"Welcome, customers. How can I help you?"
Edgar was as hospitable as ever, coming right up to greet them the moment they entered the shop.
"I'd like to buy an Iron Thorn Wood Bow."
With a clear goal in mind, Millian didn't waste words and got straight to the point.
"Of course. They're on the counter over here. Please, see which one you like."
Millian looked at the row of bows on the shelf, momentarily finding it hard to choose.
Never mind a rookie like her; even an experienced Ranger would have trouble picking out the best Iron Thorn Wood Bow from a row of seemingly identical craftsmanship.
Lin Mo glanced over. Edgar's craftsmanship was as inconsistent as ever. But of course, the Dwarf wouldn't volunteer information about his own products' flaws. With all the prices being about the same, making the wrong choice could mean getting a bad deal.
"How about... this one?"
Evan pointed to a bow with a shinier finish, picking it up to test it, but he couldn't tell anything from the feel of it.
"I'd recommend this one instead..."
Lin Mo pointed to the bow next to it. Compared to the others, this one had the best overall Attributes and no obvious flaws.
Millian glanced at Evan, then at Lin Mo, her brow furrowed slightly.
"Let's go with this one."
Bain also pointed to the bow Lin Mo had indicated. Although he couldn't tell which of the bows was the best, he could easily tell that the one Evan had picked was the worst.
"This customer certainly has a good eye..."
Edgar looked at Lin Mo with some surprise. If he hadn't forged them himself, he probably would have had trouble picking out the best one.
"You flatter me."
Lin Mo waved his hand dismissively. "I'd like to buy a light One-Handed Sword and a set of Leather Armor."
"The rack for One-Handed Swords is over there."
Lin Mo glanced in the direction he was pointing. He'd seen those swords on his last visit. There were some decent ones, but...
"Do you have anything better?"
For the old Lin Mo, a One-Handed Sword priced at 3-4 gold coins would have been more than satisfactory—even a luxury.
But now, having just earned a large sum, he wasn't short on money and naturally wanted a better weapon.
"Haha!"
Edgar let out a hearty laugh. "This way, customer."
With that, he called over to one of his shop assistants and led Lin Mo toward the back.
He pushed aside a curtain, and a wave of searing heat washed over them.
Lin Mo followed the young Dwarf, looking at both sides of the path.
Many weapons and pieces of Armor hung on the walls, their quality similar to what was sold out front. They were probably just inventory.
Edgar stopped in front of a black iron door. Not far from it was his forge.
He took out a Key and opened the door, and Lin Mo followed him into the small, secret room.
"In here... are all my masterpieces."
Edgar puffed out his chest proudly. "Every single piece is a true work of art. See if there's anything you like, customer."
Lin Mo looked at the finely decorated rack before him. It held only a little over twenty weapons, five of which were One-Handed Swords.
He casually glanced at one of them.
[Flawless Trial Sword]
Weapon Types: One-Handed Sword
Level: Ordinary (White)
Attributes: Durability +50%, Sturdiness +30%, Sharpness +20%
Hidden Attributes: Hardness I: -10% Damage Probability on Collision
'Edgar really wasn't exaggerating. The quality of this sword is on a completely different level from the ones sold out front, far surpassing the ordinary wares in Old Riel's shop. Of course, there's no way of knowing if an experienced old Blacksmith like Old Riel has even better weapons hidden away.'
"How much for this sword?"
"5 gold coins and 30 silver coins. The price is non-negotiable."
Lin Mo nodded. The price was reasonable.
But he didn't make a decision just yet, instead continuing to look at the remaining swords.
The quality of every sword was excellent, roughly on par with the first one—until he saw the last sword.
Lin Mo's expression didn't change, but inwardly he was shocked.
[Wolf Bone Sword]
Weapon Types: One-Handed Sword
Level: Excellent (Green)
Attributes: Durability +30%, Sturdiness +10%, Sharpness +10%
Hidden Attributes: Bleeding I: +10% to wound bleeding rate
Equipment Amplification: Wolf Soul: +1 Strength when using Attack Skills
'It's actually a green, Excellent-Level sword!'
This was the first time Lin Mo had ever seen a green piece of equipment. Not only did it have Hidden Attributes, but it even had an amplification effect.
"+1 Strength when using Attack Skills" meant that when Lin Mo used a Skill like [Slashing], his Strength would be temporarily increased by one point.
With his current 5 points of Basic Strength, this Skill would allow him to exert the power of 6 points of Strength!
'He had to have this sword!'
Lin Mo kept his expression calm and asked casually, "What's the price for this sword? Is it the same?"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk..."
Edgar shook his head. "Customer, you're a smart man with a sharp eye. How about we talk openly?"
'Alright, I guess it was naive of me to think I could fool a Dwarf Blacksmith, especially the one who forged this very weapon.'
Lin Mo nodded in response.
"This sword was forged using the hardest spinal bone from an Elite Level Demon, a Bloodthirsty Wolf, as the main material, combined with high-quality steel. Wielding it in battle allows you to receive a blessing from the Bloodthirsty Wolf's residual soul within the blade, increasing your Strength... You should understand its value."
"So how much is it?"
Edgar slowly held up three fingers. "Special discount price: 30 gold coins!"
"For that price, I could buy a whole set of Iron Armor, couldn't I?"
Lin Mo pursed his lips.
"Do you think this sword is worth less than a set of Iron Armor, customer?"
Edgar took the sword from the rack. "The cost to make this sword was nearly 28 gold coins. Normally, it would be perfectly reasonable to sell it for 35 or 40 gold coins. If you went to the second floor of the Association, a similar weapon might even sell for over 50 gold coins!"
'He's right. I can't admit it now, but a sword like this is easily worth as much as a set of Iron Armor, if not more.'
"So why are you selling it to me so cheap?"
"Think of it as an investment..."
Edgar said with a smile, "You should know, for a young Blacksmith like me, the most important thing is to make a name for myself."
With a good reputation, more Adventurers will come to my shop. I can expand my business, maybe even open a store in Lania City or somewhere bigger.
"I'm giving you a discounted price. If you become a famous Adventurer in the future, I can use that for a bit of reasonable promotion."
"What if I remain a nobody? Wouldn't you be taking a loss?"
"Doing business always has its wins and losses. It's no big deal. Besides..."
He looked up, meeting Lin Mo's gaze. "For a Dwarf, the ability to judge a weapon's quality so accurately and quickly is a remarkable talent. I believe a man who understands his weapon so well won't stay a frog in a swamp forever."
Lin Mo smiled slightly, holding out his fist to bump Edgar's.
"Deal!"