Rapier

Gauss left the Blacksmith Shop in high spirits.

He had come away with a great deal. Not only had he gained valuable knowledge about being an adventurer, but he had also managed to fill out his once-empty wallet.

After selling the pile of Choppers, Short Blades, and other loot, he now had 31 silver coins and 12 copper coins in savings.

He should have had 41 silver coins and 12 copper coins. The reason he was 10 silver coins short was that he had taken a liking to a Rapier before leaving.

His weapon had been badly damaged in the fierce battle near Birch Village, and he needed a new one to defend himself.

And, sticking to the famous principle of "I'm already here," he gritted his teeth and decided to splurge, paying the full "hefty" price for the well-maintained one-handed Rapier.

Ten silver coins was a considerable expense for Gauss, but for a long weapon, it was an exceptionally cheap price.

The reason it was so affordable was that the Rapier's design required far fewer ingots than an ordinary broad-bladed sword or greatsword. Its production cost was low, so its sale price was naturally lower too.

On top of that, the shopkeeper had probably given him a friendly discount, which was how they'd settled on a price of 10 silver coins.

He had chosen this weapon after trying out several. He could still use it to thrust, just as he had with his spear, and paired with a wooden shield and Mind Acceleration, it would let him move more nimbly.

He would just need to practice.

Holding the Rapier in his hand, Gauss examined it closely. The more he looked, the more he liked it.

The blade was long and straight, its stance upright, both elegant and keen. It was about one meter long, with a blade roughly three centimeters wide—not quite two fingers' breadth.

A raised, rigid ridge ran along the blade, reflecting a silvery-gray metallic sheen. The three-sided tip gleamed with a chilling light.

The grip was wrapped in leather. The guard wasn't elaborately decorated, but it still lent the weapon a simple beauty.

Gauss held the sword before him. His satisfied green eyes were reflected in its mirror-like surface.

Compared with ordinary broad-bladed swords, Rapiers had both strengths and weaknesses. He had given it considerable thought before buying one.

Ordinary broad-bladed swords were more versatile and better suited to facing a wide variety of opponents. They could also pierce armor, and some greatswords could even smash the joints of chain mail.

But broad-bladed swords were heavy, demanding a great deal of strength and stamina from their users.

His Constitution had reached 6, but his Strength was still only 5—nothing special.

Using a weapon that was too heavy for long periods would put a considerable strain on his body.

Besides, broad-bladed swords weren't suited to fighting in confined spaces. For a while yet, the enemies he faced would probably be low-level monsters.

What did these low-level monsters have in common?

They were weak individually, so by nature, they liked to huddle together.

Unless they were out hunting, they spent most of their time gathered in their lairs.

In that situation, a broad-bladed greatsword was obviously unsuitable.

Rapiers, on the other hand, were relatively lightweight, making them easier to control. They also offered superior speed and precision.

A Rapier could slash as well as thrust, and it performed admirably even in narrow spaces.

Its weakness was that it was almost useless against armor, especially heavy armor, and it could break easily. But how many ordinary low-level monsters had decent armor and weapons? Probably very few.

So, for him as a Spellcaster, a Rapier was enough for self-defense.

It would be best to find an opportunity later to learn some proper Sword Skills and techniques.

Even little monsters like Goblins didn't know how to use weapons properly, and he could beat them at technique by figuring things out on his own.

But he couldn't fight Goblins forever. Sooner or later, he would encounter tougher opponents. Besides, even Goblins had their share of strong ones, like Big Goblins and Two-headed Goblins.

As for why he was bothering to practice swordsmanship when he was already planning to pursue a career as a Mage, the reason was simple.

He believed that close-combat skills were something he might never need, but couldn't afford to lack.

He didn't want to be helpless if an enemy got close, left entirely at their mercy.

After his last battle, he was even more determined: he couldn't afford to have any glaring weaknesses.

Real combat was unpredictable. No one knew what might happen next, so he had to master at least some close-combat skills.

If an enemy assumed that a Mage was weak and helpless in close combat, and thought they could pick on him, he would give them a nasty surprise with his sword.

He would show them that a Mage's sword could be just as sharp!

With the loot taken care of, his adventuring commission was temporarily over.

Gauss planned to take a few days off and spend some time practicing the new spell he had learned, Magic Missile.

"Ah, that feels great."

Gauss stepped out of the hot-spring bathhouse, his eyes narrowing in comfort.

The hot spring's warmth seemed to soothe the muscles he had kept tense for days, washing away all his fatigue.

"A bath cost 5 copper coins."

Small change.

With a little more money in his pocket, Gauss felt more confident about spending it.

Earning money was for enjoying life. There was no need to save those 5 copper coins, then trudge around on the road, exhausted, only to wash with cold water from a little wooden bucket.

"Hey, did I get taller?"

After changing into his usual linen clothes, he noticed that his shirt had become a little short. It had fit just right before, but now it exposed his waist.

Was this a change caused by increasing his Constitution?

The realization made Gauss even happier. Getting taller was a good thing.

He had originally stood just over 1.7 meters tall, which made him seem a little short next to the other adventurers. If raising his attributes could make his body start growing again, that would be all the better.

After bathing, Gauss realized he was a little hungry.

Well, at this point, he might as well eat first.

Coral Tavern.

This tavern was considered quite upscale for the town, with prices at least higher than those at the Nightingale Tavern, where Gauss had treated himself to a meal before setting out on his first adventure.

Last time, Hailiel had treated them to a meal at the Coral Tavern.

Returning to the familiar place, he couldn't help thinking of the other two.

Hailiel and the others should have reached Barry by now.

He wondered how Bell and Mia were recovering from their injuries.

Thinking of Bell and the others, Gauss walked into the tavern.

The interior was a far cry from the rough-and-ready streets outside. It was quite tastefully decorated.

Warm yellow oil lamps cast wavering halos on mottled red brick walls, while behind the counter, a bartender in formal attire showed off his well-practiced mixing skills.

Behind him, oak barrels were stacked into a wall, and the rich aroma of aged malt liquor drifted from the gaps.

Beneath metal candle lamps hanging from the ceiling by chains, a dozen elm tables were scattered around the tavern hall. Almost everyone sitting around them was an armed adventurer, and the place was lively.

There were even more customers than Gauss had expected. Then again, an adventurer's way of life and work meant that day and night made little difference. Even in broad daylight, whenever they felt like drinking, they'd rush over to indulge.

Their minds were under constant pressure, so naturally they needed alcohol to let off steam.

That was why it was common to see adventurers who had finished a commission spending day and night in taverns, enjoying food and fine drink.

The adventurers in the hall sat in small groups around the tables. Young adventurers gestured wildly as they bragged and chattered, while servers carrying trays deftly wove through their grandiose motions. The older men drank shoulder to shoulder, taking huge bites of meat and raising their cups for another round. As they swayed, liquor sloshed over the rims of their cups and splattered onto the floor. It made you wonder: did more of it reach their mouths, or did they spill more than they drank?

Seeing the scene inside the tavern made Gauss feel even hungrier.

The aroma of food in the air stirred his appetite, and saliva kept pooling on his tongue.

He didn't like drinking. He hated alcohol's sour, bitter taste, but he was very fond of good food.

Especially after spending several days roughing it in the wilderness, he felt like he could eat a whole cow.