Kaga Takao paid the slave merchant with fourteen gold coins and three hundred and seventy-eight silver coins for Selly.
The remaining funds are now scarce.
Although one gold coin is worth more than a hundred silver coins, it is also necessary to buy Selly's equipment.
If it had been ten thousand nals more expensive, it would have been a close call.
The slave merchant counted the money and left, and Roxane returned.
"I decided to have you come."
"Yes, that's good."
For a moment, Roxane's face seemed to cloud over. Was it just my imagination?
Perhaps it was just a guilty conscience making me see it that way.
Or perhaps it was my wish that she would be jealous.
Even if Roxane's expression did darken slightly, it was only a little, and on the surface, she seemed to welcome it.
After all, it was Roxane who said it was okay to buy.
But then, in the position of a slave, it's not possible to object, is it?
I also thought that if she didn't like it, at least she could show a passive attitude, but that would be difficult.
To enter the labyrinth, it is absolutely necessary to have a well-equipped party.
If it were a man, other problems might arise.
"I'm sorry, Roxane, but I'll be counting on you from now on."
"Yes, please leave it to me, Master."
Roxane answered with a smile.
Well, as long as I don't touch Selly, it should be fine.
But now that I've paid such a high price, that's not going to happen.
"Please wait a moment. Selly, this way."
The slave merchant who had gone out with the money returned to the room.
Selly was with him.
Selly bowed her head.
"Please take care of me."
"I'll be counting on you."
"My name is Roxane, the head slave. Please take care of me."
It seems that Roxane had already risen to the position of head slave.
Since she was the first one bought, she must be the head.
Is there no other way to say it?
Like "lead slave" or "slave chief."
Neither sounds very appealing.
"Are you a slave after all? I thought you were a young lady."
Selly was surprised at Roxane's words.
"Being a young lady, that's out of the question."
Roxane, I wish you hadn't denied it so outright.
"From what I heard, you used to live here, but with such fine clothes and good complexion and skin, I thought you were a young lady."
"It's because Master is kind and a wonderful person. Selly has no need to worry about clothing, food, or shelter."
While the two slaves were talking, I raised my left hand.
Selly also extended her hand.
The slave merchant chanted something and operated the Intelligence Card.
"The contract is complete. Please confirm the age as well."
I guess it's to make sure she's young, even with her thin ears.
With the Intelligence Card, it's not possible to lie about age, is it?
There might be some way to cheat, though.
Selly ♀ 16 years old Explorer First-year Slave
Owner: Kaga Takao
I already knew she was 16 from the appraisal.
Selly's ears are indeed thin, but it's not something I care about.
Thanks to her ears, she was cheaper, which is actually convenient.
Kaga Takao Male 17 years old Explorer Free Citizen
Owned Slaves: Roxane, Selly
My Intelligence Card also showed an increase in owned slaves.
I wondered if there was a limit to the number of owned slaves, but since the Intelligence Card only appears to show what is displayed, it shouldn't be a problem if the number increases.
"Indeed."
"The costume will take some time to make. Please come back in ten days to pick it up."
After that, I was told the same detailed precautions as when I bought Roxane.
The transaction was completed, and we left the merchant guild.
Outside, I added Selly to the party and applied a buff.
Explorer Level 10, Villager Level 3, Herb Gatherer Level 1.
I checked the jobs on the party job settings after adding her to the party, but it seems she doesn't have the Blacksmith job.
The lack of jobs might be because she's still a Villager Level 3.
Jobs like Warrior, Swordsman, and Merchant are probably unlocked at Villager Level 5. It's possible that the Blacksmith job is also unlocked at Villager Level 5.
It's impressive that she doesn't have the Thief job.
Selly is wearing a tunic and pants and has nothing else.
Roxane also only had a wardrobe, so that's probably how it is.
"We'll stop by the Explorer's Guild once."
"Understood."
"U, understood."
On the way back, we stopped by the Explorer's Guild in Vale to buy a black magic crystal.
I had already bought one at the Explorer's Guild in Koolatar in the morning. I used it in the Vale labyrinth as a replacement for the yellow magic crystal.
If I had known I would be buying a slave on the same day, I would have bought two.
In the end, after fusing the only black magic crystal I found, I haven't been able to find any more magic crystals in the labyrinth.
I should have kept it.
My judgment seems to have been off.
"Let's go to the Adventurer's Guild and then return home once."
"Understood."
"H, huh?"
