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Chapter 25 – The fate of the mythril sword
“Well, with the owner here things will go faster. He should be easier to talk to than this stubborn old man. I only want to say one thing: Sell that mythril sword to me.”
“I refuse. I had it made because I needed it.”
Weapons suitable for adventurers of B rank and above are not something easily found, even in the City of Adventurers.
If we let this one go, then who knows when we’ll have the next chance to get one. Also, we are in no way obligated to sell it to her to begin with.
This Hilde must be aware of that too, and that’s why she kept pestering this stubborn old man Berga instead, and even went as far as to threaten him.
“Don’t get so worked up, Heavy Knight. It’s not like you having that sword would really mean anything. What is even a small-fry like you trying to do with a weapon like that? You really don’t get how the world works, do ya?”
Hilde shrugged her shoulders and shook her head to mock me.
“You must’ve got a big head from the prospect of getting a rare weapon, but this is just giving gold jewelry to a Rana. Adventurers are a surprisingly exclusive bunch, ya know? If a top dog singles you out, you can kiss your progress goodbye. Let me enlighten you then. What do you think would be better for you? Getting worked up and trying to futilely go against me, or obediently selling me that mythril sword. It’s not like I want to rip you off, ya know. I’ll give you more than enough money for it.”
“More than enough money….huh.”
We do want to save up money for that Skill Book.
However, I don’t think Hilde would pay significantly more for it than its Market Value.
As for me, rather than selling it for a somewhat good price, it would be much more efficient to use it to delve into a higher level Dungeon.
“30 million gold should be more than enough for it, right? Hahh, that must seem like an unimaginable sum of money for you. Let’s just sort it out and let me take out the mon-”
“I refuse. A pittance like 30 million is not nearly enough for it.”
“Haah?”
I expected her to offer around that much.
With the Mythril Ingot’s Market Value around 25 million gold, that price would seem appropriate if you count in the smithing fee and a small extra.
However, there is also a highly valuable Rune embedded in it too, not to mention that without this sword, the rank of Dungeons we could visit would decrease by one.
If I consider the lost opportunity cost, there is no way I would just nod to a 30 million gold offer.
“H-hey, kid…. Although this brat looks and acts like a runt, her abilities are the real thing. She’s a B rank adventurer, with a solo Dream Lord subjugation on her record. However, her character is absolutely rotten. You might not want to go against her like this.”
Berga told me nervously.
“Isn’t it because you dislike people like this that you refused to make something for her? Well, I also don’t like her. I have no intention of negotiating either.”
“I’m prepared for whatever may come of this, but….you two are still young. You should avoid making a troublesome enemy like this within the Guild.”
“If it comes to that, then we will just move to a different city again. I don’t think I’m weaker than this one anyway.”
In terms of adventurer rank, I’ve just become a B rank too.
In terms of levels, I should also be more than able to fight her.
I don’t like her looking down on me like this without any basis.
“You bastard, you say some funny things. A shitty nameless Heavy Knight says that he’s stronger than me?”
Hilde started laughing while covering her mouth.
No, that’s a fake laugh.
Her aim must be to get me to lower my guard.
Just as I jumped back, Hilde moved.
She pulled her sword out and pointed it at my chest.
The smithing tools on top of the table fell down from her movement.
“Hoh, nice reflexes. As expected of someone who would talk back to me like that. However, your Status is just too pitiful. That’s the limit of a Heavy Knight, I guess. Good for you, huh? If you’ve managed to piss me off even more, then I might’ve just killed you on the spot, ya know?”
Hilde stepped back from me and put her sword away into its sheath.
It didn’t seem like she had any intention of actually following through, but she also had no compunction about pointing a blade at someone.
“If you hold onto a weapon that’s unfit for you, it will just lead to your death. Just sell it to me obediently.”
“A-are you alright, Elma-san!”
Luce rushed up to me in a panic.
“What do you think you’re doing all of a sudden!”
“So noisy. I just showed him the difference in our abilities. How unexpectedly nice of me, right?”
As I left my fighting stance, I kept glaring at Hilde.
“Just because you launched a surprise attack, that doesn’t mean it managed to prove anything. A fight between adventurers depends a lot on their respective Classes. Depending on the matchup, the distance between the participants and other various conditions could make all the difference. They even say that it’s impossible to set up a truly equal duel between people.”
In simple terms, in Magic World the winning chances of a duel between a magic user and melee fighter was decided solely on their relative distance at the start of the duel.
The farther apart they started, the larger chance the magic user had of course.
“Oi oi, this should’ve easily proved the difference in our abilities. Don’t try to deflect with some weird logic. Or if I fight you in even terms, then will you give up that mythril sword and let me have it? If that’s the case, then I will face you anytime. It’s not like I could lose against a Heavy Knight like you, hah.”
“What I said was simply the common view on the topic. Nonetheless, since there is nothing in it for me even if I manage to win that duel, I will have to refu-”
“Yap, yap, yap, just shut up already. I told you already that’s impossible. If I lose for some reason, then I will not just give up on the mythril sword, but I will even pay its Market Value to you. There, now you have no outs left anymore, right?”
Hilde licked her lips and sent a scornful smile at me.
“You shouldn’t take her up on it, kid. The Magic Swordsman Class specializes in one-on-one fights. Going by your logic, it would be unfair to try and compare your abilities in a straight fight to begin with…..”
Berga looked worried.
However, I raised my hand to stop Berga from speaking further.
“Are you really fine with those terms? If so, then I will happily accept.”
Luce and Berga went pale simultaneously.
“I-I don’t think that’s a good idea! She is a B rank adventurer and a Magic Swordsman to boot! They are fast, have high Attack, and Skills for both close and long range…. Even I know that they are supposed to be unbeatable in a duel!”
“I also planned on brushing it off at first, but it seems I got somewhat angry.”
I moved my gaze towards the smithing tools lying scattered on the floor.
“There is no reason to refuse an easy few dozen million gold. Let me teach you some humility for some pocket change, Hilde.”
“I don’t like your shitty attitude, but I’m happy that you’re this stupid. I will invite a Guild employee to serve as a witness, so you won’t be able to weasel your way out after. Don’t regret it later.”