[Maria; Home]

Leon left with the guards this morning, and I can tell how worried Mom is about him being put in real danger for the first time. She put on a brave face, but Even my usually dense brother could tell it was a facade. It’s after lunch that she can no longer maintain a straight face.

“Mom, there’s no reason to worry about Leon. He has Beatrix and some veteran soldiers with him. Besides, despite his inexperience, I can tell his talent with the blade.”

“I know, but it’s a mother’s job to worry about their children. You’ll understand once you have one yourself.”

“I’ve told you a hundred times before, I’ve no interest any sort of romance at the moment, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. But if it makes you feel better, I plan to stay in town until he gets back, at the very least. Maybe a job will have me camping overnight, but I’ll be coming home otherwise.”

“Thank you for saying that. I need you to spend today with me, okay? I don’t need you to do much, just be here for me.”

I take that opportunity to come over and comfort her. Our mother is often without either of us for significant amounts of time, it's a shame she is allergic to pets. I guess she can bug the neighbors, but it’s just not the same as spending time with family. After spending an uncomfortably long time in each other’s embrace, I make a suggestion on what to do.

“Want to go to the market? This is the time of month traveling merchants tend to be in town. We might even find some exotic goods there if we’re lucky.” Looking at my mother’s conflicted face, I continue, “We might find a gift for Leon while we’re there. And don’t worry about money, my last job had an unexpected bonus so I’ve quite a bit to spare.” I practically have to force Mom to leave the house, but she becomes far more cooperative once we do so.

[Market]

As per usual, the market is a bustling hub of commerce. Stalls and stores litter the streets, advertising everything from food to weaponry to accessories. That last one happens to be our destination. Walking inside, I’m shocked by the sheer number of products on display. Hundreds of charms, rings, and other pieces fill the shelves. And despite the prices of many of them, we are far from the only customers here.

“Now, what would Leon want from this place?” I ponder. “I was thinking of getting either a bracelet or a pendant seeing as they’re more likely to stay on when moving quickly, and it’s easy enough to find ones with simple enchantments.” I pause for a moment before continuing, “What do you want to get him, Mom? You know him better than I do.”

“Honestly, I’m not sure if he would enjoy such an expensive gift. You know how he is, always concerned about us spending too much money on him. I know we went through some rough times after your father’s passing, but we’ve long since recovered thanks to your efforts. Speaking of, I can’t thank you enough for that. While I wallowed in despair, you risked life and limb for our happiness.”

I’ve lost track of how many times she’s thanked me for that. It must have been at least a hundred times. “To be honest, I was hoping to get something for myself here too, so can we at least look around for a bit to see if anything catches your eye?”

“Sure, but we can’t spend that long here. I forgot that we need to go to the grocer due to the pantry being more or less empty.”

Looking around, I see a few things I like, but Mom quickly shuts me down after looking at the cost. Before long, mom decides we have other places to be, saying we’ll find something elsewhere. Once we turn to leave, however, I glimpse a bracelet out of the corner of my eye. Looking back at it, I am entranced by what I see.

The bracelet is made from ornately carved wood, with a cavity inlaid with a light-green jewel. While there isn’t anything particularly special about it, something in the bracelet calls out to me. I must have it. Telling Mom to go ahead, I ask the shopkeeper about the thing.

“Oh, that one? Honestly, I don’t know much about it. The contact who gave it to me said a delver pawned it off on him, and |Appraisal| spells seem to have no effect on it. It’s definitely magical in nature, but exactly what it does is unknown, though I can at least say it isn’t cursed.” He pauses for a moment before continuing, “As for the composition, it’s made of mana-saturated dryad wood, and the gem synergises with it, meaning it’s also nature-attuned. Honestly, I’m unsure what I should price it at, so I’ll just say one gold piece and leave it at that.”

That’s less than I expected given the craftsmanship, but that’s still a good chunk of what I’ve saved up. But something tells me that I must have it, and so I buy it without question. Putting the bracelet in my bag for now, I leave the store to catch up with Mom, only to find her waiting outside.

“So, what did you get?”

Pulling out the bracelet, I tell her about it before passing it over.

“I agree that the thing is beautiful, and that one gold for this is a steal. But you said you felt compelled to buy it? Could it be an artifact? Perhaps you should take it to an appraiser, see if they can get more information now that it’s in your possession.” Mom’s clearly been charmed by the bracelet as well, solidifying my choice in purchasing it. “Anyway, should we go to the blacksmith next? I know Leon would appreciate a nice blade, and your spear looked rather worn as well. I may not like your choice of profession, but since I know you won’t give it up, I at least want you to stay safe out there.”

“I was planning on taking care of that tomorrow, but we can go now if that's what you want. Also, can I have my bracelet back now?” Mom silently hands it back to me, and we depart.

Mom stops at the first blacksmith she sees, and asks why I was about to walk right past it.

“This isn’t the blacksmith I normally use, and I can attest for the quality of Marty’s works, so we’ll be going to his place instead. It’s just around the corner.”

Walking in, we’re greeted by Marty managing stock. He’s a big man, standing just under seven feet tall, with a large, muscular frame. He would be somewhat intimidating if not for his disproportionately large nose. He’s normally quite polite, but doesn’t take harassment lightly. There’s a reason he doesn’t need security to take care of any would-be thieves. Mom is initially nervous to meet him, but calms down with me reassuring her.

“Good afternoon, Marty.” I call out to get his attention.

“Ah, if it isn’t Maria! How have my spears been treating you?”

“They’ve been really useful but are at their limit. I was planning to come tomorrow to get a new one, but I was already out. I also came to commission a sword for my brother in celebration of him officially becoming part of the guard.”

“Leon, right? You’ve told me of him before. Why, I remember when you first came in nearly seven years ago looking for your first real spear. You’ve really grown since then, especially when it comes to muscle. Anyway, let’s get down to business. What are you looking for?” he asks, shifting to a more professional attitude.

“For Leon, I’d like a one-handed longsword made of steel, with a side guard protecting the hand. It should be of middling weight, and prioritize durability over appearance.” I explain.

“I see. I have several of those in the back, but before I get those, may I ask what kind of spear you want?”

“Actually, I wanted to make a commission. Do you currently have any mythril in stock? I was hoping to get a naginata made from it.”

Marty smiles wryly in response. “Lucky you, I’ve got a single ingot of the stuff left, just enough for the blade. I assume you’ve got other specifications for it, otherwise you’d have just asked me for one that I’ve already made. Well then, lay them on me. I’ve got time.”