Chapter 38: Chapter 38 – Undeserved Gifts

Before night fell, Fenric had stopped by to update Arthur on the war plans. It appeared that the northeastern and southeastern lords would link up before entering Bern.

Once the combined army entered Bern, it would rush to the city of Rothwel, where the imperial army's remnants were besieged, routing the Bernish and Agelian troops outside the walls.

After that battle, the southeastern lords would push into east Bern while the northeastern lords traveled south, hugging Elrinth Forest and laying siege to four cities before finally reaching Piltash.

The more prepared northwestern and southwestern Ollerin lords would enter Bern further west and attack the city of Mitford before splitting up and handling the rest of the Bernish cities, including the capital, with the help of the imperial army.

Out of the four cities Arthur would have to take before reaching Piltash, only one could be considered on par with Munn's population. The city was called Nosin and shared a river with the Bernish capital, Wiskirk.

The river that connected the two cities also flowed through Agelia before reaching the ocean. So Nosin would be a nuisance to siege if the northwestern and southwestern lords couldn't properly control the river. Arthur figured it would likely be the most prolonged siege of the war for his army, and he wasn't looking forward to it.

After his army took Piltash, Arthur would be left behind with his personal guards and Fenric's Chosen to hold the city. The rest of the army would push west to take the final southern city before marching north to take part in the siege of the Bernish capital.

Initially, only some levies would be left with Arthur in Piltash, but due to his deal with Fenric, he talked Baron Iken into leaving Fenric's Chosen under Arthur's command. Baron Iken probably didn't mind since, by that time, Bern would be on its last leg, and it would save them money to get rid of Fenric's Chosen a few months earlier than intended.

Regardless, he appreciated Fenric stepping up to request it without being told to. Arthur intended to demand Baron Iken let Fenric's Chosen serve under him at a later point in the war, so it saved him the effort. His decision to enter The Cat's Cradle's basement was already paying its dividends through this.

Once Fenric left, Arthur decided to cultivate before going to bed. The following four days were far less eventful than the previous three. For the most part, Arthur stayed in his tent, scribbling away at his research journal as he slowly but surely plotted out the necessary framework for his AI.

Fenric occasionally stopped by with updates, and Arthur had him confirm with Baron Iken that his personal guards would be provided for as Revan house guards while the war persisted. So that was one less thing he had to worry about.

Levin also stopped by after a couple of days and dropped off some books along with a handwritten syllabus containing countless pages of notes and Levin's personal insights. Arthur was touched by the gesture and regretted not being able to convince the man to follow him.

It wasn't entirely hopeless, though. Levin confirmed that once the war was through, they would pick up lessons again. He was already paid in full after all, so Arthur intended to write to him once the war ended and convince him to come to Helagaust.

On the day before the army began its march, Arthur boarded his carriage with Jeren and Foster before entering the city of Munn. He needed to pick up his hidden blade and trinitite mail today, so his destination was naturally Thoran's smithy.

The sky was heavily overcast as Arthur's carriage came to a halt and a cool, moist breeze welcomed him the moment he stepped out. The sparsely populated avenue spoke volumes about Munn's opinion on the day's weather. However, Arthur was of a different mind. He'd take a torrential downpour over Revan's scorching heat any day.

Munn was far less lively than the last time he had visited. The stalls that previously lined the avenue seemed to mostly be closed up for the day, and the only people Arthur could see were the few who didn't seem to mind the inevitable rain that would soon come pouring down.

Arthur made his way through the discreet alleyway before entering Thoran's smithy. His happiness from the weather was short-lived as he was pelted with waves of heat from the forge. Thoran stood before it, staring into the flames the same as the last time Arthur had visited.

"You'll go blind staring into the fire like that, old man." Arthur declared as he walked closer.

"Hahaha! My eyes were born to look into the flames of a forge! How are ya, little lord? Anyone need a good whack this time, or is all well?"

Thoran's cheery booming voice instantly made Arthur forget that it felt like the inside of an oven within the smithy. 'He's definitely a dwarf...' Arthur thought to himself and laughed out loud.

"All is well! I'm here to pick up my order. Is it ready?" Arthur excitedly asked.

Thoran scoffed before smiling. "Course, it's ready! What does this old man look like, a braggart?"

Arthur laughed. "Definitely old... But a braggart? Never that!"

"Hahaha!" Thoran released a thunderous laugh as if to kick-start the weather outside. "It's good to flatter the old. You've earned yourself a discount of five Riis."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "How generous!"

"Hahaha! The old gotta make a living too! Stay there. I'll go fetch your things, little lord." Thoran said before entering a door at the far side of the room.

