In the afternoon, Jess and Gerred met near the Gilded Rose with the things they had kept. They borrowed a scale at a freight trade station to see how many herbs they had collected on this trip.
Gerred took out the bundled herbs from the bag one by one while Jess weighed them on the side.
Finally, they weighed 7 pounds of Silverleaf, 0.6 pounds of Kingsblood, 2 pounds of Peacebloom, 5 Stranglekelp, 2 pounds of Bruiseweed, and a plant suspected to be Earthroot. There were about 1.1 pounds of Grave Moss.
"It feels a bit less than what we calculated at that time." Jess lifted the whole bag and weighed it with his hand and said, "Could it be that some fell on the way?"
"It's more likely that some have dried out." Gerred picked up a bunch of Silverleaf and shook it twice and said, "Look, these leaves have already hardened."
"Don't shake it." Jess reminded, "If you shake it like this, I estimate a few copper coins could fall off again."
"You're scaring me too much by saying that." Gerred put the herbs back and said, "Calculate the total price?"
Jess took out the scroll and read, "Peacebloom is 2 silver, Silverleaf is 2 silver and 50 copper. Earthroot is 1 silver per plant. Stranglekelp is 2 silver per plant. Grave Moss is 7 silver. These are the clearly stated purchase prices. She didn't tell me how to buy Kingsblood, nor did she say the prices of herbs like Bruiseweed."
The dwarf made a seven with his hand and said, "Don't count Grave Moss and Kingsblood. Cross out the prices and you take them for yourself. I want a seventy-thirty split."
"No problem." Jess began to mutter to himself, "Two times seven is fourteen, five times seven is thirty-five..."
"What are you muttering?"
"Don't talk... 32 silver and 50 copper. In fact, there may be some differences. The specific amount still needs to be determined at the alchemy room."
"How did you calculate so quickly." The dwarf said, "Are you sure you calculated correctly?"
"It should be more or less right. Anyway, it's just an approximate number." Jess said, "Don't you learn arithmetic in Aerie Peak?"
"Of course we learn." The dwarf quickly said, "Then let's go quickly. Otherwise, if these herbs are exposed to the sun here, they will dry out again. The sun during the Harvest Festival is really harsh!"
The two of them picked up their bags and walked towards the canal. Jess asked, "Did you ask about the price of weapons? Will the craftsmen in the dwarf district accept elven weapons?"
Gerred said, "The long one is 6 silver, and the short one is 12 silver. Do you plan to sell it or keep it for yourself?"
Jess said, "I can't even use a sword well. How can I use a short knife? What about you? Do you want to use it for yourself?"
"I'm not very good at using elven things either." Gerred said, "So let's sell it."
As the two walked on the temporary wooden bridge, Jess asked, "Speaking of which, why is the short one more expensive than the long one?"
Gerred pulled out the short knife from behind his waist and said, "Look at the patterns on it. This knife is not a standard-issue weapon. It was specially made by a craftsman. That dwarf is willing to pay more because he wants to collect it."
Jess asked a bit skeptically, "12 silver coins for a collection?"
Gerred explained, "How much do you want to sell it for? Don't you think this dagger is made of mithril? Frankly speaking, the production level is not that high either. It's just a bit more expensive because elven weapons are rare. The longer one is not even made by elves. The Bronzebeard dwarf over there said it was made by a craftsman from Dalaran. I think it's about the same. The items from Dalaran like to imitate the elven style. Didn't I say at that time that it could sell for at most a dozen silver? My judgment is correct."
"Then listen to you." Jess said, "Well, did you ask about that black stick?"
Gerred shook his head and said, "They can't tell what material the stick is made of. They want to pay 3 silver to buy it. I didn't agree. It's not a fir stick! I think it might be made of some otherworldly material from Draenor. Selling something that came across the Dark Portal for just half a month's rent would make me stupid. Now we don't lack this money."
He shifted the things he was carrying to the other shoulder and said, "By the way, I'm planning to move recently. I'm moving to the dwarf district. A Wildhammer dwarf who has settled in Stormwind plans to rent me a room at a very cheap price. I'll send that stick to you tonight. You can keep it. Since it's the thing of that orc warlock, if you have a chance, ask the people in your mage district to see if anyone recognizes what it is."
"I don't dare to ask." Jess said, "If it's really some unclean item, then I'll be arrested."
"It's not that dangerous, is it?" Gerred let out a dry laugh and glanced at the wizard tower in the distance and said, "Then you keep it for now. Go to their library and see if there are any relevant records. Before figuring out what it is exactly, don't sell it."
"It's probably just an orc's staff. Remember to wrap it in cloth when you bring it over so that people outside don't see it." After Jess finished speaking, he suddenly remembered that he might move soon and live in the mage district.
If he moves in, won't the things of the orc warlock that he has privately hidden be easily exposed?
There are many things in the mage district that can detect dark magic. You never know what you might touch that suddenly triggers and then you'll be discovered. It feels like if you want to further study shadow magic or other warlock knowledge, it's better to keep living outside. Anyway, it only takes half an hour to run there.
Besides, now he can earn a little more money. A few silver coins for rent a month is not such a big burden. He might as well tell Amy Marin tomorrow that there's no need to help him look out for a mage apartment anymore.
The dwarf entered the mage district for the first time and kept staring at the beautiful houses on both sides in a daze.
"Did you sell that bow?" Jess said, "The elven bow."
"No." Gerred said, "I plan to keep it for myself. I quite like it."
Jess asked, "Did you ask about the price?"
Gerred said, "A hunter wanted to pay 7 silver coins to buy it. It's indeed an old bow. I think it's better to keep it for myself than to sell it. I can go hunting to relax and improve my diet."
Jess said with a smile, "Then take me with you when you go out. I also need to learn how to hunt."
"That's no problem." Gerred suddenly said, "But I was thinking that day. Are you interested in learning swordsmanship? I think you have good talent."
"Talent?" Jess said, "Do you mean in swordsmanship?"
"I haven't seen you use a sword. I mean in fighting."
"Uh..."
Gerred said, "What, do you think I'm not good at using a sword? I'm a veteran swordsman. Humans think dwarves like to use hammers. That's because most of the dwarves they see are blacksmiths hired by human nobles."
What he said was actually correct. Dwarf warriors are actually very good at using swords. The swordsmanship teacher of Prince Arthas Menethil of Lordaeron is Muradin of the Bronzebeard family. Later, how well Arthas learned is another matter, but at least Muradin's swordsmanship level must have been recognized by the royal family of Lordaeron.
"If you have time, of course I'd like to." Jess said, "When can we start?"
"We can start tomorrow night." Gerred said, "The tuition fee is 2 silver a month."
"Making money off me?"
"Ha, do you still want to learn for free? I'm not your biological father!"
Joking aside, after this trip to the Twilight Forest, Jess felt that it would be very difficult for him to find another teacher who is about as good as Gerred and is willing to teach him swordsmanship for such a small amount of money.
Hiring a proper former gryphon rider to teach him swordsmanship for 2 silver a month sounds absurd to anyone who hears it.