Wade walked with brisk steps through the busy streets of Hiving, the late-morning sun warming the cobblestones.
It was so hot, he was sure he could feel the heat seeping in through his boots.
His destination this morning was simple. Tom’s shop.
His breastplate should be ready, and he was eager to get it back before the day carried him into more important matters.
He chuckled to himself, rembering that just a few days ago, how to afford a breastplate was his biggest worry.
And now, he was about to take a loan for more money than he’d ever seen in his entire life. Both this one, and back on earth.
As he turned onto the familiar lane, the sound of raised voices reached him.
Wade’s brows furrowed. Outside Tom’s shop, a broad-shouldered adventurer in dented armor was leaning over the counter, his voice loud and full of anger.
Tom stood behind it, face red, but his hands were steady, clenched tightly around a hamr as if he was prepared to use it if things went further.
"You think I don’t know?" the adventurer snarled. "You stole this shop. Everyone in Hiving knows it wasn’t yours to begin with!"
Wade stepped forward, his boots crunching against the gravel.
"Funny," he said, his voice loud enough to draw both their eyes. "I’ve been coming here for a while now, and I don’t recall seeing your na over the door."
The adventurer whipped his head toward him, glaring. "Stay out of this, kid. This doesn’t concern you."
"It does if you’re threatening my blacksmith," Wade replied coolly.
He moved to stand between Tom and the man, resting a hand casually on his sword hilt. "If you’ve got proof, let’s hear it. Otherwise, you’re just wasting your breath."
The adventurer’s mouth twisted. "Everyone knows the real owner left town mysteriously. Then suddenly, this man is running the shop like nothing happened."
"That’s gossip, not proof," Wade shot back. "If you have a docunt, witnesses, anything concrete, bring it up. Otherwise, you’re just harassing a craftsman trying to do his job. And I’m sure the guilds don’t take kindly to false accusations."
The man stamred, his bluster wilting under Wade’s gaze and calm reasoning.
He muttered sothing under his breath, but with no evidence to back his words, he finally turned on his heel and stord away, shoving past a couple of curious onlookers as he left.
The tension in the air eased imdiately.
Wade exhaled, glancing back at Tom. "So," he said, crossing his arms. "What exactly was that about?"
Tom sighed heavily, wiping his brow with the back of his arm.
"That was nothing but a scam," he muttered. "Ever since the city passed that law about rewarding adventurers who stop cris, crooks have been twisting it to their favor."
Wade raised a brow. "What law?"
Tom leaned against his counter. "If an adventurer stops a theft or a robbery, they’re entitled to ten percent of the value of whatever they saved."
"Sounds noble, right? Encourages adventurers to act like proper citizens instead of reckless rcenaries. But the greedy ones? They found a loophole."
"They team up with others, fra people as thieves, or claim sothing isn’t theirs, then swoop in."
"Once they ’stop the cri,’ they take their cut, and the victim’s left with nothing. Sotis they even sell off the whole shop."
Wade’s frown grew. "So when are you going to report this?"
Tom barked out a humorless laugh. "Report it? To who?"
"Either there’s no proof, it’s just my word against theirs, or worse, so of the officials have already been bribed."
"They’d use the sa law to claim I’m guilty and strip the shop from altogether. It simply isn’t worth the risk."
Wade stared at him, a little stunned. "So the authorities are that corrupt?"
Tom shook his head quickly. "Not all of them. There are honest n and won in office. But a few bad apples spoil the bunch, especially when gold is involved."
"The best thing to do is keep your head down and not give them the chance."
He straightened, his usual gruff smile returning. "Anyway, you didn’t co here to hear complain. You’re here for your breastplate, aren’t you?"
"Co." He motioned for Wade to follow him into the workshop.
The sll of hot iron and soot filled the air, though the forge was cooling from earlier use.
He reached under a workbench and pulled out the breastplate, now polished and refitted.
"Here," he said, handing it over. "Try it on. Shouldn’t pinch this ti."
Wade slipped the breastplate over his tunic, fastening the straps.
Imdiately, he noticed the difference.
The fit was snug but comfortable, and there was no digging into his ribs or awkward slack at the shoulders.
He rolled his arms, twisted his torso, even bent slightly forward. Perfect.
"Much better," Wade said with a grin. "You’ve outdone yourself, Tom."
The blacksmith chuckled, clearly pleased. "I told you I had your asurents right. Just needed so adjustnt. You’ll be safe in this."
"Thanks." Wade unbuckled the straps and placed the breastplate into his inventory with a flash of light.
Then, his expression softened. "You sure you don’t need a hand dealing with those scam artists? I don’t like leaving it like this."
Tom waved him off, a faint smirk on his face. "Don’t worry about , boy. I’ve been in this trade too long to get run over that easily. I’ve got my ways. Survived this long, didn’t I?"
Wade gave him a nod. "Alright. Just don’t let them corner you alone again."
With that, he left the workshop, stepping back into the street.
He walked for a few minutes, back to his apartnt, business flowing all around the market district.
Then, just as he adjusted the strap of his sword across his back, he spotted him.
The sa adventurer who had tried to scam Tom earlier.
Their eyes t across the street.
The man’s lips curled into a smirk, and he began walking straight towards Wade.
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