chsdbacks Chapter 11 Apology, Noble Invitation
Chapter 11 Apology, Noble Invitation
In the early morning, Isaac opened the blacksmith's shop door with a bright and energetic look, only to find that he was getting less and less sleep each day, needing only three or four hours of rest to feel full of energy all day long.
The blacksmith shop was only two storefronts in size. One was Isaac's forging room, where the furnace was connected to the bellows and chimney, and hammers of different sizes were placed on the forging table against the wall.
Next to it was a water tank used for quenching, and a layer of forging shavings and coal ash remained on the ground.
The other shop was a weapons store, displaying the shields and weapons that Isaac had previously crafted.
The weapons are mostly short swords, daggers, scimitars and short spears, with a small number of armed swords and half-swords. As for two-handed greatswords and battle axes, they can only be made to order.
The shields are mainly small to medium-sized round shields and kite-shaped shields. As for tower shields, they were not seen. They are made to order, as large shields used to withstand the impact of warhorses have almost no market in Shahram.
Before he became famous, the walls were lined with more than thirty weapons and shields. These days, the stock has decreased significantly, and Isaac hasn't had time to restock, as he's busy crafting custom weapons for his customers.
Isaac went into the furnace and placed dry firewood, tinder, dry straw, and small pieces of charcoal on it, then struck a flint to ignite them.
Then he slowly pumped the bellows, gradually increasing the speed and adding charcoal. The whole process was very skillful, and soon the forge was lit. Isaac threw the iron ingots in.
Before long, the clanging of hammering filled the blacksmith's shop, and another day began in Iron Anvil Alley.
……
The news of Isaac's attack on the "Black Fist Brotherhood" headquarters spread quickly among the underground and Sandwalkers after two days, attracting considerable attention.
The young Sandwalker Matthew appeared at the blacksmith's shop with a small bucket of date wine tucked under his arm.
"Big boss, I'm here to retrieve my half-sword."
Matthew looked slightly embarrassed. He had thought the blacksmith in front of him was just bragging, but he never expected that the title of Son of the Sun would actually be given to him.
"Wait for me a moment."
Isaac had just finished forging a dagger when he turned around, went to a corner, and took out a hand-and-a-half sword with a leather scabbard.
This half-sword is 126 cm long overall, with a blade length of 98 cm. The cross guard plus the handle is 28 cm long. There is also a diamond-shaped counterweight ball at the bottom, which, in addition to balancing the center of gravity, can also be used as a blunt weapon to strike targets.
The sword has a straight blade with wavy forging patterns on the surface and a gleaming edge. It weighs only a little over 4 pounds and can be held with one or two hands.
Matthew put down the small bucket of date wine, took the weapon he had been waiting for, drew it in an open space, tried swinging it a few times, and paid the remaining balance with great satisfaction.
"Big guy, this barrel of liquor is yours."
The Sandwalker left with his one-handed sword; having a handy weapon would be of great help to his upcoming adventures.
Isaac chuckled, pulled the wooden plug from the barrel, took a few big gulps, and then continued forging the next weapon.
-----------------
Not long after Sandwalker Matthew left, a carriage stopped in front of the blacksmith's shop, and then three unfamiliar guests entered.
The middle-aged man at the head of the group had a respectable appearance and fair skin. He wore a loose, plain-colored robe, and despite the hot weather causing him to sweat profusely, which soaked his collar, he still maintained his proper demeanor.
The two men behind him appeared to be guards, with curved swords at their waists and triangular kite-shaped shields on their backs.
Isaac glanced at them and then ignored them, but he remained vigilant.
"Son of the Sun, Isaac, allow me to introduce myself. I am the butler of Lord Lucius, the city councilor. Our lord would like to invite you to his mansion for a gathering."
After the middle-aged butler finished speaking, Isaac paused for a moment, then coldly replied, "I'm not going!"
What a joke! Isaac didn't know this so-called city councilor at all; the two had never crossed paths before.
The butler noticed his wariness and, finding no one else in the shop, whispered a reminder:
"Our lord knows that you have offended the Lancaras family. Coincidentally, you and their family have always been at odds, and there is an irreconcilable conflict between the two families."
After the butler finished speaking, Isaac stopped forging and hesitated for a moment, wondering whether he should believe him.
"If you're worried, we can meet at the 'Golden Coconut Honey Wine Bar' in the Upper Town. What do you think?"
"Um... okay then, when?"
"We can have dinner together as the sun sets."
After agreeing on a time, the butler left with his guards.
As for why Isaac suddenly agreed, it's because this lounge is a notorious den of iniquity, and many drunkards boast about having been to the "Golden Coconut Honey Wine Lounge" after drinking too much.
I've heard that this lounge has a complicated background and close ties with many important figures, so no one has ever dared to cause trouble there.
……
As the evening sun turned golden, Isaac donned the white clothes and robes given to him by the temple, hung the gold pendant around his neck, and carried no weapons.
When forging, he would not wear this expensive garment, but only wear a coarse linen garment with many small holes burned by flying sparks.
It was a rare treat to hire a carriage pulled by a heavy horse, since it seemed rather undignified to walk to such a noble and luxurious place.
"Sir, the price is one silver coin."
The dark-skinned, rough-faced coachman agreed on the price beforehand, and Isaac strode onto the carriage.
He secretly thought to himself, "This money is too easy to earn."
However, in the city-state, those who could ride in a carriage were people of high status, and they probably didn't care about a silver coin or two.
Isaac knew that making money was not easy; every copper coin was hard-earned.
The carriage moved slowly through the streets; the lower town was still too congested, with too many vendors and pedestrians.
As you get closer to the upper part of the city, the flow of people decreases significantly, and the roads become wider.
The thick city walls separated the two districts, separating not only the buildings but also bloodlines and social classes.
A squad of soldiers was on duty at the city gate. Their task was to stop the commoners from the lower city and prevent them from entering the upper city and disturbing the noble lords.
Isaac's simple carriage was stopped at the city gate, as the coachman's appearance and the carriage's design were quite out of place in the upper city.
"Untouchables are not allowed to enter."
The guard spoke fiercely, with an air of superiority. In reality, he was just a lowly craftsman's descendant who had become a lackey at the city hall and thought himself superior.
Sitting in the carriage, Isaac lifted the curtain and looked at the guards who were stopping the train.
"Soldiers, get out of my way!"
With blond hair and golden eyes, and a divinely bestowed vertical line between his brows, Isaac looked at them with an arrogant expression and disdain.
In the past, it was others who looked at him with such gazes, but now it's the other way around.
"Let them through!"
Without further ado, the guards stepped aside; this appearance was not one they could afford to mess with.
The Shadowborn of independent city-states are not included in the official population. According to statistics, among the hundreds of thousands of citizens, the Earthcrafters make up about 65%, the Abundances about 25%, the War Souls less than 10%, and the Gods far less than 1%.
Even the supposedly absolutely impartial Sun Laws yield different judgments for each social class.
After all, if the trials were all the same, wouldn't that seem even more unjust to the high-ranking nobles and descendants of ancient gods?