"So, guys, if you have calmed down, let's go to another blacksmith," I said after we exited the blacksmith's shop.
"For what ?" Jack and Joey said in unison.
"We also need to buy a pair of butcher knives and a set of small kitchen knives for meat," I explained.
"But he could have sold them to us," Joey pointed out, while Jack scratched his head with the nails of his left hand.
"Well, you see…it's better to support a community rather than a single person from that community so… if we buy everything from one person, we won't be supporting the community, but just that person. That's something I personally try to avoid," I explained after quickly brainstorming for an excuse.
"That's a…very novel and highly sophisticated way of thinking. Even when shopping for yourself, you are always thinking of others," Jack said, while both of them looked at me in awe of my brilliant thinking.
"So what are we waiting for ? Let's go!!" I exclaimed.
After that we went to another blacksmith and bought a pair of butcher knives, for free!! Why ? Because I'm the hero of the town and they were feeling indebted to me.
Then I went to another blacksmith to buy a set of kitchen knives, for free!! Why? Because they were also indebted to me!!
"Alright, now that we are done with our little shopping, you guys can go and make the carriage by tomorrow, and I will go to Carl and ask him to accompany us," I said after we were done.
"But Mr. Carl left for the imperial capital this morning," Jack mentioned.
".... what?!? Why ? How ? Did he tell you before leaving?" I asked surprised and shocked, why? Because if they were correct, the strongest member of our group was not available now.
"Yes. wait… he didn't tell you ?" Joey asked, looking surprised.
"No, why did he go ?"
"He told us that he was heading out for some personal reasons and left alongside the young Miss," Joey and Jack explained.
"Who the hell is 'young Miss'," I asked, completely lost.
"Miss Lyra," Jack clarified.
Fuck! That guy left and didn't even consider telling me ? And why the hell did he go to the imperial capital? Oh…is it because of the new property he's buying? That's it right? And the research? Both are in the imperial capital… Wait, why aren't we calling it by its name? It's been too long, somebody please say its name!!
Alright calm down Darcy you got this, it's not going to be a dangerous journey, I'm just going to stay inside the carriage, outside the danger zone, so it's alright.
"So…it looks like it's going to be just us without Carl. Go ahead and build the carriage by morning, guys. I have got some preparations of my own to take care of. Oh, and take these cages and catch two rodents, it will save us some lochu."
"Understood! We won't disappoint you Mr. Darcy," they shouted with utmost sincerity.
With that we split up.
After taking care of a few other errands and double checking that my house's water pipes and roof were indeed made of lead, I finally got ready for bed. But just as I was about to fall asleep, a horrifying thought hit me.
Wait, we are building the carriage… but what is going to pull it ? Where am I supposed to get horses?!
Shit! I got the car but there is no engine.
Shit it's too late now it's already dark. I will wake up early in the morning and go straight to Joey and Jack. We will find some solution.
The next morning I woke up early at approximately 5:30 AM. Without eating, bathing or even taking a shit, I ran straight to their house.
It's been a long time since I have seen Dunford this early. The streets are thick with morning mist.. giving off a creepy, cursed atmosphere….
No, there is no cure here. Just my paranoid brain.
Reaching their house, I knocked firmly on the door.
Knock, knock, knock.
The door was opened once again by the lovely old lady.
"Oh dear~ it's you again, Darcy," the old lovely lady said warmly.
"Ah, grandma! Are the boys awake ?" I asked breathlessly.
"Yes, they are in the back-"
"Thanks grandma! excuse me," I sprinted down the hallway before she could even finish her sentence.
"Oh dear, be careful! You might trip moving that fast!" her voice echoed behind me.
In the backyard, Joy and Jack were putting the final touches on the carriage, hammering the last lead sheets into place.
"Oh, Mr. Darcy! you are so early. Do we have to leave right now ?" Joey asked,noticing me.
"What do you think of this carriage? Do you like it ?" Jack asked, proudly.
"... Yea, it looks great. Did you guys wake up super early to finish this?"
"No, we started working on it right after we came home from catching the rodents" They said. " We actually had to go into the forest to get the specific timber for the carriage. It's light, sturdy, and durable."
"And what about the lead?" I asked.
"oh, this ?" Jack said, tapping the lead sheets "We bought it after we caught the pests."
"And Mr. Darcy, the rodents are in those cages over there" Joey said, pointing toward a corner of the workshop.
"Alright, let's see what we have got–what the fuc-?!"
the words burst out of my mouth the second I looked at the cages. Never in my entire life had I seen rodents that massive.
These are household rodents? Really?
"Boys, did you catch them from the wild or what?" I asked, completely bewildered.
"No Mr Darcy we caught them right in the bazaar," they explained.
"So you are telling me these monstrosities are regular household pests?!"
"Yes. Why? Are they too small?" Jack asked, genuinely concerned.
"Well…it's quite the opposite, actually. But…okay."
Holy mother of all creation. When I told them to catch local rodents, I expected something the size of my palm.
But these things are bigger than my head!! Anyways looks like we are finally ready to to go–wait I was here for horses.
"So, boys, I have a problem. Actually, we have a problem now." I said
"What is it?" They asked, instantly turning serious.
"We built the carriage but what's going to pull it?" I asked.
"Oh, about that we can just rent a draft beast from Veynar's Draft Beast Hire," Jack said.
"And they will give you a discount too! if we are renting we should definitely get a murghoda," Joey added.
"Now, what the hell is murghoda?" I asked purely on reflex.
"Oh, it's–Wait…Mr. Darcy, you don't know what a murghoda is?" Joey asked, while Jack rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
..
..
..
"You know, the world is a massive place. Where I came from, we use…different methods to travel. So, you know…just keep in mind that I am new around here," I somehow explained something that even I didn't understand.
"..we understand, sorry about that," they said in unison.
"As long as you understand."
I pointed towards the carriage.
"So, go bring the murgo-what was it?"
"It's Murghoda," Jack said.
"Yeah, go rent a pair, or a single mor–murgo–murghoda, depending on what you think is enough to pull our carriage."
I glanced at the carriage.
" Is it done, by the way ?"
"It's nearly done, we will take it straight to Veynar's Draft Beast Hire to get murghoda," they said.
"Good I'm going home now. Bring the carriage to my house once you are done, and bring your things. Don't forget them."
"understand" they said.
Finally the journey is about to begin… sure, I'm a little scared without Carl around. But hey, this time we aren't fighting any monsters or dangerous people. We should be safe.