"Sir, can you make this?" Little John asked, handing over a blueprint.
"This..." The Blacksmith took the blueprint and studied it carefully. "I can make it. The dinsions are all clearly marked."
"For labor and materials, I’ll charge you 1 Gold Coin apiece," the Blacksmith said, setting down the blueprint.
"One Gold Coin? That’s so expensive!" Little John exclaid, stunned.
"We’re a small business. We usually just forge swords and spears," the Blacksmith said, talking a mile a minute. "No one’s ever made sothing like this before. We’ll have to do special research, and we’ll probably waste so materials making prototypes. That all adds to the cost. One Gold Coin is actually a great price."
"That may be so," Little John mumbled. ’I don’t know if what Shire gave is enough. If I have ten of these made, I’ll probably have to chip in my own money.’
’Forget it. Winter is still a ways off. Given how things are going, I can definitely save up enough. A little extra out of my own pocket is fine.’
Little John pushed the blueprint across the counter. "Sir, make ten of them."
"Alright, one mont." The Blacksmith turned and started rummaging around behind the counter. He returned a mont later with a piece of paper. "We’ll need to sign a contract. When do you need them by?"
"Can you have them ready by tomorrow?" Little John asked.
"Tomorrow, eh? That’ll cost you an extra 1 Gold Coin for a rush fee," the Blacksmith said with a smile.
"There’s a rush fee, too?" Little John’s brows furrowed.
"I have orders from other custors to finish. You have to wait your turn, you know," the Blacksmith said with a brilliant smile. "If you’re really in that much of a hurry, you can always try another shop."
"Fine, I’ll pay the rush fee," Little John sighed in frustration. ’I’m already shelling out 10 Gold Coins, what’s one more? Besides, there are only a few Blacksmith Shops in Yangjiao Town, and the others aren’t likely to be any better.’
"Then just wait a mont while I draw up the contract." With that, the Blacksmith began to write a long list of terms on the paper.
In less than a minute, the Blacksmith had finished writing. "Have a look."
Little John took the contract and reviewed its contents.
It was the lowest-grade contract form issued by the tax departnt. The paper was shoddy, the printing was subpar, and Little John was pretty sure it was the twin brother of toilet paper.
"’Made according to blueprint, fee of 10 Gold Coins, rush fee of 1 Gold Coin...’" Little John read through the items. "A deposit of 8 Gold Coins? Is such a large deposit really necessary?"
"You know as well as I do that no one’s ever made this design before. If you don’t co back to pick them up, we’ll have wasted all those materials for nothing," the Blacksmith said, spreading his hands.
"Alright, fine." Little John felt he had no other choice and signed his na at the bottom of the contract.
"So, how will you be paying?" the Blacksmith asked.
"I’ll pay you after I sell this stuff," Little John said, lifting a bundle from the floor and placing it on the counter.
"A piece of Leather Armor... this worn? Not worth much." The Blacksmith began pulling items from the bundle.
"A pair of gauntlets, and so greaves."
"A few belts, and... so Iron Armor." The Blacksmith looked at Little John. "This stuff is all damaged. The best I can do is 5 Gold Coins."
"Five Gold Coins?" Little John cried out. ’At that price, even if I throw in all the money I’ve earned, it won’t be enough!’ "These pieces can still be used with a few repairs! How about 10 Gold Coins?"
"No. Look, these pieces are all warped. There’s definitely internal damage. To repair them, I’d probably have to lt them down and reforge them completely. That’s no different from making them from scratch." The Blacksmith gestured at Little John’s goods, pointing out flaws.
"That price..." Little John hesitated. ’I didn’t expect this to be so expensive.’ As he was wondering what to do, he stepped on sothing on the floor with a CLANG.
"Oh, right. There are also these two Great Swords." He picked them up from the side, where he’d set them down a little ways away.
"Add these two swords to the pile," he said, placing them on the counter.
"Oh, these two swords..." The Blacksmith smiled as he picked up a Great Sword. ’What can I say to lowball him on these?’
"This sword..." He bent his head, examining it for a long mont. Then he looked up and stared at Little John for a few seconds. Suddenly, as if rembering sothing, he froze and took a step back.
