Merchant and Blacksmith (2)
“You crazy bastard!”
The gangster yanked his arm. Naturally, his arm didn’t move.
Dallen said, tightening his grip slightly.
“Aren’t people asking questions? “How much is that wrist?”
“This this…”
The gangster was taken aback. It felt like my wrist was grabbed by some orc.
If he had been an experienced mercenary, he would have sensed the difference in level and retreated at this point.
“Fuck your wrist! “I’ll give you a tummy tuck!”
But unfortunately, he was a local gangster who lived on pretense and arrogance.
Whilick.
He naturally drops the dagger and catches it with his other hand. And then he stabbed the dagger straight into Dallen’s stomach.
For a gangster, he has top-level knife handling skills. In fact, he was a member of the local gang.
From the experience of such a gangster, no matter how powerful one is, one becomes equal in front of a blade.
Dallen, dressed in baggy cloth and without a weapon, was nothing more than prey according to his short life experience.
Chop.
That’s why the gangster couldn’t help but widen his eyes when Dallen grabbed the dagger.
“With your bare hands…?”
A bare hand without a glove tightly grasps the blade of the dagger and does not let go.
It was an exquisite combination of superhuman strength and armored fighting that broke through the ever-increasing limits of skill.
“I’m sorry…”
The gangster looked up at Dallen, his chin shaking. Dallen chuckled. When did this bastard throw away his knife and now he’s saying he’s sorry?
He said.
“One silver coin per fingernail. How are you feeling?”
“Oh, no! “Ahhh!”
Crack!
When I lightly apply pressure to my hand, my wrist bones crumble into small pieces. It seemed that a complex fracture of this magnitude would not be easy to treat even when returning to Earth.
With such useless thoughts, Dallen also crushed the other wrist of the flapping gangster without hesitation.
Wood clatter!
“Kwaaah! Kwaaaa!”
Clink!
Dallen roughly threw the dagger on the street and then pushed the gangster, who was struggling in pain, with his foot.
And then he squatted down in front of the gangster lying on the street. He said.
“hey.”
“Pfft. Ugh.”
The gangster raised his head with a face covered in tears and snot.
The fear seems to be greater than the pain, so he can’t even scream and only whimpers.
Dallen curled the corner of his mouth and whispered softly.
“Get out until the count of three. one.”
“If only Mr. Telia, or even brother Bankal, found out about this, you would be defeated!”
“two.”
“Aaaah!”
The gangster ran away screaming. Dallen looked at the back, then stood up and straightened his back. Half knife? I think I heard that somewhere.
I ignored it and looked back to see Penny helping the blacksmith to his feet. said the blacksmith.
“Hey man. “What did you just do?”
“Please take care of the kid who stabs everyone.”
The blacksmith seemed speechless and became quiet as Dallen asked him why he was making such a fuss. He seemed a little shocked.
When Dallen saw that expression, he thought it was a mistake for a moment.
‘This man is mentally weak right now.’
LeVeron is one of the NPCs in Dallen’s first team of recruitment candidates. However, this blacksmith did not shine from the beginning of the game.
He later becomes a master who blows off the devil’s head with a hammer, but now he is at the lowest point in his life.
Dallen belatedly added while scratching his head.
“You didn’t kill him. They threatened me with a knife while I was naked. If the security guards come, just say it was self-defense and that’s it. There won’t be any problems with business.”
“That’s not it…”
LeVeron couldn’t continue his words and then sighed.
“I’m sorry. Still, since you are the benefactor who saved me and my niece, would you like to come in and have a beer and talk?”
Dallen stopped scratching his head.
beer?
That’s good.
***
“I’m sorry. I should have said thank you first. “There has been so much bad news these days that I feel completely lost.”
The blacksmith said as he brought beer into a large glass.
“My name is Leberon Ahakim. This is my niece Penny. “She is a child I cherish like a daughter.”
“hmm.”
Dallen just nodded while tilting his beer glass.
The beer made by LeBaron was famous for its good taste even in games.
What’s worse, was there always a bar next to his blacksmith shop from the middle of the game?
A masterpiece that countless heroes from all over the world unanimously praise.
When I tried it myself, it was truly excellent.
“I heard that the thug was sent by the creditor. “Like all people in business, I had some debt.”
widely.
Dallen put down his glass loudly. he asked, wiping the foam from the corners of his mouth.
“little?”
“…originally it was a little.”
At that time, Penny came from the kitchen holding a beer glass and sat down. And then Dallon made a sad face when he saw how much he had drunk.
