I Became a Foreign Worker Loved by Transcendents Chapter 17: Out Of The Rut

Here, take this tea. Ive also brought so snacks, so try one.

Wow, this has honey in it.

Hehe, you need this much to really say youre having a snack, right? Co on, eat up.

We sat side by side on the bench, enjoying a peaceful snack ti.

The snacks served with tea had a taste of honey, perhaps because they were the main ingredients.

I never imagined a day would co when Id eat snacks made of materials considered a luxury in this world.

Indeed, its said that one must be polite and well-mannered.

So, I heard you ca to get so equipnt But before we talk properly, how about introducing yourself first?

Ah, yes. Im Woo Hyo-sung, affiliated with the Labor Union.

Hehe, your na is Woo Hyo? Thats quite an unusual na.

Its Hyo-sung, not Hyo, but since Id introduced myself, it should be properly rembered, so I didnt bother to correct it.

Even if they continued to call Woo Hyo after being corrected, it was just teasing, so there was no need to worry.

I am pleased to et you, young man. I am Jang, spending my old age on this street of artisans. Those who know call Alley Chief Jang, as I guard this alley.

Ah, I see.

It was a mont when I thought that na suited him well.

Alley Chief Jang, guarding the street where the blacksmiths resided

Are you a blacksmith by any chance?

Not a blacksmith, but Chief Jang.

Hmm, I see. Not a blacksmith, but Chief Jang Its a title that suits you perfectly.

Hehe! Every word you speak is to my liking, young man!

The old man laughed heartily and patted my shoulder.

His thin hand looked like it struggled to even hold a cane, yet the patting felt rather heavy.

Well, it wasnt strange to feel a bit intimidated, even if he wasnt hostile, especially after seeing soones head get cracked open.

Well, anyway, if youve co to get equipnt, youve co to the right place. I know quite a bit about the artisans on this street. If you have specific equipnt in mind, I can recomnd a store based on your budget

Ah, yes. So, my budget is about this much, and Im mainly looking for light armor and weapons suitable for the front line.

I told him about my plans and quickly glanced at his expression.

He nodded his head and finally rested his chin in his hand, deep in thought.

From the start of the consultation, it was clear that he was taking it very seriously.

If your budget is set at this level, instead of focusing on cost-effectiveness, you might as well indulge in a bit of luxury.

Luxury, you say?

It might not look good for nobles in dire straits to indulge in luxury, but if youre starting an adventure, why not pursue a bit of romance?

Romance.

That was actually one of the biggest reasons I chose to beco an adventurer instead of a foreign worker.

Traversing continents, finding dungeons, and unearthing the forgotten tomb of a king to acquire treasures It wouldnt be very glamorous to be wearing shabby, unattractive gear during such monuntal monts.

Thats true. A once-in-a-lifeti, monuntal mont could lose its luster if t in a shabby state.

The young man knows sothing, indeed. If you embark on an adventure with great intentions, why settle for just efficiency? If you enter a dungeon only looking for profit, youre no more than a miner in an adventurers guise.

Indeed, as the old man said, the value of an activity was determined not by what you did, but by the attitude with which you approached it.

Even if it was the sa task, if for one person it was a dream and for another, just a way to make money, what they gain and feel from it would inevitably differ.

Having the appropriate pretext for it would also help maintain such an attitude.

With the budget youve ntioned, you might not be able to afford magical equipnt like those scoundrels use, but investing in decorative armor might be good. Do you have any such equipnt in mind? Like embedding a gem in a self-defense dagger or engraving a pattern on a sword hilt

Hmm, decoration

But perhaps it was because Id never lived a life of luxury

Even after hearing the old mans advice on romance, I couldnt quite decide what would be good.

After all, the romance I had always imagined was more about hiding than showing off, just as the old man had said.

Rather than decoration, Im interested in sothing else. Like the cane you use, for example.

This cane?

Ah, yes. Do you know about sword canes? They look like ordinary canes, but with a chanism, a sword can spring out

Hehe, a weapon disguised as an item. You have a unique imagination.

Of course.

One of my dreams was to buy a mithril cane and pretend to be weak if I ever made a lot of money.

Pretending to be a hero only increased the risk of death, but hiding just one powerful weapon could be enough to smash the heads of those who picked fights with , like this old man.

So, Im asking because when you swung your cane before, I didnt see any signs of you using mana or anything like that.

Hehe, thats right. I may have been sothing in my younger days, but what power would an old man like have to respond openly to magical weapons? Its all because of the canes material.

So, the secret of that power was the cane.

Feeling my interest piqued, I ventured to ask him a hopeful question.

If the material is good maybe a mithril-made cane?

