Chapter 17: White Sparrow Tavern

[Adventurer’s Handbook] (River Valley Town Branch Special Edition)

Preface…………1-2

Weapon Selection and Use…………3-93

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How to Handle Your Spoils…………31-386

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9. [About Those Shiny Pretty Stones]

Mist Street No. 62, “Kukunur’s General Store,” offers the fairest prices in River Valley Town, but admittedly, young Kukunur sometimes misjudges (3 silver coins’ difference versus 100 gold coins’ risk!);

In contrast, next door’s “Fairy’s Breeze,” though stingy with offers, is run by Fario, a jewelry expert trained as an apprentice at Nyum’s most famous pawnshop, with the sharpest eye in town (go to him for high-end goods!).

“Thud.”

Three pale green, striped opaque stones were neatly lined up by me, Xia Nan, on the counter.

My eyes held a trace of anticipation, fueled by dreams of “striking it rich,” as I looked at the stern-looking middle-aged man with gold-rimmed glasses.

Fario, as he was called, didn’t speak carelessly despite recognizing the gems at a glance.

Instead, he picked them up one by one, turning them over, examining closely before sitting back with disinterest.

“Malachite, common quality, 10 gold each.”

…

16. [Where to Dump Your Scrap Metal?]

First, shut your whining!

You must know that second-hand gear stripped from losers sells for half price—that’s common sense!

Magic items are an exception, of course (if you even have any).

Second, if you really want a place to offload your heavy junk, I recommend Mist Street No. 25, “Hickory Furnace.”

The owner there was once an adventurer; he knows how hard it is to haul that trash back, so he’ll always give a decent quote (as long as you don’t mind the dozens of “glorious tales” he’ll spin while appraising).

Also, for buying weapons and armor, try “Rockhammer.” Rumor has it the owner has one-sixty-fourth dwarf blood. Aside from his love for braiding his beard, there’s little resemblance, but his craftsmanship is solid (he’s good for custom gear too).

“Oh, a moldy small round shield, a few bloodstained leather armors—lucky you found me; other shops wouldn’t take these for free. 10 gold.”

The burly man with a bushy brown beard spoke gruffly,

“But don’t blame you. When I was young, I used to haul this junk back too. I remember this one time…”

Mindful of the handbook’s advice, I kept my mouth shut, not giving him a chance to ramble.

“These arrows are well-maintained, but you didn’t wipe off the expired poison? With this double-handed axe… 30 gold.”

“Tch, a mace? From some bear goblin, huh? Those brutes don’t maintain their weapons. 6 gold.”

“But at your age, taking down a bear goblin’s impressive. Even in my day…”

Twenty minutes later,

Bang.

The door of “Hickory Furnace” closed gently.

Breathing the fresh air outside, I rubbed my stiff face, letting out a long sigh.

Compared to when I emerged from the Mist Forest, I was much lighter now.

In one morning, aside from the [Deadline] ring and Erji’s two daggers—handy for emergencies, so I kept them—

all my other loot was sold.

Including the small bag of coins from the goblin lair,

my total assets now reached a “staggering” 131 gold, 5 silver, and 9 copper.

Undoubtedly, for my predecessor, a farm boy raised in the fields, this was a fortune he’d never seen.

The numbers alone might not convey its meaning.

In tangible terms, it was enough for a warehouse full of flour, over a hundred goats, or a dozen cows.

In the village I’d lived in, this surpassed most families’ entire wealth.

And this was just from one mission.

Only now, feeling the heavy weight of over a hundred gold coins in my pack, did I truly understand why, despite the deadly risks and near-certain death, countless people still plunged into this quagmire every year.

Of course, these coins had strong purchasing power for ordinary goods.

But when it came to adventurer-related items, they seemed like a different currency.

To put it bluntly, aside from [Deadline], my entire fortune could barely buy two “health potions.”

I gave a wry smile, suppressing the unrealistic expectations and sense of disparity.

I opened the [Adventurer’s Handbook] again.

After a busy morning, maybe I should find a place to rest and eat.

…

[White Sparrow Tavern]

Its cheap food and drink prices, plus its convenient location next to the Adventurer’s Guild, made it the top choice for low-tier adventurers in River Valley Town.

I’d been here once, treated by Maji.

I think we ordered “gray rat meat fried rice” and a glass of water.

But my predecessor was too distracted to care about the food, just scarfing it down to fill his stomach.

So now, I had no clear impression of the tavern’s cuisine.

“But since the handbook recommends it, it should be decent.”

I muttered, pushing open the tavern door.

Creak—

A rich aroma of liquor, thick enough to condense into water, hit me alongside a wave of boisterous noise, enveloping my body.

Bright streets, warm tavern.

One door separated two worlds.

A flushed young adventurer stood on a table, waving an unsheathed sword, boasting loudly; a grizzled, bearded man sat alone in a corner, nursing his drink.

Colorful tapestries and banners, swirling smoke and copper lamps, long wooden tables and rough benches; maps, dice, mugs, leather armor, robes, and strumming hands…

“That’s the vibe.”

I finally felt a bit more grounded in this other world.

The warm, soft light and the aroma of food in the tavern almost instantly melted away the fatigue I’d accumulated.

My gaze swept the hall, spotting the tavern owner, and I walked over.

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