Chương 23: The interrogation.
Dian's voice rang out with a hint of excitement and a touch of bargaining. He leaned closer to the blacksmith woman, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "I have an idea. If I provide the materials, could you create custom equipment for me? And perhaps, offer a discount?"
As the words left his lips, a wave of magic swept through the air, causing everyone's attention to be drawn to a large rabbit-like creature that materialized before them. The demon hare, battered and missing its eyes, stood as a testament to Dian's recent triumph. The sight caught the others off guard, their surprise evident on their faces.
With the demon hare's presence, Dian saw an opportunity to utilize its formidable materials. He had delved into the depths of the library's knowledge, discovering that demon materials possessed extraordinary strength compared to common metals like iron. Even a seemingly ordinary demon such as the hare contained components capable of slicing through massive trees effortlessly, like a hot knife through butter.
Dian's mind buzzed with ideas as he continued, his voice filled with determination. "There are a few specific things I'm looking for, items I hope you could create using these powerful demon materials."
Dian's mind raced with anticipation, envisioning the armor he could fashion from the demon hare's hides and the blade that could be crafted from its formidable horn. The bone blade armament he possessed was too short for his liking, requiring him to get dangerously close to his targets to inflict damage. Dian yearned for a weapon with greater reach, one that would allow him to strike from a safe distance, leveraging his familiarity with firearms.
Lost in his thoughts, Dian's attention was suddenly drawn to the concerned gaze of the man who appeared to be the blacksmith's father. His eyes locked onto the blacksmith woman, his worries were see through. The once contagious smile on her face faded, replaced by an irritated expression that hinted at hidden sorrow.
With an air of authority, the blacksmith woman spoke, her tone laden with disdain. "I don't create equipment from demons."
Dian's confusion mounted, shattering his carefully constructed plans in an instant. He couldn't comprehend why she would reject the use of demon materials, which were known for their superior strength compared to ordinary metals. Perplexed, he voiced his question, seeking understanding. "But why? Aren't demon materials much stronger? Shouldn't they be a valuable resource for crafting?"
"So what? I don't work with demon materials even if they're better than normal metals." The woman's scornful tone pierced through Dian, leaving him with a sense of bewilderment. He hadn't anticipated such a strong aversion to demon materials from the blacksmith. As his gaze wandered around the shop, a realization struck him like a bolt of lightning. Not a single piece of equipment on display bore the mark of demon craftsmanship. Instead, they were forged from ordinary metals—iron, steel, bronze, and the like. Dian had assumed that the coveted demon gear was kept hidden in the back, but it seemed his assumption was far from the truth.
Curiosity got the better of him, and Dian couldn't help but inquire, his voice laced with genuine curiosity. "Is that why your store appears so worn-down? Because you refuse to work with demon materials?"
The question triggered a surge of anger within the woman, her response delivered with an explosive force. "Yeah, so what!? Do you have any other requests or are you done wasting my time?" Her outburst forced Dian to retreat, reluctantly stowing the demon corpse back into his inventory. He noticed a disapproving shake of the head from the man who had been silently observing the interaction. Uncertain whether the disapproval was directed at him or the woman, Dian chose not to press further. He was still a newcomer in this community and had much to learn.
"In that case, I want to check this out." Dian said as he walked over to one of the bows hanging on the wall that he had his eyes out for quite some time. But the moment he tried grabbing the bow, a strange thing happened right away.
(Good Quality) Curved Yew Wood.
Damage: 30 -> 15
Draw Speed: Average -> Slow
Range: Medium -> Small
Value: 1 Gold coin
*Requirements not met to use this weapon*
*Stats will be halved*
Requirements:
Str: 15 – Requirements not met.
Agi: 10 – Requirements met.
Dian hesitated for a moment, his hand frozen mid-reach towards the bow hanging on the wall. He pondered the decision, considering the requirements and his own capabilities. After a brief contemplation, he decided to let go of the idea. While his Agility stat met the bow's requirement, his Strength stat stood at a mere 8.5. Realistically, he needed to double his strength to wield the bow effectively. By the time he achieved such strength, he believed he would have likely acquired a more powerful demon armament. With a sigh of disappointment, he left the bow untouched.
"Never mind, my stats aren't high enough." Dian muttered, his disappointment evident in his voice. He returned to the counter to settle the payment for the items he had chosen. Unbeknownst to him, the blacksmith woman and man exchanged surprised glances.
"Your stats aren't enough? Are you a mage?" the woman asked, her curiosity piqued.
"No, I'm a soldier," Dian replied instinctively, not giving it much thought, as he placed six exact silver coins on the counter. These were the coins he received as change when he paid the fee of five bronze coins to access the elementary level of the library.
However, the blacksmith woman interrupted Dian's transaction, her curiosity getting the better of her. "Hold on a moment," she said, halting his movement. "So you're something akin to a warrior, right? If that's the case, and you lack the required strength or agility to wield the bow effectively, how were you able to kill that Demon hare? Or did you purchase its corpse in the hopes of acquiring gear?"
Dian tilted his head in confusion at their line of questioning. "I killed it, but why does it matter? It's not like you're going to do anything with it."
