Chapter 70: Choosing Weapon
Rio and Masato arrived at the cramped, dim, and old weapon shop.
It seemed that the blacksmith was behind the counter.
The scorched inky black smell was drifting into the store from the innermost part of the store.
「Welcome!」
At the counter was a boy who seemed to be an apprentice――, his age looked to be on the same generation or a bit older that Masato.
The boy approached Rio and Masato who entered the store, and greeted them with a brilliant smile.
「My I ask what you want to buy today?」
The boy asked something that he should ask to Rio while showing his business smile.
The other stores never did a direct approach like this one, they usually just neglect the basic of the basics.
He might be greeting them in this way because they were a small store, or it might be because of the boy’s business spirit, or both of them.
「I’m looking for a one-handed sword that would be suitable for this child」
Rio briefly told his demand.
「I see. All one handed swords in the store are placed on the corner over there. In addition, we’re also accepting custom made orders. May I ask if it’s the first time dear customer comes to our store? 」
「Yes. That’s right」
「I see. The custom made have to first receive an interview from our master but, may I ask whether dear customer wants to get a custom made? 」
「I see. For the time being, I think I’ll try to see whether there’s a sword that suites him on the lined up items at the shop window……」
Rio sent a fleeting glance at the one-handed swords that were lined up at the shop window.
「I see. Well then, by all means feel free to look at that place first」
「Yeah, I’ll do it」
Rio answered with a forced smile, and moved towards the corner of the store in which the one-handed swords were lined-up.
Though there are not many in number, he picked the swords one by one with his hand, unsheathing them from their scabbard, and then carefully evaluating them.
The shopkeeper boy and Masato looked at him in silence.
After unsheathing the sword in his hand from its scabbard, a sword with simple design that adorned on its long body came out, Rio slowly squinted his eyes.
This one-handed sword emitted a dull pale blue light.
「Masato, please hold on to this sword」
After swinging it lightly, Rio called Masato.
「Ou」
Masato received the sword with a strained expression.
「I wonder how the handle of this sword compares to the sword in the stores we visited so far? Is it not heavy? 」
So, Rio asked Masato.
「Oh? Though it’s a bit heavy, I get the feeling that it seems……… As if it’s not that hard to use? 」
Masato swung the sword lightly with a clumsy movement.
Though the touch felt trivial, he noticed that somehow it fitted on his hand.
Though it really is just a feeling if he spoke of it.
「I see. Then, let’s put it on hold first. Shall we wait for a while after looking at the rest of the swords? 」
After saying that, Rio started to test basically every little thing about the remaining one-handed swords.
The shopkeeper boy was looking at his appearance with great curiosity.
「Yosh, shall we go with this sword」
After finished with the brief test of general one-handed swords in the store, Rio told Masato to purchase the sword from before.
「Excuse me. We want to buy the sword on that shelf」
Changing his line of sight toward the sword that they kept some time ago, Rio conveyed his intention to buy it to the shopkeeper boy.
「Are you okay with that sword?」
The boy asked Rio.
「Yeah, please」
Rio’s said that without hesitation.
「Uhm, right then. Sorry. I must go ask master’s permission, it’ll take a while if you really want to buy that sword, is it okay? 」
The shopkeeper boy replied with an apologetic tone.
「Permission?」
Rio’s eyes turned into circles to that unexpected development.
「Yes. My deepest apologize. May I ask if its okay? 」
The shopkeeper boy bowed deeply while saying that.
「No problem…………」
「Thank you very much! I’ll bring him immediately!」
After saying that, the boy quickly rushed to the workshop behind the counter.
Not even one minute later, an elderly man with a healthy looking physique, conspicuous wrinkles and white hair appeared from inside.
He was wearing working clothes that were slightly dirty with soot, there were large amounts of sweat on his face which was maybe because he just finished his work.
It seems this man is the master blacksmith of the workshop, the owner of this weapon shop.
The man that looked like a craftsman looked intently at Rio’s body.
「Is it you. The one who said that he wants to buy my sword? 」
He asked that question with a blunt tone.
「Yeah, that’s right. To be exact it’s not for me, but for him」
「Hou」
The master was looking intently at Masato.
Masato retreated as if flinching.
The master changed his line of sight to the sword that adorned the wall, which was about to be bought by Rio.
「Why did you choose it for that person? There are a lot of other swords with nice appearance in this store」
So he asked.
「I’m not obsessed with design, though it’s just a basic and simple broad sword, it’s a nice sword. I also know without a doubt that it’s the best one-handed sword amongst the ones that are lined-up in this store」
Rio praised this sword with a simple sentence.
