𝗛𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗿𝗮 𝗦𝗮𝘁ō
After finishing up the 3-star quest Freya suggested, I left the two elves, Freya and Astoria to go somewhere.
I headed to the innermost part of Bellken where most nobles and other rich merchants set up their shops, after passing through Alice's Lab, I arrived at a place full of things for artists: Pencils, papers, paint, brushes, and empty portraits.
Entering the store, I inspect a shelf filled with various big notebooks which I assumed are sketchbooks. As I was looking at the quality of the paper and how compact it is to fit in my adventuring pack, I was suddenly interrupted.
"Quite a good eye there sir." Looking at the source of the voice, I saw a young man dressed nicely and had a manner of a noble.
"Are you a painter, perhaps?" The young man asked and in response, I started to write my response on my notepad. "Freelance concept artist."
"Concept artist? What is that?" He asked me in confusion, I continue to write in my notepad before showing it to him. "I draw concepts of characters, objects, or anything in general and bring them into paper." After understanding what I said, he spoke again.
"In other words, if you were asked to draw something out of this world, you would try using your imagination and based on given specifications?"
"Pretty much," I said after flipping a few pages back.
"I see, however, I have never heard of such an artist so I do not know what I can provide you in my humble store." The young man spoke sadly but I wasn't whatsoever since I only needed the basics. "I just need a sketchbook, eraser, and a couple of pencils," I said after flipping a page back.
"Is that all good sir? no specific things that you require?" He inquired and I started to think for a moment before writing on my notepad. "Then I need a sketchbook fitted for long-term adventures, any eraser should be fine as long as it's big and of good quality, and as for the pencils, I just need a lot of them that are long and very high quality."
"Hmm, I see..." The young man left after confirming what I wanted and quickly returned to the counter with pencils, erasers, a sketchbook, and strangely a slim pack.
"Here you sir, this is the highest quality I can find." He said proudly.
"What about this pack?" I asked, confused.
"You said that you needed things for long-term adventures right, I don't know much but I do know that once in a while you might encounter a situation where your things might get wet and damaged, so I brought them for you. It is a waterproof pack made out of the finest and strongest quality of leather insured to protect your things!" He spoke as if it was his greatest treasure.
'He has a point, adventurer pack like this mine is designed to easily get things in and out but it also made it easier to get things like water in it' I thought to myself.
"The price?" I asked and the man responded. "21 gold and 58 silver."
'Yikes, that's expensive but then again aren't the art supplies from my world also expensive?' I thought to myself before writing again. "Alright, could you also bring me a pen and ink?"
"For inking, I assume?" I nod my head in response. After giving the young man 22 gold and 70 silver pieces, I put all the things K bought in my new slim pack and left to go and find a place to draw.
As I walked around, I recall a familiar quote.
""The best way to learn how to draw is by experiencing life, how it feels, looks, and how painful and fun it is, so you should go out there and experience the world Himura!"" Tanaka said whenever I couldn't find any inspiration.
'Tanaka...I wonder, how are you right now?' I asked as I walked around before I somehow found my way to the merchant branch of the adventurers guild. Entering the store, I browsed the weapons rack looking for a new weapon, a blade.
"Anything you want?" The bored receptionist asked.
"Yep, any blades?" I asked and in response, the receptionist leaves his seat and goes to the back for more weapons and soon returned with 4 swords.
The first one looked like a shirasaya, a katana with no guard however unlike the ones in Japan, this one looks like it's actually made for prolonged fighting and not just for display.
The second one looked like a katana, with a long handle, a circular guard with a complex pattern, and a long, thin yet sharp edge.
The third one is some sort of rapier, complete with a knuckle guard and guard itself and the edge is thicker probably forged to slash more effectively at the cost of lowering the stabbing power.
The last one is a thick blade larger than his arms width when it comes to its edge, as long as a short sword, and had a knuckle guard.
"This is the most I can find right now, pick anything you like," He said heading back to his seed
"Thanks." I inspected the four swords, Thankfully, I was knowledgeable when it comes to weapons due to my preferences when drawing concept art of characters.
'The first one is similar to the wooden one I used to have back home so I at least know how to handle it but the problem is the lack of guard. There's a chance that someone would just slash down hitting my fingers on the way and I don't want to find out how painful it is.' I thought before looking at the second weapon.
'The second one is just your classic katana, the edge has a wavy look clearly, it was forged using damascus steel meaning it's quite strong yet it feels very balanced in my hands and I also like that I can use both my hands like the first sword however this is a bit longer this is clearly 100-centimeter katana which might be harder to handle efficiently at my level.' I said with a small amount of doubt then I looked at the third weapon.
'The third one is a rapier but its edge is a little thicker than normal clearly, the one making this wanted to give it more slashing power which almost losses the purpose of rapiers, its handle is also made for one hand so this one is a no go.' I said before looking at the last one.
