[What a huge place!] Gilgan was in awe at the sight of the varying buildings. Fray is very lively indeed.
(Before I leave, Uncle told me to go to this blacksmith first. He gave me a lot of money, about 1, 2, 3-)
As a child, Adam was already training himself to count faster than his age could've. Even when he was traveling, observing the trees and even counting the rocks became his hobby when no bandits came for him to kill.
In summary, Adam's counting speed is faster than a rabbit-
(-3428 Golden Lordrith Pennies. That's enough to buy a land the size of our manor. Geez, he overdid it.)
Uncle Prith did, and even gave him his purple trinket. Depending on the color of the trinket, one can get a higher privilege.
A Baron has a red trinket,
Viscount has orange,
Earl has yellow,
Marquess has blue,
And Duke has purple ones.
The higher the rank, the higher the royalties. It is almost the same as the merchant caste.
[So, you're going to buy a Bifrost?]
(Uncle told me to, futhermore I've heard it before-)
Bifrost, the artifact invented by a merchant named Sir Jake Francis, the very same knight who Adam's father wrote a story for. It can store the power of light to create a gate of darkness. It uses an unknown mechanism, but it does work.
The darkness it creates becomes a one way tunnel from a specific place to another. It is often used by traveling merchants.
[Well, I already knew that. It will be useful. I don't sense anything odd with your sister right now. So, go for it!]
When Gilgan imparted upon the twins her blessings, she also placed upon the two of them a spell. This spell enables her to know if the subject is dead or not.
(Just you wait, Eve. I'm coming.)
After walking for a while and admiring the view of the town and its people, a fatty bumped into him and stumbled all over the ground.
Adam reached out his hand, but when he saw his face he immediately retracted.
"Watch where you're going you filthy-"
At the sight of the young man's attire, the fatty immediately cleared his throat and changed his demeanor entirely, as if he was a samaritan.
"Forgive me, mister! I am Frederick of the Boings Family. Can I please have your name?"
He doesn't recognize him, and is even sucking up to the cunning boy. Good.
(Big sister, do you have the power to change my appearance?)
[Yes, but it is only limited to your hair and perhaps a few other body parts. I cannot disguise your face.]
(Then, make my hair longer.)
With a woman's voice and demeanor, Adam shouted for everyone to hear-
"Oh GOSH! My VERY expensive clothing that was even tailored in PARIS! Look at it!"
Soon, a crowd was surrounding 'her' and the fat man. The humiliation was starting to get to Frederick-
"W-what are you! Hey! I was just being-"
Adam feigned 'her' sniffling. Every time 'she' would stress a word, the crowd would gasp in horror.
"Oh my! T-this filth of man bumped into a lady such as I and didn't even say sorry! What's more, the NERVE to glare at me! I think I also felt him cop a feel at my CHEST… And my BUTTOCKS… And ultimately my SOUL."
It was an effective act, for murmurs and whispers filled with contemptuous glares sprouted at once, all pointing towards a single confused and frustrated fatty. He tried to explain at once, but the men were angry and the ladies were scared.
With a clenched hand, Frederick grabbed Adam's collar. The crowd wheezed in dread of the sight. Some of the lasses fainted.
Then, a hand clasped the angry bastard's shoulder. It was the guards. They were about to question whats happening when the 'lady' disappeared. It would turn out that 'she' went to a nearby alley.
[I think you overdid it.] Gilgan laughed like a maniac.
(Suits him fancy. The nerve to spit on my face a week ago. I'm not prideful, but I loathe people openly disrespecting me.) He said with a smirk. Now, he is truly satisfied.
The young man went to the other side of the alley to see a humble smithy. It was rather decrepit looking, but it had a passionate feel to it.
{Creak!}
As soon as he opens the door, dust flew out like smoke. There was so much that it made Adam gag.
[This is a damn dumpster! Are you sure this is it?]
(I'm pretty sure it is.)
[Let me look at that map for a second… wait, it's the right place…]
"Hello! Is there anyone here?" Adam called while sweeping the dust out of his face, but no one answered.
"Step aside, boy." A deep and raspy voice spoke behind him. Adam is small, but this man was even smaller.
"A dwarf?"
"Do you have problems with small people? You are not so tall yourself."
"No! I'm just… I've never seen a dwarf before, only in books. So I find it… fascinating, that someone could be smaller than me. Seen an elf though." Suzuki was beautiful, but Adam didn't need to say that.
Taking hints from the dwarf's stare, he stepped aside to let him in. Right after setting foot inside, the short one grabbed a broom.
"Well, do you have something to buy in this barren store?" the dwarf spoke as he swept the floor.
"My Uncle told me to go to this store and look for a Bifrost."
"Are you sure? Bifrost is really tiresome and expensive to make, first you need a Solteel chunk-"
{Thunk!}
Adam nonchalantly placed a chunk of Solsteel on a dusty table. It shined a bright yellow hue.
