2-28 Ramza
Uoooh!
I felt like a walking power plant, cranking out raw firepower.
Anyway, I just kept grilling the endless slabs of meat they'd brought out.
The place I'd wandered into, lured by the smell, turned out to be a monster-meat yakiniku joint. I'd ordered two yakiniku sets.
But the portions were insane.
Plate after plate kept arriving. I'd slap 'em on the wire grill, sear 'em, eat 'em. Stuff myself silly. Another plate shows up. Rinse and repeat.
The little starter bread was long gone. The salad I'd ordered? Finished. Now it was just meat, meat, meat.
"And here's your final dragon steak~"
Dragon meat. Edible. This world never ceases to amaze.
Grill it.
Sizzle...
"...! Damn, that's good."
"It's got a bit of chew, but when you bite down, that unique savoriness spreads out. Perfect with this sweet sauce on the side. Wonder what's in it?"
"..."
Sasha—my Sasha-sensei—was chatty for once! She must really love it.
"Man, that was a ton of meat. I'm good on it for a while."
"Are you sure?"
Doesn't look like it. Where the hell does it all go in that slender frame? A mystery.
"Well, it's getting to that awkward time of day. Guess I'll swing a sword at the training grounds, then hit up the Ramza hunt again today."
"Yes."
To walk off the feast, we headed to the guild to borrow some training space. After that, back to the dog-eared master's tavern nearby for intel gathering...
"Hey, perfect timing. He's here."
The dog-eared master called out the second we stepped in.
"He's here...? Oh, Ramza?"
"Yeah. You were looking for him, right?"
"Yep. Mind if we join his table?"
"He's solo, so should be fine."
The dapper dog-eared guy wiped out an empty glass with a flourish and set it back on the bar.
Just doing dishes, but damn if he didn't make it look cool.
"Mind company?"
"...Huh? You two a couple or somethin'? Plenty of empty seats elsewhere."
"You're the Undefeated Ramza, right? Been looking for you. Got some business."
"Oh yeah? Not debt collectors, are ya? I ain't got any right now... probably."
"Nah. Eliza from the guild sent us."
The guy made the wooden four-top table look tiny. A hulking mass of muscle—that was my first impression of Ramza. And yeah, just like the rumors, his head was shiny bald as hell.
Mention of Eliza made the giant flinch, then he fixed us with a killer glare.
"Eliza's errand boy, huh? What'd she say?"
"Not an errand. An intro. Said if I came here, talk to Ramza. Plus, I hear you do guiding around here, even some instructing? Interested."
"Don't like the Eliza angle, but whatever. Business is business. Sit."
We took the seat across from him. There's room for two side by side, but Ramza's hogging double space solo, so three of us filled it right up.
"So, whatcha wanna know? Local monsters? Prime hunting spots? Merc groups or parties recruiting?"
"Where's the paid info start?"
"Everything, ideally... but hey, for Eliza's sake, some freebies."
"Got it. Then, tips for heading to Mount Saza?"
"Rookies off to Saza, eh? Alright, basics first then..."
He nursed his drink, spinning yarns—but eighty percent was stuff I'd already picked up at the guild.
Master said he dabbled as an info broker, but maybe that's not his strong suit.
"Heard you do instructing too... what kinda stuff?"
"Eh? Yeah, been hunting monsters long enough. Scouting to butchering—I can cover the essentials. Basics only, mind."
"Ex-hunter, then. Why retire?"
"Age, kid. Still tag along with rookies sometimes, so not fully out."
"Before that, active in some party?"
"Eh, teamed with all sorts over the years."
"Never stuck with a fixed group?"
Asked that, and Ramza took a sour swig.
"Rookies wouldn't get it. That's just how it is here. No reasons. Form a party, next day someone's dead. Day after, another's crippled, party's done. Team up with newbies, someone else bites it. Repeat. Get it?"
"Yeah... fluid parties by default."
"Short hookups keep it from dragging when they die. Better that way. But after years of it... shit wears on ya. Guys like me retiring in one piece? Lucky bastards. Even if the wife bails on ya..."
His sipping picked up pace mid-ramble, face flushing, mannerisms getting wonky.
Better wrap this up quick.
"Alright, wanna head to Saza two days from now. Can you guide? Teach scouting on the way too?"
"Sure, babysitting plus lessons... leave it to me. But make it three days—got errands."
"Fine. Pay?"
"Hm... you cover food and sundries, three silver a day."
"Including lessons?"
"Yeah. Straight guiding's cheaper."
"Deal."
A bit iffy, but I stuck out my right hand. He noticed, reached over, and when we clasped, he crushed down hard.
Ow.
"Not bad grip, but folding already? Still green, kid. Kuhihya!"
"Drunk bastard reeks. Three days from now, noon meetup good? Don't pull that 'too wasted to remember' crap."
"No sweat! Can't get sloshed enough for that! Half pay upfront—don't forget the coin!"
"Gotcha."
Met Ramza, but how reliable is he? Status peek during the handshake only showed his name... Ramza. Confirmed.
We hashed out details quick, then bailed the tavern.
He was tanking booze hard—wonder how much he'll recall. Kinda worrisome.
