42
Chapter 42
After Barret left, a quiet atmosphere settled back into the dining room.
After staying silent for a moment, I got up from my seat.
"Let's start moving too."
Eileen looked up.
"Are you going to the market?"
"Yeah. We need to sort out the things we brought yesterday... and get ready to leave."
Eileen nodded slowly.
I briefly patted my chest, pressing the inner pouch.
The letter bound for Riverton, entrusted to me by Luna of the Sereon Church.
I couldn't just keep it in my arms forever.
I didn't know the contents, but keeping it for too long didn't seem like a good idea.
I stood up to pack my bags and slowly brushed myself off.
"Anyway, let's drop by the market before we go. We need to organize our food and supplies."
"Understood. I'll go with you."
Eileen quietly followed behind me.
Even though the city's atmosphere was tense, the market was still full of vitality.
As the largest, and only, Commercial District in the city, it was bustling with people.
An oblivious person might never have realized that a war was about to break out in this fief.
I checked the items I had gathered yesterday.
There were three items in total.
The first was a red rug.
The pattern was very intricately woven, and it wasn't small in size.
One edge was slightly torn, but judging from the texture and luster, it was clearly a valuable item.
The second was a brass candlestick.
It had a heavy weight, straight curves, and a faint maker's mark left on the bottom.
It was well-worn from handling, but its shape was intact.
And the last was a heavy two-handed sword I obtained during the battle with Bron.
At first, I just wanted to throw it away.
It was too heavy, the leather on the handle was half-peeled off, and the blade wasn't intact.
However, since it was a heavy sword, I kept it, hoping to at least get the scrap metal price.
Despite the city being engulfed in the clouds of war, the market was as lively as ever.
People were still buying fresh vegetables, repairing old armor, and bargaining with sparkling eyes over even the smallest items.
Even if the city's atmosphere was unusual, life seemed to go on anyway.
I clutched the wrapping cloth in my arms tightly instead of a shopping basket and made my way deeper into the market.
Because I didn't want to stand out too much, I chose a shopping street in a relatively quiet alley instead of the bustling center.
The place I arrived at was an old secondhand shop with a tree sign hanging half-broken.
'Useful items, sold cheap' was scrawled crookedly on a yellowed cloth.
Opening the door, a ding- sound echoed along with a strangely damp, dusty smell.
"Welcome-"
Beyond the counter, a hunched old woman slowly raised her head.
With her white hair roughly tied up, she looked me over through a small magnifying glass.
"Are you selling or buying?"
"Selling."
I carefully took out the red rug, brass candlestick, and iron sword one by one and placed them on the table.
The old woman silently opened an old ledger and examined them, touching them one by one with her fingertips.
"This rug is... Caresa silk, Vasalina Dynasty style. The color is good, but one side is torn. It'll be of use. The candlestick is decent. It wasn't for an altar, probably for home use."
She finally picked up the sword.
She stared at it for a long time, then tapped the blade.
"Hmm... This is tricky. It's too heavy for combat, and too shabby for decoration... But it's not unusable, so if you just take it to a blacksmith, you'll probably get the price of the scrap iron."
The old woman closed the ledger and looked at me.
"Do you perhaps have any more items to bring out?"
As she carefully untied the wrapping cloth, several items revealed themselves from within.
They were small, sparkling ornaments, such as a pearl brooch and a silver ring.
While Kane had grabbed the flashy decorations, Eileen focused on packing small, practical ornaments.
Every single item held a weight that was far from light, and they seemed to be worth just as much.
Like someone who had lived in a castle, Eileen had an exceptional eye for picking out only the truly valuable pieces.
Of course, all of these items were destined to be used as our travel funds.
The old woman examined the ornaments before looking up and speaking to me.
"These are items from a rather old noble family. The craftsmanship is incredibly exquisite. They are also in excellent condition."
She carefully wiped one of the ornaments with her fingertip and added.
"They must have been precious items cherished by someone, so it is a pity to see them end up out here like this."
Lightly wiping it with her fingertip, she spoke as if letting out a short sigh.
"Perhaps they were the keepsakes of someone who passed away. Things like these are different from the items made these days."
A brief silence flowed.
Well, they were indeed keepsakes of the deceased, but they probably weren't acquired by their rightful owners.
The old woman looked back and forth between Eileen and me, then quietly wrote something down in the ledger.
"The total is one gold coin and thirty-three silver coins."
I pondered for a moment before nodding my head.
