Volume 1 Chapter 9 I Went To The Weapon Shop, But...
When I opened the door of the shop, it made a really loud creaking sound. It was so annoying that I frowned and quickly closed the door behind me. As I stepped into the store...
--A hammer came flying towards me!
"Whoaaa!?"
I instinctively dodged and the hammer hit the door behind me. It went right through the wooden door and flew out onto the street.
Feeling my heart pounding, I leaned against the door and sat down, trying to calm myself.
"Huh? It's not those guys from earlier?"
The one who casually said that was an old man with a scruffy beard, still in the throwing position.
"So, is it customary for this shop to throw hammers at customers as a way of welcoming them...?"
"I don't think so. I thought it was those scoundrels from earlier, so I reflexively threw the hammer. Hahaha."
The old man laughed heartily. His light-hearted attitude made it hard to believe he was just a step away from killing someone.
"I can't help but laugh. I'm so sorry."
The old man trotted over and held out his hand.
"You suddenly frozen. Are you hurt?"
"Miraculously..."
The old man's hand that I held back was rough, and I could tell by looking at the thick arm that extended from it that he was showing his age.
When I stood up with the help of the old man, he looked a little impressed.
"Hmm, you've really trained your hands. The way you dodged earlier was also a good move."
I was kind of complimented. So, I don't feel bad.
"Then, why were you so upset earlier?"
"Why? Did you see it?"
"Even if I didn't want to, it was hard to miss. And you're shouting like that too."
"...I hate to admit it, but you're quite the odd one to step foot in this shop after witnessing that scene."
"I already started regretting it as soon as the hammer came flying."
"No wonder, hahaha!"
The old man burst into laughter once again.
"Anyway, they are a complete amateur who's never hunted a single monster, trying to lay hands on an inappropriate weapon. When I called them out on it, they suddenly started yelling. I was so angry that I ended up knocking them down."
"But if expensive weapons sell well, your shop must be making a profit, right?"
"Still, it's infuriating to think of my crafted weapons being used by fools. I won't sell weapons to people like that!"
"...You seem to be bad at doing business, old man."
It's fatal to ruin a profitable story with his own hands.
"To be honest, I'm running this shop as if it's just a hobby! Making a profit is just like earning pocket money!"
This old man is really speaking his mind.
...Could it be that this old man is incredibly rich?
--But then, the shop seems quite run-down.
"The shop's condition is none of your business."
Oh, it seems like it just slipped out of my mouth.
"By the way, what did you come here for?"
"I came to buy weapons, obviously."
"...Yeah, that makes sense."
I told the old man that I came to buy weapons as I was asked to do so by my village.
"What? Is not a weapon for yourself?"
Somehow, it seemed like the old man took a liking to me. He said it with a very disappointed look.
He quickly changed the subject and asked while stroking his beard.
"Well, alright then. Tell me about the characteristics of the monsters your village mainly deal with and your budget. I'll pick out something suitable."
It looks like I'll be able to buy weapons without upsetting him. I told him the details as he asked, and the old man said, "Wait a moment," and disappeared into the back of the shop.
Meanwhile, I decided to take a look at the selection of items in the shop.
While there was a weapons shop in my village, it mainly focused on daily necessities and only dealt with weapons as a side business. So, seeing all these weapons lined up here was quite a fresh sight.
First off, I glanced at the shelf where the spears were lined up.
Most of the guys in the village used swords, but I was more of a spear person. I mean, I could use a sword if I had to, but spears just felt more natural to me.
In my village, or I guess in this country, there's this tradition that says "when it comes to weapons, it's all about swords." It's because the legend of Brave is deeply rooted here.
Speaking of Brave's weapon, it's the Holy Sword. In other words, a sword. So, everyone wants to be like Brave and use swords.
But if you ask me, you should just use whatever weapon feels comfortable to you. I mean, sure, it's one way to decide based on what looks cool, but I'm more about practicality than appearances.
I may sound like I have a strong passion for spears, but that's not really the case. I just think that if I were to use a weapon, it would be a spear. Still, I can't claim to be an expert on spears or anything like that.
Actually, right in front of me, there are several spears lined up on the shelf, but I can't tell if they're good quality or not. I just vaguely think, "Hmm, they seem better than the ones in the village." Still, my heart is slightly drawn to them.
Unfortunately, all the spears on the shelf are too expensive for me right now. I could buy one if I push myself, but this money is important for spending time with a pretty big sister. I can't just loosen the strings of my wallet easily.
Just looking at them like this only stirs up my desire to buy one. If that's the case, maybe I should look at other weapons too. As I moved my gaze, something caught my eye unexpectedly.
In the corner of the shelf, there was one spear.
Spears are primarily weapons for thrusting, but this one had a wider and longer blade than the other spears. It had a shape that allowed for both stabbing and slashing.
What caught my attention was that while the surrounding weapons looked brand new, this spear seemed oddly old. It didn't appear to be rusted or anything...
"Apologies for the wait. I've found just the right one that suits your request."
The old man said as he approached with a sheathed sword, making a clattering noise from the back of the store. I shifted my gaze away from the spear.
"Look, here it is. It may not have any decorations, but it prioritizes practicality. I guarantee its sharpness and durability. If you're hunting casually, this should be just right."
I received a sword from the old man. I pulled it out slightly from its sheath.
Even an amateur like me could tell that it was a much better sword than any other sword in the village.
However, when I put it back in the sheath and looked at the whole thing, it looked incredibly rough. It was like everyone's mental image of a "sword" had materialized into the simplest form.
"Well, if you're a mercenary or a noble who values appearances, it might matter. But for villagers, decorations are just extra maintenance and hardly have any meaning."
"That's true."
I took out the payment for the sword from my pocket and handed it to the old man. He counted the money and put it in his pocket, saying, "Thank you, as always."
All that's left is to find a traveling merchant heading towards the village and hand over the sword along with the fee. Then, my request will be fulfilled.
Traveling merchants who wander from village to village often take on tasks such as delivering letters and carrying goods.
For regular people who don't have special transportation means, Traveling merchants were a big means to deliver goods to faraway places.
Since I plan to stay in the royal capital for a while, it will be some time before I return to the village. It is natural to ask the Traveling merchants for help.
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