Mastery Is Earned

Rows of iron rivets covered the black exterior of the coat of plates. The garment looked heavy and rigid, offering excellent protection for the torso. Raymond took both the coat of plates and the iron helmet with its nasal guard.

After giving the hand-and-a-half sword a few test swings, Henk nodded in satisfaction. He slid it into its scabbard, fastened it at his waist, then draped the brown bear hide over his shoulders.

“Have you used a sword before?” Raymond could not help asking. Henk had looked thoroughly practiced while testing and sheathing the weapon.

Henk grinned. “Every man in the North receives military training.”

Raymond nodded in understanding. Before leaving the warehouse, he also took a piece of ore that was not too heavy and wrapped it up.

Once they stepped outside, the guards watching the warehouse quickly made a list of everything they had taken and asked them to leave their marks on it. Only then did the two leave the town guard's headquarters.

With the bearskin over his shoulders, Henk looked even more fearsome as he walked through town. Many people gave him a wide berth. Some children were so startled by the sight of him that they began to cry.

When they passed the smithy, Raymond stopped. He and Henk exchanged a look, then walked straight inside.

“Welcome... Good heavens!” The owner was standing behind the counter going over his accounts. The moment he looked up and saw Henk, he let out a startled cry. But he quickly cleared his throat and turned his attention to the bearskin. “That's a fine hide. It was treated far too crudely, though.”

As expected of a businessman, he changed his tune quickly. In only a day, news that Raymond and Henk had wiped out the bandits and rescued the captives had spread throughout the town. Even if the smithy owner had never seen Henk in person, he had clearly heard of the northerner who was so huge he barely looked human.

Raymond gave the man a surprised look. “What? You know how to treat pelts too?”

The owner shook his head. “Only a little. If you actually want that treated, you'd be better off finding a tanner.”

Raymond nodded and said nothing more. He placed the coat of plates on the counter. “I need you to alter this to fit me.”

The owner clearly remembered Raymond buying a sword here several days earlier. He inspected the coat of plates, then looked Raymond up and down. “No problem. That's simple enough. I just need to take your measurements.”

Raymond had no objection. He calmly stretched out his arms and let the owner measure him.

“You're fairly tall—six feet one inch—but a little thin.” The owner glanced at Raymond's linen shirt. “Do you need a gambeson?”

“A gambeson?”

After the owner explained, Raymond gained a basic understanding of what it was. The coat of plates contained metal plates and needed to be worn over a gambeson sewn from several layers of sturdy cloth and padding. Besides absorbing sweat and cushioning blows, the gambeson kept the metal from pressing against or chafing the body.

Raymond knew little about armor. He planned to ask Carter after returning, then decide based on his needs, so he was in no hurry to buy one. He left the iron helmet with the smithy owner as well, asking him to remove the rust and inspect the inner lining and fastening straps. They could maintain the weapons themselves after returning. There was no need to waste money on that here.

“How much is this ore worth per pound?” Raymond asked, taking out the piece of ore.

“Ore?” The smith gave it a casual glance, then paused. He took it from Raymond and examined it closely. After a long while, he fetched a small hammer, chipped a fragment from one edge, and held it up to the light.

“I've been in this trade for years, but I've never seen ore like this,” the smith said in amazement. “It's very light, but extremely hard, and the color is strange.”

After marveling over it for some time, he looked at Raymond. “How much more of this do you have?”

“Not much. Just this small piece,” Raymond replied evenly.

“If that's all you have, it isn't worth much. Blackstone doesn't have a smelting workshop. Even if you took it to Brightwater, the travel costs would probably exceed the value of the ore.” The smith sighed regretfully.

Raymond nodded noncommittally. Without saying anything more, he wrapped the ore again. He handed the smith one silver coin and received twenty copper coins in change. Then he and Henk left the smithy.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

They next visited a tanner's shop and asked the tanner to clean and tan the bearskin again, then turn it into a winter cloak that could withstand bitter cold. The cloak would retain the thickest, most intact portions of the hide. It would also be lined with heavy woolen cloth and fitted with leather straps and iron buckles across the chest.

The entire job would cost two silver coins and fifty copper coins and take nearly twenty days. It was not cheap, and Raymond noticed Henk hesitating for a long time. In the end, however, Henk made up his mind and paid.

For someone from the North, the bearskin cloak was more than decoration. Whether shielding him from the northern winds or serving as a blanket while he camped outdoors, it would be extremely useful.

After leaving the shop, the two headed back toward the inn. On the way, Raymond suddenly said, “The coat of plates and helmet are worth considerably more than your bearskin and hand-and-a-half sword. I'll keep track of the difference.”

“No need.” Henk shook his head.

“No. Whether now or in the future, if we want to work together for the long term, we have to keep the accounts clear.” Raymond's expression was serious. “I won't let you lose out, and I won't let myself lose out either. Understand?”

