He was never good at goodbyes, because no one ever left him before. They always came back. This time, he was the one leaving, and there was no way back in.
The coins jingled inside the pouch. His wrist bent from the weight of the coins. From the weight alone, they must've got a lot of money, especially if Jade seemed satisfied with it. It was like holding a stone. That's how heavy it was. But it wasn't as heavy as the one in his heart.
Jade rubbed her hands. "Well, I guess it's time to go home." She yawned, stretching like a cat.
"It's about time," Roland said. His brown eyes locked onto Leo's, shimmering with something beneath their hard surface.
The weight in Leo's chest grew. It was time already. His trial run had expired. This wasn't a game, and it wasn't a movie either. If there were such a thing as a tutorial level, then this was it.
"T-thanks, Jade and Roland," Leo managed to say. His voice quivered, damp with emotion. "It was fun working with you two."
Roland's eyes widened slightly. The emotions lingering beneath the surface bloomed. The hard look in his eyes changed into something polished, gleaming like a pearl.
"I enjoyed it too, Leo," Roland responded, a melancholic smile on his face. "I'll miss you."
Leo's throat began to close, trapping his breath. Snot threatened to leak from his nostrils.
This was a dream, right? He wasn't really in this world and would wake up back home. A lucid dream is what they call it?
Jade grinned in the corner of his watery vision. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.
"Roland, don't tell me you actually miss a Dwendol we just met," Jade grinned. "You're just a big, soft teddy bear, aren't you?"
Roland chuckled. "You're one to say that. What was all that sentimental talk for? Don't tell me you're worried about his future?"
Something rolled off Leo's eye. It trickled down his cheek before following the curvature of his mouth. The taste of salt.
The taste of tears.
"I can't say I don't, I'm not heartless, you know?" Jade said. Her eyes took in Leo's face. "Besides, he's the brother of that pretty Dwendol girl. Who knows? Maybe a new generation of Dwendol supermodels is coming up soon."
Roland chuckled softly. "Ironic, coming from the person who tried to take Dwendols as slaves."
The playful look in Jade's eyes shifted into something darker. "Yeah, it is. But they opened my eyes. I'm never doing it again, and I'm not going on those raids anymore."
"Mine have been open for quite a while," Roland said as he stretched a hand towards Leo.
Leo blinked at the sudden gesture. His butt felt numb from sitting for so long. With a deep breath, he grabbed onto Roland's hand.
Roland pulled him up. "Take care, Leo."
Those words. Why did they sting so bad? It's not even like Leo knew them. He didn't even know their ages or classes. They were strangers. One day wasn't enough to become friends.
"I don't have anything to give, but we'll put in a good word for our report," Roland said, releasing Leo's hand.
Jade cleared her throat. "Well, I have good news for you, Leo! That dagger is yours and has been since the beginning!"
Leo's eyes widened. Wait, this dagger was his now? Jade was planning to let him keep it all along?
"W-wait, but you paid for it," Leo stammered.
"Like I said, if you're part of our party, then you have to look the part as well," Jade said. "Besides, I'm not petty enough to take it back."
The stone in his chest got softer. "Thanks...I don't deserve it."
"None of us deserves anything," said Jade. "We all earn it, or we're given it. That's how it goes. You earned it."
Leo didn't know what to say. Worlds tumbled in his mind, but they didn't form into anything meaningful. There was truth to what she said.
He sniffled. What was he doing? They had things to do. Their time was up. It was selfish to stall any longer. Besides, it would hurt even more.
"I'll miss you guys," Leo choked out. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat. "T-thanks for everything."
"I'll miss you too, Leo," Jade replied. "If you decide to take up adventuring, then maybe we'll see you around."
Roland sighed, tucking the Tri-Sphere into his bag. "If you do, Leo, it won't be easy, especially as a Dwendol. But it might be the only path forward."
Leo gulped. Of course, who would take a Dwendol as an employee over any of the other races? Adventuring was probably the only thing willing to take them in. If not, then it was time for him to head home. His heart ached at the thought of it. He wanted to go home, but maybe they didn't want him back. What he did might've just outed them all. Besides, living at home doing nothing while being oppressed until he died didn't seem like a good time at all. This world was too vast for him to live like that.
Maybe it was the human in him that wanted this. A manifest destiny. When he turned eighteen, he probably would've been an adventurer anyway. This was his chance to restart. To try and live a fulfilling life.
He nodded. "Thanks. I'll keep that in mind."
"Have a good day, Leo, stay vigilant," Roland said, putting a hand on Leo's shoulder. "Stay strong."
"See you, Leo," Jade waved. "Remember what I said, alright?"
Leo nodded, his head swiveling as they walked past him. "Of course, I will." He said to no one as they disappeared.
The wind whistled by him. His heart skipped, neck straining as he looked for them. He just wanted to see them one more time to make sure that they were real. A small smile tugged at his face. They were gone.
He was alone, back to square one. Honestly, he wanted to cry, but that wouldn't do anything. Time wasn't going to wait.
