"Didn't we agree to split it evenly? You saved my life, then took that trophy while you were at it. You earned it. Besides, didn't you slaughter two chickens to treat me to dinner?"
"But I still feel..."
"Oh, Dad, stop talking and eat, or I'll finish all the chicken!"
"You little rascal."
Banyan laughingly scolded his precious son, then resumed chatting as he ate.
During their conversation, Dick also learned that Banyan was something of an old bachelor.
His wife had died giving birth to George, and he had raised his child by chopping firewood all these years.
"By the way, Banyang..."
After a while, feeling full, Dick reminded him, "You'd better be careful these next few days. I've heard the Jatu have come to the nearby villages.
"Inside Odinburg, the walls can keep you safe. But if you leave town to chop wood, you might run into those Jatu stragglers."
"I understand. Thank you for the warning, Dick."
By now, Banyang was a little drunk. He was happy. He had thought he was certain to die, only for his treasured son to find a witcher to save him. He had even made a little extra money.
How could that not delight a woodcutter who usually struggled to get by?
Seeing Banyan agree, Dick felt somewhat reassured.
He then said goodbye to the two of them and returned to his lodgings.
Although he had gained only 45 Energy Points that day, he had also obtained some other alchemical ingredients.
At that thought, Dick felt he was being a little too greedy.
Forty-five Energy Points was already a lot. Perhaps he was simply feeling increasingly pressed for time. The Broom Witch, the Witcher Order...
Besides, there was actually a better Sign for dealing with that Cockatrice: Fire Signs.
Cockatrices were covered in feathers and feared being burned by fire most of all.
In other words, he needed to master this Sign quickly. There was no telling when he might encounter a monster that feared fire.
Over the past few days, all sorts of things had left him with no spare time or energy. Now was the perfect opportunity to continue studying.
Dick got straight to it, sitting cross-legged on the bed. The veins that had bulged across his face from the potion's toxicity had all subsided by now. His wounds had scabbed over and no longer hurt, though they itched a little.
He would probably be able to take on more monster-hunting commissions tomorrow. For now, the most important thing was to master [Fire Signs].
Before long, he found the notes on Fire Signs.
Close to midnight, Dick closed the notebook and rubbed his temples in exhaustion, but his expression was satisfied. A notification had appeared on his panel:
[Signs]-Fire Signs (novice).
He then snapped the fingers of his right hand, and a small flame sprang up between two fingers.
But after only a few seconds, the flame vanished.
Feeling a little helpless, Dick pressed his faintly aching temples.
Looks like I'm too mentally drained to keep studying today...
Still, he would save these Energy Points for now. Mind Shockwave was currently his highest-level skill, and mastery mattered more than having many skills. If he really encountered a monster that feared fire, it would not be too late to spend the Energy Points then.
After all, it would take only an instant and had no side effects.
Putting the matter aside, Dick got up and took off his armor. Looking at its battered state, he knew his first priority tomorrow was to find a blacksmith to stitch it back together and reforge it.
After hanging the armor on the weapon rack, he went out into the courtyard and rinsed himself off with clean water. Feeling refreshed, he finally collapsed onto the bed in exhaustion and fell into a deep sleep.
Early the next morning, Dick washed up, then headed to the market for breakfast, full of energy.
As he passed, the vendors no longer fell silent together whenever he approached a stall, as they had before. Instead, they greeted him. "Good morning, Lord Dick!"
"Morning!" Dick replied.
"You come so early every day, Lord Dick. You must be off to hunt monsters again?"
"Yes, that's my plan."
Naturally, Dick knew why the vendors' attitudes had changed. It was thanks to the woodcutter spreading the word yesterday, as well as the changes in his own behavior over the past few days.
He did not really care about their attitudes, but wouldn't living in a friendlier atmosphere put anyone in a better mood?
A few minutes later, he reached the breakfast stall. As soon as the vendor saw him, his face broke into a broad smile, and he greeted him warmly. "Master Dick, the usual? One buttered bread and one pan-fried pork chop?"
Dick nodded, then picked a seat at random and sat down.
A short while later, he finished his meal in a whirlwind and handed the vendor several copper coins.
Then Dick asked, "Boss, do you know where I can find a blacksmith in Odinburg?"
"I hardly deserve to be called boss. Anyway, are you looking to have the light armor damaged in yesterday's fight with that monster patched up? Can that light armor really withstand a monster's attacks?" the vendor asked curiously.
"It does help to some extent."
Dick replied, knowing that the vendor had been in the crowd yesterday and naturally knew about his and the woodcutter's fight with the Cockatrice.
Then the vendor pointed toward one end of the market. "At the end of this market, turn left into an alley.
"Once you're there, you'll hear the clanging of a hammer from the far end. That'll lead you to the dwarven blacksmith. He's very skilled. Whenever we need anything, we go to him.
"He should be able to patch up armor, too."
"Thank you, then."
"You're welcome. Come again tomorrow."
"Yes, all right."
Dick thanked the vendor and headed in the direction he had indicated.
A short while later, he reached the entrance to the alley.
Sure enough, from deep within it came the clear clang of hammering.
Following the sound, he found a smithy with no door.
A sign hung from a beam outside the doorless shop, reading, "Made by Zeus, guaranteed quality."
There were three dwarves inside. Two were busy farther inside the shop, working on something he could not make out.
The dwarf at the front was bare-bodied, his knotted muscles exposed and his body drenched in sweat. He held a huge hammer in his right hand and a weapon blank in his left, hammering it repeatedly over the forge.
Dick coughed softly. "Excuse me, can you patch up damaged light armor here?"
As though he had not heard Dick, the dwarven blacksmith continued hammering the weapon blank with complete concentration.
Only after a while did a satisfied smile appear on his face. He plunged the weapon, now shaped into a blade, into the cold water beside him.
Then he placed the weapon on the workbench and finally looked up at Dick.
The moment he raised his head, the smile vanished from his face, replaced by wariness and caution.
He said gruffly, "Aren't you Dick, that witcher who commits every evil under the sun?
"You spend your days bullying the people of Odinburg. Now you've come here to bully me, too?
"I'm telling you, bullying me won't be that easy. I've got backing. My older cousin is the boss of the Cleaver Gang in Long River City."