was supposed to be ready much earlier, but according to Ganji’s wife, he kept delaying delivery under the excuse of making just a few more adjustments.
"This luster! This blue tint! Everything about it is my life’s greatest work!! Who knows if I’ll ever get my hands on Marsh Dragon materials again in my lifetime?!"
His wife, understanding that a craftsman’s duty is to deliver a perfect product, had tolerated his behavior, thinking it was just part of the process. But the moment I showed up asking if the armor was ready, he suddenly started refusing to hand it over out of sheer selfishness.
"Go ahead and say it. Honestly, seeing my husband like this is so embarrassing it’s giving me a headache."
Unsure whether to speak up or not, I hesitated over what to say—until his wife gave me permission to be blunt.
"Refusing to deliver a commissioned product is unacceptable for an adult, a craftsman, and a merchant. Frankly, it’s scummy."
"Guh!?"
I had no intention of tolerating anyone who obstructed my efforts without justification, so I stabbed him with sharp words.
The order consisted of four sets of armor:
A lightweight set for me, and armor for the girls.
Mine prioritized mobility—a breastplate, gauntlets, greaves, and a helmet.
Nell’s was sturdier than mine, designed like a reinforced rider’s suit, with Marsh Dragon scales covering most of her body.
Amina’s was modeled after a songstress, resembling a fantasy-style armored dress with Marsh Dragon materials reinforcing key sections.
As for Ingrid’s… it just looked like a maid outfit reinforced with Marsh Dragon gear.
At least he had enough restraint not to cling to the girls’ armor.
"But—"
"No ‘buts’ from a grown man!! This is disgusting!!"
"What do you know?! The despair of possibly never owning what could be the masterpiece of my career?!"
"Pride as a craftsman is fine, but if you don’t sell anything, you won’t even eat tomorrow!! Can pride fill your stomach?!"
If he had that much reason left, I wish he had reluctantly listened to his wife and handed it over.
As I sighed, wondering what to do—BAM!—a loud noise echoed through the workshop.
"GYAAAAAAAAH!!"
Ganji was now rolling on the floor, clutching his head.
In his wife’s hand was a frying pan, dented to roughly the size of Ganji’s skull.
I was almost impressed by how tough Ganji must be to scream like that after taking a full-force hit from that. Then his wife locked eyes with me.
"Now’s your chance! We’ve already been paid, so take it and go!"
"Uh, right."
Well, brute force works, I guess.
Following her lead, I moved into action.
"Hurk!?"
So this is what it means to physically sit on someone.
I climbed onto Ganji’s back as he writhed in pain, pouring a potion over his head to heal him while his wife—a giantkin—sat on him with her full weight, judging by his strangled cries.
"Thinking something rude, are you?"
"Nope, not at all."
I averted my gaze from her sharp glare and busied myself loading the Marsh Dragon gear onto the cart outside.
"What happened? It sounded really noisy in there."
"Just some… unsightly drama. Sorry, but help me load this up."
"Leave it to me!"
Nell, who had been lounging on the cart, eagerly stuffed the armor under a cover to conceal it.
Marsh Dragon equipment is extremely valuable in this world.
The last thing we needed was unwanted attention, so we worked quickly.
Claudia had gone out with Amina, so only Nell and I were here.
"NOOOOOOOO!! MY MASTERPIEEECE!!"
"Alright! All loaded up!! Let’s move!!"
"Is this okay?"
"It’s fine!!"
It felt like we were committing a robbery, but we had provided the materials, paid upfront, and had a clear delivery agreement.
There was nothing unethical about this.
Which is why I ignored the desperate man clawing at the ground, his wife still sitting on him, and pulled the cart away without looking back.
"Oh, welcome back~"
"I’m home."
The trip back was uneventful.
Though "home" in this case meant the Duke’s estate.
We circled around to the rear gate, where the guards let us in, and headed to the guesthouse where we were staying.
Part of me had expected some kind of trouble along the way—probably my gamer brain overthinking things.
As Nell and I carried the gear inside, Amina and Claudia, who had returned earlier, greeted us.
"It seems you retrieved it without issue."
"Well, more or less?"
Claudia’s definition of "without issue" likely meant we hadn’t run into Jackal or Ares, but given the scene with Ganji, there had definitely been trouble.
