“Now that you’ve regained your original abilities, I think it’s time for you to slowly return to your normal life.”
This happened after three months in the ward. The thought of finally being able to breathe some fresh air lifted my spirits. I'd hated the sight of my lavender scarf with gold embroidery while I was hospitalized, but hearing the news of my discharge brought back the feeling I had when I first received it. Thinking of how easily I could manipulate the human spirit, I ventured outside, not as a patient, but as a warrior. That's when I understood what it meant to say the world seemed brighter.
"...Ha, I find this really funny, thinking about work as soon as I get out."
The moment I left the hospital after being discharged, I found myself thinking about work, laughing in disbelief as I headed back to Wangseong. However, I encountered an unexpected obstacle.
"...!"
The sound of horseshoes around the palace was the obstacle. Perhaps the trauma was so deeply ingrained in my memory that even the sound of hooves or neighing would set my head on fire. A devastating headache, threatening to knock me unconscious, surged through me, and my eyes squinted involuntarily. I tried to hold on tight and not fall, but it was all futile. Before I could even open my eyes, the resonance raged on, forcing me to collapse, praying for the carriage to pass quickly.
That's how I got my first trauma and I never went near the carriage.
To others, this might seem like a ridiculous trauma, but being a warrior often involves adventure, and the forest is home to a vast number of horses. If every journey through the forest was this painful, it would be a significant penalty to my title as a warrior.
Only when the carriage pulled away, its sound fading, did I manage to open my eyes. A few concerned passersby were gathered around me, and when I opened my eyes, they all buzzed, asking if I was okay. I waved my hand, thanking them for their concern, and as I left the group, the situation suddenly began to sink in. A sigh escaped me. As I realized that my range of activities as a warrior was shrinking, the blue sky no longer seemed so blue. The clouds were so thick, it felt as if they were clogging my heart. Still, I braced myself and continued on.
The first place I went was an arms dealer. I didn't really like my current sword, which was too shabby for a true warrior, so I planned to get a more stylish one. The owner showed me various swords, but none of them caught my eye. The shape I wanted was slightly shorter than a one-handed sword, but it was equally sturdy, with a non-slip grip, and a single jewel shining beautifully in the center of the hilt. But finding one proved difficult. I visited every reputable arms dealer in the kingdom, but they all said the sword I wanted was expensive and, more importantly, would take a considerable amount of time to make.
At that moment, an arms dealer caught my eye.
Hope Arms Dealer
What's with that bright, unprepared arms dealer?
Half-doubtingly, I entered the armory. I saw a man diligently polishing swords. After examining them briefly, one hanging behind the man caught my eye. Not only did it have a jewel-like groove in the center of the handle, but it was exactly what I wanted. Fearing someone might steal it, I spoke to the owner.
"Hey, how much is that sword hanging on the wall?"
"Huh? Oh, you're a brave customer! Uh... but what should I do? I don't sell that..."
True to his name, the arms dealer looked at me with a hopeful look. His voice, creeping in with a hint of regret, touched my senses.
"Oh... but I'll really pay a lot, I can pay as much as I want."
"uh...."
The man's eyes shook mercilessly. He seemed like the type who wasn't good at lying. But if I just prodded him a little more, I might be able to get something out of him.
"You look a little hungry now. Should I buy you some food?"
Some might think I was overreacting, but with the sword of my dreams in front of me, there was nothing I couldn't do. The man was taken by the hand and led into a nearby restaurant.
"Choose whatever you want to eat, I'm fine."
"Oh, it's okay... I'm not the type of person who deserves to be treated like this..."
"It's okay, eat whatever you want."
The man refused several more offers after that, but then, perhaps realizing I was more persistent than he'd expected, he finally ordered some food. He ordered a simple omelet rice and smiled apologetically at me.
"Oh my, what should I do, shamelessly getting food..."
"I'm buying it because I want to buy it, you know."
He kept his true feelings hidden and flashed a friendly smile. Without a trace of suspicion, the man thanked her several times and ate. Once the meal was set, casual conversation naturally flowed, and eventually, he learned his name, age, and even his hobbies.
The man's name was Jung Ho-seok, and he was 25 years old. I was 26, so he was a year younger than me. His hobby, surprisingly, was dancing, which didn't match his profession. He used to be a member of a fairly famous troupe that even performed at the royal palace, but he retired due to an ankle injury and now runs a weapons store. He said he still occasionally does simple dances that don't strain his ankles. The demand was higher than I expected, and I felt lighter as I left the restaurant. The man next to me seemed to be the type to open up once we got close, as he kept chattering away. It wasn't a bad sign. If he kept saying something like that, I could always use it to my advantage.
"No, I was really surprised when you said you were going to buy that sword. It's almost finished, but I still can't sell it because there's no gem to put in the center of the sword handle."
"Huh? So if I get that jewel, you'll sell it to me?"
I'm not one to let an opportunity like this slip by. Even though I may seem quiet, I'm always listening to everyone else's conversations. I still don't know how much of a clue a slip of the tongue could lead to. But that sword will soon be in my hands. I smiled quietly, and Hoseok smiled back and answered.
"Hey, I don't usually do things like this, but since it's Yoongi-hyung, I'm doing it for you!"
"Oh really? So you're really going to do that?"
"Of course~ Are you worried that I won't keep my promise?"
No, I'm just taking precautions so you don't run away to my madness. I'm sorry, little brother. We've become so close.
After dropping Ho-seok off at the weapons store, I ran straight to the jewelry store. I approached the owner, saying I was there to buy jewelry, but when he turned around, I couldn't help but be startled by his face.
"What the heck, this guy is the most handsome I've ever seen?? Is there such a handsome man in our kingdom??"
I was speechless at the sight of her outstanding beauty that made me doubt my eyes, so I just stood there, and then the owner asked me a question.
"...Are you looking for something?"
"Oh, oh, I came to see the jewels."
At the master's words, she came to her senses like glass shattering. It was quite amusing that she even stuttered. As the master brought out all sorts of jewels, her inner indecisiveness began to surface.
"...What should I do? Ruby? Sapphire? Or maybe a fancy diamond? But opal is also mysterious and pretty..."
After about 20 minutes, the store owner came to talk to me.
"It seems like you're having trouble choosing. Can you help me?"
"Oh, yes, I would appreciate it if you could do that."
As I chatted with the shop owner, I became entangled in his strange pace and before I knew it, I'd finally gotten to know him. He was 24, two years younger than me. His name was Kim Taehyung, and he'd started selling jewelry because he liked pretty things.
"What do you use this for? Your girlfriend's ring?"
"No, I don't have a girlfriend lol. I'm looking for a large gem to put in the middle of my sword handle."
"Oh, then Hoseok, you're going to go? I'll just bring you the ones that fit your size."
Are store owners usually this close?
Puzzled by the unfamiliar market system, I decided to wait for Taehyung. After some time, Taehyung came out of the corner carrying a box. Judging by the dust billowing from it, it seemed to have been left unattended for quite some time.
"Looking at it here, I think this is the coolest."
From the moment I opened the box, there was one jewel that caught my eye. It was right next to the finger Taehyung was pointing at.