「Hou. Do you know? The material of this sword? 」
「Adamantite-PureSteel」
「The type of magic equation bestowed in it?」
「Hardness, light weight, plating and, The enchant of wind attribute」
Rio gave a short answer to the question from the master.
「I see. It seems that you have extremely keen eyes for someone your age. Plating, hardness, and light weight being seen through aside, even the wind attribute. Sorry but, please let me to see your hand for a while」[ED: Extremely keen eyes for anyone disregarding age!]
After indicating that he was satisfied, the master suddenly tried to seize Rio’s hand.
Though he could easily avoid it, Rio just showed his hand to the master as it is.
The master stared intently at Rio’s hand.
「You got a nice hand. It won’t turn like this unless you swing your sword everyday」
He said that in good mood while showing a bitter but happy smile.
「Thank you」
Rio’s replied to the master with a wry smile.
「Though I am a little interested, how about you show me the sword that you’re using?」
Being asked, the master sent a fleeting glance at the sword on Rio’s waist.
The stone that let out a beautiful shine like a gem in the center of the hand guard――It was the installed spirit stone.
Though adding that is like giving a beautiful ornament, the master didn’t think that this ornamental sword is used merely for etiquette.
「This……… Understood」
Though Rio hesitated for a moment, he drew out the mithril sword from its undyed black scabbard and presented it to the master.
「I’m sor-……-ry……」
Looking at the blade portion of the sword, the master seemed greatly shaken, as he was made speechless by the mysterious silvery light emitted from Rio’s sword.
「Oi, what kind of metal was used to make this? Steel, no, beside it’s different from Adamantite-Steel Alloy or steel. Don’t tell me….. Mithril」
He stared at the sword as if captivated by it.
When he appraised the metal used to make the sword, his expression instantly changed and then asked that question.
The other name of mithril is magic silver, though in case of strength only, adamantite-steel far outstrips it, it’s a very light weight metal with an excellent magical power conductivity.
It was not known how to manufacture it or where to get it amongst the human tribe, with only an extreme minority of the armors made with mithril appearing in the market, it was definitely a legendary metal.
The magic that is loaded into mithril equipment is normally impossible to be applied by the human tribe, there was a very high probability for any mithril equipment found to have unfathomable magic loaded on them, for such legendary arms once they appear in the human tribe market, a skyrocketing price is attached to them.
「May I ask what is the magic that is loaded in the sword?」
The master asked as if squeezing his voice.
「It’s loaded with magic formations of durability and plating」
「Though it can be loaded with many more magic formations, why only two. I wonder what its designed for? Where did you find this sword? 」
The master threw a barrage of questions to Rio.
Though Durability magic to solidify the strength of the object, the sword will break if it received a blow that surpasses its endurance, the blade will be chipped soon if it is used as it is without receiving maintenance.
Though Plating can prevent the metal corrosion from happening, with nothing more than that detestable rust could happen due to clotted blood, since it’ll deteriorate bit by bit if its left alone for a long time, the is a necessity of painting oil on it regularly.
Anyhow, There is a vast amount of magic appearing in the markets of the human tribes, so there are magic equipment as if it’s natural if it’s a bit higher-quality arms.
Though it’s possible to load several magic into the same material, there’s a limit in the number of magic loaded according to the material properties.
When someone loads magic beyond the limit of the material, the material will become brittle if unable to endure the burden of the magical power that flows through the magic formation.
When one makes magic tools or magic clothing they need to take the endurance of the material into account.
Mithril is an extremely suitable material for magic tools and magic clothing, it’s endurance against magical power is known as the best metal.
The weapons made of mithril that rarely appear in the market are undoubtedly artifacts from the fact that they are loaded with high grade magic formations, the craftsman loading nothing but two magic formations commonly seen into the mithril sword being carried by Rio was an anomaly.
「Yes. The magic formations loaded into this sword are definitely only two, plating and durability. I don’t know what it’s designed for since I’m not the one who made it. Though the method to obtain it is not something that I can say except for the fact that I received it from an acquaintance」
Rio answered by hiding the most important information by including a little false information in one part.
「By chance, is he the creator of this sword?」
「No, he isn’t」
「……I see」
The master’s dropped his shoulder while showing a crestfallen expression.
As a fellow blacksmith, he instinctively wanted to know the person who can strike a sword of that level.
Though it might be because he didn’t have any expectation since the beginning, the master believed and swallowed Rio’s story as it is.
