CHAPTER 29
To work as a pioneer, you need basic equipment.
Even as a Holy Mage, you never know what might happen.
Armor was essential, as much as my strength would allow.
So I bought better armor than I had in my porter days.
It thoroughly protected my elbows, knees, neck, and forehead.
It felt a little heavy, but compared to my porter days, I was grateful.
Additionally, I bought dried rations.
With Babiyen around, I could start a fire anytime.
I wouldn’t need to pack much kindling.
“It takes more than I thought.”
Aranseol said next to me, a surprised look on her face.
She had never worked as a pioneer, so it was only natural.
“It’s too late once something happens. Other pioneers prepare this much too.”
This was the preparation method Bulldog had taught me himself.
If I didn’t do it properly, I’d get an earful of curses, so I was forced to learn.
On another note, I spent quite a bit of money.
As I thought, I’d need a steady income.
It was then, as I was checking the money I had gathered, that it happened.
“Harua, who are those people over there?”
What was she talking about?
When I lifted my head, I saw a merchant with a bushy beard who had spread out a cloth on the ground.
A large number of people were gathered there.
They were swarming around him.
“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.”
The moment I saw him, I was so surprised I started running.
In the central market district of the capital, Valterion, a special merchant sometimes appears.
The Designated Merchant.
Darque Hood.
No one knows where he comes from or when he will appear.
But when he does, everyone says the same thing.
That the items he sells are all rare and precious things, hard to find anywhere else.
However, the Designated Merchant doesn't sell his wares to just anyone.
He only sells to the person he designates from the gathered crowd.
It makes no difference whether the person is a nobody or a famous figure.
The Designated Merchant simply looks and decides.
Conversely, he will never sell to someone he hasn't designated.
Those not chosen cannot insist that he sell to them.
Anyone who tried would have no idea what kind of punishment they might receive from the other pioneers standing by.
If he were to stop visiting this place, they would lose the chance to buy these rare items forever.
It was better to wait quietly until the merchant made his choice.
Bulldog had told me that whenever he appeared, even if I had nothing to buy, I must check the items he was selling.
He said that if the Designated Merchant ever designated me, it would be for an item I absolutely needed.
Or, even if I didn't need it, I could sell it for a huge sum, so he emphasized a hundred times that I must check.
For the Designated Merchant to appear at this timing, could this be fate?
The fate of me becoming a great mage.
My mouth started to water.
Destiny is leading me here!
I grabbed Aranseol and quickly ran to the front of the Designated Merchant.
There were so many people gathered that it looked difficult to push through.
“Excuse me, just a moment. Let us pass.”
“What the, I was here first. Get lo—.”
The rough pioneer who was about to curse at me stopped mid-sentence as he turned around.
“Excuse me, may we pass?”
When Aranseol asked, the man grinned foolishly.
“It seems I was the one who should get lost. Ahem, ahem.”
And with just one word from Aranseol, he became a gentleman and cleared a path.
“Ahem.”
“Keum.”
After that, people made way one by one, and a path naturally formed.
Everyone was eager to get a look at Aranseol’s face.
The world’s kindest, sweetest men were all gathered here.
If you can’t beat them, join them.
All hail lookism.
With Aranseol as my shield, I pushed through the crowd.
Thanks to her, I was able to arrive in front of the Designated Merchant in no time.
Just as Bulldog had said, the Designated Merchant had a wide array of goods laid out.
Normally, the items sold by street vendors are mostly miscellaneous goods.
But what he was selling was different.
An endless line of items that looked precious even at a glance was spread out.
Is there anything here that I can buy?
If the Designated Merchant doesn't designate you, you can't buy anything.
This was a rule that could not be broken.
“Mr. Merchant, is there anything you would recommend for me?”
I asked the Designated Merchant, swallowing hard.
I had the money Rapiel gave me.
I absolutely did not want to miss this opportunity.
Please, please sell me something.
Seeing my expectant gaze, the Designated Merchant raised one eye from beneath his bushy hair.
Then, he gave a nod.
A silence fell over the area.

A nod. Is that a yes?

