If you want to support, you can do so at: https://www.p atreon.com/finlegost
There, you can find 18 chapters in advance.
Thanks to my patrons and to those who comment on the chapters. It means a lot to me and motivates me to continue this hobby of mine.
And, of course, thanks to everyone who reads this novel.
*************************************
*Omniscient POV following Emir*
"Let's see if we understand this correctly... you want to give us money in exchange for us working on what we love, and you don't expect anything in return?" says Jean, a man with black hair streaked with grey and a huge beard, the older of two brothers who run a bow and arrow manufacturing business, as he looks at his younger brother with a frown.
After my actions yesterday at the temple, I had some trouble sleeping.
And when I finally did, I woke up just a few hours later, at the first light of dawn.
What I did yesterday was necessary and served to vent my anger.
But there is a part of me, the same part that was somehow reflected in that young temple acolyte, that is a little disturbed by what I did.
So, as I didn't want to disturb my girls and didn't think I could get back to sleep, I decided to go and buy a bow for Arya.
And the best place I know for that is Jean and Marc's shop, the crazy brothers from whom I bought the bow and arrows that earned me the title of Golden Archer in the war zone.
Arya has been using my pulley bow until now, but it was about time she had her own weapon.
Furthermore, as she is a magic archer, she does not benefit as much as I do from my special bow, since one of the characteristics of her class is that she can use almost any bow with the same degree of effectiveness, as most of the power of her shots comes from the mana she imbues them with.
"Haaa... That's not how it works. In exchange for my sponsorship, you will reserve for me any type of bow or arrows that have great destructive potential..." I say, while part of me wonders if I am expecting too much from this two brothers obsessed with making bows.
"... And I also want you to try to implement some of the ideas I already told you about. Especially that extra-large bow I mentioned first. I could really use something like that."
"That idea may sound great in your head, but it's not very practical, to say the least. If we created a bow that size... it would take a giant to use it. Not only because of the length of the arms, but also because of the strength needed to draw the string," says Marc, a dark-haired man who is both the younger and taller of the two brothers.
"About the length of the arms... I hadn't thought about that, but I'm sure two experts like you can think of something to solve it. However, I can assure you that you don't need to worry about the strength to draw it. I'm much stronger than I look," I say with a confident smile.
'Besides, if I'm right about how my inventory works, I won't need to recharge it very often.'
"Sure..." says Jean, as a smile begins to form on his face.
"...how much money are we talking about?"
'He must think I'm an idiot with too much money to spend and no idea what to spend it on.'
'And he's right, isn't he?'
'I didn't ask for your opinion... in fact, I think it's been too long since I've stored you in my inventory, and that's made you lose perspective on how our relationship works.'
'Son of a b-'
But I don't give him time to finish his sentence and send Zariche into my inventory.
"If you accept my offer, I will give you 150 gold coins so that you can work more freely. But, obviously, I plan to visit your shop from time to time to check on your progress. I hope you don't disappoint me, because 150 gold coins is really not much compared to what I can give you if you show me good results..." I say, taking out the small bag with 150 gold coins that I had prepared in advance.
Hearing the clink of the coins, the two brothers' eyes and mouths open wide in surprise.
Marc, in fact, looks like he's about to drool.
'I suppose for a normal person this is a lot of money...
Haa... whatever...
I've known for a long time that my sense of money is ruined, but I don't care anymore...
There are important things I need, and money is really easy to come by...
If it were before, it probably wouldn't be like that, but now I have other things to think about...
Like ways to take revenge on a mad king...
And a religious temple that seems determined to bother me and my girls...
I wish those kinds of things could be solved with money, but life isn't that simple'
"... And I suppose I can keep this bow without paying you anything for it, as a sign of goodwill on your part."
'Considering their reaction to the bag of money, I don't think they'll object to that.'
The fact that Arya can use almost any bow with equal effectiveness doesn't mean she can't benefit at all from one with runes, but she needs a different type of rune than the ones on my bow.
Compound bow (Imbued with Magic) [(Silent Wind, Celestial Chalice)]
The yew wood bow, slightly recurved at the ends, looks relatively simple.
But its sober appearance is merely a facade.
According to Marc's description and what I can easily verify with my interface, this bow has an affinity for mana, thanks to the Celestial Chalice rune.
However, that's not all, as the rune from a Wind Cheetah with which it is imbued gives extra speed to the arrows shot by the bow while also making them completely silent.
"Hahaha! Sure, sure... for that amount of money, I could even sell you my brother," says Marc jokingly, but he earns an angry look from his older brother.
"Yes, you can keep the bow. It's my masterpiece and it pains me to part with it, but I was going to do it someday anyway..." says Jean, looking at the bow in my hands with paternal affection.
"...Haa... And I think my brother has already proven with his stupid comment that we're going to accept your proposal... I feel like I'm making a deal with the devil. Do you really just expect us to keep making bows and arrows like we always have?"
"Yep, that's the idea..." I say with a smile, as I put Arya's new weapon in my inventory.
"... I just want to have priority when buying the things you make. The bow I bought from you some time ago has served me very well, and I have no doubt that this new bow I just got will also serve the person who is going to use it very well."
"Yeah, that's fine and all, but how did my arrows work out?" says Marc, with the competitive tone of a craftsman who loves his work.
"They also worked incredibly well, to the point that I still have most of them. That's why I don't need any more at the moment..." I say as I take out some of the [Aluminium-Carbon Arrows (Imbued with Magic)] that I bought here some time ago.
Seeing the arrows, Marc looks at his brother with a proud smile, and his brother returns the gesture.
"...Those are the reasons why I trust your abilities so much, and that's why I want to see what the both of you are capable of when you don't have to worry about money."
"Then it's a deal," say both brothers in unison.
…
'Well... now that I've got a weapon for Arya...
I should go see that bloody stalker commander once and for all...
Although...
Now that I think about it, he hasn't given me any orders lately...
Maybe it's because I didn't go back to the war zone...
But he's supposed to know where I live...
Hmm... Whatever...
Now... where has Cael gone?...
Why isn't his blue dot marker in the war zone?...
Maybe he's traveling...
That complicates things...
I was hoping to talk to him and ask him to help me with the temple issue...
At the end of the day... there's nothing better than an experienced stalker to counter a religious cult of stalkers...
Besides, I'm not sure what stance the kingdom will take regarding my actions yesterday, now that I've publicly exposed myself as the Golden Archer...
If Cael wants to keep me as his asset, he's going to have to help me with those issues…
Haa…
I'll have to keep an eye on the war zone with my interface from time to time to see if he comes back...
Being who he is, sooner or later he'll have to reappear in the war zone...'