"I mean no offense, but most hired knights don't have the best reputation." Eiton shook his head. He kept using the term "hired knight" rather than the more dismissive "hedge knight." "You're still young. I believe you've got plenty of opportunities ahead of you."
"No," Alex cut in, puzzled as to why this old blacksmith was suddenly trying to talk him out of leaving, instead of minding his business. "I've made up my mind. I'm going to the Wall to join the Night's Watch. It's the only place left for me to earn some measure of honor. Wearing black is my destiny."
"Your destined path…" The old smith trailed off. Something seemed to flicker behind his eyes, and the corners of them glistened. He didn't try to persuade Alex any further. "Good lad. May the Seven bless you."
"May the Seven bless us all," Alex replied.
Eiton picked up Alex's armor again. "This set could fetch 450 silver stags."
"And this sword… it could sell for 180." The blacksmith lifted the hand-and-a-half sword, inspecting the wear on the blade. "But I wouldn't recommend selling it. The Watch provides equipment, sure—but nothing beats the feel of a weapon you know well, right?"
You're really sticking your nose in deep, old man.
"I think you've misunderstood," Alex said quickly, improvising on the spot. "I'm not pawning this off just because the Watch supplies gear—I'm not trying to take advantage. It's just… once I swear my oath, I won't be able to care for my parents anymore. I want to leave them with as much coin as I can. That way, I can leave in peace."
"Your parents… they're not noble?"
"Obviously not."
"No offense meant," Eiton muttered, shaking his head. "If the money's meant to honor your parents, then I won't take advantage of you either. I'll give you 550 for the armor, and 200 for the sword."
"Thank you, sir." Alex was genuinely surprised. He hadn't expected a quick lie to net him another half a gold dragon.
"And…" The blacksmith paused, hesitating. Then, as if steeling himself, he added, "Since you're short on coin, I might have a job for you."
That caught Alex off guard. What kind of work could a blacksmith in Harrenhal possibly offer a total stranger like him?
Not that he cared. He was planning to head for Saltstone soon and didn't want to be bogged down with any side quests.
But considering he'd just scored over a hundred silver stags from the old man, brushing him off entirely would feel… ungrateful. So he opted for a softer response.
"I'm not a hired knight anymore."
"Yes, yes, of course," Eiton nodded quickly, and Alex's refusal only seemed to make his cover story more convincing. "It's not a combat job. I just… since you're heading to the Wall anyway, I was hoping you could deliver something for me."
Wait, you're giving me something? Alex's eyes lit up.
He didn't care about odd jobs, but items? That was different. Once something was in his hands, it was his.
"I'm listening," he said with interest.
"I want you to find a ranger named Dawell at Shadow Tower and give him a sigil sword," the old smith explained.
Oh, you're giving me a sigil sword? You're practically a saint! Alex nodded eagerly.
"So you'll do it?"
"Of course. If it's on the way, I've got no problem with that."
Eiton gave a firm nod and disappeared into a back room.
Ding! Optional quest updated.
Anne's voice chimed in his mind. Alex immediately closed his eyes and opened the system interface.
> Quest Discovered: The Lion in Shadow
Description: The old blacksmith possesses a sigil sword and wants you to deliver it to Dawell, a ranger at Shadow Tower.
Reward: Unknown
Bonus Reward: Unknown
[Accept (Cost: 1 Point)] [Decline]
Alex instinctively moved to tap "Accept." After all, one point in the store only got you a coin pouch worth 300 silver stags. A sigil sword, meanwhile, was easily worth three gold dragons or more. Using one point to get one? Total bargain.
But just as his finger hovered over the icon, a bold idea struck him.
What happens if I click "Decline"?
According to the game organizers, this world was completely real. If that were true, then the old blacksmith should be a real person. Whether he entrusted Alex with the sword or not shouldn't depend on a game system.
So if Eiton suddenly flipped out just because Alex rejected the quest in the system… then he wasn't human. He'd be an AI NPC.
Alex moved his finger off [Accept] and tapped [Decline].
A few moments later, Eiton returned—holding the sword.
"This is forged from castle-forged steel. Flawless craftsmanship." He handed the weapon over. "It belonged to a friend of mine in my youth. No need to talk about him." He shook his head.
No rage? No reaction? Alex's heart jumped in satisfaction. It wasn't a glitch exactly, but it saved him a point. Definitely a win.
He accepted the sword, noting immediately how heavy it felt. It was the same length as his old blade, but carried noticeably more weight.
He drew it from its leather sheath. The blade had a slightly dim luster, with a few minor nicks along the edge—but nowhere near as worn as his previous sword. He ran a finger along the steel—razor sharp.
"Remember," Eiton said seriously, "deliver this sword directly to Dawell at Shadow Tower. He's a blond man, around thirty-five."
He hesitated again, then gave a sheepish chuckle. "Though… he's been up on the Wall for over ten years now. He might look a bit older than you'd expect."
"In any case, don't hand it off to anyone else. If he's not there when you arrive, take it back with you. Wait for the right time. Don't just leave it with another brother."
"Can I ask why?" Alex felt a flicker of suspicion. "Is there a message I'm supposed to deliver along with it?"
Eiton didn't seem to expect the question. He gave Alex a long look, then shook his head.
"No. No message. Once he sees the sword… he'll understand everything."
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