Chapter 68 Shopping

Suzuka was taken aback by the sheer variety of high-quality gear and supplies that the armor shop had to offer. From shining breastplates to intricately crafted swords, there was something for every type of warrior. However, as she perused the shelves and displays, she couldn't help but notice that the prices of these weapons and armor were steep.

Despite the cost, Suzuka was drawn to the beautiful and well-made items, carefully considering each one. Her inspection did not go unnoticed, as the old blacksmith, who had been hammering away at his anvil, stopped his work and made his way to the counter. With his greying hair, weathered face, and brawny arms, he radiated experience and expertise in his craft.

Suzuka pivoted towards the blacksmith, who walked up from his work with a friendly smile. His voice was deep and weathered, befitting of his years of experience. "Hello there, young lady, I am Walter, Walter Bright, the owner of this shop," he said, his gaze fixated on her. "Is there anything I can assist you with today?"

Suzuka smiled and replied, "Hi! I'm here for some armor and weapon repairs, and I was also hoping to find a practical travel backpack and a versatile cape that doubles as a raincoat and has a hood."

The blacksmith listened attentively and nodded his head. "Of course, I'd be happy to help you with that. Let's start with your armor and weapon repairs first. Have you brought them with you? What would be the issues with them?" He asked, gesturing for Suzuka to follow him to the counter.

Suzuka approached the counter and made her request politely. "I was hoping you could repair the armor and weapon I'm currently wearing. Is that possible?"

 The blacksmith cast a critical eye over Suzuka, taking in the tattered state of her gear.

After a moment, he spoke. "Well, miss," he said, his tone gruff but not unkind, "I can repair your weapon for you, but I'm afraid your armor is beyond repair. It used to be a fine set of full-body leather armor reinforced with hardened steel plates at the vital spots, but now it's just a collection of scraps." The blacksmith gestured to the remains of Suzuka's armor, which consisted of little more than a pair of leather shorts and a leather top.

"It would be less expensive for you to purchase a new set of armor, rather than try to repair what's left of this one," he continued, "These pieces don't fit you properly, they're loose and of different sizes. It looks like you just grabbed whatever you could find, rather than having them custom-fitted to your body proportions."

He shook his head, clucking his tongue in disapproval. "You can get caught dead in ill-fitting armor. It would hinder your movement, slow you down in battle, and put you at a disadvantage against your enemies. No, no, you need armor that fits you like a glove, armor that moves with you. Protects you, and makes you feel confident and unencumbered."

Suzuka was disappointed to hear the news about her armor but grateful that her weapon could still be salvaged. 

Suzuka addressed the blacksmith, "How much would it cost to repair my weapon? And I would also like to ask about purchasing a new set of armor, if possible, something similar or even the same as my old armor."

The blacksmith looked at Suzuka with a friendly smile. "No problem, miss," he said, wiping his hands on his apron. "For the repair of your weapon, I would estimate it to be around 30 silver coins."

Suzuka asked with a slight surprise in her voice, "30 silver? Isn't that a bit too much?"

The blacksmith laughed, "Hahaha! No, that is a standard price for the restoration of a sword. It needs a lot of work done, from what I can see. First of all, the blade is bent and cracked in several places, which will involve heating and hammering also tempering. Then polishing and sharpening."         

 The blacksmith took another look as he was holding the sword, "Your sword looks like is made out of 'A 1095 steel', which is as fine as it gets. That's a hard process to do the restoration on this steel. So, 30 silver is the minimum price. A sword like this costs around 4 gold coins, so 30 silver is a small price to restore it to its former glory."

After hearing the news Suzuka was shocked but didn't let it show on her face, "I understand,
I was just asking, that's all. I will pay for weapon repair for sure, but how about the armor?"

Walter walked to his workshop in the next room as he was talking, "As for a new set of armor, let me take a look at what I have here."

The blacksmith looked through his weres but didn't find anything that would fit her on the spot.

The blacksmith walked over to Suzuka and thoughtfully said. "I don't have anything ready to go that would fit your body build, but I can custom fit you and create a replica of your armor for you, but it will be more expensive, probably around 250 silver coins."

Suzuka sighed, but she knew that she would have to invest in new equipment if she wanted to continue her adventures. She nodded her head and said, "Thank you, sir. I'll take it. But first I need my sword at the ready, can you finish today?"

 The blacksmith said, "I can finish the sword in less than an hour if you're in a hurry. Usually, I would schedule a few days upfront but if you pay the full sum in coins now, I can start right now and you can walk out with the sword as good as new in an hour." 

Suzuka rejoiced, "Yes please, I can wait an hour. I will pay right away."

Walter calmed her down, "Hold your horse miss, what about the armor? I can custom-fit you but that will involve a lot more time. But as I said, if you pay in coins the full amount, I can fit you with fine leather by today. I will even round it up to 250 silver in total which will include the raincoat cape, the adventurer's backpack, the weapon restoration cost, a weapon maintenance kit, and of course, the full set of armor custom fitted. I guarantee you won't find a better deal anywhere else."

