“Our continent works on the principle of free market.”
How ironic. It was said principle that led to the Dwarves’ monopoly over Blacksmithing and Metalworks. Don’t get me wrong. The Dwarves have skills. Much better skills than anyone else. But to have an industry dominated by one singular race? Simply absurd.
If it wasn’t for the forming of the Market Regulating Organization (MRO), the Dwarves would’ve banded together and inflated the price of their products to ridiculous amounts.
As a consumer of Dwarven goods myself, I have nothing against Dwarves. Heck, I even have Dwarven friends! So, I’m not racist or anything, but the damn Dwarves are stealing jobs from aspiring human Blacksmiths!
We, as a functioning society, should break away from the Dwavern elitism in Blacksmithing to give other promising Blacksmiths a fighting chance! Embrace the spirit of the true market, not the definition!
May the market be forever free,
And may you stay safe.
-Sam Goodwin, the figurehead of the Anti-Dwavern Protests of 1790
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Brown irises and pupils shaped like twenty-pointed stars. Those unique eyes of Myr landed on the smithy. She stood still for a second to observe it.
It looked like any building, but the constant black smoke billowing out of its chimney screamed: “Forge.” If Myr’s brain had functioned like normal people’s, she’d have taken a look at the huge “ANDER’S SMITHY” sign right before her.
Myr opened the door and looked around. The smithy’s products were displayed on the walls and the weapon racks. Oooh, shiny… Myr started to drool again but slapped herself to regain her composure. Dang Draconic instincts!
There was no one in the smithy. The only thing that stood out was an empty counter with a bell on top of it and a sign that said, “RING FOR SERVICE.”
Myr hovered her hand above the bell and mentally prepared herself for what was to come. Come on, I can’t be rude. Absolutely not commenting anything about their height.
As soon as she pressed the bell, a short figure sprang up from under and jumped on top of the counter.
Myr took a step back in surprise. She quickly observed the figure. Due to his lack of beard and relatively slim body, she could safely assume that he wasn’t a Dwarf. Maybe a small child instead.
“Heya little buddy,” she said in a high-pitched voice. “can you tell me w—”
“Little buddy?”
Uh oh… The boy’s voice was much deeper than she’d thought. On second look, Myr noticed that his face was mature instead of childish—she’d just called a fully-grown man a little boy.
Seeing that he was waiting for her to explain herself, Myr quickly spoke, “Um uhh… It’s your height! You were so short that I thought you were a b—”
By the time she realized her mistake, it was too late. The man was absolutely fuming.
She closed her eyes and hung her head a bit low, preparing to take the wrath of this man. However, nothing came. She slowly opened her eyes again. Her star-shaped pupils widened in surprise as she saw the man sitting on the counter, not mad anymore.
Although she knew that she shouldn’t say this, she did, anyways. “You’re not mad?”
“I’m used to it. Forgive my… earlier outburst. It’s hard to control my emotions sometimes.”
Very discreet way to say you’re still pissed at me.
Myr cleared her throat and placed a hand on the counter. “Well, then, I apologize for that. But can you call Ander for me?”
“I’m Ander.”
What? The Ander she knew was a Dwarf, not a short human. “I mean Lewis Ander. Are you sure you’re him?”
The man sighed. Turning his back to Myr, he shouted, “POPS! SOME RUDE GIRL’S LOOKING FOR YOU!”
What followed was a series of clanking and clunking noises coming from deeper inside the smithy. Soon, a Dwarf with white hair emerged from a doorway. “Myr?”
Since the Dwarf’s face was covered in soot, it took a bit for Myr to realize who the Dwarf was. “Mr. Ander! Have been a while, haven’t it?”
“If ‘a while’ means eleven years then yes.”
Well, now I’m feeling guilty for no reason. It was true that she hadn’t seen Lewis ever since she turned eight, but she really couldn’t when she had to work to pay for her mother’s hospital fees since that age.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Not really taking Lewis’ comment to heart, she smiled. “Yeah, my bad.”
“So, you’re here to visit me or…”
“I’m here to place an order.”
Before anyone could say anything, the short man took out a piece of paper and a pen. “Say your order.”
Myr glanced at Lewis. After seeing his shrug, she turned her attention back toward the man and placed her order.
“A scabbard for a standard-length longsword and leather armors.”
After writing Myr’s orders down, the man left to presumably get her items.
Meanwhile, Lewis prepared some tea for Myr. Taking a sip of his own tea, he chuckled. “So, finally deciding to become a Hunter just like your mother?”
“H-How did you know?”
“Come on, did you really think I wouldn’t notice after you placed such an order?” He laughed. “But be careful. Being a Hunter is dangerous. If even someone as great as your mother can fall, so can you.”
