EP.130 VVIP (1)
"Sorry, but I'm not interested in equipment, so even if you show it to me, I wouldn't know what I'm looking at."
Contrary to expectations, Gabriel refused even to take a look at the magic wand boasting a thick and perfect grip.
"What??? You don't feel anything even after seeing this?"
The rejection was so firm that it left a wound on my heart.
"Sorry, but I'm not the type to rely on equipment."
"Are you a 'Purist'?!"
"'Purist'… It's not good to use derogatory terms."
A Purist.
It refers to someone who prefers to fight using their innate strength rather than relying on equipment or scrolls. Of course, if they just went about their business, they wouldn't earn the derogatory nickname 'Purist.' The problem is that they tend to belittle those who enhance their abilities with equipment and scrolls.
"And I think preparing equipment and scrolls is a kind of skill too. However, I believe fundamentally improving skills through training is better than buying equipment."
"Wow, you scared me there."
"That's something I can agree with."
Fortunately, it seems Gabriel isn't an extreme Purist. Now the remaining issue was to change Gabriel's unexpectedly negative reaction.
"So, are you really not interested in equipment at all? It would suit you perfectly, don't you think it's a waste?"
"If I don't buy it, someone else will and make good use of it."
"We usually don't say things like this. But the opportunity is too good to pass up. Don't you even want to take a look?"
"Do you guys really think that equipment would suit me so well?"
Gabriel hesitated for the first time, perhaps feeling like she was ignoring her friends' sincerity. Just as I thought I could persuade Gabriel by targeting this, Ariane made a blunder.
"Uh? It's not that. The boss said there was equipment that would suit you, so he told us to bring you. We haven't even seen the equipment ourselves."
"Hey, how could you just say that? It sounds really suspicious."
Shine pointed it out, and Gabriel's expression hardened as she spoke.
"Yeah, it does sound suspicious. How could he know me well enough to say there's equipment that suits me? It's strange that he knows me at all. Is he someone I know?"
"Well, we don't really…"
"He might seem suspicious, but he's not a harmful person. Well, he's a strange person, but not someone who would harm us."
Ariane babbled on.
Saying he's a strange person but not harmful only made him sound more suspicious.
Shine desperately tried to cover for Ariane's words.
"Right! I can vouch for him. The boss is a good person! He has great stuff like a Treasure Goblin, so you won't regret meeting him."
"Wow, you nailed it with the Treasure Goblin comparison. It's a perfect fit."
"Isn't that image a bit off? The Treasure Goblin is scrawny, but the boss is muscular."
The Treasure Goblin is a monster entirely made of gold, which only extremely lucky people have a rare chance of encountering. Even if you meet one, it's so quick that you might miss it right before your eyes if you can't catch it.
Capturing a Treasure Goblin is worth the price of a prime piece of real estate. Being a creature made of gold, its body alone is quite valuable, and it's even more expensive because it's a symbol of luck and wealth.
"That's not the point right now. The problem is that Gabriel might have gotten the wrong idea because we didn't explain it properly."
Feeling like we had caused a misunderstanding, I hurried to make excuses, but Gabriel spoke up.
"I won't hold any prejudice because of your words. However, I do feel the need to meet him and judge for myself. I need to know how he knows me and why he asked you to bring me."
"Uh… so you're saying you'll come with us, right?"
"I wasn't planning to, but after hearing that he knows me, I can't just sit still. Can you guide me?"
"Of course! We were planning to go together anyway."
"But you're not going to clear up any misunderstandings, right?"
"I'll judge for myself whether it's a misunderstanding or not."
Gabriel had already made up her mind. No matter how much I tried to persuade her, it seemed she wouldn't listen.
"I feel like we've caused a strange misunderstanding, but I hope it's okay."
"The boss said to bring Gabriel by any means necessary."
Recalling the boss's words to bring her to the shop by any means, I nodded.
The misunderstanding Gabriel had was…
'Won't it disappear once she sees the goods?'
I decided to trust that the boss would handle it.
'There are still many more to bring.'
If this continued, it would be troublesome for us, so we should avoid haphazardly dragging people to introduce them to the general store. We needed a solid plan, and for that, a serious strategy meeting was necessary.
⁂ ⁂ ⁂
“Is this the place?”
