Abe the Wizard

Chapter 19 Gambling

Tall and thin Joshua smirked and said, "Martin, I think we've probably been deceived. How could that Hundred Refinements Great Sword be forged by him?"

"Hundred Refinements Great Sword?" Abner turned to look at Zack. Was his older brother showing off a gift he received?

Zack rubbed his hands awkwardly, stole a glance at Emily, and said, "It came up in conversation with Emily. These three guys don't believe that my brother helped me forge the Hundred Refinements Great Sword. We were just arguing about it."

Abner looked at his older brother in silence. Their father had always talked about how mature and steady his older brother was, but now he seemed completely smitten with Emily.

"That was a practice piece from my forging studies," Abner explained calmly.

Upon hearing Abner say that the Hundred Refinements Great Sword was a practice piece, everyone couldn't help but feel speechless. The idea that a sword that could only be forged by a master craftsman was labeled as a practice piece left them feeling a surge of disbelief.

"Who did you study forging with?" Emily asked, flashing her beautiful eyes.

"I studied forging with Master Bensham," Abner replied honestly, showing a very amiable attitude towards the girl who might become his future sister-in-law.

Martin couldn't help but interject, "Master Bensham is a respected forging master. How long did you study with the master?"

"For a month," Abner replied.

Martin, Bob, and Emily were all shocked and said in unison, "My goodness, that's unbelievable!"

"Do you really believe that this kid only studied for a month and could forge the Hundred Refinements Great Sword? Even if his teacher is Master Bensham," Joshua sneered.

"It's none of your business!" Emily cut off Joshua without mercy.

Joshua and Zack both liked Emily, and she knew it. However, she was very disdainful of the behavior of trying to please herself by belittling someone else's young brother. Emily knew that Zack would not lie to her.

Joshua looked at Abner with disgust, pursed his lips, and sarcastically said, "Abner, don't pass off Master Bensham's work as your own just to save face."

Zack, with a face full of anger, shouted, "Joshua, if you keep talking nonsense, don't blame me for turning against you!"

Martin stepped forward and separated the two, saying, "It's easy to find out if it's Master Bensham's work. The Giant Hammer Weapon Shop is right ahead. Let's have their appraiser check it out, okay?"

"Of course," Zack glanced at the calm-looking Abner, and after Abner nodded to him, he said.

Joshua laughed heartily and said, "Zack, do you really believe that Abner can forge the Hundred Refinements Great Sword? Let's make a bet." With that, Joshua patted the greatsword on his back and continued, "I'll use this genuine work of Master Bensham as the bet. If that sword is not Master Bensham's work, then I lose, and this greatsword will be yours. If it is Master Bensham's work, then your greatsword will be mine. Dare to bet?"

Martin quickly stepped forward and said, "There's no need to play such a big bet. Forget about the bet, let's just treat everyone to a good meal."

Even Bob, who had remained silent, also stepped forward to persuade, "We're all friends, why don't we just bet on treating everyone to a good meal?"

Joshua teased, "Are you scared, Zack?"

Emily, however, didn't care about it and shouted, "I'll be the judge. Whoever dares to be a sore loser, watch me deal with them."

Martin and Bob looked at the excited Emily and couldn't help but sigh. With her around, the gambling could not be stopped.

Abner couldn't help but furrow his brows slightly. Since they first met, Joshua had constantly belittled him. Although there had been some arguments before he arrived, it was clear that they were just minor matters between friends.

"I'll take the bet," Zack said angrily. Joshua had continually ridiculed himself and his younger brother in front of Emily, and his heart was already full of anger.

Seeing that things had come to this, everyone hurried to the Giant Hammer Weapon Shop.

The Giant Hammer Weapon Shop was a*****e in Harvest City specializing in weapons and armor. As soon as they entered, they saw a huge counter made of ironwood, which was able to bear the weight of the weapons in this world, which were very large and heavy.

"Welcome, gentlemen and ladies, to the Giant Hammer Weapon Shop. I am the shopkeeper, Ted. How can I assist you?" A thin middle-aged man greeted them.

"Shopkeeper Ted, we need to appraise a longsword. Please bring your best appraiser to help us," Joshua said impatiently.

"Wait a minute. I'm the referee. Give me both swords, and I'll take care of this," Emily stopped Joshua and, with a serious expression, said she would take responsibility.

Zack didn't say anything and handed the greatsword over to Emily without hesitation. Joshua seemed very unwilling to hand over his own greatsword, but seeing that Zack had already handed his over to Emily, he had no choice but to reluctantly hand his over as well.

"You're even more hesitant than a woman," Emily said this as if she had forgotten that she was also a woman and promptly grabbed the greatsword from Joshua's hand.

At this point, Shopkeeper Ted had already called over an old man with a long beard and introduced, "This is the chief appraiser of the Giant Hammer Weapon Shop. Just hand the longsword over to him. The appraisal fee for each weapon is 2 gold coins."

Emily tossed two gold coins onto the counter, placed Zack's greatsword on it, and said, "Please appraise whether this weapon is the work of Master Bensham."

Upon hearing that the appraisal was to confirm if it was a master's work, the old appraiser suddenly became spirited and pulled the longsword from the counter, carefully examining it. Gradually, the old appraiser's eyes lit up, revealing an extremely enthusiastic expression. He lunged at the greatsword, caressing it with his fingers.

"It's perfect. Whose masterpiece is this?" the old appraiser murmured, "What kind of secret technique was used on the Hundred Refinements Great Sword? How can it be so sharp?"

The old appraiser did not conceal his admiration for the Hundred Refinements Great Sword, seemingly forgetting the people around him.

"Cough, cough," Emily lightly coughed to remind the old appraiser's attention, then repeated her question, "Can you confirm if this weapon is the work of Master Bensham?"

"Oh, no, of course not. I can't tell whose work this is, but it definitely isn't Master Bensham's," the old appraiser said confidently.

"How... how... how is that possible..." Joshua knew that things were not what he had imagined when he saw the old appraiser's expression. Hearing the appraiser's confirmation, he immediately became angry and jumped up, saying, "You'd better take a good look. Don't talk nonsense, or I won't spare you."

The old appraiser looked coldly at Joshua and proudly said, "If you are not satisfied with the appraisal, you can report me to the Lord's Mansion. The Giant Hammer Weapon Shop is the property of the Lord's Mansion. But if you want to cause trouble here, please consider the consequences."

Seeing that Joshua had lost the bet, he felt that he had no face to stay here and left alone.

"Zack, you have to treat us," Martin and Bob looked enviously at the two greatswords in Zack's hands, while Emily looked curiously at Abner, and her good manners prevented her from asking about the secret technique.

"Abner, can you help me forge a sword? I can pay you," Emily begged with her big, bright eyes.

"I only forge weapons for family members," Abner refused firmly, which made Martin and Bob give up on their own ideas.

Emily seemed to have thought of something and couldn't help but glance at Zack, then turned to Abner and said, "Pah!"