Unknown Knight

As the saying goes, money is the key to success. Although 200 copper coins are not worth much, during these days of following the caravan, Aix also roughly knew the value of copper coins. For him who was penniless, it was a lot of money. After confirming with Old John that the bag of money was 100% his, he became more interested. Considering that he was in a chaotic world, in order to avoid being stripped naked again, his personal safety was the first priority. He had to find a way to arm himself, and to improve his strength, he needed equipment. So he said to Old John:

"Look Old John, I need some weapons to protect myself, can you help me?"

Old John first looked at him meaningfully, then nodded with an understanding look, and waved to Bandak, the most burly man among the crowd, and said:

"Old classmate, accompany Mr. Axe to the weapon shop and help him choose a weapon that suits him."

Bandak is an old mercenary. Like Old John, he is a man who has seen the world. It is said that he was a guard of a noble lord when he was young, but he lost his life in a battle due to poor guarding. Since then, he has been away from home to make a living as a mercenary. Fortunately, he met Old John, his comrade-in-arms, and got his current job in the caravan. He is only in his 30s, but he looks like a 40-year-old. People in this era look very old. Old John is actually only 40 years old, but he looks like he is in his 50s. Old Ben usually doesn't like to talk much. There is a vertical scar on his left eyebrow on his cool face, which makes him look even more unapproachable. But he is very polite to Aix and always calls him "sir".

When he came to the weapon shop and saw the highly defensive armors, Axe was excited and wanted to buy one first. However, after trying all the armors in the store, he couldn't find a suitable one. These armors were generally only suitable for people with a physique of about 1.60 meters. Axe's height of 1 meters was considered a big man in that era. The store owner said that he could customize it if needed, but it would take ten days and the price would be twice as expensive.

When it comes to the price, Aix was surprised when he asked the boss. 200 copper coins, which seemed like a lot, were actually a small amount of money compared to the price of weapons in that era. An ordinary sword cost 5-10 silver coins (here 100 copper coins equaled one silver coin). He couldn't even buy a sword with his own money, let alone custom armor that cost at least 20 silver coins.

Lao Ben was an expert. After some bargaining with the owner of the weapons shop, he finally agreed on a rusty sword for 180 copper coins. When he was about to pay, the sharp-eyed Aix saw a pile of weapons and equipment covered with mud and dust next to the furnace in the corner of the shop. They were piled together like dirty rags and were obviously not well received.

"Tsk, this is some Nord pirate trash! If you want, you can pick any one for 100 copper coins."

The boss saw that he was interested in the pile of things that were ready to be recycled and said with disdain.

"Nordic pirate?"

Aix looked at Bandak in confusion.

"Just a bunch of pirates from the northern seas."

Bandak also had a look of disdain on his face.

"These must be the spoils of war that the local lord got when he was suppressing the pirates. Sir, are you interested in these things? We locals hate these damn bastards very much. We generally don't use weapons and armor of their style. Moreover, these things are very dirty, especially the armor. The smell is simply disgusting. We can only recycle them and melt them down to make other things."

Bandak looked at Aix, whose eyes were filled with eagerness, and gave kind advice.

Aix didn't care about the local contempt chain. What he needed was something to save his life. He didn't have much money, so why bother pretending to be noble? So he walked over to search. As soon as he got close, he was almost knocked down by the stench mixed with the smell of fish. However, for the sake of his future safety, he held his breath and endured it, and searched carefully.

Seeing that Aix was insisting, Bandak had no choice but to come over to help. Finally, with his help, Aix found a half-length chain mail with leather lining and half-sleeve chain mail on the outside, and a Nord sword that had been cut and bent. This chain mail is light and has good protection. The inner layer of rough leather adds some protection, especially for defending against arrows and crossbows. It can also play a role in heat preservation. In addition, the Nords are taller than the locals. Aix pinched his nose and roughly compared it and it was a good fit. The Nord sword is in good condition except that the blade is bent. There is no cut, but there is a little curling of the blade.

"Plop!" Bandak threw the two things in front of the boss like trash and said:

"how much is it?"

"200 copper coins."

The boss didn't even raise his eyelids.

"100 pieces. These two things won't be worth much even if you melt them down."

