In addition to the letter of approval from the Church of the Golden Halo, the envelope also contained a badge so light I almost didn't notice it inside.

This insignia was made of lithium, a rare mineral due to the outdated mining technologies used in Aland, and served as proof of how much the Church appreciated a Rank-B Climber.

Unofficial Climbers carried brass insignia, like me and the others when we first took the test.

Those with the lowest rank among the Climbers, the Rank-E, carried an iron one. Rank-D carried steel; Rank-C, nickel; Rank-B, lithium; Rank-A, gold; and finally, Rank-S Climbers carried golden insignia.

Theoretically, these badges could not be traded, but on the black market they were, and there were even rewards for specific badges—as a form of opposition to the reward posters.

Rosella's lithium insignia showed that, unlike me, she hadn't risen in rank even though she had held Sun and intimacy. It was a shame, but I guess it made sense.

It meant that our roles had reversed compared to our first trip to the Tower of Babel.

However, Rosella didn't seem upset or jealous about the big promotion I received. She looked at me happily, holding the light pink insignia with all her might.

After lunch, Rosella and I decided to go shopping. We were eager to return to the Tower of Babel and wanted to do so the very next day to make the most of our excitement.

Buying some supplies was necessary, mainly because we would no longer have an instructor to guide us.

Rosella put on a discreet outfit and covered herself with a cloak. It was one thing to walk around Bronxord, where no one expected to find the noble heiress of the Tynes Family, but it was another to walk near the Tower of Babel, where there were not only good-natured Climbers.

I put on my white shirt and black vest, tied my best tie, and put on a gray blazer over it. It was important to present myself well, since I would inevitably be trying to negotiate prices, and the bargaining power of someone who looked poor was not very great.

Fortunately, I no longer had to worry about how much a cable car ride would cost me, and I was happy to give two silver coins to the young motorman that afternoon.

About an hour later, we arrived at District 0 in the shadow of the Tower of Babel.

This wasn't the first time I'd been here, which is precisely why I no longer saw it as a lively place. Few people here smiled genuinely, and most of them had empty looks in their eyes. The days when entering the Tower of Babel would have been seen as a blessing were long gone.

"We need dried meat, larger canteens, new clothes, and also new weapons, is that right?" I asked Rosella, recalling what we had talked about during the cable car ride.

"Yes, especially new clothes. As for the weapon..." She rested her left hand on the hilt of her sword. "I think it will be difficult to find a weapon that matches the one my master gave me for a good price."

In fact, just by looking at Rosella's sword without much knowledge, I could already tell how fine that one-handed blade was.

"In that case, if we can't find a better sword at a reasonable price, I think it's fair to at least sharpen the blade. Its edge may have dulled a little in the last battle."

Rosella agreed with a nod.

I had given my mother five gold coins before leaving home so she could buy food, new clothes for everyone, and also get everything we needed for the move. Five gold coins meant two hundred and fifty silver coins, so she would probably be fine.

That gave me the freedom to spend freely here if necessary.

A new sword wasn't necessary for me, but I would like to have a compact forearm shield to defend myself from close-range attacks.

I also needed to buy a new cloak, light and sturdy shoulder pads, not to mention...

"Hey, young man, you seem very worried about life. How about taking a look at the items on my counter?" said a woman, suddenly drawing my attention to a stall on my left.

On the stall's counter were a number of necklaces, rings, and bracelets. Several of these items were encrusted with shiny stones, while others were made of silver or gold.

"It seems to me that your girlfriend is interested in these," said the saleswoman, which made me look at Rosella.

The noble girl's blue eyes sparkled as she looked at the jewelry, but she quickly hid it when I looked at her.

"N-no, I don't really care much for jewelry. I was just impressed by their beauty."

The middle-aged saleswoman sitting behind the counter put a hand on her chin and smiled smugly.

"My jewelry isn't just for aesthetic purposes, otherwise I wouldn't be selling it so close to the Tower. Most of the accessories I sell contain some magical attribute."

With that, she piqued my interest. It was one thing to buy an ordinary ring, but it was another to buy a ring that would increase my Mana or perhaps even allow me to use some magic.

"What's your best item?" I asked, approaching the stall.

"Oh, I see I've finally caught your attention. I have many different items and also accept orders, so I need to know what you're looking for specifically. What is your class?"

"I'm a Summoner," I said without hesitation.

The vendor's eyebrows arched slightly before her gaze dropped to the counter. She took a few seconds before finally reaching out and touching a silver ring encrusted with a green gem.

"This ring can help you. From what I know, Summoners usually want to stay as far away from confrontations as possible. This ring will help you with that, as it carries repellent magic. Any insect or arachnid monsters will instinctively keep their distance. It can be yours for twenty-five silver coins."

It was impressive that there was a ring that could do that, but it was too expensive, and I knew it wouldn't be useful until I reached the seventh floor.

"Hmm... Maybe I was a little hasty. I thought I might find some rings with defensive magic here," I thought aloud.

"I understand, but maybe I have something for your girl," the saleswoman insisted.

"Rosella, are you interested in anything?" I asked her, still glancing over the many accessories.

"One for me?" Rosella asked, surprised. "Are you sure I can choose one?"

"Of course, after all, I'm only alive because of you," I replied sincerely.

Surprisingly, both Rosella's and the saleswoman's faces turned red.

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