Chapter 10

In a rundown blacksmith shop.

Duke, having parted ways with Rex, stepped inside.

“Hurry…”

The dwarven blacksmith Albrek trembled when he saw Duke.

The clothing he wore was decently chosen from the research city of academics but was ultimately something only commoners wear.

The perceived level was only the first tier.

Thus, an ordinary blacksmith might have thought Duke was merely an apprentice knight or mercenary with a robust frame.

However, Albrek was different.

He was the blacksmith who made weapons for the lord and their intimates in this fief.

Having maintained that position for decades, the ability he had most developed wasn’t appraising magic but intuitively guessing one’s hierarchy.

And his intuition suggested…

“Definitely at least level 60.”

It indicated Duke was at least sixth-tier.

Albrek could sense a more formidable presence than the lord, who was fifth-tier.

Albrek immediately shifted his attitude.

From crotchety dwarven blacksmith mode to groveling merchant mode.

“Please, come in. Is there something you’re looking for?”

Albrek greeted Duke with obsequiousness.

Without a response, Duke quietly examined the blacksmith shop.

He soon picked up a helmet from a shelf, then, with a solemn voice, announced,

“It will be this.”

He placed the helmet back on the shelf.

Albrek was about to recommend a suit of armor that matched the helmet but—

“We don’t require armor, just the helmet will do.”

Albrek clicked his tongue in his mind.

“Tsk. What? Is he impoverished?”

Of course, Duke only replied this way because the armor didn’t fit the look he had in mind, but it was enough to cause a misunderstanding by Albrek.

Albrek revised his impression of Duke.

A skilled but penniless knight.

Still, since power is law, this didn’t make Albrek become less considerate.

“Would you like any explanation, my lord?”

Duke nodded.

Albrek tried his best to explain the helmet’s abilities to increase its value.

According to his explanation, the visor part appears seamless but has a field-of-vision magic enabling excellent visibility and no blind spots inside.

“For eating,”

“The lower part can be opened separately.”

It was a consideration for knights who might be surprised even while eating.

Additionally, there were minor identity concealment features like slight recognition hindrance and shadow-effect enhancements—this item was indeed a top-tier piece with functions to disguise one’s identity.

Duke nodded in satisfaction.

“Excellent. How much is the price?”

As Duke’s question reached Albrek, his lips began to dry.

Knights, as Albrek knew them, act all noble but are actually penniless bullies.

‘Surely, he’ll try to haggle.’

He would probably rely on his fists and sword, demanding half the price.

The helmet’s original price was 14 gold coins.

If other knights bid half, Albrek could usually coax them up to 75% through his negotiation tactics.

Therefore, Albrek often inflated the price to 75%, making it the original price.

‘But haggling against this monster is impossible.’

Albrek abandoned any thoughts of negotiation with Duke and decided to announce the price as 28 gold coins.

Still, it was risky.

Announcing the proper price of 14 gold coins and letting Duke bid 7 gold coins, thereby taking the risk, was one way to endure the 7-gold loss.

However,

‘7-gold loss is too much.’

If Duke offered only 7 gold coins, the blacksmith’s family would starve.

Ironically, the option with more risk had a higher chance of survival.

’14-gold must be defended at all costs.’

Albrek gritted his teeth and announced 28-gold.

“It’s 28 gold coins.”

However, the response was unexpected.

“28 gold coins. That would be 10 nobles and 3 gold coins, correct?”

“Wha?”

Not going to haggle?

Taken aback, Albrek watched as Duke thoughtfully considered.

‘I have dignity. Bargaining the price in a blacksmith’s shop feels a bit… well, it’s not my money anyway.’

The gold coins Duke currently held were not earned through his blood and sweat; rather, they were a portion of the scholar’s fortune.

He had already embedded the budget of an entire city into his inventory; there was no reason to feel the coins were precious.

‘Starting from the village of the Demon King and haggling at the blacksmith’s would make me look cheap.’

In this situation, making a cool and sexy deal was the image he aimed to uphold.

