Kays Translations

Chapter 5: The Old Man, the Knight, and the Sword

　In the center of the citadel. In a workshop inside the castle, a gray-haired old man’s face was distorted with anguish.

　Ahead of the sharp line of sight is a long sword that glows bluish-white. A sinister ceremonial table and shattered jewelry.

　That man, Gerhard, was a renowned adjutant conjurer enthusiast, and his long sword was imbued with magical powers.

　I didn’t like it. It was just an ordinary sword, a well-made sword with a spell to reduce its weight. There was nothing surprising about it, nothing that made me proud to say it was my own work.

“No, this stuff won’t work. ……!”

　I am in a slump. I don’t know what to do anymore. The thought that this is my limit frightens me to the point of shaking.

　However, being in the service of the palace, he could not say that he could not do it because he was not feeling well. His research was funded by the taxes of his domain and the assets of the count’s family. He had no choice but to produce the results when asked to do so.

　Even if it is unsatisfactory.

　Gerhard, the attached spellcaster, is also finished, even if he could see such a scene in his mind’s eye.

　… Oh, it’s no good after all. I can’t stand it.

　I just wanted to run away.

“Dear God, please guide me. Or kill every spell-caster except me. ……”

　I heard a knocking sound when I was offering a disturbing prayer.

“It’s open.”

　A fearless, upright man in his thirties, a knight and apprentice in the art of conjuring, entered the room as I gave him permission to enter in a gruff voice.

“Jocel, what’s up?”

“The fast horse has arrived. The hero and his team headed for the wyvern extermination is……”.

“Hmph, what. They’re dead, huh?”

　Jocel turned a troubled face to the master, who made no attempt to hide his displeasure. He is a real pain in the ass when it comes to this, even though he is a master.

　The word “hero” is just a nickname, and it does not mean that he is on a mission to defeat the Demon King or anything like that. He is the favorite adventurer of the Count, and when troublesome monsters appear, he is the one whom the Count requests to defeat them.

　In an unusual place, he did not ask for money as a reward for defeating monsters, but wished for armaments. It was Gerhard’s task to create a magical weapon suitable as a reward.

“No, they are coming back after they have finished defeating the enemy. They said they would be on the lookout on the perimeter for a few days, so in about ten days.”

“What’s the alarm? Why don’t you say clearly that you’re going to have an orgy with the village girls?”

“Master, the hero did not do anything wrong.”

“Hmm…”

　Gerhard hates the hero, but he is not regarded by him as an irreconcilable adversary. It is only a one-sided hatred.

　The hero has fulfilled the count’s requests many times before and has received many rewards. As the one who makes the armor and the one who uses it, there was a certain respect and trust between the two, despite the age difference between them being not just father and son, but grandfather and grandson.

　The incident happened at the last audience. However, Gerhard was the only one who felt it was an incident.

　The Earl greeted the hero who returned after defeating the large monster in a good mood.

　Gerhard had the city’s best smith make a long sword with magical effects as a reward, but when the hero pulled out his sword on the spot with his permission, disappointment flashed for a moment on his face.

　Gerhard was the only one who didn’t miss it. He would have been happy if he had not noticed anything at all, but that was no longer the case.

　What the heck, this is what it looks like. The hero’s expression said so. It is a good sword with no significant features, but it has no value as a collection item.

It was humiliating. My cheeks turned red with shame, then red with anger. I felt as if I had been denied my very life.

　However, the sword that Gerhard submitted was not an absolute masterpiece. I was also introspective as to whether I had made it with a habit because it was inertia.

　Next time, I want to create a gem that will make the little weapons enthusiast jump for joy the next time. Only his gratitude and respect will restore Gerhard’s honor.

　Reality didn’t work out so well. A masterpiece is not something that can be created with the best of intentions. All of the magical power contained in the sword could only be described as mediocre.

　If he submits another mediocre work, is disappointed, and is told by the hero that he no longer needs his armory, Gerhardt is as good as dead as a spellcaster.

　I wonder if it was some kind of guidance that the disciple came to me in the midst of my distress. He said with a feeling of clinging to straws.

“Jocel, get me a weapon. A weapon worthy of my lifetime masterpiece.”

　The amount of magic power that can be put into an item of equipment with a spell depends greatly on the quality of the equipment.

“that is……”

　Jocel’s eyes glanced at the failed work.

　It was made by the best smith in town, a first-class piece of equipment that he would pay no attention to the cost. How could he ask me to provide him with a better piece of equipment than this?

　In the first place, the only ones who would call it mediocre or a failure were the hero and those with excessively discerning eyes like Gerhard.

　If you give it to a mid-level adventurer, they will cry with joy, and depending on the situation, they might even lick your shoes. If they say they don’t want it, even Jocel wants it.

“Please, you are the only one I can count on.”

　Joscel is not only a disciple of the art of enchantment but also a high-ranking knight of the count’s family. He was hoping that Gerhard would be able to use some of his contacts that he did not have, but Joscel shook his head with a reluctant look on his face.

“The only thing better than that would be to sneak into the treasury in the capital city.”

　It was meant as a joke, but his mentor did not laugh. On the contrary, his eyes seemed to take on a dangerous color, and he hurriedly broke off the conversation.

“Let’s do our best, but we don’t have much hope…”

　I intended to put it in the words not to expect anything, but I don’t know if it’s being conveyed.

　While feeling pity for his master’s emaciated appearance and wanting to help him in some way, there was a cold-heartedness in the corner of his mind that said ‘it might be better to keep my distance from this person’.

　Over the next few days, Jocel visited blacksmiths, merchants, and the adventurers’ guild, but nothing came of it.

　A famous sword, a holy sword, is not something that can be picked from a field. It was only a reaffirmation that what Gerhard had in his possession was the best he could think of.

　Now that you’ve made a masterpiece, make something even better next time. Then something even better. If we feel that this is a matter of course, we are bound to go bankrupt one day.

　Jocel believes that Gerhard is the best spellcaster in the Count’s territory. Or maybe the best in the country. Perhaps even the best on the continent.

　I did not want to see such a man drive himself into a corner and crumble.

　What should I do? When I was pondering in my private room in the castle, a boy who was a knight apprentice entered with a hesitant attitude.

“Jocel-sama, there was a commotion at the guard station. It seems that some people have been injured.”

“There they go again…”

　Jocel muttered bitterly.

　A half-hearted family that can’t be called aristocrats, nor can it be called a commoner. The second and third sons who cannot succeed to the family lineage are accepted. They are a group of half-breeds who have not been formally knighted.

　They know nothing about etiquette, have bad behavior and have not learned any significant martial arts. They were just a bunch of miscreants with a riding permit. Jocel was disgusted even to call them knights.

　The apprentice boy didn’t call them knights but guards because he knew the lord would be displeased if he didn’t.

“So, what did those guys do? If they killed each other over a drink and wiped each other out, I’d have a toast for them.”

“He rubbed his cheeks against his newly acquired sword and bled profusely.”

“… I’ve always thought they were idiots, but apparently my assessment was still naive.”

　How did those poor knights get a new sword? We must investigate that as well.

　Frankly, it’s a pain in the ass. Jocel let out a sigh, stood up, put his sword at his waist, and put on his cloak.

“Come to think of it……”

　As he looked up at the ceiling, Jocel said something that came to mind.

“Did they ever tell you why he did it?”

“”The sword was too beautiful for him. He doesn’t remember much about the moment, and when he came to, his cheek was cut.”

“What the hell is that ……?”

　Jocel had a dubious expression on his face. It doesn’t make sense to me, but I’m a little more interested in his sword.

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