The carriage departed in the afternoon and arrived at Winston Village on the morning of the next day. Winston Village was unusually large for its name. Four times larger and more active than Bairan Village, Winston Village was comparable to the fortified city of Patrian!

As Grid paid the coachman 8 gold and 90 silver, he asked for proper customer service from the coachman.

“I have one question.”

“Ask me. I will tell you what I can.”

“Why isn’t Winston called a city?”

“Originally, it was a village smaller than Bairan. However, there are many places suitable for beginner and intermediate level travelers nearby. As these places became famous, the number of visitors to Winston gradually increased. There is a rumor that it will be upgraded to a city in the near future if this trend continues. I heard that Earl Steim’s heir will be sent over as the new lord... It will be called a city then, but I don’t know exactly when that will be.”

‘Earl Steim? Where have I heard that name before?’ Grid was having a hard time remembering since he’d experienced so many things all at once.

“Well, it has nothing to do with me anyway.”

‘Now, shall I begin?’

Grid headed to the warehouse administration. After he informed the manager of the registration number and password to his warehouse, the administrator extended his hand. The meaning of the gesture was for Grid to give him a tip.

‘Dammit. I have to pay just to use the warehouse?’ Grid handed over 30 silver with trembling hands.

The administrator checked the amount and started to chant a spell while drawing a small circle with a magic wand. Then a small warehouse was summoned before Grid using space and teleport magic.

The warehouse was empty. Grid had sold all of his japtem in order to buy potions for Ashur’s three-month quest. Having begun in its early days, Grid had played Satisfy for one year, but there was only dust in his warehouse now.

“Ugh... in reality and in the game...”

He opened his inventory with frustration.

[Mamon’s Greatsword]

[Rating: Epic

Durability: 88/204 Attack Power: 178~301 Attack Speed: -16%

-Additional water damage will be added to all critical attacks.

This is the greatsword patronized by the guardian of Lake Pamian, Mamon. Due to the influence of the lake, this sword has the strong aura of water.

Conditions of Use: Level 65 or higher, more than 260 strength, more than 150 stamina.

Weight: 1,050]

[Mengel’s Plate Armor]

[Rating: Rare

Durability: 51/180 Defense: 165 Movement Speed: -2%

* Strength +10

This is a work made by the blacksmith Mengel in the fortified city of Patrian. The defense is improved and the weight lowered. The wearer of this work can feel Mengel’s strong willpower that remained behind.

Conditions of Use: Level 60 or higher, more than 180 strength.

Weight: 1,203]

[Intermediate Potion] (34)

[This is a potion which has been formulated with five or more herbs.

Restores 1,500 health.

The cooldown time is 20 seconds.

Weight: 306]

[Advanced Potion] (27)

[This is a potion that has been formulated with ten or more herbs.

Restores 4,000 health.

The cooldown time is 20 seconds.

Weight: 324]

[Intermediate Strength Potion] (2)

It is a potion prepared by blending a small amount of ogre’s blood with different types of herbs.

Increases your strength by 50 points for 5 minutes.

There is no cooldown time.

Weight: 62]

[Intermediate Agility Potion] (3)

[It is a potion prepared by blending a small amount of harpy’s blood with different types of herbs.

Increases your agility by 50 points for 5 minutes.

There is no cooldown time.

Weight: 90]

[Special Jaffa Arrow] (1)

[Rating: Epic

Attack Power: 35~42

An arrow made by a craftsman with great skills and potential but lacks experience and reputation.

Due to the effect of combining jaffa with steel, it has extremely high penetration and ignores some of the enemy’s defense.

* Has a certain chance of ignoring the enemy’s defense.

Weight: 0.1]

[Yaffa] (3)

[A metal obtained from smelting Jaffa ore. The hardness of the ore has such a weak strength that it is impossible to produce a powerful item with it. However, the properties will change when mixed with steel.

Weight: 60]

Grid wanted to ignore this reality, but these were the full contents of his inventory. So, he tried to put Mamon’s Greatsword and Mengel’s Plate Armor into his inventory to reduce his possessions’ weight.

“I haven’t appraised Mamon’s Greatsword or Mengel’s Plate Armor yet.”

The Legendary Blacksmith’s Appraisal skill revealed the hidden function of items. It was possible to use the appraisal skill on Mamon’s Greatsword or Mengel’s Plate Armor and cause his understanding to rise. Grid didn’t hesitate to use Appraisal on the two items.

[A hidden function doesn’t exist.]

[You have grasped the materials that make up Mamon’s Greatsword, the production method, and the intentions of its creator.]

[Your understanding of Mamon’s Greatsword is now at 33%.]

[A hidden function doesn’t exist.]

[You have grasped the materials that make up Mengel’s Plate Armor, the production method, and the intentions of its creator.]

[Your understanding of Mengel's Plate Armor is now at 65%.]

Grid’s current stats meant he didn’t meet the conditions to use Mamon’s Greatsword and Mengel’s Plate Armor. Due to the resulting penalty, Mamon’s Greatsword had a 30% drop in attack power while Mengel’s Plate Armor had a 20% drop in defense. However, his understanding had now risen dramatically.

[Due to your class characteristics, you have equipped Mamon’s Greatsword.]

[A penalty is applied because the item conditions aren’t met.]

[Attack power of Mamon’s Greatsword will decrease by 20%. Only half of the option effects will be applied.]