“…Would you like some of mine?”
“Don’t you like alcohol?”
“Not really.”
“I don’t refuse.”
LeVeron told his story one by one in front of Dallen, who quickly emptied his glass and started drinking a new one.
His shop was in a good location on Blacksmith Street. Of course, land was expensive.
Therefore, when he first opened the store, he had some debt.
It was literally just a little bit.
Until the original creditor handed over the debt to Telia Trading Company.
“I was nervous at first when I heard that the creditor had changed, but the attitude toward me seemed very good. They said they would lower the interest rate so we could borrow more money. They said they would sell the tools needed for the blacksmith shop at a low price. “That’s how the debt started to increase.”
Basically, it is easier to spend money than to earn it. As I spent money here and there on necessary things, my debt grew like a snowball.
When LeVeron came to his senses, he found himself in debt almost ten times his original amount.
He realized the reality too late and one day declared that he would no longer borrow money.
And from that day onwards, the Sanghoe changed its attitude 180 degrees.
“They started raising interest rates. Later, they started demanding more than the interest they were paying from their previous creditors. In addition, at some point, the number of customers decreased and only strange ingredients continued to be delivered to the store.”
I found out later that it was all a secret operation by the merchant association.
LeVeron was furious when he found out the whole story, but there was nothing he could do.
Because he was already carrying a mountain of debt.
“…the company offered me a deal.”
Hehehe.
LeVeron, perhaps drunk, swallowed back tears.
Dallen, who had finished his third glass of beer and was about to reach for his fourth glass, paused for a moment when he heard that crying voice.
Sigh.
Of course, the touching stopped only for a moment. Instead, out of courtesy, I asked one question.
“What’s the deal?”
“They told me to close the store and come into their own workshop. They said that if I worked for just 5 years, they would consider my debt paid off. But you know? The moment a local blacksmith like me closes his shop, he goes out of business. “If you have to pay off your debt for five years, the only thing left is a future where you work at someone else’s blacksmith shop and get kicked out.”
Well, there is an age limit even for new experienced workers.
Dallen put down his half-empty glass. The refreshing, tangy finish gently tickled my throat.
It seemed like this was enough of a conversation.
“I too am an ungrateful person. “I can’t believe you’re complaining like this to your benefactor who saved you from almost getting your wrist blown off…”
“How much?”
“…what?”
Dallen spoke again.
“I asked how much I owed.”
LeVeron looked puzzled, but then realized Dallen’s intentions and shook his head.
“Look, this is not an amount that one person can afford. Even in the sterling silver district, not many people can easily come into contact with such a large sum of money.”
Oh, so how much is it?
As Dallon was silently tapping his fingers on the table, LeVeron sighed and confessed.
“Twenty-five, no, this month’s interest is twenty-six florins.”
“I will pay you back.”
Grumble.
Dallen stood up.
he thought. It was an impulsive act, but it was a really good choice.
Superhuman bodies and successor options have already changed many things.
The low street monster who should have become a boss mob ended his painful life early.
Delric Valentino, the slayer who leads the Frogman army, has become a cold corpse abandoned in the sewers.
‘Penny would have been destined to die in the sewers too. To the frogmen by Delric Valentino. There’s a reason I haven’t seen it once in hundreds of episodes.’
A future that has already begun to change.
Dallen had no intention of stopping the trend.
No, I was planning to change it more quickly.
A gloomy world approaching destruction.
Because there was no reason not to change that fate as long as there was sufficient power and potential.
It was a path for the inhabitants of this world, but it was also a path for Dallon himself.
“How on earth are you going to repay me? “No matter how good of a warrior you are, where do you get so much gold?”
LeVeron asked him in a tone of complete disbelief as he finished emptying the remaining half of his glass.
Dallen laughed lowly.
“Don’t worry, there is a way.”
The first appearance of LeVeron that he remembers was very different from now.
The image of a beggar who lost his one and only nephew in vain and was buried in unbearable debt and driven out onto the streets.
He overcame the frustration that was felt even through the monitor and eventually established himself as one of the best blacksmiths on the continent.
“Look! “Tell me what the method is.”
“There’s no need to wonder about that. If you pay off my debt, you can make me some armor. A sword and a shield, too.”
Dallen was thinking of raising the starting point a little.
How far would a legendary craftsman who had overcome even the deep valleys of life be able to rise if he were given the opportunity to make a better new start?
If you could see the future with just a handful of gold coins, there would be no better business than this.
“If I pay off my debt, wouldn’t that be enough? But…”
Dallen grinned.