I wasn't entirely sure if it was a proper price, but it wasn't a bad sum for items that were tricky to dispose of.
"I will accept it."
"Good. Please leave the items in the back over there. Dardan! Come move these!"
The old woman closed the ledger and took out a small pouch from under the counter.
Just as I reached out my hand to receive the pouch, the sudden name caught my ear.
...Dardan?
At the familiar name, I raised my head and looked toward the back of the shop.
Through the faint dust, a familiar face was revealed.
He was currently wearing a yellowed cloth vest draped over his shoulders, but I recognized that faded blond hair and sparse beard.
It was a face I never thought I would see here.
"Huh?"
"Huh?"
We checked each other's faces and made a sound at the same time.
It was definitely Dardan, the fence from back then.
"You bas-"
The moment my mouth opened, Dardan's eyes widened, and he quickly brought a finger to his lips.
It meant he was begging me to be quiet.
In that instant, I paused, feeling slightly flustered.
Just as I was wondering if I really had to play along, Dardan slowly approached me, took out a few silver coins from his waist, and shoved them into my pouch.
The old woman was rummaging through another ledger in the back, seemingly paying no attention to the situation over here.
I swallowed a sigh inwardly and closed my mouth.
"...Right. I look forward to working with you, Mr. Dardan."
"Haha... Of course. Dear customer, right this way."
Sweating profusely, Dardan slowly lifted the bags I had set down.
I approached his side and spoke in a low voice, almost like a whisper.
"Why are you here?"
"I should be asking why you are-"
"Last time, because of you, we- sigh, never mind. Yeah."
He was in a position where he had figured out about us, and we also accompanied him knowing that.
It was hard to bring up any good words, but it wasn't a situation where we could criticize each other either.
I didn't want to get involved any further unnecessarily, and there was no reason to bring up the events of that day again.
"Last time... I saw that dwarf guy too."
At Dardan's quiet mutter, I raised my head without realizing it.
"What did you say?"
"Pardon? Ah, no. I just meant that I also saw the dwarf who used to travel with you..."
"You saw Baldic? When?"
He shut his mouth and immediately averted his eyes. Signs of slight panic were evident on his face.
"Umm... Was it about two weeks ago...? I think it was around then."
If it was then, was it the time I was returning from Delhar?
Damn it, did we miss each other?
"Where did you see him?"
"Well... It was right in the middle of the Market. I was passing through a narrow alley, and I was so startled when I suddenly got smacked in the back of the head. When I looked back, it was that bas- no, that gentleman."
...It seems like it really was Baldic.
No one else but him would smack someone in the back of the head for no reason.
"So, was there any talk about where he was going?"
"Yes, well... We're not exactly close enough to exchange that kind of talk. Instead, I received a similar question."
"What kind of question?"
"He asked if I happened to see you two around here."
It seems he was also looking for us.
If so, does that mean he is still staying in the City?
"Did he say anything else?"
"No. Well, that was it. He seemed busy too, and I basically ran away right after."
Dardan shrugged his shoulders.
"Anyway, whether in a good way or a bad way... fate is quite stubborn."
I let out a short breath instead of answering.
His words were absolutely right.
In this world, people who got involved once... somehow always ended up meeting again.
"...Let me know if you see Baldic again."
"Yes, understood...."
Dardan was surprisingly well-behaved for some reason.
I thought he would show his true colors if he was alone in a place like this, but does he think I'm still traveling with Drek?
Since he had seen Drek's majesty firsthand, that seemed like the most likely possibility.
After checking the Silver Coins in my Pouch again, I gave a slight nod and walked out the shop door.
It was still noisy outside.
Far away on one side of the Square, a Non-commissioned Officer was giving a booming speech encouraging participation in the war, and the sound of a Hammer striking iron was endless in the Blacksmith Alley.
The war was definitely becoming a reality.
Someone would be picking out Armor, someone would be preparing for the expedition, and someone else would be quietly plotting to run away.
"Where are you going now?"
Eileen asked carefully.
"Hmm, should we go get some Equipment fitted?"
I naturally turned my steps toward the Weapon Shop street.
Right now, I was only wearing a single Brigandine, but considering the Equipment I had, I was closer to a Knight than a Magician.
Still, I wasn't satisfied.
Wearing full-body Equipment was heavy, making me sweat every time I moved, and my agility dropped.
But even so, I wanted to wear Full Plate Armor someday.
