214 Muggle's Abracadabra

Ian stared at Absinthe's receding back, then wandered through the shop without hesitation.

It was a pity the guide had disappeared, but in any case he wasn't such a necessary presence. Ian only needed to check and buy the parts compatible with the revolver, so a guide was nice to have, but not essential—a mixed blessing.

Of course, having someone point things out would save him browsing time, but time was exactly what Ian had in abundance. Since switching to freelancing, he had never once been pressed for time.

“Hmm.”

He lit the cigarette in his mouth and slowly walked around the shop. A few employees who looked like guards cast glances his way, but none of them said a word about the smoking.

More than half the customers in the shop were chain-smoking cigarettes or cigars anyway. Some were even carrying whiskey, so the shop was filled with the thick smells of tobacco, alcohol, and gunpowder all at once.

‘Even the smell of an ordinary cigarette doesn't feel that pleasant anymore. My lungs must have been purified quite a bit.’

Lost in trivial thoughts, Ian stopped in front of a sniper rifle.

A bolt-action rifle. It had a classic design with a metal barrel and wooden stock. It was the same gun you'd often see in World War II movies.

The materials were a little different, though...