“Yeah.”
“I didn’t expect a general store to be here.”
“So this is the Treasure Goblin’s hideout, right? Not just anyone can become a Treasure Goblin.”
“Hehe!!”
I could hear the voices of the kids saying strange things. If they’ve arrived, they should come in instead of lingering outside.
“Boss, we’re here!!!”
Bang!
The door swung open, and Ariane was the first to enter the shop. Gabriel followed, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. Her height was more impressive than I expected, and I couldn’t help but look her way.
‘It’s been quite a while since I summoned her, but it’s the first time I’m seeing her up close.’
When I summoned her, I didn’t pay much attention. I was more focused on the thought of summoning the rest than the joy of having summoned her. Summoned characters return to their original positions unless I make my presence known. Since no one finds this strange, Gabriel must not remember meeting me.
“Hello, I’m Gabriel. I heard you wanted to meet me.”
Her stiff tone and disciplined movements reminded me of a soldier. Gabriel, whom I had only seen on screen, was now alive and moving in front of me. Her golden hair, tied up tightly, swayed gently, reflecting her steadfast nature.
“Let’s sit down and talk.”
I led Gabriel inside the shop and had her take a seat. The other kids, without needing any prompting, grabbed chairs and settled in. Some even headed upstairs, likely to scavenge for snacks.
‘They’re acting like it’s their own home now.’
Unlike the other kids who were wandering around, Gabriel was staring intently at me, as if trying to figure out what kind of person I was.
“Would you like some tea?”
“No, thank you. I’m not thirsty.”
“Then shall we get straight to the point?”
“I’d appreciate that.”
I knew the kids wouldn’t refuse if I asked them to bring someone over. But there are quite a few people I plan to call over, aren’t there? Initially, it might be something they’d do out of goodwill, but if it continues, it would naturally become burdensome for the one asking. It would also become tiresome for the one constantly accommodating.
‘It’s best to take advantage when they’re offering.’
So, I took this opportunity to ask the kids to bring specific people to the shop. It’s beneficial for me because I can ask without any burden, and it’s not a difficult task for the kids, making it a win-win situation.
Naturally, the kids readily accepted, saying it was no big deal. However, given the number of people I asked them to bring, their expressions did turn a bit stern.
‘Still, I need to sell what I have. I’ve accumulated quite a bit.’
The first person I asked the kids to bring was Gabriel. Although I hadn’t worked on her yet, she was an A-rank with monstrous growth potential, boasting all A’s in her basic stats. In other words, she was someone who needed careful nurturing.
“I heard a bit about it, but I wanted to ask you directly. I have some items I’d like to sell to you, Gabriel. As you might have noticed, they’re similar to the equipment the kids have.”
“I’ve heard you sell good equipment, but I don’t understand why you chose me. There are many kids who envy the equipment those kids have.”
Why did I specifically choose her out of all the kids? This was a question that didn’t require much thought.
“Because you’re much more special than those kids.”
“…Special?”
“Do you not think you’re special?”
“No, that’s not it.”
According to her background, she would have been called a genius since childhood. The fact that she received an SSR rank is proof enough of her special nature.
“The frontlines are still precarious. Even after several months, the monster wave hasn’t been completely resolved. In this situation, the best I can do for humanity is to support and sponsor someone with extraordinary talent like you.”
“……”
Gabriel seemed deep in thought, contemplating my words.
“Of course, I need to make a living too, so I’m not offering sponsorship for free. And I doubt you’re someone who needs sponsorship. So, I thought of selling my items for money.”
“Are you confident that your items will help me? And further, that they’ll benefit humanity?”
“Absolutely. I wouldn’t be in business without that confidence. Otherwise, I’d have spent my remaining days leisurely with the money I earned in my youth.”
While we were having a serious conversation, the kids had gathered around, listening in on our discussion. Shine raised his hand and spoke.
“With the boss’s items, I was able to move from Class B to Class A. It wasn’t just the equipment that got me into Class A. It felt like my blocked growth had been unlocked, and my skills improved rapidly afterward.”
“Same here. After getting the magic wand, my overall skills improved.”
The kids, who had directly experienced the benefits of my items, were vouching for me. With the kids’ firsthand experiences as testimony, it would be hard for Gabriel to doubt my words.