Childhood Friend - Sword
“Hey, mister. Long time no see.”
Hans exchanged light pleasantries with the merchant leader before getting to the point.
“These friends of mine want to go to Nebis. Do you have a route that goes there?”
“We don't go directly to Nebis, but we go partway there. I can introduce you to another merchant caravan heading to Nebis from there.”
Leo nodded at the merchant leader’s words.
As if calculating something, the merchant leader rubbed his thumb against his middle finger and began to speak.
“It’ll cost five silver coins for the two of you to ride in the carriage. It's a two-week journey. I have to take out a lot of goods to make space for you two. And as for food…”
Detailed negotiations followed.
In the end, it was decided that both Lena and Leo would ride in the carriage, but only Lena would be able to sleep inside at night. Fortunately, they were able to get a discount because they would stop at a village along the way to trade for two days.
Leo argued that they could find another caravan there and it was a waste to lose two days. The merchant leader hesitated a little, but Hans helped out, and he finally agreed.
After paying and arranging the departure time and place, they had the rest of the day free.
Lena and Leo said their final goodbyes to the young men from the village who were about to return after selling all their goods, and thanked Hans for his help.
Lena saw Hans in a new light.
She thought he was a good-for-nothing, but he was doing something in the big village, building connections. Perhaps, someday, he might even play a role in connecting Demos Village to the larger towns.
Feeling apologetic for misunderstanding him, she expressed her gratitude to Hans, and he just laughed it off, saying, “Hahaha. It’s nothing. Take care.”
After the young men from the village left, Lena and Leo bought some snacks and leisurely looked around the marketplace. It was Lena's first time at a marketplace, and she was amazed by everything.
She squealed and ran around excitedly, and it was only when the sun began to set that the two returned to their lodgings.
* * *
The next morning, Leo woke up at the crack of dawn and rushed out without even washing his face. He had forgotten something important yesterday while playing with Lena.
He asked the villagers for directions to the only blacksmith in the village, and found a bald blacksmith lighting a fire in the forge.
“You want to see a sword?”
“Yes. Do you have any cheap two-handed swords?”
The blacksmith scoffed at his question.
“You must be mistaken about something. I don't make those kinds of weapons unless the lord requests them.”
“What?”
“What do you mean ‘what’? I only make them if they're going to be sold. Why would I make something that takes so much expensive iron? If you really need a sword, you should go to the city.”
Leo was taken aback. He had assumed that the blacksmith would have swords hanging all over the place.
In this world, swords were like guns in modern society, and they weren’t something you could just make and sell.
Moreover, swords, like guns, were not weapons that just anyone could carry. Two-handed swords, in particular, were very unfriendly to beginners, so a club would be much better for self-defense.
Leo, unable to let go of the idea, asked,
“Then, don’t you have any other weapons?”
“What, like a hunting knife? Or a kitchen knife. Ah! I think I have a javelin.”
“...I understand.”
As Leo turned around in disappointment, the blacksmith added a few words of advice.
“And swords are banned from being taken out of the city, so you can’t buy one without a permit. You might be able to buy and sell them secretly in the city, but then it wouldn't be cheap.”
“Is that so… Thank you for letting me know.”
Leo trudged back to the lodgings.
He had learned swordsmanship in the previous scenario and even inherited {Swordsmanship} as a scenario reward, but it was difficult to actually get a sword.
‘Come on, if it's a game, isn't it normal to start with a weapon?’
Grumbling to himself, he flung open the door without thinking.
Lena was in the room, drying herself with a towel. Leo, seeing her naked, jumped back in surprise, and she screamed.
“Eek! Leo! Close the door!”
“Ah! I-I’m sorry.”
Leo hurriedly closed the door and ran away.
After a moment of restless waiting, Lena came down, looking embarrassed.
Leo apologized profusely.
“I’m really sorry. I didn't mean to do that. I should have knocked…”
“...It's okay. It’s my fault for not locking the door. I'm not used to locking doors…”
Both of their faces were flushed red as they ate breakfast, and they walked awkwardly apart on their way to the meeting point for the caravan.
When they arrived, they saw more than fifty people gathered. The merchants were busy loading their luggage to make the departure time, and about twenty mercenaries were leisurely checking their equipment.
The merchant leader approached and pointed out the carriage Lena and Leo would be riding in.
“This is the one you two will be using. I've cleared out enough space for one person to sleep in. It should be big enough for the two of you to sit in.”
The carriage was full of luggage, but the front was spacious. The roof of the carriage was covered with thick leather, making it suitable for sleeping.
“It might be a bit cramped for the two of you to lie down in there. Unless you two get close, hahaha!”
The merchant leader cracked a dirty joke and walked away. Lena's face turned crimson again, and Leo coughed awkwardly, pretending not to hear.
Soon, more than ten carriages set off one after another. A coachman and one or two mercenaries were in the driver's seat of each carriage. Several mercenaries rode horses, escorting the caravan front and back.
Lena and Leo sat side by side in the back of the carriage, but they both turned their heads away from each other, maintaining an awkward silence.
The moving carriage was more uncomfortable than expected.
It jolted violently at times, and with the sides and ceiling closed off, there was nothing to see.
So, the two had no choice but to sit facing backwards, but the problem was the carriage following behind them.
In that carriage were the coachman and two mercenaries, and they, too, had nothing to do but stare ahead, which made Lena and Leo feel self-conscious.
And they had to travel like this for a whole week.