[Your understanding of Mamon’s Greatsword is high so the penalties are reduced.]

[Due to your class characteristics, you have equipped Mengel’s Plate Armor.]

[A penalty is applied because the item conditions aren’t met.]

[Mengel’s Plate Armor’s defense will decrease by 8%. Only half of the option effects will be applied.]

[Your understanding of Mengel’s Plate Armor is high so the penalties are reduced.]

“Hoh.”

As the understanding increased, the penalty decreased. Mamon’s Greatsword now had 143~240 attack, and Mengel’s Plate Armor had 152 defense. The options were still only half applied, but it was pleasing just having the penalties reduced.

Nevertheless, Grid wasn’t unconditionally happy. He had a 100% understanding with the axe and pickaxe, but his understanding of Mamon’s Greatsword and Mengel’s Plate Armor was too low. It was honestly disappointing.

‘I would’ve preferred if it went up higher.’

Well, Grid didn’t need to be too hasty. He could raise understanding by disassembling, repairing, and using the items, so it would be resolved over time.

“Let’s try repairing it.”

Currently, Mamon’s Greatsword and Mengel’s Plate Armor both had low durability, but Grid could use the Legendary Blacksmith’s Repair skill to improve the understanding of these two items.

Then...

[A repair tool is needed.]

“Ah, a separate repair tool is needed?”

‘What is a repair tool? Fuck! My money! Money! Money!’

During Grid’s days as a warrior, he hadn’t had the repair skill, so he had always needed to repair items at an NPC blacksmith. Therefore, Grid didn’t know something like a repair tool was needed.

‘It’s no wonder why the repairs were so expensive!’

He could postpone repairing the items until next time. However, this was a warehouse which he had wasted 30 silver to open. If he closed the warehouse and went to buy the repair tool, 30 silver would fly away!

Ultimately, Grid shook off his fury and left Mamon’s Greatsword and Mengel’s Plate Armor in the warehouse anyway. The equipment storage fee was 10 silver per item. This was a terrifying expenditure.

“The world is a thief...”

Spending 30 silver to open the warehouse and then 10 silver to place an item inside it...! Mother’s Heart Is Happy, the auction house, and the warehouse administrators, they were all crooks in Grid’s eyes.

“My 50 silver... My 50 silver...!”

50 silver was 600 won in cash. That was enough to buy 200 milliliters of milk, which could relieve his thirst and make his bones sturdy at the same time. Grid stored the two items which weighed a considerable amount.

“Kuuack...” His hands shook.

After glaring at the warehouse administrator who politely said farewell to him, Grid headed toward the square. There was a wide range of people in the square, from newbies who had just created their characters to users wearing level 100 equipment. People were moving around in order to adapt to the virtual reality. There were people looking for a party, buying or selling goods, and sharing quests, as well as beggars, couples, and people who simply enjoyed the landscape. All types of people were seen.

Grid stood still and observed them. The beginner users were mainly using East Street, while the average-level users were mainly using South Street. The West and North Streets were favored by everyone, regardless of level. East Street contained NPCs who gave beginner quests and led to the most suitable hunting grounds for them. Meanwhile, the south had the suitable quests and hunting grounds for average-level users. The west and north were areas which covered all levels. They were basically the areas that were crowded with stores.

“The blacksmith is likely to be in the west or north.”

As Grid came to this conclusion while observing the people, a notification window popped up.

[Insight has increased by 1.]

The insight stat could be used to detect objects or predict risks. However, he hadn’t seen its performance yet, so he didn’t know if this stat was really useful.

“Well, any increase is good.”

Grid didn’t feel much inspiration as he explored West Street and East Street. However, he then found a blacksmith on East Street. The exterior of the building was huge. It was a two-story building, making it incomparable to the small smithy in Bairan Village. Unlike Smith who worked alone in Bairan Village, this smithy seemed like it would have dozens of blacksmiths working together.

‘The leader of dozens of blacksmiths should be at least an intermediate level blacksmith?’

If so, he would recognize Grid and treat him favorably. Unlike Bairan Village, Grid would learn how to make items in a good environment.

Grid entered the smithy excitedly while imagining the energetic sound of hammering and the hot heat. However, the smithy he entered seemed bleak. He couldn’t hear any hammering sounds, and there were no indications of any people about.

“W-What?” Grid looked around in a confused manner and saw a pot-bellied man sleeping in a corner with an empty alcohol bottle beside him.

Grid didn’t know if the pot-bellied man was sleeping or dead, so he approached the man quietly and shook him awake.

“Hey. Hey!”

“...Eh? What?”

Fortunately, the pot-bellied man wasn’t dead. He made an annoyed expression and opened his eyes.

Then he turned toward me and asked, “What did you come here for?”

“I want to learn how to make the best-selling item in this village. Can I get your help?”

The elderly man looked at Grid with a ridiculing expression. “This place ended a long time ago. After the Mero Company bought the blacksmith stores and commercial areas, they sell items in bulk at a low price, so the customers turned away from this place. Yet you came here to learn how to make items? Are you sure you want to perish with me?”

Right at that moment... The smithy door opened, and a group of rough-looking people rushed in.

“Hey, Old Man! You still haven’t decided? Will you hand this building over to us? Won’t you be able to buy alcohol every day until you die then?”

...What was it this time? Grid felt like he was now caught up in another troublesome incident.