My Villains Episode 018
5—2. Maintenance (3)
I don’t know if I should be happy for being told that I’m young or sad for being told not to be arrogant.
As I stared blankly at him, the annoyed guy scratched the dirt floor with his feet and sighed.
“Whoa. Are you going to go to the studio later?”
“huh. why?”
“I go too.”
“you also? what to do?”
“If you want to go together, just go together.”
“It’s true. Did you entrust me with the right to enter the studio? I have to explain something, so whether or not I agree.”
Speaking of workshop access, I need to explain a bit about the reward I received.
For the battle at the docks, I received a fairly large artillery award. First of all, I received nine silver coins and decided to receive a reward from the lord of the castle.
But the South Harbor fleet was destroyed before receiving the reward. What is it? In such a situation, I thought I would be beaten for no reason if I went to visit him saying, “Give me that reward.” So I just kept quiet.
But while I was doing that, a messenger came to visit me. As a militia, they are giving out rewards to those who played an active part in battle.
When asked what kind of reward he wanted, he asked that he be allowed to use the workshop of the castle owner.
The castle lord’s workshop was a place he had come to know through the Grania gang, and in simple terms, it was a place where artisans working for the city gathered.
The castle lord’s workshop was where various equipment was made only for the lord of the castle and his subordinates.
Since the lord of the castle had the most power and the most wealth in the city, it was only natural that the best artisans in the city were all gathered in the lord’s workshop.
Because of these circumstances, Seongju’s workshop was a facility that ordinary citizens could not use. I was requesting the use of the facility.
As I found out later, it seemed that not only me but also quite a few mercenaries received the same benefits. The Grania gang, which played a significant role, was one of them.
I went straight to the workshop and disposed of the weapons and armor I had obtained as loot and purchased helmet, gloves, and boots.
I wanted to buy shin guards too, but the money was sorely lacking. Oh, the order to make the shield was also made at that time.
It is also for this reason that Ellen asks me to take her to the studio. Of course, he didn’t get a ticket to use the workshop.
“I’m going with you, it doesn’t matter. If the guards ask, you won’t have to answer them.”
“Can’t we just say we came to watch?”
“So what if I buy something? Will it be raining for no reason?”
“Grunt.”
Ellen frowned and pursed her lips for a moment before speaking.
“Buy a crossbow. Even if it’s something small.”
“catapult? crossbow?”
“No crossbow!”
“A crossbow or a crossbow… but suddenly why?”
When I asked as if I couldn’t understand, he replied in a low voice.
“…As some say, I am a superfluous human. You have to hold something to do one person’s share. But he doesn’t even know how to handle other weapons…”
Three or four reasons immediately came to mind, but he didn’t bother to mention them.
It was because I felt sorry and proud to try to serve one person somehow.
So, after hesitating for a moment, I asked carefully.
“…But do you have any money? A crossbow must be expensive. Oh and-”
“Huh?”
“I’m telling you in case you don’t know. I don’t do money transactions well, even with my family.”
Ellen said, ‘What’s with all these bastards?’ looked at me with a
No, that’s because I’m not a character that’s tough enough to not go through a needle at all. “Well
, I can lend it out
as long as I have interest on the right collateral .”
“I don’t need you, you idiot.”
“Oh yes.”
…isn’t this?
On the way to the workshop, Uncle Gilius, who had woken up from a hangover, also joined them. I asked for armor repair and reinforcement.
Uncle Gilius spoke with concern all the way to the studio.
It was a concern about the shield I ordered.
“No matter how you think about it, that’s a mistake. No matter how strong it is, it will be difficult to handle properly if you make it the way you ordered.”
“Don’t worry. It will be fine.”
The original shield used by Grania and Uncle Gilius was large enough to cover the entire upper body.
There was a lump of iron called ‘boss’ in the middle, and it was covered with rawhide, but the rest of the material was wood, so it wasn’t that heavy.
I guess it’s about 4-5 kilos? It felt a bit light to me.
When I said my thoughts, Uncle Gilius frowned.
“Is that light? It is just right for practical use.”
“Actually, lightness doesn’t really matter. It’s a problem because it splits more easily than I thought.”
“As long as the shield blocks some arrows, it’s enough. What more do you want? What are you trying to stop the giant’s axe?”
The uncle was a mercenary with as much experience as his shaggy beard. So, the words about battles and equipment were quite believable.
“And since it breaks so easily, aren’t you telling me to carry an extra shield? How much is the shield you ordered?”
“Eight pieces of silver.”
“This crazy- I’m going to die of waste, you bastard.”
Uncle Gilius clicked his tongue, but I also had my own thoughts.
If I’m only going to be involved in large-scale battles like the Battle of Dockside, I’d rather have a light standard shield.
It will crack and twist, but it will block three or four arrows, and you can quickly switch to an extra shield when entering close combat.
But I wanted to avoid war as much as possible
.
He hated killing people, and he hated the situation of having to cling to his luck, hoping that a blind arrow or spearhead would escape in the frenetic melee.
And crucially, in order to proceed with the scenario, you had to fight monsters, not people.
It was clear that the monsters of this world would make dangerous attacks that were incomparable to those of humans.
It was impossible to risk one’s life on a light and cost effective shield.
Anyway, I wasn’t in a position to compare myself to regular mercenaries. Aren’t you in a position to save Middle World while progressing through the scenario?
Uncle Gilius, who had been dissuading me for a long time, cleared my throat and moved the target when my thoughts seemed quite firm.
“So, has my little girl ever handled a crossbow?”
Uncle Gilius asked while spinning around, but Ellen responded as usual.
It is said that it was chewed neatly as usual.
I became quite friendly with Grania’s mercenary gang, but Ellen didn’t even deal with them.
