Chapter 18
“All the items over here are artifacts enchanted with subspace magic. Since this is a store for nobles, you can rest assured of their quality.”
“Oh.”
Steven scrutinized the various items displayed on the counters with sharp eyes.
Enchanting was not his specialty, but as a former royal court mage, he had an excellent eye for such things.
Moreover, since Rainy had instructed him to do so, Steven examined the items even more carefully.
“Is there a particular type you’re looking for? Bags generally have the largest storage capacity, but many people avoid them because they’re rather bulky. We also have artifacts with subspaces enchanted into accessories, though they’re somewhat pricey. Some customers unusually request shoes or belts, so we have products of those types as well.”
“There’s quite a variety.”
“There are as many preferences as there are people. Nobles in particular have a keen aesthetic sense, so these aren’t simply items with magic cast on them.”
The clerk continued explaining in an even voice.
But to Jade, it all sounded like another way of saying they were expensive.
“I’m the type who places a lot of importance on practicality.”
“Then I imagine you prefer something with a large storage capacity.”
“Yes. But seeing the accessories is making me waver.”
“The items with the largest storage capacities are generally bags. Of course, there are accessories with large storage spaces as well, but…”
The clerk let his voice trail off.
Jade understood exactly what he meant.
“They’re rather expensive, it seems.”
“Yes.”
“You don’t need to worry about the money.”
Steven cut in at the mention of money.
Though they were fugitives now, the two siblings were a princess and a crown prince.
They had not left in such a hurry that they were penniless, so Steven spoke as though there was nothing to worry about.
“I have plenty of money myself. I’ve also received some.”
“Ah, right.”
“Show me whichever one has the largest storage capacity.”
At Jade’s request, the clerk picked up three items from the display and set them in front of him.
A small bag about the size of a fanny pack on Earth, a bracelet, and a necklace were placed side by side.
“These three have the largest storage capacities in our store. They’re priced in this order: bracelet, necklace, and bag.”
“Then I’ll take the bracelet.”
Although the clerk had set out three items, Jade’s eyes had been fixed on only one from the beginning.
The bag was fine too, but a bracelet seemed more convenient to carry around.
“The price is…”
“Take it from this.”
Jade handed the clerk the bag Rainy had given him as the clerk cautiously began to speak.
It was filled with gold coins and small gems.
The clerk took a quick peek inside and looked slightly surprised.
“Is it not enough?”
“No. It’s more than enough.”
Clearly accustomed to serving nobles, the clerk finished the calculation in an instant.
He took out exactly as many gold coins and gems as the bracelet cost.
Then he respectfully handed the bracelet to Jade.
“How do I use it? This is my first time using an artifact enchanted with subspace magic.”
“It’s much the same as the others. Equip it, then say ‘Open,’ either aloud or in your mind. However, the subspace will open only while it is in direct contact with Lord Jade’s body.”
“Does it need to be registered to an owner? I’d like to set it so that only I can use it, not anyone else.”
“That’s possible. You can also transfer it to someone else later by disabling the identification code. Shall I take care of that now?”
The clerk’s gaze turned to Steven.
That was because even Steven, as a mage, could perform such a simple spell.
“I’ll do it for you. It’s a simple spell, so most competent mages know how to perform it. The difficult part is disabling the identification code without the owner’s permission.”
“I see.”
Jade looked satisfied by Steven’s answer.
Once it was registered to him, it would be just like having a warehouse all his own.
“Do you need anything else? We also sell weapons. We have magic swords, too. Naturally, magic swords enchanted with powerful spells cost an astronomical amount, but we have quite a few reasonably useful magic swords and weapons as well.”
“I’m fine without a weapon.”
“We also have armor.”
The clerk spoke cautiously.
To him, their equipment seemed far too inadequate for them to be Princess Rainy’s party.
“It’s fine. If I need anything, I’ll come back later.”
“Understood.”
After being turned down repeatedly, the clerk did not ask any further.
Steven, however, could not take his eyes off the displays.
There were some surprisingly good items on display.
‘If this is what they sell to nobles, the things they sell to special customers must be even more impressive.’
Steven’s gaze grew somber.
As the court mage of the Kingdom of Polstein, he had a lot to think about.
That did not mean the Kingdom of Polstein failed to support its court magic corps.
The problem was that, despite that, there was still a considerable gap in their level.
‘We need to grow stronger. Not to start a war, but to protect ourselves.’
Having once again felt the strength of the Kingdom of Arhan, Steven left the magic shop with a heavier expression than when he had entered.
He thought there would be much to report to the crown prince and princess today.
After purchasing the subspace bracelet, Jade immediately sought out the workshop said to be the most famous in the capital.
Steven came along again, saying he would assist Jade, but Jade felt he was following more out of genuine curiosity.
It would also be a chance for him to get closer to Whid.
Kyu!
Yet Whid steadfastly maintained their principles despite all the honeyed words and the temptation of snacks.
Whid refused every snack, as if there was nothing they wanted to eat except what Jade gave them.
Not only that, they never once fell for Steven’s sweet talk and flattery, as if proudly displaying their cleverness.
“……They’re awfully aloof.”
“To be honest, I still can’t tell whether Whid is male or female.”
“I think it might be a girl.”
