Chapter 412: Wrong Offer
Adam winced, raising both hands to cover his ears as Hilt’s voice echoed off the crumbling walls of her shop. His voice carried a note of pained exasperation.
"Your voice is way too loud, you know. I can still hear you ringing in my ears."
Hilt’s eye twitched, her face flushing with indignation. She jabbed a thick finger at his chest, her voice sharp and accusatory.
"You almost killed me! Of course I’m going to be loud! And on top of that, you can’t even remember my name properly—it’s HILT, not HALT! Do you have any idea how insulting that is?!"
Adam rubbed the back of his neck, his voice carrying a note of defensive irritation.
"Hey, you tried to trap me first. So we’re even."
Hilt’s face contorted with disbelief, her voice rising with each word.
"Even?! You—do you have any idea what it was like watching my forge collapse around me?! My livelihood, my home, everything I built—gone because of you and your chaotic rampage through this city! I still have nightmares about that day!"
Adam raised his hands in a placating gesture, his voice carrying a note of weary patience.
"Alright, alright. Calm down. You’re going to disturb the neighbors."
Hilt’s eye twitched. She gestured wildly at the empty, ruined streets surrounding them, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Neighbors?! What neighbors?! There’s nothing but rubble and ghosts out here! Look around you—this entire district is a graveyard!"
Adam’s gaze swept the desolate street—crumbled buildings, empty doorways, not a single soul in sight. He let out a slow, resigned breath.
"...Fair point."
Hilt’s shoulders sagged slightly, the fight draining out of her. She let out a long, heavy sigh, running a hand through her iron-grey hair. Her voice came out quieter, more tired.
"Why did you even come back here? What do you want from me this time? Did you come to finish the job? Put me out of my misery and end this nightmare once and for all?" She let out a bitter, hollow laugh. "You must still be angry about the trap, right? So just do it. Kill me. Just... make it quick. Don’t let it hurt too much."
Azrynn leaned closer to Adam, her voice barely a whisper, her yellow eyes flickering with unease.
"Adam... I think she’s broken."
Adam’s voice was quiet, carrying a note of grim acknowledgment.
"Yeah... I’m starting to think that too."
He turned back to Hilt.
"I already told you—we’re even. I’m not going to kill you. And I’m not here for revenge. I just came to buy some arrows for my companion."
Hilt blinked, her gaze shifting to Azrynn for the first time. Then she let out a slow, dry laugh, shaking her head.
"...Arrows." She gestured at the wreckage of her shop. "Do you see a forge? A workbench? Any sign that I’m still in business? I don’t have anything left to sell. You think I still run a shop when half my building is scattered across the street?"
Her voice rose, sharp and incredulous, as she jabbed a finger at Adam.
"Does a dragon like you even have common sense?!"
Adam’s eye twitched, his voice carrying a note of strained patience.
"I didn’t know the damage was this bad. I was hoping you might have some stock left."
Hilt let out a long, exhausted breath, pinching the bridge of her nose as she stared at the rubble-strewn street.
"There’s nothing left. My stock, my tools, my materials—all of it was buried under the rubble when your tantrum brought half the city down."
Adam’s voice carried a note of frustration, his gaze sweeping the ruined street.
"Then where am I supposed to find arrows in this city?"
Hilt let out a dry, humorless laugh, shaking her head slowly as she turned back toward her ruined shop.
"Looks like you’re out of luck. Maybe next time, try not to destroy the city before you do your shopping."
Adam let out a long, weary sigh.
"Look—I’m willing to pay you for your work. I’m not asking for charity."
Hilt didn’t turn around. Her voice came out flat, hollow, the weight of exhaustion pressing down on every word.
"I don’t want your money. All I want is some peace. And frankly, if you just killed me right now, that would give me peace a lot faster."
Azrynn let out a quiet sigh, her fingers brushing against the last few arrows in her quiver. Her voice was calm, carrying a note of resignation.
"Adam, let’s just find another shop. This isn’t urgent. I can still fight with what I have left."
Adam’s voice carried a note of stubborn resolve, his eyes fixed on Hilt’s back.
"Wait. I’ve got an idea."
He stepped forward into the ruined forge, his voice carrying a note of calm authority.
