Rise of the Living Forge

Chapter 198: Proper entertainment

Jake wasn’t at the Merchant’s Guild office when Arwin got there. Instead, he was greeted by a wooden sign.

“On break?” Arwin read, a frown crawling across his lips. It was the middle of the morning. Nobody took a break this early. Not a normal one, at least.

He glanced around the Merchant’s Guild to see if Jake just happened to be hiding somewhere, but as far as he could tell, the rickety building was empty. Arwin pursed his lips and headed back out onto the street.

If Jake wasn’t here, then he was probably out on business. Tracking him down would be impossible, so he’d probably have to wait until Jake swung by himself or check the office again later.

There was always the option of standing around and waiting for him to return, but there was just too much to do for him to waste that much time doing nothing. He had armor to craft, new skills to learn, and — if he was lucky — a dwarf to find.

And that’s not to mention all the work we’re about to get as more people discover us. The days of working in the corner of the market praying for a single sale are over. I need to make sure I can transition into a more exclusive smith and make custom order items for higher prices. That’s the only way I can sustain this without working day and night to meet demand — and it’ll be better for advancing my class than making a ton of crap that the Mesh doesn’t even acknowledge.

Lillia was going to have her own growing pains. She’d also have to find a way to continue making more money. The bigger they got, the more of it they needed. More people visiting the Devil’s Den meant more boons for her. It also meant more demand, and unless she really scaled up the quality of the inn, that wouldn’t translate to considerably more cash on its own. She just needed a way to either significantly expand the number of rooms the inn had or provide more services to the people that visited.

I’m sure she’ll figure something out. In a way, my own path is a lot more straight forward than hers. It’s not like she can just serve a single person a day and charge them an exorbitant amount like I plan to.

Arwin stepped out of the Merchant’s Guild and wandered down the streets of Milten. He half scanned for Jake on the way back, but he didn’t expect to be nearly lucky enough to just randomly run into him.

A part of him had been slightly worried that the previous day’s efforts would have ended up drawing too much attention to him, but fortunately, aside from a few glances, nobody in the city paid him much bother.

Everyone had their own work and there were a lot of adventurers that passed through the area. He definitely wasn’t the first person to walk by in heavy plate armor that day.

It struck Arwin that he was wandering down a dark street he didn’t quite recall. He was pretty sure he’d taken the same way back home that he normally did, but the alleyway he was walking down was definitely a lot darker than it should have been given the position of the sun above.

His eyes caught on a building nestled into the alleyway. It was rickety, made of rotting wood and weathered brick and topped by a slanted roof of misplaced shingles that were one strong wind from crumpling under their own weight.

The old door at its front had a cracked sign depicting a cauldron hanging just above it, swaying from a single chain, the other one having rusted and broken long ago. Arwin’s eyes lit up in recognition.

It was the store of the lonely old woman that had sold him the feather for Anna’s armor.

She probably hasn’t had a chance to speak to anyone recently. I didn’t think this was the alley it was in, but I was kind of distracted the last time I found it. This is pretty convenient. I never knew it was on the way. I suppose I should grab some feathers before I head back. I need to make the rest of Anna’s armor at some point. Hopefully she’s got some more.

Arwin pushed the door open and headed inside. He nearly stepped right into a large pile of daggers and broken weapons directly at the front of the store. Several of them were inlaid with massive gemstones and trimmed with gold.

He repressed the urge to shake his head in distaste.

Bunch of fancy pretend weapons. Who would want to walk around looking like the noble pricks and the adventurers that think looking pretty is more important than using worthwhile equipment?

I suppose some really nice artifacts do look like this, but anyone using one is probably just trying to look fancy. There aren’t a lot of incredible artifacts to go around. I’d take a normal, effective sword any day of the week. Or a hammer. Probably a hammer.

“Welcome to my humble abode. I have much within these old walls, adventurer,” an elderly voice said with a dry chortle. “Do you see something that calls to you? It can be yours. For a cost.”

Everything comes with a cost. We’re in a store.

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“Hello, Esmerelda,” Arwin said. “Have you been well? I just happened to stumble by your store again.”

Esmerelda stepped out from behind a tilted bookshelf, her chortle slamming to an abrupt halt as she saw him.

“Oh. It’s you.” Her voice shifted, losing the honey laden lilt and turning flat. She glanced down at the pile of weapons and a hint of optimism entered her expression. “Did you want—”

“I did,” Arwin said with a nod. “More feathers, that is.”

Esmerelda’s shoulders slumped and her eyes practically rolled into the back of her head as she turned to head deeper into the store. “Ah. Of course. More feathers. Are you crafting a pillow?”

Arwin chuckled and followed after her. He nearly walked straight into the hilt of a huge broadsword protruding from a shelf and ducked out of the way to avoid bringing half the shop down on top of himself.

“I’m using the feathers as crafting materials. The last one you gave me worked perfectly, but I need to make a few more things. I wasn’t actually planning on coming back this soon, but now that I’m here, I figured it couldn’t hurt.”

