The Tale of Gerald Vader, the Heretic Knightโs Rampage Through Another World
Opening the door, I entered Kuroganeya.
The shop interior was dimly lit, cluttered with a vast array of weapons and armor, giving it a disorganized impression.
Perhaps because it was still early morning, there was no one else there besides the shopkeeper.
With every breath I took, a unique smellโa mixture of dust, sweat, and old oilโfilled my chest.
It wasn’t exactly foul, but it certainly contributed to the shop’s grubby atmosphere.
Right by the entrance lay short spears, axe-spears, and other weapons thrust into barrels with their lids removed.
Then, piled high on wooden platforms, were swords and shields.
All were old, some even showing rust.
Junk or secondhand goods, I wonderedโฆ until I saw the price tags explicitly stated as such.
Armor was tossed into wooden crates on the floor.
Every piece was battered and torn, looking so ragged you’d think they’d been stripped from corpses on some battlefield.
Judging by the price tags, this stuff was junk too.
Of course, these couldn’t possibly be the store’s main attractions. They were clearly aimed at cash-strapped, fledgling adventurers.
Or perhaps for advanced adventurers who could find hidden gems and restore them.
Either way, these were items requiring significant maintenance after purchase.
Obviously, buying any of these wasn’t an option, so I moved further into the shop.
At the back of the shop, weapons and armor were displayed, clearly well-maintained.
Rows of swords neatly arranged on tables, beautiful spears and shields mounted on the walls.
Armor was present too.
This was displayed fitted onto mannequins.
The polished iron breastplates gleamed brightly under the shop’s lights.
At the very back of the shop, a stern-looking old man sat in a chair, working on something.
He seemed aware of us, but showed no sign of approaching.
Still, he didn’t shoo us away either, so he must recognize us as customers.
Not my favorite type of service, but I don’t mind the quiet kind.
โHuhโฆ Not a bad selection at all.โ
Just as I finished surveying the shop.
Twina slipped off my arm and began browsing the swords displayed on a wooden stand toward the back of the shop.
“Look, Gerald. The hilt of this dagger is carved with the emblem of Luhai, the Hero King of the Le’Arl Magical Dynasty. Brings back memories. Ah, and this one has pictographs engraved representing the Demon Dragon Borgram. The dragon’s kin drove the beasts from the northern lands and built a millennia-long kingdom of dragonkin. This sword was issued to their heavy infantry back then. Doesn’t seem to have any โstorm-summoning magicโ enchanted on it, but the blade’s been sharpened meticulously. This two-handed greatsword over hereโฆ Hmm, hmm. This distinctive flame pattern on the blade and the embroidery on the hilt. It’s so characteristic, you’d recognize it instantly. It’s the โFlaming Tongueโ favored by the Temple Knights of the ancient Yoki civilization.”
Like a fish in water, Twina’s eyes sparkled as she began spouting sword lore.
True to her nickname โSword-Maker-samaโ, her knowledge was undeniably vast.
Incidentally, I understood most of what she was saying.
Yeah, glad I read all that flavor text for game items.
Then the shopkeeper, who’d been eavesdropping on our conversation from the back, turned toward us in surprise.
He probably never imagined a beauty like Twina could possess knowledge rivaling an expert’s.
But even as she kept talking like water off a duck’s backโฆ her words gradually started to falter.
โStillโฆ it’s strange. Are all these swords sealed? I can’t sense any magic at all.โ
Well, obviously.
โTwina. Every sword here is a fake.โ
โโฆIs that so?โ
Twina looked at me with a blank expression.
I hate to burst her bubble, but I couldn’t just let it go without pointing it out.
โOf course they are. Do you seriously think a backwater weapon shop like this would just casually display holy swords or legendary weapons?โ
โSo they’re fakes, then?โ
At Twina’s disappointed voice, the shopkeeper sitting in the back looked like a discarded dog.
Well, yeah, if you call them fakes, then sureโฆ but that’s cutting a bit too deep.
Well, hang in there, old shopkeeper.
Still, though.
โEven if they’re replicas, the items themselves aren’t bad. They’re intricate, the blades are carefully sharpened. The construction is solid, of course. With weapons, how they feel in your hands matters more than looks. In that sense, the swords here are pretty high-level. You agree, Twina?โ
โWell, I suppose I do.โ
Though he seemed slightly unconvinced, Twina nodded.
At the same time, the shopkeeper’s face brightened.
Seems this shop’s owner has a dog-like nature.
In any case, weapons are exactly what the word implies: tools for wielding โmartialโ power.
For ceremonial or ritual use, ornate decorations might be necessary, but they aren’t essential for fighting monsters.
After all, a weapon’s true justice lies in its practicality.
โฆBut enough of my personal theories.
โAlright then, I’ll take this, this, and this.โ
โAfter all that talk, you’re not buying a sword?!โ
After picking out some decent armor and bringing it to the shopkeeper, I somehow ended up getting scolded.
I don’t get it.
ใโ
After leaving the shop, we decided to rest at a cafe on the border between the old and new towns.
โPhewโฆ The surface really is full of fun things, isn’t it?โ
Saying that, Twina sipped her coffee across the table with a contented look.
โThat’s great. Bringing you into town was totally worth it.โ
I took a sip of my own coffee and let out a small sigh.
The sweet, roasted aroma filled my mouth and nose.
At the same time, it felt like the fatigue building up in my body was melting away, and I exhaled even more softly.
โIt would be even better if the talisman worked properly now, though.โ
โWe agreed not to say that, right?โ
I gave a wry smile and sipped my coffee again.
Twina’s coffee was sweet, loaded with milk and sugar, but mine was black.
It wasn’t that I disliked sweet things; this was just a remnant from my corporate slave days.
โฆOne of the good things about being reincarnated into this world was the existence of coffee.
Coffee beans, like spices, are imported from foreign lands, but they’ve been cherished in the kingdom since ancient times and currently circulate fairly stably.
Of course, this too is thanks to the soldiers risking their lives to guard the front lines and the merchants importing supplies.
I must drink each sip with gratitude.
Well, even so, once I overcome the โDay of Destinyโ and graduate from the Knight Academy, several years of military service await me.
When that time comes, I’ll have to work hard to pay back all the coffee I’ve drunk up to that point.
Just then.
Suddenly, the cafรฉ door swung wide open, and three stern-faced guards came stomping in.
They were fully equipped, swords at their waists, light armor over their uniforms.
โApologies for interrupting business. Shopkeeper, might we have a moment?โ
โโฆYes.โ
The guards addressed the bewildered-looking shopkeeper, then pulled a small piece of paper from their robes.
โShopkeeper. Has this man ever been in your establishment?โ
โโฆNo. I don’t recognize him.โ
After staring at the paper for a moment, the shopkeeper shook his head.
The guards then spread out within the shop, beginning to question seated customers.
Naturally, one of them approached our table.
โSorry to interrupt your break. We’re conducting an investigation. Recognize this man?โ
The guard presented a sketch of a man.
He looked to be in his thirties.
Nothing particularly distinctive about his features.
I sensed he wasn’t from the kingdom, but that was about it.
And thenโฆ despite being a sketch, he was smiling broadly for some reason.
Of course, I didn’t recognize him.
โI don’t recognize him. โฆWhat’s the deal with this guy?โ
โโฆHis real name is unknown, but he’s called โWhite Teethโ. We’re currently searching for him on suspicion of smuggling forbidden magic tools. If you know anything, we’d appreciate it if you could tell us.โ
The guard answered flatly, his expression stern.