Darien expected some burly, sweaty guy swinging a hammer.
Instead, a middle-aged man with a beer belly, slicked-back hair, and a suit with leather shoes grinned at him.
"Huh? You look surprised, kid."
"Uh… nothing, sir. Just… didn't expect…" Darien trailed off, scratching his head.
"Haha, machines run the world now. Even us blacksmiths gotta keep up! Name's Sigmund Smith."
"Darien," he said.
"C'mon in, follow me!" Sigmund motioned, leading him into a decent-sized workshop.
Verity trailed quietly behind. Darien noticed she wasn't much of a talker.
Inside, the low hum of machinery filled the air. Only a few machines were running, shaping iron bars into sword blanks. In minutes, brand-new swords emerged—smooth, precise, almost mesmerizing.
Darien was hooked. Watching raw metal turn into a weapon so fast felt strangely satisfying, like one of those oddly calming video games.
Then he noticed something.
"You've got a lot of machines. Why aren't they all running?"
Sigmund chuckled. "No point. Orders are limited. Overproduce and your cash gets tied up. A few machines handle what we need. That's enough for quality work."
Darien caught two things immediately:
One, business wasn't booming.
Two, these swords looked damn good.
"So you're saying you can't sell your swords 'cause of all the cheap ones online?"
"Exactly. Easy to mass-produce, cheap as hell, all flash, no durability. People just want something that looks sharp."
Darien leaned in. "And the real ones?"
Sigmund's grin widened. "Mass-market stuff? Trash. Real swords exist… but—"
"Cut to it," Darien said. "I'm buying a real one. Show me. Price isn't an issue."
Sigmund's eyes lit up. "Follow me."
They stepped into his office. Swords lined the walls—some ornate, some plain. A massive desk sat in the center, cluttered but organized.
Sigmund grabbed a sword and a thick wooden beam. "Hold this, kid."
Darien took the wood.
Shing—
With a crisp slice, Sigmund cut the beam clean in half before Darien could blink.
"Whoa… that's sharp!"
"Haha, not bad, huh? Maybe I'm big, but I've got strength!" Sigmund chuckled.
Darien gave a thumbs-up, still impressed. "If your swords are this good, why isn't business booming?"
Sigmund shook his head. "Real swords cost real money—materials, labor. Decorative ones? Cheap, flashy, easy sell. Rich folks don't care—they want names, not quality from some no-name workshop like mine."
Darien nodded, understanding. High-quality swords, no reputation. Hard to sell.
"So… how much for this blade?"
Sigmund held it up. "A little over $300,000."
Darien took it.
Shing—
he drew the blade. Dark, plain, no frills, but it gleamed with a lethal edge.
"Over $300k? Worth it," Darien said.
Sharp, serious—perfect for testing against his guards' knight swords.
Sigmund shrugged. "Not expensive for you, maybe. But most folks? Two, three hundred online gets them something flashier. Performance? Doesn't matter. Modern world's no place to carry a real blade—police don't mess around. That's why I bought the machines: decorations sell. Real swords… not so much."
Darien realized the truth: sharper ≠ better.
Most people just wanted cheap, cool-looking stuff.
"That's rough," he muttered, pitying Sigmund.
Incredible swords, no buyers.
Flashy junk sells like hotcakes.
"I've been thinking of selling the whole shop," Sigmund added. "Machines, maybe everything. Thinking of a career change."
"Selling the shop?" Darien raised an eyebrow. Then he asked, curious: "Your sword here—machine-made? Aren't high-end blades supposed to be handmade?"
Sigmund chuckled. "Not wrong, not entirely right either. Handmade? Gorgeous for collectors, crazy prices. But for actual use? Machines beat 'em—especially with modern tech, composites. And don't think these are basic machines."
Darien nodded, catching on.
Art for collectors, machines for performance.
"Anyway, lad, don't mind me. You said you wanted some swords—decorative, functional, or both?" Sigmund leaned in, hoping to close a deal.
"I'm not in a rush. But… how much for the whole sword-processing setup?" Darien asked, curious.
---
🔍 Did you know?
- Historically, swords were handcrafted by master artisans, each blade unique. Today, modern technology allows blades to be produced by machines, combining traditional craftsmanship with efficiency and precision.
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