Chronicles Of The Crafting Hero

Tyler was now in a carriage, entering Veridia. The rhythmic clop-clop of the horse's hooves against the cobblestones and the rumble of the carriage wheels, along with the distant murmur of the town, created a lullaby of background noise. It was as he was heading back to meet Hector and Emily. The noise of the clacking of the horse and the carriage entering the town and the distant voices faded into the background as Tyler drifted into thought. *I still can't believe they think I'm a hero. That happened so suddenly* A wave of exhaustion washed over him, and he rested his forehead on his hand, his gaze dropping to his leather boots. *Mr. Leonard Johns… I didn't know his name until now. I never bothered to look at his level to see it.*

*But he said if I told them it's him, they'll believe me once I show them the document...and it's in my inventory. I hope this works.* He imagined their reactions. *They'll still be impressed that I've managed to reach B-rank in such a short amount of time. They'll ask questions. I'll just have to figure out what to say.*

Even as Tyler thought this, the short amount of time they were talking about didn't feel the same to him. Since days took longer in this world, it felt like it's been three months for him. People were always so surprised that he was progressing so fast, but he himself was surprised at how slow *they* were progressing. The amount of XP he had to receive after killing a monster had been cut by 25% every time, but he still managed to progress quickly, even before he equipped the growth necklace.

But of course, he kind of knew. He knew that people were scared of monsters, scared to die. It was the same with him.

The horse shuddered to a halt, jolting Tyler from his thoughts. He glanced up at the grizzled driver, whose weathered face was creased with a network of lines. Tyler paid the agreed-upon sum and dismounted, the cobblestones cool beneath his boots. *Alright,* he thought, *about thirty-five gold coins. From Hector. He managed to sell some of the weapons. He took thirty percent, as always, but still a good haul.*

He navigated the bustling marketplace, the air thick with a symphony of smells. The savory aroma of roasting meats mingled with the sweet perfume of exotic spices, a tantalizing blend that made his stomach rumble. The cacophony of voices rose and fell around him – the booming pronouncements of seasoned merchants, the haggling of shrewd buyers, the high-pitched laughter of children through the crowd.

As Tyler pushed through the throng, heading toward Hector's shop, a scene unfolded in the distance. A petite woman, barely reaching his shoulder, flung herself into the arms of a towering figure. The man, easily six and a half feet tall, enveloped her in a powerful embrace, his calloused hands gripping her tightly. He murmured something softly, then released her with a warm smile, waving as she hurried away. The interaction stirred a phantom ache in Tyler's chest, a fleeting echo of a past life. He remembered Sarah, a girl from his world, a girl he'd once held a tender affection for. But now, even the memory of her evoked nothing, a blank space in his heart. He abruptly shook away the thought, forcing his attention back to the path.

Finally, he reached Hector's shop. The door stood invitingly ajar, a beacon among the crowded stalls. He stepped inside. The familiar chime of the bell above the door was absent. No Emily stood behind the counter, and the expected rhythmic clang of hammer on steel, the hiss of the forge in the back room, was nowhere to be heard. Instead, a low rumble of Hector's voice, punctuated by Emily's soft, melodic chuckles, drifted from the back. *Ah,* Tyler thought with a knowing smile, *they're both back there.*

Tyler scanned the shop. The familiar display of protective shields and other items, the ones he'd entrusted to Hector, were gone. *Did he sell everything?* He glanced around, seeing only Hector's wares, not his own. He moved to the back room, the sound of his boots on the stone floor echoing in the silence.

There, Emily sat on the workbench. Hector leaned in, speaking softly, and her smile was radiant as she listened, her eyes sparkling with a light Tyler had rarely seen. The scar that had once been hidden, that she'd tried to conceal from him, was now starkly visible. It looked as if she'd trimmed the fringe of her hair, revealing the mark more fully. He observed the easy intimacy between them, a comfortable closeness that felt deeper than before. Emily's hands rested close to Hector's on the bench, a subtle gesture that hinted at a growing affection. The thought briefly crossed Tyler's mind, a flicker of a feeling he hadn't expected.

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Hector's gaze met his, and he straightened, a smile playing on his lips. "Ah, so you've returned." As Hector rose, Emily also sprang to her feet, her eyes widening in surprise as she saw Tyler.

"Oh, Tyler, welcome back!" she exclaimed. *Just Tyler?* He thought internally, surprised. *No sir?*

Hector approached, clapping Tyler on the shoulder. "It's been a few days. I've got good news."

