"Manager Gron, we have an esteemed guest!"
Gron Bates emerged from the forging area.
As always, he was wearing a black hardened leather apron, his left eye covered with a black eyepatch, while his exposed right eye carried its usual sharpness.
When he saw who had come, a trace of surprise flitted across his otherwise indifferent face.
"Long time no see, Gauss. You’re already a Bronze Adventurer?" His gaze fell on Gauss’s chest. "And a two-star..."
"Yes, Manager Gron." Gauss nodded with a smile. "Didn’t Senior Andri tell you?"
He had thought Gron already knew about his promotion.
After all, it was Gron who had introduced him to the Thorny Hut, subsequently leading him to meet the Half-Elf Mage Andri, who was once his teammate and knew about his promotion to Professional early on.
"That guy... hasn’t been in touch for a long time." Gron seemed unconcerned.
When speaking of his former teammate, his tone was as detached as if discussing a stranger unrelated to him.
The apprentice beside them listened to their conversation, lost in thought.
He felt that the name Gauss sounded exceptionally familiar, and the person gave him an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
Could he know this person?
No, it shouldn’t be... How would he know such a bigshot?
Taking the opportunity to tidy the shelves, he subtly observed Gauss.
The young man’s physique was tall and well-proportioned, not as burly as Gron’s rock-like build, yet exuded a restrained sense of power.
A brand-new plain black robe draped over him, its wide sleeves falling gracefully, accentuating his upright shoulders and back.
His hair was pure ink black, trimmed neatly, with a few loose strands casually hanging across his spotless forehead and neck.
The most noticeable feature was his face—not simply handsome, but possessing a distinctively calm and enigmatic aura unique to Casters.
He did look a bit familiar...
The apprentice narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Congratulations." Gron admitted straightforwardly. "The last time you came, I thought you were quite talented, but your rapid advancement still exceeded my expectations."
Although a two-star Adventurer might seem weak to him, given such a quick promotion, Gauss’s future was certain to surpass his and his peers’.
"I owe much to your initial help." Gauss sincerely expressed his gratitude.
It was Gron who had first introduced him to the world of Professionals.
Gron shook his head.
"You indeed should thank me. Thank me for not holding you back when you left—otherwise, there would be one more useless blacksmith in this world and one less excellent Caster." He joked self-deprecatingly. "So, you’re here to buy weapons, right? These cheap ones outside aren’t suitable for you anymore. Follow me."
The two walked towards the inner room. Left standing in place, the apprentice was still mulling over Gron’s last words.
I didn’t hold you back when you left...
Suddenly, a flash of insight struck him!
The connection with the name Gauss triggered memories emerging like cracks in ice.
It’s him! That inconspicuous black-haired kid!
He swallowed hard, turning to see Gauss’s upright figure departing, suddenly feeling restless.
"He shouldn’t... remember me, right?"
In the inner room, selecting weapons. As Gauss had expected, some of the Adventurer’s Guild shop’s weapons indeed came from here.
Comparing prices with the shop, each weapon could be several Silver Coins cheaper.
"Manager Gron, may I use the Identification Technique to check?" Gauss, having just mastered the spell, wanted to test its effect.
"Of course, you can."
Gron nodded casually.
Normally, Professional teams would often bring a Mage proficient in the Identification Technique while purchasing. Such inspections were quite common.
He was accustomed to it.
Gauss took out the White Bone Staff. The tip of the staff glowed softly, with invisible spell aura wrapping around the Longsword in front.
Soon, the sword shimmered with white light in his vision.
[Fine Steel One-handed Sword]
Grade: Ordinary Magic Item (White)
Description: This Fine Steel One-handed Sword has undergone repetitive folding and hammering to remove impurities, incorporating some Wind Stone fragments excellent for aerodynamics. The sword’s surface seems to have formed some natural wind-guiding runes, reducing air resistance during slashing.
He applied the Identification Technique to several other one-handed swords.
Awkwardly, due to his newly acquired skill, he failed a few times; he wondered if Gron noticed.
The other one-handed swords glowed with white light in his sight.
All possessed different special effects, some being sturdy, some weighted, providing minor illumination, or slow self-repair...
After some thought, Gauss chose the initially identified sword with reduced wind resistance.
Less resistance meant faster attack speed, conserving effort when dealing with small fry.
The sword was rather costly, priced at 6 Gold Coins.
A regular Longsword with no special effects cost only dozens of Silver Coins—tenfold price difference.
Gauss speculated the disparity might come from the craftsmanship complexity and the "Wind Stone" fragments described by the Identification Technique.
Wind Stone Steel, I’ll remember it. He mentally noted this material.
A few fragments were so expensive, surely a valuable resource, hoping to encounter them in the wild.
That’s perhaps the essence of the Identification Technique.
Without this spell, many precious resources in the wild might go unrecognized and missed.
He resolved to practice more, increase success rate, and intended to identify unknown plants and minerals in the wild, hoping for surprises. Gauss thought to himself.
However, the Spellbook also mentioned the effect is related to the caster’s knowledge base.
Basic items can yield accurate information, but rarer ones might lead to vague descriptions or failure if knowledge is insufficient.
Thus, besides practicing the spell, he needed to read more.
After exchanging a few more words with Gron in the shop, without further delay, Gauss pocketed the Fine Steel Longsword and headed out.
Curiously, the apprentice responsible for reception had vanished from sight.
No one to mind the shop?
Though puzzled, noting no other customers seemed to approach outside, Gauss didn’t intervene.
Once he left, a figure cautiously emerged from a corner piled with shop clutter outside, gazing at Gauss’s receding silhouette, letting out a long breath.
....
The festival held little special meaning for a single adventurer like Gauss.
That evening’s dinner was handled simply; he discussed with Aaliyah and settled it at Gauss’s small cabin, spending the holiday together.
For now, it was just the two of them.
He visited the Thorny Hut—Half-Elf Mage Andri had gone out again.
Sofia’s inn housed a few out-of-town tenants staying for the festival, requiring her to manage the place, arriving later.
On the holiday night.
Inside Gauss’s kitchen.
He removed his robe and donned an apron, Aaliyah assisting beside him.
Together, they prepared several dishes.
Pan-seared salty ribs, vegetable creamy soup, herb-roasted chicken, soft bread, honey-roasted apples, light beer...
The dinner, while not lavish, carried exceptional warmth given their identities.
They enjoyed the feast while sharing recent tales and oddities. Ulfen and Aik indulged heartily in a feast of grilled and stewed meat specially prepared for them in the living room.
Outside, every household was brightly lit. Streets were adorned with decorations, celebratory bonfires burning fiercely to chase away the chill of deep winter.
Enhancing the festive atmosphere.
At the heart of the town plaza.
A large bonfire was lit, drawing townsfolk to gather and celebrate spontaneously.
After sating their hunger, Gauss and Aaliyah changed into simple everyday clothes and joined Sofia and her assistant Winnie, who arrived later, at the plaza.
Townsfolk lined up orderly, tossing Copper Coins or Copper fragments into the festival bonfire.
It’s an ancient tradition of the Carlos Kingdom, symbolizing the burning away of last year’s misfortunes and seeking good fortune for the new year.
Following the custom, the group threw Copper Coins, then enjoyed the music and dance organized by City Hall. Time drifted quietly amid laughter and cheers.