This meant it was not the kind of cursed item that would go out of control the moment it was touched.
Nor was it an evil weapon that would instantly devour the user's sanity.
It had side effects, but they were at least temporarily controllable.
Moreover, he had a storage ring.
He could keep it in the ring normally instead of wearing it close to his body, only taking it out when he needed to use it.
This way, the impact of the blood energy infusion on him would be minimized.
A Purple-quality weapon in exchange for such a small, controllable risk.
It was completely worth it.
One could even say that to a wizard apprentice, this tiny side effect was nothing more than a negligible nuisance.
The more Matthew thought about it, the clearer it became.
The pleasant surprise was still there.
But it had already been suppressed by his rationality.
He showed no urgency, merely reaching out to pick up the Blood-Veined Rapier to test its weight.
It was very light.
Lighter than an ordinary longsword, yet without any cheap or flimsy floatiness.
The sword's center of gravity was extremely stable, giving off a sharp yet smooth feeling when held.
Matthew gave it a gentle swing.
The blade sliced through the air with almost no resistance.
Standing nearby, Aidan felt his skin tighten.
He could not see the panel, but he could sense that this sword was unusual.
“Brother Matthew...”
He lowered his voice.
“There really seems to be something off about this sword.”
Matthew said calmly, “Yes.”
The shop owner quickly spoke up.
“Don't misunderstand, guest. Good swords always have some sort of presence. Only ordinary iron swords feel like nothing at all.”
Matthew did not reply to him, merely looking down at the dark-red patterns on the blade.
“Where did this sword come from?”
The shop owner smiled.
“A guest left it here for consignment.”
“Which guest?”
The shop owner shook his head.
“I can't say. We are open for business, so we have to follow the rules.”
Matthew did not press further, changing the question instead.
“Why isn't it displayed in the front hall?”
The smile on the shop owner's face grew a bit unnatural.
“This sword... some guests don't like it.”
“Just because of the style?”
The shop owner hesitated for a moment.
“Not entirely. A buyer tried it out a few days ago and said that holding it made his palms feel cold, and he easily got nightmares at night. So, he returned it later.”
Aidan's expression changed slightly.
“Nightmares?”
The shop owner quickly said, “It might just be that the guest was cowardly. A truly good sword naturally has some special qualities.”
Matthew glanced at the shop owner.
The other party was deflecting the main issue.
However, this was not important.
Matthew already knew much more than the shop owner through his panel.
What he truly cared about was something else.
“You mentioned just now that its origin is special.”
The shop owner fell silent for a moment, then lowered his voice.
“I heard it came from the Theater District. The original owner was eager to get rid of it, so the price is lower than a normal Purple Rank weapon.”
The Theater District.
Matthew's eyes flickered imperceptibly.
The stall owners by the roadside earlier had also mentioned the Theater District.
Bloodthirsty monster.
Biting people on sight.
Face as pale as a corpse.
Slain easily by patrol guards.
And now, "blood energy infusion," "vampire aura," and "bloodthirsty dreams" had appeared on this Blood-Veined Rapier.
The two matters might not necessarily be connected.
But Matthew would not overlook such a coincidence.
What ordinary people saw was merely a crazed, biting monster.
They did not know why the monster had gone mad, what it actually was, or where the abnormality on its body originated.
Yet this sword might share the same origin as that abnormality.
Looking again at the small half-face mask motif on the guard.
It did not look like a casually carved decoration.
It looked more like some kind of mark.
Theater, mask, blood energy, bloodthirsty monster.
These clues brushed against each other in Matthew's mind, but they did not immediately form a complete answer.
He was in no hurry.
On his first day in the royal capital, he should not rush to dig too deep.
The most important thing right now was to acquire this sword.
Matthew put the Blood-Veined Rapier back into the case.
“How much?”
The shop owner's spirits lifted.
“One hundred and fifty gold coins.”
Aidan almost failed to control his expression.
One hundred and fifty gold coins.
This was already an enormous sum.
Yet Matthew's face showed no change whatsoever.
For he knew very well that if this were a Purple-quality weapon with no side effects and a clean origin, one hundred and fifty gold coins might not even buy it.
The problem was that it had side effects.
And its origin was not clean either.
Since there were issues, he had to drive the price down.
Matthew said calmly, “Eighty.”
The shop owner's face instantly changed.
“Guest, you are slashing the price too hard. This is a Purple Rank weapon.”
Matthew's tone was peaceful.
“It has issues.”
The shop owner choked.
Matthew continued, “Its origin is unknown, it was returned by someone, you dare not display it in the front hall, it feels cold when held, and it causes nightmares at night.”
He looked at the shop owner, his voice not rising.
