I pushed open the door to Wendy’s Wonderful Weapons to the sound of light jingling.

The interior was full of wall-mounted racks and locked cases. From a quick glance I saw a lot of axes, swords, and maces. Sadly, there were precious few daggers and bows.

As with the other stores, there was a typical counter sitting at the far side. A beautiful and small… woman stood behind it. She smiled at me from across the room.

Her skin was the colour of midnight purple and she had pointed ears, covered slightly by thick and long black hair.

Is that an elf? I wondered, as I approached.

Elves were the pinnacle of other world races in fantasy shows back home, though I’d never seen a small one with purple skin before.

More oddly, her eyes were black with red pupils. She’d almost look demonic if it wasn’t for her polite and intoxicating smile.

I focused on her and a notification popped up.

You have discovered a new race!

Svartalf

Hailing from the small subterranean kingdom of Svartalfheim, the Svartalf are a kind of dark elf, dwarf hybrid race.

Known for their impressive alcohol tolerance and love of metal working, the Svartalf are a proud race with a sordid history.

There is a legendary mystery surrounding their creation which many have pondered, but none have been able to answer:

How did a dwarf managed to pull an elf?

That was surprisingly informative for the system. I thought as I read through the notification.

“Welcome to Wendy’s.” She said with a surprisingly girly voice. “How may I help you today.”

“Hi, I’m Kaleb.” I responded, feeling my face flush as I spoke to her. She was mesmerising and had I not been a married man I might have even plucked up the nerve to ask her out – though probably not, she was way out of my league.

“I’m looking for someone who can repair my bow and hopefully sell me some new daggers.” I continued.

“Ah, that won’t be a problem. I have a workshop upstairs where I do repairs. Can I see it?” She asked cheerfully.

I summoned the Bow of the Giant Goblin from my inventory and placed it on the table. The dark black bow looked worse for wear with its bowstring cut and the wood cracked in multiple places.

The Slime Queen’s body had really done a number on it. Though I guess I was fortunate it didn’t dissipate completely like my hair and clothes. Not that I was bitter or anything.

“Wow, this has sure seen better days hasn’t it?” The Svartalf mused as she picked up the bow and thumbed it over. “Repairs won’t be cheap. I’d quote it to be at least 500 gold, maybe more.”

“That won’t be a problem.” I said, producing the money and scattering it on the table. Her eyes lit up as she saw it.

I’d replace it as soon as I turned in the quest anyway, though 500 wasn’t all that much with my full coffers. The blessing of the god of wealth really was OP.

“Thank you for your patronage sir. I should have this ready for you by tomorrow afternoon. Since you’ve paid up front I’ll push you to the front of the queue.” She smiled at me again as she scooped up the coins and placed them into her own inventory.

“Seem’s you’re as one dimensional as ever Wendy.” Panda said snidely as he clumsily attempted to climb onto the counter.

For the first time since I’d arrived in town, an acquaintance of Panda, didn’t reach over to help him up onto the countertop. I felt a certain tension in the air as they locked eyes. It was a far cry from his usual relationship with the merchants we’d met previously.

“Panda. So you’re back, are you?” She said harshly, looking him over and curling her lip.

“Yup, the kid here summoned me. That’s what happens when someone actually wants you around, not that you’d know what that’s like.”

What on earth is going on here? I thought, taken aback at the open hostility between the two.

Wendy completely ignored him, put back on her smile and turned to me politely.

“I’m sorry sir but we don’t allow pets in the store. They tend to climb all over the furniture and clutter up the place.” She gestured to Panda who was still trying to get on top of the counter. “I’ll have to ask you to leave him outside please. I can lend you some rope to tie him up though, so he doesn’t wander off.”

Stolen story; please report.

Her smile and polite customer service voice was chilling. I gulped before answering.

“Panda, go wait outside… I won’t be long.” I said, trying not to stammer.

“But Kaleb!” He protested, looking up at me with his big anime eyes.

We locked eyes for a moment and I refused to back down even though I felt bad about it, then he sighed and departed.

What was all that about.

“Thank you for your cooperation sir.” Wendy said, before grinning sinisterly at Panda. “Now then, shall we see to your other needs.”

“Please, I’m looking for some daggers,” I said.

Since my Dagger skill had levelled up and given me the Novice Apex Skirmisher skill, I’d been itching to try out a dual wield.

The skill specifically said that I’d gained proficiency with dual wielding but I hadn’t had the chance to try it out yet.

“Of course sir.” Wendy replied, returning completely to the previously polite and respectful Svartalf that had first greeted me. “As Havar is mostly populated by lycanids I mostly sell larger weapons. However, I think I have a few daggers in the back that I can bring out for your perusal.”

“Sounds good.” I replied and she excused herself leaving through the small door behind her.

I breathed out. That was intense. I was getting used to fighting monsters but tense social situations were still alien to me.

As a truck driver, I’d spent most of my life on earth away from people. Office politics, weird social cues, and stuff like that perplexed me.

