“But in my view, the core that makes all this possible is likely the existence of the ‘Gods and Familia’ system, as well as…
that ‘Enemy of the World’ that all races must face together.”
Gods and Familia?
Jeanne repeated softly, a hint of realization flashing in her eyes…
Chapter 19: Revenge Spending, The Big Shopping Spree
Taking this opportunity, Fati educated Jeanne on the differences between the races.
“There,” he lifted his chin:
“See that boy over there?
That’s a member of the Werewolf branch of the Beastman Race.”
Jeanne followed his gaze and saw a lithe young man walking by.
The grey wolf ears twitching nimbly in his hair and the fluffy tail swaying unconsciously behind him clearly announced his racial identity.
“Beastman is just a general term.”
Fati explained:
“Within the Beastman Race, there are many branches, such as Werewolves, Cat People, Boar-men, Rabbit-men, Weretigers, and so on.”
“Depending on the branch, the focus of their basic abilities differs greatly.”
“For instance, Werewolves and Cat People are known for their incredible agility; Boar-men, Weretigers, and Minotaurs possess terrifying strength and endurance; and the rare Renard Race excels in magic power.
There are countless examples like these.”
“Compared to the mediocre performance of us humans, who are ‘jacks of all trades but masters of none’ in terms of basic attributes, the Beastman Race has a natural advantage.”
“Sharp senses, robust physiques, and some individuals even possess the potential for beastification.”
“Therefore, when the gods recruit for their Familia, besides the Elf Race—the most popular magical race—Beastmen are also a highly sought-after choice.”
“What about us humans?”
Jeanne couldn’t help but ask curiously.
Fati sighed helplessly.
“Humans…
our situation is just so-so.
To put it politely, we’re stuck in the middle?
To be blunt, we’re second to last.”
“Yeah, to sum it up, we’re better than some but worse than others.
At the very least, we’re in a much better overall position than the Dwarves.”
…After finishing with the Beastmen, Fati went on to explain several other races to Jeanne in detail.
For example, the Elves who are skilled in using magic;
As a magical race that could freely use magic since the Age of Gods (before the Familia era), they not only awaken their own unique magic after receiving a favor and possess the terrifying talent of likely having three magic slots, but they can also master ‘Elf Magic’ through study.
It’s just that compared to the magic obtained through a favor, the magic mastered through study is less convenient to use and has poorer effects.
But…
it’s usable!
Translated, that means: it’s outclassed by the current meta.
“The famous Nine Demon Princesses of the Loki Familia I mentioned before, Riveria Ljos Alf—the strongest Mage in Orario today—is an Elf.”
“And she’s not just any Elf, but the most noble existence among them: Elf Royalty.”
Jeanne caught sight of several Elves passing by out of the corner of her eye, and even as a woman herself, she had to admit:
The appearance and temperament of Elves were truly outstanding.
Their elegant and refined looks, signature pointed ears, and slender, tall figures were light and graceful.
“Elves…
they truly are a legendary race.
Flawless in every way, truly the darlings of nature.”
An admiring expression appeared on Jeanne’s exquisite face.
Fati looked at her from the side, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
As he expected, Jeanne’s impression of Elves was highly synchronized with his own.
Compared to other races, Fati naturally liked Elves the best.
With their innate ‘wealthy, beautiful, powerful, yet tragic’ archetypes, no man could refuse them.
Especially the Elven beauties whose average looks scored over 95 points.
He had long since secretly decided that when he recruited for his Familia in the future, he would invite many Elves…
Walking along the crowded Adventurer Street, well-equipped parties of Adventurers in groups of three to five could be seen everywhere.
This was one of the busiest times of the day in Orario.
Adventurers, craftsmen, merchants, and even gods seeking entertainment all gathered here.
Especially since important facilities like the Guild Headquarters and the Dianket Treatment Center were located nearby, it added several degrees of clamor to the street.
“We’re here.
Let’s head inside.”
Fati stopped in front of a large shop.
Jeanne looked up at the signboard above the shop that she didn’t recognize.
Her expression was slightly awkward, but she quickly followed Fati inside as if nothing were wrong.
Fati noticed her slight embarrassment over being illiterate and considerately didn’t point it out.
He simply declined the service of a shop assistant and led her straight to the daily necessities section.
