Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 231: The Art of Impossibility and Recklessness in Men’s Aesthetics
The first to break the ice was the cheerful Oliver.
“So, does that mean Lutz-dono has been requested to forge thirty swords?”
“Don’t speak of him as if he’s the devil. You three, it’s been quite a while since you learned the sword-making technique from Lutz, so it’s about time you started working.”
“So, are you saying we should split the task of making thirty swords among the four of us?”
Gerhardt shook his head at Momos’ words.
“Lutz will handle three, and each of you will handle nine.”
“What kind of distribution is that?”
The elder asked with a puzzled look. It seemed odd that Lutz, who was the most experienced in sword-making, would have the fewest.
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“Lutz will forge swords of the quality that can accommodate four characters. You guys will each forge nine swords that can accommodate three characters.”
“Wait a minute, Ger-Ojisan! I mean, I can forge weapons with three characters, but that’s only if everything goes perfectly well. I can handle two characters much more consistently…”
Oliver said anxiously, nodding in agreement with Momos and the elder. However, Gerhardt just laughed at their concerns.
“Haha, you guys aren’t craftsmen. You’re toothless curs.”
“What did you say!?”
Oliver protested, but Gerhardt remained unfazed. To him, the intimidation from a blacksmith was like the whimpering of a puppy.
“A direct request from His Majesty the King has come in. Why don’t you see this as a chance to make a name for yourselves? Instead of cowering in fear and barking like a dog, howling in fear.”
“But, forging nine swords with three characters…”
Momos tried to negotiate, but Gerhardt’s sharp gaze shut him down.
“If you can forge the best quality with three characters, then do it nine times. If not, die nine times and forge them.”
“You’re definitely a demon!”
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“You’re being too noisy! I was once forced to enchant five-character magic on light attribute weapons during peace negotiations. Compared to that, this is a piece of cake!”
No one could imagine the pressure they were under. Everyone had lost all means of rebuttal against Gerhardt.
“You’ll gain the honor of presenting swords to His Majesty the King. I’ll even allow you to write ‘By appointment to the royal family’ on your signboards. Now, choose: go back to the workshop and forge the swords or prepare to flee at night.”
“…Alright, I’ll do it.”
“Elder!”
The elder said first. Oliver and Momos looked extremely flustered.
“Just a moment, elder. In your case, it’s not about feeling like you’re dying; there’s a real possibility of you dying.”
Momos said anxiously, but the elder glared at him.
“What, you whelp, are you planning to die in bed? Dying with a hammer in your hand at the forge is a blacksmith’s aesthetics, isn’t it, Gerhardt?”
“Exactly.”
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Gerhardt smiled and nodded. His friend, who was a blacksmith, had died exactly as the elder described. Although he hadn’t received much praise from his peers, everyone was moved by his death. The elder blamed Momos, saying he had already forgotten about it.
Momos grunted ‘Mm’ and then made up his mind.
“…Alright, I’ll do it too.”
“That’s good, that’s good. I believed you’d say that.”
Gerhardt and the elder nodded. Naturally, everyone’s attention turned to Oliver.
He looked extremely reluctant. Having to forge nine swords with three ancient characters wasn’t something you could decide on easily. It wasn’t about determination or guts. If you said you’d do it, there was no turning back.
“Master, it seems that Oliver-kun doesn’t want to do it.”
Momos said playfully. He’s usually serious, but he’s not the kind of guy who would pass up an opportunity to tease Oliver.
The elder shrugged in agreement.
“Hey, Gerhardt, we can put up a sign saying ‘Appointed by the Royal Family’ at our workshop. As for this guy’s workshop, we can write ‘Cowards’ on it.”
“That would make it easier for customers to understand.”
“Are you guys serious!?”
Oliver shouted in despair, but the elder denied him once again.
“Can a sane person become a blacksmith?”
“Stop trying to have a conversation with sheer momentum!”
Oliver continued to struggle, but reason vehemently warned against it. Once you said you’d go with the flow, there was no turning back.
If you’re so eager, why don’t the two fools just forge twenty-seven of them together? The request came to Count Zander’s artisans; it wasn’t specifically assigned to Oliver.
Momos patted him on the shoulder.
“From tomorrow onwards, you can call me senpai.”
With just one word, Oliver’s rationality collapsed. More than anything else, he couldn’t stand being looked down upon by Momos. Momos and he aren’t rivals; He’s above and Momos was below; that’s the truth of the world. Oliver said with a blue line on his forehead.
“Excellent, let’s do it. But don’t come crying later saying you couldn’t finish.”
“As talkative as ever. It would be nice if your skills matched your words,”
Leaving the two fired-up individuals behind, Lutz, who had remained silent until now, raised his hand hesitantly.
“Um, it’s not like I can easily make swords that accommodate four characters either…”
Lutz had indeed made several high-quality swords that accommodated four or even five characters, but they were all exceptional pieces. It wasn’t something he could suddenly make three of.
Understanding their struggle, Gerhardt wore a somewhat apologetic expression.
“I understand it’s difficult, but please try to bend a little. His Majesty the King wants to reward his vassals with swords, but these three…,”
“Who are they for?”
“The commanders of the Royal Guard, the Fourth Knights Brigade, and the Thirteenth Knights Brigade. They’re different from the knights employed by rural nobles; they’re the elite of the elite tasked with protecting the capital. If we present subpar work here, it will tarnish the honor of His Majesty the King’s rewards.”
“…I understand that further complaints are pointless.”
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“I appreciate your understanding. It’s reluctant to create art while being pushed from behind, but that’s what work is all about.”
“Yes, indeed.”
Lutz and Gerhardt exchanged wry smiles. They had shared many struggles together.
“Well then,” Gerhardt said, tightening his expression and addressing the blacksmiths.
“The deadline is three months. This is a job that bears the honor and future of the Count Zander’s territory. Don’t forget that. If you need anything like iron or charcoal, just let us know when you visit each workshop regularly, and we’ll prepare it for you.”
With that, Gerhardt left, leaving the blacksmiths bewildered.
Was all of that just a dream? They had hoped someone would say so, but judging by each other’s faces, it didn’t seem like a dream.
“Um, what should we do? Shall we call it a day and continue tomorrow, or shall we start forging swords as planned?”
Lutz asked. The three of them were a little confused, but the elder spoke on behalf of them.
“To gear up for the upcoming big job, I’d like to see Lutz’s work. Please, we’re counting on you.”
The elder said, bowing deeply. Upon seeing this, Oliver and Momos followed suit, mimicking the elder’s bow.
Lutz was moved by their sincere attitude as craftsmen. He knew he had to respond in kind.
“Thank you very much. I’ll do my best.”
He said, bowing back before getting to work.
The sound of hammers echoing through the artisan district until late at night was filled with more determination than usual.
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