In my personal life I was fortunate in that my wife navigated those areas within our friend group. I just followed her lead.

Wendy and Panda obviously had bad blood and I wanted absolutely nothing to do with that. I really hoped she wouldn’t start charging me more now that she knew I was his new summoner.

Wendy returned quickly, carrying a dusty display case with two daggers in it.

“Thank you for waiting.” She said as she plonked the case down onto the countertop and wiped it with her hand.

Dust flew everywhere, catching in the light that shone through the window. It looked like a mini cyclone of dust particles was flying off the case.

“I’m afraid these are all I have in stock currently. They’re quite simple, steel daggers. They don’t have any enchantments on them but I’m sure they’ll do quite well in your capable hands.”

Was she flattering me on purpose? From where I was standing they just looked like normal daggers. Barely an upgrade from my original one.

“How much?” I asked candidly.

“Since they’re the last we have in stock I couldn’t let them go for less than 20,000 gold.” She said brightly.

“And they’re just normal, unenchanted daggers?” I asked incredulously.

“I assure you sir, despite their lack of enchantments, these daggers are of the highest quality.”

I know a hard sell when I hear one. She’s trying to rip me off. I thought critically.

“I’ll give you 5,000 for them.” I said, even that was probably too much but I didn’t have much to base it off.

“5,000?” She asked incredulously. “Forgive my rudeness sir but that price is an insult.”

“Trying to sell me unenchanted daggers for 20,000 is what’s insulting. Do I look like I was born yesterday?” I asked.

Though, from a certain point of view, I pretty much was born yesterday as far as this world was concerned. I didn’t even know what an enchantment truly was, but if I had to guess it was the thing that gave weapons special skills and stat increases.

If these daggers didn’t have any of that then they were hardly worth what she was asking for. They couldn’t be.

“I could probably drop to 10,000, since you seem so well informed.” She said, still talking in that sickly sweet customer service voice.

“Fine, it’s a deal.” I relented. I had no idea if I’d just been ripped off, but I had plenty of money left and I needed the daggers, so I didn’t really have much of a choice.

I’d still managed to knock her down to half price so that had to be something.

“Perfect!” She chimed brightly, her ears twitching slightly as she smiled up at me.

I had a feeling deep in the pit of my stomach that told me I’d just become a victim of daylight robbery. At least from her reaction to the sale.

No matter. I really did need the daggers so it wasn’t like I had much of a choice.

I summoned the 10,000 coins and dropped them unceremoniously onto the countertop. A literal mountain of coins formed from my hand and her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

She didn’t even complain that I hadn’t requested an inventory transfer as she handed me the daggers and began scooping up the coins.

I added them to my inventory and a notification popped up.

You have acquired a new item:

Steel Dagger x2

Slightly better than an iron dagger.

That was the only description. I’d definitely been ripped off. My previous dagger was just called a… dagger. So they were probably better than it was. At least that was something.

I guess an upgrade is still and upgrade even if you have to pay through the nose for it. I told myself. Besides I still had plenty of money left. I’d gained over 100,000 gold from my slime slaying.

Even after buying the armour, the daggers and paying for my bow to be fixed I still had over 50,000 left. I’d gained 1000 just from killing the slime queen, not to mention the slimes I’d exterminated on the way out.

“Thank you so much for your patronage sir!” Wendy said, bowing slightly. “Your bow will be ready for you tomorrow afternoon.”

“Yeah, see you then.” I said, exiting the store with a little wave.

I walked outside and stopped for a moment as the door closed behind me with a little jingle. I sighed and looked towards the sky.

“She ripped you off didn’t she?” Panda said. He was leaning against the storefront with his arms crossed.

“Yeah.” I said solemnly. “Is that why she kicked you out?”

“No, she kicked me out because I told my last summoner to break up with her after I saw her on the arm of a busty catonid girl.

“I knew she’d rip you off because you don’t understand how money works here and a good merchant can smell that kind of weakness a mile away.”

I knew Panda’s previous summoner was a woman who’d been dear to him. He barely spoke of her but from what I’d pieced together she’d died not all that long ago.

When I’d summoned him it had barely been a minute since she passed, at least to a few thousand-year-old daemon like him. I think it had actually been closer to a decade.

I wondered if he’d open up to me about her someday. I wasn’t going to pry but it could be useful to know what happened to her.

For now though, I needed to visit the Adventure Society and hand in my completed quest. I’d probably put it off for too long already.

I wondered what new quest I’d end up taking. I only had one left to complete before I’d be eligible to take the exam and become a fully-fledged adventurer.

I couldn’t wait.

“Don’t even think about sleeping with her.” Panda said warningly.

“I’m married Panda.” I replied with a sigh.

“That didn’t stop you from hitting on Lucy at the society.”

“I never hit on her. You’re the one who cuddles up to her every time we go there.”

“My mother always said; never trust a furry.” He said as we set off in the direction of the Adventure Society building. It was going to be a long walk.