At least Sister Olga, who shared the same room, seemed to be talking. Sister Olga was working as a mercenary, but since her main job was a clergyman, it seemed that she was being treated accordingly.
However, the other mercenaries are not even worth it. Are you treating me like a non-existent person?
When I asked what the hell was the problem, the guy’s answer was very spectacle.
– Ask because you don’t know? Mercenaries are all thieves and robbers. It’s best to avoid dirty wild dogs.
-Oh, it’s the same for you and me as mercenaries, right?
– Even if it’s a joke, don’t say such creepy things. My essence is a wizard, not a mercenary.
-Ha Then what about me?
-It’s you… Because I owe something.
It was the expression that said, ‘I will take special care of you, so you know that’.
I don’t know what the hell they believe in when they can’t even use magic. One respect is worth knowing.
I’m not sure if Ellen’s acting like this is due to her personal inclination or whether it’s a common idea among the magicians from the Palace of La Palais.
There was no way I, who skipped the campaign text, looked at the background settings.
Uncle Gilius spoke to her several times despite the silence, but Ellen didn’t even look at her and just moved on.
“Hey Ellen. Ajae is asking.”
“Don’t talk to me because it’s annoying.”
…so arrogant.
I’m not sure which one is better, between tick-tucking and ignoring each other.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have a reaction though? I heard that stealing is more scary than bullying.
“Still, do you always respond well to what you say? Why don’t you ask instead?”
“Because of his personality, he won’t answer. Later, when I look at things at the workshop, my father gives me some advice. Even if you’re ignoring it, you won’t really be able to hear it
.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
Other mercenaries were very displeased with Ellen’s response, but Uncle Gilius was an exception. It reminds me of the son I left behind in my hometown.
I don’t think Gilius’ son, who looks like an orc, resembles the typical noble lady merchant Ellen. Does it look similar to not being cheap?
Around the time I was thinking about that, I arrived at the studio.
“Oh, Mr. Phoenix, Mr. Gilius! I was waiting for you.”
The name of the freckled young man who greeted us with a friendly smile was Ilton.
Oh, I was mistaken the other day, but Ilton was not the best craftsman in the city, but just one of the apprentices learning their craft in the workshop.
He was a kind of receptionist who integrated and managed the work of other artisans.
When I thought about it, it was natural that a person who had advanced skills such as armor making, leather work, and blacksmithing was not young, so it was absurd that a young guy was mastering all of them.
During the game play, Ilton’s lines were all skipped, and he was mistaken because he didn’t pay much attention to the environment around him.
You should read the text and take a good look at your surroundings. It doesn’t matter now, but I’m very worried about the future.
“What about things? Are you done?”
“Oh sure. Please wait!”
Ilton was a young man who was big but had a youthful face. He was always bright and cheerful, and he always made me smile when I saw him.
Ilton went through the noisy workshop and brought me my shield and Uncle Gilius’ armor.
I didn’t pay much attention to the old man’s leather armor because it was just a repair and a little reinforced gong, but my shield was different.
“Oh, that’s heavy.”
“Yes? I got the right weight as you ordered… but isn’t it too heavy?”
“no! just right.”
I smiled contentedly, and Ilton let out a sigh of relief as well.
Well, not many people would order a shield with these specifications. If I cut it out because I didn’t like it, it would have gone straight to the warehouse.
The original shield I received was about 70 cm in diameter, which was quite large compared to the average.
The weight was also considerable, and it seemed to be less than 10 kg. If it was Kim Seung-soo’s body, it would have been difficult to hold it, but it was just right for Phoenix to be moderately heavy.
The outside was covered with thick leather around a steel boss, and the inside had a 己-shaped handle that pierced downward and a leather strap that could be hung over the shoulder.
Ilton added details as I inspected the shield.
“I used a wooden board that had been soaked in a solution of cow urine and debelesh (small monster) blood for a week. It is a bonus that it was dried in the sun on the beach for three days.”
“what? I ordered five days ago?”
“Ah, of course it was originally in the workshop. It is the material used for the shield used by the Holy Guard. Well, the shields for the SS are curvatured by heating, but they are just as strong anyway.”
“Oh yeah.”
“I used two types of leather. The inside is covered with tanned cowhide, and the outside is covered with the skin of a dragon (亞龍 Demi dragon) baked in an oven.”
At Ilton’s words, I swept the outer surface of the shield, and I could see the texture of the reptile’s distinctive leather.
Sub-ryong is a monster that looks like a greatly enlarged Komodo lizard.
In the game, he was a tricky guy because he had excellent overall body specs and inflicted poison damage with his bite attack.
As far as I know, he’s not the guy from Chapter 2, is he?
“By the way, was there a sub-ryong around here? How did you get it?”
“Of course not anywhere near it. I saved it before the city was sealed off.”
Saying that, Ilton scratched his cheek.
“Actually, half of the commission fee is for sub-dragon hides. At least it was the leather on the side, so the price would have doubled if the leather on the back or head was used.”
“Hmm yes? I like it anyway. Now, here’s the balance.”
“Hehe, thank you.”
After handing over the balance of four silver coins, I put the buckler I was holding around my waist.
And with the newly acquired original shield on the shoulder, this heavy sense of stability. I really like it.
After I finished my business, I chose a crossbow for Ellen to use.
He disposed of one of his rings to buy a crossbow. It wasn’t a magic tool, it was just a silver ring with a tiger’s eye.
I said that if it was an item with a story, I would take it as collateral and lend the money, but he told me to stop. Was it a bit excessive to charge interest?
In any case, it must have been something that could be just sold. The ring was worth eight pieces of silver.
I prepared the money like that, but an unexpected problem occurred.
