Chapter 8: Chapter 8: A New Toy

The Hero Became a Mousegirl
Chapter 8: A New Toy

 

After we finished our pastries Myra guided me down the street to a worker’s district within the city. Here several different craft businesses were built alongside one another. From leatherworkers to carpenters, nearly all of the disciplines I could think of were represented. 

The only exception was magic craftsmen or artificers as they seemed to be called in modern society. No matter how hard I looked I couldn’t see a single workshop dedicated to the creation of magical items. 

“Are there no artificers here?” 

Myra hummed before answering me with a smile, “In Belstow it’s foolish for an artificer to set up an independent shop, since the college is here and all. Anyone who is looking for magical items, potions, salves, anything supernatural really, goes there.” 

“Potions too?” I blinked in confusion, “Is alchemy not considered a distinct discipline from artifice?” 

“I’m not sure, you might wanna ask Syene. All I know is the College of Artifice covers all of that stuff. The only thing you’ll find out here is the occasional herbalist selling low-grade potions and ointments on the street.” 

“Wow,” I muttered to myself, astonished by how much had changed since my death. “Life in the city sure is different huh?” 

“Must be, I’ve never known anything else so I can’t make any comparisons.” 

“Maybe someday we can go exploring together,” I grinned and winked at Myra. “There is so much I want to see.” 

Even in my past, there were places I’d only ever heard about. My position as hero made it impossible to travel freely, so I never saw the great mountain citadels of the dwarves. Nor did I ever visit the Glyphwood Hedge Communities where those with animal-like characteristics lived. 

I had no idea if any of what I’d yearned to see in my past still existed, but I wanted to travel to them all the same. Even if all I saw was rubble, at least I could say I finally accomplished something I always said I’d do. 

“Hmm,” Myra gazed at me for a moment before turning around and heading down the street. “That sounds like fun, but I’m afraid of traveling too far away from Syene.” 

“How come?”

“Because she’s the reason I can live peacefully like this. Without her, what will I do if someone notices something is amiss? I need her to protect me.” 

“I’ll protect you.” 

Myra giggled. “Thank you Caelan. Ah, we’re here!” 

We came to a halt in front of a large brick building with a sign depicting two of the metal staffs Myra called firearms, crossed over one another. Pulling the door open Myra beckoned me inside. 

Inside we found ourselves in a storefront with several types of firearms on display. Myra made her way to the front counter and with a little hop smacked the bell atop it. 

“Aye, I’m comin’” A deep rumbling male voice called. Stepping out of the back was a muscular middle-aged human male with skin that was a far darker brown than my own. 

The shopkeeper gazed at me in confusion for a moment before he noticed Myra by the top of her hood. “Hey runt, tha’ counter’s hiding ya.” 

“Oops!” Myra giggled and stepped back. “I’m here to pick up my blunderbuss, is it ready?” 

“Aye, tho next time ya damage it this badly I’m gonna demand you buy a new one.” 

“It’s not my fault a Lizardbear snuck into the forest so close to the city.” Myra pouted. 

Shaking his head the shopkeep left us alone for a moment before returning with Myra’s blunderbuss. It looked somewhat similar to what the guards had been carrying though it was a bit thicker in places and ended in a cone shape. 

“You need any powder or shot?” The shopkeeper asked as he handed Myra’s weapon out to her. 

“I’ve still got quite a bit from the last time I resupplied,” Myra noted taking the blunderbuss. “I’m not like those other adventurers who go looking for fights. I’m more than happy just gathering herbs.” 

“No matter whatcha doin a fight’ll always find ye,” the shopkeeper chuckled. “What about yer companion, is the little mouse here for something?” 

Myra tilted her head before turning back to gaze at me standing awkwardly behind her. “Hmm… how about it Caelan, do you want a firearm of your own? Since you’ve never used one maybe a pistol?” 

“I’m fine with a sword thanks.” 

“Okay,” Myra turned around, “One pistol, and a dozen paper cartridges for it, please.” 

“That’ll be eight gold, you have that much on ye missy?” 

Sticking her hand into her cloak Myra pulled out a gold coin with a platinum inlay and handed it over to the shopkeeper. “This should cover it.” 

“Aye, I’ll fetch yer change. Have her pick out any of the ones I have on display.”

“Alright Caelan, over here, let’s pick out your new pistol!” 

“Wait, Myra this is too expensive. Plus, I just said I didn’t need one.” 

“What if your sword gets taken from you?”

“Then I’ll use…” I nearly said magic before hesitating, fretting that perhaps mages were disliked by the general populous. 

“And what if that fails?” Myra asked, picking up on what I’d meant to say. “It never hurts to have a secondary weapon to fall back on.”

“Still…” 

“Caelan,” Myra bolted forward and wrapped an arm around my waist, her face coming dangerously close to mine. “I’m your older sister now you know? So let me treat you. Stop trying to turn me down every time I try to do something nice for you, I’m going to get angry you know?” 

“You’ve known me for a day, it isn’t normal to spend this kind of money on someone you just met.” 