Arthur didn't have to wait long. Thoran soon returned carrying a large rectangular wooden box before placing it on a nearby workbench and opening it up.

"The gambeson and inner-coif are made from bonnet spider silk." Thoran announced as he removed a long sleeve gambeson from the box and displayed it. "I'm no tailor, so some of the seams may come loose in the future, but it'll provide ya with far better protection than most other materials."

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Arthur's eyes went wide. He hadn't asked Thoran for a gambeson or coif because he didn't think there'd be time to tailor them. Instead, he intended to just borrow whatever Fenric had lying around, but this was far better than he could've hoped.

Bonnet spiders were chihuahua-sized tarantulas that were semi-domesticated on Nithe. Their silk was strong, lightweight, and impact-resistant due to its spring-like properties. Unfortunately, it was equally expensive as it was strong, and the gambeson and inner coif in his hands likely cost more than a thousand Riis.

Arthur hesitated when he thought of the cost. "Thoran..."

"I ain't done talking yet. It ain't good to interrupt the elderly. I revoke your five Riis discount." Thoran proudly harrumphed. "Next is the mail."

Thoran pulled out a long chain body and coif. The silvery-white trinitite chain links were exceptionally thin and small, almost making the chain body and coif look as though they were made from fabric instead of metal.

Arthur was already beginning to sweat at the unexpected surge in expenses. He couldn't afford all this. He was already cutting his finances close with just the trinitite chain body.

Arthur opened his mouth to speak again, but Thoran cut him off. "That'll cost ya another five Riis for trying to interrupt an old man again. Now ya messed me up... Where was I?

Ah! Finally, because a drake dared swipe at the little lord, I made ya a coat out of some drake leather I had lying around. The next time ya ride one of the bastards, wear this. That'll show them insecure lizards who's boss! Hahaha!"

Arthur was stunned as Thoran pulled out the long pea coat covered in raven-black scales that bore a Tyrian purple-like hue when the light hit it just right. The inside of the coat was lined with some matte black satin-like material that felt nice on his skin, and it was also a size or two larger than his current body, allowing him to grow into it.

Drake leather wasn't nearly as expensive as the other materials, but a coat like this could easily sell for five or six hundred Riis. It also didn't appear too flashy despite its cost, and drake leather was fairly cut-resistant, so it also served a defensive purpose outside of just keeping Arthur warm.

"Before ya complain about the price, I'm only charging ya the material costs. It'll only come out to twenty-three hundred and five Riis. Make sure ya don't forget that five Riis! Hahaha!"

Despite Thoran's cheery attitude, Arthur felt wrong about taking everything for such a low price. "Are you trying to crush me with shame, old man? How can I accept not paying you for your work when you made all this in five days alone? Did ya even sleep?"

"Hahaha! I'm happy you believe in my skill, but even if I had eight arms, I couldn't make all that in five days. My good-for-nothing son-in-law resized the mail while my grandson and I worked on the coat, gambeson, and hidden blade."

Arthurs's face went blank. "...Is—is that supposed to make me feel less shameful? Because it only makes me feel more so! How can I not pay your family for their work, good-for-nothing son-in-law or not?"

"Bah!" Thoran dismissively waved his hands. "I told ya the price I want, so I won't take a copper more. Don't try and bully the elderly. I may be old, but I can still dish out whacks to those who need it. Just ask my son-in-law! Hahaha!"

Arthur sighed as his greed waged war with the shame inside his mind. "Still..."

"No more of that! A man should be decisive. If you feel the need to pay me back, you can do it after you return from the war. I ain't going anywhere anytime soon."

Arthur relented and threw his hands up in defeat. "Alright, but I probably won't return here for many years. Instead, I'll write to you when things settle down and pay you back tenfold for your kindness."

"Good child! I look forward to it! Hahaha!" Thoran cheered as he packed up the armor and coat. "Don't forget to wear the coat. It gets cold down there in Bern. I packed the lining with barban wool. It'll keep ya warm even if it don't look that thick."

Arthur pulled out his coin purse to pay when he noticed Kyren's head tilt curiously to the side. Kyren quickly turned around and flew through the door as Arthur handed Thoran twenty-three gold coins along with the extra five coppers he requested.

Arthur wasn't sure what Kyren was doing, but he became alert as soon as he left. "Is my hidden blade in there too?"

Thoran laughed. "Of course, little lord. It's good as new. The damage to the blade wasn't as bad as it seemed, so it wasn't too much work to fix it."

Kyren flew through the door in a hurry. "There's a dozen guys out there blocking off the alley from both ends. One of 'em is a fifth circle."

 

 

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