Chapter 81: A Gift from Warren

At Warren’s request, they stopped to look at a street stall selling weapons and armor.

While browsing, Qiu Nuoya noticed something unexpected at the edge of the stall.

There were several glittering accessories decorated with beautiful gemstones.

They looked more like something that belonged in a jewelry shop than at a weapons stall.

Qiu Nuoya was casually looking them over when Warren noticed.

"Do you want one?"

"Oh, no. It’s not that. I was just wondering why something this beautiful was being sold at a weapons stall."

"Oh, the little boy is a mage, is he? Then that’s perfect. That’s a genuine piece of protective equipment enchanted with magic resistance." The shopkeeper answered Qiu Nuoya’s question.

"This counts as weapons and armor too?"

"Mages aren’t exactly known for their physical strength, and heavy equipment can actually wear them down. That’s why things like these are so useful. Though plenty of adventurers also buy them as souvenirs for their girlfriends."

That made sense.

Qiu Nuoya remembered that accessories in games often had their own equipment slots as well. In that sense, accessories could indeed be considered a type of equipment.

The accessories glittering with colorful gemstones were beautiful. Compared with the rugged equipment that adventurers usually wore, it was easy to see why female adventurers would be fond of them.

"How about one, little boy? I’ll give you a good price." The shopkeeper gave them a friendly salesman’s smile.

Since they were only sightseeing today, Qiu Nuoya was about to politely decline with an awkward smile when Warren suddenly asked the shopkeeper, "How much is this?"

Warren was pointing at a delicate hair ornament decorated with what looked like an emerald and an amethyst.

"Oh, you’ve got a good eye, young man. This one uses high quality magic stones, so it has excellent defensive properties. Normally, it’d cost two silver coins, but I’ll give you a special bargain today. One silver coin and five copper coins."

"One silver coin and five copper coins..." Warren looked troubled. In terms of his previous life currency, it was roughly $200, so it was understandable that he was hesitating. Even if he intended to buy it as a souvenir for his family, it did seem a little too expensive.

"Can’t you lower the price a little more? How about one silver coin?"

"Hahaha, I’m afraid I can’t go that low. For that price, you’d have to choose this one." The shopkeeper showed him another item. Compared with the one Warren wanted, it was clearly plainer and simpler. Warren let out a dissatisfied groan.

"I still want this one. Really, can’t you lower the price anymore? If you sell it to me, I’ll recommend your shop to the other adventurers I know."

"Haha, you’re pretty good at bargaining, aren’t you, young man? All right, fine. One silver coin and three copper coins! That’s as low as I’m going."

"Deal! I’ll take it!"

Wow. Amazing.

Qiu Nuoya mentally applauded as Warren managed to bargain the price down considerably from the original.

Qiu Nuoya had grown up in a society where bargaining in shops was not really part of the culture, so he was not very good at negotiating with shopkeepers. Whenever he went shopping, he usually just paid whatever price he was quoted.

Apparently, negotiating could actually get him a better deal sometimes.

"Thank you for your business. Come again!"

With the shopkeeper’s cheerful voice behind them, Qiu Nuoya and Warren left the stall.

"Is that a present for someone?" Qiu Nuoya asked casually.

Warren simply grunted and held the hair ornament he had bought out in front of him.

"Huh? What’s that?"

"It’s for you. I thought it’d suit you, so I bought it. You’re still pretty weak, so you need something like this."

"N-No, I can’t accept something this expensive!"

"I told you that you need it! If you collapse during a fight, it’ll cause problems for me as the party leader. So just wear it and stop arguing!"

With that, Warren clipped the hair ornament into Qiu Nuoya’s neatly arranged hair. "Oh, thank you."

"Let’s go." Without meeting Qiu Nuoya’s eyes, Warren gruffly held out his hand.

Hmm. Did the men of this world have some kind of habit of showering people with gifts?

Between Viktor and Warren, Qiu Nuoya was being spoiled far too much. Was it really all right for him to be treated this well?

Certainly, his current appearance was that of a cute, beautiful young boy. But considering the forty years of life he had experienced, Qiu Nuoya could not help feeling bewildered by being treated so preciously.

Could this also be the result of his high Charm skill?

Qiu Nuoya could not help thinking, perhaps somewhat unfairly, that being good looking really did make life easy.

When Qiu Nuoya and Warren returned to the inn after finishing their sightseeing, Viktor was already back in their room.

"You’re late," Viktor said as he looked at them. Then he tilted his head slightly. "Where’s Igor?"

Qiu Nuoya explained that Igor had reunited with an old acquaintance at the Adventurers’ Guild and had gone out drinking with him. Since the matter of Igor’s wife remarrying was only Qiu Nuoya’s own speculation, he did not go into detail.

Even after hearing only that much, Viktor let out a long exasperated sigh, and said, "Honestly, what is that man doing, leaving the children behind like that? Hmm? Nuoya, that hair ornament..."

"Oh, this..." Qiu Nuoya was about to honestly explain that Warren had bought it for him, but behind Viktor, Warren hurriedly gestured for him not to say anything.

Why?

Viktor had certainly seemed to have something against Warren before.

However, after Qiu Nuoya had openly told him that he disliked seeing Warren treated that way, Viktor had stopped showing such obvious hostility. Still, Warren apparently had his own reasons for not wanting Viktor to know. So, Qiu Nuoya decided not to press the matter and simply gave a vague explanation.

"I got paid for a mission, so I bought it. Apparently, it has defensive magic imbued into it. Pretty amazing, isn’t it?"