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Solria, Shopping District (Kyle POV)

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The hustle and bustle of the capital city surrounded me and Aria on this lazy summer morning as we slowly made our way through the streets of the shopping district. It’s been a few days since the whole fiasco with the budgeting notebook, and I’ve already handed a notebook with some perfectly reasonable ‘expenses’ back to Mari, who seemed to be all better after that day. The rest of the week passed by peacefully as I went over a few more basic elemental magic circles with the class.

Today though, I’m helping Aria pick up some supplies from the blacksmith.

She was dressed casually in a light blue blouse and brown pants while I was just dressed the same way as always, but as we made our way down the street together, I noticed that a couple of people glanced over at Aria every now and then like they had something to say. They all just turned away after staring for a few moments though, so after thinking about it for a second, I turned to Aria with a confused look on my face.

“Hey, Aria, now that I think about it, aren’t you supposed to be pretty famous? After all, you are a Knight Captain. Normally, everyone would either be avoiding us like they did in Delhurst or swarming you to get your autograph or something, but there are only a few people even noticing your presence.” (Kyle)

“Well, I haven’t made much of a public appearance yet. I stay in the barracks all day for work, so the only people who know that I’m the new Knight Captain are the nobles who were at the ceremony when I was appointed and the rest of the knights. The public probably only knows bits and pieces of how I look from rumors, and I don’t have my uniform on today, so I doubt anyone will recognize me. Anyway, look, we’re almost there, The blacksmith is just up ahead. Come on, Ky!” (Aria)

Aria gave me a short laugh before she grabbed my hand with a beaming smile on her face and started to pull me along with her to a smithy on the side of the road. A few seconds passed before she stopped under a small sign board hanging from a wooden beam. ‘The Ironclad Forge’ was engraved on the sign board and the front of the building was made of bricks and stone with a large chimney above pouring out smoke. The sound of metal banging against metal was faintly ringing out from inside as Aria softly let go of my hand and stood there for a moment before opening the door and barging into the shop. I walked in behind her as a blast of heat hit my face while her voice echoed around the shop.

“Uncle Grayhill, are you there? It’s me, Aria. I’m here to pick up my order.” (Aria)

I stared inside the shop where I saw several gleaming weapons ranging from swords and spears to axes and shields lined up against the walls next to a few mannequins with armor on them. A few of the weapons and pieces of armor even gleamed with colorful lusters indicating that they were made of precious materials like mithril or orichalcum. There was a large, unmanned counter directly across from the entrance, and behind the counter, there was an open door to a large forge room with quite a rare sight around these parts standing in it. Inside was a dwarf. He was stereotypically short, only looking like he was a little over two-thirds of my own height, and a ruffled mound of dark orange hair sat on top of his head to which a large beard, braided into a knot at the bottom, was attached.

You see, the Raidion Empire, being situated close to the border of the Elven forests, has a population mostly made up of humans and a few elves, but since it’s not too geographically close to the kingdoms of many other races, such as the dwarves or the beastmen, any trade or interaction between them is few and far between. As a result, races besides humans and elves tend to be somewhat rare in the Empire.

The dwarf seemed to be in the middle of forging something as he hammered a piece of red-hot metal on top of an anvil, but once he heard Aria’s voice, he stopped and looked up at her with a smile as he called out from the other room.

“Oh, it’s you, lassie. You’re pretty cheery today, ain'tcha? Anyway, your commission and the rest of the order’s in the back. Just park your carriage outside, I’ll even help ya load it up.”

“It’s ok, you don’t need to help me load it up, I don’t have a carriage anyway.” (Aria)

“Eh? Then how are ya gonna haul all this over? There’s no way you can move all this by hand.”

“That’s what he’s here for.” (Aria)

Aria grinned at the dwarf before stepping aside and pointing to me standing behind her as the dwarf quickly quenched the piece of hot metal he was working on in a water basin next to him before placing it back on the anvil and coming out of the forge room. He stood behind the counter and glanced at me with a confused look on his face before scanning me up and down and turning back to Aria with an even more confused look on his face.

