The three of them approached the shop counter, as an intense exchange between a man and a young woman crackled in the air.
The frustrated voice of the older man reverberated throughout the store, his words echoing, "Sione, we can't keep striking deals with every new adventurer who stumbles in here! Our hard-earned coins are vanishing into thin air!"
Annoyed by his daughter's kindness, he stormed off towards the back, forcefully slamming the door behind him.
Left in his wake, the young woman with captivating brown eyes stepped forward to take his place behind the counter.
Her gaze met Teuila's, causing her eyes to widen in surprise, and with a smile on her face she quickly went to bow but was stopped.
"No need to bow, Sione, I've told you many times before," Teuila reassured her, her voice full of friendliness. "We've come to purchase the finest bow you have available."
Sione nodded, pausing momentarily to gather her thoughts, before disappearing into the back room.
Within moments, Sione's father Tui emerged from the back. Upon spotting Teuila, his anger melted away as he addressed her with respect, bowing while he spoke.
"Princess It's good to see you again, Sione told me you want to buy a bow?"
Teuila acknowledged his words with a nod, then gestured towards Ella. "Yes, my friend Ella here is the one in need."
Ella beamed with happiness and waved at the man, who paused, lost in thought, as realization struck him like lightning as he remembered something.
He hurried back to where he came from under the watchful gaze of the four, wondering what the big man was doing.
After ten minutes of rummaging and clattering, he returned, cradling a bow carefully wrapped in a piece of old fabric.
Tui looked up, about to speak, when his attention was captivated by the young man silently accompanying the two women.
His eyes widened as he saw the four horns and beautiful white scales, causing him to stutter, "Y-y-young man, aren't you the Hero of Aquaria? And the fiancé of our esteemed princess here?"
He met the man's gaze, confirming his identity with a nod before introducing himself, "I'm Archer."
The astonished man shook his head, a broad smile illuminating his face as he extended his hand for a handshake. Archer gratefully accepted the gesture, reciprocating with a firm grip.
''Im Tui, Owner of The Blade's Edge. Let me show you the bow. I think you'll like it.'
Tui's excitement surged as he unveiled the bow concealed beneath the weathered fabric, revealing a stunning sky-blue bow.
It instantly reminded Archer of the Recurve Bows found on Earth, evoking a sense of familiarity and admiration.
Archer extended his hand to pick it up, his fingers wrapped around the bow, and he got a shock, the bow weighed nearly nothing.
The bow felt as if it were nothing more than a small twig. With a nod of assurance, Archer passed the bow over to Ella, inviting her to check it out.
Ella's eyes sparkled with eager anticipation as she accepted the bow, cradling it delicately, and appreciating the perfect craftsmanship.
The smooth texture of the bow's surface felt comforting against her fingertips, enhancing her connection to the weapon.
She marveled at the elegant curves and the beautiful blue color, Ella felt mana flowing through it.
Looking around she spotted some arrows, she made her way over to them. With a swift motion, she positioned an arrow on the bowstring, her perfect movements mesmerized Archer.
She pulled back, the tension built, her focus narrowing on an imaginary target. As Ella pretended to release the arrow, the bow string moved with ease.
Ella's face lit up with a radiant smile, her eyes reflecting a mix of joy and even more happiness.
With a voice brimming with uncontrollable excitement, she exclaimed, "This bow is incredible! It feels as though it was crafted just for me!"
Archer glanced at Tui, who was looking at the half-elf girl with a wide smile as she was examining the bow.
"The bowstring is crafted from boiled troll guts, making it far superior to ordinary ones. The only thing that surpasses it is the legendary Arachne silk."
Tui started to share more details about the bow, his voice filled with enthusiasm.
"The main body of the bow is crafted from Runewood, a rare and potent material obtained from the heart of the Howling Jungle. This bow possesses remarkable power and has the ability to be infused with mana, allowing it to shoot mana arrows. It's an ideal choice for magic users seeking to boost their ranged attacks."
