When Bev got to the third floor of the guild her jaw dropped. It was packed with rows upon rows of stalls. Each row listed a weapon type. Staff, greatsword, longsword. They eventually found dagger and Senec practically dragged her down it.
Each stall was for a different type of fighter. The first was for basic unenchanted mundane daggers. Bev found it hard to believe there even was a market for that. As they went forward enchants quickly appeared. And each stall seemed to cater to a stranger, and more demanding type of customer. The first enchants were as basic as they came. Durability, sharpness, self repair. And they were flocked with customers.
After that they got more specialized. Daggers that inflicted status effects like making the target heal slower, or poisoned daggers. She passed by paralysis daggers. She had seriously considered making those. They sold for ten silver each. Though these were the ones made of mundane steel. As they got further the customers started to get thinner and the daggers weirder. Both in shape and effects.
She had no idea why someone even considered making a dagger shaped like a bird. Complete with wings extending from the sides. One that had the effect of casting repair on whatever it hit. But it was the last of the daggers from mundane steel.
After that the cycle started again with daggers made from T1 materials. They went further ahead. Over halfway down the proper T1 aisle before Senec turned to a stall with a tall, red haired woman and practically pushed the other customers out of the way to get to the front.
When they were at the front of the line the women said, “So Senec, came to mess with my business again? You know I am taking a break from forging.”
He said, “Good to see you too, Sidera. I think you will be interested in this.”
She looked at Bev, shook her head and said, “I don’t want an apprentice. Nothing personal kid. I’m just not in the mood.”
Senec smiled and said, “No, not an apprentice. I thought she could teach you something actually.”
That got her attention. Sidera took a long hard look at Bev. her eyes crawled over every line, and every hammer mark in Bev’s armor.
“I’ll take a look.” she said, then flipped a closed sign over the stall and walked to the exit.
Not another word was said till they were in a private room that branched off of the store floor. It was a sparse but grand place. The furniture looked finely made. And extremely sturdy. They each sat down. Then Sidera spoke.
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“The only reason I didn’t tell you to get lost after such an outrageous claim was that the girl's armor looks well made. It also looks like it was made in terrible conditions so she has to have talent. You have five minutes to sell me.”
“I only need one. Show her.”
Bev took out the dagger and handed it to Sidera.
She held it gingerly, giving it a thorough look over before casting appraise.
Her jaw fell open. And a soft gasp escaped her lips.
“It works?” she said.
Senec nodded.
She shook her head and laughed. “It is amazing. Kid, where did you come up with this control array? It looks ruinously complex. But I have to admit it does the job.”
Bev didn’t know how to answer. The design was given to her by the system itself. And she really didn’t want to reveal that.
Senec said, “She is system favored at level ten in two months. You would do well not to ask too many questions.”
Sidera closed her mouth and took on a stern look. She looked at Bev again, and said, “I see, so the system gave it to her.”
She handed the dagger back to Bev and quietly said, “I don’t mean this to be mean kid. I will sell your dagger at a fair price. But you can’t get respect from me just by following instructions.”
Bev wanted to lash out. To say that she actually understood. But this was probably for the best. She didn’t want to attract too much attention. So she said, “I actually only came to find out a fair price. I don’t know why Senec wanted to talk to you.”
Sidera looked at Senec. He said, “I don’t pretend to understand the finer points of enchantment. Not my class, not my field. But whether she understands it or not, she made it. And she thought it was nothing. She clearly doesn’t need a master. But she is new in town. And she has no one but her brother. If she doesn’t meet people in the field they will chew her up and spit her out. I don’t ask you to be a mentor. Just make sure she doesn’t sell her life away for twenty silver.”
Sidera looked at Bev, sighed, and said, “I will help you. On one condition. Tell me what the third control symbol means.”
Bev quickly, almost instinctively said, “it is the symbol for point of contact as regards the shape and velocity of the inscribed melee weapon.”
Sidera’s eyes widened further, “You do understand. That. How are you only an initiate? Fine, I’ll introduce you to some people. Speak up when people talk smack about you. And I’ll set the starter price for this at two gold, fifty silver. After the first five sell I’ll sell all you can stand to make at four gold apiece.”
Bev stared slackjawed as Sidera grabbed the dagger back, and handed over two hundred and fifty silver.
Four gold apiece? Their house only cost twenty five! Would people really pay that much? The ten gold they spent on materials was enough to build almost one hundred of them. Now that she got the design down she felt she could make ten a day. That would be almost four hundred gold in ten days!
She thought they were rich before. But this was unreasonable!