"How about I buy you? You must have a price for your services. I’ll provide whatever materials you need—just name your terms. I’ll make sure you have everything to get back to work."
Hilt turned slowly, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she crossed her arms defensively over her chest, her voice carrying a sharp, defensive edge.
"Are you stupid?! What kind of offer is that?! You want to buy me? What exactly is going on in that twisted head of yours?!" She instinctively covered her chest and lap with her hands, her voice rising with indignation. "I’m not some—!"
Adam’s eyes went wide, his hands shooting up in frantic denial.
"NO! That’s not what I meant at all!"
Azrynn tilted her head, her voice carrying a note of quiet, almost hopeful uncertainty as she glanced at Adam.
"Adam... if you need someone to fulfill that kind of service... I could always do it. You don’t need to hire a stranger. Just give me a command and I’ll—"
Adam’s voice rose, sharp and flustered, his face flushing slightly.
"Azrynn! That’s not—! I wasn’t—!" He turned back to Hilt, his voice carrying a note of exasperated desperation. "I didn’t mean it like that! I just wanted to hire you as a blacksmith! To make arrows for her! That’s all!"
Hilt’s eyes narrowed, her voice carrying a flat, unimpressed edge as she studied him with cold skepticism.
"You think I’m going to accept that kind of service? I still have my dignity, you pervert." Her voice hardened. "Do you think I’m that cheap?"
Adam’s face went red, his voice rising with frustration.
"I didn’t say anything about that kind of service! Are you even listening to me?!"
Hilt’s sharp eyes narrowed, studying Adam’s face with cautious suspicion.
"Really? Just arrows? That’s all you want?"
Adam’s voice carried a note of genuine bewilderment as he gestured at himself.
"Of course! Why would I want to buy you?"
Hilt’s eye twitched, and her voice rose with renewed irritation.
"For some reason, that makes me even more annoyed."
Adam threw his hands up, his voice sharp with exasperation.
"Then what do you expect me to do?!"
Azrynn’s voice drifted in quietly, her yellow eyes studying Hilt’s expression with gentle insight.
"I think she’s disappointed that you didn’t actually want her."
Hilt’s head snapped toward Azrynn, her cheeks flushing a deep crimson.
"That’s not!!" She spun back to Adam, jabbing a thick finger at his chest. "Fine! I’ll do it! But I’m going to need a lot of materials for this, so you’d better be prepared to provide them. You did promise, didn’t you?"
Adam’s voice carried a note of relieved confidence.
"Of course. I’ll get you everything you need. Just tell me when it’ll be ready."
Hilt’s internal voice was sharp with satisfaction.
’Hehe... this is actually perfect. I can ask for anything I want because of the damage he caused. He brought this on himself by destroying my shop.’
Her lips curled into a small, calculating smile as she began rattling off a list.
"High-grade steel ingots. Enchanted flux. A new anvil—Dwarven make, if you can find one. A proper forge bellows. A full set of heat-resistant tools. And I’ll need a secure workspace, preferably with good ventilation and a reinforced roof."
Adam blinked, his voice carrying a note of mild surprise.
"That’s quite a long list."
Hilt’s eye twitched, her voice rising defensively.
"Well, if you want me to craft anything worth using, I need proper tools! Do you expect me to forge arrows with a broken hammer and a pile of scrap?!"
Adam raised his hands in surrender.
"Alright, alright. Just write it all down. I’ll gather everything."
Hilt let out a sharp huff, but she turned and rummaged through the debris of her ruined shop, emerging with a piece of charcoal and a scrap of parchment. She scribbled quickly, her movements efficient despite the chaos around her.
She thrust the list into Adam’s hands.
"There. Don’t lose it."
Adam glanced at the list, then folded it carefully and tucked it into his pocket. His lips curved into a faint, satisfied smile.
"Consider it done."
Azrynn’s voice carried a note of quiet hope.
"Thank you."
Hilt’s expression flickered. She waved a dismissive hand, her voice gruff, but softer than before.
"Yeah yea...." Her gaze shifted to Adam, sharp and warning. "And if you so much as scratch my new anvil, I’ll use your horns as a hammer."
Adam let out a low chuckle and replied.
"I’ll keep that in mind."