When Archer heard that, he knew it would be perfect for Ella. He then spoke, "How much? And what types of arrows do you have?"
Tui was about to speak, but Sione suddenly rushed off to gather something. Not long after, she returned with four types of arrows in her hands.
She looked at Ella and began speaking, "Well, we have four types in stock: Piercing, Light, Explosive, and the Seeker arrows."
Sione organized the arrows and continued, "The Seeker arrows are very popular. They home in on the chosen target, making them ideal for long-range precision shots."
Ella's eyes shimmered with excitement as she nodded, her gaze fixated on the array of arrows. Archer and Teuila couldn't help but notice her contagious enthusiasm.
The two of them burst into laughter, but their amusement quickly subsided as they saw Ella's puzzled expression, her head tilted slightly to the side.
"Why are you two laughing?" she inquired, her voice tinged with curiosity.
Teuila's smile warmed, and she responded, "We can see how much you adore them."
Ella's smile widened even further, her joy evident in the flicker of her ears. She nodded eagerly, expressing her happiness.
Archer redirected his attention to Tui and Sione, his intention clear. "I'm interested in buying all the arrows you have in stock, along with the bow. How much for it all?"
The father and daughter exchanged astonished glances, and it was Sione who spoke first.
"Well, we've never had someone purchase such a large quantity of arrows before. The total cost would be 100 gold coins. The bow itself is 70 gold coins, considering the rare materials used in its crafting, and the remaining 30 gold coins cover the 10,000 arrows that are currently in stock."
Sione's explanation came to an end, her gaze fixed on Archer. He confidently reached into his pouch and withdrew 150 coins, placing them on the counter with assurance.
Tui accepted the pouch, giving it a slight jingle as he weighed its contents. He nodded in approval, his eyes meeting his daughter's with a smile.
"They've paid the full amount and even a little extra. We truly appreciate your patronage, Princess, Archer, and Ella."
With the transaction completed, they began gathering Archer's order. Bundles of the four kinds of arrows took up so much space that he started to store them in his Item Box.
As time swiftly passed, Archer quickly stored away all the arrows. Just before their departure, Tui approached Ella, presenting her with a sleek and stylish black quiver.
Expressing their gratitude to the father and daughter, they bid farewell to the shop and stepped outside. As they walked, Teuila started to speak.
"El and I could use some armor. It's time we wore something more suitable for battle than our dresses. There's a shop by the docks called Valor's Armory, they sell really well-crafted armor"
Archer and Ella nodded in agreement and they started to follow Teuila through the bustling Aquaria streets.
With each step, the sounds of the city faded, replaced by the distant cries of seagulls and the sounds of waves hitting the docks.
Arriving at their destination, the scene unfolded in front of them was a vibrant hub of commerce and activity.
Sturdy wooden piers extended into the crystal blue waters, forming pathways that weaved through a bustling crowd of sailors, merchants, and dockworkers.
The air was tinged with the smell of the sea, Archer felt refreshed when the air filled his lungs.
Brinebeaks glided through the sky, their calls blending with the distant sounds of creaking cranes and the clatter of cargo being unloaded from ships.
The dockworkers, straining their muscles and faces covered with sweat, were tirelessly moving barrels, crates, and bales onto the docks to be taken to their destinations.
Flags from various kingdoms fluttered and twirled in the gentle breeze, their vivid colors proclaiming the arrival of ships from distant lands.
Each vessel bore its own unique characteristics, and Archer's eyes saw a spectacle of dwarves, elves, Demi-Humans, and countless other races.
Archer gazed at a distant cliff overlooking the docks, his attention was drawn to the sight of children joyfully leaping into the beautiful waters.
Just then, Teuila nudged him gently. "The shop is over here, Arch. It seems to be busy," she remarked, gesturing towards the far end of the road they were on.
Nodding to her, they set off toward their destination, eager to continue on with their journey.
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