“You can’t be serious, lassie. You’ve got about four full boxes of equipment, includin’ your new blade. You might be able to carry two, but just look at him, he’s got no muscle! I doubt he’ll even be able to carry one!”

“Don’t worry, if there’s anything he’s good for, it’s carrying stuff. He might not look like it, but I guarantee you, he could carry it all if he wanted to. He’s a genuine freak of nature.” (Aria)

“... That freak of nature is standing right here, you know.” (Kyle)

I slouched a bit and turned to the dwarf with a defeated look on my face before letting out a despondent sigh. Aria laughed a bit and turned around to face me before introducing me to the dwarf.

“Ky, this is Uncle Grayhill. He was a good friend of my father, and he’s been smithing for the House of Irisveil before I was even born.” (Aria)

The dwarf turned to me with a hearty laugh before taking off his gloves and extending his hand towards me for a handshake.

“Nice to meet ya boy, the name’s Boerand Grayhill, but since you’re the lassie’s friend, you can just call me Uncle Grayhill.” (Uncle Grayhill)

“Nice to meet you too, Uncle Grayhill. I’m Kyle.” (Kyle)

I reached out with my hand to accept his handshake and we shook firmly for a moment before he came out from behind the counter.

“Well, if you’re sure you can carry it all, follow me to the back then, I’ll at least box everything up for ya.” (Uncle Grayhill)

Uncle Grayhill led us through another door to the right side of the counter, and we entered a hallway which led to a large storage room behind the store. The sunlight gleaming in through the windows illuminated the dozens of weapons and pieces of armor littered everywhere. Wherever you looked there was a box of swords or a full set of armor there and I called out to Uncle Grayhill as he walked down further into the storage room.

“Wow, there’s a lot. Did you make everything here?” (Kyle)

“Well, most of these are just failed or unsold products that I’ve gathered up over the years, but yeah, a majority of it was made by me. Anythin’ else is either something that’s been pawned off to me or the work of my apprentice, Lucas. The boy can be a strange one sometimes, but his talent for smithin’s definitely no joke. Smithin’s in my blood, but the boy’s not even a dwarf and he’s still three times as good as I was at his age.” (Uncle Grayhill)

I stared around again at the piles of metal as Aria’s voice sounded out from behind us.

“Speaking of which, where’s Lucas? He wasn’t at the counter today.” (Aria)

“Well, today’s been a real slow day, and I was at the forge anyway, so I let the boy take a break. He’s probably just out back messin’ around again. Here, I’ll call him over.” (Uncle Grayhill)

Uncle Grayhill walked over to a window at the end of the room, opened it up, and stuck his head out before yelling for his apprentice to come.

“Lucas, where are ya!? We have some guests over!” (Uncle Grayhill)

“Who is it?”

The voice of a young boy answered Uncle Grayhill’s, and a moment later, the back door of the storage room burst open to reveal a young boy holding a small hammer. He looked like he was about fourteen or fifteen years old with blue eyes and short brown hair. A pair of goggles sat on top of his head and he was dressed in a brown leather apron with similarly colored leather gloves on his hands. He glanced around the room for a moment, before his eyes lit up as he saw Aria.

“Miss Aria! Welcome back! How are you?”

“I’m fine, how are you, Lucas?” (Aria)

“I’m doing great! So, what are you here for today, Miss Aria? Just say the word and I’ll be on it!” (Lucas)

Lucas ran over with an excited smile on his face as Uncle Grayhill closed the window and turned to him with a sigh.

“Boy, stop botherin’ the lassie, she’s just here to pick up her order.” (Uncle Grayhill)

“Oh, the order! Alright, where did you park your carriage? I’ll help you load it up right now!” (Lucas)

“She ain’t got no carriage, boy.” (Uncle Grayhill)

“No carriage? Then how are you gonna move all this equipment? You’re not gonna carry it all the way are you?” (Lucas)

Lucas turned to Aria with a puzzled look on his face before Uncle Grayhill came over and pulled him back by the collar as he pointed over to me standing by the side.

