The Cornflower Witch Chapter 132

Stepping into this district, a wave of heat washed over her, and the air was thick with the scent of charcoal and metal filings.

The shops lining both sides of the street displayed various weapons and armor: curved sabers and broadswords, large axes and long spears, chainmail and plate armor, helmets and shields, almost everything imaginable.

There were no crude iron weapons here; the minimum standard was steel weaponry forged by apprentices.

Due to the difficulty of sourcing materials, prices in the Shadow World were generally higher than on the surface. A steel weapon that sold for 40 Silver Coins on the surface would cost about 80 Silver Coins here. Slightly better steel weapons would cost 1 Gold Coin.

If it was a weapon made of hundred-refined fine steel, the price would be around 4-6 Gold Coins. The Black Steel weapons that Hylial had heard of before were priced at 12 Gold Coins or more here, which was more than double the price on the surface.

However, the quality of Black Steel weapons here was significantly higher than those forged by Blacksmiths on the surface, so even at double the price, it wasn’t too much of a loss.

As for the Gilded Weapons that Agren mentioned, their price was around 50 Gold Coins, and usually only experienced Second-Order students could afford them.

50 Gold Coins was definitely a huge sum for ordinary students, requiring about three years to save up, even considering the good benefits provided by the association due to the dangers of the woodland.

A normal First-Order student, such as a patrolling cavalryman, would only earn about 10 Gold Coins a year. After reaching Second-Order, their income would increase significantly to about 30 Gold Coins annually. This amount of subsidy was far from enough for improving strength and learning, which is why students earned income through various side jobs.

Gardeners would sell high-grade fruits they cultivated, combat professionals would explore dangerous areas of the Shadow World for legacies and prey, and other life professions also had their own development paths.

Hylial had previously spent 50 Gold Coins on seeds and now had 150 Gold Coins left. If she were to customize a weapon for Agren with these, it would cost at least 60 Gold Coins. If she wanted better Gilded quality, it might cost 100 Gold Coins.

Free things are indeed the most expensive, Hylial thought to herself after understanding the situation.

Fortunately, Agren had said she could mail it to him within a year, so there was no rush.

“Hey, little girl, are you here to buy weapons too? How about this small dagger? It’s perfect for someone as agile as you,” a Blacksmith uncle called out to the young girl looking at his shop.

Hylial looked at the Black Steel dagger in his hand, then drew her own dagger to compare.

“Oh, you already have one, but let me see.” He took the dagger from Hylial’s hand, his rough fingers caressing it. A hint of the ‘Gold Steam’ Aspect shimmered around him.

“This must be a very old craft. You probably acquired it while exploring out-of-town, right? Because long ago, there wasn’t much understanding of the properties of Black Steel. The Black Steel tempered back then was unstable, causing it to react with other materials after being forged, leading to a decrease in the overall strength of the weapon.”

“Black Steel forged in recent centuries doesn’t have this problem.”

“Although the material has flaws, the Blacksmith who forged this dagger must have been very professional at the time. The lines, balance, and feel are all excellent,” he praised, returning the dagger to Hylial.

Seeing his professionalism, the young girl became more interested.

“If I were to commission a long blade, one suitable for a light and agile fighting style, what material would be best?”

“The best? That would be legendary materials, but at your current stage, Gilded would be the best choice.”

“Black Steel is heavy and sturdy, making it suitable for shields, armor, hammers, axes, and greatswords. However, if you prefer a light and agile style, Gilded’s sharpness and lightness are far superior to Black Steel. Additionally, Gilded also has a certain demon-breaking effect; it can cut through barriers formed by extraordinary power, which is surprisingly effective against thick-skinned monsters.”

“What is the price of Gilded?” the young girl continued to ask.

“A Gilded ingot costs about 20-30 Gold Coins. To forge a Gilded weapon—whether it’s a dagger, short sword, or spear—one ingot is usually enough, as it’s best to concentrate the good material on the blade.”

“For wider or longer swords or axes, you might need two Gilded ingots to achieve a good effect.”

“If you were to pursue the ultimate, meaning the entire weapon is made of Gilded, it would significantly increase its demon-breaking ability, but the forging cost would also triple or more.”

“My friend asked me to customize a Gilded long blade for him…” Hylial explained her situation, asking the blacksmith uncle for his analysis.

“If I were to take on this job, the material cost would be around 50 Gold Coins, and the processing fee could be a bit cheaper, just 10 Gold Coins. That would generally meet your friend’s requirements.”

“But if you want to make it perfect, for example, for your own use, if you spend about 100 Gold Coins, I’ll give you the most suitable tool that will double your combat power out of thin air,” he said with a grin.

“100 Gold Coins… that’s very expensive,” the young girl hesitated with the money. After all, developing the valley farm would require a lot of funds, and she couldn’t invest all her liquid capital at once.

“I probably can’t afford it right now, but you just mentioned Gilded ingots. Where do these Gilded ingots come from?”

“They are, of course, purchased from the ‘Four Seasons Alliance.’ Most of the famous gardeners in the city are part of their organization. When their ‘Gilded Wheat’ ripens, it can be refined into Gilded.”

“Oh, right, you’re also a gardener, aren’t you? Haha.”

“If you join the ‘Four Seasons Alliance,’ you might be able to get Gilded at an internal discount, possibly 30% cheaper than the market price, which would save a lot of money.”

“What if I want to cultivate ‘Gilded Wheat’ myself?” Hylial thought of this.

“That… you probably can’t do it right now. I heard that the Gilded Wheat in White Stone Fortress is cared for by Third-Order gardeners,” he told the young girl tactfully.

Third-Order, roughly the same level as Madame Faran. Hylial recalled her past life memories; she still had a long way to go to catch up with Madame Faran.

“I understand. Thank you. I haven’t asked your name yet. If I come again, I’ll directly ask for your help in forging.”

“Haha, my name is Okan Graymountain. I have a small amount of Gray Stone Giant blood. If you come to this street again, just ask for ‘Graymountain Furnace,’ that’s the name of my shop.”

“Alright, thank you, Mr. Okan, for the information.” Hylial waved goodbye and left the shop.

Although she didn’t buy a weapon or place an order, she now understood the general price and uses of Gilded. This time, she would buy some ‘Gilded Wheat’ seeds. Even if she couldn’t grow suitable Gilded Wheat, she could still identify her shortcomings and direct her efforts accordingly.