"Hopefully they have my size."

After confirming that I would take the job, Brie wrote down my name and where I was going. She explained that it was for record keeping as well as safety. If something were to happen to me they needed to know where I was going. It only took a moment and after she was done she gave me a smile and a wave. She watched Yura and I leave back out the door we came through. As we did I got to see the market in full swing. Families doing their morning shopping. It looked as if much of the village came every morning. Several booths had opened up along the road in front of the guild. Pop up shops that seemed to flock to the hall's business. "How wealthy is the guild?"

"That's not an easy thing to answer. See, each guild hall is independent while also still being a part of a larger network. Though you can probably say that the guilds are some of the most profitable businesses around. In almost every village or city they inhabit they're rather popular. We're just lucky to have a hall at all. Really it's just because of our distance. We're a long way from any large city, so it was decided that having a hall, way out here, would be a good source of income. I think... three or four lords ago. A hundred years. Two maybe."

As we walked around the small shops she gave me a brief history of the guilds. Being that we weren't in any particular rush made things easier. Apparently the halls were formed nearly a thousand years prior. From what she told me there was several legends regarding how they were formed. Some say it was by their local deity. Others that heroes from the past came and sought to bring peace to the land. Regardless of how, the guilds had become far reaching and incredibly lucrative. Somewhere along the way they became more business oriented. Some halls even turning away less profitable jobs, though rarely seen. Our talk lasted for a short while, nearly ten minutes, before we finally decided to turn our attention to the smithy.

I followed her in once more, the open front hiding little of the blacksmith's goings on. Their shop was built of an outdoor smithy, an indoor one, and along the right side was a sectioned off store where people could enter to make orders or buy that which the craftsmen made. Admittedly I wanted to watch the blacksmiths do their work but I didn't have anywhere close to the funds needed for that. After my registration and just buying a simple blade, I wouldn't have nearly enough for a custom order. I was lucky to buy a sword worth being kept for awhile. As we entered the sectioned off part of the store I got a clearer view as to what was available. Along the far right wall hung several swords, axes, and shields. On the left side was a simple assortment of tools and farming equipment. No doubt where most of the profit came from. Tools breaking nearly every day. Meeting each wall there were barrels with simple weapons and tools. Each one with a different type of item.

Yura and I went different directions. She to look over the store as a whole while I made my way over to the sword barrels. Reading the notes on the wall it was obvious that I couldn't hope to buy even the display blades. So instead I focused on the barrels and began to look them over. Based on what Brie said about my classes and stats, I had a good idea of what I wanted. With my speed and strength both being at what seemed to be good levels, I could make good use of a decent long sword or even a proper great sword. With only 150 left over after Brie took the registration fee. That left me with barely enough to buy a set of clothes and a long sword. The great swords above my price range. Instead I settled on a seemingly well crafted bastard sword. The handle short enough to be used with one hand, but just long enough to allow for two handed usage. The blade itself was rather simple, a few feet long with a dual fuller along the full length. Meeting the base was a similarly basic cross guard. The weapon, while not the fanciest, fit well in my hand, cut through the air easily, and I liked the reach it allowed for.

It took a moment but I managed to find the accompanying scabbard in a different barrel. It wasn't very hard since the sword's length eliminated most of the other options. the sword up to the counter where Yura had begun to talk to the man behind it. The bartender rather popular with the village people. "Find something worth buying?" She asked as I set the blade onto the counter.

"Yeah, I guess Brie was right about the swordsman class. This felt almost perfect. Not like the axes, those felt a little odd. Though, I wish I could get a dagger or shield to go with the sword itself. Maybe after some... financial growth." I felt a little absurd talking about everything. It all still felt off.

"Maybe one day soon. For now let's just get you settled with a sword and some clothes. Get you out of... those" She gestured to my clothes once again as she spoke.

The clerk spoke up as she mentioned my clothing. "I'm afraid we don't have anything worth buying. Best we can do is some pants and maybe a shirt. Most it'll come to is a couple dozen silver, maybe a gold."

"That sounds exactly like what I need. After the sword I won't have a whole lot left over. Maybe thirty gold, if that." Holding out my hand he, at first, stared at me. He seemed concerned about my lack of funds more than anything. Though as he pulled out the stone/crystal, much similar to what Yura used on me, the payment went through without any issues. Displaying my current funds after I asked for it. My guess was right, only thirty-three gold left over after buying the sword and some new clothes. After confirming payment the man turned away from the counter and dug through a few boxes behind him. Coming up a moment later with a shirt and pants. Passing them over to me. "Try these, they might not be worth anything, but we can at least find you a fitting set."

I followed him back to a small private space where he left me to change. I sat down onto the bench and really looked myself over. My shirt was utterly destroyed. Torn to shreds by the eternity asleep and the tumble in the forest. My pants weren't in any better condition. For some reason or another, the only thing about my clothes that seemed to have survived were my sneakers. Completely different than what anyone here would wear, but I wasn't going to complain. They were comfortable still and hadn't given up on me yet. I decided to keep my old clothes as a memory from the past. Something that I might one day display. The shirt he picked was a little big on me, but did the job well enough. After tucking the bottoms into the pants it fit decently and was still loose enough to allow some air flow.

I came back out into the shop a few moments later as Yura finished up a payment. On the counter rest a belt and dagger. "For you." She said as I came into view. "Consider it a loan. You can pay me back once you're a hero. How does that sound?"

"Sounds like a debt I didn't want to get into to." I reached out and lifted the dagger off the counter. Roughly a foot and half long with diamond cross section. It would serve well. The thing I didn't expect, nor think about, was the belt on the counter as well. In my haste I hadn't put any thought into how I would carry the weapons. Wrapping it around I hooked the sword onto my left hip, and the dagger onto my right. Both weapons ready to draw when needed.

"You'll be fine. I'm a generous woman to owe. Now, at least, you look like a proper adventurer. The new clothes fit you well, as well. You said you had about thirty left, right? That might be enough for a few more purchases. Come on, one more shop and you can go on your first quest." Not taking no for an answer she grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the store. Our next trip didn't take long. Cutting through the crowd until we came to a stop outside the store that confused me earlier.