Adventurer Life with Exiled Daughter

Chapter 33

"Please wait a moment."

Tepe said so and disappeared into the back of the shop, soon returning with a single sword.

At a glance, it looks no different from the sword I used before.

There are hardly any decorations; rather than being sturdy and practical, it feels like the maker's intense will is saying, "Decorations are a hassle."

Is it because Tepe brought this sword that I can't help but feel some kind of resolute will, different from a mass-produced item focused solely on utility?

I looked between Tepe, who seems to care as little about her appearance as she does about the sword, and the sword itself, thinking.

If you handed this to an ordinary noble and said, "This is your weapon," they'd probably get angry.

Even nobles dislike decorations that compromise a weapon's practicality or essence, but if you told most of them, "This is the weapon I want to sell you," with something so plain, they'd be furious.

But that would be the case if it weren't this sword.

As I gripped the hilt of the sword placed on the counter, my eyes widened at the blade.

The blade, made of an alloy of iron and magic stones, so-called magic iron, had a wet-like sheen, and above all, the balance when holding it was incredible.

And——.

"I can feel my magical energy being drawn in. No, is it flowing through?"

As I widened my eyes in surprise, Tepe nodded happily.

"Yes, that sword is made to allow magical energy to flow through it well. So——"

I understood what came next without needing to hear it.

Before Tepe could finish her words, I applied physical enhancement to the sword.

A woodgrain-like pattern emerged on the sword's surface.

"——I was going to explain that the sword also gains the effects of physical enhancement, but..."

I lightly apologized to Tepe, who gave a wry smile.

"Sorry for surprising you. I've been using physical enhancement on swords for a while now."

"That's quite a skillful thing to do."

Tepe said with a tone of exasperation.

It seems that applying physical enhancement to a weapon is unusual even for a weapon shop owner.

"But this sword is amazing. It's easier to enhance than my previous one, it doesn't feel like I'm forcing magical energy through it at all, and the quality of the enhancement is completely different."

Tepe bowed her head, saying, "Thank you."

"I'm confident that as long as magical energy flows through it, this sword will never break."

As I said this while placing the sword back on the counter.

"You're praising it too much—hehehe—"

Tepe started wiggling her body awkwardly.

If I'm going to buy a sword, it's this one—I was certain of that as I looked over at Erika.

Because she's the one holding the purse strings.

To be honest, thanks to the support from the Prime Minister, we're not struggling with living expenses, but according to Erika, managing the household budget is a wife's duty.

And so, Erika's judgment was...

Erika nodded with a small gesture.

"We'll buy this sword."

I said so to Tepe.

*

The new sword, even with the sheath that came as a bonus, was so plain that when hanging from my waist, it looked entirely like just another mass-produced blade.

Well, even when drawn, unless you look closely, it still seems like a mass-produced item.

While listening to Tepe's explanations about maintenance and what to do if repairs are needed, I was already satisfied with how perfectly it felt hanging at my waist.

"Basically, it's no different from a regular sword, so if you maintain it normally, it'll be fine."

"Thanks, I'll make good use of it."

As I thanked her, Tepe laughed, saying, "I made a good profit too."

By the way, it was quite an expensive purchase.

If Erika hadn't given the go-ahead, I might not have had the courage to buy it.

Continuing as a proper adventurer can earn you quite a bit, but being frugal by nature, I've mostly just saved up.

Come to think of it, what happened to the money I saved up in Faltarl?

I did tell my old man about it, but he might have been too lazy to retrieve it from the Adventurer's Guild where I left it.

"By the way, would you sell a sword to me as well?"

As I was mulling over the money I left behind, Erika suddenly said that.

Erika already has a sword from the Prime Minister's family at her waist, so seeing my new sword must have purely sparked her interest in Tepe's work.

"May I see that sword?"

At Tepe's question, Erika silently handed over her sword.

Tepe examined the sword after drawing it from its sheath for a while, then returned it to the sheath, shook her head, and handed it back to Erika.

"I'm sorry, but if you're looking for a replacement for this sword, you'd be better off searching the kingdom's treasury."

"I see. I was interested in your swords, but that's a shame."

Erika said with genuine disappointment as she returned the sword to her waist.

"As a substitute of sorts, please accept this."

Saying so, Tepe handed Erika a dagger in a sheath.

"There's no charge. This is my thanks for letting me see the Solnzari family's treasured sword up close."

Tepe casually pointed out that Erika is from the Solnzari family just by looking at the sword.

Seriously, who is this person?

Erika gave a wry smile as she accepted the dagger.

I couldn't tell if it was because her identity was guessed or for some other reason.

"You're quite the skilled merchant. When the sword needs maintenance, I'll leave it to you."

As Tepe bowed her head at those words, and as I felt my heart race watching Erika, who exuded the air of an upper-class person, the shop door opened with a sound.

"Tepe, I've brought the thing you asked for."

A woman carrying a large paper bag said as she entered.

I felt a momentary snag at the sound of her voice, and seeing her attire, my cheek twitched slightly.

The woman, a sister, turned and saw Erika and me, then shouted.

"The adventurers from that time!"