“The lassie ain’t movin’ it all by herself. She’s got help.” (Uncle Grayhill)

Lucas stared at me like he finally noticed I was even there as I smiled back at him and waved while Aria walked over to my side and introduced me.

“Lucas, this is my friend. He’s here to help me pick up my order.” (Aria)

“Hi there, nice to meet you, Lucas. My name’s Kyle, but you can just call me Ky.” (Kyle)

There was silence for a moment as he glanced back and forth between me and Aria while Uncle Grayhill slowly let go of his collar. Lucas crossed his arms and slowly walked over to me as he looked away with an irritated expression before turning to Aria.

“Tsk, look at how slim he is, I bet he couldn’t even lift one box. If you need someone to help you carry this all, Miss Aria, let a real man help, like me! I don’t care if it takes the whole day, I’ll get all this stuff wherever you want it!” (Lucas)

Oi, listen here you little brat! I came here out of the kindness of my heart to help Aria move all this stuff, and I don’t need your condescending attitude along with it! You need to learn to respect your elders more!

I turned to Uncle Grayhill with an annoyed expression on my face as we stood there together and watched Lucas fawn over Aria while she tried to no avail to turn down his offer to help.

“Is he always this rude?” (Kyle)

“Aye, sorry about that, the boy’s got a bit of a fancy for the lassie. Every time she comes over, he drops everythin’ he’s got and runs over. The boy’s just rude cause he wants her attention, he doesn’t really mean it, so forgive him this time, won'tcha?” (Uncle Grayhill)

Uncle Grayhill gave me a hearty chuckle as I let out a sigh before repressing my anger. After a moment, it seemed like Aria finally got it through to Lucas that she didn’t need his help, and Uncle Grayhill walked over to a corner of the room where a few large boxes of assorted blades and armor were sitting on the floor next to a large, sheathed greatsword leaning against the wall. There were about a dozen longswords and a few daggers in one of the boxes, and another one had a small metal chest plate with some light arm and leg guards in it, whereas the last two had a cover on top. Uncle Grayhill picked up the sheathed greatsword carefully before handing it over to Aria with a smile.

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“Alright lassie, here’s your new blade.” (Uncle Grayhill)

Aria walked over before gently picking up the large greatsword, and despite it being such a large blade, there was an air of elegance to it as Aria slowly unsheathed it. The full sword was about the same size as her previous one, and it was a light steel color which gleamed with a reddish tint, indicating that it was at the very least made of an alloy with a large percentage of orichalcum if not completely made of it. The edges of the blade were razor sharp, and it had an inscription, which consisted of Aria’s name and the Irisveil family crest, running along the flat of the blade. The sunlight shining through the window reflected off the blade as Aria held it in her hands and took a few practice swings in the air before turning around to face a grinning Uncle Grayhill.

“So, how do ya like it, lassie? It’s a beauty, ain’t it? Your last one was probably one of my best works, so when you told me it broke, my old bones got fired up again. The boy and I took a whole month to make this one special, and this time, I can definitely tell you that this is my greatest masterpiece. Right now, it might not be too impressive in anything ‘cept how tough and sharp it is, but once you get some enchantments on it, you’ll be holdin’ one of the best swords in the Empire!” (Uncle Grayhill)

“That’s right, Miss Aria. Your new sword is definitely the toughest blade I’ve ever seen, the entire thing is made completely out of pure orichalcum.” (Lucas)

“Yeah, it’s perfect! Thanks, you two!” (Aria)

“Look, I even engraved the blade with your name and family crest. Here, let me show you.” (Lucas)

“Alright, that’s enough, boy. Why don’t you come with me to go get the nails so we can close up the rest of these boxes? Let the lassie check out her new blade in peace.” (Uncle Grayhill)

Uncle Grayhill grabbed Lucas by the collar again and dragged him off to the front of the shop as I walked over to Aria, who got into a stance and took a few more practice swings before sheathing her sword.