Without understanding Duke’s thoughts, Albrek frantically stumbled.

‘Wha? This isn’t right…’

Duke appeared uneducated and cash-strapped.

But upon closer inspection, he truly only needed the helmet.

What’s more, his ability to calculate the price suggested that he had proper education as a knight.

With a mind gone blank, Albrek nodded without verifying the calculation.

‘If this is exposed, I’m dead.’

Albrek extended his trembling hand amidst fear.

Duke, maintaining his composure despite the circumstances, neatly stacked ten sizable gold coins and three smaller ones on the table.

It was not the arrogant tossing of coins characteristic of typical knights, but rather a respectful gesture showing deference to the blacksmith.

That subtle act dominated Albrek’s mind with both fear and a sense of guilt.

‘Even now, I should admit the truth…’

However, Albrek couldn’t confess the truth.

Because Duke changed the subject first.

“That sword.”

“What?”

“You were asked about the price of that broadsword behind you.”

Duke pointed to the sword behind Albrek.

The sword, stuck on the stone shelf.

Albrek wiped his cold sweat and replied.

“My lord, this is for display only. No one can use it in real combat.”

It was a sword made for the New Year’s festival to showcase strength by being drawn out.

Firstly, its weight distribution was similar to a regular broadsword.

However, the weight of the sword was so heavy it couldn’t be used in real combat.

A weapon compressing all sorts of metals and enhanced with magic for increased weight and hardness, even the lord struggled to lift it.

Thus, it wasn’t made for practical combat use.

Nevertheless, Duke’s gaze remained fixed on the sword.

He even brightened his eyes further after receiving the explanation.

“How much does it cost.”

“Are you…?”

“If you’re not selling it, name the price you desire.”

What sort of logic is this?

Albrek once again found himself at a loss, but Duke’s determination was steadfast.

“Does he really want this sword?”

Duke’s eyes remained glued to the broadsword.

Even more perplexing was its design, crafted as a display piece, was undeniably beautiful.

Nothing else would do. This broadsword was to be his eternal companion.

Albrek, a rational person, couldn’t comprehend Duke’s line of thinking.

‘So, he’s just an eccentric?’

As fear and guilt subsided, greed reared its head again.

‘If the broadsword’s cost was 5 gold coins, then…’

Then naming twice that, 10 gold coins…

Just then, a man barged in, slamming open the door and entering the blacksmith’s shop.

He was a young man with an imposing scar on his face, boisterous and carefree.

Albrek knew him.

The lord’s son, who had tormented him for decades.

‘Why does this guy show up now…’

Albrek excused himself from Duke for a moment and attended to the lord’s son.

Of course, Albrek found Duke intimidating, but Duke was merely a potential customer.

Meanwhile, the lord’s son was someone Albrek had to face for the rest of his life, prioritizing him was inevitable.

“Ah! Master Kube!”

Albrek enthusiastically wiped his hands and greeted the young man.

Kube was a typical knight of the unprivileged type (not one to pay).

“Hey, owner. I’ve come to repair my sword. Surely, this is free service, right?”

Kube presented his sword, rusted to the point where it was nearly unusable.

Albrek immediately recognized this was not his crafted sword.

It was likely found in some regular ruins or dungeon.

And the request to sharpen it…

‘He wants a new sword with the same enchantments as this sword…’

Of course, it was outrageous.

But Albrek had no choice but to obey without refusal.

“Oh my, of course! Please hand me your sword, and I’ll sharpen it immediately.”

Because, crossing the lord’s mood could make his family fodder for crows in the square.

‘This person’s fault…’

Albrek had abandoned his pride as a blacksmith to lie about prices because of people like him.

If he didn’t, he’d be buried under debts and starve to death.

Albrek swallowed his tears and replaced the rusty sword with a sharp new one.

Kube, unaware of the blacksmith’s internal struggles, grinned upon receiving the new sword.

“Hmm. Not bad.”

