First Adventure Ch. 01

The doorbell rang merrily, although in a chaotic way, as if something was broken inside. It was too rare an occurrence to bother the owner enough to fix it.

Indeed, the sound surprised the owner, who immediately sprang up from the work she was doing. She looked up while promptly making her way back to the counter. At that time, her main feeling was curiosity to see who had made their way to her small shop.

"Hm, hello? Anyone there?" asked a stranger's voice.

So, the shopkeeper didn't imagine the bell ringing. Someone had really entered her shop. The next thought going through her head was a silent prayer, in hope that it wasn't another person looking to buy horseshoes.

"Yes, I'm right here!" answered the owner.

She quickly passed her hand on the counter to clean off some dust: a meaningless gesture, as the entire shop was covered by it. It wasn't exactly dirty; it was more as if it had been forgotten and left to the passage of time, aging it slowly. Efforts to make it presentable were too late now. She'd have to roll with it for better or worse.

"You were looking for something?" she asked, clearing her throat with a groan to smoothen up her coarse voice.

Then, she froze, paralyzed by the sight of the woman who just came into her shop. Stunning felt like too weak of a word to describe her. If it weren't for her standard adventurer attire, it would have looked like a goddess or royalty had just entered her shop. From her body's unbelievable and immediately noticeable curves to her charming face, it had all captured the shopkeeper's attention in no time. However, the woman's words didn't have this chance, as the shopkeeper failed to focus on them, her mind locked on her luscious lips, their bright red color in a sharp but arousing contrast with her brown skin. And how magnificent was her long, black hair, cascading down to her hips, every lock further highlighting her body's shape.

The shopkeeper suddenly had a spark of professionalism—or rather, she wished only to please such a good-looking customer, if she could—and pulled herself together enough to speak.

"Please, forgive me. Customers here are rare; I was a bit surprised. What did you need?" She knew it was probably a disastrous way to handle the situation, but maybe it would be enough to prompt the beautiful woman who just walked into her shop to repeat herself and stay here a bit longer.

However, her worries seemed to be unjustified, as her customer answered in a cheerful tone, seemingly unbothered.

"Hm, no problem! I was looking for some adventuring gear, and the townspeople said I should go see the blacksmith lady. That's you, right?"

An awkward smile grew on the shopkeeper's lips, and she hid her embarrassed expression behind her hand while pushing back messy, dark hair from her face.

"Have I said something wrong?" asked her customer, genuinely worried.

The shopkeeper took a deep sigh, put down both of her hands onto the counter, and tried to face her interesting customer as clearly and professionally as possible.

"Oh, man. It's nothing. It's been a while since I've taken a request from an adventurer."

That, and being called a blacksmith. With a quick glance around the shop, it was clear to see that through all of its mess and dust, most of the items stocked in there were a diverse collection that should have belonged in a very specialized general store rather than at a blacksmith's: ropes, hourglasses, bags of various sizes, and tons of other various trinkets. Outside of those damn horseshoes, she didn't have many occasions to light the forge in recent years. The most glorious years of adventuring had ended, and with no immediate threats to the nearby kingdoms, life was peaceful on the continent—albeit a bit too peaceful for the blacksmith's taste, to the point where she felt useless and that her job was not needed anymore.

"So, what did you need exactly?" asked the blacksmith.

Her customer's lovely eyes seemed to lose themselves in thought, as she hummed with an interrogative tone.

"Uhh, I'm not sure. I'm not that knowledgeable about it, you know?"

Her sight then seemed to wander around the shop, in search of possible purchases. However, now that the shopkeeper knew that she had been introduced as "the blacksmith," she would rather avoid curious looks on the shoddy items lying around that didn't reflect her capacities at all. Motivated by a sudden impulse—mainly fear that her one customer would be discouraged from buying from her—she reached forward to put her hand on the woman's arm. The customer's eyes immediately darted back to her, full of curiosity. After a few seconds of awkwardness, the smith rubbed the fabric of the standard shirt between two of her fingers.

"Hm, I see," she muttered with a tone she strongly hoped to be professional. "You need some higher quality, more resistant clothing. Maybe some armor, even?"

