Jake stopped by the coop, only to find one of the children of the farmhands already taking care of the chickens.
The hens still clucked like they missed him, but Jacob gave them a small wave and turned back toward the road. It felt strange, not having a task waiting for him.
'I guess this is what freedom feels like. A little quiet and a bit awkward . . . it's different from Earth, where all I had was free time . . .'
He walked through the village paths with his coin pouch tucked tight against his side. It was just a few silvers, but it was the first time he would spend money on himself.
The square was quieter in the morning. A few vendors were just setting up. Some were sweeping stalls or adjusting price boards, while others waved casually to those passing by.
Jacob took his time to peruse the wares available to him.
He found a sturdy tunic made of reinforced cotton and a pair of thick canvas trousers stitched with extra panels at the knees. A third vendor offered him a vest made of coarse wool with leather straps on the sides, a good balance of comfort and durability. They weren't fancy, but they were built to last.
He bartered down the price on the vest and paid in silver, making sure to count out the change in coppers that the vendor gave back to him carefully. The vendor gave him a nod of respect for doing it properly.
After getting a few more things to enchant and loading the clothes into a sack, Jacob made his way to the blacksmith.
The old forge at the edge of the square was already running. Heat rolled out from the open doors, and the clinking of metal rang out in slow, practiced rhythms.
Jacob didn't go to the front counter. Instead, he walked around the side where the older tools and finished goods were kept.
Most of the items here were basics like hoes, spades, and nails by the handful. But leaning against a beam in the corner was a simple iron sword. No polish, no frills, just a straight blade with a wood-wrapped grip sporting a plain crossguard. Below it sat a dagger in a cracked sheath.
"That one's been here a while," came a voice from inside.
The smith stepped out, wiping his hands on a thick cloth. His apron was worn, and his arms were thick from years of work.
Jacob nodded toward the sword. "Is it still good?"
The man grunted. "It'll hold an edge. Nothing fancy, but it won't snap unless you're trying to chop a boulder. I don't make cheap garbage, even if it takes a few years to sell the damned things. Have to make them so I won't forget."
Jacob looked the blade over again, then reached into his pouch.
"How much do you want for it?"
"Now why," the smith replied, "would a little runt like you need a sword?"
Jake grinned. "I am going to enchant it with magic."
This startled the smith a bit, but then a light came on in his head.
"Ah, I see. Arthur's son, eh?
Jacob nodded in response.
"Then I suppose I should offer you a good deal. No one grows crops like your old man anymore."
The smith named a fair price for each piece, and Jacob didn't haggle. He paid in full and slid both the sword and dagger into his pack.
"Take care of them," the man said, heading back inside.
"I will," Jacob replied, making his way back home.
With the sun climbing higher and the village coming to life, Jacob made his way back toward the barn. The clothes he picked out were plain but serviceable. And, soon, they would also be magical.
Back at the barn, he set the sack of clothes on the workbench, laid out the sword and dagger, and cracked his knuckles.
'Let's see what I can really do.'
By lunch, Jake had a sack of enchanted clothes ready for the market in Thornhold City.
He stepped into the house, stopping by his room to drop his newly enchanted clothes off, just as May was setting the table.
Caleb raised an eyebrow as Jake walked into the dining room. "You're back early."
"I was enchanting in the barn and got hungry," Jake said, setting his sack near the door.
May smiled as she ladled stew into bowls. "I am just glad you're joining us, sweetie."
They ate in easy silence. The stew was hot, thick with beans and carrots, and the bread still warm from the oven. Jake ate like he hadn't stopped moving all morning. He wasn't sure if it was the work or the feeling of starting something on his own, but everything tasted better than usual.
After lunch, May collected the dishes, and Caleb headed out to the fields.
Arthur and Jake stepped outside together, walking side by side down the path toward the barn.
Jake glanced at his father. "Do you know another good rune for a weapon?"
Arthur slowed a little, thinking. "You already used strength and lightness on the plough. Those work well for tools. For weapons, sharpness is a common one, but it's tricky to balance."
Jake nodded. "I was thinking of something that helps with precision. Like making it easier to hit what you aim for."
Arthur rubbed his jaw. "That'd be a targeting rune, or something close. I'll draw out the old mark for it when we get back to the barn. But be careful with that one. If it's off by even a little, it can throw the aim instead of guiding it."
Jake looked down at his pack of gear, already imagining where the rune would go on the sword.
"Got it. I just want to be ready if someone in Thornhold asks for more than just clean jackets."
Arthur chuckled. "They will. We haven't talked much about outside the village, but there are a couple of dungeons in the wilderness past Thornhold. Magical constructs that spawn monsters. People around there are always looking for something good to kill them with."
He stopped for a second before continuing.
"Remind me to take you by the village elder later today, we need to get you a medallion of identification. It's for when you travel outside the village alone, and it is especially useful for getting into Thornhold. The rules are much stricter over there, but the medallion protects you. It turns the law into your shield, and the guards are the enforcers of that law."
"Hmm," Jake began in his reply, "is there something special about Ruvka that we are protected in Thornhold?"
Arthur chuckled a bit. "The farmers are protected by royal decree. They can't afford for us to be robbed or shaken down every time we visit a city, so we are a protected class in every major city in our little kingdom."
Jake thought to himself.
'Wow, that really will be useful.'
And the barn doors opened up as Jake was coming out of his own thoughts.