Henk thought for a long while before slowly nodding with a grunt.

The two fell silent again and returned to the Blackstone Inn under the fearful gazes of passersby.

It was almost noon, and the inn held far more diners than when they had left. The women temporarily housed there sat at two long tables against the wall.

Sophie had prepared easy-to-digest meat broth, eggs, and soft bread for them. Following Raymond's instructions, she had also added several plates of roasted meat cut into small pieces.

After a night's rest and something to eat, the children looked much livelier than they had the previous day, though they still appeared somewhat reserved around the unfamiliar patrons.

When Raymond and Henk entered, the women seated against the wall stopped what they were doing and looked at the pair with gratitude.

The other diners also turned to stare, watching them with either fear or admiration.

Teddy had been waiting patiently in a corner. The moment he heard the commotion and saw them, he hurried over. “By the Holy Light, you actually came back! You promised to buy me a meal. I thought you weren't coming.”

Henk glanced at Teddy without speaking.

Noticing Henk's gaze, Teddy's movements immediately slowed, and his voice dropped as well.

Raymond chuckled without answering and merely looked toward Sophie behind the counter.

Sophie immediately understood. She clapped her hands to signal the kitchen staff, then came over to Raymond. “I don't need a tip from you. Keep the rest of your money.” With that, she held out a large handful of copper coins.

Raymond shook his head with a smile. “Count it toward my lodging. I'll be staying here for a while longer.”

“All right.” Sophie winked and did not refuse him again.

Teddy stared at them wide-eyed and could not help asking, “You struck it rich this time, didn't you? How much did you make? The town guard didn't skim any of the goods, did they? How much did they give you? At least thirty silver, right?”

Raymond shook his head without answering. A thin little girl was approaching unsteadily with a broad wooden tray.

Raymond took the tray from her and set it securely on the table, then looked at the girl. “Slow down, Little One. Want something to eat with us?”

The girl's pale face instantly flushed red. She stammered a few sounds, then ran behind her mother and hid, peeking at Raymond with only her eyes showing.

Raymond smiled and shook his head. He did not press her and turned his attention back to the food.

An entire suckling pig had been roasted until golden and crisp, with a bright red apple in its mouth. Next came a thick mushroom-and-butter soup, pork-and-pine-nut pies, fragrant oat bread, and large roasted lamb chops glazed with honey and clove sauce.

Teddy stared wide-eyed at the lavish spread, drool almost spilling onto the table.

Even the normally taciturn Henk swallowed, and his stomach gave a loud, rumbling growl.

Most of the nearby patrons were staring as well. They swallowed repeatedly and murmured among themselves, gazing longingly at the food before the three men and wishing they could take their places.

Although Raymond had already eaten two boiled eggs and a large bowl of oatmeal that morning, the rich aromas still made him reach for the carving knife beside the table. The crisp skin crackled as the knife sliced through it, and piping-hot fat ran from the cut. Raymond carved off a large piece of pork with the skin attached and laid it on the oat bread before him. The hot fat ran down the crisp skin and quickly soaked into the bread.

After blowing on it twice, Raymond eagerly took a huge bite. The crisp skin shattered between his teeth. Tender pork mingled with hot fat and spices, filling his mouth with flavor.

Teddy and Henk stared as Raymond devoured it in a few bites.

After swallowing the pork, Raymond raised the large tankard of ale beside him and took several deep gulps. He let out a long, satisfied breath. “Now that's good!”

The words sounded like a battle horn. Henk and Teddy, who had been waiting impatiently, could no longer restrain themselves and joined the fray.

Teddy ate with all his might, but after several pieces of lamb and pork, a little bread, and a few mouthfuls of thick soup, he could eat no more.

Raymond fared somewhat better. He barely touched the bread and concentrated on devouring the meat before him. Only after draining his tankard of ale did he lean back in his chair, completely satisfied.

Henk was the most astonishing of all. He was entirely different from his usual taciturn self, as though he had entered a battle trance.

Whether it was roast suckling pig, lamb, or pie, he grabbed whatever lay before him and devoured it in huge bites. Bread seemed like a mere side dish in his hands, serving only to cut through the richness of the meat.

An inn server brought out plate after plate of fresh bread.

Even after sweeping away every morsel of food before him, Henk did not stop. He tore off another large piece of bread and used it to wipe up the meat juices and sauce remaining on the plates, then stuffed the soaked bread into his mouth. Only when there was nothing edible left on the plates did he lick his lips and reluctantly stop.

His ferocious eating had drawn the attention of nearly everyone present. The enormous man could eat even more than they had imagined. His appetite alone was nearly twice that of Raymond and Teddy combined.

Noticing that Henk still looked unsatisfied, Raymond swallowed and said, “If you aren't full, you can eat some more.”

“The elders back home always say you should stop eating before you're completely full.”

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