Bandak said expressionlessly.

"150."

"120, no more."

Bandak made a move to leave.

"Okay, 120."

The boss shrugged indifferently.

"This sword needs some repair."

Old Ben kicked the bent Nord sword again.

"It costs 30 copper coins."

"I've been a mercenary for more than ten years, so I know the price. Boss, this sword is just a little bent. I'm not asking you to make a new one. The most I can give you is 10 copper coins."

Bandak yelled.

Aix, who was looking at the casting tools in the weapon shop, suddenly thought of something and said to the boss:

"I can give you 20 copper coins, but you have to repair it according to my requirements."

"Sure, but if it's too much trouble you'll have to pay extra."

The owner of the weapons shop said unceremoniously.

"That's really like a lady," Aix said in his heart.

So Aix found a wooden barrel and filled it with water, and then took a pile of charcoal ash from the stove and mixed it with iron filings from the forging table. He asked the boss to heat the sword until it was red, softened and straightened, and then quickly put it into the barrel to cool, then heat it red again and forge it, and then put it into the barrel to cool, and after several reciprocating cycles, put it into the furnace to slightly heat it red, and finally put it into the mixture of charcoal ash and iron filings to slowly cool it down.

This seemingly simple method did not waste much effort for the owner of the weapon shop, and Bandak cried out that it was not worth it. He did not know that this was the famous "quenching" and "tempering". Although Aix's method was relatively rough and did not completely achieve the ideal effect of quenching and tempering, and there was no significant change on the surface of the sword, in fact, the hardness and toughness had been greatly improved, and it was difficult to bend it. This was what Aix saw in a documentary. It is estimated that this technology should not be popular in this era. After a little polishing, the Nord sword was repaired.

When the two left, Bandak felt that he had been cheated, remembering that Aix had once made a wooden spear, and he insisted on taking an iron spear head from the pile of old weapons of the Nord pirates, which made Aix laugh and cry.

On the way back to the inn where the caravan was staying, Bandak frowned and pointed at the chain mail on the tip of the iron spear and said:

"Sir, are you sure you want to wear this Nord pirate armor? The smell is hard to get rid of. I heard that some people get sick after wearing Nord pirate clothes. This will damage your status."

“It’s nothing.”

Aix said confidently that he had actually already thought of a way to deal with this chain mail.

After returning to the inn, Aix borrowed a large pot from the innkeeper through Old John, put some wood ash into the water, washed the chain mail and put it into the pot, boiled it over high heat for about half an hour, then took it out and rinsed it. After being treated with weakly alkaline wood ash and boiling water, it not only cleaned the dirt on the chain mail and killed the bacteria on it, but also made the loose leather lining more stylish and more comfortable to wear.

To be on the safe side, Aix gave Yamila another 10 copper coins and asked her to buy some lavender, put it in the pot and pour in clean water, then put the chain mail in the pot again and simmered it on low heat for an hour, then took it out and hung it by the fire to slowly dry.

After a night like this, a clean half-length mail armor was completed the next morning. When Aix put on this brand new half-length mail armor, not only did the stains and stench on it disappear, but even the metal chains looked shiny and had a faint lavender scent. When worn on Aix, who was originally a little thin, it actually brought out a bit of heroic spirit. Seeing him full of satisfaction and contentment, everyone envied him, especially Bandak, who knew the true appearance of this stinky fish rag. If time did not allow, he would also like to make one in the same way.

At this time, Jamila brought a set of fine linen clothes and a pair of leather boots. Old John came over and explained to Aix:

"I have been doing business in deserted villages for a few days, but couldn't buy any decent clothes. As soon as I arrived in Dehrim City yesterday, I asked the tailor shop to make this set of clothes overnight. However, the caravan has limited financial resources and can't afford to make clothes with better fabrics. I hope you don't mind, sir."

What else could Aix say after hearing this? Although he was very happy in his heart, his face was very hypocritical. He pretended to refuse for a long time. Bandak saw this and added that this was also to thank him for recovering the losses for the caravan yesterday. Only then did he shamelessly accept it.

