Chapter 316: Lead The Way…

The woman stopped laughing and turned her head. Madoc and Osmund also looked back, their expressions one of mild intrigue. Only Finn remained still, his gaze fixed on the plain sword in the woman’s hands.

A girl stepped forward into Finn’s peripheral vision. She was young, with sharp, intelligent eyes and a posture that radiated an inherent nobility. As she drew closer, the woman’s eyes widened, and she immediately bowed her head low. She held a fist tightly against her chest in a gesture of profound respect. Even the surrounding stalls went silent as the crowd noticed the newcomer, and the atmosphere immediately became solemn and heavy.

“Noble Xiph Nova,” the woman whispered, her voice full of awe.

The girl waved her hand dismissively. “Just call me Nova. There is no need for such formality in a marketplace.”

The woman obliged, but her voice was still hesitant. “Noble… Nova. My craft is many leagues below what you are used to. While I am honored by your interest, you could surely get much greater artifacts from the legends of Mechanus. I wouldn’t dare give a Noble Xiph something that pales in comparison to what you already carry.”

She looked at Finn and then back at the girl. “And more importantly, I would have to disappoint you… for I have already promised to consider this young man’s request.”

The crowd gasped. The woman had just denied a princess of the Mechanus empire. It was an act of bravery, or perhaps madness, that everyone expected to be met with anger.

But Nova simply smiled and looked at the woman with a new level of respect.

“What is your name?” she asked.

“Dana…” the woman replied hesitantly.

“You are a true artifact nurturer, Dana,” Nova nodded. “I can see that you care more for the destiny of your work than the status of the buyer. I very much admire that.”

She turned her gaze to the plain sword. “I lost one of my named swords in a recent expedition outside the city. I haven’t had the time to begin the long process of nurturing a new one from scratch. Your unattuned masterpiece is so well-crafted that it would provide a solid base for me to start from. It would save me months of work. That is why I am so interested in it.”

It finally made sense to Dana why someone of Nova’s stature would be interested in her work. A masterpiece that had never been attuned was a rare find, especially one with such structural depth.

Nova turned to Finn, her eyes meeting his with a steady, searching look. She seemed surprised by how calm he was. Most people of his age would be stumbling over their words in her presence, yet Finn looked as though he were merely talking to a neighbor.

“I don’t suppose you would be willing to sell the sword to me after you purchase it?” Nova asked. “I can offer you ten times what Dana is asking.”

Finn smiled softly. “I don’t think it would be right to buy such a good piece of work and then sell it off right in front of its creator. It would be an insult to the soul she put into it.”

Nova nodded, a ghost of a surprised look flickering in her eyes. “You are right. I apologize, Dana. I was being insensitive to the craft.”

The apology only seemed to make Dana more uncomfortable. She offered a perfunctory response, but it was barely above a mutter, so no one heard.

Nova, on the other hand, paused for a moment, thinking of a solution to the current matter. “We should do this like honorable people,” she said, looking back at Finn.

“You have been termed worthy but incompatible by the creator of the sword herself. And I am both worthy and compatible, but I would be stepping out of bounds by taking it from you…”

“So why don’t we have a battle to decide who gets to claim it? You can prove your compatibility through your skill, and I can earn the right to the sword through mine.”

The suggestion drew a sharp intake of breath from the onlookers. Dana looked flabbergasted. Her small, quiet stall was suddenly the center of a duel between a Noble Xiph and a powerful, mysterious Ossuarist.

Madoc and Osmund shared a look of amusement. They were the only ones who didn’t seem worried for Finn.

Finn nodded, his smile widening as he looked at Nova. “That sounds like a fair arrangement,” he said. “Of course. Why not? Let’s battle.”

He stepped away from the stall and moved toward the open space of the street, gesturing for her to lead the way to the nearest arena. The crowd immediately began to scramble to clear a path, their excitement reaching a fever pitch. A battle between such individuals over a plain, dusty sword was exactly the kind of story that Stratus was built for.

Finn felt the weight of the “city’s law” begin to settle over them as they agreed to battle. He could feel the invisible threads of a pact waiting to be formed once they spoke their terms.

Finn wasn’t worried about the sword, nor was he worried about Nova. Those were minor issues. That wasn’t to say he wasn’t interested in seeing how Nova fought. But what intrigued him more was getting to see the mechanics of this pact thing by himself, and also if the person at the top of the dome would finally take notice of him.

He walked with a light step, his hands returning to his pockets. Madoc and Osmund fell in behind him, their expressions calm and expectant. The journey for retribution had taken an unexpected turn, but Finn was more than willing to follow it. He wanted to see how deep the rules of this city truly went.

“Lead the way, Nova,” Finn said. “I’m curious to see what a Noble of Mechanus can do.”

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Astrl

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