Chapter 28:Forged Bargains
Peter walked with steady steps toward the place where the smithy was located, with Selene following a few steps behind.
Shortly after they had finished eating, Peter decided that, to save time, they should head to the blacksmith right away.
For that reason, they went straight out of the tavern, ignoring the bartender and the other patrons inside.
Now, the smithy was barely a minute's walk away. Peter could already see the characteristic low chimney rising from its roof.
Soon, they were standing beside a long table that served both as a counter for displaying goods and as a register. The blacksmith himself stood at a low table in the corner of the covered yard, sharpening a long dagger on one of several stones fixed to it.
Aside from Selene and himself, there were no other customers. Peter took the opportunity to examine the covered section of the yard that belonged to the smithy.
Against the wall adjoining the building was a square-shaped stone forge with a semicircle cut out on the working side. Beside it stood a bellows made of leather — likely from local Ether creatures — used to heat the forge.
Directly opposite to the counter were several barrels filled with metal fragments and failed products, serving as material for new projects. The entire left wall of the shed was lined with weapon racks and hooks holding various types of armor. The whole place — including the missing front wall — formed a small yet practical smithy with a certain atmosphere.
Peter was about to call out to the blacksmith, but the man spoke first.
He glanced over his shoulder, set the dagger back on the grindstone, and walked toward them, wiping his hands on his apron.
"And what do you two want? You've barely arrived in town and already have the means to strike a deal? Let me warn you — nothing comes free here."
The blacksmith's tone was harsh, even before he had reached them. When he arrived at the counter, he placed his hands on it and spoke again.
"So? What are you here for? If you've come looking for work, you'll be disappointed. I'm not hiring helpers. I won't risk my shop's reputation by employing someone who knows nothing about smithing."
The blacksmith's concerns were quickly dispelled when Peter finally spoke.
"Quite the opposite. I'm not looking for work… at least not yet. I've come to strike a deal."
Peter's voice was calm as he pulled a sword from his spare folded cloak and continued.
"I'd like to sell this piece. And I doubt I'll find a better buyer than the local blacksmith."
The blacksmith raised an eyebrow at the sight of the sword, then took the weapon into his hands, examining it closely.
"Well, well, what do we have here? Didn't expect such an offer from a newcomer. Where did you get this blade?"
he asked, swinging it lightly to test its balance.
"I found it lying in the grass not far from the road, about a day's travel from here."
Peter's answer was true — if one counted the fact that he had knocked it from its previous owner's hand.
The blacksmith raised his brows even higher at that, then gave a low chuckle.
"In Ether, swords rarely end up in strange hands without reason. Aren't you worried someone might come looking to claim it back?"
when Peter remained silent he continued
"Interesting. This sword probably belonged to one of my customers. As far as I know, there isn't another smith within… what, a thousand kilometers? Anyway, that doesn't matter. For a piece like this, you'll get a fair sum. The only thing it needs is a bit of sharpening to fix the nicks."
He seemed ready to say more, but Peter interrupted him.
"I'll gladly take the money. But I'm more interested in information, if you don't mind."
Peter watched the man's reaction. The blacksmith scratched his beard after setting the sword on the table, then replied in a negotiating tone.
"That depends on the kind of information you're looking for. If you're going to ask me whether there's a way out of this place, I've only got one answer: death. Just a warning."
"I'm aware of that,"
Peter said.
"I want to know more about the port. I've heard it exists, but that's all. Is there a chance a captain might agree to transport us — say, west along the coast?"
The blacksmith's reply was disappointing.
"Probably not. At least not very far. From what I hear, the sea is dangerous and hard to navigate. Storms, reefs, and currents make sailing nearly impossible. That's what they say, anyway. Want to know more?"
Peter hesitated, then decided it was pointless to ask further. The blacksmith had no reason to leave town and risk anything when he had a safe trade here. He was about to respond when Selene spoke for the first time.
"So what's the point of a port and ships if the sea can't be sailed?"