Somehow, she managed to keep her expression composed on the surface. For how long, she didn't know, since she was boiling inside. Her amazement wouldn't stop. The woman's adventurer outfit was plain, but so close-fitting that it served the purpose of a perfect teasing for what was under while keeping an innocent look. The blacksmith's eyes finally locked onto to her customer's face. However, she knew how close her curves were and how lovely they looked, and she was dying to gaze at them again.

"That would be good!" approved the customer. "I would also love to get a stronger weapon. I had a wooden sword, but I broke it while fighting off wolves on the way here..."

Every word pronounced by the woman was filled with the endearing excitement of a young lady going on her first adventure. The blacksmith found such naive but upbeat demeanor absolutely adorable. Arousing, even. But, in contrast, she felt like such a pervert. A woman in her thirties, frustrated, and without much dating opportunities in her small town. Maybe she just needed to breath, focus, and she wouldn't be so flustered and turned on anymore.

She took a step back and let go of the woman's arm.

"I can make you that, for sure. If you aim to be a decent adventurer, you need to carry a weapon able to cut down the toughest of foes."

As she was about to enter the specifics of it, the blacksmith noticed the wide-eyed look the woman was giving her.

"Did I say something wrong?" asked the smith with a hint of worry.

"No, not at all! I'm impressed by...the idea of you making it all."

The shopkeeper shrugged. She wasn't used to people being excited by her craft, at all.

"I'm a smith, after all. What we'll do is this: I'll show you the models I've got ready here in the shop, and then I'll forge one specifically for you," said the shopkeeper while lazily showing the few dusty sets of armor that she could see waiting around.

She really wanted to brag more than that, though. She was dying to list all the reasons why her craftsmanship was so perfect: that she had all the expertise needed both in armors and weapons, as well as the muscles and knowledge to build it all herself. Her customer was a beautiful but unpolished gem—she only wished to make her shine as bright as possible. But bragging would be unprofessional, and worse than that, uncool. What she desired more than anything was for her customer to see her as a stylish, competent and cool blacksmith. So, she swallowed it all up, and waited.

And maybe bragging wasn't even needed. As soon as she was finished with her explanation, the smith could see that her customer's eyes were full of excitement, her perfect eyeliner wings following her expressive eyes movements in an adorable display of enthusiasm. From what it seemed, she was already fully on board.

"Wow, that's so cool!"

The blacksmith couldn't help but nod with a faint smile. Damn, she was awful at this "cool, maybe even slightly cold" attitude. She couldn't resist melting against the sheer joyfulness of her customer, and as the seconds passed, she could only yearn more desperately for her touch. However, she didn't have to yearn for much longer. Her customer suddenly reached closer and took both of the blacksmith's hands in hers, as her eyes kept shining with cheerful curiosity.

"Can I come and see? You, forging?"

That was it. She was so close now. Her hands were soft and warm, delicate - imagining her swinging a sword was adorable. The smith could almost touch the fabric of her shirt - the idea sent hundreds of shivers through her, and her cheeks had already fully flushed red before she could have all of this processed.

"Gosh, I'm sorry! It was rude from me to ask, after barging in like that into your shop..."

The customer's expression had turned to embarrassment. Given her glances, she had realized how intimately close she was. In an attempt to put some distance between them, she took a step back. The smith took a step forward, following her, guided by their hands still tightly linked. Her customer gave her a surprised look.

"The forge isn't normally open to visitors. But, if you're this enthusiastic, I can make an exception." The blacksmith somehow found the confidence to end her sentence with a little winking, which her customer responded to with an overjoyed smile. She was almost hopping around in excitement.

"Really? I'll get to see you work?"

"Yeah, yeah," answered the smith, trying to stay calm despite the storm of energy right next to her. "I'll need to be focused on my work, or else you'll get a lower quality product."

The blacksmith gently lifted her hand, undoing their contact for just a moment, and pressed a single fingertip against her customer's soft lips.

"You deserve the best gear I can forge, so you'll have to stay quiet, okay?"

"Okay..." her customer repeated dreamily, after a short pause.

Fuck, it was adorable. With a little more guts, the smith could have asked her customer if they could bang right there against the counter, because clearly it seemed like they would have both loved it. To tangle her hand in her hair and feel the touch of her skin through enough kisses to make her moan until she came...

