Soon, we all arrived back at our villages.
My village was partially destroyed, but thankfully, my house was not affected.
After a grueling past week, I decide to do the most sensible thing right now.
Sleep for ten hours.
So I slip the gold into a nearby pouch, hide it in a drawer next to my bed, undress, and finally doze off.
***
When I wake up, I frantically check the drawer.
The gold is still there, so I quickly take it.
I wipe the sweat off my forehead, put my pants on, and head out the front door.
Even though the houses up against the mountain, far away, have been reduced to charcoal, there is no smell of burnt wood.
And I definitely know the smell of burning.
I walk down the cobblestone street, heading to the armor shop.
But first, I need to check if "purchasing an item" is still my current quest, so I open my menu.
[Name] Griffin Stone
[level] 2
[skills] level 2 "punch"
[items] None
[total exp] 10
[exp until level 3] 20
[current quest] "purchase an item"
So it looks like my quests only refresh when I complete them.
That's great because it gives me enough time.
It also seems that when I level up, the experience until my next level doubles.
That means I'll have to complete more quests.
I wonder if I can see how much exp a quest is worth...
I click on my current quest, and it shows me a description.
[quest] "purchase an item"
[Quest description] Purchase a gear item with any currency.
[reward] 15 exp
So it looks like I can get 15 exp from this quest.
That means when I complete it, I'll need 5 exp until I level up.
And I'm saying that's about how much exp you get from taking out a low-level monster.
That makes things easier.
I can use the item I buy to defeat a monster and get that 5 exp.
I head over to the shop and open the door.
And surprisingly, it's open.
Behind the counter is a plump old man who is whistling while he polishes a sword.
He looks up and greets me with a friendly smile.
"Hey there, buddy! How can I help you out today?"
His jolly tone doesn't effect my horrible mood.
"Why are you still open?"
"Well someone has to attend to yer gear needs… speaking of which…"
" well, you see, I've been at a disadvantage for a while, and I'm only at level 2. Do you have any gear that could help me beat monsters faster?"
The old man scratches his chin.
"Well, I have some ideas... but first I'll need to know your budget so I don't violate any wallets."
I pour out the gold pouch onto the table, and he almost jumps.
"Wowzers! That's a lot of bread you got there! I think I might have the perfect thing for you..."
The old man sits up from his desk and gestures for me to follow him into the back of the shop.
When I go inside, he pulls out a sword and a helmet from a chest under a sign that says:
"starter items"
I feel a little insulted, but then again, I am a "starter."
"Right here is what I always recommend to folks who are a little behind. the most perfectly well-rounded and balanced gear I have that's made for starters just like you who are figuring out their fighting style."
The old man puts the helmet on me and hands me the sword.
They are really light and sturdy, not too powerful but not weak.
The definition of "decent quality"
"I'll take it."
"Perfect! That'll be 5 silver pieces."
I look at the coins on the table and realize they are all gold.
"I only have gold..."
The old man chuckled.
"That's no problem; 5 silver pieces amount to exactly one gold piece."
All of a sudden, I feel incredibly stupid.
I scoop all the coins back into the pouch and hand the old man one.
"Thanks! Have a great day!"
The old man waves at me and smiles while I open the door, and I politely smile back.
Not that I'm truly happy though… Dillon's death still weighs on me.