As Malenia stepped into the hidden room, her eyes fell upon various unique weapons mounted on the wall, very different from the ordinary ones she had seen hanging outside.
It was clear that these weapons were forged with care and mastery.
There was also a large chimney with red flames burning and a big hammer resting against the wall.
"So, what do you think? And by the way, these aren't even my best pieces," the dwarf said with a smirk, his eyes glinting with pride as he observed her reaction.
Malenia looked him dead in the eyes. "Impressive, but could you just show me the ones that suit me instead of showing off?"
The dwarf chuckled, scratching his beard. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. So tell me, what kind of weapon are you looking for?" he said as he carefully observed Malenia's body to determine what weapon would be most suitable for her.
But it was then he noticed her figure in more detail, something he hadn't paid attention to before.
Now that he observed her properly, something deep within him stirred—a feeling he hadn't felt in a long time.
Regardless, he kept his expression composed. For him, craftsmanship—the love of creating tools of power—was even greater than the feeling he was experiencing.
"Uhh... I'm not entirely sure," Malenia replied thoughtfully. "A sword will work, or a bow."
She thought using a sword would be practical since her other skills worked best at close range, and a bow could help her when her skills were on cooldown.
The dwarf's brow furrowed as he considered her options, checking out her body again. "Lady, don't be offended," he began, a grin spreading across his face, "but I don't think you'd be able to use a bow with those... big blossoms on your chest."
Malenia blinked in surprise at his bluntness, then folded her arms. "Oh really? Care to explain?"
He let out a laugh, unbothered by her stare. "Look, I'm just saying, a bow takes a certain amount of freedom in the upper body, and, well, with your... assets, that might be a bit difficult."
"But hey, if you're determined, I can certainly fit you with something custom-made. Just don't say I didn't warn you."
She rolled her eyes. "Alright, alright. I'll just stick to a sword for now. So just get me a good sword for monster slaying."
"Ohh, so you're an adventurer? Hard to believe, but sure. Wait a minute, I'll take out a sword perfect for you."
The dwarf moved close to a cabinet, opened it, and started searching for something.
A few seconds later, he pulled out a long object—a refined sword.
"This sword is light and sharp enough to cut through monsters without dulling—perfect for a woman like you."
Malenia looked at the sword. It was strikingly beautiful, with a silver blade and a purple hilt that shimmered with a subtle, ethereal glow.
"Wow! It really is a stunning sword. Can I try it first?" Malenia asked as she examined the blade.
The dwarf nodded, handing the sword to her.
Malenia took it and started swinging it around, and with each swing, she could hear a 'swish' sound due to her high strength.
"Whoa, whoa! Calm down, you're going to cut my beard off!" he said, ducking to avoid her random swings.
"Oh, sorry, I just got a little excited—it's my first time holding a sword."
"Hah... No problem. So, what do you think?" The dwarf looked at her, hoping for a reaction that would satisfy him.
Malenia nodded. Even without any experience in swordsmanship, she could tell it was a well-made weapon. "Yes, it's awesome, how much for it?"
"Only 25 gold coins."
'What!? Isn't that too much? I have the money, but spending it all on one sword doesn't feel right,' Malenia thought.
After a moment of thinking, she took out some gold coins and extended them toward the dwarf. "Twenty gold coins, take it or leave it."
The dwarf looked at her in bewilderment. She had just told him not to worry about the budget, and now here she was, bargaining shamelessly.
'You!!'
"Lady, you shouldn't try to rob a hardworking man like me," he said, forcing a smile.
If it had been any other customer, he might have thrown them out, but for some reason, he held back with Malenia.
Malenia, however, didn't waver. She knew how to bargain. "Fine, I'll just buy from somewhere else."
She turned, pretending to leave.
"Wait! I'll let you have it for 20 gold coins, but only if you agree never to buy weapons from any shop but mine," the dwarf said, thinking of it as a long-term investment. 'Yes, it's purely business—a permanent customer will make up for the small loss,' he assured himself, hiding the fact that he found Malenia attractive and wanted to see her again.
"Deal. And throw in a leather belt with a sword sheath," Malenia agreed, quickly handing him the coins before he changed his mind.
"Hah! Fine," the dwarf sighed, complying and giving her both the sword and the leather belt.
Malenia fastened the belt around her waist and slid the sword into its sheath. "Pleasure doing business with you."
With that, Malenia left the room and exited the shop, heading toward the forest—her original destination.
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At present.
Malenia walked through the dense, tree-filled forest, staying alert for any potential threats.
Carefully making her way forward, she suddenly spotted movement in the bushes. Quickly, she ducked behind a tree and peeked out.
In front of her, a group of goblins was carrying large chunks of wood, moving them in different directions.
'What are they doing?' Malenia wondered, quietly following them from a distance. 'Maybe I could find their base if I keep following them.'
As she continued, she noticed even more groups of goblins heading in the same direction, forcing her to slow down and proceed cautiously.
She wasn't worried about losing track of the original group, as there were now plenty of goblins in the area. However, these goblins seemed different from her old minion, Gob.
They were larger than typical goblins and displayed a surprising level of cooperation and intelligence.
She recalled what she'd heard from the Goblin Slayer party—goblins usually didn't work together like this, nor did they gather resources for building. Seeing them collect so much wood and other materials was unusual.
"So the rumors were true. Something's influencing their behavior," Malenia concluded.
Continuing forward, she spotted the entrance to a massive cave. 'That must be their den.'
Although her plan was to work with the goblins using her favorability, she couldn't help but feel nervous now.
There were dozens, if not hundreds, of goblins around the cave entrance, and who knew how many more were inside.
She wanted to go in and find their leader to negotiate a cooperation, but it was frightening with so many goblins everywhere.
"Come on, Malenia! You have high favorability with goblins—they won't hurt you. Just go." She said to herself, gathering her courage.
Stepping out from her hiding spot, she approached the cave entrance...