I wanted to personally feel the sense of security that a sturdy and heavy iron Armor provided.
'There's no law saying a Magician can't wear Armor.'
I was still afraid of getting hit by something like a bow or getting cut by a sword.
When it comes to means to protect your body, the more, the better.
"Are you going to the place you went last time?"
"No, I got some money this time, so I should get something new."
I gently touched the Silver Coins inside my Pouch.
Thanks to the items handed over to the Old Woman, I could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, the Armor and gear were still intact.
Although we went through a fierce battle, thanks to Kane stepping up in the front, I rarely took any direct physical impacts.
So this time, I was thinking of buying a Weapon.
"It would be nice to have a useful Mace this time around."
"A Mace?"
"I did learn Blunt Weapon Skill, and Magic isn't almighty."
"...Is that so."
It was a voice that seemed a bit lost in thought.
As I spoke and moved forward, she naturally matched my pace.
"I tried using a sword but had no talent for it... and a spear was burdensome because of its length. A blunt weapon like a Hammer or a Mace suits me better."
Weapons that required finesse or technique didn't suit me.
Those Weapons required an accurate sense of distance, agile movements, and countless hours of practice.
However, I wasn't used to fighting like that.
A style that pushed forward with a single, decisive strike actually put my mind at ease.
"Then should we go to the Workshop District instead?"
"Yeah. If there's something good, we'll buy it, and if not, we can just look around."
The Workshop District was located in a secluded area up a slight incline, away from the Market area.
It was a bit separated from the busy streets, but because of that, it was quiet and exuded the distinct atmosphere of artisans.
The unique scent of iron, metal, and Leather mixed together pierced my nose first.
The sound of hammering, sparks flying, and the hard, clanking metallic noise of iron striking iron filled the Alley.
There were Blacksmiths everywhere, but perhaps due to the war, there were far fewer goods than usual.
There weren't many Weapons on display, and the makeshift Shelf only held a small number of spears, swords, Axes, a few Maces, and some old Maces.
Compared to the shops in the Market, there was less variety, and the prices were actually quite high.
"Hmm... There aren't many things here."
"Yeah, it seems they've all been sold out because of the war. Even the ones left aren't in good condition."
I stopped in front of a Weapon Shop.
A few Weapons and a combat Mace were laid out side-by-side on a makeshift stand.
It had a heavy wooden handle, and instead of a simple round head, iron pieces were embedded in a cross shape.
Just looking at it made my wrist ache, but at the same time, it felt reliable and solid.
"This one looks decent."
"Yeah. Let me try lifting it."
I picked up a Mace.
A heavy sensation transferred to my hand. The Leather wrapped around the handle had a good grip, so it didn't feel like it would slip.
It was heavier than I thought, but it wasn't an impossible weight to lift.
At this level, it wouldn't be bad to use as a secondary Weapon after using Magic.
The length was appropriate, about the size of my forearm, and the overall balance settled well in my hand.
"Does it fit well in your hand?"
"Yeah. The weight is fine... I think it'll be quite useful."
Just then, the Owner, sporting a bushy beard, slowly approached from the back of the shop.
With thick forearms and wearing a Leather Apron, he looked like a quintessential Blacksmith.
"It seems to fit your hand. Do you like it?"
"Yes, it's not bad. How much does it cost?"
"Twelve Silver Coins. It contains Black Iron from the Leitz River. On the Battlefield, it's called the 'Armor Breaker'."
Twelve Silver Coins... Honestly, it wasn't cheap.
But the heavy sensation in my hand, the balance, and this artisan's attitude.
I could tell he wasn't a Merchant who spoke nonsense.
I stared at my hand holding the Mace for a moment before nodding.
"Could you also fix up my Breastplate a little along with this?"
"Just leave it to me."
And like that, my first blunt weapon purchase was completed.
Eileen quietly watched the entire process from beside me before muttering in a small voice.
"It suits you... better than I thought."
"What does?"
"That Mace. The way you hold it... you look exactly like a Knight."
I let out a soft chuckle.
"I was worried it wouldn't suit me. That's a relief."
A little while later, receiving the repaired Breastplate and the Mace, I equipped my gear one by one in front of the shop.
The Breastplate was well-oiled and glossy, and the marks from being roughly stitched up back in Delhar were neatly patched over.
Finally, I lifted the Mace and hung it on my waist.
"Now we just need to restock our travel supplies."
"Yes, let's go right away!"
After half a day of shopping, we were finally ready to depart for the west.