"Oi, Shitman, let's go."
"Huh? Where to?" I tilted my head, clutching my precious pouch of coins.
"Remember? You wanted to buy cheap clothes, right? Crazy guy," Zaben said with a grin.
"Oh, right! I forgot." I jumped to my feet, holding up the pouch triumphantly. "Ehehe! Clothes and pants! Let's go!"
The others laughed as we started walking. Zaben smirked. "Hope you're ready to haggle, Shitman. Those second-hand sellers? They'll smell your new-money aura a mile away."
"New-money aura?! I'm just trying to cover my butt!"
"Then you better hold on to that pouch tight," Biston chimed in, cracking a grin. "You'll need every copper, Shitman."
I clutched the pouch closer to my chest. "Don't jinx me, man! This is a sacred moment!"
Off we went to the marketplace in search of the finest (or, let's be honest, the cheapest) second-hand clothes this capital city had to offer.
"Old man! We bring you a customer!" Zaben hollered as we entered the shop.
From behind a pile of clothes, an old man with a wrinkled face and an apron appeared, squinting at me. "Oho~ What's this? A Shitman looking for some threads?"
I groaned internally. Ugh… now even the old shopkeeper is calling me Shitman. What's next? King of Horsedung?
Zaben and the others burst into laughter, clapping me on the back. "Come on, Crazy Guy! Go find some clothes and pants. We'll be around the corner."
They sauntered off, leaving me to face the old man, who crossed his arms and chuckled. "So, Shitman, what're you looking for? Something durable? Or just cheap enough to cover your stinky behind?"
"Just… cheap clothes, okay?" I muttered, glaring at him. "I don't want to bankrupt myself on fabric."
The old man chuckled again. "Cheap, huh? You've come to the right place. Take your time, Shitman. My wares are as honest as my prices!"
With a sigh, I began sifting through the pile of second-hand clothes, muttering to myself, "Great… welcome to the glamorous life of a summoned hero."
"Old man! How much for these clothes and pants?" I held them up, trying to sound confident.
The old man squinted at the items and stroked his beard. "Hmm… 15 copper coins."
I grinned. "8 copper!"
He raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "14 copper!"
I huffed, crossing my arms. "Tch! I'm your new customer! You gotta give me a special price!"
He shook his head. "8 copper is not a price, Shitman."
I smirked. "Make it 9 then."
The old man sighed, rubbing his forehead as if I were more exhausting than lifting boulders. "Ugh, this Shitman… How about 12?"
I leaned in, holding up the pants with a skeptical look. "10 is the best I can offer. Just look at these clothes. They're barely holding together!"
He clicked his tongue in frustration, glancing at the repairmen chuckling in the corner. "Tch! Fine… You're lucky you're with those kids."
Triumphant, I handed over 10 copper coins, whispering, "Victory for the Shitman…"
What did I do next? I stripped naked right there in the shop, casually putting on my new clothes.
The old man raised an eyebrow while the repairmen burst into laughter. "This guy has no shame!" they howled.
I glanced at them, confused. "What's shame? Is it edible?"
That sent them into another fit of laughter, some holding their sides.
As for my old clothes? I folded them carefully, clutching them close. They were all I had left from my previous world—my only tie to the life I'd left behind. "My precious memory," I muttered dramatically, holding them like priceless treasure.
The repairmen laughed again. "Shitman, you're something else!"
"Old man, do you sell an old bag or something?" I asked hopefully.
He squinted at me. "Yeah, sure I do."
"Give me a special price, old man. I'm broke." I tried my saddest look.
He turned to Zaben. "Zaben, next time, don't bring customers like this."
The repairmen roared with laughter. "He's your problem now, old man!"
The old man held up his palm. "Ten copper, kid!"
Reluctantly, I handed over the coins, and he tossed me an old, beat-up bag. It wasn't pretty, but it was functional. I stuffed my old clothes inside, slung it over my shoulder, and sighed.
Now I had 40 copper coins left—10 spent on clothes and 10 on the bag. As for shoes, I still had my synthetic leather ones from my old job. They weren't fancy, but sturdy enough.
"Oi, crazy guy, let's go," Zaben called out.
"Okay… err, where to?" I asked, adjusting the bag on my shoulder.
"The public bathhouse! Just like yesterday."
"Oh, okay."
Looks like it was bath time again. At least this time I wasn't covered in horse shit. Small victories, right?