“Wait, where did you get the money to buy all this orichalcum?” (Kyle)

“I didn’t. The Captain of the 12th Squad returned to the capital about three months ago and her cousin is one of the knights in the 7th squad, so she heard about how my previous sword broke during our fight with the dragon and gave me a bunch of orichalcum to forge a new blade as a late welcome gift.” (Aria)

“Who just gives out this much orichalcum as a gift!?” (Kyle)

“Well, she’s the head of one of the richest families in the Empire, the House of Leonora, so it was basically a drop in the bucket for her. This isn’t even all of it. There was a little bit left over after the sword was made, so I gave the rest of it to Uncle Grayhill as payment for forging my new sword, but he told me it was too much and threw in all this extra equipment.” (Aria)

“Why didn’t you tell me? We could’ve just paid him with money for the new sword, then sold the rest of that orichalcum to pay the bills! More new equipment is nice, but our primary concern should be putting food on the table!” (Kyle)

“We’re doing just fine, aren’t we? It’s not like we’re in debt or anything.”(Aria)

“Just because we’re not technically in debt doesn’t mean our finances are great. Until recently, we were just barely getting by. We don’t even have any savings right now. How are you gonna manage your finances if you keep spending everything you get on stuff like this?” (Kyle)

“Well, I don’t need to manage my finances, do I? That’s what you’re here for. I mean you did it before when we were in Delhurst, so what’s the difference now? Besides, it’s not like we desperately need money for anything right now, and what’s done is done.” (Aria)

Aria let out a cheerful laugh and grinned at me as I sighed and facepalmed.

“Anyway, I thought you got a new sword after you got appointed as a captain, but obviously you didn’t, so if you didn’t have a sword, what have you been using until now?” (Kyle)

“Eh? Well… I’ve just been using a practice sword that I borrowed. It’s dull on the edges, but it’s made out of metal at least. And since all I do is train with the rest of the knight squad, it’s been enough to get the job done so far.” (Aria)

I stared at Aria with a look of disbelief on my face as she told me about how she’s been using a practice sword for the past few months with an embarrassed blush.

“Even if it isn’t made of the most high-quality material, I’m sure that just a normal steel greatsword from a decent blacksmith’s shop would’ve been better than a practice sword! I could’ve at least gotten you one of those to use until your new sword was ready. How am I supposed to know you need something if you don’t tell me?” (Kyle)

“Well, of course you didn’t know, it’s not like you ever ask me about work. You haven’t even been to barracks again since the day we moved everything in. Hmph.” (Aria)

Aria looked away from me with a cute pout on her face as she crossed her arms and hugged her new greatsword while I let out another sigh.

“Alright, I’m sorry for never asking you about work, ok? So, before we go to the barracks, let me just ask you right now, is everything else going fine at the barracks? Let me know if you need something and we can pick it up on the way there.” (Kyle)

“Nope, we don’t really need anything else, everything besides my equipment has been in tip-top shape. Thanks for finally asking though, Ky.” (Aria)

Aria gave me a satisfied grin as the sound of the door opening behind us caught my attention. I turned around to see Uncle Grayhill walk in holding a couple of large nails and a hammer in his hands while Lucas followed behind him with some rope.

“Alright, lassie, just give me a minute to nail up these boxes, and you’ll be good to go.” (Uncle Grayhill)

Aria and I stepped aside as Uncle Grayhill walked over and started nailing the boxes shut. A few moments passed as the sound of Lucas chatting with Aria was drowned out by the banging of a hammer and I took a closer look around at the various items around the storage room before a hint of red amidst the sea of silver caught my eye. Amongst the dozens of weapons which blended in with the similarly colored armor, there was something that vaguely looked like a long red piece of cloth laying flat on top of a metal table. I stared at it for a moment with interest before turning to Uncle Grayhill and asking him about it.

