[New Quest] The message popped into Ren's mind, and immediately he called out the system tab before the new messages flooded his mind, and gave him a migraine.
[New Quest: Great Sword]
[Make a successful sword purchase from Doma]
[Reward: +2 charisma]
[Duration: 2 days]
[Failure results to: -12 favor points, -1 charismatic]
[1 day 24 hours: 59 minutes]
The two were out of sight when the message came up, and although Ren could shout for their attention, he figured that he'll simply find his way to this blacksmith Coma, it's a small village, and surely, it could not be that hard to find him.
"He could have even been here earlier." He chuckled, this was going to be easy.
Fortunately, his land had been translocated alongside him, and he had his well. He went to it, and took a peek inside it, and it was filled with water, just how he remembered. He had been afraid that all he would have met was soil, that only the top of the well had appeared alongside him. It would seem that much of his land down to the water table had been pulled into this world.
"It's like the land is bound to me, how convenient." He smirked. He had been horrified by the Dino last night, and of the crowd's approach, but on the two occasions, he managed to steer his way to safety, that alone was enough to inspire optimism within him.
"This world may not be so bad after all." He said to himself as he distributed feed to his animals.
He took a cold shower, made lunch with the left over duck meat he had purchased from Renegade town's market the other day, and put on a pair of rugged overalls made from linen, perfect for the weather. He looked to his left, by the door, his array of shoes arranged neatly. They mostly consisted of tough work boots, few could be worn to occasions. Eldrad and Tuarine had their eyes linger on the collection a bit before moving on, and Ren was afraid that they would think he was a rich man.
He took a black rugged pair of boots, and stepped out.
"I don't know why I need a sword, I already have a rifle."
He looked at his pen as he walked by, and his field of vegetables, they seemed rather exposed, like he was desperately asking for people to come steal them.
"I should get some dogs." He groaned, thinking of what the village chief had said—about the village not being as peaceful as it may first seem.
He walked for a good twenty minutes before he passed the first house. The village was situated at the foot of a mountain, with his home being slighter higher up. He spotted a little child sparring with a shirtless grown man, they were swinging at each other wooden swords, but the man stopped as soon as he spotted Ren.
'Should I wave?' The thought hung in mind until he was sure he was out of the man's sight, he did not wave. The walk into the rest of the village—where most homes stood took only a few minutes upon passing the home.
Anxiety crept in. Ren had always been a bold guy, and it helped that he had an impressive physique, and a business that did well, but the awareness of the eyes fixated at him undid all that courage. It was like their lies pricked his skin, and he was uncomfortable.
The village was larger than Ren was made to believe. Heck, they were prosperous enough to afford cobblestones. He took a look at the old looking building next to him with a rusted signboard that the words 'Mio's Tavern' etched on them. It was still early bright noon, but Ren could hear the clamor of people inside, no doubt that they were having beers, in dirty old tankards.
He turned to his right spotting a woman sweeping her home, she immediately looked away when Ren's eyes turned to her, she was alone and non-threatening, the perfect person to walk up to. She had on a brown old dress, that clearly made her seem older than she actually looked, for when she spoke she sounded very much like a child, not like a mother with the way she presented herself to be.
"Excuse me, I'm seeking directions to the Blacksmith doma."
The woman stood frozen for a few seconds ss if contemplating her options, then she spoke,
"Doma, he lives further down, near the village chief's home. Just head down to the village square, and ask around." She sounded so young, and let out dribbles of saliva with every words uttered, but she was beautiful.
"Thank you." Ren made a slight bow, like an imitation of a curtsey. He walked off, however, he could not help but notice that the woman's home had no cobblestones but the tavern did. Most homes had no cobblestones around them, they were only on the paths.
He walked past these homes, aware of the eyes that would not leave him.
As he got closer to the village square, he began noticing stalls, people with things out for sale. He spotted vegetables, and fruits that he had never seen before, even in books. He saw what he assumed to be bottles of honey on a stall, pieces of fresh meat, wooden containers, and many various items.
He itched to buy something, maybe a fruit or a veggie. There, he realized he had no money. He felt his pockets, and he could feel notes inside of them, but those could not be spent here.
The thought that this world, this village would have its currency for trade did not occur to him until this moment.
"Things have been moving rather fast, I was bound not to have thought of that." He muttered to himself, trying to fight away the intrusive thoughts that told him that he was stupid.
He went past the market, and got to a section of the path that seemed wider, square shaped before diverging into four different paths. At the center of the square was a well that had a few children waiting for their turns. Compared to what they wore, Ren seemed like a lord. Most of them stood barefooted, and the few that weren't had on worn out sandals, it was pitiful.
He was about to approach the children about Doma when he heard a door slam, he turned to see that it was Tuarine standing menacingly in front of her home.
Although Ren had noticed her height earlier, it was just now that Ren saw truly for how tall she was. She was tall, taller than him, and he stood proudly at 6'2. She was at least a head taller than him. He was glad to see her however, and so soon.
"You never mentioned where Doma makes his swords."
She gestured with her right hand, telling that he should come closer. As she approached, she took a turn by the side of her home, and Ren followed.
Behind her home stood a small hut made with stones, just like the cobblestones. Most housing structures around the area were made from wood, he had spotted a hut that was made with just branches and twigs.
In front of this stone hut stood a slab of stone as tall as a man was, with the words "THE FORGE" written in large bold letters, and Ren could hear the clangs of metal striking metal, the sound getting louder as he walked closer. It almost felt like he was walking to a shrine.
Tuarine knocked on the door.