Chapter 13

“Welcome!” a strong voice called out from the back of the general store. It was our first stop of the day. “Everything we carry is rated for beginner delvers, so let me know if you need any assistance!”

I nodded in acknowledgment, but my eyes were already focused on the racks of clothing displayed.

“Most of what’s available is basic since the store caters to new delvers,” Cora explained. “I’m not sure if any of it is good enough to enchant, but this is where the temple recommended we buy most of what we needed.”

I’d told her about my background in Enchanting during the walk over, and the rogue seemed quite excited to learn that she might be gaining a party member with such a capability.

“That’s fine,” I said as I started looking through the clothing selection.

Though Ascender rooms included a laundry box that cleaned clothing, I was pretty tired of wearing the same set of clothing I’d arrived in.

Most of what I saw on the racks looked pretty similar to what I was wearing, though. It was close enough that nobody looked at me and immediately thought ‘that’s a brand-new Ascender’ or anything.

Though I’d become accustomed to wearing a very limited color palette because of my former realm’s social norms related to clothing and affinity, I excitedly selected a few shirts of different colors.

It almost reminded me of life before the system, back when the people of Earth wore pretty much whatever they wanted. Selecting different colors and options almost felt like a return to my roots, which was a little ironic, considering I was about as far away from my original home as I could get.

Aside from several pieces of clothing that might take a minor enchantment, I picked up a few necessities at the general store before moving on.

“There should be a crafter’s emporium a few streets this way,” I told her.

I’d checked the map before leaving my apartment to ensure I knew where to go to buy what I needed. Maps, like many other informational documents, were pretty easy for most people to access through the Association’s network.

Exactly where I expected it to be, a large, three-story building stood nestled between two even larger buildings. The sign on the front made it clear that the business catered to crafters. It did not provide finished products unless they were tools meant for crafters.

“Welcome, Ascenders,” the clerk standing just inside the door greeted us.

I got the feeling that if we hadn’t had our titles visible, the man wouldn’t have been so enthusiastic about a couple of brand-new delvers entering the store.

“Can I help you find anything?”

“An enchanting focus and some blanks?” I asked.

“Ahh, an Enchanter, are you? I’m glad to hear it. We can always use more Enchanters in Sorenguard. Let me show you where those are. I’ll warn you, even the cheapest version is a bit pricy for a brand-new delver.”

I grimaced as I followed along, knowing that I probably should have come here first.

“Five iron dimes?” Cora gasped. “That’s the cheapest one you have?”

My stomach sank. Even before I’d spent some of my funds, I hadn’t had enough to afford a basic enchanting focus.

‘Maybe I should have taken out a loan,’ I thought before dismissing the idea. I really didn’t want to start my life in this new realm in debt.

“It’s okay,” I said. “I’ll come back after the next delve. I was thinking about heading inside for a quick run anyway. This just gives me a bit more motivation to do so.”

I hadn’t checked with the quest completion desk yet regarding my pay from working as a healer, but I sincerely doubted I’d earned enough from my first shift at the clinic to make up the difference.

A little bummed that I couldn’t yet practice Enchanting, we left the store, not bothering to buy any other supplies from the emporium.

“What else do you need before we delve?” Cora asked.

I listed off a few things.

“What about a bedroll? You won’t need a tent since Mike can build us a shelter – not that those are even needed as long as we are smart about things – but I like sleeping under a shelter.”

I didn’t really want to waste money on a bedroll since I had a bed in my sanctuary. But until I knew for sure that I’d be joining Cora and Mike long-term, I wasn’t going to share that with them.

However, thinking about what I was currently using for bedding in the space, I winced. The furs had never been meant for long-term use. They would also be worth enough to cover the cost of a cheap bedroll if I sold them.

“You’re right. I was using the furs I’d looted for bedding. An actual bedroll sounds like a great idea.”

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We headed to another store. This one was geared toward dungeon camping and offered everything from dried rations to enchanted cooking artifacts.

I looked longingly at the various cooking supplies. The mundane versions weren’t too expensive, but the enchanted options were well over my budget.

Even though I needed to save money, I allowed myself to purchase a Dutch oven, a set of knives, and a four-set of camping dishes on top of the bedroll I’d come to the store to get.

“You cook?” Cora asked when she saw my purchases.

“I dabble. I’m nowhere near as good as my mom or grandma, but I can make food that tastes better than what they serve at the Association. I should probably pick up some salt and spices, though. The herbs in the dungeon are nice and all, but they’ll get old after a while.”

“So, skilled, but not Skilled.”

“Basically. The system offered me the skill, but I don’t have an empty slot for it. I mean, I have empty slots, but those are reserved for other skills, like Enchanting and another offensive elemental skill.