"Then you need 3000 Lordrith Gold coins-"
{Crunch!}
The young man brought a purse out that glowed purple as sunlight shone upon it. He put it beside the chunk of metal with a weighty THUD.
The short one simply stared at the items and grabbed another broom to chuck at the boy. He caught it, but was clueless as to why the shorty gave him the large sweeping brush.
"You want to get it faster?" the dwarf lifted his brows.
Without speaking a word but showing only his determination, Adam swept the floor with hums.
For a fair amount of time, they cleansed the entire smithy, sweeping, dusting, wiping here and there.
Adam was earnestly wiping the ground and grooming the walls to wrap things up when he noticed a silver ring. It was made out of silver and looked relatively simple for something placed on an altar.
"You've been eyeing that ring for a while. Do you like it? You can have it."
"No, it just looks rather out of place. An artifact perhaps?"
"Hah! I picked that one up below the door on a terrible day. Placed it up there so when the owner comes back, she can come claim it."
"I see."
All of a sudden, the door was blasted open by Frederick while holding a sword and a pistol.
"Denzel, My old friend! How are we faring on this lovely day!"
[Of course, the fat person doesn't learn. Rough him up Little light.]
Adam was about to dice his fat into fillets but Denzel the dwarf gestured him to stay back.
"Frederick, old friend. What do you want with this short one once again? Haven't you taken everything already?"
"Hahaha! Of course you'll react like that. It's who you are! A weakling! Graah!"
Frederick broke a few fragiles here and there, as well as thrash on the set of swords and shields that he and the young man just organized.
Adam was tempted to interfere but with just a glare of Denzel he retracted his sword.
"And you! You little brat! You humiliated me earlier and I don't even know why! Come here so I can shoot your blasted mind-"
The young man was eager to accept his challenge but again was baffled as the dwarf placed himself in between the pistol and him.
"Do not put the child in this, Frederick."
With trembling hands and a scowl, the fatty spat on the poor dwarf.
"You're pathetic. Both of you are."
And the fatty left with a loud bang on the wooden door.
The silent dwarf picked the swords up once more and spoke while he was at it.
"Child, go on and find another smithy. This one is closed."
Without speaking a word, Adam left.
T young man explored the city in search of smithies and it surprised him that there would be so many. However, it surprised him even further when not even one was capable of creating his Bifrost.
After an entire day of searching, Adam was forced to return to the dwarf's shop by dusk.
"What are you doing here? I told you earlier that I'm closed."
As Adam looked around to observe, the usual swords and weapons were not in display anymore, but rather kept in crates. The dwarf was just sitting at an empty, dark corner, lost in thought.
"I cannot. You are the only one who can craft what I need."
"Then, forget about crafting it. Leave. I want some time alone."
"It is for my-"
"I said LEAVE!" he yelled furiously, but once he realized what he's done, his tone turned apologetic.
"Please, leave. You can take your gold and solsteel. You left them earlier on the table right there. Don't worry, I didn't touch a single penny."
"… I am not taking it. I'll keep it there and return tomorrow. Goodbye-"
As he was about to leave, the dwarf shouted-
"Kid, I am warning you. Do NOT touch Frederick.'
And Adam left the dejected dwarf by himself.
[Quite the unusual dwarf. Usually they're so loud and cheerful. Do you think he's being coerced into closing his own shop?]
(I… don't know. I need to find Frederick. He's the cause of all this, and I don't want to travel for another year to the royal capital.)
~(In the Boings manor)~
Frederick was sipping wine while fidgeting his ring, watching the sunset on his balcony.
{Shing!}
A SUDDEN dagger near his throat.
"Shout and I'll make sure to rip your larynx out of that… chin? Whatever."
"W-what do you want? Money? I can give you money. Just reach out of my-"
"I don't want your stupid penny, I want answers you fat piece of shit."
"W-what? Who are you? Did Denzel sent you? No, he would never-"
Adam tightened his grip around the fatty's neck, causing Frederick to squeal like a suffocating puppy. He caught a glimpse of the boy's face. It was Adam with his dagger, holding Frederick hostage.
"You! You're the little-"
"Shut up! Now, tell me. Why is Denzel protecting you so insistently?"
After a while, the boy felt repetitive taps at his arms for Frederick's face was turning blue. So, he let him go, but without dragging him back to his room and locking all doors and windows.
"I warn you, don't scream. It will be your final words. Now, what is going on between the two of you?"
Frederick dusted his entire body before speaking with a face that did not suit his usual demeanor.
"He… That MAN. His face STIRS me off! Nothing more nothing less. He's simply pathetic!"
With a wrathful grip at his dagger, he almost struck the cowering noble's neck.
"I don't know why he wants to protect you so badly… If I happen to know that you're blackmailing him through whatever method, remember this, I WILL break it. And after that, you WILL die."
And off he goes, disappearing with the sinking of the sun in the horizon. He must find out the truth before daybreak.