Black Anvil Workshop.
Returning to a familiar place, Gauss looked at the shop with mixed feelings.
The last time he had come here, he had been a rookie who'd just completed his first quest.
He had known nothing about the life of an adventurer or the supernatural forces of this world.
Now, though, he was on the right path.
He walked into the blacksmith shop.
To his surprise, the figure he'd expected to see wasn't there.
A face he didn't recognize was handling customers up front.
"Welcome to Black Anvil Workshop. Is there any weapon or equipment you'd like to buy?"
A freckled boy stepped forward, smiling.
Seeing the man enter dressed like a typical adventurer, armored and carrying a sword, the boy knew he probably wasn't one of those random passersby who had nothing better to do than ask for prices.
"I'd like to buy a shortsword." Gauss looked around before answering.
He already had several weapons—a dagger, a rapier, and a Bone Staff—but after weighing it over, he'd decided to add a shortsword to his collection.
A light dagger was small and easy to conceal, useful for emergencies at close quarters. But in a direct fight at short range, a shortsword was more reliable.
As for why he needed a shortsword when he already had a rapier, it was because he might face a wider variety of combat environments in the future.
In relatively cramped places like caves and caverns, a shortsword was easier to use.
Of course, the main reason was that he happened to have some spare cash on him.
Carrying a few extra weapons couldn't hurt. He could simply choose the right equipment for each enemy.
Picking out a shortsword wasn't complicated. He just needed one that looked well made.
Shortswords were also a popular