Chapter 104 System: You have successfully changed your class to Goblin.

In a vast metropolis like Terelima, countless business opportunities exist in every corner. Even members of other races are frequently spotted here; in one street corner, for instance, a dwarf runs a shop. Rubi discovered this place during a stroll with Moyuna, and after entering to converse for a while, he realized he shared many common interests with the dwarf, leading him to commission several items.

The shop is named "Fire and Fine Wine," a name that perfectly suits a dwarf's straightforward personality. As Rubi pushed the door open, the dwarf—who was busy smithing—noticed him. Though he said nothing, his hands moved with increased speed. Rubi took the opportunity to observe the merchandise hanging on the walls while he waited.

Naturally, a dwarf's greatest expertise lies in heavy armor; the armor worn by Tinasha was crafted by dwarves. However, for nobles, such heavy gear is usually purchased merely as a decoration for their hallways. On the other hand, adventurers from the Mages' Guild choose them for their price-to-performance ratio. Since they often adventure in wild jungles, no one can guarantee they won't be ambushed by magical beasts, and in those moments, highly defensive armor becomes a second life.

Next were the leather armors. These pieces offer slightly lower defense, but they allow for various magical arrays to be inscribed onto them to compensate for their flaws; naturally, the price is higher. As for the cloth armor most commonly used by mages, it is far outside the scope of a dwarf's work. Expecting these rough-handed dwarves to sew clothes stitch by stitch would be far less satisfying to them than simply swinging a blade.

"Kid, you're here! Quickly, give it to me!"

The dwarf, named Paul, finally finished his forging. He then acted like an addict craving a fix, seemingly eager to leap his sixty-centimeter frame onto Rubi to snatch what he desired.

"Here."

Rubi handed over the two bottles of white liquor he had brewed himself. While doing so, he took another look at the dwarf. Paul had facial features similar to a human's and dark skin. Although short, his palms were wider than Rubi's and covered in calluses, the result of years spent gripping a hammer.

"By the Smith God, a mere human being able to make wine better than my mother's? Are you really human?"

The moment he got his hands on the bottles, the dwarf impatiently downed half a bottle. The liquor, crafted with the unique crystallization of human knowledge from another world, sent a shiver of delight through him. In truth, Paul was a man with a strange temper who only did business with humans he liked, and Rubi had won him over with these extraordinary creations.

"I am an ordinary human. Is what I asked for finished?"

"Yeah, those damn trinkets of yours really exhausted me. In the future, take such delicate work to the goblins, you hear? My eyes are almost crossed."

Complaining, Paul retrieved the items Rubi had commissioned from his spatial storage. A veteran blacksmith is quite wealthy; typically, the price of a single piece of equipment is enough to feed an ordinary person for several years.

"Then you wouldn't get any more wine."

Rubi did a quick inventory of his goods: one grappling hook, three throwing knives, a sleeve-dart tube, and a pile of parts that could be assembled into a hidden blade. Despite their names, the combat utility of these items was entirely different. Rubi had already learned from Moyuna what kind of activity this extracurricular internship would be, so he was well aware of the dangers involved. Since Dragon was not with him, he naturally had to protect his own safety.

"That... that is a problem, too. How about we trade? A noble offered ten thousand gold coins for this piece of leather armor, and I didn't sell it. I'll trade it for a year's supply of your wine."

A dwarf's intelligence is actually quite high, but sometimes they can be stubborn. Paul was so anxious he was scratching his head, and as he spoke, he took down the leather armor Rubi had been eyeing, preparing to make the trade.

"I'm not a mage, you know."

Rubi shook his head and declined the tempting offer. His hands moved with dizzying speed, and soon, the hidden blade was fully assembled.

"What an intricate structure. Are you a goblin?"

Watching the blade spring out under Rubi's control, Paul forgot about his demand for wine for a moment. The craftsmanship of Rubi's creation was on par with some of the green-skinned creatures living underground—though Paul had no love for those who went around shouting that "Goblin technology is number one in the world."

"I am a human."

"Uncle Paul, I'm here again."

Just before Rubi could present his identification to prove he was human, a man poked his head into the smithy with a shameless grin on his face.

"By the Smith God, why haven't you died on a mission yet, you damn brat? My treasures aren't giving you a single drop! Get lost!"

Paul immediately hid the wine Rubi had given him, his tongue as sharp as ever as he cursed that the Grim Reaper must have been blind for not taking this guy away.

"Don't be like that. Everyone knows your shop has the best wine in all of Terelima. Giving me a drop won't kill you... Is that you?"

The newcomer was Captain Mu, whom Rubi had met once before. Taking advantage of the fact that he had lived next to the smithy since he was a child, he always hung around the dwarf and naturally picked up the habit of loving fine wine, often popping in for a drink. At this moment, he spotted Rubi and, after a brief pause, remembered he was the person from the scene of the murder case.

"It wasn't me."

"Do you know this goblin?"

"So you *are* a goblin!?"

"I am an ordinary human!"

Rubi really felt like hitting someone. How poor must one's eyesight and brain be to confuse him with those green-skinned creatures? The dwarf was one thing, but this human was the same.

"Not a goblin? Then are you interested in joining the guard? I think your wit is quite impressive."

Captain Mu tentatively accepted that Rubi was a human and changed the subject, offering an olive branch.

"No. This is my teaching license."

Rubi was naturally not foolish enough to join the guard, and he already had enough on his plate. To prevent Captain Mu from continuing his incessant recruitment, he smartly produced his teaching credentials.

"Rhine Magic Academy? That’s a shame."

Captain Mu hadn't expected Rubi to have such a background; facing an educator, he found it difficult to continue pressuring him.

"If there's nothing else, I'll be going. I'll bring some wine next time I pass by."

"It's a deal!"

"Uncle Paul, can you make a set of what that guy asked for for me?"

After Rubi left, Captain Mu dropped his playful attitude and became exceptionally serious. He had caught a glimpse of Rubi's equipment, and that single glance had made him feel a sense of extreme danger. He would only understand exactly what it was once he had it made for himself.

"Not doing it, not doing it. It’s a total pain."

Paul got a headache just thinking about those broken parts. If it weren't for the fine wine, he wouldn't have done it in the first place. The time that followed was spent with Captain Mu trying to wear down the stubborn dwarf to get his wish.