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In my search for transportation into the deeper parts of the capital, I found myself making arrangements with a caravan master for transportation. Could I have hired my own private transport? Sure. Was I going to waste money on something I could get for free? Not a chance. So I hitched a ride with the delivery caravan that had just finished offloading their goods at the academy.

Not being one for fashion, I was in my school uniform with my Mana Steel sword hanging off my side, but this time, instead of just my plain uniform, I was wearing a set that I had my house’s coat of arms sewed on like the rest of the nobles.

As for why? That was because I planned to go around window shopping and most likely do some hands-on examination of enchanted items, and I highly doubt the merchants are going to allow some random kid to go around touching their stuff willy-nilly, even if I was in normal uniform, this left me with two options. Either I buy and dress up in some expensive and outrageous 1600s style poffy getup that shouts ‘Look at me, I have money!’, which I would rather die than be caught wearing, or stick to the more form-fitting academy uniform and use my house emblem to get preferential treatment. In order to preserve my self-dignity in my own eyes, I chose the latter.

Personally, I did not like the practice of showing off I am a noble, to me, it feels like the common folk are walking on eggshells the moment they see the house emblem and I would not get any genuine interactions with any of them, but to more easily achieve my objective today, I will just have to bear with it.

It was mid-afternoon by the time the caravan reached their destination, which was just where I wanted to be, the center of the merchant district in the capital. This is supposedly where all the good stuff is.

I thank the caravan master and I am on my way after asking for directions for where arms and armor are being sold and a recommendation for which shop I should visit.

After an hour of leisurely walking while window shopping and munching on some snacks along the way, I came upon the place the caravan master recommended to me, it was a three-story tall building with a brand crest that looked like two swords crossed with a helmet on top of it, and beside the brand crest was a shop’s name, “Bronson Armory”.

I quickly finished my snack and made my way inside. When I entered, I noticed the clientele on the current floor were either the well-armed and dangerously looking adventure type or what I assume were well-dressed merchants.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a man with the Bronson Armory crest emblazoned on his chest making his way to me, and I turned to him as he reached me.

“Welcome” the man said, and the moment I faced him, his eyes locked on my family emblem “Young Master. Welcome to the Bronson Armory, I am Arno, how may I assist you this fine day?”

I give Arno my best business smile and a nod, “I am Luke, son of Baron Ironcrest, Pleased to make your acquaintance. As for what you can help me with today, I am looking for some enchanted equipment as a present for a relative of mine who has taken up adventuring.”

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Arno gave an understanding nod, “Of course, of course, adventuring is dangerous business after all, you can buy protection, but not life, I always say, and at Bronson Armory I am sure you will find what you are looking for. May I know what Young Master Luke is looking for? Arms? Armor? Protective charms or trinkets? We have them all.”

I put on a face like I am contemplating what I wanted, “I… am not so sure what I want, enchanted equipment for sure, but I am still uncertain of what type of equipment to get… are you able to guide me around? I am not so familiar with all this weapons, armor, or enchanting business.” I lied and saw the greed in Arno’s eyes at the prospect of an easy mark.

“Of course, Young Master Luke, if you would follow me.” Arno said as we began walking toward the stairs, and soon we were on the second floor of the showroom, and what I saw was a thing of beauty.

Along the walls, hung the weapons on a backdrop of polished old wood, and in front of that wooden backdrop, were glass cases displaying the smaller weapons like knives, daggers, and specialized arrowheads, along with those were different jewelry, all enchanted.

Behind and above the wooden backdrop and glass cases of weapons, were different emblems, and I noticed a partition between the different wooden backdrop and glass cases. “What is with the different emblems?” I ask Arno.

“Ah, those are the different workshops we are affiliated with, each section along the wall has goods from their particular workshop, same goes for the armors in the center of the floor.” Arno said as he gestured to the center of the floor where rows of armored mannequins were on display with the same emblems hanging from the ceiling displaying the respective workshop the armor came from.

This… this place seems to be the Walmart of arms and armor.

I then turned to Arno, “Let's start with something basic, which of these brands do you recommend for weapons that are enchanted with elemental effects?”

Arno nodded and led me to a section that had the emblem of a flaming bird with a golden eye on its chest. He then picked a beautifully engraved scimitar off the wall and laid it before me atop the glass case, “This was imported from the great Nar’Esh workshop from the desert empire in the east, when it comes to weapons with fire enchantment, accept no equal.”

“May I?” I asked before picking up the scimitar and Arno nodded.

I picked up the scimitar and pushed mana into my eyes as I traced my fingers along the enchantments engraved along the flat of the blade, and what I saw and felt as my mana poured along the engraved enchantments… it was beautiful.

Where Professor Bixby’s style of enchantment was beautiful in the depth of logic that I could barely comprehend, the enchantments on this scimitar held a beauty that spoke to the deeper meaning of fire, not in the technical sense, no, it was something deeper, something esoteric about the meaning of fire that I did not understand.

Failing to understand anything deeper than that the scimitar could produce fire, the only thing left to do was to try it. I pushed mana into the scimitar and it ignited. As I felt my mana flow through the weapon and I studied it, I failed to detect any mana leakage from the weapon, truly a work of art.

After returning the scimitar to Arno, we moved on as I tested the enchantments of many different arms, armor, and trinkets, and when I felt saw all I needed to see, I left the place empty-handed and saw a grumpy Arno out the corner of my eye.

Maybe I would make it up to him by buying something next time, but for now, I have a lot to think about regarding the direction I want to take my enchanting that would elevate it from just any other enchantment to a work of art.