"Welcome, welcome, nowâwait, it's you again," a grumpy old dwarf with an eyepatch greeted. "Where's the other two rascals?"
It took a while for Leo to reach the armory shop, but he managed to find his way through the stares.
"They went home. I'm solo," Leo answered.
Ellgrad's cigar drooped as his jaw dropped. "You? Alone? Does your blue skull not function properly?"
Leo unhooked the pouch of coins from his waist. Ellgrad's eyes narrowed.
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"It was just a temporary thing. But I decided that I wanted to be an adventurer," Leo said. He placed the pouch on the counter. "What do you recommend?"
It was true. Leo wrestled with the idea for a while. Being an adventurer wasn't going to be easy at all, especially as a Dwendol, a race that he knew nothing about. He even took the time to walk around and look for possible jobs, but as expected, Dwendols were not on the list.
"Let's see what you got here." The grumpy dwarf shook his head. He puffed a black cloud of smoke. Ellgrad took off his gloves, revealing thick, calloused hands marked with soot. He unzipped the pouch, spilling the contents onto the counter.
Leo's eyes widened at the sight. The sun bounced off the hill of gold, silver, and bronze. Even Ellgrad smirked in surprise.
"Made quite the amount, eh?" Ellgrad smiled, bending a golden coin. "A Dwendol with Crests. Not something I see every day."
Leo looked around, taking in the assortment of gear around him. It felt like ages ago, but he'd only met Ellgrad this morning.
"Alright, you have a good amount," Ellgrad said, setting the Crest down. "I can recommend a set, but it's always better to find what you want."
"Okay, I guess I'll take a look around," Leo nodded.
He walked towards the weapon rack, taking in the weapons before him. His heart raced. A spear with a dark crescent hook hung from the ceiling, while a shimmering golden longsword sat in a stone. Daggers and knives sat on the racks, each with its unique curves and edges.
One thing caught his eye in particular. A curved, single-edged blade with a navy blue handle made from string. It's pure silver edge spoke to him.
A katana.
Leo's fingers wrapped around the handle, pulling it from the shelf. How much was this sword?
He didn't even mean to activate the interface. But right on cue, the interface appeared, answering his question.
[Vampire's Bane]
CONDITION: Great
RARITY: Legendary
TYPE: Melee
PASSIVE ABILITIES:
[Weeping Edge]
'Each cut inflicts [Blood Loss].'
'The bane of every vampire's existence...'
PRICE: 125 Crests
Leo's heart wilted at the price. W-what? That many Crests for the katana? From what was on the counter, he only had like five crests.
"Uh, that's the wrong section," Ellgrad's voice pierced his bubble. "You don't have enough for those."
Leo blinked. "Oh." His ears burned as he turned away from the weapon rack.
Ellgrad chuckled. "Maybe one day you can buy those, but for now, I'd recommend you keep that Bluewater Dagger. It's versatile, doesn't rust, and has a high skill ceiling."
Leo looked at the slightly blue dagger strapped to his waist. This plain-looking dagger had more to it?
"Really?" Leo asked.
The old dwarf smiled. "Of course, Bluewater is an extremely rare alloy. Lightweight, doesn't break, and doesn't rust. It's also easy to enchant."
Leo looked at the weapon rack. "Well, why shouldn't I get anything else?"
"I feel like a Dwendol should know this already," Ellgrad sighed. "Dwendols are extremely weak physicallyâno offense meant, itâs just how your kind was made. That dagger is perfect for low-power, but high-skill classes and people. You need gear to protect that body of yours, not a better weapon."
Leo frowned. He hadnât noticed it yet, but he hadnât lifted anything heavy either.
"Alright, so I'll look for armor then," Leo nodded. He took a step towards the armor section.
There were all sorts of armor sitting, lying, and standing before him. A full set of silver armor adorned with gemstones sat before him. To his right was a robe made with ivory-color silk and embossed with gold designs, which looked like some sort of mage cloak.
Leo picked up a black gauntlet. His hand slid inside with ease. But not because it was a good fit, but because it was way too big for him. His fingers couldn't even touch the tips. Not even if he pushed his arm inside it.
He sighed and put it down. Leo looked around. There were more gauntlets, chestplates, leggings, and helmets.
Helmets.
That's right, head protection was super important. He took a helmet and put it on. Then it all went dark.
Leo shook his head as the helmet rattled around it. He couldn't see anything. The only source of light was coming through the slit in the visor, which was at his chin. His fingers hooked onto the edges and pushed. Instead of the helmet coming off, his fingers got caught on his head.
Ellgrad cleared his throat, unamused. "Press the latches on the side."
Leo did that, and it came off.
"No full-plate armor for you," Ellgrad said, rubbing his chin. "Too expensive and too heavy. Take a gambeson, or some leather gear."
Leo's eyes narrowed. He thought that Ellgrad was going to let him choose for himself, yet here he was, being ordered around. His mouth opened to say something, but he stopped. He nearly spoke too casually.
