CHAPTER 52: CHAPTER 52 – TO RICK’S WEAPON SHOP

"You came to get your weapon?"

Crowne had just entered Rick’s shop, but the man had already spoken as if he had been expecting him all along. Crowne stepped inside, standing in front of the counter. Rick was cleaning several weapons displayed around his shop. When Crowne stopped in front of the table, Rick stood up and immediately went into the back room.

"Wait for a moment!"

Crowne nodded.

A few minutes later, Rick returned to the front room carrying a small, long wooden chest beautifully carved with intricate patterns. The aura leaking from inside the wooden chest was strong and overwhelming. Seeing that, Crowne smiled. He was certain that Rick’s creation would meet his expectations.

Rick climbed onto a stool and placed the small chest on the table. But just as Crowne reached to take it, Rick quickly pulled the chest back. He shook his head.

"You have to pay me," said Rick.

Crowne took out twenty gold coins and placed them on the table. "Is this enough?"

Rick was stunned when he saw the amount. It was far more than he had ever received before, even the largest payment he had ever gotten, yet he shook his head. He pushed the small chest back toward Crowne.

"Is it not enough?" asked Crowne.

He was about to take out more gold coins, but Rick shook his head. "That’s not what I want."

Crowne frowned. "Then what do you want? Don’t make strange requests, because not all of them will be granted," he said.

"I only want you to be my regular customer. Whenever you need to maintain your weapon, you must come here, and you don’t need to pay," replied Rick.

Crowne frowned deeper. The offer sounded too advantageous for him. It didn’t benefit Rick at all, which made it strange. No seller would willingly refuse profit. Only a fool would do that.

From Rick’s eyes alone, Crowne could already tell he wasn’t a fool.

"What do you really want?" Crowne asked seriously.

Rick realized Crowne was suspicious, so he gave a proper explanation. "I just want us to be friends. You seem like someone influential and a powerful fighter. Being friends with someone like you would be a great advantage for me. It’s worth more than gold, because you might help me one day when I need it."

Rick spoke honestly, and that made Crowne chuckle softly. He smiled afterward, surprised that someone would be so straightforward about their intentions instead of hiding behind diplomatic words.

"But I won’t be staying in Stromhall forever. When that time comes, I won’t be able to visit. I can’t just return here only for that reason. What about that?"

Rick placed the small wooden chest back on the table and pushed it toward Crowne. "That’s fine. You can go to any shop you like when you’re away, but as long as you’re in Stromhall, you must come to mine."

Crowne nodded. "Alright," he said.

He even extended his hand. Without hesitation, Rick did the same. The two of them shook hands, sealing their agreement. Crowne received his weapon. When he opened the small wooden chest in front of him, a smile instantly appeared. Inside was a sword made of wood, its tip connected by a chain to a sharp dagger on the other end.

As Crowne lifted the weapon, he felt something extraordinary flow into his body. The weapon seemed to acknowledge him as its rightful master.

"The weapon’s name is Dwarfwood Chainblade," said Rick.

Crowne nodded several times, running his fingers over both parts of the connected weapon. When he pulled the two ends in opposite directions, the chain linking them lengthened as if it were made of something flexible. Yet when touched, the chain was solid and sturdy, made from a durable material.

"Try throwing the dagger as far as you want," suggested Rick.

Without hesitation, Crowne threw the dagger toward the wall behind Rick. The dagger embedded itself into the wall. The connecting chain stretched to match the distance. When he pulled the chain on his end, the dagger shot back toward him. The chain returned to its normal length.

Seeing that, Crowne nodded, his face full of satisfaction. "This is amazing. I can fight with much more flexibility."

"I forgot to ask about your fighting style, so I made something versatile. Still, I believe this suits you. It’s perfect for fighting one-on-one or against multiple opponents," said Rick.

Crowne nodded again. "Thank you."

He stayed silent for a few seconds before storing his new weapon. Then he stared at Rick for a while, frowning slightly. The atmosphere turned awkward, enough that Rick gulped nervously, thinking Crowne was about to complain. But that wasn’t the case. Crowne was satisfied, so there was no reason to complain.

"Are you sure you don’t want any payment? Just tell me how much you want. I won’t cancel our agreement," said Crowne.

Rick shook his head. "No."

Crowne shrugged. He turned around and began walking toward the exit, but after three steps, Rick suddenly called out again.

"WAIT! Can you come here again the day after tomorrow? My brother wants to meet you," he said.

Crowne shook his head. "I don’t think I can, because tomorrow I’ll be leaving for Doomsty City. I’m sorry!"

Rick looked a little disappointed, but he didn’t argue. He sat back on his chair. Meanwhile, Crowne walked to the door. He stopped for a few seconds before turning his head back.

"Are you really sure you don’t want payment?" Crowne asked again.

Rick stayed silent for a few moments, his face turning slightly red. He looked embarrassed by what he was about to say. "Ah, yes. I do need one gold coin to buy some forging tools. If you don’t mind, I’ll take just one coin."

Crowne nodded, took out a pouch full of gold, and tossed it to Rick. When Rick saw the amount, he wanted to refuse, but Crowne spoke first.

"Just take it! I have plenty of gold coins. Think of it as a token of our friendship. If you refuse, then I’ll cancel our deal."

Rick couldn’t argue. He smiled faintly. "Thank you."

Crowne then left the shop.

From that day on, the two of them would become comrades who would help each other, friends who would never betray one another no matter the reason.