Antagonist Protection Service-Chapter 87: Money Gone

Reading over the description of the insane-quality armour set I found, I sighed.

"What's this? Oh, dragon hide, scales and bone are probably really good, right? It also has Adamantine in it, is enchanted, and was crafted by some master Dwarven craftsman..."

This one really looked like an armour set you would only get access to in the post-game.

"Hah, but 10,000 World Stability is just absurd..."

It was great, no doubt. Alas, for my poor self, it was far too exorbitantly-priced, matching the cost of two Service Charge abilities.

Cutting short my moment of wallowing in self-pity, the Librarian called out.

"Oh, Enki, look here! There appears to be a 'scout variant' of that outfit you are looking at; it doesn't include the Adamantine or dragon bones, substantially reducing the physical toughness and durability, a-and it doesn't include the enchantments, however, it does include various materials that serve to lighten the weight of the outfit considerably!"

My ears perked at her words, and I turned my head.

"Oh, really? Even if it's lower protection, that doesn't sound too bad."

Scrolling down the list further, I tried to find the armour she was talking about.

"Certainly! Furthermore, the innermost layer is coated with a troll's blood, providing a boost to your regeneration! Although it is not as desirable as preventing damage outright, it is still an economic tradeoff in comparison to the 'fighter variant' you were previously looking at! Additionally, although the lower thickness might be dubious as to whether it provides as much protection, it does serve to reduce the cost even further!"

Scrolling and listening simultaneously, my expression contorted into a frown.

"Wait, can I even afford it?"

"F-fret not! Though slightly out of your current affordable range, it is priced at a reasonable 6,000 World Stability...!"

"Ah."

At that moment, I immediately stopped scrolling.

"So I can't afford it then."

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'Should I save up for it...? It does seem pretty perfect for my needs.'

"C-certainly, having briefly examined all of the other options your current balance can afford, I do indeed believe it is worth the patience! As has been stated, the likelihood of facing a considerable risk to your life in any Contract below 3-star Difficulty is extraordinarily slim!"

The Librarian gave her opinion, and even though she was clumsy and a bit, shall we put it, dull at times, I nevertheless thought I should take it into consideration.

She was the Librarian, after all.

"So do I..."

'The only issue is, it pains my soul to have 4,750 World Stability ready to spend on upgrades and yet do nothing with it...'

I ended up spending a long time in the Library, chewing my lips and deliberating on whether I should spend my money or save it while pacing around aimlessly.

To be honest, if I was going to buy something, I already subconsciously decided it was going to be the White Death, so it was really between whether I would purchase that or not.

Even if it was greedy of me.

"Man... why is it so tough? I want to spend my money, but I also don't want to..."

'I earned it by working hard myself, so don't I deserve to spend it on what I want...?'

Muttering to myself as I ceaselessly paced around, rubbing my chin, I repeatedly glanced between the two adjacent windows―the White Death and the so-called 'Draconic Shadow' armour set.

On one hand, a white-coated, high-power sniper rifle with a suppressor.

On the other, a sleek, dark outfit crafted from dragon scales and hide.

How long passed, I'm not sure.

However, what is certain is that, eventually, I came to a conclusion.

"―Offence is always good. Meanwhile, defence is only useful if offence is lacking. Right?"

'That's why the saying exists, isn't it? "The best defence is a good offence".'

Facing the Librarian, I voiced my decision.

"I'll save up for the outfit from the Beast Tamer Contract onwards, but for now―"

Item purchased

[APS White Death (HP07-Stealth Series)] added to Storage

"―We can't go wrong with more guns in our arsenal."

The expenditure on the White Death left me with a meagre balance of 1,450 World Stability.

It was a costly purchase indeed, and one that I didn't necessarily have to make right now, but well, I don't think there was anything else I would have preferred to spend it on.

It also gave me some peace of mind knowing that I didn't have to agonise over what to spend it on, which is another big reason why I decided this early.

"Hehe..."

Confirming the presence of the elegant, white-coated sniper rifle that found itself in the Storage, momentarily taking it out to feel its hefty weight in my hands, I nodded my head in satisfaction before sending it back.

The temptation flashed through my mind to use another 1,000 Units to level up Sneak again, but I decided against it. I did make the greedy choice to postpone it, but at the end of the day, ensuring I have solid defensive capabilities really wasn't something I should delay for too long.

If I don't spend any of the reward from the Beast Tamer Contract and one 2-star Contract after that, I should be able to afford the 6,000 World Stability relatively easily, perhaps requiring one more depending on the reward from the 2-star.

Either way, there was not much left to do in terms of business after the completion of the first Red Contract.

The weeks flew by following my return from Drakon-Rasa. Chatting and going out with everyone, spending time leisurely, occasionally bantering with the Librarian during meals, and making sure to not skip out on any work-out sessions.

For the first time in a long time, I felt surprisingly at peace.

Before I knew it, it was already the day before the date that I would be going home to see my family for the first time in several months...

"Ah."

Just as that thought crossed my mind, I belatedly realised.

"...Maybe I should start packing."