Instead, the smith put an end to their physical contact by retreating her hand and crossing her arms. She still had her job to do.

"Anyway, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Nora, the town's blacksmith, and learning your name as well would be an honor for me."

It was the customer's turn to blush quite noticeably. Her lips parted without a sound for a while. She seemed to be a bit of an airhead, especially with this kind of expression, but it didn't bother Nora—it only made her cuter.

"My name? It's, uh, Shaymae."

"It's lovely," assured Nora.

It was beautiful, indeed, and suited her very well. Nora took one of Shaymae's wavy strands of hair between her fingers and rubbed them together to feel its silky texture before tucking the strand behind Shaymae's ear, just because she wanted to.

As Shaymae stood with her mouth open once again and her cheeks brighter than ever, Nora decided to move forward:

"Maybe we should start talking about your gear now, don't you think?"

"Uhm, yeah, my gear. Of course."

Shaymae lightly pulled on her shirt, as if she needed some air. It also emphasized the shape of her generous breasts underneath, but that could only be a coincidence, right?

"We'll start with your armor."

Shaymae gave a quick nod in agreement and followed in Nora's steps.

"Here it is," declared Nora in front of wooden furniture that displayed the products.

Among the twenty or so armors that were there, none of them seemed similar to one another. It went from big, sturdy plates of metal, to elegantly crafted pieces, woven together to form an ever-shifting shape designed for protection.

Shaymae had never seen such marvels before, and once again, she didn't bother to hide her expressions of wonder.

"So pretty..." she said softly.

A smirk made its way across Nora's lips, suddenly moved by a sense of pride. She stayed silent for a while, taking her time to watch her customer as she discovered the products.

"Have you found a favorite?" asked the blacksmith.

"Not - not yet!" answered Shaymae with panic. "They all look so incredible; I wouldn't know which to choose."

"It's alright, take your time."

Nora moved in closer and slid her hand under Shaymae's shirt, just to feel her stomach in a caressing touch. It was...pretty toned. Not legendary-adventurer worthy, but it was a promising start.

"I can help you decide, if you don't mind. Although, it would be more practical with your shirt off, so we can let you try some."

"S-sure," stuttered Shaymae.

She carefully lifted her shirt. It came up slowly, the tight fabric rolling up against her skin until gently unveiling her plain white bra. Plain, but charming on her. She had some kind of simplicity to her with a refreshing effect, which managed to make her so attractive even with her quite basic attire. However, Nora was curious what result could be obtained with another kind of clothing.

Nora picked up the shirt from the hands of a blushing Shaymae before folding it up and leaving it on one of the displays.

"Now, there are all types of armor. But I have something specific in mind for you..."

Nora looked around for a second, then picked up the armor she was thinking about. It came in different parts that she had to hold in her arms and carry to Shaymae.

"Here, you can pick up a piece," Nora offered.

Carefully, Shaymae took one of the pieces in her hands with a gesture full of respect. And then, confusion.

"Uh...?"

She unfolded it in front of her. It was small and divided between a part of metal and a part of soft fabric. In two words, it was an armored bra, rather than a full piece of armor.

"Is this going to protect me?" Shaymae inquired.

A smirk moved onto Nora's lips.

"Of course. My armors are always designed for perfect protection and yours even more so. You'll see when you'll have everything on."

With a quick gesture, she prompted Shaymae to put it on. Shyly, her customer turned around and removed her bra. Then, she slid up the armored bra and struggled for a moment to correctly place it against her breasts while trying to tie it up behind her back. Nora watched her slender fingers move in vain and fail to connect the two ends.

"Maybe I can help?" offered Nora.

As soon as Shaymae nodded with all of her features expressing embarrassment, Nora grabbed the strings and pulled them together. It caused Shaymae to let out a little cry— probably because of the piece's tightness. Shaymae checked if everything was placed correctly and turned around. They exchanged a silent look.

The bra barely held her breasts and covered them only partially. Consequently, the exposed part showed them pressed together in a very daring display. Shaymae was the first to look away. In response, Nora raised a vague interrogation:

"So...?"

