Chapter 29 – Not Worth Much.

“Go screw yourself!”

A young woman shouted at a stocky-looking man with a long red beard. He wore a blacksmithing apron over his clothes as he returned an item he had been given for appraisal. It appeared to be an old bronze gauntlet, corroded in several places.

“Wot ye want from me? It ain’t worth that much, take the coins or don’t, I don’t care!”

“Hmph, you don’t care? I’m sure you’ll start to care after I take this dagger and shove it up your arse!”

The man was of the dwarven race and started shouting back at the unruly woman. Luckily she was not alone in this shop and soon one of her companions began to pull her back before

“Livi, calm down, you are making a scene…”

Other patrons within the shop began to take notice, their attention drawn to the unfolding scene. The presence of metallic weapons and pieces of armor scattered around made it clear that this was a place frequented by adventurers seeking to purchase such gear. The shopkeeper, a burly dwarf, furrowed his bushy brows, his hands clenched into fists as he glared at the woman named Livi.

“I told ye already, the gauntlet ain’t worth much! Ye can take the coins or leave it, but don’t ye dare threaten me in me own shop!”

The man repeated himself but this time his voice boomed through the entire shop. His thick accent made it difficult for some people to understand him, but the message was clear. Livi’s companion, a wiry human named Keyon, attempted to defuse the situation. He understood that if this continued, their group could be prohibited from shopping in the store, something he wished to avoid at all costs.

“Please, forgive her outburst. She’s just a bit tired from the last mission, don’t worry, we’ll just leave. Come Livi.”

The shop owner grumbled under his breath and adjusted his apron as he watched the group hastily leave his shop. He let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head as he muttered curses in Dwarvish, clearly frustrated by the encounter. The other patrons in the shop returned to their browsing while the party of the adventurers led by the person that just wanted to stab a shopkeeper, Livi.

“Hey, it’s okay, we’ll find another place to get rid of that gauntlet, how about we try an alchemist instead? That twilight bronze has to be good for something, maybe they use it for something there?”

“Fine, I guess…”

Livi responded in an annoyed tone while trying to compose her nerves. The party had been trying to sell this one item for a while now but it seemed that it wasn’t worth much at all. They were at the end of their wits trying to find a buyer willing to pay a decent price for the worn-out gauntlet. They received it from a rare unique monster but for some reason, it seemed worthless.

As they exited the blacksmith’s shop, Keyon led them through the bustling streets of the city. There were many people here with various races and professions bustling about their daily tasks. The aroma of freshly baked bread mingled with the metallic tang of a blacksmith’s forge and added to the lively atmosphere in this city.

Keyon navigated the group through the crowded streets with ease, his keen eyes scanning the various storefronts for any signs of an alchemist’s shop. Eventually, they stumbled upon a quaint little establishment nestled between a tavern and a herbalist’s shop. A wooden sign hung above the door and depicted a bubbling cauldron. It indicated that they had indeed found what they were looking for and soon they were at the door.

“Dedrick, wait outside… or even better, go find Reistel before he drinks himself stupid again.”

Livi looked towards a third-party member that was wearing a steel suit of armor. His massive frame made it difficult for him to navigate through crowded places, and his presence tended to draw unwanted attention. Dedrick grunted in acknowledgment and stepped aside, his heavy footsteps receding as he made his way to the tavern that his dwarven companion frequented.

With Dedrick out of sight, Livi and Keyon entered the alchemist’s shop. The interior was dimly lit by flickering candles, casting eerie shadows on the shelves lined with various vials, jars, and potions. The air was thick with the scent of herbs and magical ingredients, making it clear what this place was used for.

“Someone should open a window…”

Keyon commented as a strange mixture of scents assaulted his nose. Livi rolled her eyes as she was accustomed to the complaints of her companion.

“Just focus, we’re here to get rid of this gauntlet”

Livi approached the counter where an elderly human with wild, wiry hair and thick spectacles stood, stirring a bubbling cauldron. The alchemist glanced up as they approached, his eyes squinting behind his glasses as he noticed a specific item in their hands.

“Welcome, travelers. How can I assist you today?”

His voice crackled and showed his advanced age. Livi didn’t wait much before throwing the severed gauntlet onto the store counter before asking for money.

“We have an item we’re looking to sell, what can you offer for this?”

The alchemist peered at the gauntlet and his eyebrows furrowed as he concentrated. He picked it up slowly and started to examine it from all sides. Eventually, he pulled out a large magnifying glass with strange arcane symbols on the sides. He turned it over, examining the intricate details, and muttered to himself as he assessed its condition. Livi and Keyon watched while hopeful that this alchemist would see some value in this seemingly worthless item.

“Hmm… interesting piece. A bit worn and some corrosion have set in, but the interesting part is the metal in itself, Twilight bronze is quite a rare find…”

The alchemist’s eyes sparkled with interest as he continued to inspect the gauntlet. Livi and Keyon exchanged hopeful glances, sensing a glimmer of hope. Perhaps this person would buy this worthless piece of equipment for a few gold coins, instead of the lower prices every other shop owner had offered them.

“Yes, Twilight bronze, it must be worth quite a lot, I bet you could melt it down and use it for enchantments or something!”

“Use it for enchantments?”

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The Alchemist looked at Livi as if she said something silly and quickly corrected her on the assumption.

“Young lady, while twilight bronze is rare, it doesn’t mean that it’s worth much, I’m afraid that I can’t offer you more than a few silver coins and I don’t think you’ll get much better elsewhere. It’s simply not in high demand.”

Livi’s frustration flared up again, her patience worn thin after being met with disappointment yet again. She exchanged a glance with Keyon, who sighed in resignation. It seemed they had hit another dead end in their quest to offload the gauntlet. However, it seemed that the old Alchemist had noticed this display of negative emotions and decided to offer some advice.