Next day.
Sword and magic drills, mock battles till dinner o'clock, then off to the magitech shop Imani Munyu.
Wonder if it's ready.
"Heya~"
"Welcome. Oh, you."
Greeting us: a guy in flashy floral kimono-thing, wings sprouting from his back. The shop's frontman... I assume.
"Sword and helmet both done. Hang on."
"Huh, ahead of schedule. That lady works fast."
Guy ducks back, returns with a short-haired woman—tech whiz vibe—sword in hand.
Take the sword, channel magic power. Yeah, flow feels smoother... I think. Those magitech circuits look crisper now, too.
Woman's cradling the shady helmet.
"Helmet deets later~ Sword's got tuned circuits and a light polish. Standard tune-up."
"Plenty."
Pay up before helmet talk. Funds plummeting. Dodged a bullet skipping slaves~!
"Fast parse, though?"
"Yeah, thought it'd take longer. But it was fun poking around~ stayed up late."
"Pulled an all-nighter."
"Kinda. No rush fee, so chill!"
"Pace yourself..."
Wing guy looked exasperated—probably reined her in, but she pushed through.
Hey, sooner the better for me.
"So, what'd you find?"
"Strength first—stock iron helmet level, as-is."
"As-is?"
"Yup. Functions: channel magic power for better vision and breathing assist. Tech's impressive. Power flow boosts durability too. Couldn't smash it, so sound tests, magic probes—dull work."
"Huh, reinforces itself."
"Versatile gear. Looks wouldn't tank sales otherwise."
"If not for the looks..."
"Haha, water under the bridge. Eyes: night vision confirmed. Zoom too, if preset or focused power."
"Zoom means stuff looks bigger?"
"Bingo. Minor though. Bonus feature."
"Never noticed..."
"Fiddly to remove and tweak each time. Assumes constant power. Flow sequence matters—try this later. My diagram."
"Got it."
Paper shows helmet spots, power paths for functions—simplified sketch. Clear as day.
"Oh, breathing: auto air purification, probably. Dunno intended use, but smog or bad air? Fine."
"Probably?"
"Bonus or assist add-on— not full purifier. Mask-level effect, tops."
"Right."
"Ears tweaked too. Sounds clearer, slightly."
"Oh."
Couldn't tell you how, but damn, looks aside, it's packed.
"Overall: high tech, but scattered. Prototype 'cram all the features' vibe."
"Prototype—explains the price."
"Steal. Cleaned it up; circuits top-tier, no decay. Size adjust too?"
"Yeah, the head-squeeze."
"That. Simple but handy~ I add it to my gear. Boosts sales big time."
"Makes sense."
Custom-fit armor? Wallet killer.
Off-the-rack like our leathers has slack or straps.
Auto-adjust fantasy perk? Gold for all sizes.
"Functions galore mean heavy maintenance?"
"Dunno. No conflicts, so maybe not. Honest? Kinda mystery. Pop in often if worried."
"Fair."
Handy, but potential money pit.
"Request done, but swap this in."
From backpack's other dimension: the magic gun.
Sword back, trust level decent—time for gun tune-up.
"Oof, more?"
Short-hair winces, hand to forehead.
But her eyes glue to the rare-ish magic gun.
"Use till morning two days out, then maintenance."
"Sure... what's it do?"
"Magic gun, magitech weapon. Uses your magic power, not magic stones. Eastern weapon, I hear."
Way back, at that drag shopkeeper's place. Truth unknown.
"Eastern continent gear? Fancy. Like a magic staff?"
"Your call, but don't force unknowns. Especially magic crystal—hands off if possible. Stumped other shops."
"Yeah... too risky here too. Won't touch, promise. But this magic pattern—original?"
"Nah, wear from heavy use."
"Huh... interesting."
She's eyeballing it deep, nodding away. Hope she doesn't break it.
"Please, no breaking."
"Chill, no random tinkering or disassembly. Crystal untouched, as warned. But first-timers? Tiny risks. You cool with that?"
"Mm... yeah, not impossible..."
"As tech, won't claim zero risk. Up to you."
"Fine, risks exist. But wreck it with extras? Compensation."
"Trust me. Expert eyes only—essentials. Don't wanna hear 'that was extra' later."
"Got it. Trust you. Do it."
"Gladly. No full probe?"
"Nah. Basic maintenance fine."
"Roger. Taking custody."
Pros, shouldn't bust... gotta trust.
"Mind names, for records?"
Handy if "left it with so-and-so" comes up later. Late ask, but whatever.
"Ah, sure. I'm Jiro, handling creation and repairs here."
Cute formal bow from short-hair.
"Jiro?"
"No-no, Ji-roh, roh high-pitched. Together: ji-roh."
"Ji-roh."
"Yup! Your name?"
"Yoyo. Tone casual."
"Yoyo-san, got it. Come again~"
Short-hair named, gun deposited, out we go.
Wing guy's Tsing, apparently. Wing-ish, fits.
"Tomorrow prep, then Saza assault~"
"No overdoing it."
"Yeah, yeah."
Saza prep means early bed. Nighty-night.