As if there was a reason he had offered 200,000 gal, the Meister had specified quite a lot of items to deliver. The materials to buy were the same.

But who was I? Was I not the owner of an inventory?

Since I hadn't prepared a packed lunch and drinking water yet, I had plenty of space, and I could leave a few items at the workshop and grab them when I returned.

I made full use of the inventory and walked out of the workshop empty-handed.

On a side note, the Meister was extremely ticked off when he saw that. Well, he later changed his tune and liked it, saying there was no risk of the items getting damaged.

"You have no reason to insult my invention—!"

However, while buying materials, I realized I was short on funds—even though I had delivered all the commissioned items and received the full payment—and briefly returned to the workshop.

For some reason, the workshop door was open, and a sharp shout rang out from inside. It was the Meister's shout.

"Hah, calling advice an insult. That's why you're so immature. It's a fact that you're wasting your time, isn't it."

'Is it okay for me to go in?'

I hesitated for a moment in front of the building. Even as I did, the conversation continued inside.

"Are you calling my research a waste right now...!"

"Then what is it if not a waste? You've only been burning money for nine years with no results, haven't you?"

'Wow... Listen to how harsh he's being.'

"The purpose of your research is the same. Even if it's a magic item that operates without mana, all it'll do is heat water, emit a weak light, and other trivial things like that. What value is there in that? Do you think it'll change anything if ordinary people have it?!"

"At the very least, they won't have to go begging to a Mage like you!"

"Hah, the people who even think of asking a Mage for help are those with the appropriate wealth to do so. And they don't seek us out to turn on a light or heat water, but for matters far beyond that."

Setting aside everything else, that guy didn't seem to understand how valuable heating water or emitting a weak light truly was, nor what it meant for such things to be provided to ordinary people.

"Face reality already! Stop clinging to the impossible and do greater things! Why are you wasting your talent on that! What you need to be doing is developing stronger magic and better magic items, not this kind of bullshit!"

Listening to those words, I was left dumbfounded.

It was because I found it absurd that he was telling someone else to give up what they wanted to do and do something else instead, claiming it wasn't their job, all while talking about a talent that wasn't even his own.

"Use your talent in the right place!"

Acting like that without even knowing what a massive stroke of luck it was to be able to do what you wanted, or what a heavenly blessing it was to be born with the talent to match it.

"You motherfucking piece of shit—"

"It's laughable that you're shifting the blame for your own lack of intelligence and ability onto others. Did you want to prove that all you can do is flap your tongue?"

"...!"

"What in the..."

Even though I knew we weren't close enough for me to act like this, and that doing so was definitely breaking character, I ultimately chose to step in.

"If you have the time to butt into someone else's uninvited business, then erase your own incompetence first, you trash."

Of course, I might have let it go if the argument was about something else, but I could never concede on this particular topic.

"Do you even know who I am to speak to me like that! I'm a Sage...!"

"The Magic Tower has rotted quite a bit too. To think that a so-called Sage's only skill is to flaunt his position instead of his abilities."

"Y-You little shit. What do you even know...!"

"I know at least that you are incompetent and powerless. Whether you're a Sage or a Great Sage, if it was something you could do yourself, you wouldn't be asking a Great Master Craftsman to develop it for you."

Yeah. Even if this wasn't my business, I simply couldn't back down.

"And the world usually calls that incompetence, you trash."

Because I already knew just how miserable a person became the moment they realized they couldn't achieve their dreams despite having the talent for it.

"... Pfft. Pu-hahaha!"

Had I sublimated my anger over and over again to spit out that heated speech? The Meister, who had been listening, burst into laughter. He must have found it funny how the Mage was just taking it without being able to properly argue back.

Even though it looked like he was more than capable of doing it himself.

"Did you hear that, Sir Incompetent Trash Sage? If you heard him, I'd like you to kindly piss off now."

Then again, it was a bit hard to react calmly when you were the one on the chopping block. Come to think of it, I was only able to speak so easily because it was someone else's business.

"... Even so, the fact that what you're doing right now is worthless doesn't change! Do you think making such trivial things possible will drastically change the world?!"

More importantly, why was this Mage bastard being so pathetic? Was he a maggot or something?

"When foolishness reaches its limit, it becomes a comedy. Piss off. The world is going to change far more than you think."

"Hah, what would a non-Mage like you even know!"

I raised an eyebrow at the Mage's words.

Did he just question the developmental value of that battery to a modern person who knew exactly how much human life had changed after the discovery of electricity? As far as I knew, that battery was practically on par with the invention of electricity.

"Even if I'm not a Mage, I know that light dispels the darkness. And that if this becomes commercialized, anyone will be able to efficiently utilize the nights they previously had to spend just sleeping. How can there be no value in that?"

"That's already perfectly possible right now! What could a trivial thing like that...!"