As the saying goes, clothes make the man, and saddles make the horse. After taking off the tattered and damp linen, Axe put on new clothes and boots, put on the half-body mail armor, and then carried the Nord longsword that Bandak had helped to polish on his back. At first glance, he looked like the swordsman who roamed the world in Hengdian Film and Television City, except for a bamboo hat and a cloak.

When Aix appeared in front of everyone wearing this outfit, it caused quite a stir. Everyone sighed, especially Yamila, whose eyes were already dazed and intoxicated, as if she had seen her husband who had returned home after a long absence, and she came up to help tidy up his clothes.

Just like the moon surrounded by stars, under the urging of everyone, Aix and his party left the hotel and left the city of Dehrim.

Aix, who was in the spotlight for a while, looked calm on the surface, but was actually panicking inside. He even wondered if he had the physique of a star. Didn't he just change into a new set of clothes? Could it be that the chain mail he wore yesterday had a charm attribute bonus? Although he looked down on everyone psychologically as a civilized person in the 21st century, he was originally a loser, and suddenly he seemed to have become an important figure in the caravan. How could he not panic inside? He was just afraid that he would not be able to hold it in for too long.

Fortunately, this panic did not last long. A small episode made him realize something, as if he knew the reason, but then he fell into distressed thinking again.

That was when the caravan had just left the gate of Dehrim. A horse team drove out of the city, causing quite a commotion. Pedestrians on the road automatically gave way to the side of the road when they saw the oncoming horse team. A man in bright clothes and riding a horse in the horse team was particularly conspicuous. He was wearing a burgundy velvet coat, a bow and arrow wrapped in white mink on his waist, and riding a black horse with gorgeous equipment. At first glance, he was obviously a wealthy nobleman.

"The Lord City Lord is so majestic. It looks like he is going out of the city to hunt."

Axe heard someone whisper next to him.

"That's a Nai Bo, like you?"

Pointing at the city lord and his party who were going away, Yamila whispered to Aix that since he put on the new "equipment" today, it seemed that his charm attribute had really increased. Yamila, who used to keep a certain distance from him, almost never left his side today.

"Naibo?"

It was a new word and Axe had no idea what it meant.

"Yes, Naibo, this city is the fief of Lord Naibo."

Yamila nodded affirmatively.

Only then did Aix understand the meaning of the word "Naibo". It should be a noble or some kind of title of aristocracy. Suddenly he realized that Yamila regarded himself as a noble. No wonder everyone behaved so strangely since yesterday, making him feel flattered and guilty. If everyone regarded him as a noble, then it would explain it.

You have to know that in ancient times, when people were clearly distinguished between superiors and inferiors, the concept of class was engraved in people's bones, especially in the Western Middle Ages. Before the invention of guns, the status of nobility would produce a psychological pressure on the common people similar to the antagonism of species, just like mice are afraid of civet cats, and beasts avoid lions and tigers. However, he was still not sure in his heart, so he cunningly whispered to Yamila:

"How did you know? Who else knows?"

"Originally, only my father and Uncle Ben knew about it. My father told me and asked me to keep it a secret. But after you showed off your prowess in the beer workshop yesterday, everyone started to think so. They are still discussing it in private. Some say you are from the Khergit Khanate, and some say you are from the Sarand Emirate."

Yamila said to him proudly, like a little gossip.

"Really? I'm not, don't say that."

Axel was afraid that the misunderstanding would deepen, so he spoke subconsciously.

"Don't worry. When you and Uncle Ben went to buy weapons yesterday, Father told everyone not to tell anyone outside the team about this, including the three people we hired temporarily yesterday."

Axel knew that he couldn't explain it clearly, so he tilted his head and shrugged without comment. He said nothing more, but he started to make some calculations in his mind.

Since coming to this world, he has nothing, and he almost lost his life, not to mention the protagonist benefits, golden fingers, system bonus points, consciousness space, exchange platform, etc. that other traversers have as standard. Now being mistaken for a noble is the biggest advantage he has gained since crossing over.

Since it is an advantage, we must grasp and use it well, so that it can become a favorable factor. But since it is a misunderstanding, the truth may come out one day, so how can we avoid being exposed? He thought about it for a long time, but couldn't think of any effective way for a while. In the end, he had to decide to hold an attitude of neither denying nor admitting for the time being and wait and see how the situation develops.