"See ya, old man! Thanks! I'll come again tomorrow!" I said cheerfully, waving as I hurried to catch up with the repairman group heading to the public bathhouse.
The old man grumbled something under his breath, probably about not wanting me back, but I ignored it and joined the guys.
We approached the same bathhouse we visited yesterday, the familiar smell of steaming water and faint soap greeting me. The granny running the place stood at the entrance, arms crossed and waiting.
"Oh, look who's back! The wall repairmen—and the crazy shitman!" she said, smirking.
"Aye, madam!" Zaben waved, grinning. "Usual routine, you know the drill!"
"You too, crazy guy," she pointed at me. "Pay up! Five copper! And don't forget, towels are in the usual place. Put 'em in the basket when you're done."
I handed over the coin and muttered, "Yeah, yeah, I know the drill."
This time, though, I wasn't about to let anything embarrassing happen—no drunken antics, no accidental horse manure, just a good, clean soak. Or at least, that's what I hoped for.
"Haaa... I wonder how long I can live like this," I muttered, leaning back in the warm water. The heat seeped into my muscles, washing away the exhaustion of the day. "But at least now I have a little bit of money."
The repairman guys sprawled across the bath, relaxing just like me. Some had their arms resting on the edge, others were just enjoying the soak.
"Err... guys?" I hesitated, breaking the silence.
"What now, crazy guy?" they asked in unison, their voices echoing in the steamy bathhouse.
I scratched my cheek. "How do you keep your money safe? Do you just carry it around?"
Zaben snorted. "Hah! If we did that, we'd get robbed in no time!"
Robert leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "You gotta go to the bank, open an account, and they give you this magic card. You can use it to withdraw money from any bank."
"That card also works at the Adventurer's Guild," Biston added. "Smaller towns rely on the guild for transactions."
I blinked. "Oh... so it's kinda like a debit card from my world, but with magic."
"A what?"
"Nothing. Just talking to myself." I sank deeper into the water. A magic bank card could be useful. Maybe I should get one before I get mugged in some dark alley...
"Wait, wait, hold up. So, if I go to the bank, I can deposit my money, and they give me a magic card? I can use that card to withdraw anywhere?"
"Yeah, pretty much," Robert said, stretching. "But there's a fee every time you withdraw, so most people just keep their coins on them unless they have a lot to save."
"Fee? How much?" I frowned.
"Depends. Usually around one to two percent of what you take out. But if you're withdrawing from a guild instead of the bank, they charge extra."
"Ugh, highway robbery!" I groaned, sinking deeper into the water. "No wonder people still carry their money around."
"Yeah, but carrying too much is risky. Pickpockets, bandits, gambling debts—" Ahlem started listing off.
"Oi, oi! Why do you assume I'd lose my money gambling!?"
"Hahaha! Just saying, crazy guy! A lot of people think they can win easy money, but in the end, the house always wins."
I sighed, looking at the water. "So basically, my options are: carry my money and risk getting robbed, or deposit it and lose some every time I withdraw?"
"Yup."
"Damn this isekai economy…"
Ahlem grinned and teased, "Hey crazy guy, no wonder people call you crazy, you keep mumbling to yourself! Ahahaha!"
The others joined in, laughing.
"Damn you guys. That's just—"
"Just what, crazy guy? Ahahaha!"
"Ugh, fine… anyway."
"Hmmm?"
I looked around. "I didn't see any different races here. Like beastkin, elves, or dwarves?"
"Huh? Of course, you can't. We're working where?"
"Err… repairing the wall?"
"Do you think you have time to see them?"
"Oh…"
"And they rarely come here," Zaben added. "Some might have jobs here or come to deliver supplies. Elves? Even rarer. We partied with one before, back when we were adventurers."
"Ohhh…" I nodded, leaning back in the bath. "So elves, beastkin, dwarves… they do come here, but not often?"
Robert shrugged. "Yeah, pretty much. Elves mostly stay in their forests, beastkin prefer their own settlements, and dwarves? They're either in the mountains or running a forge. You won't see many of them working repair jobs like us."
"Hmmm… but you said you partied with an elf before?" I asked, curious.
Zaben nodded. "Yeah, she was a good archer. Not the friendliest, though."
"Pfft, that's putting it lightly," Ahlem scoffed. "She barely talked to us, acted like she was better than everyone."
"That's just how elves are, right?" I mused.
( End of Chapter )