Chapter 206: The Seven Cursed Swords

After that, we continued wandering through Renovy’s massive flea market, shopping at whatever stalls caught our eye.

There were so many vendors that it almost felt like you could buy anything in the world here.

Since there were no strict hygiene rules like in Japan, all kinds of food stalls were open as well. It made me a bit uneasy, but being able to eat and stroll at the same time was undeniably fun.

And haggling? Practically nonexistent. Some unpopular shops were even selling their goods at throwaway prices.

“Sato-san! Sheila-san! How about checking out that place over there? Not many people around, and it looks like they’re selling swords or something!”

“For Joel’s pick, that’s a surprisingly good choice. Maybe an antique weapons shop?”

“Looks interesting… though the shopkeeper seems quite shady.”

“That might mean we can get a discount! Let’s go have a look!”

The place Joel pointed to was tucked halfway into an alley — suspicious-looking, but not in the exaggerated “fortune-teller” way like the old lady with the keychains.

This was the quietly unnerving kind of suspicious, the type that makes the hairs on your neck stand up without you knowing why.

The shop sold old weapons and armor — even older-looking than the “antique gear” we’d bought from Shannon’s shop.

Antiques and vintage items are part of the thrill of flea markets, and with so few customers, this might actually be a hidden gem.

With that thought in mind, we stepped into the dusty weapons shop.

The shopkeeper wore a hooded robe pulled low over his face — hard to see any features, but judging by the skin of his hands, he was probably a middle-aged man, not much older than me.

“Excuse me! Mind if we take a look around?”

“Go ahead. These are all things I dug outta my family’s old storehouse, so don’t ask me any questions — I won’t have answers.”

“Thanks! By the way, how much are they?”

“One platinum coin each. No haggling. Don’t waste my time trying.”

With that blunt statement, he crossed his arms and leaned back like he might fall asleep.

The air grew tense — his attitude screamed ‘Don’t bother me.’

“Well then, let’s take a quick look around. Sheila-san, are you familiar with older weapons?”

“No, not particularly. I know about famous ones, but I’m not well-versed in vintage arms.”

She said that, yet her eyes were glued to the display — focused, analytical, and sharp.

She had the same look she’d had back when she appraised that antique gear before; clearly, she did know her stuff.

Most likely, she was pretending otherwise so the shopkeeper wouldn’t jack up the price if she found something valuable.

And judging by his attitude, that was a wise move — he looked like the type who’d either refuse to sell or raise the price the moment he realized an item’s worth.

I didn’t know much about weapon value myself, so I just followed along, examining the dusty blades and armor.

Honestly, everything just looked dirty to me. If I’d come alone, I would’ve left immediately.

Then, Sheila picked something up — a rusted, battered sword that didn’t look worth even a single silver coin, let alone a platinum one.

“…I’ll take this sword. One platinum coin, correct?”

“What!? Sheila-san, you’re actually buying that rusty thing? He said no discounts!”

“Yeah. No discounts. One platinum coin and it’s yours.”

“Understood. I’ll take it.”

She handed over a platinum coin.

The man’s face was hidden, but I could see his mouth curl into a faint, smug grin.

“Pleasure doin’ business. Come again.”

“She really bought it!”

Joel groaned as we hurried out of the shady store.

I shared his sentiment — but knowing Sheila, there had to be a reason.

“Um, Sheila-san… what is that rusty sword, exactly?”

“I believe it’s one of the Seven Cursed Swords forged by the master smith Shigure.”

“The Seven Cursed Swords!? …What’s that? Never heard of them!”

“They’re said to be the last seven swords forged by Shigure before his death. Each is a masterpiece — but also rumored to bring misfortune to its wielder. They haven’t appeared on the market for decades.”

“So… a cursed sword, huh? That sounds kind of terrifying. Is it safe to just carry it around?”

“It’s rusty, and the curse is only a rumor. I doubt there’s any real danger — and we can’t even confirm if it’s genuine yet.”

So, no proof. Still… cursed or not, it gave me the creeps.

Back on Earth, I’d never believed in the occult or spiritual stuff — but in this world, it was hard not to.

After all, there were undead monsters and actual magic; curses didn’t seem all that far-fetched.

“Sheila-san, you’re amazing! I can’t believe you recognized it in that condition! I’d have walked right past it even if I knew what it was!”

“Shigure’s swords all have an engraved inscription. You can’t see it under the rust, but if you run your fingers along the blade, you can feel the faint carving.”

I tried touching the blade as she suggested… and felt absolutely nothing.

Joel tilted his head, just as lost as I was.

“I can’t tell at all. Earlier you said you weren’t very knowledgeable, but you’re clearly an expert, Sheila-san.”

“I used to frequent Rozzo’s shop, so I probably know a bit more than the average person. But compared to true experts, I’m nothing special.”

“From my perspective, that’s expert level! Anyway, great find!”

“Yes. If it’s genuine, it’s an unbelievable bargain. Still, I’ll feel better once Rozzo takes a look at it.”

If it turned out to be real, she’d just scored a massive win — a perfect recovery from my earlier “minus” purchase of that weird keychain.

It wasn’t confirmed yet, but I trusted Sheila’s instincts.

Next on the agenda was to sell the pile of stuff Joel had brought with him.

We’d reserved a stall for the afternoon — so next, we’d enjoy the flea market from the seller’s side.

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