Chapter 12: Osirath I
The Desert Kingdom of Osirath, known by the whimsical nickname "The Land of the Setting Sun," (so creative of them) resembled more of a kingdom made entirely of sand. The streets, shops, houses, and all visible structures seemed crafted from intricate sand art. I couldn't help but wonder if they would remain standing for long.
I walked on the main street, which was flooded with shops selling weapons, food, and various other items. Some obscure shops were filled with bottles containing liquids of different colors, resembling various combustible materials. The shopkeepers advertised them with such loud voices that it seemed like their throats would burst in a day or two. The buzzing noise continued as I passed through those shops.
My first stop was the weapon shop since I needed to replace those damn daggers; they were too short-range for my taste. I approached the shopkeeper and requested the finest sword available. His eyes briefly lit up with excitement before he regained his composure and offered me a smile.
"That would be 10,000 coins, sir," he spoke with a hint of eagerness that betrayed his composure.
I had completely forgotten about the coins in my possession. I checked my new phone, which indicated that I had 700 coins. <So they have a UPI system... Wait, if I didn't know that, why did I check my phone? Was it just instinct?> I gave the guy an embarrassed smile, which swiftly restored his usual composure.
"Is there any sword worth, um... 300 coins?" I felt the need to be frugal. <Alfter all, the future is as important as the present.> I reassured myself.
"Yes, there is." He typed something on the keyboard. A curved wooden-hilted sword appeared on the screen above him. <Not even double-edged. Looks like a shitty deal to me.> Nevertheless, I decided to take it.
The shopkeeper sent a notification to my new phone, asking, "Would you like to buy this weapon?" I tapped "yes" without even bothering to check the details of the sowrd. There was no point in doing so. The coins were instantly transferred once I confirmed the purchase. I ensured that the sword had been successfully acquired, selected it, and then tapped "Yes" to proceed, following the familiar prompt. Suddenly, I found myself wearing a sword belt with the scabbard securely fastened around my waist holding the wooden-hilted sword.
I spent some time practicing with the sword, engaging in various moves such as slashing, swinging, stabbing, sheathing, unsheathing, and experimenting with different grips—both single-handed and double-handed. I repeated these actions, exploring different stances and techniques. Once I felt content with my skills, I carefully sheathed the sword back into its scabbard. My wrists strained from swinging the heavy metal for a long time. Even shadow swordplay had its side effects.
The buzzing hadn't stopped, so I visited another shop, an armour shop. I purchased an iron mail of 300 coins. Afterwards, I ventured to the obscure shop where the energy drink being sold for 50, but I couldn't afford it. I needed to gain more coins because the 100 I had on me was to be used for a bed. I hoped the amount was enough for a bed, but hoping would do no good, so I set out to search for opportunities to earn some coins.
I approached several individuals, inquiring about potential day jobs. How could I obtain a bed for just one day if I only received coins at the end of the month? Some suggested camel washing, a task I clearly had no expertise in. Others proposed seeking out criminals and bandits to collect bounties from the king, although this method offered no guarantee of payment if I spent the entire night fruitlessly searching. Most people advised me to visit a weapon maker who compensated based on the quantity of weapons produced. Taking their advice, I proceeded accordingly.
The weapon maker was a bulky man with a face full of beard, just like a dwarf.
"Dear sir, will you kindly let me work here for a night? And inform me of the payment I might receive?
"100 for the sword body, 200 for the hilt, 500 for the hammerhead, 300 for....." He listed them all. I opted to work on the sword body because others seemed more time-consuming.
The hammer I used to shape the sword was light enough to hold and swing while also being heavy enough to shape. I relentlessly pounded the steel until it assumed a satisfactory shape to be watered—or whatever the process is called. My hands grew sore from the vibration of hitting steel against steel. Which transferred from the hammerhead to the handle I grasped. It felt as if my palms had experienced an intense orgasm. Perhaps it was akin to what women feel while using a vibrator, except they don't experience it in their hands. Taking out the phone became increasingly difficult with unsteady hands. I didn't need to inquire about payment since I had already been compensated.
