Since Woodworth town wasn't very big, to begin with, and Ash who had already visited every corner of it in order to search for Marco, already knew the location of the one and only blacksmith shop in the town.
Soon, while following Marco and his girlfriend, Ash came across a single-story medieval-style wooden house, large enough to accommodate the needs of a blacksmith, probably. The exterior was made of rough-hewn logs, and the roof was thatched with straw. A wooden signboard with two crossed axes hung above the doorway, welcoming visitors to the blacksmith's shop.
Ash looked at the blacksmith's house with a sigh. The descriptions of blacksmiths he had read in the novels mostly portrayed them as rich and powerful indiqual or having a certain amount of status, that even the king had to be polite. At least those houses were big enough to make a passerby feel envious of the blacksmith job. However, in this world, at least in this town, he didn't think the blacksmith job was so profitable.
Not delving too deep into other people's business, Ash pushed open the door, and the trio stepped inside the house, greeted by a large, open room serving as the shop. The air was filled with the smell of hot metal and slightly smoky wood. A large counter stood at the front of the room, piled high with weapons and armor for sale. On the walls, metal swords, axes, spares, shields, bows, pickaxes, daggers, and various sizes of armor hung from hooks and nails. Truth be told, from a person of the medieval period, anything one could hope for was present in the shop.
Behind the counter was a big door leading to the living area. Because it was open, Ash easily saw the interior. The furnishings were simple, with a few rough-hewn tables and chairs, a large fireplace, and a bed in the corner. The walls were adorned with animal skins and tapestries, and the floor was covered with rushes. For a single person and a dog, this was more than enough.
Hearing the sound of the door opening, the metal-beating sound coming from the left side of the living room suddenly stopped, and seven seconds later, a big, bulky figure came out. When he saw the familiar young man whom he had met a few hours ago and entrusted with the quest of finding his dog Marco, his despondent eyes sparked with life.
The blacksmith uncle quickly darted a glance behind Ash, and sure enough, he saw two small figures poking their heads out behind him.
Seeing the small fellow whose white hair was covered in dirt with a mole under his eye, the excited blacksmith uncle directly leaped over the counter and rushed towards Marco, tears of happiness shimmering in his eyes.
"Oh, Marco, my child! Where did you disappear? I've been searching all day! Do you have any idea how worried I was?" The blacksmith uncle hugged Marco as if he were not his dog but a long-lost son. Which from a pet lover's point of view wasn't much different.
Ash's mouth couldn't help but twist seeing such an emotional scene. Although he also loved dogs, compared to the blacksmith uncle, his affection for dogs seemed fake.
"Woof-woof..."
What could Marco say in such an awkward situation? Seeing his owner behaving like a mother and treating him like a little child who couldn't take care of himself in front of his girlfriend, the embarrassed dog could only offer an apologetic bark, with his ears lowered as well as his tail indicating that he understood what his mistake was while gently trying to break free from the blacksmith uncle's bear hug.
The blacksmith uncle didn't mind Marco's rebellious behavior weird, since he never liked being hugged by him. So, after calming down, he stood up from the ground, wiped tears from the corner of his eyes, and was about to show his gratitude to Ash when he noticed Marco sniffing around an unfamiliar dog he had never seen before.
Confusedly, The blacksmith uncle looked at Ash and asked, "Is that your dog? Why does it seem like there is something going on between them?"
"No, this dog is not mine. Actually, this dog is the reason why Marco likes to wander around the town so much. After all, Marco is now a mature dog; it is his age when he needs the company of the opposite gender... You understand what I mean, right?" Ash shook his head with a sigh and explained Marco's trouble in a double meaning. After all, he couldn't just say to his father-aged uncle, that Marco couldn't control his little brother and needed someone urgently to help him deal with it, like a friend of his age, right?
The blacksmith uncle, who looked like an eternal bachelor but surprisingly had seen more of the world than Ash, immediately understood the entire story, and a thoughtful look appeared on his face.