Suzuka said slightly discouraged, "That sounds like a great deal, but that's also half of my whole savings. But I really need them done. If you say you can finish all of this today then I will pay." 

Suzuka pulled out her coin bag and handed 250 silver coins to Walter the blacksmith.

Walter said, "Great, I will start with the sword, make yourself at home, this will take a little time." Without further ado, he walked to the front door and flipped the card with the sign closed. 

He walked inside his workshop and looked down at the rusted, cracked sword that lay before him on the workbench. The blade itself was bent in several places, the edge was dull, cracked in several places, had rust problems, it was dirty, and the handle was broken. It was clear that the sword had seen better days, but the blacksmith was undaunted. He was a master of his craft, and he was confident that he could restore this sword to its former glory.

He started by cleaning the blade with a stiff brush, scrubbing away the dirt and rust. He worked methodically, using a series of solvents and abrasives to remove all of the impurities from the metal. As he worked, he could feel the metal starting to come alive under his hands, and he smiled to himself, knowing that he was doing what he did best.

He began by heating the sword in the forge, watching as the metal began to glow a bright orange. With a pair of tongs, he carefully removed the sword from the fire and placed it on the anvil.

Using a heavy hammer, he struck the blade, shaping and reshaping it until it was straight and true once again. The sound of metal on metal filled the room as he worked, and the blade of the sword gradually grew straighter and straighter with each strike.

Finally, the blacksmith was satisfied with his work. He quenched the sword in a vat of oil and then began the delicate process of polishing and sharpening the edge. With each stroke of his whetstone, the blade grew sharper and sharper, until it was razor-sharp and ready for use.

Next, the blacksmith turned his attention to the handle. He carefully carved away the broken pieces, shaping new pieces of wood to fit into place. He secured the new pieces with strong metal pins, making sure that the handle was as strong and sturdy as the day it was first made. He then sanded and polished the handle, making sure that it was smooth and comfortable to hold.

The blacksmith held the sword up to the light, admiring his work. He was proud of what he had accomplished. With a satisfied smile, he placed the sword on the counter and called out to Suzuka, "The sword is ready, you can test it now." 

Suzuka grabbed the sword and took a few swings, the sword felt great, as good as new, "Thanks Walter, this sword never felt better in my hand."

The blacksmith said, "I am happy you like it, but let's start fitting you with some armor."

Suzuka agreed, "Okay, what do I do?"

Walter said, "First, remove your old gear, I need to measure your body. Leather armor needs to fit like a glove, need to be precise with the measurements."

Suzuka said with concern, "Well, there is a slight problem with that, I wear nothing under."

Walter said with surprise, "What? You don't wear any kind of Gambeson under your armor? Jeez, that armor should be cutting into your skin like a bitch, sorry for the langue."

"Yeah, it's not the best feeling in the world but better than walking naked," Suzuka said.

Walter said, "Oh, don't worry, I have plain shirts and shorts for this kind of occasion, I will get them right away and you can change into them, then we can start."

Suzuka changed her clothes and they began measuring and adjusting a piece of leather armor. She is clad in a simple tunic, her arms bare as the smith assesses the fit. The smith is a seasoned craftsman, his calloused hands expertly manipulating the supple leather.

 He marks the armor with a piece of chalk, indicating where it needs to be adjusted to fit the woman's form. She stands patiently as the smith works, her eyes fixed on the intricate patterns etched into the leather. 

 The smith works with meticulous care as he custom fits a woman with leather armor. He starts with the boots, carefully measuring her feet and marking the leather to ensure a perfect fit.

 He then moves on to the pants, expertly shaping and stitching the leather to conform to her legs. Next, he works on the tunic, molding the leather to fit her torso, and adjusting the straps to ensure maximum mobility. 

Suzuka makes a remark as he was working, "I would like the armor to be a bit looser, when I fight I tend to bulk up a bit, armor might get a tiny bit too tight." 

Blacksmith answered as he worked, "Oh don't worry, I know what you mean. You, human dwarfs, tend to bulk up a bit as you fight, I have fitted quite a few of you people. I put that into account, these will have a stretching property, don't you worry."

Suzuka let out a nervous laugh, "Hahaha, yeah we half-dwarf, you know us."       

Finally, 4 hours later, he fits the jacket, making final adjustments to the sleeves and completing the armor set. Suzuka stands and moves around, testing the fit and comfort of the armor. Walter nods in satisfaction, proud of his handiwork. 

The leather was strong and elastic, there was no problem moving. The armor was done and ready all that was left is to finish the thin gambeson to wear under for extra protection and comfort.

"And with that, the armor is ready, I will need a few hours to finish the gambeson, you can wait or come back a bit later. Either way, it will be done today." Walter said as he looked at Suzuka's happy face as she was enjoying her new armor. 

"The leather is so soft, It's not chafing my skin. This feels great, thanks again." Suzuka's stomach growled as she said, reminding her that it was the middle of the day and she hadn't eaten yet.

 She decided it was the perfect opportunity to take a break and go for a walk to find a place to grab a bite. "I think I'll go grab something to eat," she said. "I'll come back later." With that, she stepped out of the armor shop, eager to satisfy her hunger.