“If it didn't have these problems, it wouldn't have remained until now.”
The smile on the shop owner's face grew somewhat stiff.
Standing nearby, Aidan secretly admired him.
He had clearly been able to tell just now that Brother Matthew cared a lot about this sword.
Yet now, Matthew spoke in a tone so calm it seemed as if he could walk away from it at any moment.
This calmness instead stripped the shop owner of his confidence.
The shop owner gritted his teeth.
“One hundred and thirty. Guest, this is already low.”
Matthew shook his head.
“Ninety.”
“One hundred and twenty.”
Matthew reached out and closed the sword case.
“Then you can keep it.”
The shop owner's face instantly changed, and he quickly pressed down on the case.
“Wait.”
Matthew stopped his movement and looked at him.
The flesh on the shop owner's face twitched, as if he were making a massive concession.
“One hundred. One hundred gold coins. Guest, this is truly my floor price. If this item weren't indeed a bit unusual, I would never sell it at this price.”
Matthew did not answer immediately.
He looked at the shop owner's face.
The other party's heartache was real.
His eagerness to sell was also real.
Buying a Purple-quality longsword for one hundred gold coins, even with side effects, was still extremely cost-effective.
One could even say it was an unexpected pleasant surprise.
Matthew had already made up his mind.
On the surface, he merely nodded calmly.
“Very well.”
The shop owner let out a sigh of relief, though he still felt a pang of heartache.
Aidan silently glanced at Matthew.
One hundred gold coins.
It would be a lie to say he wasn't shocked.
But he also understood that Brother Matthew never bought things just for show.
Since he spent so much money, this sword must have value.
After the payment was made, the shop owner wanted to help Matthew wrap the sword.
Matthew did not let him touch it too much, only asking him to bring clean cloth, and then wrapped the sword case himself.
When they left the weapon shop, the sunlight fell upon them once more.
Aidan followed beside him, holding it in the entire way, before finally failing to resist asking in a low voice, “Brother Matthew, this sword has problems, so why did you still buy it?”
Matthew did not answer immediately.
Walking along the edge of the crowd, his gaze swept over the people passing by on the street, and his voice was very low.
“Just because it has problems doesn't mean it can't be used.”
Aidan frowned.
“But the shop owner also said it causes nightmares.”
Matthew said, “The key is to know where the problem lies.”
Aidan seemed to understand yet not quite.
Matthew continued, “Unknown dangers are the most troublesome. Once you know what problems it has, you can find a way to avoid them.”
Aidan fell silent for a moment, then nodded.
“I understand.”
In truth, he did not completely understand.
But he understood at least one thing.
Brother Matthew had not failed to see the risk.
It was just that this risk was controllable in Brother Matthew's eyes.
Matthew did not explain further.
He stored the wrapped sword case into his storage ring.
As long as he did not wear it close to his body, the impact of the blood energy infusion would weaken.
He would only take it out when needed.
The boost that such a Purple-quality weapon could bring him at a critical moment was far more important than that small, controllable side effect.
The two of them did not continue wandering for too long.
Matthew had already achieved his most important goal for going out today.
It had even far exceeded his expectations.
Originally, he had only wanted to familiarize himself with the royal capital, look at the weapon market, and try his luck at finding a better sword.
Yet on his very first day in the royal capital, he had been given a Purple-quality Blood-Veined Rapier.
Finding it so easily without any effort.
This pleasant surprise still made Matthew's heart feel somewhat warm.
But he suppressed that warmth deep inside, not letting it show.
The greater the harvest, the less one could lose composure.
Because the greater the harvest, the more likely trouble was hidden behind it.
After returning to the Gold Lion Inn, Matthew had Aidan guard outside the door.
“If anyone comes, tell them I am resting.”
Aidan immediately nodded.
“Yes.”
Matthew closed the door, checked the door lock, then checked the windows. After confirming there was nothing abnormal in the room, he sat down at the table and took out the Blood-Veined Rapier.
The black long case was placed on the table.
The lid of the case opened.
The silver-grey blade lay quietly inside, its dark-red blood veins flickering in and out of view under the light.
Matthew's gaze fell upon the panel once more.
【Blood-Veined Rapier】
【Quality: Purple】
【Traits: Sharpness, Lightness, Weak Lifesteal】
【Abnormal Residue: Unknown blood energy infusion】
【Risk Warning: Long-term close-body wear may trigger bloodthirsty dreams and mental agitation.】
【Evaluation: Crafted from special Blood-Veined Steel, having once come into contact with a vampire aura. Low risk for short-term use, caution is required for long-term use.】
Seeing the word "Purple" for the second time, Matthew still felt an irrepressible sense of satisfaction in his heart.
