I’ve seen some intense magical tools created by the Great Mage and even a national treasure owned by the First Prince, but I wondered about the performance and price of magical tools sold in shops like this one.

“This knob here activates fire magic when infused with magical energy. By turning it, you can adjust the intensity of the flames. If magic is stored in advance, even those who cannot use magic themselves can operate this stove.”

I see, so it’s like the Thunder God's Bracelet, capable of storing magical energy.

“You only need magical energy to use it, so there’s no need for fuel. It’s quite convenient. The only drawback is that someone who can use magic needs to be nearby. Are you able to use magic, sir?”

“Oh, yes, I can.”

“!! That’s fantastic, especially for someone as young as you! How about it? I’ll give you a special price!”

Whoa, he’s getting aggressive all of a sudden. Sure, I cook occasionally, and having a tool like this might be handy. Back in Japan, buying a portable gas stove would have been simpler, but that’d stand out too much here. Besides, I’ve got plenty of money in this world but not much left in Japanese yen.

“I do cook a bit, so I’m interested. How much is it?”

“For you, sir, a special price of 400,000G!”

400,000G... about 200,000 yen. That’s... expensive. In my old world, I could get something like this for about 5,000 yen. Magical tools in this world are clearly pricey. Maybe it’s marked up because this is a tourist spot. No need to rush; I’ll check out the shops in the big city of Luxeria later.

“In that case, I’ll just take some of the other cooking tools instead. I’ll grab this knife, cutting board, and some plates.”

“Wait, sir! This stove is truly my best recommendation. How about this—I’ll lower it to 350,000G because you look so strong and cool!”

He dropped it by 50,000G just like that. Looks like the initial price was inflated. The knives and cutting boards seem reasonably priced, so I’ll stick with those.

“No, I’ll pass on the stove. Just these items, please.”

“300,000G! Just 300,000G!”

Another price drop. This whole shop is starting to feel shady. Yeah, I think I’ll just buy my plates and knives somewhere else.

“Actually, I’ll skip everything for now. Thanks for your time.”

“Wait! I’ll sell it for 200,000G—just the cost I paid to stock it! Please buy it!”

“... Is this stove cursed or something!?”

Why is he so desperate to sell it? This is getting creepy.

“Well... to be honest, the product itself is excellent, but it’s been sitting here for over six months without selling. Most magic users have too much pride to come to a small shop like mine. The people who do come by are usually servants or warriors who can’t use magic, and even when a rare magic user like you appears, they don’t tend to cook!”

Talk about a stocking misstep! That makes sense, though. People who want something like this would typically prepare in a larger city, not buy it in a place like this.

“Please, I’m begging you! The high cost of stocking it prevents me from just getting rid of it, and it’s taking up so much space. I’ll sell it at cost—just help me out!”

“... Fine. But if I find out it’s way overpriced compared to similar items in the city, I’ll return it, no matter what. And you’d better throw in some knives, plates, and other extras at a discount!”

Since he tried to charge me double at first, I didn’t hold back in negotiating. If I later find out it’s a scam, I’ll return it—even if I have to force the issue.

After all that, I managed to gather a full set of cooking gear from this world. With preparations complete, it’s time to move forward.

Leaving the village, I continued on my way. According to the shopkeeper, there’s a path partway up the mountain, but beyond that, it becomes untamed terrain. Each year, not only do people fall prey to wyverns, but many also get lost and never return.

For me, though, teleportation magic ensures I can escape anytime, so it’s not a problem.

Along the way, I passed several adventurer parties, each with about four to eight members. Unsurprisingly, I was the only one climbing the mountain solo. As I passed by, I noticed their curious—and slightly judgmental—glances, as if to say, “Is this guy insane?” So far, none of the parties I encountered seemed particularly strong.

Most of them are probably here for wyverns, not the dragon.

“Damn it!”

“Run! Hurry!”

I heard shouting up ahead. My danger sense hadn’t triggered yet, but I decided to head toward the source of the commotion to investigate.