Plus, one thing was clear to me after my run-in with the Ducalursus: You never knew what might happen.
I had plenty of coin to my name at present, so I felt like I ought to just go ahead and buy a nice sword if I could, but when I thought about Ralph’s surgery expenses, I started to waver. Maybe I should just buy a cheaper one after all? I thought.
I made it to the weapons shop before I’d made up my mind, so I decided to just take a look at what swords they had for sale and go from there.
I started by fishing through the bargain shed outside of the shop, which advertised “six silvers for every sword!” This was where I’d found my current sword, so I knew that it wasn’t exactly the place to look for a high-quality weapon.
I picked the best-looking sword from the pile and carried it into the store with me, just in case I wanted to buy it.
Inside, the variety and quality of swords for sale grew hugely. Some were displayed on racks and others were in glass cases. Some weren’t even displayed at all, but instead were simply listed on slips of paper at the store counter.
Of course, swords weren’t the only weapons for sale. There were spears, hammers, bows, staves, and all kinds of other weapons available. But since swords were the only weapon I could wield confidently, I didn’t even give the others so much as a glance.
As I looked over all the swords I could choose from, I decided to prioritize cost-effectiveness over sheer quality.
I took the swords from the racks one by one and tested them in my hand, then walked around the ones in the glass cases, trying to get a view of them from every angle.
I didn’t bother with the swords that were just listed on the slips of paper at the counter, since I knew they’d be way outside of my budget.
After about an hour of browsing and careful consideration, I narrowed my options down to three swords that had caught my attention: a thin steel sword that resembled a rapier, a magical iron sword with a cross-shaped hilt that was described as being effective against undead monsters, and a mithril sword with a bright red blade that had a dragon fang embedded in it. The first two came from the sword racks, and the last one was in a display case.
The cheapest of the lot was the thin steel sword, and the most expensive was unsurprisingly the dragon sword. The latter was probably the best value for the money, since it looked like it would last me a lifetime...but it was definitely stretching my budget.
It was hard not to just immediately buy it anyway, since it was the one that excited me the most, but I forced myself to consider the other two as well.
Both the steel sword and the iron one with the cross-shaped hilt were slightly discounted, since they were a little rusted.
After much deliberation, I finally landed on the thin steel sword.
Each of the three swords had its pros and cons, but when I thought about the many battles with stray cowbirds I had ahead of me, I decided that the steel sword would be my best bet.
A sword that was effective against undead monsters was an enticing proposition, but if I were fighting any other kind of monster, then it would basically just turn into a regular old iron sword with a cross-shaped hilt.
Iron swords were perfectly usable—if you squinted, you wouldn’t even notice the rust. But they required a lot of care and money to take care of, which made them an inconvenient choice. So, I decided that the magic sword was a no-go.
I was a little unsure about the thinness of the rapier sword, but its steel composition meant that it would probably last me a long time.
I’d gone back and forth a lot with the decision, but I ultimately purchased the thin, steel sword and its sheath for four gold coins. Then I bought an even cheaper set of leather armor.
After spending much longer at the weapons shop than I’d intended to, I finally left with my new purchases.
It had still been morning when I’d entered the shop, but the sun was now high in the sky. Feeling short on time, I hurried to the church.
I want to at least find out today if any of the new species I ingested will give me any benefits, I thought as I rushed through the church doors. I barely broke my stride as I went directly to the familiar room in the back.
“Hello there. Back for another ability assessment?” asked Father Graham.
“Yeah. I’ll be back again in a few hours after this one, so let’s please cut straight to the chase.”
“You will...?” Father Graham was used to my constant visits, but two in one day probably seemed like a bit much even for me. A confused look crossed his face, but he didn’t stop for long to dwell on the matter. “Well, all right. Let’s begin, then.”
I didn’t feel like explaining myself, so I ignored his confusion and simply handed him my adventurer’s card, along with a gold coin, before waiting quietly for the assessment.
“Thank you. Wait just a moment please... All right. All done.”
“Thanks. I’ll be back again in a bit.”
Saying nothing more, I left the church as quickly as I’d come.
I would have preferred to sit down and take my time looking over my updated stats, but I was in a hurry, so I checked them as I walked.
Chris
Class Affinity: farmer
HP: 12 (+21)