'As for the last one...a falchion? definitely not especially since the handle can only be used by 1 hand. Looks like I have my verdict then.' I grabbed the katana after inspecting all of them.
"That'll be 12 gold then which also includes the cleaning kit for it." Handing the receptionist the gold I went back to his room at the adventurers guild.
'What an expensive shopping trip.' After laying down my weapons at the side of the table, I also lay down on my bed and grabbed my pencil and sketchbook from my right, where the pack for my art supplies is.
"....What do I draw?" As always I had no inspiration to draw.
Recalling what Tanaka said, I recalled the 2 weeks of experience I got in this new world.
'Ogres? nope, the scenery when I first arrived here? that will take a long time to finish...how about what I do best then, characters.' I said before sketching the figures of the people around me.
Astoria in her archer garb with some armor protecting her legs and arms, Freya with her priest clothes wielding her staff ready to stab, and strangely even Alice still in her glasses and laboratory coat with a two full big pack on her waist. 'I should be meeting her in her lab tomorrow, hopefully, she finished her business with a good outcome.' I thought to myself.
After finishing up my sketches, I spent six hours of my life, drawing them all in great detail.
Leaving the room he sees his party members, Astoria and Freya already getting drinking already.
"Yo, been busy huh?" I nodded my head before Freya asked a question. "I'm curious, what did you buy?"
"Just some art supplies and a new weapon," I wrote on my notepad.
"Art supplies? You're an artist?" Freya asked, surprised.
"Yes," I said after flipping back to the first page of my notepad.
"You know Himura the more I learn about you, the more I think you serve some sort of royal family or maybe your royalty yourself. At first, it was your nice clothes under that weird cloak of yours." Astoria spoke before I corrected her. "Jacket."
"Right, and now you do art? kinda weird not gonna lie." She said with a face full of speculation.
"I assure you that I don't have any royal blood in me nor do I serve one." I wrote frantically.
"Hmm, I'll take your word for it then." Astoria and Freya said to me with a tiny bit of doubt in their eyes. Having nothing to do in the adventurers guild, I left the two again and explored the nightlife in this city for the first time.
After a few hours of exploring out of boredom, Himura found himself in a particular district where many women gather and attract men to their establishment.
"Hmm, should I be here? then again I am 17 and in this world, the age of consent is 15 soooooo, screw it."
I explored the red light district and saw many men most of which are adventurers being enticed by many women in really open clothing.
'This feels weird, I'm just exploring to satisfy my curiosity and everyone else is where for a certain service, I definitely should be here to do it.' I thought to myself somewhat red but still managing to keep a straight and expressionless face
Suddenly a sickeningly sweet voice called to him.
"You're a first-timer here aren't you~" A young woman with two other women behind her suddenly pressed their chest against him.
'Bad bad very bad, get out get out of here now!' My mind screamed but my body stayed in one spot.
"Say, mister, would you like to take us? we swear we can give you pleasure like never before~" The leading woman from earlier then took my hand and started leading me to their establishment.
'Say no say no say no...wait I can't speak their language!' I said to myself however, I could feel my mind definitely warming up to such an idea.
And soon Himura was taken to a room alone with the young woman from earlier. "Wow, to think you are already in this condition, it must be painful right? let me help you with that~"
I walked out of the red light district, feeling a bit more relaxed yet panicked at the same time. "To think, my virginity would be taken in that establishment, god, how pathetic am I?" After finishing my "business", I headed back to the adventurers guild with a tint of shame on my face however, I put on my usual expressionless face to avoid anyone from finding out.
'You are a young man Himura, I was merely there to satisfy my lust and reduce my stress, nothing more and nothing less' I said denying the reason the fact that I came there out of curiosity.
'...But I did good right? I didn't look like a desperate virgin to her eyes right?' I was not fully satisfied since I was only focusing on trying to make her feel good and trying not to look like a massive virgin.
"Whatever I am not returning there anyway," I said with a clearly lying tone.
Arriving in our room, it seems Astoria's senses woke her up and now looked at me with a very suspicious teasing look.
'Looks like there's no hiding it' I thought, giving up.
On my way back, Alcor and Kinn recognized me and after playing it cool, I managed to get away from them then deviated from my original path which took me longer to go home.
It seems the same adventurers snitched to Astoria about it. "Welcome back, perv, got anything to explain?" She asked teasingly.
"I'm pretty sure I don't, but if you mean that then all I could say is that I, Himura was merely trying to relieve my stress, nothing more, nothing less," I said after showing her my pre-written note at my notepad
"That's it? Not even a slight blush on your face? Well, that's a shame, well good night" Astoria turns around, a bit sad, and starts to sleep clearly not angry.
'Thank god for my roommate being understandable. This line of work has always been dangerous, that was why most of the people I saw there were adventurers and it looks like she understands that too.'
I joined the bed to sleep in it too, a bit relieved of Astoria for not teasing nor questioning me further.