Kays Translations

Chapter 233: Checking the Ground Beneath

Like mud, deeply asleep and punished by Claudia, Lutz felt fulfilled in both body and mind. There was a sense that during these times, a masterpiece sword would be born, which was why he had forged the blade with anticipation….

“What in the world…?”

The finished product, after sharpening, was not exactly mediocre, but it lacked the brilliance of a masterwork. The pattern on the blade was somewhat blurry, lacking the captivating charm that made one want to keep looking. While it had no issues with hardness or sharpness, it was hard to entrust one’s life to it. It was just such a sword.

If his physical condition had been poor or his mind cluttered with distractions, he might have found the outcome acceptable. However, having put in his best effort, it was troubling to produce something so ordinary.

He had no idea what went wrong. The words Oliver had uttered recently, “Then what should we do?” were not just someone else’s problem; they were issues that haunted everyone involved in craftsmanship.

The word “slump” crossed Lutz’s mind, making him shiver.

…Of all times, now?

It would be disastrous to be unable to create anything while under the king’s commission. If he failed this task, not only would Lutz’s reputation plummet, but he would likely be treated as a symbol of incompetence. He wouldn’t even be able to claim association with the Count’s household, let alone step onto the stage as a blacksmith again.

Why, why, why?

His vision blurred as he stared at the blade, feeling increasingly suffocated. His hand holding the sword began to tremble. It wasn’t fatigue; it was something else.

“Oh, Lutz, have you finished?”

Claudia’s voice startled Lutz, who had somehow entered the workshop unnoticed. He jumped as if he had been caught red-handed. He instinctively tried to hide the sword, but it was too late; she had already seen it.

“No, this is a failure…”

“It’s rare for Lutz to mess up. May I take a look?”

Lutz hesitated. If he refused here, she wouldn’t push. But would that be okay? Losing trust in everyone and sinking into despair alone would be the worst outcome.

Claudia wasn’t a craftsman, but her intelligence had always been a great help. Perhaps she could provide a hint to help him out of the knee-deep swamp he found himself in. With that hope, Lutz began to recount what had happened to him.

“Hmm, so despite being energized, you ended up with a failure…”

“Yeah, the feeling of making a masterpiece sword has never been wrong for me. I have no idea why it turned out like this now. Unless I address the root cause, it’s likely to happen again. No, if I forge a sword in this mood, it will definitely turn out to be a failure.”

Seeing Lutz’s exhausted appearance, Claudia began to feel uneasy. She had seen him troubled by sword making before, but this was the first time she had seen him so cornered.

“Such a sword might not even accommodate three characters, let alone four…”

“Lutz, isn’t it because of that?”

“Huh?”

Did something seem strange about what he had just said? Lutz tilted his head in confusion.

“Isn’t it possible that recently, you’ve been using the number of ancient characters you can carve into the blade as your judgment criteria?”

“That’s… you might be right.”

“The number of characters is merely an indicator of the amount of magic that can be infused, not necessarily the value of the sword itself.”

Claudia said as she searched her pocket. Inside was her dagger, “Love Letter.” It hadn’t been enchanted, but it was more valuable to her than anything else.

“The result of forging a good sword would naturally allow for more characters to be carved. But forging a sword just to carve characters seems to be the wrong order, wouldn’t you agree, Lutz?”

“Yeah, you’re right…”

Lutz muttered in a somber voice, his head bowed. It all made sense now. What he had felt before making it wasn’t a premonition of a masterpiece; it was just arrogance.

“When did I become a lapdog of authority…”

“Well, I wouldn’t go that far…”

“I’m a pig, I’m a pig! Oink!”

“Hey, hey, calm down, Lutz!”

Claudia panicked, fearing she had pushed him too far. Lutz raised his head unexpectedly, surprisingly calm.

“Alright, I’m okay now. Being overly self-deprecating can strangely help you regain your composure.”

“Well, I wouldn’t call that a healthy mental state…”

“Don’t expect craftsmen to be mentally healthy. As the elder said, all top craftsmen are a little crazy!”

Lutz, standing up and shouting, was met with Claudia’s cold gaze as she said. 

“I’ve been thinking for a while now, but you guys should apologize to all the craftsmen in the world…”

“Hmm,” Lutz grunted, then forcefully sat back down. It wasn’t clear what exactly he meant by “hmm,” but at least he seemed to have recovered.

“I’ve indeed crafted many fine swords in the past. However, each of them was made with a clear purpose in mind, for someone or for something. It was rather natural for a failure to result from vague thoughts of carving four characters. There was nothing mysterious about it!”

Lutz gestured emphatically with his fist as he spoke. He seemed to be back to his senses. Claudia, feeling relieved, was about to stand up, but Lutz spoke as casually as if he were making small talk.

“So, shall we go talk to the clients?”

“…Clients? Who?”

Claudia had a bad feeling and asked cautiously.

“Well, it’s the commanders of the Royal Guard and the Fourth and Thirteenth Knight Orders, according to Gerhardt-san.”

“…Hmm, they’re all elite, not exactly the type of people a blacksmith can easily meet.”

“Well, then, just ask Count Eldenburger for mediation. If the swords aren’t made, the Count will be in trouble, and if he refuses, just say he was uncooperative. In that case, I won’t be held responsible.”

“Lutz, you’re really becoming a naughty boy…”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Lutz stood up, offering his hand to Claudia with a broad smile.

“I have three months. Let’s spend two months leisurely enjoying the capital, and then finish three swords in the remaining month. I’d really like you to come with me.”

The answer was already decided from the beginning. Claudia took Lutz’s hand with a wry smile. She was pulled up by him.

“I can’t do it right away, so let me at least make some preparations. Also, I want to send a letter to the Count beforehand.”

If Lutz was being reckless, then she would support him; if she was being reckless, then Lutz would support her. It was a relationship that could be called love or a twisted fate, depending on how you looked at it.

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