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Narrowing her eyes Myra sighed before releasing me. “That’s true I guess. It’s not like I have anything else to spend my money on though, Syene takes care of everything. All the money I collect from my adventurer work just goes into a jar.”

“Is there nothing you want?” 

“I want you,” Myra replied bashfully. “Syene is my friend, my family even, but it isn’t like she can spend lots of time with me. She has her work for the city and the college. Plus research on her personal projects, so we don’t get to spend a great deal of time together.” 

“And I have none of that…” 

“Correct!” Myra petted the top of my head. “I’ve always wanted a partner I could do everything with, and here you are. Now, I just have to make you want to stick with me.” 

“I enjoy your company well enough Myra, you don’t have to buy me things.” 

“But, I want to buy you things. Who knows, maybe someday you’ll use this pistol to save my life. That would make it the greatest purchase I’ve ever made wouldn’t it?” 

“I doubt I’ll ever be in a situation where my current abilities are insufficient to save you.”

“But it is possible, isn’t it? So please Caelan, pick one out and keep it with you, for me, alright?” 

“Alright, thank you Myra,” I smiled and threw my hands up in defeat before gazing at the small firearms on the shelf. Unlike the long staff-like ones the guard carried, these were nearly the same length as wands, only thicker, with more ornate designs. 

Without knowing how they worked for sure, I just examined them from a design standpoint. Most had a wooden hilt that curved, a moving bit of metal, a hole in the side, and a metal tube. Few of them had anything unique beyond that, though the wood did change. 

Among all of the ones on display the one that caught my eye the most was one that had a purplish-pink tint to the wood. I’d never seen wood in such a color, and while it could’ve been stained, it was still eye-catching. Not that I wanted a pink handle. 

“Got yer eyes on tha pink one, aye girlie?” The shopkeeper chuckled from behind me. 

“Eh?” My cheeks warmed as I spun around to face him. “No, it was just… all the others are normal tones of wood, and I hadn’t seen wood that color before.” 

“No need to be bashful Caelan,” Myra giggled. “The pink one is super cute.” 

“Ye should listen to the runt, Girlie. These things are expensive, if tha pink one caught yer eye, ye should take it.” 

“I don’t… I don’t even know how to choose a pistol.” 

“All of the ones on display are the same quality,” Myra noted. “So it’s just personal preference stuff. The angle of the handle, length of the trigger, color of the wood. Can you get the pink one down for us Master?” 

“Aye,” The shopkeeper lifted the pink pistol off of its perch and dropped it into my hands. “How’s it feel girlie?” 

“I don’t know, how am I supposed to even hold one of these?” 

“Let me help,” Myra took the pistol from me and then took my hand in hers. She guided my hand to curl around the weapon’s grip, with my index finger stretched out to pull on the metal half-moon shape dangling beneath it. 

“There you go, you’ve got it Caelan!  You hold it by the handle and pull the trigger with your finger like this. Of course you’ve got to light the powder first but I’ll teach you all about that later.” 

“So ye goin with this one?” 

“Yup! It was the first to catch her eye, and it fits her hand perfectly, right Caelan?” 

“Umm, yeah we’ll take this one.” I nodded trying desperately to contain my embarrassment. It felt childish to select a weapon based on coloring alone, but it would make it easier to find if I dropped it in the forest. With that thought in mind I decided that perhaps the pink-colored wood was the best, especially for a smaller item like a pistol. 

“Wonderful, well here is yer change runt. The two of ye stay safe out there.” 

“We will,” Myra replied with a quick wave. “Alright Caelan, you ready to head home?” 

“Weren’t you going to teach me how to use this?” 

“Of course, but they’re a little loud, and we can’t use them inside the city walls. So we need to go outside the walls for your training.” 

“Why can’t we just go outside now?” 

“Well,” Myra giggled and rubbed the back of her head. “I guess we could, but I thought I’d accept a job first. That way I can train you and make money at the same time, isn’t that perfect?” 

“A job?” 

“Yeah with the adventurer’s guild.” 

“Ah,” I nodded absently, trying to conjure up memories of the guild she mentioned, though nothing came to mind. “What kind of jobs does the adventurer’s guild have?” 

“Anything that can be outsourced really. The College of Artifice works closely with the guild to secure wild plants needed for alchemy. While the guard uses them to have adventurers cull monsters in the nearby woods, so they don’t antagonize the farmsteads under the city’s protection. Sometimes merchants will hire adventurers to protect their carriages, but I never take those jobs.” 

“So it's like a mercenary and odd jobs company, huh?” 

“I guess? We’re not close to the border here, so we don’t get a lot of mercenaries in the city.” 

“Maybe… I should join?” 

“If you want to make money using that sword of yours, it is the easiest path forward. Unless you want to waste your days as the bodyguard of some gross self-important noble.” 

Smiling wryly at Myra I nearly told her that I was once considered to be one of those self-important nobles, but I didn’t. It was all far too hard to explain, the less I said about my past the better. 

“Alright, let’s go home. Tomorrow you’ll teach me how to apply for the adventurer’s guild, and how to use my new pistol.”

“Yes!” Myra grinned so broadly that her illusionary cloak failed to hide it. “I can’t wait.”