"This is a fine sword! Very valuable!" the Blacksmith exclaid.
"It’s about the sa quality as the rest of the stuff," Little John said, puzzled. ’This whole scene feels a little familiar.’
"My mistake, I misjudged earlier! The rest of your items are quite good as well," the Blacksmith said with a fawning chuckle.
"Sir, just say what you an," Little John said, letting out a breath as he began to draw his longsword from its sheath.
"Don’t draw it, please don’t draw it!" The Blacksmith reached out and pressed down on Little John’s hand. "It’s just... I didn’t recognize you before, sir."
"And now?" Little John asked, sheathing his sword.
"Seeing these two Great Swords sobered right up," the Blacksmith said, his face a mask of misery. "This one is Gunter’s Great Sword, and this one is Grant’s. I’ve never seen a new Adventurer as... fearso as you."
"Is that so?" Little John picked up a Great Sword to examine it. One of them did indeed look like the one Gunter used, while the other had a hilt with many exotic features.
"They were both Reapers, and regular custors of mine. And this is the first ti I’ve seen soone sell off the sa Reaper’s gear twice in a row." The Blacksmith’s face fell completely. "I’ve never t an Adventurer as brutal as you."
"Uh, sir, they were actually killed by—"
"Goblins. I know the rules," the Blacksmith nodded, then imdiately rushed behind the counter, pulled out another sheet of paper, and started writing furiously. SWISH, SWISH.
"Please take a look, sir. This is the new contract," he said, offering the paper with both hands.
Little John didn’t feel the need to point anything out. He calmly accepted the contract. This paper was clearly of a much higher quality than the previous "toilet paper"—it was smooth, white, and felt supple in his hands.
"Free of charge? And no rush fee?" Little John raised an eyebrow and looked at the Blacksmith.
"Yes, yes, of course! They’re just small trinkets, hardly any work at all," the Blacksmith said with a servile smile, clasping his hands together and nodding. "And for all this gear... I’ll buy it from you for 15 Gold Coins. How does that sound?"
"But I thought there was internal damage?" Little John remarked.
"A little internal damage is no problem at all! A quick patch job to cover it up, and those idiot rookies will never be able to tell," the Blacksmith said, bowing and scraping. "Why weren’t you wearing the Leather Armor I rented you? I didn’t even recognize you!"
"Oh, it’s in my pack," Little John said calmly as he prepared to sign the contract.
"Let go!" A clamor from outside drifted into the shop. Little John turned his head to see several n in guardsn’s uniforms hustling soone across the street.
"That’s soone who was privately selling a Beast Core," the Blacksmith comnted.
"A Beast Core?" Little John asked.
"That’s right. He ca into my shop earlier asking if I’d buy a Low Level Beast Core. His squad probably killed a Low Level Magical Beast and got its core. You can only sell those things to the Adventurer Association; they’re strictly controlled by the Kingdom. He probably thought the official price was too low, but didn’t know how to unload it on the Black Market, so he went around asking. Now it looks like he’s been found out."
"What are they used for that makes them so strictly controlled?" Little John only knew that Beast Cores were valuable, not what they actually did.
"I’m not sure myself. All I know is that if you’re caught trading them privately, you’ll be sent to the mines." The Blacksmith put away the signed contract. "Well then, I’ll be waiting for you to pick up your order tomorrow."
Little John nodded, took his money and his belongings, and turned to leave the Blacksmith Shop.
"Look, sis. Check out this Great Sword," a voice said as two female Adventurers walked into the shop.
"What kind of weapons and armor can I help you ladies with? My humble shop has it all," the Blacksmith said, his business smile instantly snapping back into place.
"Isn’t this sword..." Luna began, picking up the Great Sword from the counter.
"That’s a fine sword! Superior materials, exquisite craftsmanship," the Blacksmith said with a smile.
"Three Gold Coins, was it?" Luna said, setting the Great Sword down and slowly drawing the Short Sword at her waist.
"Yes, yes, that price... hmm?" The Blacksmith started to say it was a good price, but a disturbing mory suddenly flooded his mind.
’I feel like I’ve seen this scene sowhere before.’
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