「Could it be that you didn’t want to make a demon sword by loading magic formations in the surplus area?」
「Though it’s a good idea if there’s a good magic formation, he rarely found them」
So Rio boasted to him.
Actually there’s another one magic formation in this sword that he didn’t tell to the master.
Since magic formations that take into account the spirit arts never appeared in the human tribes market.
「Well, it is a precious mithril sword after all. When compared to the magic formation that are loaded into the ancient magic tools like the artifacts, it might be a bit wasteful to load it with the magic formations that appear in the market of the current era」
The typical magic formations for weapons that appear on the human tribe markets is only one attribute enchantment such as lightning, ice, water, wind and, fire.
Though there’s a magic formation that will grant similar attributes amongst ancient Artifacts, their ability is higher and can’t even be compared to the magic formations of the current era.
「Yes ……By the way, I wonder if you want to sell that sword over there? 」
Rio’s asked as he’s sending a fleeting glance at the sword that was hanging on the wall.
「Hn, Yeah. My bad. Though it has been more than thirty years since I became a master blacksmith, this is the first time I saw a sword of that level. I unintentionally lost to my curiosity」
The master apologized as he felt bad for their talk coming off- topic like this.
「By the way, will this sword be given to that youngster?」
「Yes」
「Though its design is rather unrefined, this sword is practically amongst the excellent first rate swords made by me. I’m using it as a test for the customer eyes who want me to make a custom made sword. That’s why even if it’s sold, I want it to be used by a suitable user but……」
The master looked at Masato.
「Uuh……」
Masato shivered as if being overpowered by that intense glare.
「Though it’s way too good an item as the first sword for a novice brat, well it’s okay I guess. Go to that apprentice brat if you want to buy it. But, though I’ll give some discount for letting me see such a good sword, it’s still quite expensive you know? 」
The master peeped at Rio’s face to guess his reaction.
「How much is it?」
「Let’s see. Its real price is 40 gold coins, but how about 30 gold coin」
Speaking of 30 gold coins, it’s the annual income of a lower class noble.
Pure adamantite-steel is quite difficult to be manufactured unless one is a skilled craftsman, adding the fact that it’s a rare ore, the so called discounted price isn’t that expensive.
「Understood. Please」
While saying that, Rio took out 10 gold coins and 1 mystic coin from his purse without even batting his eyes.
「O-Ou……」
The master’s stared with his eyes wide open to Rio who took out such an amount of money easily without hesitation.
「I’m astonished. It seems that you already earned quite an income in this age. You, could it be…… A noble. Or maybe a famous adventurer? But I have never seen you around this area」
「No, I just earning money by hunting monster while traveling to various places. Usually I don’t spend that much money」
「Hou, you could earn even more income if you became an adventurer right」
「I don’t need that much money since it seems there are many shackles to it」
Rio shrugged his shoulder while showing a slightly wry smile.
「I see. Well it’s not like I don’t understand about it and have a duty to explain it since I’m also that kind of person. Just bring that sword to me anytime if it needs some maintenance. I’ll do it for a discounted price」
「Thank you very much. Since I think that I also need to prepare a substitute sword for this child sooner or later, maybe I’ll feel relieved with this place at that time」
「Okay. Though it’ll be depending on that brat’s skill at that time whether it’ll be custom made or not」
「Yeah, I’ll train him for that time」
The master nodded deeply.
「Mondo! The transaction is done. Pass the sword!」
He called the apprentice boy.
「Yes! 」
After replying with a loud voice, the boy took down the sword from the shelf.
「Well then, here you go. Please accept it」
The boy presented the sword to Rio while saying that.
「Thank you」
After taking the sword, Rio handed it to Masato.
Masato happily received the sword.
He held the sword as if it was the most important item and was even more fascinated when it was placed on his hands.
「Well then. We’ll excuse ourselves」
After smiling lightly in seeing the figure of a smiling Masato, Rio said his parting words to the pair of master and apprentice and turned on his heel.
「Let us go, Masato」
「OU! Thank you! Haruto-anchan! 」
Masato said his gratitude in high spirits.
「Thank you for your patronage! Please cone visit us again! 」
The apprentice boy looked cheerfully at the back of Masato and Rio who were leaving the store.
After leaving the store, the sunlight that rained incessantly from the clear sky was stimulating Rio and Masato’s eyes.
They closed their eyes tightly to that radiance.
「I think we should buy a shield next」
After that, Rio and Masato bought the necessary equipment and then went to meet Miharu’s group.