The dragon's harem

Arad walked away from the scene, slowly releasing the animals from his control. It was useful, and the average person wouldn’t notice it. But mages could. If he kept using it and walking around, wizards would catch him.

People stared at his back as he left, looking at the guards and woman in disbelief, “Who was that?”

“S-rank,” One of the guards replied, “Someone stronger than what we can chain,”

“He beat her by just walking toward her!” A kid shouted. Pointing that from an average person’s perspective, Arad just walked toward the woman, and her body got blasted to the wall.

****

Arad reached the blacksmith he saw, pushed the door open, and walked inside. “This should be Liora’s shop.” He called.

CRACKLE! From the back room, a five-foot-tall dwarven woman walked out. “I don’t remember telling my name to someone like you,” She glared at him.

“The birds told me,” Arad replied, lifting one of the long swords she kept on display. “This is a nice blade,”

“That’s a D-rank sword,” She replied, “Not my proudest creation,”

Arad stared back at her, “I know, you hate mass-produced junk,” He put the sword back in its place.

She stared at him, smiling. “I expect you came here for something else, didn’t you?”

“I want a hundred weapons. I want treasures made for battle, not art pieces to be hanged.” Arad stated. Since his battle with Zuggtmoy, his look wealth started to change.

Gold, silver, and jewels aren’t worth his time or the space in his horde. What if he can use that money to make and buy weapons, hundreds and thousands of them? He can then switch between them freely in battle, and even summon them all at the same time as he did against Zuggtmoy.

“Do you know how much money and time that will cost?” She sighed, “Are you some rich noble kid wanting to arm his personal guards?”

“Are you also a fool?” Arad stared at her, “Do I look like that to you?” From behind him, ten swords emerged out of nowhere, pointing at her as they floated in the air.

“I do fight with them,” He then grabbed one of his swords and bit the blade, shattering it. “I’m sick of using those pieces of junk. I want something that won’t shatter in one hit.”

“I see,” She giggled, staring at one of the swords that floated around Arad. “Those are all F and E rank.”

“See? I want a hundred blades that won’t shatter,” Arad replied, “And I have the money to pay,”

He then paused for a second, “Wait,” He closed his eyes, counting.

“Do you make armor? How about different types of weapons?”

She stared at him, confused.

Hearing her refer to him as a noble kid wanting to arm his personal guards gave him an idea. He has around fifty vampire spawns in his blood that he can call.

What if he can give them the best armor and weapons? He would have an army that he could summon at any moment at night. Or call them inside his void expansion so they won’t burn in the sun.

“I do, but what are you going about?” She stared at him, even more confused.

Arad smiled, “I want to arm my personal guards as well,”

“So you’re just another rich kid,” She sighed.

“Add fifty weapons and armor sets to the order,” He started laughing.

“I do have eleven weapons ready if you want them. Of course, I can make you everything new.” She pointed behind the counter where she kept a special stash of weapons.

“I don’t care if they are new or old as long as they are strong and durable.” Arad replied, “Good-quality weapons are made to last,”

He walked there, inspecting the spears, swords, and halberds.

“I will take them, how much,” He asked.

She went to the weapons and started counting.

“This one is 1G56S, and I will give it to you for 1G45S. This one halberd is 2G, But I will give it to you for 1G75S…”

“Give me the total price.” Arad looked at her. He had already inspected the weapons are they were of good quality, and each of them was at least worth two gold coins.

She sighed, “Fine, 17 gold coins for all of them.”

Arad pulled the money from his stomach and placed it on the counter.

“You really can pay,” She bite one of the gold coins, “Mind telling me why did you come to my shop? I’m not that famous, and certainly not the best blacksmith in town.”

“The birds told me,” He said, “You’re the most consistent with your craft. If I were to get weapons from you, I can trust they would be of equal quality. I also knew you sell cheaper than other shops based on quality.” He smiled.

She growled, looking away, “So you knew, each of those…”

“Is worth more than 2 gold coins. You gave me a deal since you barely sold any lately,” Arad said.

“You got me,” She sighed, scratching her head, “I would have haggled for more if I knew you wouldn’t back away from the deal.”

“I will get the rest of your weapons ready. But it will take time to forge them all.” She stashed the gold under her desk. “I’m working alone, but I will send them to you each finished ten.”

Arad nodded, “Why do you work alone? No skilled enough to work with a dwarf?”

“That’s a part of it,” She pulled a gold coin, “And this is the second part,” She sighed again, “The skilled ones are expensive. I can’t hire them,” She looked at Arad, “To be honest, this is the first time I made over two gold coins in a week. Let alone in one day,”

Arad nodded, extending his hand into his stomach, and pulled a large bag. CLACK! He put it on the table ahead of the blacksmith.

“Down payment for the order, the rest once you finish or deliver a stash of weapons.” He said.

She opened the back and stared at it, almost getting blinded.

“One hundred gold coins. It should be enough to get you started with buying material and hiring a helper,”

“Really?” She stared at him, “People usually only pay after they receive their weapon. Even then, they haggle for a lower price. Especially from a shop like mine.”

“I do not get information from humans,” Arad stared at her, “I know for sure that your skills are worth it. And, there is something else.”

“What? Another order?”

“I heard a new castle will be built soon around Alina. That would need a blacksmith stationed in it.” He smiled, “Get this order right, and I might be able to get this spot handed to you,”