Chapter 5

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 5

Chapter Title: Runein (2)

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"Um, I'd like to get a weapon repaired."

"Repair? You got the money for it?"

"Uh."

Cheisi realized an important fact.

She had no money. All she had was a single dagger and one fish.

"...Could I at least get a quote?"

"That costs money too. At least one coin."

"...I see."

Even a quote cost money. Which meant she couldn't do anything here.

The chat was full of divided opinions.

'...Maybe I should just skip the repair.'

As Cheisi seriously pondered how hard her fists might hit, Dante burst ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠into loud laughter.

"Kahaha! Why so tense? If the client is a bright young lady like you, I can give you a free quote! The folks who visit our village now and then are all grizzled mid-level adventurers—it's been so damn dreary."

Unlike the hearty Dante, Cheisi was shocked.

'Y-Young lady...'

She'd never been called that before, so it felt weird.

But there was no helping it. Right now, Cheisi was a perfect young lady, inside and out.

She had no choice but to accept it.

"So, what weapon do you want repaired?"

Cheisi untied the strap at her waist where the dagger was secured and handed it to Dante.

"I'd like this dagger repaired."

"Huh?"

Dante's eyes sharpened as he looked at the dagger.

"Where the hell did you get a pathetic thing like this?"

"...It was just lying on the ground."

She'd picked it up from the ruins and used it, so if you had to pinpoint the origin, the roadside fit.

"Picked up trash from the street, huh..."

Dante clicked his tongue.

The viewers piled on. Despite all the criticism, the dagger stayed silent as a proper dagger should.

"Why not give up on repairing it and get a new weapon?"

"I don't have money for a new one right now."

"In that case... Hoo. As a blacksmith, I don't even want to touch this dagger, but if you want, I can repair it. No charge. Can't take money for making something a bit less horrific."

Dante's voice grew earnest as he spoke.

"Once you get a bit stronger and earn some money, come find me. I'll make you a new weapon so you don't have to use that dagger anymore."

As soon as Dante finished, a message appeared.

Cheisi checked the quest.

"Level 3 and not too many coins—it doesn't seem like a tough quest."

Cheisi decided to accept the quest.

"Hm? Your voice was too quiet—I didn't hear. Were you talking to me?"

"Nothing. I'll save up money and come back later."

The moment the acceptance message appeared, Dante brightened up.

"Good choice! Wait just a sec."

Dante took Cheisi's dagger and headed into the back of the forge.

He returned shortly with a slightly cleaner dagger in hand.

"...Here. Your dagger."

Cheisi took the silver dagger and checked its info.

The durability had recovered dramatically.

And the stats had gone up too.

An attack boost of 2. It seemed minor at first glance, but for Cheisi—who'd had just 13 attack until now—it was quite meaningful.

Securing the dagger back at her waist, it even felt a little lighter somehow.

"Um, how do I make money?"

"Money? Simplest way is to hunt monsters and sell the loot. The adventurers' guild will trade it for cash."

After hearing Dante's answer, Cheisi gave her thanks.

For kindly answering. For repairing the dagger for free. For everything.

Dante laughed heartily, as if it were no big deal, and saw Cheisi off.

Once outside the forge, Cheisi spoke to the viewers.

"Hunting really is the answer to everything. Money, levels—the works."

Cheisi remembered the adventurers' guild location too.

"Alright, back to the slime spot then."

It was time to level up.

Cheisi felt motivation surging in her steps.

"I'll just hit level 3 for now."

Outside the village, Cheisi easily found the slimes' habitat.

Red slimes bobbed peacefully in the sunlight across a field of pale green grass.

"Let's test the dagger's damage."

Cheisi untied the strap at her waist and prepared for battle.

As Cheisi approached a slime, it looked up at her with big red eyes.

Pyu?

Like it was innocently asking, 'I'm so cute—gonna kill me?'

"Gonna kill you."

Cheisi slashed without hesitation.

Pyuu! Pyu!

The slime fled frantically from the onslaught before turning into a puff of white light and vanishing.

A shiny droplet fell where the slime had been.

Cheisi checked the EXP needed for the next level.

Total of 100 EXP required.

Slimes needed to reach level up: thirty-three.

"Just thirty-three more to go."

Muttering that, Cheisi picked up the droplet the slime left behind. It had a jiggly texture.

According to Dante, this could be turned into money.

Cheisi pocketed the slime essence.

"This is easier than those tutorial monsters. No counterattacks or anything..."

But the chat was in despair for some reason.

"Why... we gotta level up."

"...Now ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that you mention it, they do seem kinda pitiful."

Saying that, Cheisi began mercilessly hunting slimes with her dagger.

She didn't look pitiful at all.

"Slimes are the ones with no blood or tears."

As she kept hunting, a cheerful new sound rang out.

Cheisi confirmed her level had risen to 2 and paused the slime massacre.

Somehow, she'd collected twenty slime droplets already.

"My arms are sore..."

Catching her breath, Cheisi checked the EXP needed for level 3.

"Eh."

She panicked.

The chat was the same.

EXP from level 2 to 3: a whopping 300. Three times the 100 needed from 1 to 2.

In slime lives: a hundred of them.

"No other monsters around...?"

Following the natural instinct shared by cats and humans to avoid labor, Cheisi's gaze drifted beyond the slime habitat to the forest.

Cheisi ventured deeper into the forest.

The branches of massive trees formed a thick canopy, and the scent of leaves was intensely fresh.

She couldn't see far, and distinguishing smells was tough.

Which was why Cheisi hadn't spotted any huntable monsters while walking through.

At best, tiny bugs.

These gave nothing, so no reason to hunt them.

But if only these showed up, the forest wouldn't exist—so trusting her gut that something was coming, Cheisi focused more on her surroundings.

"Never know what might jump out..."

Suddenly, the cat talking to viewers threw herself to the ground, rolling.

A puff of dirt rose where she rolled.

As viewers questioned Cheisi's sudden move, she coughed in the dust and explained.

"Ack... S-Something flew at me."

"D-Dunno. Something flew by, so I dodged..."

Just a split second ago, she'd glimpsed something flashing.

The moment she saw it, instinct made her roll. Any ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠slower, and she wouldn't have dodged.

"The trajectory was about here...?"

Soon, Cheisi spotted a small arrow embedded in a tree behind her and showed it to the viewers.

The chat exploded as the situation sank in.

But now wasn't the time for chat.

Cheisi stayed alert, checking the arrow.

"Goblin...?"

As Cheisi tilted her head, a monster's cry echoed.

Keruk!

Cheisi turned.

A green-skinned goblin with a single horn on its forehead, clutching a small club, emerged from between trees, scowling at her.

"Yeah... Goblins even ambush."

Now that she knew what it was, her tension eased.

Cheisi checked the goblin glaring from afar.

True to shooting poison needles, its name was Poison Needle Goblin.

But Cheisi was drawn to something else.

"60 EXP?"

Her eyes sparkled.

She'd wandered the forest finding nothing, and here was a monster worth twenty slimes walking right to her.

Cheisi untied her dagger strap and readied for battle.

"I'm definitely hunting this one."

Keruk...?

The goblin met her eyes, hesitated, then grimaced in disgust.