94: Earthrod Leather Boots
Following the next day, Aidan and Van returned to the guild, hearing that Yanu and Miko were preparing for their meeting from the receptionist over there.
They went back there to sign Aidan up as an adventurer, and it wasn’t lost on the guild that Aidan managed to not only survive against Miko’s onslaught, but gave a good bout all throughout. Perhaps Yanu gave a glowing recommendation, or perhaps it was told by literally anyone who managed to eye the two fighting while they were in the middle of the city.
It definitely felt more like the latter as Aidan didn’t strike Yanu as the sort to give such good reviews for free. Due to that, Aidan was officially marked as a Rank C adventurer, a rank higher than Van who started from the bottom about a year ago.
Rather than getting petty about it, Van was more than pleased as, according to him, having a higher rank meant being able to accept quests with higher rewards from clients in high places, perhaps even reaching a noble if the adventurer was lucky. But that was pretty much the end of Aidan the adventurer there.
Because he had no plans on taking any quests, at least for now. He did get the overview about how the guild works, including the fact that you had to take a quest at least two times a month, or else they would revoke your licence due to truancy. And according to Van, losing your licence like that would force you out as an adventurer until the next year, and one should forget about getting any quests from high places as reputation is extremely important for those kinds of people.
Needless to say, Aidan was done for now. When they left, they returned back to the inn to find Nina receiving a message, stating that she will be meeting with Yanu sometime in the next few hours. All with a request stating that Van should join as well.
“Why are they asking for Van?” Aidan asked. “Wouldn't it make sense that I get involved?”
“Mmh, it’s probably two parts. One thing could be that you being there would get Miko into a mood and start asking for another spar, this time under more preferable circumstances,” Nina explained. “I can’t really say it myself since I never met her, but according to rumors and from what you told me, that seems the most applicable. Another thing could be that he doesn’t trust you, and instead would rather bring Van who he knew better and discussed with more. I’m not sure whether he might have some sort of spell or ability that allowed him to maneuver better in meetings, but I wouldn’t deny such a thing being the case.”
“O…kay,” Aidan drawled. “Then what do I do now?”
“You can always hang out with me,” Haley suggested, bringing her hand up. “I’m thinking of heading into the market to find some ingredients for crafting potions. I think it might be a good time. Is that okay, Nina?”
“More than okay,” Nina nodded. “I prefer you not to be alone either way, so that suits us. Aidan, won’t you do so?”
“Of course,” Aidan naturally answered. “It does sound fun, and I’m thinking of buying something myself while I’m there. Might be some equipment I could get.”
So far, the only equipment he managed to get were items he gained from the Crystalfang dungeon, and equipment he made for himself. He checked around the stores in Forontia, but none of them seemed to fit him at the time, so perhaps he might get better luck over there.
“Sounds like a plan then. Alright Van, make sure you clean up nice for our meeting.”
“I feel like I’m severely underqualified for this,” Van simply stated. “Is it really a good idea for me to get involved in this?”
“Sometimes life throws you a curve ball. It’s up to you to catch it or get hit in the face,” Nina said with a simple smile. “And I’m sure you’re smart enough to know which choice is best for you.”
Van let out a tired sigh, but nevertheless wished Haley and Aidan to have a good time. He also asked Aidan to make sure that Haley stayed safe. Aidan was offended that he had to say that, but he understood that big brothers would always worry for their little siblings.
Once that was done, the two left, Haley leading Aidan instead of the other way around. It wasn’t like Aidan didn’t know where he was going, but he figured Haley would want to just be in charge once in a while, considering that it was her idea to start shopping in the first place.
After they made their way through the center districts, they reached a well known street that may as well act as a bazaar filled with dozens of stalls and storefronts displaying their wares. The street was filled to the brim with city life, as many people were constantly viewing the items, bargaining like mad, or just window shopping to find what they wanted. The sound alone was enough to overwhelm their senses, but Haley and Aidan trudged on through as they tried to find the stalls that fit their needs.
It took a while, but they indeed found one or two stalls meant for ingredients used for crafting alchemy, some having rarer plants and moss that one could only find in the deeper wilds or near the vast ocean near here. They also planned on visiting near the port side for another one of these bazaar-like places, so they didn’t take that much time bargaining for the ingredients Haley wanted.