After a lot of search through the streets—which was random because everyone was asleep at this time—I realised I should've asked the weapon maker for the location of a tavern (or was it an inn? Nevermind, it was essentially a hotel). I was lost and tired. Sleep outside would've been the worst; thieves were a big problem.
As if my thoughts were answered by a divine entity, a thief emerged, brandishing a knife. <Are they called thieves or burglars? What are cutpurses then?> Frustrated, I decided to halt.
"Give me half of your belongings or forfeit everything," the thief threatened.
"What if I win? Will I get half or the full amount?"
"Huh? You're going to fight?"
"Why not? Should I run away or give in simply because you demanded it?"
He was rendered speechless. "... can't you? Give, I mean. Without being peaceless?"
"Peaceless?" <Is that even a word?>
"I mean 'not being physical about it'. What do you say........violent? Can you be nonviolent? Can't we be nonviolent about it?"
I scratched my head. <This is one shy thief.> Or burglar or whatever. "Which half will you take?"
"What?"
"I mean, will you only take half of my coins or half of all my possessions, including the vials, my sword and my armour? How are you going to get half of the last two, anyway? I suppose it could work for a sword, but the armour? Also, does it include my clothes? You're planning on leaving me naked or something? Because for sure, I don't have spare shorts to rely on after you take my pants."
"I........ wow you're trying to be a smartass real hard, aren't you?"
He didn't have to humiliate me like that. I was simply seeking clarification for the proposed deal. That comment infuriated me.
"There will be no deals." I declared, unsheathing my weapon and pointing towards him like a valiant hero in a Victorian novel. "I'll take full from you." Except for clothes. Doing that would be.....
I shook my head and launched an attack against the fellow. At the moment our blades clashes, I twisted my hand and the sword slid down to cut his fingers off. Blood spilled out from the cuts like small. For a moment, he flinched and grabbed his hand, but then he used his other hand to punch me, all the while never even making a sound that could pass for anything more than a moan. The punch landed weakly, much too feeble for a hand that appeared as it did. I made a gash on his left thigh, yet it didn't deter him from attempting to punch me again. I had to sever his wrist, finally immobilizing him as he fell before me. I didn't bother checking whether he was alive or not, so I took possession of all his belongings. <150 coins. Damn, should've just found a thief—or a burglar or a cutpurse—instead of wasting energy on weapon making.>
I continued my quest for an inn. There was one on the corner of the street. It was named "The Desert Dessert". The naming sense of these people was ridiculous. Though Osirath was a cool name. I'm pretty sure it was named by an outsider.
The common room was filled with common folk enjoying their dinner or a good drink. It felt out of place, considering they should've been sleeping at that time. A musician was playing her harp and singing a weird song as the crowd cheered her on.
"Within the shop's walls, shelves filled with strange brews,
Cauldrons simmering, concoctions waiting to infuse.
Seek the jade elixir, its power will be unveiled,
With each sip, new possibilities, never to be derailed."
I noticed the innkeeper, a plump individual with graying hair, donning an apron. He was giving instructions to the serving girls, whose attire left little to the imagination. As I approached him, he greeted me, and I reciprocated the gesture.
"How much for a night, sir?" I inquired.
"100, with free dinner. However, that only covers dinner, not three meals a day. For that, you'll need to pay an additional 50 coins."
That was good enough. Now that I had some coins left, I contemplated using them to purchase energy drinks. Then I saw the time on the clock. It was past midnight. Unsure if the shop would've already closed or not, I decided to procrastinate on the idea until the next day.
After paying the man, I ordered some delicious meals. Although I could've ordered as much as I wished because of the stipulation, I excersized restrain. It would've been unfair, and I'd have gotten fat.
My room was on the third floor. It offered a bed of above-average size and equally above-average comfort—neither too comfortable, nor too uncomfortable. I slumped on the bed and let my thoughts run free as sleep enveloped me, draining all my exhaustion away.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone