Looking at the axe, I could immediately tell it was well made, far better than the cheap ones I usually found in stores. Although I knew almost nothing about forging, even I could see the folded layers within the metal and the incredible detail carved into it. The craftsmanship alone made it obvious that whoever created it was no ordinary blacksmith.
"Huh…" I muttered quietly while examining the weapon.
The edge gleamed faintly under the dim light of the workshop, and despite its heavy appearance, the balance felt surprisingly smooth when I lifted it. Near the bottom of the handle, I noticed a small engraving pressed into the metal.
"This must be his logo," I thought.
Putting the axe back down carefully, I picked up the dagger resting beside it. Unsheathing it slowly, I admired the thin blade. It only had a single edge, with a slight curve running along its length. The dagger looked elegant rather than intimidating, almost like a piece of art.
"Beautiful…"
Even though the blade was thin, it felt incredibly sturdy in my hand. There was no wobble or weakness in it at all. I wondered what kind of metal had been used to make something this durable.
Carrying the dagger over to the old man sleeping behind the counter, I poked him awake carefully.
"What… huh? Who are you?" he grumbled groggily.
'How drunk is this guy?' I thought to myself.
"Sir, I'm here to buy this dagger," I said while holding it up.
The old man squinted at me for several long seconds before shifting his gaze toward the weapon.
"One silver."
I considered bargaining for a moment, but honestly, the dagger was worth much more than that. Not wanting to risk changing his mind, I quickly handed over the coin.
The old man snatched the silver without another word before immediately slumping back into his chair. Within moments, he was asleep again.
Shaking my head, I left the shop and began heading home through the evening streets. The city was quieter than usual, though there were still people wandering around under the glow of lanterns. Merchants packed away their stalls while drunkards stumbled out of taverns laughing loudly.
As I walked, I suddenly heard a muffled scream coming from one of the nearby alleys.
I froze.
For a brief moment, hesitation filled my mind. Getting involved in random trouble was dangerous, especially after everything that had happened recently. Still, the scream sounded desperate.
Clicking my tongue, I quickly moved into the shadows behind a corner. Mana flowed into my legs as I strengthened them. With a powerful leap, I jumped onto the rooftop of a nearby building.
The wind brushed against my face as I silently ran across the rooftops toward the source of the scream. Peering down into an alley, I spotted a young girl—around seventeen years old—being cornered by a thug.
The moment I saw the man's face, recognition flashed through my mind.
"Wait… I've seen him around Iskar Mansion before."
That immediately put me on guard.
Putting down my groceries carefully, I pulled off my shirt and wrapped it around the lower half of my face.
'I'd better hide my face," I thought. "I'd rather have them think I'm dead.'
Without wasting another second, I jumped down from the rooftop. My foot smashed directly into the thug's face, sending him crashing across the alley. He rolled on the ground while clutching his bleeding nose in pain.
"Are you alright, ma'am?" I asked while keeping my eyes on the thug.
The girl looked completely shocked.
"U-Umm… yes."
I glanced at her quickly to make sure she was unharmed. Thankfully, she didn't appear injured.
"It's best if you get out of here," I told her.
She nodded rapidly before running out of the alley without looking back.
"Good," I muttered. "I'd better hurry."
Honestly, I wasn't trying to play the hero. What I really wanted was information. Ever since the failure, of the kidnapping operation, I had been curious about the aftermath. What happened to the gangs connected to Iskar? Who took control after the deaths of Viper and Iskar?
Walking over to the thug, I pressed the newly purchased dagger against his throat.
"Listen carefully," I said coldly. "If you scream, it'll be the last thing you ever do."
The thug stared fearfully at the blade.
"Got it! You want money? I have some! Just let me go and I'll—"
I pushed the dagger slightly deeper into his skin. A thin trickle of blood ran down his neck. Fighting back my own unease, I forced my voice to remain steady.
"Silence. Just answer my question. What happened to the Coffin Sleepers after the deaths of Viper and Iskar?"
The thug looked confused by the question, but fear quickly forced him to answer.
"A-After their deaths, the Marquis captured most of the gang leaders," he stammered. "Except for two—Marlo and Vex. They escaped and started forming their own gangs. Both of them are trying to claim the hidden wealth Iskar left behind."
"I see…"
I had heard rumors before that Iskar hid his fortune throughout the city in secret locations. If the rumor was true, then there was still a massive amount of wealth waiting to be found.
"Which one has more people?" I asked.
"Marlo… but not by much."
Interesting.
This could become a perfect opportunity. While those two fought each other over territory and money, I might be able to sneak in and steal Iskar's hidden fortune for myself.
The problem was obvious, though.
"I still don't know where Iskar hid the money."
Looking down at the thug trembling beneath me, I hesitated.
Could I really kill someone again?
The memory of blood and death still lingered heavily in my mind. Even if this man was trash, taking a life wasn't something I could do lightly.
After several tense seconds, I shook my head.
Instead of slitting his throat, I slammed the hilt of my dagger into the side of his head. His body went limp instantly.
"Sorry," I muttered quietly.
Searching through his pockets, I found one silver coin and five copper coins.
"Not bad."
After grabbing my groceries, I finally headed home.
Once inside my small room, I prepared dinner and ate quietly while thinking about everything I had learned. Marlo and Vex were fighting over Iskar's hidden wealth. The city's underworld was unstable, which meant opportunities would appear everywhere during the chaos.
After finishing my meal, I sat down beside my bed and carefully stored my money in a hidden spot beneath the floorboards. Once that was done, I pulled out my Grímaror.
Opening the worn book, I flipped through the pages. Only a few entries had been written so far, mostly notes about the first spells I had learned. To keep my secrets safe, I wrote everything using a language from Earth so nobody in this world could understand it.
Running my fingers across the pages, I let out a slow breath.
"Now then…" I murmured.
"Let's fix this mana vein issue."