Inside the shop, Evaliza was told to pick out any clothes she desired. Although she initially refused, Keyzier, Donovan, and Novalia insisted until she agreed to choose outfits that suited her.
Feeling she had no other choice, Evaliza finally selected the clothes she wanted.
After satisfyingly stocking up on various types of clothing, ranging from casual wear, nightgowns, and party dresses to specialized travel gear. And then, Keyzier settled the entire bill for everything Evaliza had picked.
With that done, Party Noiver continued their journey, strolling through the district where countless shops displayed their wares.
Their next destination was a weapon shop.
They kept walking, scanning left and right to find a place that sold arms.
"There it is!" Donovan exclaimed. "Let's go inside!"
They entered the shop and took in the interior. The walls were lined with various gleaming swords, spears, and shields. However, their goal lay in the corner of the room, where rows of long-range weapons were displayed.
"Please, have a look around, young ones." greeted the shopkeeper, a middle-aged man with muscular arms and a thick leather apron. His eyes widened slightly upon seeing the party's composition, particularly the presence of an Elf among them.
Evaliza immediately stepped toward the rack displaying rows of bows. As a member of a race blessed by nature and known as master archers, her hands itched to feel the tension of a worthy bowstring.
She took a longbow from the wall, drew the string, then shook her head slowly. "Too stiff. The accuracy will be poor if the wood isn't flexible enough."
She picked up another, a composite recurve this time. "Too light. This wouldn't even pierce leather armor."
One by one, she tested the bows on the wall, and one by one, she placed them back with a look of disappointment.
Seeing the disappointment on his comrade's face, Keyzier stepped forward, approaching the shopkeeper who was wiping down a display case.
"Hey, Old Man. Do you have any other stock?" Keyzier asked bluntly without hesitation. He jutted his chin toward Evaliza. "You see that, right? She's an Elf. She knows exactly which weapon's soul resonates with her and which is just a crooked piece of wood."
The shopkeeper paused, staring sharply at Evaliza before turning his gaze back to Keyzier. He realized these were no amateur adventurers short on coin.
"Wait a moment." he said in a serious tone. "I have a few items in storage. These were crafted by a legendary Dwarf artisan using very rare special materials. But... they aren't cheap."
"Just bring them out. The price is a later concern!" Keyzier replied casually.
The man went into a tightly locked back room. A short while later, he returned carrying three long wooden boxes lined with velvet. He placed them on the counter and opened them one by one.
A faint magical aura immediately wafted out from the boxes.
Evaliza approached, her eyes instantly drawn to the last box. Inside lay a breathtakingly beautiful bow. Its wood was ivory white with natural golden fibers, adorned with intricate carvings that emitted a dim glow. The bowstring looked incredibly fine yet radiated terrifying power.
With a pounding heart, Evaliza lifted the bow.
As her fingers touched the grip, she felt a subtle vibration travel up her arm. It was as if the bow was greeting her. The weight was perfect, the balance extraordinary.
"That bow is named 'Evelyn'!" the shopkeeper explained with pride. "It is crafted from a naturally fallen branch of the World Tree, fused with a core of pure Mythril to increase its repulsion force. It is a masterpiece second to none in this world!"
Evaliza drew the string without an arrow. The pull was heavy yet smooth. She could imagine an arrow tearing through the wind at the speed of sound using the bow in her hands.
"This is... perfect." Evaliza whispered unconsciously. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Keyzier.
Keyzier smiled with satisfaction at her reaction. "Okay, we'll take this one. How much?"
The shopkeeper swallowed hard, hesitating for a moment before stating the fantastic figure. "The price for Evelyn is... 9.5 million Lyra, Sir. That is the fixed price."
Donovan and Novalia, standing in the back, nearly choked upon hearing the amount.
However, Keyzier didn't blink, completely unbothered by the number.
"Deal!" he said briefly.
Without thinking twice, Keyzier pulled a massive amount of money from his inventory.
Clink! Clink! Clink!
The sound of coins falling onto the counter rang out for several moments.
The shopkeeper's jaw dropped. His eyes nearly popped out seeing the pile of money before him. He had never seen someone pay this much in cash in a single transaction in his entire life as a weapons merchant.
After accepting the payment, the shopkeeper called two assistants to help him count all the money on the table.
It took nearly half an hour for the owner and his assistants to tally the coins.
"Done! The amount is exactly 9.5 million Lyra, Sir!" the owner exclaimed with a trembling voice but a beaming face.
He looked at Keyzier as if looking at a God of Fortune. The bow Evelyn had been a dusty display piece for years because its price was unreasonable for ordinary adventurers. He thought he would take it to his grave.
"Sir, because you are so generous," the owner said enthusiastically, "I will give you a bonus. These are 200 high-grade arrows. Please accept them as a token of my gratitude!"
Keyzier nodded happily. "Thanks, Old Man."
After Evaliza stored all the arrows in her magic bag, they walked toward the exit. Evaliza hugged her new bow tightly, as if afraid it would vanish if she let go. However, a look of guilt crossed her face.
"Key... thank you so much for this beautiful bow." Evaliza said softly as they walked to the door. "I apologize that you had to spend so much money just to buy this weapon for me. I feel..."
Keyzier stopped walking and turned to face Evaliza. His usually playful face now looked serious.
"What are you saying, Liza? Don't talk nonsense!"
Keyzier patted the Elf's shoulder. "If you have a great weapon, our party becomes stronger too! If it's for the strength of our party, even if it cost more than that, we would still buy it! Money can always be earned again, but the safety and strength of teammates is the priority!"
Hearing this, Novalia smiled proudly at their leader, while Donovan nodded in agreement. The weight on Evaliza's heart slowly lifted. She swore in her heart that she would use the bow Keyzier gave her to protect them all.
"Well, clothes and weapons are done!" Keyzier exclaimed, returning to his cheerful mode. "Time for the final agenda. We have to buy a house!"
He turned back toward the counter. "Old Man, do you know where they sell houses in this city?" Keyzier asked amicably.
The shopkeeper enthusiastically pointed to the north. "Keep going toward the Noble District, look for a building with the sign 'Verna Gold Property'. That is the best agency in the city!"
"Thank you very much for the information, Old Man!"
Keyzier turned around and pushed open the shop door. "Alright, guys! Let's go buy a house!"
With burning spirits, Party Noiver rushed toward the Noble District to purchase their new home.