The silence that overwhelmed Donovan and Novalia at the Adventurers' Guild courtyard was not without reason. The number "1,200 gold coins" continued to ring in their ears like a thunderstorm.
For a villager or a novice adventurer, that was no longer just money. It was a fortune that could buy an entire block of inns in this city.
Donovan stared at Keyzier with an unreadable expression. He was torn between admiring his friend's boldness and wanting to strangle him for taking such a massive sum without a second thought for the sheer nominal value. However, amidst the crowds of Antrows, they realized that discussing such a treasure in public was the fastest way to draw suspicion.
"Hide it! You'd better keep that in your inventory!" Donovan whispered while putting an arm around Keyzier's shoulder, trying to act normal in public. "Never show it off to anyone so we don't attract attention."
Keyzier could only nod slowly, his face still slightly pale. He could hardly believe that the amount of money he had taken was so vast. They decided to leave the area immediately, acting as if that pile of gold never existed. Their first destination was clear: a clothing store.
Novalia's appearance, still dressed in grimy clothes from her days as a captive, was truly eye-catching and could potentially be suspicious.
They strolled through the streets of Antrows casually. Keyzier walked in front with his hands behind his head, whistling softly as if nothing had happened.
Upon arriving at a rather high-class clothing boutique in the city center, the scent of floral perfume and silk greeted their senses.
The shop owner, a fashionable middle-aged woman, initially looked doubtfully at the three disheveled teenagers. However, Keyzier's aura of confidence caused the woman's doubts to vanish.
"Nova, choose whatever clothes you like. Take as many as you want!" Keyzier said, pointing to the rows of gowns and female adventurer attire.
Novalia hesitated. She touched the edge of a fine linen fabric but was reluctant to take it. "I... I don't really want fancy clothes, Big Brother Key. Ordinary clothes are enough."
"Don't argue. Your clothes right now look more like a floor mop than a shirt," Keyzier insisted. "If you're confused, let me choose for you."
Keyzier then circled the shop enthusiastically, observing every piece of clothing he passed. Eventually, he picked out a set of tight leather gear with metal shoulder guards and a practical dark brown cloak. However, Novalia furrowed her brow.
"Big Brother Key... these are all men's clothes!" Novalia protested weakly.
Keyzier had indeed chosen functional combat gear, but it lacked any feminine aesthetic whatsoever.
Ultimately, Novalia had no choice but to start choosing for herself. With the shop owner's guidance, she picked out several sets of elegant yet sturdy adventurer outfits, as well as some casual clothes. One by one, she tried the clothes on behind the curtain and stepped out to ask for an assessment from her two protectors.
Donovan, who was indeed skilled at charming women, immediately offered a sweet comment. "Wow, that green color really suits your eyes, Novalia! You look like a forest fairy who has descended into the city."
Novalia blushed and smiled. However, when she turned toward Keyzier, her hopes were shattered to pieces.
"Why do you keep changing those clothes back and forth?" Keyzier asked with a guiltless, flat face. He gave a confident thumbs-up. "No matter how many times you try them on, your face isn't going to change! It'll stay exactly the same."
Donovan immediately slapped his own forehead hard. This guy!!! He is completely insensitive to a woman's feelings!
"Honestly! Big Brother Key is an idiot!" Novalia shouted, her face flushed red with irritation. She stomped back into the dressing room with a loud thud of her feet.
Keyzier blinked in confusion. "Huh? Wasn't I praising her? I meant she's already pretty without needing to change clothes a dozen times. Why is she mad?"
Donovan could only shake his head at Keyzier's behavior.
In truth, unbeknownst to Keyzier, Novalia had liked and admired him since the first time they met in the forest. To Novalia, Keyzier's friendly welcome during their first encounter was a light in the darkness of her flight.
Even though Donovan had a slightly more handsome face than Keyzier, in Novalia's eyes, the impression of Donovan's "Killing Intent" from their first meeting left a terrifying memory. Unlike Keyzier, who felt warmer, even if his mouth was sometimes incredibly annoying.
After a while, Keyzier approached Novalia, who had just come out with a sour face. Naturally, Keyzier's sudden move made Novalia's heart race.
Is he going to apologize? Is he going to say something romantic? Novalia thought, flustered.
However, fantasies remained just fantasies. Keyzier stopped right in front of her only to hand a brown magic bag to Novalia from his inventory.
"Here, take it!" Keyzier said flatly while holding out his spare magic bag.
Novalia was stunned. "A magic bag? But this is very expensive, Big Brother Key."
"It's a magic bag in my inventory that I don't use because I can use inventory magic. I'm giving it to you so you can carry your own things or your own hunts later. I don't want our party's mobility to be hindered just because one person is carrying heavy items!" Keyzier explained with a logical, yet very 'unromantic' reason.
Novalia's feelings were mixed. She felt annoyed because the reason for the gift was so technical, felt happy to receive a valuable present, and simultaneously felt uneasy because she felt she hadn't contributed anything to the group yet.
"I can't accept this..." Novalia rejected softly.
"Just take it, and I don't want to hear any rejections from you!" Keyzier insisted.
Seeing Keyzier's persistence, Novalia finally accepted the magic bag.
After buying quite a few clothes, they didn't head straight to the inn. Keyzier felt that Novalia's magic abilities needed to be honed so that she wouldn't just be a burden during combat.
They made their way toward the Antrows city library, a grand building housing thousands of magic scrolls and books of knowledge.
Their goal was one: to find a support magic book specifically for buffs and debuffs, which was Novalia's basic specialty.
Inside the quiet library that smelled of old paper, they spent a considerable amount of time. They searched through row after row of shelves, looking for the reinforcement magic category.
After an hour of meticulous searching among the dusty books, Keyzier's hand finally stopped on a book bound in dark blue leather with a fading gold title.
"Here it is, the Basic Manual for Support Energy Manipulation!" Keyzier murmured.
He opened the first page and scanned it briefly before turning to Novalia. "Nova, do you usually use a magic staff if you want to use your magic?"
"Yes, I always use magic staff to cast my spells." Novalia answered softly.
Hearing that, Keyzier and Donovan exchanged glances, then Keyzier looked back at Novalia.
"Come on, let's find a magic staff for you, Nova! I hope you won't refuse!" Keyzier said firmly.
Novalia could only concede and accept the offer.
Then, they immediately took the book to the cashier, paid for it without haggling, and hurried out of the library.
Their next destination was clear: the armor and weapon shop.