kscans

Chapter 5 - The Trouble Brought by a Deposit Slip

Leonhard remembered the strange request Darius had made of him back then.

"You know, I’m in this position, right? Anything could happen at any time."

"...Well, you are the supreme commander."

"So, actually, I’ve already bought and stored the ring I’m going to propose to my lover with. If anything happens to me, I want you to go pick it up and give it to her for me."

"No, why don’t you just tell her yourself?"

"You don’t get it. If I told her, it would ruin the surprise. It’s a spoiler."

"She’d probably hate it more to be left with just a ring if something happened to you."

After a pointless back and forth.

"If you’re not going to the arranged marriage, then this is the deposit slip."

He had said, forcibly pushing the piece of paper on him.

...So forceful.

And he didn’t want to be responsible for precious metals.

But an order from a superior was absolute.

--So, should I really go get this?

His lover disappeared with him, so didn’t she take the ring too?

...But what if it was left behind?

No, even if it was, there’s no one to give it to anymore.

First, he had to check with the shop.

He opened the paper seal and saw the shop’s name, and couldn't help but tilt his head.

"...A magic tool shop?"

Not a jewelry store?

Ah, right, she was an alchemist.

Perhaps an ordinary jewel wasn't enough to satisfy her.

The Knight Order often used magic tools too. For offense, defense, and daily life. But wasn’t it alchemists who processed them into magic tools? A ring bought there.....?

...What if this was handmade by her?

"A present for you of a ring you made?"

Surely it wouldn't explode the moment he opened it?

With Darius missing, a flicker of anxiety crossed his mind.

---

The shop was on a dim side street in the bar district.

At night, knights and laborers would get rowdy, and touts would call out to passersby.

The alley walls were covered in graffiti, and occasionally a grimy cat would slink by.

Of course, there was no sign.

"Supreme commander, you’re making a mistake buying a ring here..."

Leonhard sighed.

He usually didn’t come to places like this.

He was known in the Knight Order not only for his skill but also for his good looks.

It wasn't that he was short on female company.

He had been accosted many times by both men and women, had people try to create faits accomplis, and had been dragged into so much trouble that he just didn’t want to get involved.

As he entered a narrow alley, a perfume reeking female tout chased after him.

---

He finally opened the shop door.

Inside it was dim, with swords and spears hung haphazardly on the walls.

The shopkeeper behind the counter was a large, rugged man.

His beard was coarse, and his hair was unkempt.

Deep wrinkles were etched between his brows.

"Excuse me, this is a magic tool shop, right?"

It looked for all the world like a weapon shop.

"That’s right. We sell magic tools and weapons, but we have an alchemist do the enchantments."

Leonhard had heard of it.

This weapon shop in the back alley was famous for enchanting items with attributes according to customer orders.

However, they refused first time customers, and their prices were high.

The mystery of why Darius bought a ring here only deepened.

---

"I heard you were holding this for someone."

When he showed the deposit slip, the shopkeeper disappeared into the back without a word.

The long silence made him anxious.

The shopkeeper returned, holding a ring and a dagger in a black monster leather case.

"I was asked to give this to the daughter."

"The daughter...?"

Leonhard’s eyes widened.

Wasn't he supposed to give the ring to the lover on his behalf?

This wasn’t what he was told.

---

From even deeper within the shop, a sword in a beautiful black scabbard emerged.

"This one is yours. When you go outside, pretend you bought this. The money’s been covered by Darius. It’s better than your sword. Don’t arouse suspicion."

"Hey, what am I getting dragged into?"

He hid the dagger and ring inside his clothes and left the shop with the sword he was given.

There was no sign of being followed.

However, the touts were still waiting outside the shop.

This weapon shop seemed to be one of the more decent ones in the back alleys.

It seemed he could use it without looking suspicious.

---

Leonhard walked with a natural air and returned to the Knight Order’s barracks.