Before Peter could intervene, the blacksmith answered.
"Who knows what sailors have in their heads? All I know is they sometimes hunt weaker sea creatures for scales and bones, which can be forged into weapons. Some also travel east to deliver goods or people to a small settlement."
He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice.
"But be warned it's hard to find honest folk there. Most of them are smugglers, skirting the reach of the local lord."
Before Selene could ask another question — and potentially raise the price of information — Peter cut in, addressing the blacksmith.
"Hmm, okay. Good to know. For now, that's enough. So how much for the sword?"
The blacksmith answered almost instantly.
"I'll give you ten silvers and fifty coppers. That's after deducting the fee for the information, of course."
His tone was polite, but Peter immediately realized his mistake: he had no idea about the value of local currency. The price could be fair — or completely off.
'Ah… so I've probably just been cheated.'
Peter thought grimly, trying to find a way out of the situation. After a moment, an idea struck him.
"Do you have any armor in stock? Could I get something for the sword's price?"
The blacksmith effectively distracted from previous sentence considered for a moment, then replied in the voice of a seasoned craftsman.
"I've got a few leather armors for archers and throwers, a hybrid cloak-and-breastplate made from the scales of one of Ether's more troublesome beasts, and a few metal breastplates and helmets — but those are very expensive, given how rare metal is in these parts. Of course, there are relics as well. I've got a black cloak from that raven-like flying creature, a scale armor from some underwater monster, another cloak — this one from a griffon-like beast, made of gray feathers — a heavy armor from a stone golem, and several leather armors from those ever-present 'boar-wolves'."
"What you can afford depends on whether you want one piece or two. If one, the most expensive you could reach is the scale hybrid cloak-breastplate, or the golem armor. If two, you'll have to settle for cloaks or leather armor — I've got plenty, so they're cheaper. So, what'll it be?"
Without hesitation, Peter replied. No matter how good a single armor was, it would be useless if the blow landed on the one left unprotected.
"We'll take two. Can you show us?"
The blacksmith nodded and retreated deeper into the smithy. A moment later, he returned with two variants of leather armor, laying them on the table, then summoned out the cloaks and armors he had mentioned.
The 'wolf-boar' armors were nearly identical — whether crafted by hand or obtained after slaying the beasts. The most striking pieces were the raven cloak — recived from the same species as the bird that had accompanied Peter and Selene — the griffon cloak, and the light scale armor from the underwater creature.
another notable one was leather armor designed for archers was painted and reinforced with scales on the shoulders and forearms.
The blacksmith briefly explained the abilities tied to each relic, then gave them time to consider.
After a short discussion, Peter chose the raven cloak, while Selene selected the griffon cloak.
Peter suspected she had chosen more for appearance than practicality — the cloak certainly looked fine.
'Ah, women.'
After the deal was struck, Peter shook the blacksmith's hand and felt a faint surge of energy as the cloak changed ownership.
A moment later, Selene did the same.
"Pleasure doing business with you,"
the blacksmith said.
"And with you. Until next time,"
Peter replied — though he had no plans of meeting the man again. Together, he and Selene headed back to the tavern.
On the way, Peter checked the description of his new gear. After a quick look, he confirmed that the blacksmith had told the truth about the cloak's abilities. It had a passive ability that aided in remaining unnoticed, and an active one that reduced falling speed, allowing for jumps from greater heights.
Glancing at Selene, he saw that she had done the same and was clearly pleased with her purchase. If the cloak's abilities matched what the blacksmith had said, it granted faster reaction time, quicker movement, and the power to intimidate weaker foes.
When Selene noticed his gaze, she smiled and asked.
"So, what now? What's your next plan?"
Peter turned his eyes away and answered after a moment of silence.
"That's all for today. Tomorrow, we'll probably visit the barracks, buy some food for the road, and head toward the port."
'Let's hope the blacksmith was wrong about sea travel being impossible… because that would be a very big problem.'
Peter thought grimly to himself.