She waited patiently for the answer while Shaymae stuttered and struggled to get it out.

"It's really pretty. A b-bit tight though, but less than I expected."

The piece of "armor" was indeed colorful; its metal part was of a fashionable pink while the fabric was made of a more discreet purple. The whole thing suited her amazingly.

"I'm glad that you appreciate my craftsmanship. Now, would you please put on the rest?" asked Nora. "It's important to have the whole outfit on."

"Uh, sure!"

Nora gave the other pieces to Shaymae, which had a substantial weight, but she didn't flinch one bit. However, she asked in a polite voice:

"Could you turn around this time, please? To change, uh, privately."

"Of course! You can tell me when you're finished."

She turned around, arms crossed. She could hear the soft sounds of fabric being removed from behind her, which were then replaced by metallic noises of the armored pieces being put on. Nora pictured the woman while she was changing, with the tight pants slowly coming down, her bare skin exposed. Her mind was incapable of wandering further. It stopped in its tracks, and in ebullition from her own thoughts, Nora tensed up from the arousal. A moment of silence, then—

"I'm finished, I think. I mean, you can turn around."

Nora did so with a deep breath. And there she was. Shaymae with the complete outfit. The armored bra was now accompanied by other pieces just as small. Her intimate parts were hidden by a piece of lingerie that mixed fabric and metal just as her bra did. Her forearms were covered by finely crafted armor pieces with flowery patterns that stopped at her hands, which resided in thin gloves made out of a shiny, dark purple fabric. The last pieces were armored heels that only slightly covered higher than her feet before being replaced by black, thigh-high stockings. Of course, it let bare all the rest: shoulders, stomach, and upper thighs.

Despite being prepared, Nora's gaze and heart were seized by the sight of Shaymae in the armor which she made herself. It wasn't quite a perfect fit yet without her own adjustments, but in all honesty, Shaymae's beauty made those little details not matter at all. The last touch of adorableness came with the visible embarrassment that made Shaymae deeply blush and bite her lower lip, while her eyebrows displayed a tiny frown. She probably had no idea how this troubled countenance of hers evoked the image of eroticism itself to Nora. She refused to let that moment fade away, but she had noticed the confusion in Shaymae's eyes. Despite yearning for a longer silence of contemplation, the time for explanations had come.

"Don't worry, this will protect you better than the heaviest of armors."

"H-how so?" immediately questioned Shaymae.

Nora took a small step forward and reached for a dagger on a shelf. As Shaymae had begun to instinctively move backward, Nora interrupted her movement:

"I won't hurt you. That's the point."

Carefully, she pointed her dagger towards Shaymae's stomach then brought it closer to the bare skin. Her movement kept going, but the dagger suddenly stopped, inches away from Shaymae, as if blocked by an invisible force.

"Uh?" let out Shaymae.

Nora put the dagger away in response, before taking the time to explain.

"These are the best types of armor. It doesn't limit your movement, and it creates a magic field around you that will protect you from any harm."

Confusion progressively shifted to wonder again in Shaymae's eyes as she examined her new outfit. She could take the time to admire the craftsmanship now that she had been reassured on the protection part.

"Woah, that's amazing! I didn't know such items existed..."

She seemed to ponder for a moment. Nora used this silence to revel in the compliment, her chest boasting with pride. It had been a while since she had last seen someone wear one of her armors. And honestly, it was a serious ego boost, especially with this kind of cute girl wearing it.

Suddenly, Shaymae raised up her head with a concerned expression once again, and Nora was quick to pick up on it.

"Is there something wrong? If it's a problem with the armor, I can probably fix it."

Shaymae's first answer was to shake her head negatively. Her lips seemed restless, softly emitting words without them becoming a coherent sentence. She finally managed to get it out in her shyest voice, with still a hint of embarrassment:

"The armor is wonderful, but...I'm a new adventurer, I don't really have enough money to pay for an item like this."

There was no way for Nora to succeed in suppressing her lips from curling up in an amused grin.

"There's no reason for money to be a problem with me," Nora said.

She was too honest of a person to hide the anticipation in her voice. Even her legs were slightly shaking. It was not her field of expertise after all, and she saw her incoming proposition as a gamble.