The Darkness Was Comfortable for Me

Chapter 55: Launch and Blacksmith

“Now then, a toast for our success in the exploration!”

We put an end to our exploration before night came, and went to the guild to sell our Spirit Stones.

There were no Chaotic Spirit Stones, but there were a decent amount of colored ones, and the earnings were decent too.

It was a good amount for a day of earnings.

By the way, I had Rifreya do the selling while I hid outside. I don’t want to be labeled as goldfish poop or a parasite. It would just be a pain.

…There’s also the fact that I can’t deal with crowded places.

“Is it okay to have me participate as well-nyan?” (Grapefull)

“Of course it is okay. Well, no alcohol for anyone though.” (Hikaru)

“I can’t drink alcohol anyaways, so I don’t have problems with that.” (Grapefull)

With that previous drunk happening, Rifreya and I are abstaining here.

We are at the same place as before.

The price is just right, the taste is good, the inside is dim, and it is good for my mental health.

I wasn’t sure if to actually celebrate here, but thinking about the viewers, it would be better to be together with Rifreya and Grapefull as much as possible to increase the viewers.

I am being hated.

A person like that showing a fulfilling life might reduce my viewers. You normally wouldn’t want to see the person you hate having a happy isekai life.

But contrary to those feelings, my viewers have been going on the rise all this time since morning.

Just like how the opposite of love is disinterest, hate can sometimes be a strong motivator.

It is exactly because they hate me that they can’t take their eyes off me.

That’s why you could say this view count is a hate meter.

“Also…is it okay for me to get this much money-nya?” (Grapefull)

“No, that’s only the share that you defeated, Full. Well, it is far from 1 gold, but take it.” (Hikaru)

“Uuuh…how kind-nya… Normally, this amount would take 1 month to save-nya…” (Grapefull)

“That’s only 4 small silver coins…” (Hikaru)

Today’s earnings are 10 silver coins.

Well, there’s the fact that we hunted monsters at quite the high pace though.

“But you really are strong, Rifreya. I admire you.” (Hikaru)

“I admire you, Hikaru. To think you would be able to use abilities so freely.” (Rifreya)

“Even if I can use abilities, I won’t increase my Tier if I don’t defeat monsters…” (Hikaru)

Rifreya must have gotten stronger today.

She has defeated more than 10 times what I did. She was originally far stronger than me, so the gap is increasing even more now.

“Then, we should…buy a new weapon for you, Hikaru.” (Rifreya)

“I want to, but I don’t have the money.” (Hikaru)

“If you give out my name, it should be okay. A Silver Rank is trustworthy after all.” (Rifreya)

“I would feel bad.” (Hikaru)

I don’t know why Rifreya trusts me this much, but buying a weapon using the reputation of someone else is a bit…

“Hmm…things that could make money if I sold them…I do have those, but…” (Hikaru)

“Then, how about selling that?” (Rifreya)

“No…let’s not. Well, I still want to check out a weapon store.” (Hikaru)

The most expensive thing that can be sold in my belongings is the Mallow Moon Silver Flower.

Even the Item Appraisal gave the expensive tag to it. It might even go for 1 gold.

But it is not like I am troubled by money or my weapon currently, so I don’t know if it would be okay to sell it.

I don’t have a connection that would allow me to sell that at the appropriate price either.

I could sell the Spirit Stone of the mantis, but that in itself can serve as a trump card, so I shouldn’t get impatient here and sell it.

“Well, I do have around 10 silver coins, so maybe I can make an advance payment for a weapon I can wield with that?” (Hikaru)

“Ah, you had that much? Then you can buy one! Let’s go tomorrow. The place where my weapon was made has really good skills. The price is just right too!” (Rifreya)

“Eh? Not a mass produced weapon but an ordered one?” (Hikaru)

“Obviously. I don’t think there’s a weapon that fits your fighting style in shops, you know?” (Rifreya)

“Really?” (Hikaru)

Whichever the case, it was already getting pretty hard to keep that dagger as my main weapon. Before it breaks and becomes unusable, I should order a new weapon.

“Then, we are going to the blacksmith tomorrow, right?! I guess I should have my equipment repaired too.” (Rifreya)

“What will you do, Full? We will be diving into the dungeon after the blacksmith, so I am thinking of employing you again.” (Hikaru)

“I am weak to mornings, so I will be sleeping-nyan. When you are going to be diving, call me-nya.” (Grapefull)

I see, she is a cat, so her sleeping time must be plentiful. Just me assuming though.

Anyways, after deciding that, we parted ways.

But the blacksmith, huh. There’s apparently a lot in the Great Fire Spirit’s territory, but what will it be like?

◇◆◆◆◇

The next day.

We met at the guild early in the morning, got the dungeon exploration permit, and paid in advance to hire Grapefull for the day. If we don’t reserve her, there’s the chance that she will be hired by other explorers.

After that, I headed to the direction of the Great Fire Spirit Temple with Rifreya.

This city has a respective Great Spirit Church, placed in a way that the center is the dungeon in a cross formation.

The north is Earth, the east is Wind, west is Fire, and south is Water.

My lodging is in the territory of the Great Water Spirit, and it is a place close to the dungeon, so I haven’t seen the Great Spirit Church.

There’s a real Great Spirit in the church, and they are apparently providing energy to the city with its unlimited spirit energy.

“Is the Great Spirit imprisoned by the church?” (Hikaru)

“…Yeah, there’s those opinions too. But the Great Spirit-samas can break free from the restrains of the church if they want, so they are basically cooperating…that’s how it is taken.” (Rifreya)

“That’s the kind of argument that feels as if something is stuck on your teeth…” (Hikaru)

“It is true that the Great Spirit-samas are used…no, we have their cooperation in the structure of a city… That’s how we can procure Spirit Stones from the dungeon, and we can live a good life.” (Rifreya)

“That thing about a dungeon appearing when they gather in one place…huh. Are there no demerits to dungeons? Like maybe monsters overflowing.” (Hikaru)

“Hikaru, you didn’t even know that…? Ah, we are here.” (Rifreya)

We arrived while we were talking, and entered the blacksmith.

Even though it was still early in the morning, there was smoke coming out from the chimney, and there were clanging noises of hammering metal.

The city is big, but it is not as big as Japan.

The density of buildings is high, and there are no cars, so the alleys are filled with a whole lot of narrow paths, but that makes the city smaller.

“Hello~.” (Rifreya)

“Heya there. Ooh, Rifreya-chan, huh. Did you come here for sword maintenance?”

The smithy was only barely around 33 square meters, the inside had accumulated heat, and it was pretty hot.

The owner is a real muscular old man of small stature, and that plentiful beard made me associate it with a race that’s specialized in blacksmithing, but there’s no way I can go asking him ‘are you a dwarf?’.

“No, today I was thinking about buying a weapon for him.” (Rifreya)

“Hooh, a referral from Rifreya-chan. What is it you are looking for?”

Having been thrown the topic, I gave him the request I thought of.