“Hey, what’s that sitting on the table over there?” (Kyle)

“Hmm? Oh, that. It’s just one of the boy’s strange creations again, he’s always making these random knick-knacks. A while ago, I gave him a small chunk of the leftover orichalcum from the lassie’s blade to play with and a few days later he made that thing. I put it out front for a few days after the boy begged me to, but like I told him, no one would buy that piece of junk. I can’t even melt it down again because of the way he made it, so now it’s just taking up space. I’ve been meanin’ to throw it out, but the boy insists on keepin’ it. Actually, why don'tcha just ask the boy yourself? Hey boy, the laddie here’s interested in your work! Why don'tcha show him what ya made?” (Uncle Grayhill)

Lucas walked over with an annoyed expression on his face before asking me what I was interested in.

“So, what do you want to know about?” (Lucas)

The tone of his voice irked me a bit, but I took a deep breath and managed to let it go as Uncle Grayhill’s voice sounded out again.

“I can’t believe it, but the red thing you made caught the laddie’s eye.” (Uncle Grayhill)

“Really!? See Uncle Grayhill? I told you someone would be interested in it! That coat is definitely a masterpiece!” (Lucas)

Lucas’ attitude instantly transformed into excitement and he gave an enthusiastic smile to Uncle Grayhill as a passionate twinkle appeared in his eyes before he turned over to me with a newfound friendliness.

“Ky, right? Follow me, I’ll show you what I made.” (Lucas)

Lucas ran over to the table as I awkwardly followed behind him to get a closer look at the coat. The coat itself was a slightly dark, reddish color with several streaks of straight white running along the edges, forming a cool design. A small trim of soft white fur lined the collar and bottom edge while a few black leather belts sticking out at angles around the waist and chest area functioned as a substitute for buttons to hold the coat closed.

Argh! Stop it, Ky, you’re better than this! Don’t let your inner chuuni take over! I know it looks really cool, but resist your urges! Remember the consequences! You know better than anyone that you definitely can’t be seen in public wearing something like this. Not again. And anyway, what would you even do with something like this? You’re a professor at the Royal Academy for god’s sake, not a cosplayer! It’s still summer too, so there’s absolutely no use for a coat right now!

I stood there for a moment staring at the long coat with a dazed look in my eyes as I mentally struggled against my inner edgelord before Lucas turned around to me with a beaming grin on his face and a zealous glint in his eyes.

“So, what do you think, Ky? Isn’t it super cool?” (Lucas)

“Goddammit, I guess this is my limit, huh? I can’t hold it in anymore, I can’t deny my true self. You’re right, it’s so damn cool!” (Kyle)

The passionate flames in Lucas’ eyes went on full blast as the conclusion of my inner turmoil resulted in my inner edgelord finally awakening again from its long slumber.

“I know right! It took me months to draw the blueprints. Just look at the colors and design! The entire thing is made of a special alloy fabric infused with the perfect amount of orichalcum to give it this deep red color and the white outlines are made of cloth mixed with snow iron from the north! The fur lining the edges is from a frost ferret and the belts are even made of dread boar leather. But even though the thing I’m most proud of is the style, the coat isn’t just looks either! Because of how I made the alloy fabric, the whole thing is tougher than steel armor while still being as flexible as a normal coat!” (Lucas)

Lucas rambled to me about the different features of the coat and how it was made with a fervent tone as I listened to him intently before Uncle Grayhill walked over to us and sighed.

“Well laddie, I don’t know how the tacky design hasn’t put you off yet, but let me be straight with ya. The boy’s coat might be tough, but that’s because the boy made the material so dense! The whole thing’s practically made of metal, and even though it’s stronger than most steel plate armor, it’s also about three times as heavy! Even if ya managed to put it on, you’d barely be able to move! And anyway, it’s still summer. You’d probably be roasted to death standin’ out in the sun with that coat on. There’s a reason nobody bought it when I put it on display out front.” (Uncle Grayhill)

“A coat three times as heavy as steel armor? That is probably the single most impractical thing I’ve ever heard in my life… I’ll take it.” (Kyle)

I pulled out my wallet as Uncle Grayhill gave me a look of disbelief and Lucas pumped his fist up in the air with a cheer.

