Colin recounted the story in full, and an impatient Kase chimed in as well.

"If that’s the case..." Albert lowered his head, thinking for a moment. "I will write to the Port Bay Association in Thousand Masts City—it’s the largest Druid organization in the Northern Lands. They should be able to help."

The two exchanged a look.

Kase’s thick lips were trembling uncontrollably.

’A noble scion from Thousand Masts City or a Half-Orc from some forgotten corner of the world—who could find more capable help?’

The answer wasn’t hard to figure out.

Even Colin couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement at the good news.

’Kase has this much combat power even while under a Curse. It’s hard to imagine how strong a Totem Warrior is in his prime. The deathmatch with the Jackal Wolfmen a few days ago must have been nothing more than a small skirmish for him.’

"Also, if Kase’s tribe has nowhere to go, I can offer some assistance later on. Remember to contact me if anything else comes up. Oh, and you can find me at 23 Giant Dragon Avenue, in the Marine District of Thousand Masts City."

After he finished, Albert looked at Colin and said, "We’ll count that as Kase’s request. What about you, Colin? What is your wish?"

Colin, who thought that was the end of it, was taken aback.

’As expected of a nobleman, making such promises so casually.’

’I wonder what’s going on with this winter disaster. To think it’s left a family like his unable to even spare any money.’

’Of course, a family like this is deeply rooted in Thousand Masts City. I imagine they’ll recover quickly once the winter disaster is over.’

"In the last battle, both my Leather Armor and my weapon became unusable. I’d like to have them replaced."

"That hardly counts as a ’wish.’ I truly couldn’t offer much back in Flint Village, but here in Dragon’s Fang Castle, I can certainly afford a piece of Armor and a weapon. If you don’t mind, we can go pick them out right now."

Albert smiled and added, "Consider it making up for my shortcomings last time."

’Nobles really are loaded...’

Colin nodded.

The commander sent away a few old soldiers who had gathered to watch the excitement.

He, Albert, and another silent middle-aged man led the two recovering men to the Dragon’s Fang Castle armory.

Weapons were stored neatly on racks, and Armor was displayed tidily on humanoid stands. The variety, quality, and quantity were all far superior to the pathetic toys back in the Flint Village armory.

’Just what you’d expect from a military fortress.’

Colin and Kase looked around the armory.

Although there was no proper Plate Armor, there were several gleaming Chain Armor Shirts and something called Ring Armor.

’The former was easy enough to understand; I’d seen plenty of it in movies in my past life. The latter used a leather backing, onto which many overlapping metal rings were densely sewn. Each ring was bent from iron wire and was about the size of a palm.’

[Ring Armor/Ordinary]

[Defense: 4]

’I’d never seen armor like this before I came to this world. It must be a "local specialty."’

’This thing would fetch over twenty Gold Coins on the secondhand market. It looks like it’s worth the price; after all, its Defense is two points higher than Leather Armor.’

’From what I’ve felt getting hit, every point of Defense makes a pretty big difference. A one-point gap in Defense can sometimes be the difference between life and death.’

He reached out to test the Armor’s weight.

The attempt startled Colin.

The thing weighed at least thirty-plus pounds. Like a lump of iron, he couldn’t lift it in one go.

Moreover, it had no straps to distribute the weight, meaning all of it would press down on his shoulders and arms. The thought alone was frightening.

’I guess there’s a reason it’s so cheap.’

Seeing this, the commander beside him hurried over to lend a hand. "This piece qualifies as Heavy Armor," he said, "and it’s an antique with a terrible design."

"I recall you’re a Caster, right? Armor with such a poor design will press all its weight onto your shoulders, which isn’t ideal for the movements needed for Casting. You’d need a lot of training to get used to it."

"Understood." Colin nodded.

’I could already imagine how strained I’d be just trying to raise my arms for [Blade Ward].’

’It would be a pain to have plenty of Spiritual Power left but be completely out of stamina. No wonder most Mages prefer to wear Magic Robes.’

The commander pointed to a nearby Chain Armor Shirt. "Actually, many Mages on the battlefield seek extra protection. The ones who are short on funds usually choose a Chain Armor Shirt or Leather Armor."

Taking the advice, Colin reached out and picked up the Chain Armor Shirt from its stand.

[Chain Armor Shirt/Ordinary]

[Defense: 3]

This piece of Armor was much lighter than the Ring Armor, probably only around fifteen pounds. It was a little heavier than his previous Leather Armor, but its Defense was one point higher.

Even though the Defense was a point lower, this Chain Armor Shirt was definitely a better fit for Colin than the Ring Armor.

’After all, you need to stay in your armor the whole time when adventuring in the wilds. A lighter weight would be much easier to get used to.’

’More importantly, a secondhand Chain Armor Shirt could sell for thirty to forty Gold Coins. Taking this one felt much more profitable than taking the Ring Armor.’

"Might as well take a matching pair of Chain Armor Socks and Wrist Guards," an old soldier said, bringing over another set of linked-iron gear.

Colin took a look.

The so-called Chain Armor Socks were basically Armor Plates with straps that could be fitted over the legs. The Wrist Guards were two smaller Armor Plates that could be tied to the wrists. This design provided protection while keeping the weight low.

’With these, I can sell my Leather Wrist Guards. As for my Leather Boots, they should fit inside the Chain Armor Socks.’

Colin nodded. "Then I’ll take a look at the weapons."

He unhesitatingly picked up a Hand Half Sword from the weapon rack.

[Hand Half Sword/Ordinary]

[Damage: 1.5-8.5]

[Two-Handed: Damage becomes 1.5-10.5 when used with two hands.]

This type of weapon wasn’t particularly long or short, and could be wielded with one or two hands.

Many of the Adventurers seen on the streets chose this kind of weapon. For its excellent versatility, it was indeed a wise choice.

This sword was much lighter than Kase’s Orc Short Sword, and its center of gravity was further back. Just holding it in his hand, Colin could feel it was much more manageable.

That was good news for his wrists.

’This sword should also be worth a dozen or so Gold Coins.’

’The Hand Half Sword and this set of Chain Armor... that means I’ve made at least fifty or sixty Gold Coins from this trip. And that’s not even counting the favor of having them contact the Druids, which is worth even more.’

’So this is what they call the hero’s treatment.’

"Don’t you find all this stuff a bit... underwhelming?" Kase complained, holding a one-handed Battle Axe.

The Battle Axe in his hand was the largest one they had, a standard medieval design. A normal person certainly couldn’t swing it with his ease, but in the Half-Orc’s hands, it looked like a toy.

"It’s not like you have much of a choice right now."

Kase grumbled a bit, then picked out a Battle Axe and a Chain Armor Shirt, choosing the most expensive-looking ones.

"This will be all," Colin said, turning back.

Albert nodded slightly and asked, "So, have you thought about your wish, Colin?"

Colin scratched the back of his head. "Aside from money and equipment, I can’t think of anything I particularly want... unless it’s an opportunity to study Magic or Swordsmanship."

"In that case, allow me to take the liberty of preparing a gift for you. I ask for your patience," Albert said with a wink. "For now, get some rest. There will be a celebratory feast to reward you all later."