CHAPTER 264: HEELS, HAMMERS, AND CHAOS ( 264 )

After breakfast.

With a full stomach and steam still lingering in the air behind them, Hazuki and Ridan strolled through the town, the stone-paved streets echoing with the usual morning rhythm—hammers from forges, chatter from merchants, the occasional clink of armor.

Hazuki walked with both hands behind his head, eyes scanning the shops around.

"Hey... Ridan."

"Hmm?" the spirit floated beside him, lazily doing a barrel roll mid-air.

"Where do you think we can find someone who can make a special crystal heel for Ellyn?"

Ridan stopped spinning and squinted thoughtfully. "Hmm... if it were a thousand years ago, we’d just go straight to Old Man Guran. Best crafter in the central kingdoms. He could shape mythril into thread and polish dragon scale into glass."

Hazuki stopped mid-step and glared at him. "Oi! That’s a thousand years ago. The dude’s probably dust by now."

"Probably?" Ridan shrugged, smirking. "He was stubborn. Might’ve turned into a golem just to keep working."

Hazuki sighed. "Be serious."

"I am. Golems don’t complain about overtime."

Hazuki rolled his eyes and started walking again. "Fine. So... no Old Man Guran.Who else?"

Ridan floated beside him in silence for a moment, thinking.

"...We can ask around. There’s always someone in every region who deals with rare materials or ceremonial crafts. Dwarves are known for armor and weapons, but there’s always that one weirdo who makes custom shoes or accessories."

Hazuki muttered, "I don’t want Ellyn wearing golem boots..."

Ridan chuckled. "Then let’s start asking. Tailors. Jewelers. Old ladies who collect shiny rocks. Someone will know."

"Are you sure?" Hazuki asked, still sounding half-lazy, half-hopeful.

Ridan floated backward to face him directly. "Hey... you’re the one asking without even trying. At least try to gather some info first, man."

"Yeah, yeah..."

"Besides," Ridan continued with a smirk, "ain’t you from the modern world? Mr. Big City Convenience? Surely information is important to you guys. Don’t you love researching and data and all that nerd stuff?"

Hazuki narrowed his eyes. "Oi. If I need information, I just tap the smartphone and search."

Ridan raised an eyebrow. "And?"

Hazuki spread his arms. "I don’t have that here."

Ridan floated up, sarcastically wide-eyed. "Wow. I didn’t notice. What gave it away—the complete lack of signal towers or the dragons?"

Hazuki groaned and waved him off. "Fine, fine! I’ll ask around. Geez."

"Good." Ridan nodded smugly. "Because if you ever want to see Ellyn in crystal heels before you’re sixty, you better start acting like an actual fiancé and not a lost tourist."

Hazuki scratched his cheek. "...That kinda hurt."

"It was meant to."

Hazuki walked through the market area and approached the first dwarven smithing stall that looked well-equipped—tools hanging from the walls, sparks flying from a side anvil, and rows of gleaming weapons on display.

"Uh... hello."

The dwarf behind the counter looked up, his beard braided and his arms thicker than most people’s thighs.

"Ah! Mister human!" he bellowed cheerfully. "What d’ye need? Sword? Armor? Shield? Blade? Dagger?" He pointed rapidly at racks behind him.

"Or maybe ye be lookin’ fer long-range stuff, eh? Bow? Arcbow? Crossbow? Throwin’ axe? We got it all, lad! All metal, no nonsense!"

Hazuki hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Umm... actually, I was looking for... you know, uh..."

The dwarf leaned in. "What, lad? Spit it out. Don’t be shy!"

Hazuki scratched his cheek. "If you can... craft a heel for girls?"

"..."

There was silence for exactly half a second.

Then—

"HAAAH!!" the dwarf roared, slamming both hands on the table. "SHOO! SHOO! What d’ye think I am, eh!? A shoemaker fer noble brats!? I forge battle tools, not dainty foot-pokers!!"

Hazuki flinched. "Okay okay! Sorry! Wrong stall!!"

Ridan floated behind him, laughing like a gremlin. "You really opened with that, huh? You didn’t even warm him up—just went straight for the heel."

Hazuki turned around and quickly walked away.

Next place.

"SHOO!! How dare ye come ’ere askin’ for somethin’ like that, lad!"

The dwarf behind the counter flung his tongs down dramatically. "What do ye take me fer, a delicate cobbler!?"

Hazuki raised both hands. "Sorry! Sorry! Wrong shop! Again!!"

He backed away quickly—just as a chunk of iron ore came flying through the air.

Clang!!

It narrowly missed his head and slammed into a nearby barrel, leaving a neat dent.

"Waaah!!" Hazuki yelped, diving behind a cart as the dwarf raged behind him.

"*Next time come ask fer somethin’ that bleeds, not heels!!!"

Hazuki peeked over the cart edge, face pale. "They’re gonna blacklist me from this town..."

Ridan floated down beside him, clearly enjoying the show.

"Well, congratulations. You’re now the official ambassador of ’I Want to Buy Heels in a Forge-Obsessed City.’"

Hazuki groaned, brushing dust off his clothes. "All I wanted was wedding prep. Why is this so hard..."

"Because you’re asking warriors and weapon masters to make fashion accessories."

"...Shut up."

As they turned a corner and left the weapon district behind, Ridan floated beside Hazuki, doing his best to look casual.

"How about... an accessories shop?" he suggested, voice calm, lips twitching like he was trying not to laugh.

Hazuki paused. "Huh... that’s actually a good idea."

He looked around, scanning the signs hanging above the various stalls and shops lining the new street.

"Yeah... let’s find one. Accessories means stuff like shoes, right? Or at least close."

"Definitely close," Ridan nodded, eyes gleaming faintly with mischief.

Inside his mind:

Woo! I can’t wait to see him get yelled at again! Maybe this time they throw shoes at him! Ahahaha—perfect entertainment!

Ridan chuckled gleefully inside his own head, floating just behind Hazuki as they stepped up to a quaint little accessories shop tucked between a potion stall and a rune engraver.

Hazuki approached the wooden counter, a little more cautious this time.

"Uh... hello?"

Inside, a hunched old dwarven woman turned slowly from behind a cluttered display of glowing rings, ornate bracelets, and finely carved staffs.

She had a wizard’s robe on, her silver beard tucked into a belt, and glowing monocles strapped to her forehead.

Hazuki scratched his cheek. "Umm... I was wondering if you could... maybe craft, uh... a heel? You know, like... shoes. For girls. Crystal heel type, custom?"

There was a beat of silence.

Then—

A chunk of firewood suddenly flew across the shop like a missile.

"Eeee!! Chill, grandma!!" Hazuki yelped, ducking just in time as the log splintered against the wall behind him.

"HOW DARE YE!" the old dwarf bellowed, stomping forward with surprising speed. "*Ye come inta my shop—me! A master crafter of magical items—of wands! Of wizard staffs! Of legendary accessories for archmages!—an’ ye ask fer heels!?**"

Hazuki backed up, hands raised. "Okay okay! I didn’t know this was that kinda shop!!"

"At least ask fer enchanted boots, lad! Or a levitation cloak! But heels!? YE STUPID HUMAN!!"

Ridan was rolling in the air, laughing so hard he couldn’t breathe.

"Oh gods!!" he wheezed. "She almost cast Fireball with that log!!"

Hazuki ran out the door, narrowly avoiding a second flying object.

( End Of Chapter )