The heat of Kaede's smithy clung to them long after the roaring furnace had died down, leaving the air warm and metallic. Yukio rolled his shoulders, testing the feel of his brand-new armor. Every movement felt smooth almost effortless as if the Verdant Aegis responded to him like a second skin rather than heavy plate.
The short sword slid neatly into the back mounted sheath with a clean click. His twin daggers fit comfortably against his hips. Everything felt balanced.
Kaede stretched her arms and exhaled, sweeping tools and Mythril shavings off her workspace.
"Alright! Phase one of Project 'Make Yukio Not Die in One Hit' is complete."
She dusted her gloves with drama.
"I will upgrade your weapons later. I need to study how that Mythril reacted first."
Her eyes flicked suspiciously at Yukio,
"Gave me a lot to think about. Anyway, we're heading to the marketplace. I need to pick up some materials."
Michibiki smoothed the sleeves of her robe, nodding.
"Good. I had been wanting to map the town layout anyway."
Yukio bounced slightly on his heels; the armor's agility boost practically begged to be used.
"I feel like a superhero. Let's go show off!"
"Please don't,"
Kaede muttered.
They emerged into the bright afternoon. The warmth of the sun merged with a light breeze, bearing the scent of baked bread and the distant tang of hearth fires.
Primordia was alive.
Children ran between houses, chasing each other. Adventurers in mismatched gear boasted loudly of quests. Merchants yelled out prices. Dogs barked back. The air felt full, chaotic, familiar.
They arrived at the sprawling marketplace, much larger than Yukio expected.
Wooden stalls made up winding lanes. Exotic trinkets hung from ropes. Farmers shouted deals for vegetables piled in bundles the size of Yukio's torso.
"Welcome to the marketplace!"
Kaede declared proudly.
"If it exists, someone here's selling it."
Yukio blinked at the sheer size of it all.
"This place is. kinda huge."
Michibiki smirked instantly.
"It's a marketplace, dumb-dumb. Not a lemonade stand."
Yukio wheeled on her.
"I know that!!"
"Both of you shut up,"
Kaede groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose-but the smile tugging at her lips betrayed her amusement.
"Come on."
They pushed through teeming stalls to a more urbane-looking shop: polished wood, clean windows, and a small sign with delicate engravings of stars.
Inside, the atmosphere was transformed completely.
Quiet. Neat. Expensive.
Shelves held rare potions, spell components, polished ore chunks, and small artifacts sealed behind thin glass. Soft blue lanterns lit the store in an almost magical glow.
A young man at the counter, dressed sharply, straightened up immediately.
"Good afternoon! Welcome to Luminelle Trading. My name is Allen. How may I—"
Kaede waved a hand.
"Where's Candessa? I need materials. The usual list."
Allen blinked.
"Ah, right away! Her Ladyship is in her office. I'll inform her."
He rushed upstairs, nearly tripping over his own feet.
Moments later, the sound of heels on polished wood echoed down the staircase.
A woman came down with practiced grace.
Her long brown hair cascaded in streaks of silk, and her dress, a midnight blue with delicate star shaped embroidery, framed her figure with perfect ease. There was a calm confidence in the way she observed the room.
Kaede threw her hands up.
"Hey, Candessa! Came for materials. You know the drill."
Candessa Luminelle gave him a graceful smile.
"And hello to you too, Kaede."
Her eyes moved to Yukio and Michibiki.
"New faces, I see. Won't you introduce your companions?"
Kaede scratched her cheek.
"Oh, right. This is Yukio and Michibiki. They're part of my party now."
Then, with a smirk, she added,
"She's a highly respected merchant. And a pain in the ass."
Candessa chuckled lightly, no bother.
"I'll take the compliment and disregard the insult. Come, let's talk upstairs where it's quieter."
As she turned, her gaze passed over Yukio again, slow, assessing, lingering slightly on the sheen of his Mythril armor before she looked away as if nothing had happened.
Upstairs the sitting room felt luxurious in a way the rest of the shop didn't: warm colors, polished bookshelves, crystalline ornaments, plush red couches.
They sat; Candessa folded her hands in her lap, her posture perfect.
Her gaze fell on Yukio's armor once more.
"That set… it's impressive. One of your works, too, Kaede?"
Kaede puffed her chest proudly.