“I look forward to it.”
Before leaving, he picked up a hatchet on display inside the store, put it on his belt, and said,
“Let’s take this as an advance payment. “I enjoyed my beer.”
thud.
Where Dallon left, only the red sunlight of dusk illuminated the floating dust.
At that time, Penny, who had brought another beer from the kitchen, opened her eyes wide.
“uh? “What about Mr. Dallon?”
“…Penny. “Who is that person?”
Penny scratched the back of her neck at LeVeron’s words.
“Uh…actually, I have to first consider whether or not he is human.”
***
After leaving the blacksmith shop, Dallon headed straight to the merchant guild.
There is no such thing as day or night for someone who has been making money for a long time. The merchant guild was crowded with people as usual.
“Do you know where Volkmar Galios is? “I told you to give me your name here if you need to.”
When I asked that at the guild window, the employee tilted his head.
“I’m sorry, but who are you looking for Lord Galios Merchant Marine…”
“I’m Dallon.”
Dallon took out his mercenary badge and showed it to the employee. The employee who saw the silver plaque jumped up.
“Oh, it was Dallan! Even so, the Lord of the Sangdang put in his words about a week ago. “If Dallen finds you, bring him there without a second word.”
What is it that he did to that extent?
I came here because the guild would look for me if necessary, but honestly, I thought it was just a regular thing.
In terms of social status, the gap between merchant merchants and silver mercenaries is quite large.
So Dallen came without high expectations. If the guild doesn’t tell you, you can just find it through Sienna.
Meanwhile, such a drastic change in employee attitude. From Dallen’s perspective, it was a bit of a surprise.
“He is a warrior who cut a goblin in two with his bare hands. It is an honor to meet you like this. Now this way. “I will guide you to the upper branch of Galios.”
The employee immediately ran out of the window and ushered us out of the guild building. Dallen inwardly stuck his tongue out at that proactive appearance.
As expected, in a place where a lot of money is moving, the service was so good that it felt burdensome.
Including lip service.
“I also heard about the goblin attack. When the top was in crisis, you saved everyone there. It’s like the god of struggle that the northerners serve…”
“By the way, did the Galios Supreme also have a branch?”
“Ah, the Lord of the Sangdan has created a new branch. According to the rumor, you are planning to expand new business at Falcion…” “
…….”
This is not good lip service, I think it was just a chatterbox.
Fortunately, the talkative employee was not only good at talking, but also had good skills.
In front of a four-story brick building that appeared not long after, the employee politely folded his hands and said,
“This is the branch building we recently purchased from Galios Upper. It was an honor to serve you.”
“Thank you for the guidance.”
When I flick a silver coin at him, he bows down to his waist and catches it. After the employee’s words of gratitude, Dallon entered the building.
bang! bang!
Rattling boom!
The heat and noise you feel as soon as you enter the door.
“hey! New stuff coming in! “Move all your belongings over there!”
“Tanned leather should be classified separately, idiot! “Get back to work now!”
“Be careful of the hook! “The Lord of the Sangdan said that safety comes first in any situation!”
People running around and carrying wooden boxes, baskets, leather bags, and bundles of gear.
The branch building, bustling even as the sun went down, showed that the rumor that the Galios merchant was expanding a new business was not false.
Dallen put his hands in his pockets and watched the workers working. It wasn’t that difficult to find Sangsanju in it.
Like other workers, he was jumping here and there, giving instructions and moving loads at the same time.
“There are two carts left for today! Let’s all do our best! Now, please move this over there. And….”
“It’s been a while, Sang-Sang-ju.”
Sangsangju blinked for a moment at Dallen’s greeting. And then he smiled brightly and shouted.
“Dallen? No, how did the Great Warrior of the North come all the way here? For some reason, I had a good dream yesterday. “It must have been auspicious to meet you!”
Dallon smiled lowly as he saw the Galios merchants welcoming him with open arms.
After all, he’s the kind of person who puts gold on someone else’s face.
Sang Sang-ju said, wiping the sweat dripping down his sleeves.
“So do you know why the warrior who cut the goblin into pieces came to see me?”
“Give me some money.”
Sang Sangju wiped his sweat and froze in shock. He hurriedly adjusted his expression and said.
“this. I guess I worked too hard. I think I misunderstood what you said. “Could you please say it again?”
Dallon grinned at the slightly embarrassed look.
He spoke with one hand in his pocket and one hand on the ax at his waist.
“I asked for some money. “About a handful of gold coins. It would be better if you had some in your pocket as well.”