Although Myr was annoyed at basically everyone she knew fussing over her career choice, she still gave a grateful nod.
“Yeah, I’ll keep that in mind. But I bear some good news. If things work out well, you don’t need to also pay for Mother’s hospital fees anymore.”
“H-How did you know?”
Myr chuckled. Although Lewis tried to hide the fact that he was also paying for the fees by telling the nurses to lie to Myr about the fees, she knew that treatment for Mana Poisoning couldn’t possibly be as cheap as she was paying. I’m smart! I figured it out!
…Even if took her the better part of eleven years to do so.
Plus, she also knew that Lewis was barely scrapping by himself. She didn’t know if he was doing this out of duty as her mother’s old comrade, or if it was something else. Regardless, she was grateful.
“Let’s just say that I have my ways. Anyways, who’s that guy? I heard you call you ‘pops.’”
“His name’s Adrian. My son.”
“You have a son!?” Flabbergasted. Shocked. Surprised. What?
“Yes. He returned here recently after finishing his apprenticeship under a famous blacksmith.”
Okay, that’s definitely something. But before she could ask anything else, Adrian returned with her orders.
“Here’s your scabbard.”
Myr put her discussion with Lewis aside for now and inspect it. The scabbard was made of a hard yet flexible material. Its color was slick black. Overall, it looked plain. I’m not sure Luna will like this… But she decided to just paint some patterns on it when she had the time.
Onto the armors. Adrian had brought a full set of leather armor that at a glance, would fit Myr neatly. Huh, I guess Blacksmiths have good eyes for size. But there was no way she was buying everything. She didn’t have the money.
So, she put on the leather vest, hand guard, and leg guard.
“That’ll be 2000N.”
Myr nearly coughed up blood. Of course amors have to be so expensive! But she had spare money, and she was going to make lots after this anyways.
But surprisingly, Lewis handed her 500N after she paid him the two thousand. “A bit of discount for you.”
“Thank you.” Myr smiled. But her smile was snuffed out by Lewis’ next words.
“No problem. But are you sure you want to wear that long skirt?”
Myr looked down. She was wearing a pink skirt that reached her heels. “What’s wrong with it?”
“I’ve always been concerned about your fashion sense.” He eyed Myr up and down. “Really, long skirt and plain white shirt? You don’t even put on makeup! The only accessory on you is a clockwork hairpin that has gone out of fashion years ago. And now, you’re putting leather armor over your usual clothes… Yeah, no wonder you haven’t got a boyfriend yet.”
Myr coughed in embarrassment. The Dwarf was right. She always knew that something was wrong with what she wore, but she didn’t really have the leisure to indulge in what normal girls would do. “W-What do you recommend?”
Lewis grinned. He reached under his counter and took out a skirt that was a few inches shorter than Myr’s current one. “Start slow. You probably can’t radically change your taste overnight, but—”
Myr interrupted Lewis with a shout; her face reddening. “L-Lewd! H-How can you expect me to flaunt my ankles!?”
Lewis blinked. He picked his ears. He picked them again. After realizing that he indeed heard what he heard, he sighed and put away the skirt. “Looks like you’re beyond saving. I pray to Nanthos for you, Myr.”
.
.
.
.
.
Myr left the smithy, trying to get the image of her showing her ankles on the streets to go away. Disgusting. Although she literally drooled at Luna, she had lines she wouldn’t cross. Her being some kind of naughty exhibitionist who’d show her ankles would make her mother roll in her hospital bed.
Before she knew it, Myr was at her home again. As she reached out to unlock her door, she thought about Luna and her books. How long has it been, like, four hours? Even if Luna was a slow reader, she should’ve finished the first book by now.
As soon as she closed the door, she rushed toward her mother’s room, curious to check on the Shard.
But what she saw was completely unexpected. Instead of being absorbed in the books, Luna just sat on the chair, looking absolutely dejected.
Myr approached her and slowly opened her mouth. “...What’s wrong?”
Luna glanced at Myr. Pointing a finger at the books, she sighed. [It is most interesting and disheartening. The spoken language has stayed mostly the same with just minor variations. Yet, the written language has completely changed. I cannot even recognize a character.]
D-Did she just admit her own flaws? “Do you want me to, you know, read it to you?”
[I am not a child.] Luna’s face went beet-red. [But perhaps you can do something else. Teach me your writing system.]
“Okay then.” Myr took a book and sat down on her mother’s old bed. She watched as Luna dusted the spot right next to her and sat down on it. “You're lucky I have some experience being a private tutor…”
[I would expect no less from the One chosen by me.]