Colm stepped out of Peck's shop feeling invigorated, ready to take on whatever came next. Taking a deep breath, he thought about his priorities. A weapon and a storage item will be great. Deciding to focus on the storage item first as that was a higher priority on his list, he began exploring the plaza, confidence radiating from him in his new scale armor.

He spent the better part of an hour wandering between shops, noting their offerings. First, he came across an alchemist's shop that sold a variety of potions, including ones that restored health, mana, and stamina, as well as potions that temporarily fended off sleep. The practical selection impressed him, though he made a mental note to return later.

Next, he found a heavy armor smith, though it wasn't relevant to his needs. Moving on, he stumbled upon an enchanter, sparking a bit of hope. Unfortunately, this particular enchanter specialized in melee weapon enchantments, which wasn't what he was after. Makes sense that enchanters would have their specialties, he thought as he moved along.

Finally, after more wandering, Colm spotted a small shop tucked between an alchemist and a tailor on the outskirts of the plaza. The shop had a weathered sign hanging above its door that read, "Quinn's Jewelry." The building's run-down exterior gave him pause, but recalling his earlier conversation at the guild about storage items often being in the form of jewelry, he decided to investigate.

Stepping inside, Colm found the shop's interior just as dilapidated as its exterior. Dust and cobwebs filled the room, and the dim lighting gave the place a forlorn air. He sighed, ready to turn back, when a noise from the back of the store caught his attention.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" Colm called out.

A soft voice answered, "Be right there, just a minute."

Hearing a response eased his nerves slightly. "This place gives me the creeps", he muttered to himself. A few moments later, an elderly woman emerged from the back room. Her frail frame and weary expression piqued his curiosity, and he quickly cast Analyze to learn more.

Tina (Level 25) - Human

"Hello there, young man. I'm sorry, but this place is closed," the elderly woman said softly, her voice carrying a weariness that matched the store's dilapidated state. "I'm in the process of shutting it down."

Colm quickly stepped back toward the door, raising his hands apologetically. "Oh, my apologies. I didn't realize that. I didn't see a sign or anything. I'll get out of your hair."

As he turned to leave, a deep sigh escaped the woman, stopping him in his tracks. There was a sadness in it that tugged at his chest. With a gut feeling that he shouldn't just walk away, Colm turned back. "Is everything okay?" he asked gently. "I'm new in town, just wandering around looking for supplies, and this place caught my eye. It stands out a bit."

The woman, who had been looking down at the ground, slowly raised her eyes to meet his. Her gaze shimmered with unshed tears as she replied, "Yes, it stands out because it's empty now. This place has seen better days," she said, her voice trembling. "It used to belong to my son, but I just haven't been able to keep up with it. I've been trying to sell it, and I came down here today to finish the last of the paperwork and to see it one last time."

Colm stayed silent as she continued, her voice breaking. "It's hard, seeing it like this. It used to be so full of life, full of customers. My son worked tirelessly to build this place up. But it was all taken away so quickly," she finished, silent sobs overtaking her words.

"I'm so sorry to hear that," Colm said quietly, stepping closer. He hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do, but seeing her pain, he instinctively leaned forward and gently hugged her. "I know all too well what it's like to lose someone dear to you," he whispered, his own voice thick with emotion as tears welled up in his eyes.

For a long moment, the two strangers stood there, wrapped in a shared grief that transcended words. Tina's sobs grew quieter, and Colm felt her trembling hands return the hug, clutching at him as though drawing strength from his presence.

After what felt like an eternity, Tina stepped back, dabbing at her eyes with a trembling hand as she regained her composure. "I'm so sorry about that. It's just it's hard," she said, her voice shaky but quieter now.

Colm raised a hand gently to stop her. "You don't need to apologize. I understand. I really do." His voice was soft, filled with empathy. He hesitated, then asked, "I know I'm just a stranger, but is there anything I can do to help? Anything at all to ease your burden?"

Tina looked at him for a long moment, her gaze searching his face. Finally, she shook her head. "No, it's okay. I appreciate the offer, truly, but this is something I need to handle myself."

"I understand," Colm replied with a small, sad smile.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

"I'll be off, then," Colm said gently, giving Tina a soft smile. "Please, if you ever need anything, my name's Colm. You can find me at the Adventurers Guild for the time being."

"Thank you, young man. That's very kind of you," Tina replied, her voice steadier now. As Colm turned to leave, she suddenly called out, her aged voice carrying a faint tremble, "Young man!"

Colm paused, caught off guard, and turned back. "Yes?"

"I take it you came here looking for jewelry for your ventures?" she asked, her tone tinged with curiosity.

He blinked, the question pulling him out of the somber mood. "Yeah, that's right," he said. "I was hoping to find a storage item, but I wasn't sure where to look. That's how I ended up here."

Tina sighed deeply, shaking her head. "Ah, if you'd come a few months ago, you'd have been in the right place. My son specialized in making storage rings. He was incredibly skilled."