“I knew someone would want it! Everyone who ignored it before just didn’t understand my vision! Alright Ky, you know what, I won’t even charge you, you can have it for free.” (Lucas)

“Really? I can pay, you know? It wouldn’t feel right just taking it from you after you worked on it for so long.” (Kyle)

“It’s ok. Uncle Grayhill’s been trying to throw it out anyway, so I’d rather give it to someone who truly understands and appreciates my work than have it sit in a trash heap somewhere. I’ll even adjust it for you if I need to, so try it on and see if it fits. Just think of it as my gift to a new friend!” (Lucas)

“Well, if you say so. I guess I owe you one then, Lucas. If you ever need anything, just let me know!” (Kyle)

I gave a friendly grin and held out my hand as Lucas and I bumped fists before Uncle Grayhill sighed at both of us.

“Well, since the boy seems willin’, knock yourself out, laddie, but you might need to trim off some of it to make it lighter if you wanna use it” (Uncle Grayhill)

“Eh? I don’t think it’ll be that bad. Let me see.” (Kyle)

I walked over to the front of the table and grabbed the coat by the collar before lifting it up with one hand. It was a little weighty at first, but after adjusting the amount of strength in my arm, I picked up the coat relatively easily and held it in front of me. After staring at it for a moment, I grabbed it with both hands and waved it around a bit to air out the coat before trying it on. The cuffs were a little long, reaching just past my wrists, but it fit me pretty well in terms of length, and after rotating my arms around a bit to see if there was any stiffness near the shoulder area when moving, I turned around to see Uncle Grayhill and Lucas staring at me in astonishment.

“It fits great, the only problem is that the cuffs are a bit long, but that shouldn’t be too hard to fix, right?… What? What’s wrong?” (Kyle)

“... I guess the lassie wasn’t kiddin’ when she said you could carry the whole order if you wanted to...” (Uncle Grayhill)

I stared back at them with a slightly confused look on my face as Aria walked over to us from the corner of the room and broke into hysterical laughter once she saw what I was wearing.

“What the hell are you wearing, Ky?” (Aria)

“A coat. It’s pretty cool, isn’t it?” (Kyle)

“Well, I wouldn’t say it’s cool, but it’s definitely something.” (Aria)

“Oi, what’s that supposed to mean?” (Kyle)

I gave Aria an angry smile as I stood there wearing the coat with my arms crossed. After a moment, Aria’s laughter finally started dying down and she wiped away the tears in her eyes before covering her mouth and letting out a few more giggles.

“Anyway, I think it’s about time we go. I told everyone I would be at the barracks with our new equipment by noon. Come on, Ky, take that tacky coat off and let’s get going.” (Aria)

I let out a sigh before taking off the coat and putting it back on the table as Aria turned around and walked back towards the boxes with her order in the corner of the room.

A few minutes later, I heard the hustle and bustle of the city envelop me again as I stepped out of the door and into the sun with three boxes of equipment in my arms. Aria stood next to me with a box in her hands while her new greatsword hung from her back just like her old one did back when we were adventuring. She said her goodbyes to Uncle Grayhill and Lucas, who were standing by the entrance of the shop before following me out into the street.

“Alright, see you guys!” (Aria)

“Aye, come by again soon, lassie. You too, laddie.” (Uncle Grayhill)

“Goodbye, Miss Aria! Hope you drop by again. Oh, and Ky, come back in a few days, I’ll have the coat ready for you!” (Lucas)

“Thanks, Lucas! See you then!” (Kyle)

“Alright, Ky, to the barracks!” (Aria)

Aria turned to me and gave me a carefree grin before starting to walk towards the 7th Squad barracks while humming a tune as I followed after her.

Hmm, speaking of which, this really will be the first time I’ve visited the barracks since I helped Aria move in. I don’t think I’ve ever met any of her subordinates either. Eh, well, it looks like Aria’s a lot more cheerful nowadays, and she always seems happy whenever she comes home, so they’re probably nice people... right?