"I know it's pricey, but that's the lowest price I can give."
I look at the man and shake my head. How can this be pricey? This is actually a bargain. You cannot find a sword with a quality like this in the capital, and it only costs five hundred centimes.
"Mister, are you the owner of the shop? May I know where do you get these swords?"
The man put on display the swords in his hand before he answered me. "I was the one who forged it. Is there something wrong with my sword? I know its quality is not that great, but I still have higher quality swords inside. However, it cost triple the price. I didn't put it on display because no one can even afford to buy it."
I look at the swords on display. He's telling me that he also sells higher quality weapons than this? And it's also at a bargain price?
"Mister, can I see those higher quality swords, and do you also sell armors?"
The man looks at me as if testing if I'm telling the truth. "Are you serious, Lady? Do you really want to see it? It's the first someone wants to see it since I open up my store. Let me remind you one more time, the price of the high quality weapons is three thousand centimes. Do you really want to see it?"
I nod my head. "I really want to see it. May I?"
The man's eyes sparkled when he heard what I said. He then opens a door and gestures his hand inside. "Please, come in. I have everything you need. Swords, spears, shields, armors, and everything else. You can find it here."
I walk inside the room, and my eyes widen when I see the weapons inside. He is saying the truth. He has everything we need here.
I inspect the sword that is nearest to me, and my eyes widen when I see the quality of it. This can be compared to the high quality swords of the Stozeterra Kingdom.
Where does this man come from?
"Mister, I have a deal with you. Will you be willing to deal with me?"
The man frowned at me. "What deal?"
I smile reassuringly at him. I think I know how I can help the western region.
________________________________
"Dame Csille? What are you doing here? Does Doctor Pascal knows you'll be visiting the isolation area?"
I look at Doctor Alena and smile at her. "No, I was just checking the area. Is everything okay here? Where's Brother Pascal?"
"Everything's okay here. We've been giving cures to all infected patients. Some feel better now. They will just need to complete the isolation period before they can leave here." Doctor Alena frowns. "Dame Csille, are you allowed to check the area? As far as I know, no one is allowed to visit the area unless they are staying here."
I shake my head. "Don't worry, Doctor Alena. Brother Pascal made sure that I took the cure, so I am now immune to the illness the same way you do." I look around. "Doctor Alena, is Brother Pascal currently busy? I just need to talk to him about something important."
Doctor Alena looks inside them and sighs. "He is currently busy treating the patients with severe symptoms. Actually, I'm worried about your Brother. He's been overworking himself for days now. I tried to convince him to take a break, but he won't listen to anyone."
I sigh in disappointment. It's been a week now since we arrived in the western region, and it's been days since I spoke to the owner of the weaponry store.
I've been wanting to talk to Brother Pascal about this, but because he is busy treating the patients, I haven't gotten the chance to speak to him. I still need to discuss this with Brother Pascal first.
"Can I speak to him then? Maybe I can convince him to rest. I also need to discuss something important to him."
Doctor Alena hesitated for a moment before I heard her sigh. "I have been actually wanting to invite you here to talk to him. However, I know Doctor Pascal wouldn't like to bother you with your work. He knows you're busy helping the people."
Brother Pascal is really a thoughtful person and at the same time, a stubborn one. Like how Csille is. The two of them are really blood related.
Doctor Alena showed me to the area where patients with severe symptoms stay. I immediately see Brother Pascal talking to one of the patients. He seemed too preoccupied with what he was doing that he didn't notice our arrival.
"There he is. He's been here for hours now. He hasn't even eaten his breakfast. Everyone is worried about him, but no one can convince him to take a rest or to eat his meal."
I sigh. Brother Pascal always gets mad at me for not taking care of myself properly but look who is neglecting himself?
"Brother Pascal."
Brother Pascal immediately looks at me. He then frowns. "What are you doing here, Csille? Haven't I told you not to come here?"
He immediately drags me out of the severe infected area. "Do you know how infectious the illness is? What if you got infected? How can I explain it to Aunt and Uncle if that happens."
Brother Pascal calls the carriage I've used and immediately asks the coachman to bring us home.
I look at Brother Pascal, and I can see how exhausted he is. It seems like he doesn't even sleep properly. He also looks thinner than the last time I saw him.
"Brother, are you taking care of yourself? I heard from Doctor Alena that you don't even rest. I thought a Doctor needed a healthy body to fight against this infectious illness? But why are you not taking care of yourself? Everyone is worried about you already. Even I was worried. Please, take care of yourself, Brother."
Brother Pascal looked at me before he sighed. "I apologize. I couldn't help it. I am a Doctor, Csille and I oath to save people."
"Yes, Doctors exist to treat people. However, before saving someone else, shouldn't you save yourself first?"
