Chapter 168: Og's Worries?

Having safely rescued Og, we came to the tavern that also serves as a dining hall to have dinner… however.

“Uwooooooh! What should I dooooooo!”

For some reason, we ended up encountering a scene where Og was screaming with a face like it was the end of the world.

“Wh-What’s wrong, Og?”

He went home looking so chummy with Celia during the day, so what on earth could have happened?

“Hm? …O-Oh! If it isn’t Rex! You came at just the right time!”

Upon realizing it was me who called out to him, his previously despairing face brightens up as if it were a lie.

“Right, that’s right! I had you!”

“Eh? What does that mean?”

“Hey Rex! The dragon scales I got from you before, do you still have any left!? If you do, please let me have them!”

“Eh? Dragon scales?”

He probably means the Green Dragon scales I gave him as a thank you when we first met.

I sold those at the auction in the Royal Capital so I don’t have any anymore, and I even used up the small fragments.

And I used up all the Green Dragon materials I got at the Dragon Peak in the battle to protect the town too…

“I’m sorry, I don’t have even a single scale left.”

“N-No waaaaaaay… thud“

When I told him I didn’t have any Green Dragon materials left, Og collapsed face-down onto the table with a thud.

“What on earth happened?”

For Og, who was such a cheerful and confident first-rate adventurer, to be depressed like this is no ordinary matter.

Perhaps he’s caught up in some outrageous incident.

“My armor…”

“Yes? Your armor?”

“When I took it to old man Gordov’s place, he told me it couldn’t be fixed anymore…”

“Eh?”

Og‘s armor? Ah, come to think of it, that armor was completely wrecked in the battle with that monster orc.

“But with Mr. Gordov’s skills, couldn’t he melt down the broken armor and remake it from scratch?”

Right, even if it’s difficult to repair it, making it again shouldn’t be a problem.

“He told me he didn’t have the materials. He said with the remaining armor fragments, he couldn’t make armor that covers the body like before, so even if he did, it could only be used to protect vitals and certain parts… Plus, I got a huge lecture. He told me I should have run away quickly before it got to this state…”

Ah-, if anything, it feels like the lecture hit him harder… maybe?

“On top of my weapon getting smashed, I lost it in that forest, so I have to get a whole new set of everything. But even if I somehow manage to get a set of equipment together, if the materials are normal iron or monster materials, it’ll be equipment several ranks lower than what I was using until now. If I have to fight that monster orc again in that condition… sigh.”

I see, so Og‘s worry is that he doesn’t have materials for his equipment.

Certainly, against an enemy that battered Og‘s equipment that badly, you’d want to have your equipment properly sorted out.

But why is Og so fixated on Green Dragon materials?

If it’s against a powerful enemy, I think there are materials from stronger monsters without going out of the way to fixate on the weakest dragon’s materials.

Ah, but the fact that Mr. Gordov said he didn’t have materials means the distribution of materials might be stagnant?

Like someone cornering the market, or some country buying them up for war.

So he thought that maybe he could get his hands on the lower-quality Green Dragon materials?

Besides, perhaps he’s intentionally fixating on Green Dragon materials precisely because he doesn’t want to think he won through the power of equipment against an opponent who caught him off guard.

Yeah, even the Great Swordsman Raigard cleared his name in a revenge match against an enemy who caught him off guard by intentionally fighting and winning with the exact same equipment.

Og must be thinking the same thing.

Hmm, if that’s the case, I’d definitely like to provide Green Dragon materials, but I don’t have those anymore.

If only I had materials of the same rank, at least…

“Ah, that’s right!”

There, I remember that I recently obtained something just right.

“Og, I don’t have Green Dragon materials, but how about materials from a monster of the same rank?”

“…What!?”

At my proposal, Og springs right up.

“It’s originally a higher-tier monster, but it was considerably weakened when I fought it, so I think the material quality is several ranks lower than its original state. If you’re fine with that, I can provide it.”

“Seriously!? You’re a lifesaver! Please let me have it!”

Og grabs my hands with his eyes sparkling.

As I thought, he wanted to get his revenge with the same equipment.

“Alriight, if that’s the case, dinner is my treat! I’m a highly-paid knight now, after all-!”

It was the moment Og said that.

” ” ” ” “It’s Og‘s treeeeeaat!!” ” ” ” “

The people in the tavern stood up all at once and raised a battle cry.

“Wha-, I didn’t mean you guys!”

“Hey Sati-chan, give me a Tackle Buff steak!”

“I’ll have the teriyaki Spear Bird!”

“I’d like wine from Neftica, please.”

Everyone raises their hands in unison and begins ordering from the staff.

“You idiots! Don’t use this as an excuse to order expensive menu items!”

“Hahaha, sorry to make you treat us, Og.”

“Thanks for the meal, Og!”

“As expected of Knight Og! So generous!”

“Yo! The most successful guy from the Adventurer’s Guild!”

“Don’t screw with me! I won’t treat you next time!”

Ah-, come to think of it, when Og treated me to a meal before, it ended up with him treating everyone with this same vibe.

“Umm, would it be better if I paid for myself?”

Seeing such a scene, Liliera asks, looking troubled about what to do.

“Nah, with this flow, I think it’s perfectly fine to have him treat you.”

“I-Is that so?”

Right then, Mofumofu climbs up onto the table.

“Kyuuu!”

Furthermore, he calls a staff member, points at the meat dish the customer at the next table was eating, and deftly orders food.

“Kyu kyuu.”

And having finished ordering, Mofumofu trots over in front of Og, raises his front paws, and lets out a cry as if to say “Thank you.”

“…Eh? I have to treat this guy too?”

The bewildered Og‘s muttering disappeared into everyone’s joyous laughter.

That being the case, maybe I should order some food too.