"Hah. Do you truly not understand what it means to be able to freely illuminate the night without burning through expensive oil and candles? How did you ever become a Sage with a brain like that?"

I looked at the Mage with genuine contempt. At that, the Mage flinched. Whatever it was, my contempt seemed to have hit him right where it hurt.

"Piss off. I won't waste my time on someone who can't even recognize the gold right in front of him. Because that would be a true 'waste'."

But I didn't want to say anything more here. I walked inside, brushing past the Mage. On a side note, I deliberately stood tall and tensed my body to make my frame look as intimidating as possible.

Consequently, the Mage, who had been about to say something, simply shut his mouth and watched me walk past. 'This bastard is scared.' I felt an intuition bordering on certainty.

"... Y-You'll regret this!"

Look at him. If he wasn't scared, he would've argued back fiercely instead of throwing out such a cliché line.

"You'll regret treating me like this—!"

"I believe I clearly told you to piss off."

"H-Heek!"

Setting that aside, please leave quickly, you boomer. I get called a boomer myself sometimes, but you're a genuinely useless boomer among boomers.

CLATTER.

That bastard, he was even weak against the threat of physical violence. I clicked my tongue inwardly as I watched him turn his back the moment I rested my hand on my sword hilt and said a single word.

'If I had known it would be this easy, I would've just chased him out like this from the start.' A brief wave of regret washed over me.

SLAM!

Regardless, it was fine as long as he was gone.

Still clicking my tongue inwardly, I pulled out the materials the Meister had ordered. I still had more things to buy, but I wanted to drop these off first.

"Do you really think so?"

But then, a question suddenly hit me. It was the Meister's question, sounding somewhat distant yet desperate.

"Will this really change the world and people's lives that much?"

It was the question of a person who wanted reassurance that the path they were walking was the right one.

"... Yeah."

Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have answered so easily. I couldn't just casually say something that might dictate someone else's life.

But this had already been proven and concluded on Earth. It was fine to answer.

"Yeah. I was right after all."

Crucially, the Meister was the type of person who would keep going even if I denied it. That was why it was fine.

If he was someone who would move forward regardless of what was said, it was better to cheer him on so he could move forward with a lighter heart.

"And you're... the only guy who knows how to think among these idiots."

However, since he was saying 'I'll acknowledge you' instead of 'Thank you', he did come off as a bit obnoxious. It was endearing because he looked exactly like my friend, but it still pissed me off.

'Did I help him for nothing?'

"More importantly, you're back early?"

"I'm short on money to buy the rest."

"What...?"

"Hand it over."

'So take back the karma you brought upon yourself.'

'Give me the money.'

* * *

"Here, the payment."

Six days after receiving the item delivery request. I finally received the commission payment. It had taken quite a long time to settle the bill.

"I calculated the interest according to the standard formula used by the Adventurer's Guild, so check it."

Seriously, I could still clearly picture the Meister trembling because he didn't even have money for materials. Since when had he grown this much?

I made a joke I didn't even mean and tossed the money into my inventory. Having handled several commissions over the past six days—there was no need to stay at the workshop because the Meister was busy with other things—my wallet had grown quite thick.

Although the Meister, who had knocked out commissions exactly like I had, was still broke.

Seriously, how much was he spending on materials to still have no money even when a commission came in all the way from the castle?

"I've checked it."

Well, I got the money, so that was that. I turned around to leave the workshop.

"What, where are you going?"

The Meister was the one who stopped me. "I finally have time to study your equipment." Unsurprisingly, the reason he stopped me was related to research.

"Postpone it."

"Do you think my time is that cheap?"

"Then do you think mine is?"

Unfortunately for him, I had a prior engagement. An appointment with money on the line, at that.

"Tsk."

Catching on to that, the Meister let me go. Since he was the one who had postponed the research in the first place, he didn't even have a single word of complaint.

"What, why is it so cheap?"

"Haven't you heard the news? They say Biryuho burned away his final spark of life as he died to bring abundance to this land."

"What? Why did Lord Biryuho do that?"

"I don't know. Word is the Temple hunted him down..."

"Are they crazy?"

I left the workshop district and slipped out toward the area filled with general stores. This was the fastest route to my destination.

"The mermen are quiet too, and it's making me anxious, like it's the calm before the storm..."

"Worrying about it isn't going to magically fix anything. If you're going to buy it, buy it; if not, hurry up and go. From the perspective of someone living hand to mouth, none of that matters."

"Eyy... Then show me those grapes over there."

More importantly, the vegetables and fruits were really fresh. Was that Mountain Lord guy actually doing his job properly?

"Wel... Welcome!"

"How much."

I turned my steps toward the greengrocer after seeing the vegetables displayed on the stand. I simply couldn't pass by because the fruits that looked like blueberries were so plump.

"It's 1,500 gal... for a handful."

"Are they sweet?"

"Of... Of course they're sweet. If you really doubt it, try one."