Tyler paused then quickly shifted his focus and asked, "Yeah? What kind of good news?"

"I sold everything. All of your items. And they brought in a hefty sum."

"Really?" Tyler asked, surprised. "Thank you."

"No, you shouldn't be thanking me," Hector replied, gesturing towards Emily. Emily's smile was tinged with a blush, a hint of embarrassment.

"Right, uh, Emily, thank you," Tyler said, correcting himself. He stepped closer to Emily, his gaze focused on her. "You managed to sell everything? Even the rings?"

"Oh, um, there's only one left," Emily admitted.

Tyler chuckled, "One? That's still awesome. I didn't think they'd go so fast. So *you* managed to pull it off."

"Ah, thank *you*," Emily said, her voice soft. "It's also because of how incredibly crafted your items are."

Hector nodded in agreement. "And she convinced the customers about the effects of the rings. We sold to one, and after they experienced the effects, they came back for more."

"Really?" Tyler's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "But how did you manage that?"

Emily explained, "Well, there was already a rumor going around that the items sold at the shops were unique. That the items had effects that other items couldn't perform. So the rumors spread quickly, and that really helped."

Tyler paused, a new thought emerging. *Oh, right. I gave permission for anyone to use the effects of the items while I was at the inn. So, anyone who buys the items won't need to wait for me to grant them permission to fully use the effects.*

Tyler muttered aloud, "How much did it make, exactly?"

"Right, follow me," Hector replied, already moving toward the shop. Emily followed close behind, her footsteps soft.

Entering the shop, Hector said, "Right, Emily. Give him that pouch of gold coins you...stashed earlier."

"Right," Emily said, her voice steady. She moved behind the counter, her movements practiced, and opened the drawer. From within, she produced a pouch overflowing with gold coins. Barely able to contain them, the leather strained at the seams.

"Whoa! That much?" Tyler's eyes widened, reflecting the light.

Hector clapped him on the shoulder again. "I already took my thirty percent. That was fifty-six gold and silver coins. You want to know how much You've made?"

Emily handed the pouch to Tyler. "This has one hundred thirty-one gold coins and six silver coins."

"One hundred thirty-one?" Tyler repeated, the number sinking in. As he received the pouch, struggling to hold its weight, the gold coins glinted, reflecting in his eyes as he loosened the drawstring, fully exposing the treasure.

Emily observed, "You've made a lot of money, sir."

The pouch shimmered with a faint blue light, and then, it was gone, disappearing into Tyler's inventory.

Tyler thought, *With this, I think I'll have about one hundred sixty-six gold in total. This is perfect.*

"Thank you, guys, for everything," Tyler said, his voice filled with gratitude.

"No, thank *you*," Hector countered. "Without your help, my shop would still be stuck with an average of 10 customers per day. Now I get about twenty people coming in here, looking to buy your items, and it helps me sell mine as well."

"Well, without you, I wouldn't have been able to sell this and make some money at all. So it's still all thanks to you," Tyler said, sincerity in his voice.

Hector waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it."

Emily just chuckled, and said, "If I could do..." Her words trailed off as she moved behind the counter and retrieved another pouch from the drawer. This one was heavy with silver coins, the metal catching the light. She handed it to Tyler. Both Hector and Tyler were confused.

"What is this for?" Tyler asked, genuinely puzzled.

"This has one hundred silver coins in it," Emily explained, her voice soft. "This is me repaying you for helping me out that day."

Tyler shook his head, returning the gold pouch to Emily. "Oh, no, I can't accept this. I mean, I already have enough as it is."

Emily gently grasped Tyler's hands, pushing the pouch back against his chest. "No, this is the least I could do. You have no idea how much you've helped me. You found a job for me. You gave me money for clothing and for food. I have a place to sleep. You helped me start over. And I'm thanking you for that. Honestly, I still feel like this isn't enough."

"No, no, it's more than enough. You don't have to offer anything else," Tyler insisted, his voice filled with a warm gratitude.

Emily, her eyes shining, quickly embraced Tyler. The sudden hug surprised him, his eyes widening. "Tyler, I am very grateful to you."

Tyler felt Emily's body pressed against his, and he registered her chest against his. A blush crept up Tyler's neck. *so sudden,* Tyler thought, the system's notification about his increased libido flashing through his mind.