Without a single word of “thank you” or “good job,” Kube was about to leave the shop.

That’s when his eyes landed on Duke.

“What are you?”

“?”

“?”

Kube’s question left both Duke and Albrek perplexed.

Eventually, Duke looked at Kube as if he were a fool, while Albrek stared at him like a lunatic.

Living a life where he never had to consider others, Kube failed to recognize the two’s glares and gestured down with his finger.

“Why don’t you bow?”

Kube’s hand pointed downwards, commanding a bow.

Amidst Albrek’s panic, Duke took steady steps toward Kube.

And then,

“Your arrogance is remarkable.”

Pfft!

Duke delivered a swift kick to Kube’s shin.

With only one kick, Kube went flying, landing flat on the ground.

Kube, who seemed unable to grasp the situation, tried to get up while grinding his teeth.

‘Ah. Rex mentioned lowering my tier to avoid drawing attention…’

Duke lamented the world where the lower one goes, the more the vermin crawl up.

When Duke’s tier ascended to the fifth rank, Kube realized the situation and immediately recoiled back to the ground.

“Sorry-”

“No need for apologies; just leave. Leave your repaired sword behind.”

Duke wanted to quickly resume shopping.

Although he pondered incapacitating Kube, he reconsidered for the blacksmith’s sake.

‘This place will be taken over anyway.’

There’s no need to stir up trouble here right now.

Thus, Duke decided that this much punishment for the reckless lord’s son was enough.

‘Besides, this is a territory we’ll capture anyway.’

Having disengaged all attention from Kube, Duke turned his head back towards the blacksmith.

“So, what’s the price for that broadsword?”

Blacksmith Albrek alternated his gaze between Duke and Kube, hobbling out of the shop.

Duke called out again to the dazed Albrek.

“Owner?”

“Yes? Yes!”

“What’s your asking price for this sword?”

“Wha-? Bu- but…”

Albreck’s mind, a blacksmith’s for life, began to whirl like never before.

He could calculate, and he had witnessed Duke’s might and tier firsthand.

This Duke, then, was not merely a fake knight but a true, proper knight from folklore.

Could someone like that truly not know the price of a helmet?

‘There’s no way.’

Albrek naturally realized that Duke was showing him consideration. (He was wrong.)

Having finished his thoughts, Albrek pounded his head so hard it might break the counter.

“I’m sorry, my lord!”

His fervent apologies began.

Through years of survival, he had habitually overcharged prices for sustenance but never truly confessed about them.

In this turmoil, he even confessed that he hadn’t intended to deceive Duke, pleading earnestly.

“Both the helmet and the sword together don’t even amount to 28 gold coins!”

The helmet cost 14 gold coins, the sword 5.

“Together, they only total 19 gold coins! But as an apology for my deceit-”

He was about to suggest they simply take them.

However, Albrek’s lips froze.

The thought of the potential loss if he gave them away for free struck him.

At that moment, Duke spoke toward Albrek’s head which was bowed down.

“Then let’s settle for both items at 28 gold coins.”

“Lord!?”

“You see, this sword, made by you, is worth 14 gold coins.”

“Impossible, my lord! Even with the helmet, it’s fine to take them!”

“Then this is a sincere apology.”

“Wha?”

“If the name of the knight has caused fear instead of reassurance to people like you, it’s only fitting that a fellow knight like me apologizes.”

Utter nonsense, of course. This was merely Duke flaunting his wealth since it wasn’t his money anyway.

Yet, the effect was undeniable.

“My lord…!”

Albrek wept, feeling as though he had come across a proper knight like in legends for the first time in his life.

“How honored!”

Duke passed by the blacksmith bowed at him and moved toward the broadsword stuck on the stone shelf.

‘Now your name will be Excalibur…’

That name seemed too rebellious somehow, making Duke imagine himself as a king.

After some contemplation, he decided on the name.

‘Let’s go with Durandal.’

While it was still a sword embedded in a rock, at least it didn’t carry rebellious undertones.

