"—Welcome, dear costumers. If you're here to look around, look around all you want. If something interests you, feel free to ask me for anything."
After the two guys entered and started to search for some weapons, the three of us stayed in a corner and observed them.
Alex asked in a voice only the three of us can hear,
"Whoa! Look at those adventurers. They must be vanguards, equipped with full sets of mithril equipment! Compared to that… Hey, Hiroki, is this place okay? I haven't seen any weapons worth buying in here. Does anyone even buy weapons in this store? I think this is just a waste of steel, I mean, even those mediocre sticks and bows that are made out of wood are passable compared to those lackluster, rough, unpleasant-to-touch weapons."
"Alex, stop that! Hiroki's dad might hear you!
"You… You really say what's on your mind, huh… Well, let's just watch. I never helped out in here before, so I don't know what's happening in this store."
I doubt anyone would buy here too. If somebody were to buy a weapon here, it would be those hunters who needs bows which is probably the only proper weapon here, and a few farmers who, for some reason, buys swords instead of sickles… I think I'll go watch those people sometimes.
As the two beside me started to talk, I noticed the faces of the two adventurers looking at the swords on the box.
With an expression saying, 'What the heck is this?' they shook their heads and looked at each other as if to convince one another that this is just the box of failures.
They laughed it off with 'T-The real one must be on the stands over there, right? Let's go there.' then proceeded to the shelves.
…Somehow, I'm the one who feels ashamed of what's happening right now…
Looking at the walls, the two adventurers were flabbergasted by the longswords and broadswords mounted there, astonished by the fact that my dad, the owner of the store, was able to put these roughly made weapons on display.
"You're looking quite troubled. Is there a problem, dear sirs? If you have something to ask, feel free to do so."
The owner said with a happy expression, which made it harder for the adventurers to complain.
"Ah. Eh. W-Were looking for a replacement for my weapon, sir."
"D-Do you have anything for a swordsman?"
"Well, yes of course. These are all swords for vanguards."
"Ah. No. What I mean is…"
Hey, hey. Don't make it harder for them. Your costumers are troubled because those swords look like it can't even cut through a slime.
"Or maybe you'd prefer something else."
"Y-Yes. That. We need something lighter, sharper, and stronger!"
"I see. Then I have just the right weapon for you. How about the swords on this shelf?"
The two followed the direction the owner pointed and walked towards the shelf.
Those are sheathed katanas on a horizontal stand, standing out from the rest of the weapons on the shop.
""Amazing""
The two muttered with mouths agape, fascinated at the scabbard's locket and chape with a wavy design.
"Whoa, that's cool! I didn't notice that earlier."
Alex exclaimed and went for a closer look and we followed after him.
Hey, I'm surprised as you are.
"I must say, I'm quite proud of these works myself. Ah. Hey, you kids, don't obstruct my business!"
As if saying 'This is what I'm looking for' the man who said to have lost his sword earlier reached for the katana with a face full of anticipation.
He gulped and our eyes shone with expectation, he unsheathed the katana halfway and –
"""""..."""""
– Returns the katana to its scabbard and puts it back on its stand.
All of us made the same expressions, faces full of disappointment.
"I put my all on forging these weapons so I'm confident about the durability of my works. So, did you like it?"
"Y-Yes. Are there any other swords here? If possible, a sword that looks strong, sharp, and shiny, one that has an even surface. I don't care if it has a high price, just show us something, anything, that I can use to battle with monsters!"
The man, whose high expectations turned into nothing, and is being held back by his companion, replied with a wry smile with his veins protruding in his temples trying hard to not let his emotions show on his face.
I'm sorry, please forgive this stupid old man who sells nothing but garbage…
"Shiny, huh…If you'd like to buy it, I have a few swords here that I made on a whim, something like a prototype, before displaying the final product."
Stop! Those would be trashier than these ones in this room, right? Your costumer's gonna lose his patience you know!
"Stop mocking me, geezer! You're a weapon shop dealer, right?! What's with this shop? I'd rather travel back to the southern kingdom buy a weapon. There isn't even a single…!"
The man's voice lowered after seeing the owner uncovered a box of weapons.
Wha- You keep those hidden!?
"T-These are…"
Even the three of us were shocked by the weapons in the box, a longsword, claymore, flamberge, gladius, saber, even a hammer, axe, mace, all of them giving a black luster of the polished steel.
"I made these to serve as a model to my works, if you want these then I can sell them to you at a cheap price."
Model? Cheap? Even I can tell these are pricey, very expensive, high-grade items, and you say these are cheap?! Are you doing this on purpose? There's a limit to how stupid a person can be!
Still dumbstruck, the two adventurers went for a closer look.
"It has a fine edge, a sharp point, not to mention its lightness. This is no doubt the best sword I have ever seen in my whole life!"
"E-Eh? Uh… I-If you want that then you can buy it for one gold coin."
The owner gave the price of the broadsword with a wry smile and an expression just like when somebody glorifies something you did easily on a whim, looking at us with a face saying, 'Is there something wrong with this guy?'
Why are you acting so dumb all of a sudden? First, you show them something of low-quality with a smile reaching your ears, and then look stupefied when presenting them with super high-quality weapons, aren't you the one who has a screw lose here?
""One gold coin!?""
Hearing the price of the sword, the two men sprung up in surprise.
"Y-Yeah. Why, is it not cheap enough for you?"
The owner asked with a wry smile.
"No, no, no! It should be more expensive, owner-san. We can't' possibly buy this for just one gold coin!"
"I wasn't planning on buying a weapon, but I've changed my mind. Why didn't you show us something like this earlier? Ah, were you perhaps testing our abilities to appraise weapons? What a splendid idea!"
No, no, no, no. I'm pretty sure none of that is true.
The expressions of the owner and the costumers reversed. Now, the owner was the one looking bothered by the situation.
"I'd like to buy this sword, right now. It will be my partner from this day forth. Please accept my wallet! What, is it not enough? Will my armor be enough for now?!"
"Take my wallet as well! There should be enough money amounting to two mithril coins in here. It might not be enough, but I will surely pay it after I finish my mission!"
"N-No need to go that far, dear costumers! Those are just something I made on a whim so I can't accept that much money from you. Hey–! Don't you dare strip your armor–"
"…Hey, Hiroki. I think your dad might be an amazing person in the past."
"…I don't know. I'll ask him sometime."
In the end, the owner accepted their wallets to stop them from stripping off their equipment.