Colm frowned. "That's unfortunate. I guess I missed my window. If it's not too rude to ask… what happened to him?"

Tina's eyes welled with tears, and her voice wavered as she spoke. "He rarely left the city, but sometimes he had to gather resources for his rings. I always begged him to hire someone else, but he insisted no one could find the right ingredients like he could. He was so particular about his craft…" She paused, the words catching in her throat. "But the last time he went out, he didn't come back. I filed a request with the Adventurers Guild to search for him, and they found him." Her voice broke into quiet sobs. "He'd been turned into an undead. We're so far from the forest… I don't know how the infection reached him. But somehow, it did, and my poor boy…"

Colm's chest tightened, and he struggled to find the right words. "I'm so sorry to hear that," he said softly. "It sounds like he was someone worth admiring. To hold such high standards for his craft, to put so much care into it—that tells me everything I need to know about him."

Tina managed a faint, tearful smile. "Thank you. He was always my relentless boy… always striving for perfection."

Colm nodded solemnly. "Thank you for sharing that with me. It can't be easy, but I'm grateful you were willing to open up."

"It's… it's nice to talk about him with someone," she replied, her voice quiet but sincere.

As Colm finished speaking, he noticed Tina reaching into her sleeve. "Here," she said softly, pulling out a small object. "For being kind to a stranger, I want you to have this. It's the last item from my son's shop. I was planning to sell it, but… honestly, I've already sold most of his things. I don't have any need for the money from this now. I can tell you're a kind young man, and I believe it will serve you better."

Colm was stunned. "Please, no. I couldn't possibly—"

Tina stepped forward, gently pressing the item into his hand. "I insist," she said firmly, though her voice remained kind. "It would mean more in your hands than sitting forgotten or sold. Thank you again, young man."

Colm stammered, "Thank you… I won't forget this generosity."

Tina nodded, silent for a moment. Colm took that as his cue to leave. "Thank you, Tina," he said as he turned toward the doorway. He paused before exiting, giving her a slight bow. "Really, thank you. And if you ever want to talk about your son, please find me at the Adventurer's Guild."

With that, Colm stepped out into the bustling street, momentarily dazed by what had transpired. He stood still for a moment, gazing into the distance as his thoughts swirled. Damn the undead, he thought bitterly. This is probably just one of countless tragedies in this world.

He lowered his gaze, looking down at the ring in his hand. Its weight felt significant, both physically and emotionally. Not entirely sure of its true nature, Colm activated Analyze

Quinn's Legacy

Crafted by Quinn Morth. Has a storage capacity of 200 cubic feet.

"Holy shit," Colm muttered, his jaw dropping. "What the fuck just happened?"

He stared at the ring, disbelief etched across his face. "She just gave me a literal fortune. There's no way I'm selling this—it's basically the size of a small walk-in closet!"

He slipped the ring onto his finger after removing his gloves, then slid them back on over the band. "Alright, how do I use this?" he muttered, holding his hand up to inspect the ring. He focused on the thought of storing something in it, but nothing happened. Frustrated, he fiddled with the ring, trying different gestures and intentions, but it remained unresponsive.

"Come on," he groaned. After a few minutes, he decided to channel his mana into the ring with a similar feeling to activating abilities. As soon as he did, a system notification appeared in his vision.

[ Bonded with Quinn's Legacy. Only you can access the dimensional storage of this item. Any attempt by others to remove it will fail. The contents will be accessible to others only upon the death of the bonded owner. ]

"Well, that's nice to know I'm the only who can access this." Colm muttered.

Now bonded to the ring, he felt a natural connection to it, like a mental map taking form in his mind. Curious, he focused on the leather pouch he'd received from Peck, imagining it stored within the ring. In an instant, the pouch vanished from his hand.

Colm closed his eyes, focusing on the storage space, and saw a mental image of the pouch resting safely within the ring's dimensional compartment. "Oh yes!" he laughed. "I have an inventory now!"

His curiosity piqued, he wondered what else he could do with the ring. Fixing his attention on the gloves of his new armor set, he concentrated on storing them. Instantly, the gloves disappeared from his hands, now nestled within the ring's storage. "Now, can I put them back on?" he wondered aloud.

He focused again, visualizing the gloves reappearing on his hands. In a flash, they returned, fitting as perfectly as before. Colm grinned ear to ear. "Holy shit. Yes. I'm never taking this ring off. Going to the bathroom just got a hell of a lot easier," he said with a laugh, reveling in his newfound treasure.

Colm stood in awe, captivated by the new ring. While he marveled at its craftsmanship, a wave of uncertainty crept over him. Why did Tina give this to me for free? The question lingered as a mixture of guilt and excitement churned within him. Guilt for accepting something so priceless, and excitement at the thought of now having the funds to purchase a proper weapon.

"I really hope I see her again," he murmured, his thoughts swirling as he tried to make sense of it all.

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