“I really need to modify that,” Esmerelda muttered under her breath as she started shuffling through a shelf in search of what Arwin hoped to be a feather.

“Modify what?” Arwin asked.

She glanced back at him, then shook her head. “What is it that you’re making with these feathers? Are you certain they’re the best material? Perhaps something more… exotic could be of use?”

Absolutely not.

“No, normal feathers. I don’t want anything else.”

“Of course you don’t,” Esmerelda grumbled. She pulled out a pair of white feathers and held them out. “Is this enough? I’m not a feather store, you know.”

“You do sell feathers, though.” A small grin pulled at the corners of Arwin’s lips as he accepted the feathers and gave her a gold in return. It was still definitely overpaying for them, but he really didn’t mind given how hard it had been to find them anywhere else.

Esmerelda just sighed and handed them over to him. “And you’re certain you don’t want anything else? Anything you desire could be at your fingertips.”

Poor lady probably doesn’t get much chance to talk to people with her shop being this far out. I guess she doesn’t want me to leave yet. I’m kind of busy today, though. I can’t just stand around doing nothing all day, but I suppose I could spare a few minutes.

“Well… is there something you recommend?” Arwin asked.

Esmerelda’s eyes lit up.

***

Fifteen minutes.

After a few centuries of life, that was how long it took the idiot adventurer to break Esmerelda.

She showed him rings of great princes. Powerful swords that had traveled from one great warrior to the next, leaving a path of death in their wake. She’d told him the stories of every legendary weapon in her shop.

The adventurer smiled and nodded along, asking every question that a buyer would — only to completely lose interest an instant later and ask her about what else she had.

Esmerelda’s fingers twitched at her sides and she fought to keep her teeth from grinding. There was one universal truth in this world.

Greed.

Everyone was greedy. Men stole from their brothers and killed their closest friends for power. They betrayed and killed and did all things vile, all in the name of greed. Not all forms of greed were the same, but in the end, it was the great unifier.

Some were greedy for wealth. Some for power, and some for fame. There were thousands of different ways to greed — and this adventurer seemed to have absolutely none of them. That was impossible. It went against the basis of her very power.

A pure person could not exist. And, if they somehow did, they most certainly did not just walk into her shop to mock her. Esmerelda went through some of the strongest artifacts she’d gathered. Weapons that she didn’t even have any plans of selling under any circumstances.

Not a single one of them caught the adventurer’s eye. He just smiled and nodded.

“That’s lovely,” the adventurer said. “It sounds like you have an incredible collection. I hope you find appropriate wielders for everything soon, but I’m a bit pressed for time today. Perhaps I can return another time if you want to talk more?”

Esmerelda’s eye twitched. She couldn’t help it. “Who are you?” Esmerelda demanded.

“Oh, did I forget to introduce myself the last time? I’m Ifrit.”

No, you didn’t forget. But there’s no way —

Esmerelda paused. Her eyes narrowed. A demon’s name. Was it possible he hadn’t been lying — or more accurately, had he been simply twisting the truth?

Ifrit was no demon. That much was certain. She’d have recognized one on the spot… but demons were descendants of devils. There hadn’t been a devil in the Kingdom of Lian in at least thirty years, but there were ways for them to break through.

A flicker of excitement passed through Esmerelda’s chest. That would explain everything. Devils had absolutely no interest in mortal weapons. It had been a long time since she’d last dealt with their ilk.

Their desires were rooted in chaos. Political power and war, not swords and knives. She swallowed. Devils were masters of disguise and subterfuge. It was possible Ifrit had come to seek her out.

Ifrit didn’t want her items. It wanted her powers. She could still remember the last time she’d worked with a devil — it had been some of the most fun she’d had that century. Esmerelda repressed the grin that threatened to erupt over her features.

The years I spent hiding in this miserable city must have rusted my mind, but they might be about to pay off.

“I wouldn’t seek to keep you here,” Esmerelda said, picking her words carefully. “But would you be in desire of any services? I am a uniquely capable woman.”

Ifrit glanced at her from under his helm. “Uh… that’s kind of you to offer, but I’ve got a girlfriend. Sorry.”

Esmeralda nearly slammed her fist through a shelf. There was no doubt about it now. No mortal was this idiotic. Ifrit was a devil, and he was testing her determination and ability.

“My apologies. That was not what I meant to insinuate. I was asking if you were seeking more than the objects I sell in this humble store. If there is something else you seek, I may be able to procure it.”

“Oh!” Ifrit’s eyes lit up. “Actually, that could be very useful. I’ve got a merchant I’m working with that desperately needs to get set up with a supplier. Could you help?”

Ah. There it is. No mere merchant, I suspect. This is what I have been seeking.

“I would be thrilled to see what I could do to help you,” Esmerelda said, interlacing her fingers. “Where will this meeting take place?”

“Perfect. I had no clue you were that connected. I guess today is a lucky one,” Ifrit said. “I’ll introduce you back at the Devil’s Den. It’s not too far from here.”

“Lead the way,” Esmerelda said with a hungry smile. It had been far too long since she’d had some proper entertainment.

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