Aidan also made sure to help out in this front as well. For example, Haley and the clerk were arguing about the price for a plant called Uruin Petals, a special flower that would grant more than double the resource generation in crafting potions. The clerk was demanding a rather hefty sum, saying that these petals were painstakingly gathered that took a long time, all the while ensuring their quality. Aidan made sure to hint at Haley that he was full of shit, at least according to the ‘painstakingly gathered’ part. They were indeed of good quality, so Haley argued for less than a quarter of the price, all the while including the other items she planned on purchasing.
Seeing the resolution in her eyes, the clerk gave in and accepted the trade. Considering that these petals haven’t been sold yet, he didn’t want to risk losing out in value the longer they stayed out in display, only worsening their quality over time. That got Haley to save up quite a bit of money for other purchases, something that she deeply appreciated.
“Is there anything that caught your eye?”
Haley asked when they got some time for themselves away from the crowd, walking along the street with their gains hidden away in their spatial bags. According to what he was seeing, they were the lucky few who managed to have one as he saw plenty of others hauling heavy looking bags and sacks, looking quite happy but haggard from their own purchases.
“Mmh, I haven’t seen anything decent so far,” Aidan mused. He really was keeping an eye on any stalls that were selling equipment for adventurers, though there were few and far between for some reason. He started thinking that perhaps he needed to go to the port side for the stalls leaning towards adventurers until his eyes set on one particular pair a bit of distance away.
He wasn’t sure why, but his Sense Vibrations picked up on some interesting frequencies he hadn't seen before. Two identical objects were giving off incredible frequencies that bounced off one another in perfect harmony. A bit of a pun use there, but that’s how Aidan felt about them.
“I think I found something. Follow me.”
Haley did so, following Aidan’s lead as they swerved across the roads filled with life before eventually meeting the center point of those powerful frequencies. When he finally laid his eyes on them, it turned out that they were identical due to one reason. They were boots.
Simple leather boots with strange markings on the surface. When he scanned them, he got even more confused.
Earthtrod Leather Boots (Uncommon)
A simple pair of leather boots crafted by a whimsical leatherer who believed that simplicity is best. When worn, the wearer connects further with the ground, allowing better movement speed across different terrain.
Smooth Travel
Endurance +5
Speed +5
Reflex +5
Even though these were some impressive boots for their rarity, he felt something was rather off. For one thing, Uncommon rarity equipment didn’t usually give off this many stat points and a decent enchantment. But at the same time, he felt that the overall power of these boots were just too weak compared to what it actually was.
He felt that these boots were more than what the description merely describes. It wasn’t even just his Sense Vibrations telling this. His very talent was telling him that these boots were not normal.
“You interested in these boots?”
An old man’s voice entered his hearing, and when Aidan finally pulled his eyes away to greet him, he found that same portly old man with a bushy mustache looking at him questioningly. He was the owner of the stall with the boots up in display along with other simple looking gear and equipment for sale.
But then he felt something else was off, now coming from the old man himself. Aidan felt like he was losing his mind before finally the old man spoke up, his tone slightly different than usual.
“Ah… a fellow brother. You have come far from your travels, my friend. Haha, how quaint.”
The man said, his voice jovial as though he was meeting a longtime friend. For Aidan, he couldn’t imagine it being anything else. As for the reasoning…
“You’re… a spirit,” Aidan said in a low voice. Haley instantly widened her eyes, but soon after the old man raised his finger to his bushy lips.
“Mind keeping it down, lassy?” The old man suddenly said, turning his question to Haley. “I prefer not to make a scene here.”
Haley pressed her lips tight, her eyes still widened from the revelation. Aidan also thanked her for her silence, as he understood entirely what was going on even though he was still completely unaware of what was happening, if that even made sense.
“Mmh, you look rather confused there,” the old man, who was actually a spirit, or a Humanoid Spirit variant, tilted his head quizzically. Then he snapped his fingers in realization. “Ah, you feel so young! No wonder. Were you just born recently? Perhaps a few months ago?”
Aidan couldn’t even explain how right the old man was. Instantly, he wanted to deny it, that he was actually over twenty years old, but a certain part of him reminded him that technically speaking, he was born only recently.
