After Ivy left Alger alone, he left Iron Street in search of an area with more mundane shops... places that sold things like food, decorations, and furniture.
Alger's first goal was to figure out how the currency worked.
After a few hours of wandering, bouncing between vendors and stalls, he finally got a sense of the value behind each coin. From what he observed, an average middle-class worker earned around 40 to 50 coins per month. A decent house could be rented for 10 to 20 coins a month, and a week's worth of groceries would cost anywhere between 1 to 4 coins.
When the Headmaster had casually handed over 10 silver coins, Alger had assumed it wasn't worth much. But now... now he realized that 10 coins could last him quite a while.
With that sorted out, Alger shifted his focus.
He wanted to visit a shop that sold Elemental objects... not to buy them, just to get an idea of how much they cost.
Eventually, he came across a shop that fit the image.
Evergreen Elemental Shop
The shop wasn't very large, but the two windows surrounding the wooden door were filled with an impressive variety of Elemental objects. The door and frames were made of a dark, almost shadow-black wood. None of the displayed items had price tags on them.
Even though the shop looked small on the outside, Alger knew....
It's a Premium shop. No way I'm affording anything in there.
Still, curiosity outweighed his common sense.
The moment Alger stepped inside, he was greeted by the rich, almost comforting aroma of coffee... or something similar. The shop was quiet, clean, and warm.
There was only one person inside. An older man with black hair and matching eyes. He looked elegant and wealthy, but he gave off a calm and comforting presence that put Alger at ease.
The man looked at Alger, and then at his clothes. It was clear he didn't expect much, but still approached him politely.
"Greetings, young man. I am Aspen Evergreen, the owner of this shop. What can I help you with today?"
Alger looked past Aspen at the many items behind him.
"I'm looking for a weapon."
Aspen smiled. "Ah, a weapon? Might I ask... do you want something for sparring or for exploring?"
Alger paused for a moment as he didn't know what the difference between them could be. After thinking for a moment, it clicked to him.
Weapons used for exploring were Elemental objects, made to fight the dangers in the dangers of the wild. They were deadly in the right hands, whereas the weapons used for sparring were made of ordinary metal, because using Elemental objects could be dangerous.
"I'm not sure yet. I'd like to see both."
"Of course," Aspen said. "Follow me."
They walked deeper into the shop.
"Before we start, may I ask your age? It will help me find something better suited for you."
Alger didn't want to reveal that he had an Awakened gate. But he still wanted something that aligned with his Element.
"I turned eleven a few weeks ago. My mother and father were both Tempest Awakened."
"Ah, then you might be looking to become a mage," Aspen said. "I think I have a few swords that will be perfect for you."
Aspen led him to a wall-mounted katana with a golden hilt.
"Made from Elemental Ore of the Bound tier. Forged by the King's personal blacksmiths."
Beneath it, a copper plate showed the price:
9 Pounds
WHAT?!
Nine pounds? Alger almost choked.
That's enough to live comfortably for more than a year! The King can keep it! Who can even afford that?
Aspen continued showing him more swords. Each one was more refined than the last.
8 Pounds6 Pounds550 Coins
As they moved further into the shop, the prices slowly dropped. Eventually, they reached the final section.
No wall mounts here. Just four wooden boxes with about five mundane swords in each. Above each box was a copper plate:
90 Coins50 Coins40 Coins20 Coins
Twenty coins was still too much for Alger; he could come back after a few months to buy it, but in doing so, he would be wasting them entirely that could have been spent practicing.
Alger sighed. He was about to thank Aspen for his time and leave, but before he could, something caught his eye.
Off to the side, near the corner of the shop, was a barrel filled with a dozen swords. Unlike the others, these looked... abandoned.
Alger couldn't find a price tag.
"Aspen, may I ask how much one of these costs?"
Aspen's tone was softer now. "I'm sorry, young man. Those are old second-hand swords I've collected over time. They aren't reliable. I can't, in good faith, sell something like that to someone who walked into my shop."
Alger tried to convince Asper by telling him how he was desperately in need of a sword.
And eventually, Aspen gave in.
"Alright, you can take one. But I can't charge you for something like that. In return, just promise me you'll come back one day to buy something proper."
I can get a sword for free!?
Thank god I made the decision to come to this shop.
He began sifting through the swords. Most were rusted, chipped, or broken. But one stood out—a smaller katana with a plain black hilt.
He unsheathed it.
No rust. Sharp edge. Lightweight.
Gold. I've struck gold!
The blade was shorter than most... which was likely why it ended up in the barrel. But for someone Alger's size, it was perfect.
"I'll take this one," he said.
"As you wish," Aspen replied.
Alger still had to buy a sword belt, since walking around with a blade in hand wasn't exactly practical. But even after that small expense, he'd managed to get himself a sword for just 1 coin.
As he reached for the door, Alger turned back.
"I promise I'll come back one day. And when I do, I'll buy a real sword from you. Thank you, Aspen."
"Young man, don't mention it. You'll be returning the favor soon enough," Aspen said, smiling. "Also... you haven't told me your name."
"It's Alger."
Aspen nodded.
"Alger. I'll remember that."