It's not some other kind of response unique to these savage this-worlders, is it?
“Oh!”
“Ooh, he’s made a choice.”
The people behind me burst into cheers.
The moment I heard that, my eyes widened, and just as I was about to clench my fists in triumph—
The Designated Merchant raised his hand and pointed behind me.
And there stood Aranseol, who had no idea what was going on.
“You, young lady. Buy this.”
The Designated Merchant held up a vial containing a potion with a blue herb inside.
The crowd’s attention naturally shifted to Aranseol.
Of course, I, who had just asked the question, was left standing there like a third wheel.
“Me?”
Aranseol didn't know about the Designated Merchant.
Perhaps because of that, she had a look on her face that said she didn’t understand the meaning of being chosen.
“As expected, the Designated Merchant has a good eye.”
“A young lady like her deserves to have it!”
The sweet pioneers who had made way for us cheered even louder than before.
At that, Aranseol glanced behind her at me and spoke cautiously.
“I’m fine, so could you recommend something for Harua instead?”
“Nothing.”
The Designated Merchant stated flatly.
There was nothing here to sell to me.
At that point, there was nothing I could buy.
My world collapsed today.
Of course.
The goddess of luck was never going to smile on me.
But more importantly, Aransegsol had an opportunity.
The items the Designated Merchant sells are expensive, but they are always worth the price.
Moreover, for him to sell to a designated person meant it was an item that person desperately needed.
“How much is it?”
It could be something Aranseol needed.
“One thousand gold.”
One thousand gold.
In other words, converting to Korean Won, roughly 1 gold is 30,000 won.
It’s about thirty million won.
This crazy old geezer.
Who in their right mind charges thirty million won for a single item?
And considering it's a potion, it's a consumable.
It definitely had an expiration date.
“O-one thousand gold?”
Aranseol also looked flustered.
No matter who she was, there was no way Aranseol had a thousand gold on her.
But I did.
I had the one thousand gold that Rapiel had given me as personal funds.
“And the effect?”
“The blossoming of untapped talent. I do not know in what direction it will bloom.”
Aranseol’s shoulders flinched.
Aranseol had always struggled with her talent.
For her, the blossoming of talent was a precious opportunity she could never pass up.
“We’ll buy it.”
So I said without hesitation.
Money can be earned anytime.
But an opportunity from the Designated Merchant doesn't come often.
“Harua?!”
“Wow, you’re a big spender, pal!”
“That’s right. You gotta spend that much to get a pretty girlfriend like that!”
“You should pay more taxes!”
The peanut gallery is noisy.
“Wait, Harua, that’s your living expenses for the time being.”
Aranseol quickly came to my side and tried to stop me.
But it seemed Aranseol was mistaken about one thing.
“What are you talking about, Aranseol? I’m not buying this for you for free. You have to pay all of this back.”
From now on, Aranseol was in a lifelong contract with me.
It wasn't easy to find a swordsman as good as Aranseol anywhere.
There was no harm in writing up a contract for someone like her.
Above all, the value of Soun, who was Aranseol’s backer, was limitless.
Seeing how Soun rushed over for the Cosmic Jac incident, he cherished his disciple.
Investing in Aranseol was a way to get on Soun’s good side.
“...Even so, you’re the one spending the money right now, Harua.”
Attacking me with a heavy-hitting fact like that.
Fight fair and use fabrications.
“I’ll pay you back.”
Aranseol let out a deep sigh.
“I’ll be sure to pay you back. But what are you going to do for living expenses for now?”
If I spent this, I wouldn’t have any living expenses.
“I’ll have to earn it.”
So I had no choice but to do a job that would let me earn money in the shortest amount of time.
The 2nd World.
It was always a dangerous world, but I had the safety net of resurrection magic.
With me around, the danger of the 2nd World drops dramatically.
The best-case scenario is not having to use resurrection magic, but if it gets dangerous, I have no choice.
“Here is the payment.”
As I handed over the money bag, the Designated Merchant reached out and took it.
“I can only take it if you let go.”
“Right.”
I had no choice but to let go of the money bag.
It was my last chance to hear the clinking of a thousand gold.
The Designated Merchant roughly counted the money and gave us the vial.
I immediately passed the vial to Aranseol.

Aranseol clutched it tightly so no one could steal it.
She’s going to break it like that.
“In one month.”
Just then, the Designated Merchant spoke again.
“You will come back here.”
The next person he designated was me.
In one month.
In other words, that meant that in one month, there would be an item worth selling to me.
The goddess of luck was still smiling on me!
But separate from that, my face froze.
This meant that I had to gather another huge sum of money, equivalent to a thousand gold, within a month.
Is this man trying to skin me alive?
But all around, the pioneers were sending me looks of envy.
They were the ones who couldn't buy the Designated Merchant's goods even if they had the money.
Right, it's better than having no opportunity at all like them.
“...I understand.”
Whether I liked it or not, I had to go to the 2nd World to earn money.
That was the only place where I had a chance to become a great mage.

Aranseol headed to the inn, carefully clutching the medicine she had bought for a hefty sum.
Fortunately, I had already paid for a week’s worth of lodging.
I had no money on me, but there was no immediate problem with my living situation.
“Let’s cut it down to one inn room.”
As I was about to enter the room, Aranseol suddenly said something out of the blue.
“Cut down the rooms?”
“If we combine your room and mine, we can stay for two more weeks. Since it’s an inn for pioneers, they don’t count the days while we’re working in the 2nd World, so we can use it for even longer.”
That was certainly a good idea.
But the inn rooms weren’t that spacious.
And there was only one bed.
I thought it would be uncomfortable for two people to stay.
“We’re desperate for money right now. I need to save up to pay you back, too.”
“That’s true.”

Aranseol’s opinion was sound. This seemed like the right thing to do.
As I was thinking rationally, another thought occurred to me.
“Wait, Aranseol, isn’t it a problem for a man and a woman to share the same room?”
“Can you, Harua, see a this-worlder as a member of the opposite sex?”
“What kind of disgusting thing are you saying?”
My face contorted with genuine disgust.
How can a person see a beast as a member of the opposite sex?
I am not a furry.
Hearing my answer, Aranseol smiled warmly.
“The same goes for me.”
Aha.
Our interests aligned perfectly.
This is why I like Aranseol.
“Anyway, hurry up and drink that.”
We could move rooms later; we needed to use what we bought. Aranseol took out the bottle she was holding in her arms.
“...I’m drinking it.”
Aranseol said with a nervous face.
Then, she downed all the contents of the bottle.
Aranseol’s face scrunched up as if she had tasted something awful.
Why is it that even when a pretty girl makes a face, she’s just cute?
It’s a little annoying.
Aranseol scowled for a moment before letting out a breath.
As I watched her with expectant eyes, Aranseol licked her lips.
“So, how is it? Did anything change?”
“Um, hmm.”
Aranseol tilted her head this way and that.
Then, she fumbled to draw her sword and gave it a swing.
A silence hung between Aranseol and me.
Finally, Aranseol asked cautiously.
“...Did something about me change?”
I don’t know.
And not knowing scares me.
The thought that my thousand gold might have been a scam is going to keep me up at night.