Duke easily pulled Durandal from the stone shelf.

‘Ah, it’s quite weighty.’

There was no problem wielding it.

On the contrary, compared to the overly light swords others used, it seemed just right.

Upon assessing the broadsword’s weight, Duke instinctively wanted to slung it on his back.

Then he remembered this act didn’t align with the image he was crafting, so he shoved Durandal into his inventory.

‘Let’s keep it there until needed.’

The absurd reason was that it would mess up how his cloak flapped in the wind.

Watching as Duke lifted the sword easily while casually wielding spatial magic, Albrek regarded him with awe once more.

Meanwhile, Duke donned the helmet he had purchased and beckoned Albrek.

“Excellent work, owner.”

“I am thrilled you’re satisfied, my lord.”

“By the way, is there anywhere nearby where I might get custom-fit clothes? Preferably a special uniform.”

At Duke’s question, color returned to Albrek’s face.

“Indeed! My wife handles exquisite formal attire crafted from special materials!”

“Where is it?”

“Right next door! Please allow me to guide you!”

With a buoyant stride, the dwarven blacksmith trotted out, thrilled beyond measure.

Duke followed, mindful of his posture.

Eventually they arrived at a tailor shop right next to the blacksmith shop.

“The nobility themselves often have their clothes made here, so there’s no need to worry about quality.”

With hope, Duke entered the shop based on Albrek’s recommendation.

Upon stepping in, the wife of the dwarven blacksmith greeted Duke.

Her eyes dazzled with the brilliance of jewels, draped lavishly across her—quite a flamboyant female dwarf indeed.

“Mercy me! Why have you come, my lord?”

She must have guessed he was a knight upon seeing the helmet.

Behind Duke’s massive frame, Albrek popped his head out and spoke.

“Honey, I asked this gentleman here as a means of apology. Could you make custom clothes for him?”

On Albrek’s request, the wife started cutting the fabric with the unique chitchat characteristic of neighborhood aunties.

While Duke was in the fitting room for a try-on, she whispered to her husband.

“Honey, who is this man?”

She listened to the name he shared along their way.

“Duke, he said. Sounds familiar, but…”

“Uh? Could it be Duke Erwick?”

“That’s it! That was his name.”

On hearing this, the wife gasped and started pounding on Albrek’s back.

“Oh my goodness, why didn’t you tell me sooner!”

“Ahhh! Why? Who is this?”

“For heaven’s sake, listen to the world outside once in a while!”

She recounted Duke’s heroics.

The noble knight! He who would absolutely not tolerate any evil before his eyes!

While we hadn’t heard from him for the past year, he was quite famous among the bards.

As she quietly scolded her husband, Duke emerged from the fitting room.

He examined his custom attire from top to bottom.

“The color is to my liking. Could the lapel be made into a notched version, and the buttons as double-breasted?”

The cascade of specialized terms used by even the lord himself illuminated the blacksmith’s wife’s eyes.

‘Indeed, real knights are different from the get-go!’

Contrasting them with the poorly risen nobility, she thought the class stood apart and meticulously noted down Duke’s requirements.

She was a dwarf,

And therefore was elated to show off her craftsmanship after a long while.

Even for Albrek, seeing such excitement from his wife was rare, and he felt somewhat unsettled.

Ignoring her husband’s unease, the wife continued to consult with Duke about the clothes.

“What kind of material would you like?”

“What options do you have?”

“Drake leather just came in; it’d be perfect as lining.”

Originally, this leather was stored in the warehouse to present to the lord, but it was fortuitous for the occasion.

Duke was satisfied and nodded.

“It shall be done by evening.”

“During which, perhaps you could borrow some ready-to-wear items?”

Duke placed gold coins on the counter.

“Of course, my lord.”

She exchanged the change and recommended ready-to-wear garments that closely resembled the custom ones.

Though not as precise as the custom fit, Duke’s figure made them look splendid.

Duke verified his appearance in the mirror and nodded in satisfaction.

“An excellent purchase.”