Gauss browsed through the general goods store and ended up buying quite a few things.
A few sets of spare linen shirts and trousers.
A black cloak, neat and functional—good for sun and rain, and in a pinch, it could double as a blanket when spread out.
A pair of polished, black leather boots with sturdy wooden soles, fastened snugly at the sides with metal buckles.
An upgraded tanned leather waterskin with higher capacity.
A larger-capacity adventurer's backpack equipped with more straps, tool webbing, hidden compartments, and storage pouches—perfect for carrying more gear and supplies.
After this full upgrade to his day-to-day gear, he spent 8 silver coins in total.
But Gauss didn't feel particularly regretful. When things wear out, it's time to replace them. Earning money was meant to be spent.
Before leaving the store, he paused and picked up a ceramic tea set, which came with a small booklet titled A Beginner's Guide to Brewing Tea.
After dinner, now decked out in all-new gear, Gauss returned to the inn.
"Back already? You were gone longer than last time, weren't you?" Sophia asked when she saw him carrying a bundle inside.
"Stayed a few extra nights out in the field," Gauss replied as he approached the counter. "By the way, Sophia, I brought you a little something."
He placed the ceramic tea set on the counter.
"A gift? What for?" Sophia raised an eyebrow at him suspiciously.
"Just happened to see it while I was shopping. Thought of you since you like herbal teas, so I picked it up. It wasn't expensive or anything."
Gauss hadn't given it too much thought. He just figured, since Sophia had helped him out so much, it would be good to show a bit of gratitude.
He wasn't the kind of person to accept others' kindness without doing something in return.
"You really didn't have to... Can I still return this?"
"Probably not. Just keep it, Sophia." Gauss waved it off, heading for the stairs. "I'm a little tired. Gonna rest for now."
"Wait, hey—... Ah, alright then. Thank you." Sophia looked down at the ceramic set in her hands and let out a soft smile.
It had been a long time since she last received a gift.
…
Early the next morning.
As magic coursed through him, a translucent shield of energy wrapped around Gauss's body.
A familiar warmth seeped in from the outer layer of Mage Armor, spreading through his limbs.
Mage Armor lv2 (19/20)
The progress bar had been stuck for several days now.
That didn't feel like a normal pace.
Could it be that once a Level 1 spell reaches lvl.3, it triggers the threshold to advance into a proper class?
Gauss remembered what Gron, the forge owner, had told him: once you mastered a skill to a certain degree, you'd start to feel a mysterious force in the world—an invitation toward your class path.
But so far, he hadn't felt anything like that.
"Looks like it's time to visit the Thorn Cottage again."
He knew it was a bit presumptuous to bother someone again, but right now, Andeni, the halfling spellcaster, was the only person he knew who might be able to help.
Their last meeting had gone well enough, so he figured she wouldn't mind too much.
Following the map, he arrived at the same weathered old cottage.
The exterior was just as rundown and moss-covered as before. The dusty oak door, with its hanging brass bell, still looked like it hadn't seen a customer in years.
Knock knock.
He rapped lightly on the door.
Maybe because this was his second visit, the door creaked open after just two knocks.
"Come... in..." came Andeni's groggy, dreamlike voice from inside the hall.
Crossing the threshold, the door closed behind him on its own.
Just as he expected, Andeni was curled up under a soft wool blanket, fast asleep on a wicker lounge chair.
Her eyes were closed, and the dried drool on her cheek was faintly visible. One leg was dangling lazily off the armrest, swaying gently.
Gauss twitched—this was too unprofessional.
This was supposed to be a store, right? And wasn't it regular business hours?
Damn. I really envy this retired pro life...
Perhaps sensing someone in the room, Andeni yawned and slowly sat up. Her sleepwear was loose and wrinkled, but she didn't seem to care. She rubbed her eyes, dazed and chewing nothing like she was still dreaming.
Several minutes passed before her mind finally rebooted and her gaze sharpened.
"Huh? Gauss? What are you doing here?" she blinked, startled.
"I've been here a while, actually," Gauss replied, deadpan. "Miss Andeni, if any other customer walked in and saw you like that... not a great look."
Sure, she was a halfling and not exactly in line with most humans' tastes, but who knew? There were probably people out there with... unusual preferences. Even if she was a pro adventurer, some self-respect wouldn't hurt.
"Relax. No one else can come in during this time. Not many people have access to this door."
...
Gauss blinked. Access? Did she just say she gave him access privileges?
They'd only met once before this.
Should he feel honored... or concerned?
Sure, maybe the door only recognized him when she was present, but still—it felt strangely out of proportion for how well they knew each other.
So what's the reason?
He didn't think his 5 Charisma—recently boosted to 6—was charming enough to sway hearts.
And there's no way a veteran, retired spellcaster was naïve enough to trust someone so easily.
There had to be something he was missing.
Andeni glanced at Gauss, who was deep in thought, and asked:
"So, what brings you here today?"
From what she'd learned about him last time, she didn't think he was back to buy something.
"Well... it's like this—" Gauss quickly shifted gears and explained why he'd come. He described the subtle heat he felt in his body every time he trained Mage Armor lately.
What surprised him was that even though he'd now learned a proper Level 1 spell, Andeni didn't seem curious or impressed.
After listening, she simply blinked, then went quiet, deep in thought.
A moment later, a thick, hardcover tome dropped out of thin air into her hands.
She licked her fingers and plopped the massive book onto her lap—nearly as large as her torso—and started flipping through it at high speed.
The pages rustled wildly. Gauss couldn't help but wonder how anyone could read that fast and still find what they were looking for.
Then suddenly, she stopped.
"Found it! I know what's going on!"