"Okay, so could you just give me a rundown of what to get?" Leo asked.
"For a Dwendol, I would recommend reinforced leather gear, Traveler's Boots, a Dwarven Pack, and forearm and shin guards," Ellgrad rattled off. "That'll leave you with at least two Crests and fifteen Alders."
Leo didn't say anything. Ellgrad didn't either. They just stared each other down for what seemed like forever.
"What, do you think I'm scamming you or something?" Ellgrad finally said. His eyebrows furrowed.
Leo shook his head, coming back to reality. "Oh, uh, no. I was just thinking about it and blanked out."
"Blanked out?" Ellgrad asked, eyebrow raised.
Oh, wait. Ellgrad didn't know what that meant? Leo was sure thatâno, he was wrong. This world was different. They probably didn't use this phrase.
"Oh, I meant that I lost focus and wasn't thinking," Leo said.
"Well, you better be focused and thinking when you asked me for this," Ellgrad warned. "Since you're too busy smiling to focus, I'll give you a one Crest and fifteen Alders budget for whatever you want."
Leo smiled for some reason. He didn't mean to piss Ellgrad off, but oddly enough, he could tell that the old dwarf wasn't actually mad.
"Sorry, I'll go and look around," Leo apologized before walking out of the dwarf's sight.
"Go ahead, I'll get your stuff," Ellgrad said.
As Leo walked throughout the armory, the smile stayed on his face. Why was he feeling this way? Today was already a rollercoaster of emotions. First, it was the sadness of Jade and Roland leaving, and now he was happy to just have a conversation with Ellgrad. It was like Ellgrad was a person those two left for him. Someone who would treat him like a person.
There were a lot of things Leo wanted to get, especially with this budget. From the prices for normal items that he'd seen, Crests were kinda like the one-hundred-dollar bills in the world. A Crest was able to get him a good amount of potions, or if he wanted, he could buy a nice sword with it.
Leo's smile stretched into a grin. He knew why Ellgrad gave him that budget.
It was a test to see if he was serious about adventuring. If he had learned anything from Jade and Roland.
"Alright, here's what I got," Leo said with a cheesy grin. He set down a collection of potions on the counter.
Ellgrad's nose twitched seeing Leo's smile. "Is there something on my face?"
Leo laughed. "No, I don't know why I'm smiling, honestly."
He wasn't lying. He shouldn't be this happy. What was there to smile about? He nearly died, lost his family, and lost the two people he grew to care about. But somehow, someway, there was a smile on his face. Maybe it was nice...just being able to talk like this.
"You better find out before I wipe it off," Ellgrad muttered as he seemingly pulled gear out of thin air, setting them on the counter. "Here's your stuff."
To Leo's left was a pair of brown leather boots with a strap for storage. Beside the boots was a tan backpack that was too small, yet too big. That must've been the Dwarven Pack. Leo wasn't sure how it would fit on him, but he trusted Ellgrad. Then, in the center, was the reinforced leather gear. It was basically leather gear with some plating stuffed inside of it. And finally were the metallic shin and forearm guards.
"Thanks a lot, Ellgrad," Leo said.
Ellgrad blew some smoke. "Don't mention it," the dwarf's hand picked up a potion. "Smart purchase. Potions can make or break a quest. Too many and you lose space, too little, and you might wind up dead."
Coins jingled as they were put back into their pouch. A calloused hand pushed it towards Leo, and then his gear slid towards him as well.
"Alright, alright, now get out of my sight, Mister Happy," Ellgrad said. "There's a changing room on your right."
Leo nodded, carrying his gear and heading towards it.
After some struggle putting on his gear, Leo finally walked out. The reason he decided to wear it here was that he was clean already. That spell from earlier in the sewers cleaned everything, including him, and he also used it again before heading here.
The gear mightâve fitâif he werenât so skinny. He had to roll up the leather sleeves and the cuffs of his pants multiple times. And the guards nearly reached his shoulders. The boots were way too roomy, while the backpack straps threatened to rip.
And for the first time, he realized how small he was.
"Took you long enough," Ellgrad said without looking at him, polishing a sword behind the counter. "Also, there's a cloak there for you. First-time buyers' gift."
"Okay, thanks, take care, Ellgrad," Leo said, rushing towards the cloak. His ears burned. He looked idiotic in this gear. It would've been fine on anyone else, but on him? He looked like a phony. Like those kids who stacked on each other to pass as adults.
Leo snatched the cloak, stuffing himself inside of it. Then he headed for the doors.
"What's your name?" Ellgrad called from behind the counter.
Leo froze mid-stride. The shame returned. It burned his face and ears like a fever. He looked ridiculous. It was like wearing a bad outfit. It was humiliating.
"My name's Leo," he answered. His voice shook.
Ellgrad didn't say anything, so Leo decided to take another step.
Then the dwarf spoke. "Leo, huh? Come back again, you sorry blueberry."
Leo swallowed the lump in his throat. "I plan to. Take care."
Then he stepped out of the armory.