Encouraged by the landlady's kind advice, Silva left the restaurant to find a weapon he could entrust his life to.
"Hey, what do you want?"
The weaponsmith recommended by the landlady of Sea Sound was easy to find. Though the exterior was grimy, the shop itself was quite large. A big chimney stood at the back of the store, billowing black smoke. As Silva entered and looked over the displayed spears and swords, a bearded old man at the counter called out to him.
"Um, I'm looking for a suitable weapon..."
Silva's words held no malice. He simply meant that he wanted to buy a weapon from the store that he could handle. However, as soon as the old man heard Silva's words, his expression changed.
"There's no such thing as a 'suitable' weapon. Just pick something, pay for it, and be on your way."
The old man's reply was dismissive, as if he didn't care whether Silva bought a weapon or not.
Silva didn't mind whether the shop owner was friendly or rude. He began strolling through the shop, inspecting the swords.
The shop owner, who had been watching Silva from the side, suddenly caught a glimpse of Silva's Level 1 Adventurer Medal.
Upon seeing this, the old man's expression softened a bit.
"So, you're a beginner, huh? But with that face, are you really a rookie?"
The old man eyed him with suspicion. With Silva's impressive physique and mature-looking face, it was understandable that the old man found it hard to believe he was a beginner. However, Silva calmly affirmed the old man's question. It wasn't the first time he'd been doubted about his age.
"Yes, I just registered with the guild today."
Seeing Silva's clear response, the old man seemed to trust him more, nodding with his arms crossed. His arms bore countless burn scars, likely from the sparks while forging weapons, marking him as a seasoned craftsman.
"I see. Well, if that's the case, it can't be helped. But listen, newbie, I don't want you using words like 'suitable' or 'cheap' in my shop!"
Silva picked up a short sword nearby and asked, "Are there few people who forge weapons by hand?"
The old man's expression shifted.
"You can tell the difference?"
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
"Yes, somewhat."
The short sword bore the characteristic sheen and grain patterns that only appear in hand-forged steel, created by repeatedly folding and hammering the metal to remove impurities.
"Is that so! That makes me happy to hear. These days, most blacksmiths use casting methods for mass production, and adventurers don't seem to mind either. But you can't make a truly good weapon by just pouring metal into a mold!"
Silva recognized the pride of a craftsman in the old man's words. That's why the old man had been displeased earlier when Silva asked for a "suitable" weapon.
(I see why the landlady recommended this place. His skills are certainly not bad. However...)
Silva acknowledged the old man's skill but also faced a certain problem.
"So, what do you want? A sword? A spear?"
That was the problem. There were swords, spears, and axes here, but no Doppelhänder.
Silva was best at using a Doppelhänder.
Silva did notice many great swords, but none of them was a Doppelhänder.
The Doppelhänder, also known as a Zweihander, is a great sword forged from extremely strong and robust steel, and even then, they often break in combat due to the intense fighting style of the Landsknechte.
Maintaining a great sword was a hassle, and if it wasn't a strong, trusted Doppelhänder, Silva wouldn't even bother going for one.
(This is troublesome... I didn't expect to find a Doppelhänder here. Even back in England, I had a hard time finding one.)
Still, Silva decided to ask the old man.
"Master Blacksmith, I need a sword unlike the usual great swords you forge. I require a mighty two-handed sword, one that stands about as tall as a man's shoulder. The blade itself should be broad and strong, about a yard and a half long, tapering to a sharp point for thrusting. It needs to have a double edge, allowing it to cut both ways in battle. For the base of the blade, let there be a section without an edge—this is called a ricasso. It will allow me to grip the blade further up if needed."
The old man pondered.
"Double-edged and a section without an edge... Are you talking about a Doppelhänder?"
"You have one?!"
Silva Schneizel was quite surprised.
The town had early medieval architecture, and the weapons the soldiers carried, such as double-edged swords and halberds, were also from the early medieval era. It was surprising to find something from the late medieval period, such as a Doppelhänder.
"No, I'm afraid I don't have that in my shop," the shopkeeper continued.
"I know of it, but only as a matter of knowledge. It's a weapon used on the Eastern Continent. It requires very specialized training to handle, so it's not often exported to other continents."
"I see..."
"If there is one, it'd probably be at the bazaar in the port town of Furuzard in the east."
"The port town of Furuzard?"
"Yes, it's the biggest trading city on the Western Continent. You can get Eastern goods there via the Central Continent."
Silva was honestly disappointed.
It wasn't that Silva couldn't use other weapons, but most of what he was skilled with were great hammers or two-handed axes—war weapons that were not very convenient to carry on an adventure or while strolling through a town.
Using an unfamiliar weapon would mean putting his life at risk.
"Seems like regular weapons won't do for you... Alright! Then I'll show you my collection. If there's anything in there you can use, you can take it with you!"
"Huh?"
"You see, among the things I appraise and consider good, and the items adventurers bring in, there are some that are amazing as works of art but too difficult to handle for the average customer, or ones whose use isn't even known. I collect such weapons! Since you know about the Doppelhänder, there might be something in my collection that suits you. If there is, I'll let you have it!"