Still, the only real consequence was a slight delay, so it wasn’t a big deal.
I gave a vague response and moved the gear inside.
"Something happened, didn’t it?"
"...Let’s just say there was some… extreme resistance involving a man’s wounded pride."
Claudia gave me a look that said Again? before sighing and crossing her arms.
I summarized the situation, omitting the more ridiculous details.
"...I suppose some craftsmen are just like that."
"Glad you understand."
She seemed at a loss for words, opening and closing her mouth several times before settling on the safest possible response.
I wasn’t about to argue—I felt the same way.
"Everyone, what are you doing by the entrance?"
"Ah, Ingrid. Just giving a quick report. Perfect timing—we brought back your gear, so go try it on."
"? Understood."
"Nell, Amina, you too."
"Okay~"
With that, the conversation ended, and we all moved to try on the Marsh Dragon equipment.
My lightweight armor went on over my clothes, along with the greaves, gauntlets, and helmet.
"It suits you, Liberta."
"Thanks."
Even as a guesthouse, this was still noble property—there was a full-length mirror to check my reflection.
The scaled mail was a unified blue-green.
Looking at myself, I couldn’t help but think I looked cool, which made me self-conscious. I scratched my cheek in response to Claudia’s compliment.
"How’s the mobility? Armor that restricts movement defeats the purpose."
"Feels good. Mind sparring with me in the courtyard later?"
"Of course. I’m curious about its defensive capabilities."
"Uh, if you go all out, it’ll break."
"...That was a joke?"
"You’re serious, aren’t you?"
"Who knows? How about Nell and the others?"
I quickly changed the subject, focusing on whether the gear hindered movement—when rapid footsteps echoed down the stairs.
"Look, look!! So cool!! It’s super cool!!"
"Whoa, definitely."
The door burst open, revealing Nell in a fantasy-styled rider’s suit.
Rather than cute, she looked more like a badass action heroine.
But that impression vanished the moment she started bouncing around the room, tail wagging, showing off how easy it was to move in.
Her helmet resembled a motorcycle design, complete with a visor and space for her ears.
Marsh Dragon scales reinforced her shoulders, elbows, waist, chest, and shins. The matching gauntlets and greaves were perfectly balanced.
"Great armor, Nell. Let’s spar in the courtyard later."
"Absolutely!!"
Watching her move even more agilely than before, I noticed Claudia’s eyes gleaming.
"Don’t break it."
"I know."
New gear is exciting.
I totally understood Nell’s enthusiasm, and she wasn’t being reckless.
She was testing her limits without going overboard.
The real issue was Claudia, who was clearly itching to fight.
If she went all out, the armor wouldn’t survive.
Just as I started worrying—whoosh!—the sound of wings flapping filled the room, followed by a light landing.
"Hey! No fair going ahead, Nell!! I wanted Liberta to see me too!!"
Amina had arrived, having flown down from the second floor.
For a moment, I was mesmerized.
I’ve always wondered why fantasy games and anime use dresses as combat gear.
They’re impractical and hard to maintain.
But if I had to guess the reason?
Because they’re beautiful. Because they’re cute.
Her off-shoulder armored dress accommodated her wings, ensuring full mobility.
Marsh Dragon scales reinforced her chest, while bone and scale armor protected her waist.
With a headdress completing the look, Amina looked every bit the tomboy princess as she made her grand entrance.
"It couldn’t be helped, Lady Amina. Your outfit was slightly more complicated to equip than Lady Nell’s."
Ingrid followed behind, further enhancing the princess aesthetic.
Her maid outfit, now reinforced with scaled mail, gave off an entirely different vibe.
Before, she had seemed more domestic than combat-ready, but the Marsh Dragon additions made her look like a warrior.
A dragon maid, perhaps?
Instead of a helmet, she wore an ornate hairpin made from Marsh Dragon bone, accentuating her otherworldly beauty.
"Ingrid, you look amazing."
"I’m honored by your praise, Master Liberta. You look quite dashing yourself."
"What about me?"
"When you first appeared, you looked like a princess. But then you started acting like your usual self, so more like a tomboy songstress."
"What’s that supposed to mean?!"
Everyone seemed comfortable in their new gear.
Once the Duke delivers the weapon he promised, we’ll be fully prepared.
Last time, I played support.
This time, I’m going all out in this raid battle.