Fuahaha! You really make amusing jokes! Do you think its reasonable to make an old mans cane from a material used for heroes weapons?

The old man, treating my hopeful question as gossip, laughed heartily and patted on the back.

The impact hurt my shoulder, but more than that, it felt as if a stake had been driven into my heart with sadness.

I had expected so sort of affirmation, but being dismissed as a joke imdiately was really too much.

Well, its not mithril, but its an alloy processed by a craftsman I know well. Its perfect for holding and swinging around, being very sturdy and lightweight.

Oh, is that so?

However, his current words were not easy to dismiss.

Even if it wasnt mithril, if it was sturdy and lightweight, wasnt it exactly the material I had been searching for?

Uh, sir? If its okay, could you introduce to that craftsman?

Eh? My friend?

Yes. As I ntioned earlier, Im in the market for light armor, and if its a light yet sturdy material, it would perfectly et my needs.

Of course, a material crafted by a renowned craftsman might be expensive, but since the equipnt was ant to last a long ti, it was better to invest in sothing relatively sturdy from the start.

With this in mind, I ventured to make the suggestion, and he began to groan, resting his chin on his hand.

Well, introducing you is fine, but eting him can be a headache. Hes quite the peculiar one, making it hard to deal with him as a person.

Hes peculiar?

Youd better et him in person to understand what I an

Swoosh.

The old man looked at with half-closed eyes.

After a while, his stern face started to soften.

Well, you should be fine. Ill write you a letter of recomndation, so go and see him for a consultation.

Really?

Hehe, in this barren world, shouldnt I at least repay you for being an old mans conversation partner?

The old man stroked his beard and chuckled good-naturedly.

I could tell the conversation was progressing well from his deanor, but soon, I noticed a serious look in his eyes.

Even though Im introducing you to an acquaintance, let give you a piece of advice, just to be safe.

He leaned forward, his words heavy with caution.

That friend is quite sensitive about promises, so if you have to make one, do it cautiously.

Promises?

Dont make promises you cant keep. Can you uphold them?

Despite the weight of his words, I felt no particular tension.

After all, I had never broken a promise before.

Yes, well. I can manage that.

A promise was ant to be kept; breaking it was out of the question.

If sothing happened later, I would have no excuse, so I had to be careful, right?

After concluding the conversation and receiving a letter of recomndation, I headed to the deepest part of the craftsmans street.

Contrary to his bold claims of using good materials, the place I arrived at was closer to a back alley than a bustling area.

Perhaps it was a secret hideout, deeply hidden, where others wouldnt notice

Well, yes. A craftsman who makes superalloy canes might indeed prefer such a place.

Regardless, I decided to get a consultation first, so I stepped inside, ready to call for soone.

Excuse . Is anyone here?

Hoo.

At that mont, I heard the sound of breathing, along with a presence from the side.

I stopped talking and looked over, seeing soone smoking a cigarette nearby.

Whats up with you? Are you here for so business?

An older woman.

Her apron and the tools at her waist indicated she was a blacksmith working in this craft district.

Are you the craftsman?

Im the owner here.

The woman took a puff of the cigarette between her fingers and exhaled smoke with a chuckle.

Her eyes, as cloudy as the smoke, soon shifted indifferently towards .

Are you a thief?

No, I ca here on the recomndation of soone nad Chief Jang.

Recomnded by another blacksmith?

No, an elderly person nad Jang Heres the recomndation letter.

Nervously, I handed her the letter I had kept on .

The woman skimd through the contents and frowned.

So it was that greenhorn.

Greenhorn?

Well, since theres a promise, if that guy sent you, I guess I should deal with you.

Hoo.

The woman, exhaling smoke, entered the building.

Staring blankly at her, I stopped and turned to look at her.

What are you doing there? Arent you coming in?

Yes?

You ca to get equipnt, right? Ill entertain you, so follow .

Ah, yes, Ill co right away.

I responded in a monotone voice and imdiately followed her into the forge.

A docunt soon greeted on the table.

Whats your na?

The woman, pointing her finger at a blank space on the docunt that appeared to be an order form, held a pen in her other hand and asked quietly.

My na?

We need it for the contract.

Tap, tap, tap.

The woman tapped the docunt with her finger, waiting for to speak.

Feeling rushed by her actions, I tensed my throat unconsciously and answered with effort.

Uh, my na is Woo Hyo-sung.

An outsider?

Yes, yes, thats right.

Not a hero, perhaps a foreign worker?

Yes, youre correct.

Of course. Its that kind of world.

She swiftly wrote down the information I provided in the na and classification sections of the order form.

After taking a puff of her cigarette and exhaling, she faced again and said,