Selly seemed to have a slightly puzzled look, but I started walking at the front.
"What is it?"
"Um, are there other adventurers in the party?"
"No, why?"
"Because you said we're going home."
While following behind, Roxane and Selly had a conversation.
The ability to fly from the Adventurer's Guild's inner wall to home is the adventurer's skill, Field Walk.
Selly must know I'm an explorer since she saw my Intelligence Card.
That's why she thought it was strange.
"It's fine. You'll understand if you follow me."
Ah, Roxane gave up on explaining.
It would have been easier if she had explained.
Maybe because I said to keep it confidential.
"Huh? A, ah..."
Sure enough, when we warped from the Adventurer's Guild in Vale to home, Selly had a puzzled look.
"Sit down for now. We're going shopping, but we don't have much time, so we'll only get what we need for now."
I also gave up on explaining and sat down in the dining room chair.
"It's not that late yet."
"I plan to take a bath today. Since we're here, might as well."
"Yes, I'm looking forward to it."
Roxane, who sat next to me, showed a full smile.
It seems she also likes the bath.
Her dog ears look even cuter when she smiles.
I couldn't help but pet them.
"Um, by any chance, can you use multiple jobs? I've only heard about it in legends or myths."
Selly, who looked unconvinced, interrupted.
If it's in legends, it must be possible.
But she's actually on the right track.
When I got the adventurer job, I can use Field Walk even though I'm listed as an explorer on the Intelligence Card.
To figure this out without any hints, she must be quite smart.
"Too bad. You can't use the adventurer job. That's a teleportation spell."
"Is it a time-space magic?"
"Time-space magic?"
I echoed the question.
Is it not just spatial magic?
"Um, it's not well known, but when you move with Field Walk, it's not just space but time also changes. So it's called time-space magic."
"Are you talking about time differences?"
"I don't know what you mean by time differences, but if the origin is daytime and the destination is evening, or if you move in the morning and the destination is still night, Field Walk is a magic that governs time as well."
That's what time differences are.
If you always go to the same place, the time difference should be the same, but maybe it's not clear to her.
"Sit down for now."
"Um, is it okay to sit?"
Selly was asking Roxane in a low voice at the six-person dining table.
Since the party can have up to six members, I made a six-person dining table, which was a wise decision.
"Yes, sit next to Master."
I was sitting in the middle chair of a table that can seat three on each side.
With a beauty on each side, it's like having flowers in both hands.
Roxane seems to understand well.
Impressive.
By the way, when there were only two of us, Roxane's designated seat was across from me during meals.
"Um, excuse me."
"Do you know the theory that the earth is round?"
I decided to ask.
If I were to explain time differences, I might start with this.
On Earth, the theory of a spherical Earth was known quite a long time ago.
The position of the stars changes as you move north.
Since she even mentioned time-space magic, Selly must be quite smart.
For such a type, it's probably effective to show that the master is also smart.
If I explain time differences thoroughly based on the angle of the sun and the spherical surface, she might respect me a little more.
It feels good to be respected by a beautiful girl like Selly.
It will also help to make future life smoother.
Although it's not something I discovered, but something past Earth scientists thought of.
I'm grateful for the efforts of my predecessors.
"I know that a great scholar in the past claimed it, but the person who told me this story said it was a foolish idea and laughed at it."
"By the way, what is the basis for saying it's a foolish theory?"
"If the earth were round, people on the opposite side would fall off."
Hmm.
I don't know what to say.
Well, it might be true, but without knowledge of gravity.
"I don't know about time-space magic, but I have a few magic spells I can use. Keep this confidential from third parties."
"Understood."
I gave up on explaining.
If I talk about gravity and get into a deep discussion, I don't know it either.
It might end up sounding like, "What are you talking about, you idiot?"
It seems constant effort is important.
"Is it true that in legends, some people could have multiple jobs?"
"There is a legend that such people existed in the past."
"Think of me in that category."
"Huh?..."
"Today, we'll buy equipment, a backpack, and a wooden bucket. Is that enough?"
I cut off the explanation and turned to Roxane.
Roxane seems a bit surprised by my words, but she's not flustered.
I guess it's too late for that.
"Um, yes. The clothes provided by the merchant guild will be enough for today and tomorrow, but please buy new undergarments."
"Got it. How about that clothing store over there?"
"Yes."
The clothing store is on the other side of the Koolatar labyrinth.
"Um, they're not that dirty, and I can't accept such a thing."