“It’s still much too young to tell based on personality alone.”
Steven lowered his head with a dejected look.
No matter what he tried, Whid simply would not let him get close.
It was his first time seeing a drake hatchling—and a Gold Drake at that—so he had been personally curious about many things.
He had planned to learn all sorts of things after becoming friends with Whid, but Whid would not even let him get started.
“Y-young?”
“Yes. They just turned one.”
“Whaaat?”
Steven’s eyes grew so wide that they seemed incapable of widening any further.
Normally, Whid was held in Jade’s arms in their current small form, but in battle, they transformed into a monster over three meters tall.
They had returned to the appearance of a real drake, albeit a small one.
Judging by the aura they gave off at a glance, they could undoubtedly make mincemeat of a troll, yet Steven was told that they were merely a one-year-old drake. He could not help but be stunned.
“To be precise, they’re about a year and a month old.”
“Heh heh heh……”
Yaaawn!
Unlike Steven, whose expression showed that he could not believe it, Whid gave a long yawn.
The streets and alleyways had been fascinating at first, but not anymore.
If anything, the furtive glances from passersby were starting to wear them out.
“In human terms, they really are just a newborn baby. Still, perhaps because they live with me, they understand what people say quite well.”
“That really is fascinating. We expected them to be highly intelligent, but that hasn’t been established with certainty yet. However, looking at Whid, their intelligence clearly doesn’t seem much different from a human’s. Compared to a one-year-old human baby, they might even be more intelligent.”
“We’ll have to observe them a little longer.”
Kyuung.
Even though they knew they were talking about them, Whid showed no particular reaction.
As if tired, they clutched Jade’s chest with a forepaw and closed their eyes.
Tap tap tap.
While he was talking with Steven, Jade arrived at the workshop.
It was quite small for the most famous workshop in the capital, but Jade nevertheless wore an expectant expression.
That was because the workshop’s owner was a dwarf.
Since dwarves were a race said to possess the skills of master craftsmen even as children, Jade knocked on the door with an expectant look.
“The door’s open!”
Just as he was about to knock again after receiving no response, a hoarse voice came from inside.
Whoever heard it could tell immediately that the speaker was thoroughly annoyed.
However, Jade pushed open the iron door without showing any displeasure.
-Dwarves are all like that by nature!
-But once you become friends with them, dwarves really take good care of you. It’s just hard to become friends with them and earn their recognition.
-Jade will like them. Dwarves can be considered a kind of fairy folk, too. Their fairy blood has grown quite thin by now, but the dwarves of primordial times were earth fairies.
Considering how short dwarves were, the door should have been just as small, but the workshop’s entrance was unexpectedly similar in size to one used by humans.
At a glance, the building itself seemed to have been constructed directly by a dwarf.
‘Is he a tsundere? Cantankerous on the outside, but warm-hearted within?’
Even the hinges were well maintained, making not a single sound of friction.
Steven, on the other hand, stared intently beyond the door as if he had no interest in such things.
Clang! Clang!
The first thing they heard upon entering was the sound of something being hammered.
It rang out brightly and rhythmically, and astonishingly, the sound was perfectly even.
Clearly, the dwarf was not hammering in just one place.
“You may have to wait a long time. They’re a notoriously cantankerous race.”
“I came prepared for that. So if you’re busy, you can go back first. I’ve memorized the way back.”
“No. I was told to attend Lord Jade for the entire day, so I should take responsibility until the end. Besides, this is actually my first time meeting a dwarf as well. It’s rather rare to see other races in my homeland. This was even my first time visiting the Great Forest.”
Steven smiled awkwardly.
However, Jade merely looked back at him calmly as he laughed sheepishly.
That was because Jade thought it was important to recognize one’s own shortcomings and inadequacies.
“Hm?”
As he was looking over the various objects hanging on both walls, another door farther inside opened, and a wave of scorching heat poured out.
It seemed to be the workshop, and along with the heat, a short, stocky dwarf drenched in sweat strode out with a hearty gait.
But the dwarf, who was wiping his sweat-soaked forehead, opened his eyes wide.
He had looked directly at Jade and shown a startled expression.
“A spirit mage?”
“You recognized me right away.”
“Huh, spirit mages are truly rare among humans. Even rarer than elves, I’d say.”
The dwarf’s beard covered more than half his face, leaving only his forehead, eyes, nose, and mouth visible.
Unlike his severe M-shaped baldness, his side hair was thick enough to completely cover his ears, perhaps why his appearance was so comical.
“I wouldn’t know. I haven’t met an elf yet. This is my first time meeting a dwarf, too.”
“Even if we can’t contract with spirits, we can identify their scent with incredible accuracy. We are, after all, descended from a kind of fairy folk.”
“I’ve heard that.”
“That’s why I have a good sense for these things. Sniff!”
Flaring his upturned nostrils, the dwarf spoke with conviction.
As he spoke, he circled around Jade, keeping him at the center, and examined him.
“Is that so?”
“You’ve got a good physique, too. Properly trained. But is the one in your arms a drake?”
“That’s right.”
“Huh!”
The dwarf was startled once again.
He could not believe that a drake, a creature with few rivals aside from dragons, was being held so docilely.
It was not a low-grade species, either.