But he was reincarnated, from when his world was destroyed. For a moment, he thought perhaps the old man was a fellow earthling like Aidan, but his instincts, which he now recognized as coming from his own race, told him that he was wrong.
He was facing his senior, in a way. An older and more wiser being than himself.
“...Sort of,” Aidan answered slowly, after a moment of silence.
“Ah, don’t be so embarrassed,” The old man gave a hearty chuckle, slapping his portly belly. “It’s only natural to feel a little strange. Spirits often connect with one another far beyond normal humanoids. Can I assume this is your first time meeting your kin?”
Aidan nodded, proving him correct.
“I see, I see. Well, don’t fret, boy. I’m not gonna bite. I just want to live my life selling my wares and enjoy myself with the masses. As you can see, I’m not a combatant like yourself.”
To see what he was talking about, Aidan scanned the old man, only seeing what he would expect from a merchant.
Archer, Level 15.
Naturally, this is what he would expect, but in truth, Aidan knew that he was hiding his level. But his guts were telling him that the old man wasn’t giving off anything remotely hostile.
“I’m something of a crafter, though if you ask me if I made these boots myself, that would be incorrect. An old friend of mine made these, and quite frankly, I’ve been trying to get rid of them ever since. One look at their simple look and people just outright ignore them, probably not even bothering to scan them to see the enchantments. A real waste if you ask me.”
The old man kept chuckling, telling his story without beating around the bush. He already knew what Aidan was interested in, and even explained what they were.
“But these aren’t normal boots,” Aidan said, getting the old man’s attention.
“Naturally. The one who made them was a spirit, no less. Though I’m sure if you know what you’re doing, you can also craft some items, but these boots were made by a specialized spirit crafter.”
“A specialized spirit crafter…” Aidan repeated.
He started to understand, if only a little. Aidan could indeed make equipment, even enchanted equipment, but they were only basic equipment that, while valuable, were simple in the eyes of the system. These boots, on the other hand, felt more than what the system could provide.
“So? What’d you say? Would you like to buy them? I’m certain they’ll be quite helpful for a young strapping spirit like yourself,” The old man chuckled again.
“Aidan,” Haley said, getting his attention. “Why not? It’s not like you’re wearing any foot gear with stats anyway.”
Seeing how even Haley was in on the idea, and especially right since he wasn’t wearing any boots that gave any stats, he decided to bite the bullet.
“Alright, I’ll bite. For how much?”
“Five hundred gold.”
“Bullshit.”
Aidan instantly groused, his eyes thinning. The old man looked rather surprised, though he kept his usual business-like expression.
“Five hundred fucking gold? You’re fucking with me. No freaking way these damn shitty boots are worth that much.”
“Now, now, you’re talking about boots made by a rather famous crafter in our community!” The old man replied, matching Aidan’s tone. “Only natural that they would be worth that much.”
“ive hundred fucking gold?” Aidan repeated, scoffing. “They’re at least 300.”
“300?! You, sir, are just outright ridiculous!”
The two kept arguing, nearly going into a full fight over the price. Haley only stayed back in utter shock at how the jovial mood between the two suddenly shifted rapidly when the price was involved. That also got the others to look at the scene, scoffing at the usual scene caused by a shopper and a merchant, before ignoring them to leave them be.
After a few minutes of hardcore arguing, the two finally settled on the price.
“420 gold, no less,” The old man said, sounding almost tired as he let out small breaths to regain his air.
“Ugh… fine!”
Aidan practically threw the bag of coins he picked up from his spatial bag at the man. After catching it deftly, the old man smiled wide as though the entire fight was just a figment of everyone’s imagination.
“Thank you for your patronage! I hope you enjoy yourself with these boots.”
“Thanks again,” Aidan said, instantly smiling back, his hostile attitude also disappearing. “I’ll make sure to put them to good use.”
Aidan picked up the boots before ushering the bewildered Haley to follow along. When they left the stall, Haley eventually spoke to him in a low tone of voice.
“W-What just happened? You look like you wanted to murder the guy just then!”
“Ah, it was just some friendly banter. He’s a really nice guy actually. These things are probably worth way more than that.”