I wouldn't refuse such goodwill. I popped one of the berries into my mouth. It was sweet and tart.

CLINK.

"Whoa, thank you!"

I paid 15,000 gal. 'This should be enough to put Frederick in a better mood.' A certain horse, who was currently annoyed about being cooped up in the stable, came to mind.

"Are you interested in anything else, sir?"

"Cherries."

"Aha, you've got quite the eye. These were just harvested this morning."

After putting the blueberries in a cloth, I picked up a few cherries and apricots as well. These were for me to eat.

CRUNCH.

'Wow, look at all this juice.' Feeling my mood lighten slightly at the ripe sweetness, I bit into my second apricot.

Before long, my destination came into view.

"Civilian access is restricted beyond this point. Identify yourself."

With a CLACK, the soldiers guarding the gate moved their spears. The two spears crossing in an X shape to block the entrance looked just like a painting. Their discipline was pristine.

"I'm here on a commission."

"A commission... Are you an adventurer? If so, please show your token."

Then again, it would be a problem in its own right if the military discipline of a city where battles broke out constantly wasn't this strict.

I handed over my token and waited in front of the gate while they verified it. It seemed the gatekeeper himself wasn't the one to verify it, as the soldier who took the token quickly darted off somewhere else, leaving his comrade behind.

"..."

"..."

More importantly, this soldier's lips were twitching slightly, and his gaze kept darting toward me. Did he have something to say to me?

"... Excuse me."

I was debating whether to ask, 'What are you looking at?' But while I was hesitating, the side-eyeing soldier spoke up first.

He looked as if he was afraid of being caught by someone else, moving only his lips while keeping his body stiff as a board.

"Thank you for the other day."

However, his gaze was incredibly gentle. And that was despite him being someone I was seeing for the very first time. I had no idea why.

"You probably don't remember, Adventurer, but... if you hadn't stepped in back then, I likely would've died or lost my leg entirely. I survived thanks to you, Adventurer. Thank you again."

'... Uh, right. But when did I ever help you? I haven't really done much in this city...'

"Ah, I mean... during the subjugation of the demon worshipers."

'... That did happen. Right.'

'But did I ever save a soldier? I only remember helping the guards subdue them. It was dark, and I was so sleepy that I wasn't really paying attention to my surroundings when I pitched in, but still.'

"... I only did what needed to be done."

Still, if that's what he said, then it must be true. Someone keeping their life and all their limbs intact because of my meddling wasn't exactly bad news either.

So I gave a somewhat awkward reply. The corners of the soldier's eyes crinkled in a subtle smile.

"You're exactly as I've heard."

That statement was what made me the most curious about the whole situation. 'What are you talking about? Where did you hear about me? Who did you hear it from?'

"Verification complete!"

In the meantime, the soldier who had taken my token returned.

"Take this. I'll escort you. Please do not wander away from me."

As an added bonus, the soldier stuck to me, making sure not to let even someone visiting for a commission they themselves had posted wander around freely.

Meanwhile, the guy who had spoken to me had turned back into a stone statue, as if he had never tried to strike up a conversation at all. It was a bit funny.

"Oh, that person is..."

"Someone you know?"

"I told you the other day. At the checkpoint..."

"Ah."

Anyway, I stepped inside under strict supervision. They didn't seem to force discipline all the way into their break times, as the soldiers resting off to the side began to whisper.

I had no idea why, but they all seemed to recognize me.

"You've arrived right on time."

It was the same when we arrived at the training ground, which appeared to be our destination. While a man who looked like the captain dealt with me, some of the lined-up soldiers rolled their eyes and whispered to the people next to them.

"Who just spoke?"

Though they were immediately caught and glared at for it.

"You must have already heard the details of the commission?"

Still, he didn't seem inclined to scold them in front of an outsider. The captain turned his gaze back to me and continued the conversation.

"There was no real need to use external personnel for reconnaissance, but... considering the timing and the fact that a recommendation came in, I made a special request just this once."

However, his high-handed tone made it clear he wasn't particularly fond of me. The emphasis he placed on the phrases 'no real need to use external personnel for reconnaissance' and 'recommendation' showed as much.

It seemed he had no intention of hiring me, but someone higher up had pressured him into it. Though I had no clue who on earth had pulled the strings to insert me here.

"However, just because you are an adventurer, I will not tolerate you disobeying orders, breaking the rules, or acting on your own. Make sure you get that straight."

'No, but seriously, who was it?' The captain's attitude was none of my business, considering we'd part ways once the job was done—and I had met worse while working anyway—but I really wanted to know who had forced this hiring.

After all, I had no backing, and this was my first time in this city...?

"We depart in thirty minutes. Until then, listen to the unit rules from the vice-captain and receive your harpoon."

'If the Hero's party pulled strings for me... they'd have no reason to do that... What is this, really?'

I fell into an unsolvable mystery. It was truly baffling.