“Let’s start with bedroom items, then we’ll pick out toiletries.”
And so, a ‘raid’ began.
From pillows and bedding to towels and toothbrushes, from cups and plates to pots and pans, and then to clothing for all four seasons and delicate accessories…
the two moved between the shelves, conducting a massive shopping spree.
During this time, somehow, Jeanne—who was originally uncomfortable with the situation—quickly entered a ‘buy, buy, buy’ state.
Standing beside Jeanne and watching her enthusiastically pick out items, Fati couldn’t help but think:
Her shopping skills went from clumsy to expert in just half an hour.
This left him dumbfounded, sighing inwardly:
‘Shopping really is an instinct carved into a woman’s bones.’
Even the Holy Maiden wasn’t exempt!
But on second thought, didn’t he also feel an uncontrollable urge to plant something whenever he saw an empty patch of ground in a yard?
“Heh…”
He shook his head with a knowing smile.
Indeed, instincts were something one could never truly escape, no matter how much one changed later in life.
“What are you muttering to yourself over there?”
Jeanne turned around, holding a black velvet bow hairband, and asked:
“Quick, help me out.
What do you think of this hairband?”
Fati glanced at it.
The low-key black paired with the delicate bow gave off a hint of subtle playfulness, which surprisingly suited the little personality traits Jeanne occasionally revealed.
“It’s nice.
It suits you well.”
He said sincerely.
“Then I’ll take it!”
Jeanne nodded with satisfaction and said to the nearby attendant:
“Please wrap this up for me, thank you.”
…After purchasing the necessary daily items, clothing, and accessories, the two pushed their loaded cart slowly toward the Fresh Produce Section.
Looking at the mountain of ‘loot’ in his hands and on the cart, Fati couldn’t help but feel fortunate:
“I don’t know which god had such foresight, but with the Retailer, shopping has become so much more convenient.”
Jeanne also deeply agreed, replying with her spirits still high:
“Yeah, it’s so convenient.”
“Back in our village, everyone basically bartered for goods.
Even if we bought things in town, we had to run between several different shops.”
As someone who had been through it, Fati agreed deeply.
“But we can’t rely entirely on the [Retailer].”
“For example, with fresh produce, although the boutiques here have a rich variety, the specialized open-air markets are superior when it comes to freshness, affordability, and diversity.”
“Especially before the stalls close in the evening, there are often clearance sales that can save quite a bit of money.”
These were all precious pieces of Experience he had accumulated back when his pockets were empty.
Thus, increasing income and reducing expenditure was necessary; for instance, discounted goods and off-season items were his first choice.
“Life wisdom?
I understand.”
Jeanne D’Arc noted it down seriously.
“Then shall we call it a day for now?
We’ve bought most of what we need.”
“Alright, let’s go check out!”
When the two finally walked out of the [Retailer], they were covered in shopping bags of all sizes.
Fortunately, they were both Adventurers with favors; their physical attributes and stamina, far exceeding ordinary people, allowed them to easily carry this “sweet burden.”
Otherwise, under this midsummer sun, an ordinary person would have been panting with their tongue out long ago.
“Let’s take the things home first,”
Fati planned the next steps of their itinerary:
“Then we’ll go to customize your weapons and armor.”
“Supplies and miscellaneous items also need to be replenished, especially elixirs; our stock is running low.”
“Finally, we’ll head to the open-air market to buy fresh produce, meat, eggs, milk, spices, as well as rice, flour, and oil.”
As Adventurers with favors, a massive appetite was standard.
Combined with high-intensity daily training and Dungeon exploration, the body’s nutritional needs reached a startling level…
After busily piling their purchases at home, the two took a short break, had a drink of water, napped for half an hour, and then headed out again.
The First Ward.
Leading Jeanne D’Arc to their destination with practiced ease, Fati called out loudly before even entering the door:
“Tsubaki!
Are you busy?
I’m here to bother you again!”
Between acquaintances, there wasn’t much need for pleasantries.
Tsubaki’s signature response came from inside the workshop:
“Tsk, you kid, coming here so often.
Don’t tell me you’ve made some money and plan to spend it properly?”
“Don’t worry, for an old friend’s sake, I’ll make sure you’re satisfied with both quality and price!”