"Buy them. By the way, what weapon do you prefer?"
I mean, what will you do with the undergarments you wear tomorrow?
"Thank you. If I'm in the front line, I prefer a hammer, and if I'm in the middle, a spear. I'm better with a spear, but in the front line, a spear is hard to swing without hitting allies. Since I have strength, a hammer is fine."
A spear is long and hard to handle in a narrow labyrinth.
"In the case of a spear, do you attack from behind?"
"Yes. I thrust the spear into the monster from between the front-line members with momentum. The number of attacks decreases, but the power increases."
Using a spear for attacks doesn't sound bad.
However, in the current situation, it's necessary for her to be in the front line.
"In my party, I usually use magic to eliminate enemies while Roxane holds back the monsters. Since I have the firepower, it's better for you to use a hammer in the front line."
Roxane seems to agree with me.
"Huh? Magic?"
"Yes."
"What do you mean?"
Selly looked back and forth between Roxane and me.
"You can use it."
"I can use it."
"Um..."
"It's not something that should be known by others, so keep it confidential."
I tried to make Selly, who looked unconvinced, understand.
"Y, yes... Really, multiple jobs?"
"Yes. But what I'm more concerned about is, have you ever killed a monster with a hammer?"
That's the more important issue.
If killing a monster with a sword is the condition for the Swordsman job and killing a monster bare-handed is the condition for the Priest job, then killing a monster with a hammer could be the condition for the Blacksmith job.
It seems fitting for a blacksmith to wield a hammer.
"No, I haven't."
"I see. Then let's start with a hammer."
Let's start with that.
"Huh?"
Selly nodded while tilting her head slightly.
She might be wondering why a hammer when she hasn't killed a monster with one.
It doesn't make much sense.
She's quite observant.
"We'll start with a hammer. Do dwarves often use hammers?"
"Other weapons are used, but hammers are common. I have used them a little."
If a talented dwarf has used a hammer to kill a monster, it should be enough.
"Have you used a hammer, Roxane?"
"No, I haven't. It's too heavy and might reduce my speed."
I see. If Roxane, who has excellent evasion skills, uses a heavy hammer, her evasion skills would decrease.
It's the movement with a light one-handed sword.
Actually, a scimitar isn't that light either.
"Do you use both hands for the hammer?"
"Yes, I do. Some use one hand, but using both hands increases the power."
I confirmed with Selly.
No shield is needed.
"Since we don't have much money to spend on equipment for now, the equipment will be cheap, but do you understand?"
"It's fine."
"By the way, I don't know about the empty skill slots on equipment."
I asked casually.
"Do you mean skill slots?"
"Do you know about them?"
"A great scholar in the past claimed that equipment has skill slots, and if you try to fuse a monster card with equipment that doesn't have them, the skill won't attach."
I just asked casually, but it seems there is such a theory.
Well, it's something anyone might think of.
"To know the same thing as a great scholar, Master is truly impressive."
"Ah, um. It's a different scholar from the one who talked about the spherical earth. But it's impressive that you know about skill slots, even though few dwarves do."
The scholars of the past were great.
If there were people who said the same thing, the idea that you can fuse a monster card into an equipment with an empty skill slot seems correct.
"Is that theory discredited now?"
"It's not known. Also, no one has ever seen a skill slot."
If it could be appraised, it might be visible.
"Has it not been tested?"
Roxane asked.
Testing is simple.
Just fuse a monster card into the same equipment multiple times.
If there are skill slots, the equipment that fails will always fail, and if it can be fused after a failure, there are no skill slots.
Hmm?
It shouldn't be untested.
"More people tend to deny it."
"Is it not completely discredited?"
"When a fusion fails, the monster card is lost, and the equipment is broken down into materials. The materials can be used to remake the equipment, but those who claim the skill slot theory say that it won't be exactly the same."
If the equipment breaks when it fails, testing is impossible.
Even if there are no visible changes, skill slots might exist.
The skill slot theory seems correct.
"What do you think, Selly?"
"The skill slot theory seems to be just nitpicking. They seem to be making various complaints to avoid being disproven. If that were accepted, any criticism could pass."
Selly disagrees.
But I understand her point.
It's about the lack of falsifiability.
A theory that can't be disproven by any result isn't worth serious testing.
To think of that.
Selly seems quite smart.
"I see. But you know a lot."
"I'm sorry. I was interested in various things and asked knowledgeable people."
In any case, being knowledgeable and smart will be useful.