To his surprise, it was the tall silent and intimidating man who spoke up this time, breaking his silence. His tone was firm and authoritative. "Don't lie, boy. If you can't even equip a basic bow, there's no way you killed that creature. Speak the truth. Who sold you that corpse? The Elders will want to know how you acquired it, as the Hunters guild doesn't freely distribute demon corpses to just anyone."
Dian paused for a moment, contemplating his next move. He let out a sigh, realizing that he had no choice but to prove that he's telling them the truth. Reluctantly, he retrieved the demon hare's corpse once again, presenting it to the man. He pointed out the various bruises and wounds on the creature's body. "All of these injuries were caused by demon apes," Dian explained as the man stepped forward, kneeling down beside the corpse to inspect it more closely.
"Indeed, You're correct." The man said before pointing at its eyes, "But how will you explain its punctured eyes?"
"Easy," Dian said as shrugged his shoulders, "I punctured them to kill the Demon hare." Dian said as he crossed his hands without showing any emotions.
"And what weapon did you use?" The man asked again, "The corpse is fresh, it definitely died yesterday, but you came here today for gear. So how did you kill it with no gear?" The man looked at him with suspicious eyes but Dian complied in the end since he didn't know if it was a big deal or not since he was still new this world and it's people and didn't want to offend anyone.
Dian maintained his calm demeanor as the man expressed his anger and questioned his actions. The anger in the man's eyes was evident, and even the woman behind the counter seemed to share a bit of his sentiment too.
Dian responded matter-of-factly, "I used a makeshift knife that I crafted from an infant demon hare's bladed horns. Unfortunately, I lost that blade in the forest."
The man's anger intensified upon learning that Dian had killed the demon hare's baby. However, he noticed that Dian showed no signs of pride or ego in recounting his actions. It seemed as though Dian regarded the act as a necessary part of survival.
"It was a survival situation," Dian explained calmly. "If you want to know more details, you can inquire with the Elders in the Clan's hall. I have already shared my story with them."
The man's anger seemed to reach its peak as he stood, his eyes filled with fury. He clarified his position, "I am one of the Elders. If there were any clan meetings today, I would undoubtedly know about them. The only meeting that took place was to decide the fate of a teacher who had attempted to harm another teacher."
Dian maintained his composed demeanor as he clarified the situation once again. "That's correct. The other teacher's survival was due to my intervention. I carried them to safety when they were poisoned. As I mentioned earlier, it was a matter of survival. If you wish to gather more information, I suggest consulting the elders who were present during the trial."
The anger in the man's eyes gradually subsided as he realized that the demon corpse hadn't been acquired through illegal means. "I understand. Please accept my apology for conducting this investigation. It is a serious matter if demon corpses are being sold unlawfully."
Dian nodded, showing his understanding. "As a newcomer to this clan, I am still unfamiliar with the way things work here. However, I am glad I could be of assistance." He acknowledged the man's gesture of goodwill as the man walked towards the counter and flicked a silver coin in Dian's direction. Dian deftly caught it, watching as the man proceeded to retreat to the back room.
"Consider that as payment for the trouble I have caused," the man stated before closing the door behind him, leaving Dian standing there with a sense of relief that the situation had been resolved amicably.
Dian observed the somber expression on the blacksmith's face as she posed her question. "Was it truly a survival situation? Or did you kill them for experience?" He couldn't help but notice the unusual behavior from both the blacksmith and the man who resembled her father. However, he chose to dismiss it for the time being and focused on addressing her concern.
"I assure you, it was truly a survival situation," Dian responded earnestly. "If the circumstances had been different, I wouldn't have resorted to killing the demons. I have no desire to take the life of someone who poses no threat to me."
Dian wasn't lying, he hoped that his sincerity would alleviate any doubts or suspicions they might have, as he had no intention of misleading or deceiving them. Dian maintained his calm demeanor, prepared to address any further questions or concerns they might raise.
"I see." a sense of relief washed over her features. The tension that had hung in the air seemed to dissipate, replaced by a newfound ease. With a hint of a smile, she swiftly gathered all the items Dian had purchased and efficiently packed them into the backpack. Once everything was neatly organized, she extended the bag towards him.
"Here you go," she said, her voice carrying a mixture of genuine warmth and a hint of farewell. "I hope to see you again in the future. Just remember, I don't work with demon materials."
Dian acknowledged her words with a nod, appreciating the sentiment behind them. He reached out and firmly grasped the backpack, feeling the weight of the equipment within. With a final nod of gratitude, he turned and made his way towards the exit, leaving the blacksmith's shop behind him.
The scene was tinged with a sense of closure, as Dian departed with his newly acquired gear, the blacksmith people were a weird bunch, he was a bit surprised when the man introduced himself as a Clan's Elder, but Dian couldn't understand why the Blacksmith wouldn't work with better materials. Was there some kind of trauma? A hidden agenda? Why were they mad about a dead demon when everyone he's spoken to just talks about killing them and absorbing their souls for experience. Dian didn't know, but then again, he was just starting to learn how this world worked and wanted to improve and learn to be a better person as he made his way to his next destination.
The hunter's guild.
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