I heard Brother Pascal sigh. "I'm sorry. I'll try not to do that again."
"Brother, I'm not asking you not to do your job. All I am asking you is to take a break if you're tired. Eat if it's mealtime and have a complete sleep. If this continues, I'm afraid I'll find you as one of the patients in the isolation area."
Brother Pascal gently caresses my head. "Okay, okay. I will follow what you said. However, you should do that too. Are you eating on time?"
I nod my head. "Of course, I am. You can ask Mairenn if you want to."
He nods his head in satisfaction. "By the way, what are you doing in the isolation area? Is everything okay?"
The moment the isolation area was opened, Brother Pascal and a number of Doctors and Nurses stayed there. It is to isolate the infectious disease.
"No, I just want to talk to you about something important."
Brother Pascal frowns. "Something important?"
I nod my head vigorously. "Brother, a few days ago, I met a person who sells weapons. He sells high quality weapons that can be comparable to weapons forged by the Stozeterra. But he only sells it at a bargain price."
"Bargain price?"
I nod my head excitedly. "Yes, yes. Brother, can you remember the sword my Father bought in the Stozeterra Kingdom? He said it's one of the highest grade of sword that you can buy in the Stozeterra, right? And it cost a hundred thousand centimes, right? You can find the same quality sword in his story. And do you know how much he sells it?"
"How much?"
I show him my three fingers. "Three thousand centimes only. Isn't that a steal? You cannot buy a sword that is high quality with that money."
Brother Pascal frowns. "Where does he get his weapons? Is it smuggled?"
I shake my head. "I don't think so, Brother. If it's smuggled, do you think he can sell it at that price? You know the Stozeterra Kingdom doesn't sell weapons at a low price. It's impossible. He is the one who forged everything. Brother, you cannot believe what I have seen in his store. Everything that can be used for war is there. He even showed me his working place. I have seen it with my own eyes. He is the one who forged those weapons."
"If he is the one? How come we haven't heard anything about this? If this reaches his majesty, it will surely help the Vrawyth Kingdom. We don't need to buy weapons to the Stozeterra Kingdom. But the problem is, where does this man come from? I know there are people who forged weapons too, but no one can create weapons that can be compared to the weapons forged by Stozeterra. Can you bring me to this person? I want to meet him. We cannot fully trust this person, Csille."
I look at Brother Pascal. I am also doubtful of the man's identity, but I don't think he is a threat though. I hope not.
I ask the coachman to go to where the weaponry market is. A moment after, we stopped in front of the store.
Brother Pascal scans the front of the store before he goes inside. There is no one inside the store. The man is probably in his working place.
"It's true. This is a high quality weapon. Is this the weapon you are talking about? Although it cannot be compared to what Uncle bought in the Stozeterra Kingdom, it is still a high quality sword. Buying this for three thousand is really a steal."
I look at Brother Pascal and the sword in his hand. Buying it for three thousand? But it's only five hundred centimes.
"That's not what I'm talking about, and that is five hundred centimes only. The real thing is in that room," I point my finger to the room where the man shows me his highest quality weapons.
I walk to the counter and ring the bell that is on the counter. A moment after, a man came rushing from the room. He smiles at Brother Pascal, and his smile freezes when he sees me.
"Lady? You have returned? I thought you were bluffing the last time. Do you really want to hire me?"
I smile at him. "Apologies if I haven't visited for days, my Brother was still busy with his work, and I've waited for his schedule to clear up first. We're here to talk about our deal."
The man's eyes sparkle. "Lady, come inside. Let's talk about this inside."
He closes the door of his shop before he leads us inside the room. However, unlike the last time when he opened a door connected to a house. It's only a small house.
"Please, make yourself comfortable. Do you want some tea?"
Brother Pascal and I both sit on the sofa. Brother Pascal shakes his head. "Thank you for the offer, but we just had our tea. You don't need to give us anything. I will be frank here. I want to know where are you from? No one in the Vrawyth Kingdom can forge weapons like this."
The man sighs before he sits on the chair in front of us. "I know you'll question my identity. But you shouldn't worry. I am not a spy. My great great grandfather was once the headmaster of forging in the Stozeterra Kingdom. However, someone was jealous of his talent that they framed him for being a spy. The King ordered for his execution, but he fled to the Vrawyth Kingdom as a refugee. He then lived his life as a simple person, but he also to pass his knowledge in forging to his sons."
I frown. Head master of forging who was labeled as a spy? "Is your great great grandfather, Ros Henness?"
The man's eyes widen. "You know him?"
Brother Pascal and I look at each other. We both know that name. How can we forget the name of the person who saves our great great grandfather?
"He's the savior of our great great grandfather. Our family is indebted to him."
The man look at Brother Pascal.. His eyes widened a moment after. "You are from the Lauretré Family?"