This was his first true harvest since arriving in the royal capital.
Not information.
Not lodging.
Not conveniences granted by others.
But something he could hold in his hand, something that could directly increase his combat strength in times of danger.
Sharpness.
Lightness.
Weak Lifesteal.
These three traits suited him perfectly.
He was not a heavy-armored Knight, nor was he a pure Strength-type Class holder.
This rapier was light and quick to strike, suitable for sudden draws, self-defense, delivering a finishing blow, and using during spell intervals.
Energy Missile could provide ranged attacks.
The Blood-Veined Rapier could make up for his shortcomings in close combat.
The combination of the two was far more flexible than his previous reliance on a Blue-quality longsword.
Matthew reached out his hand. Instead of directly grasping the hilt, he gently swept his Spirit across the blade.
The blood veins glowed slightly.
That cold, dry feeling, carrying a sweet, metallic scent, surfaced once more.
It did not force its way into Matthew's spiritual sea, nor did it immediately cause discomfort.
Just like an extremely faint shadow clinging to the depths of the blade.
Matthew observed for a moment, feeling even more secure in his heart.
The risk indeed existed.
But short-term contact would not have much of an impact.
As long as he did not wear it close to his body long-term, did not use it casually when his mind was weak, and did not allow the blood energy to infuse his body for long periods, this sword could completely become one of his trump cards.
Matthew's gaze fell upon the guard once more.
Carved there was a very small half-face mask motif.
During the day in the weapon shop, he had only scanned it cursorily.
Looking closely now, the motif was even more detailed than he had imagined.
Half of a mask covered one side of the face, its edges resembling rose vines, and also like open bat wings.
Matthew gently touched it with his Spirit.
The blood veins on the blade seemed to glow for an instant.
It was very faint.
Almost fleeting.
Matthew's eyes darkened slightly.
This was no ordinary decoration.
The Theater District.
Bloodthirsty monster.
Vampire aura.
Blood-Veined Rapier.
Half-face mask motif.
These clues emerged slowly in his mind like thin threads.
He could not yet be certain of the relationship between them.
But he had already realized that the origin of this sword was likely not clean.
It might involve some hidden force in the Theater District.
Or it might be related to that so-called "bloodthirsty monster."
Even the monster slain by the patrol guards might not truly be a simple monster.
Perhaps it was just a person contaminated by blood energy.
Perhaps it was some kind of failure.
Perhaps it was a negligible bit of residue from a much larger event.
Ordinary people saw the residue, discussed it in terror for a few moments, and then went back to their business.
Meanwhile, this sword in Matthew's hand might just point to what lay behind the residue.
He did not continue to stimulate the blade further.
Nor did he immediately go to the Theater District to ask around out of curiosity.
Today was enough.
On his very first day in the royal capital, what he needed was to settle down, observe, reap harvests, and control risks.
It was not to actively barge into the territory of some unknown force.
Matthew put the Blood-Veined Rapier away once more.
The moment the sword case closed, most of that cold aura was also shut away.
Leaning against the back of his chair, he let out a soft breath.
His mood finally settled down slowly.
The pleasant surprise was still there.
His vigilance was also present.
These two emotions did not conflict.
A Purple-quality longsword was enough to satisfy him.
Yet the blood energy and mask motif behind the sword reminded him that the royal capital was not a place that gave out benefits for free.
Opportunities were often bound to risks.
The county seat could not give him such things.
Nor would the county seat let him encounter a Purple-quality weapon and suspected vampire clues on his very first day going out.
The royal capital could.
This city was more dangerous than the county seat.
But it was also more generous than the county seat.
As long as he had the eye, the strength, and sufficient caution, he could dig up much more from here.
Matthew stood up and walked to the window.
Outside the window, it was still bustling.
Sunlight fell upon the flagstone road, as merchants, guards, carriage drivers, noble carriages, and patrol squads passed through the streets. In the distance, the Clock Tower once again tolled its low bell, and the entire royal capital was like a massive and complex machine, still operating slowly according to its own rhythm.
Matthew looked at all of this, his eyes gradually calming.
His first day in the royal capital.
He had witnessed the prosperity of this city.
He had heard the rumors in the shadows.
And he had also obtained a truly valuable Purple weapon.
Although this weapon had some slight side effects, before Matthew, a Second-Grade Apprentice, they were practically negligible.
It was a pure boost to his combat strength!
Things he had searched for in vain in the county seat without any information had actually been so easily obtained upon arriving in the royal capital!
“This royal capital is indeed a blessed land.”
But all of this was merely the beginning of Matthew's development. Once the academy began to recover, Matthew would elevate himself even further!
...
...
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