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"By the way, uncle, your Marco seems to like this dog very much, and she is also a very obedient dog. So, if you don't mind, I suggest you adopt her for Marco's sake. Otherwise, this little guy might definitely run away again, and if his luck runs out someday and he's caught by goblins... Then you know what would happen." Ash paused a little in the middle but still finished his sentence with hesitation, as he didn't want to interfere in someone else's personal life whom he hardly knew.
To Ash's surprise, the blacksmith uncle, who treated Marco like his child, upon hearing his advice, had the horrific expression on his face finally fade away. A flicker of surprise danced in his eyes as he decided, for both his own and Marco's sake, to adopt Marco's girlfriend on the spot.
"Young man, you have no idea how much you've helped this old man," The blacksmith uncle declared with genuine gratitude, patting Ash's shoulder before heading towards the counter. He retrieved a small leather bag from a drawer, picked up a thirty-centimeter dagger from the wall, and returned to Ash with a grin.
"Here's your reward, as promised," The blacksmith uncle said, handing Ash the iron dagger. "The dagger is made of shiny iron, and the handle feels smooth like polished wood. It looks like a mini toy sword but is just right for sneaky and fun quests!
"And since you helped me deal with Marco's everyday running-out problem once and for all, I won't be stingy with you. Take this, 10 coins. Although they might not be much, for you at least, it's better than nothing, right?" The blacksmith uncle gently said with a chuckle.
Ash didn't try to be formal since it was his hard-earned money. He politely took the small leather pouch from the blacksmith uncle and, without looking inside it, put it in his pocket, deciding to open it later when he was alone.
[ *Ding! Quest: 'Find The Blacksmith's Dog, Marco' is complete.
Reward:-
*An Iron Dagger.
*10 Coins. ]
Ash only gives the quest complete notification and after finding that his cheap system didn't give him even a single exp point, he ignores it while cursing in his heart.
"Yes, thanks for your generosity, Uncle. By the way, may I have the honor to know your name? My name is Ash, by the way."
"Oh, forgive my manners!" The blacksmith boomed, a hearty laugh spilling from his lips. "Ronald Ironbeat is the name. Ha! Completely forgot, such a basic thing. It seems like time is already starting to show its effects on me," Saying such he again starts laughing loudly, clearly just talking nonsense to hide his embarrassment.
Ronald wiped a hand across his forehead, the laughter subsiding into a thoughtful smile. "Speaking of time, since you're new in town, and haven't found a job yet, you can work for me. I could teach you the ways of the forge, although it will be a little difficult with your physique, but still not impossible. You just have to work harder," He said, looking at Ash's thin body thoughtfully.
"What kind of work?" Ash asked curiously. Although he had already decided to become an adventurer, if the pay is high enough, he didn't mind spending some days working and learning in the smithy. Who knows, maybe he also has talent in this field and could one day create his own legendary equipment?
"Nothing too fancy," Ronald chuckled. "You'd be my helping hand, keeping tools at the ready, sweeping the shop, moving items, hitting iron, counting supplies, and various other usual tasks of a forge apprentice. As for your wage, I am willing to give you 5 coins for every 2 hours of work. You can work a total of 8 hours a day. Also, if you're willing to work for the full 8 hours, I can provide you with a nice meal filled with a lot of meat, as well," He said with a serious businessman-like tone.
"8 hours means 20 coins a day, but I still haven't even seen those so-called coins. How the hell do I know their value? Whatever, 20 coins are a lot or too few, I have to check it before making a decision," Ash thought with a frown, since he is unfamiliar with the local currency he didn't make a hasty decision and replied politely after thinking for a while.
I'll need some time to think, but thank you for the offer, Uncle Ronald. Once I settle down, I'll come back with an answer."
"Sure, my shop doors are always open for a kind, smart, and hardworking young man like you," Ronald boomed, clapping Ash on the shoulder. "No rush, take your time."
After thanking Ronald one last time, Ash stepped out of the shop, his acquired wealth clinking softly in a pouch, a new weapon feeling reassuringly heavy in his grasp.