第１８４５堀：新人武具の真実 (Part2)
"For gear used by rookies, I suppose this is about what you'd expect."
In other words...
"So, are you sisters heading to the North as rookie adventurers?"
"I don't think I mentioned it, did I? You're right, Hiiro. We plan to register as rookies and start from there."
"Exactly. If we suddenly appeared as veterans, people would wonder where we came from. By posing as rookies while traveling between nations, we can build up our reputation."
"Ah, I see. If a powerhouse just popped out of nowhere, it would definitely raise suspicions."
So that’s the reason for the "rookie" gear.
But...
"This gear that looks like it belongs to a rookie—it’s not just ordinary equipment, is it?"
"Spot on! You’ve got a sharp eye, Hiiro-chan."
Narjia-nee raises her voice at Hiiro’s observation.
Everyone stares at the gear with suspicious eyes, silently asking what kind of tricks have been woven into those weapons and armor.
"Well then, let’s start with the basic performance features applied to all of them," Yuki-oni-san says.
I suppose it makes sense that Narjia-nee would include some standard enchantments.
"Let’s see. As for the common features, they all have a 'status quo' function—self-repair, if you will. It’s not for cleaning off dirt, but for internal maintenance. They might look ragged at a glance, but if the blade of this sword loses its edge, it returns to its original state, and if the leather of the armor is damaged, it heals itself. Since we’re intentionally going for a 'battered' look, it just reverts to that specific state. Like right here, for instance."
As she says this, Narjia-nee points to a spot on the leather armor where the seams look crudely hand-stitched.
So even that will return to its original state? In a way, it’s a miracle.
"Wait, if it’s repaired like that, won't it fall apart during combat?"
Just as Yuki-oni-san points out, if those hand-stitched parts were slashed, it feels like the whole thing would just fall off.
"Oh, that’s just for show. I’ve enchanted them to fit perfectly, and I’ve added enchantments to ensure they don't come off on their own. If we’re going to pretend they’re rags, we have to go that far."
"I see."
So they’ve actually thought that part through.
"Posing as a 'ragged adventurer' is surprisingly fun, you know? I learned about the romance of it from building plastic models—specifically, the art of recreating a damaged mech."
"Ah, I see. That’s where you got hooked."
"Yes! The 'proof of having survived a battle'—it’s magnificent. And then, you modify it bit by bit until it becomes your own original piece. Oh! The beauty of a custom-built machine!"
...So, Narjia-nee was indulging her hobbies from the very start.
Well, that’s just business as usual for her. And she does get the job done properly.
"Anyway, please calm down. For now, since these are weapons and not robots, they are essentially disposable."
"I understand that, but subpar weapons won't do for Vilia-chan or Nina-san and the others. I’ll provide replacements as needed. For now, use these until you’ve built up some achievements. Oh, and the armor basically has a magical protective film, so you’ll almost never take direct damage. Magical attacks won't get through either, unless they have an absurd amount of firepower."
Ah, right.
That’s not "beginner" armor; that’s skipping over "advanced" and going straight to "legendary."
"Of course, I’ve added modifications so it doesn't look suspicious. As for the weapons, the range of the swords and knives extends beyond what you see—it’s what you’d call a 'magic blade.' It can reach up to ten meters. It’s not particularly effective against enemies with high magical defense, as it gets deflected, but I’m sure you’re all used to using that in combat anyway."
Yeah, it’s common practice to coat weapons in magic to extend their reach.
But in training with the sisters, unless you have the actual blade—the physical substance of the weapon—it usually gets blocked, so it’s pretty pointless.
"Lastly, I’ve installed an authentication system. The effects won't activate unless held by Vilia-san or one of us, so there’s no need to worry if they’re captured by the enemy."
"What about explosions?"
"There’s no benefit to that. The enchantments are convenient, but they’re common enough that even if they were copied, it wouldn't be a loss."
Oh, they’ve thought that through, too.
And the fact that there are no explosions is a huge relief.
And so, we continued to confirm the performance of the gear we were bringing along.
Narjia-san has learned the concept of *wabi-sabi*—the ability to find beauty in things that are falling apart.
The flashy, over-the-top decorations might decrease, but perhaps the opposite will happen instead.