"Obviously. No smith in Primordia can make something like that. Best piece I've ever crafted."
Candessa's lips curved slightly.
"I can tell. Mythril isn't easy to work with. And the rune patterns… very intricate. Your skills have improved."
Kaede tried to hide just how pleased she was, and she failed miserably.
Candessa crossed one long leg over the other and turned her attention to Kaede.
"Allen is already preparing your materials. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes."
Kaede nodded and promptly reached into the pouch strapped to her hip, metal clinking loudly as she pulled out a stuffed sack of gold coins, so heavy it landed with a thud on the coffee table.
"Alright, here's your money."
Candessa didn't even look at it.
"No, not this time, Kaede."
Kaede's hands froze in mid-air.
Her expression deflated.
"…oh no."
She closed her eyes resignedly.
"Let me guess."
Michibiki cocked her head to one side, her expression amused.
Already, Yukio felt a headache coming.
Kaede raised a single finger.
"You've got a bandit problem messing with your trade routes."
Candessa flinched.
"…correct."
Kaede raised a second finger.
"And here's the kicker: there's a monster, too."
Candessa gave a small, embarrassed laugh, her cheeks coloring.
"…that's also correct."
Kaede slumped back into the couch, as if her soul had just left her body.
Candessa leaned forward, her cultured composure cracking into a pleading expression.
"So please, Kaede. Will you help me again? I'll pay, generously. And you won't have to pay for the materials. I'll waive everything for this month."
Kaede narrowed her eyes.
"If you're sweetening the deal like that… it must be a serious problem."
Candessa let out a long, weary sigh-the sigh of a person who has been holding a business together with pure stress and willpower.
"Serious doesn't begin to describe it, with bandits intercepting nearly every shipment I send toward the capital. If that's not enough, a Forest Mauler was spotted near the crossroads."
Yukio blinked.
"Forest Mauler? That sounds… pleasant."
Michibiki gave him a deadpan stare.
"It's not."
Candessa's shoulders tightened.
"I'm losing clients, my contracts are falling apart; I really can't afford to waste more time. Kaede, you're one of the few people strong enough to help. So… please."
Then she did it.
She deployed the puppy dog eyes.
Perfectly done.
Devastatingly shameless.
Kaede groaned into her hands.
"Goddess above… you always pull that face…"
Candessa leaned in, blinking slowly for added drama.
"Pleaaaase?"
Kaede's eye twitched.
She extended her neck, cracking it once before releasing a sigh.
"…fine. FINE. I'll help."
Candessa turned on instantly, the joy bursting across her face.
Kaede raised a finger before she could squeal.
"But I'm doing it because we're friends. You don't have to pay me. If you are in trouble, I'll help. Simple."
Candessa sprang to her feet, launching herself at Kaede the next instant to wrap her in a tight embrace.
"You're the best, Kaede! The absolute best!"
Kaede went rigid, like a startled cat.
"Okay, okay! Stop, ugh, PERFUME OVERLOAD!"
Candessa quickly set her free, giggling into her hand.
Yukio and Michibiki exchanged a look.
"…this is going to be interesting,"
Yukio whispered.
Michibiki smirked.
"Oh, absolutely."
Candessa came back from the desk with a pile of neatly arranged papers and a rolled-up map. Setting them down on the coffee table, she fanned everything out: marked trade routes, attack reports, rough sketches, and a circled section near the edge of the forest.
"This,"
she said, tapping the map,
"is where the bandits strike the most. And here,"
She pointed to a darker green patch on the edge of the woods,
"is where the monster sighting was reported. Both issues are hurting my deliveries."
Kaede and Michibiki leaned forward, reading the documents.
They both let out the same long, tired sigh.
"Yep,"
Kaede rubbed the bridge of her nose, muttering.
"Definitely a mess."
Michibiki tilted her head.
"Monsters and bandits? Busy neighborhood."
He looked at the map, already feeling the weight of two different problems landing on his shoulders.
"Well,"
he said with a dry exhale,
"this is going to be a headache and a half."
Kaede shot Candessa a flat look and jabbed a thumb at the papers.
"And THAT is why you're a pain in the ass."
Candessa just smiled sweetly, her eyes softening.
"And that, "
she replied,
"Is why you love me."
Kaede groaned.
Michibiki snorted.
Yukio facepalmed.
And just like that, the next headache filled adventure began.