Aidan said, genuinely truthful as he looked at the boots with pride. The hundreds of gold were definitely too much for boots with simple looks like these, but he knew he made the right choice in buying them.
“I guess… I just feel a little bad for the old guy who–”
When Haley looked back, she paused in her tracks. Aidan didn’t actually stop, instead kept going forward as he knew what Haley was looking at.
“H-He’s gone!” Haley nearly shouted, and she wasn’t wrong.
Through Aidan’s senses, the entire stall including the old man just outright vanished, leaving an empty lot between stalls that should naturally have one. Stranger yet, nobody seemed to find anything strange as they just kept walking. Only Haley knew of his missing existence, and when she saw Aidan continuing along, she rushed to him to pull his arm.
“Aidan! What happened?”
“What would naturally happen,” Aidan said, shrugging. He appeased the panicking Haley. “He’s a spirit, Haley. He wasn’t going to stick around for much longer.”
At least, that was what his instincts as a spirit were telling him. Throughout their entire argument, Aidan got a feel of the old man more and more as time went on. His race basically told him everything there is to know about his kind, telling him one crucial fact.
Spirits are whimsical as fuck. Worst case, probably the most chaotic bunch he would ever see in his lifetime. And that man he just spoke to recently was one such whimsical fuck that would gladly disappear out of nowhere just for shits and giggles.
Still, he made sure to calm Haley down, considering that it would spook just about anyone who just witnessed someone existing in one moment, then suddenly deciding to vanish off the face of the world for no apparent reason.
Though now Aidan knew that if the concept of ghost stories were a thing here, that would definitely qualify as one.
“Aidan, seriously, I’m so confused here,” Haley said, deciding not to play along with Aidan’s own whimsical nature. “What’s going on?”
“Hah, trust me, it’s weird for me too,” Aidan said, shaking his head. “It’s like… something inside me took over, and all of a sudden it’s like I know all the social norms us spirits usually go through.”
“Spirits…” Haley muttered. “I know you are one, you told me as much–I just never really considered it true.”
Now that he thought about it, perhaps he never really mentioned that he was a spirit, and Haley only knew about it along with Van in passing rather than directly told. They did spend a lot of time together, so even if you hear one fantastical thing about a friend, it was mostly just left in the background.
Now though, it was clear Haley was quickly growing interested in his variant race.
“Basically, you don’t have to worry about that guy. There aren’t such things as bad spirits, as far as I know. While they pretty much go wherever they please, they also live by their own rules.”
“Such as?”
“Don’t fuck around or you’ll find out,” Aidan simply stated. “You don’t need to learn social norms to realize if you start making trouble, karma’s gonna come and bite you in the ass. For spiritual folks like us, that stuff would hurt like hell.”
At least, that’s what his talent, Path of Harmony, was basically telling him. It was like it was directly telling him information, just vague feelings and intent just like his own race. Haley nodded in understanding, looking down at his newly purchased boots.
“So, you’re gonna wear them?”
“Plan to,” Aidan said, glad to jump away from this topic. He needed some time to process his own emotions on the matter, feeling as though some outside force played with them against his will.
Though it wasn’t so bad that he would suddenly lose himself to his own whimsical nature. Like he believed, he just needed some time to adjust himself.
He took off his simple boots he made himself a long time ago and put on the new Earthtrod Leather Boots. The moment he put them on, he felt something more than just the enchantment working on them.
Suddenly the frequencies he himself was emitting skyrocketed, both in quantity and quality as he felt further established to the world around him. For a short moment, he felt like a god who just received omniscience to being just a regular dude with comfortable boots, except now he felt like he just put on new glasses that fit him terrifically.
“Whoa,” Aidan muttered. “Freaky.”
“How they feel?”
“Like the next time we go out treasure hunting, you’re gonna have a grand ole’ time,” Aidan smirked. “I feel like I can see everything around me. I think this might make working with my powers a whole lot smoother.”
The enchantments on the boots were decent as well, but he knew there was more to these boots than meets the eye. Once again, the amount of gold spent was worth it.
Now if only he had a way to contact that same old spirit again to see if there were more of these types of equipment. For now though, he’ll just leave it up to as just part of fate that was outside of his control.