Rapier

Gauss walked out of the Blacksmith Shop with a light heart.

This trip had been quite fruitful—not only had he gained precious knowledge about becoming a professional, but his once-thin wallet had also grown thicker.

After selling off that pile of loot—Chopper, Short Blade, and the rest—his current savings stood at 31 silver coins and 12 copper coins.

It should have been 41 silver coins and 12 copper coins; the reason for the 10-silver shortfall was that he had taken a liking to a Rapier before leaving.

Thinking that his current weapon had been badly damaged in the fierce battle near Birch Village, he needed a new one for self-defense.

And, adhering to the famous principle of "since you're already here," he gritted his teeth and splurged, spending a "hefty sum" to buy that well-maintained one-handed Rapier outright.

10 silver coins—though a significant expense for Gauss—was actually an extremely cheap price for a long weapon.

The reason it was so cheap was that the Rapier's design required far less iron ingot than ordinary broad-bladed greatswords or longswords; lower costs naturally meant a lower selling price.

On top of that, the Shopkeeper had likely given him a friendly price, so the deal was sealed at 10 silver coins.

This weapon in his hand was the one he'd chosen after trying out several types—it could still continue the thrusting attack style of a spear, and combined with his Wooden Shield and Mind Acceleration ability, his movements would be more agile.

It just needed practice.

Gripping the Rapier in his hand, Gauss examined it closely, liking it more the more he looked.

The blade was straight and slender, the sword standing tall and proud—both elegant and sharp. It was about a meter long, with a blade width of around 3 centimeters, less than two fingers wide.

A rigid ridge ran vertically along the blade's surface, reflecting a silver-gray metallic luster, and the three-edged tip gleamed with a cold, sharp light.

The hilt was wrapped in leather, the guard simple in decoration yet adding a touch of minimalist beauty.

Gauss held the sword before him, and like a mirror, the blade reflected his emerald eyes, filled with satisfaction.

Compared to ordinary broad-bladed swords, the Rapier had its pros and cons. In fact, he had thought it over carefully before buying.

Ordinary broad-bladed swords were more versatile, suitable for dealing with a variety of opponents, and had armor-piercing capabilities—some greatswords could even break or shatter the joints of plate armor.

But broad-bladed swords were too heavy, demanding a lot from the user's stamina and strength.

His current physique had reached 6 points, but his strength was still only 5—a very average level.

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

Secondly, broad-bladed swords weren't suited for fighting in tight spaces. For the foreseeable future, the enemies he'd face would likely be low-tier monsters.

What common trait did these low-tier monsters share?

Their individual combat strength was weak, so they instinctively liked to group up.

Unless they went out hunting, most of the time they'd be holed up in their nests in large numbers.

In such situations, a broad-bladed greatsword naturally wasn't suitable.

The Rapier, on the other hand, with its relatively lightweight design, wasn't too heavy, allowing the user better control and offering superior speed and precision.

It could both slash and thrust, and performed excellently in confined terrain.

The Rapier's weakness was against armor—especially heavy armor, where it was almost useless and prone to breaking—but how many low-tier monsters actually had decent armor and weapons? Very few, if any.

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

He'd better find a chance later to learn some formal Sword Skills and techniques.

Sure, monsters like goblins didn't know any weapon techniques, and he could outwit them with his own improvisation.

But he couldn't fight goblins forever—he'd eventually face tougher opponents. Besides, even among goblins, there were strong ones like Big Goblins and Two-headed Goblins.

As for why, since he was aiming to become a Mage, he was bothering to practice swordsmanship?

The reason was simple.

He believed that close-combat self-defense skills—you might not need them, but you couldn't afford not to have them.

He didn't want to be helpless and at an enemy's mercy when they got close.

Especially after the last battle, he was even more determined not to have any obvious weaknesses.

In real combat, situations changed endlessly; no one knew what accident might happen next. He had to master some close-combat ability.

If any enemy thought they could bully him because he was a Mage with weak melee skills, treating him like a soft persimmon, he'd give them a nasty surprise with his sword.

Let them know that a Mage's blade was no joke!

With the loot dealt with, his adventure commission was temporarily concluded.

Gauss planned to give himself a few days off, while also practicing the new spell he'd learned—Magic Missile.

"Ah, that feels great."

Stepping out of the hot bath, Gauss squinted his eyes in comfort.

The muscles that had been tense for days seemed to relax under the soothing warmth of the spring water, all fatigue washed away.

"Bath cost me 5 copper coins."

Small change.

With a much fatter wallet, Gauss felt more confident spending money.

Earning money was meant to be enjoyed—there was no need to save those 5 copper coins and end up miserably rinsing with cold water from a wooden bucket after a long, tiring journey.

"Hey, have I gotten taller?"

After changing into his everyday linen clothes, he noticed the top had become a bit short. The outfit that had fit perfectly before now left his waist exposed, no longer quite right.

Was this a change brought on by adding points to his physique?

Realizing this, Gauss felt even more delighted. Growing taller was a good thing.

His original height was only a little over 1.7 meters, which made him seem rather short compared to other adventurers. If raising his attributes could also make his body start developing and growing taller again, that would naturally be for the best.

After finishing his bath, Gauss felt a bit hungry again.

Since things had come to this, he'd eat first.

Coral Tavern.

This tavern was a fairly upscale eatery in the town, at least with a higher spending level than the Nightingale Tavern, where Gauss had chosen to treat himself after his first adventure departure.

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

Returning to this familiar place once more, he couldn't help but think of the three of them again.

Hailiel and the others should have arrived at Barry by now.

He wondered how Bell and Mia's injuries were healing.

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

The tavern's interior was quite refined, unlike the rugged town streets.

Warm yellow oil lamps cast flickering halos of light on the mottled red brick walls. Behind the bar, a bartender in formal attire was skillfully performing mixing techniques.

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

Beneath the metal chandeliers hanging from ceiling chains, the tavern's main hall held over a dozen square elm tables scattered about, surrounded almost entirely by armed adventurers, making for a lively scene.

There were more guests inside than Gauss had expected, but thinking about it, the lifestyle and work nature of adventurers meant they had no concept of day or night. Even in broad daylight, if they wanted a drink, they'd rush over eagerly without hesitation.

With their minds under constant strain, they naturally needed alcohol to release the pent-up pressure.

So it was common to see adventurers who had finished their commissioned tasks spending days and nights enjoying meals and fine drinks at the tavern.

In the hall, adventurers sat in groups of two or three at tables. Young adventurers waved their arms and boasted loudly, while waiters carrying trays weaved skillfully through their flamboyant gestures. Older men with arms draped over each other's shoulders ate heartily, raising their cups to drink again and again, the liquor from the rims splashing carelessly onto the floor with their swaying bodies, making one wonder how much actually went into their mouths versus how much was wasted.

Seeing the scene in the tavern, Gauss felt even hungrier.

The aroma of food lingering in the air stirred the cravings in his stomach, and his tongue kept secreting saliva.

He didn't like drinking—he hated the sour, astringent taste of alcohol—but he was very passionate about good food.

Especially after just spending several days roughing it in the wild, he felt like he could eat a whole cow right now.