Kays Translations

Chapter 108: Resonating Souls

The three craftsmen of the Count's household, plus one, gathered at Patrick's workshop. The reason they chose this place was because Gerhardt specified that he didn't want them coming to his workshop every time.

In reality, Patrick's decoration workshop had the best facilities for receiving guests.

They were led to the reception room, where tea and sweets were promptly served. This was not the case at Gerhardt and Lutz's places.

"We're going to make an offering to His Majesty the King."

Those were Gerhardt's first words. Lutz and Patrick gave him resentful glances, knowing that this would be troublesome from the moment they were called here.

"Don't look at me with those eyes. If you want to bear a grudge, bear it against those idiots from Tubris and the red-haired girl. The count and I had a conversation about this..."

Gerhardt explained the content of his conversation with the count. Due to the incident where the eyeballs turned into gems and the gems turned back into eyeballs, the reputation of the count's family and katanas had been tarnished. The plan was to present a sword to a noble and receive words of praise in order to improve their reputation.

"There was also talk of presenting it to His Holiness the Pope, but we don't have any connections to meet him. Since Count Maximilian has met His Majesty the King several times, it should be easier to approach him."

"A sword for the Pope seems like a strange combination."

Claudia replied with a meaningful smile to Lutz's comment.

"Everyone likes treasure."

Lutz vaguely nodded, feeling that it was not a topic to delve too deeply into.

"...If we are to present a sword to His Majesty the King, there is one major problem."

Patrick spoke in a somber voice, and Gerhardt turned his face to him with a weary expression.

"Tell me, so my heart won't stop beating."

"Previously, we presented a sword to the king of the Allied Nations. If we were to give a sword of lesser value to our own king, it wouldn't be good, would it?"

"That's true, but it's impossible to create a sword greater than 'Amaterasu'..."

It wasn't a matter of the craftsmen's skill. The sword they presented to the king of the Allied Nations had been enchanted using a huge gem that was considered a continent's treasure. It was impossible to obtain gemstones of equal or greater value. In fact, if they had such gems, they wouldn't have been struggling financially in the first place.

"Shouldn't we stop this plan then? How about presenting a decent sword to Duke Eldenburger and settle for that?"

Gerhardt considered Claudia's suggestion for a moment, but then immediately shook his head.

"I wonder if the duke has that much influence..."

"Don't you think so? The duke is a very important person, isn't he?"

"He's not the type to be liked by everyone. In fact, he probably has more enemies."

"He can't become the image-up character, huh?"

"Claudia, please try to phrase it more gently."

After admonishing Claudia, who was looking at the noble society with a cold eye, Gerhardt continued.

"Count Maximilian desires to completely overturn the bad reputation. We need someone with great influence, who won't be seen as favoring a specific faction, and aside from His Majesty the King, there is no one else."

The conversation had returned to the starting point. The recipient would be the king, but they couldn't create something greater than Amaterasu.

As they looked around the room, Lutz had been silently lost in thought since earlier. Although he usually seemed absent-minded, his expression tightened when it came to blacksmithing matters.

"Regardless of whether it can be done or not, let's list the necessary conditions first."

Everyone nodded at Lutz's unusually serious words.

"The ancient characters to be engraved should be five in number. That's an absolute requirement."

"Well, that's a part where the superiority or inferiority is immediately apparent."

"And for a magic enchantment like Amaterasu, we needed a gem as powerful as the King's Eye. If it's a different attribute, it doesn't have to be as powerful. Of course, it still needs to be of a certain quality."

"But it's difficult to prepare something of that quality..."

Gerhardt was troubled, and Claudia smiled mischievously.

"Don't you have it, Gerhardt-san? The fragments of the King's Eye, you have them, right?"

"...What are you talking about? I gave them to Lutz."

"Hmm, no, no. You're not good at lying, Gerhardt-san."

While saying that, Claudia wagged her index finger.

"Why are you so sure it's a lie?"

"Because you are a true craftsman, aren't you? There's no way you would let go of such a wonderful material as a fragment of a huge pink diamond. You must have kept some for yourself, right?"

Suspicion filled the gaze of the three of them, and Gerhardt had no way to escape. After all, he had brought up the topic, so he couldn't pretend to be ignorant now.

"...I have about ten fragments."

Gerhardt muttered, resigning himself.

"More greedy than I expected... Well then, let's use all of them."

Gerhardt widened his eyes at Claudia's merciless declaration.

"All of them? That's a bit too much!"

"We're returning what was taken from the peace conference to the royal family. That's all."

"I didn't steal it, I just brought it back without saying anything!"

While saying it himself, Gerhardt realized that his argument had no merit.

"Is it impossible?"

"It is, but Gerhardt-san, you're not very good at lying."

Saying that, Claudia nodded.

"Alright, alright. I'll use all ten fragments. That should solve the issue of the magic enchantment. In that case, Lutz and Patrick, give it your all. We can't afford to be outdone at this point."

After pressing the two craftsmen with determination, Gerhardt promptly left. They found his attitude strange, but they didn't know anything more than that.

Who would know that the fragments of the King's Eye he had secured were not fifteen in total and that he specifically declared he would use "ten" fragments?

As they were discussing the details of the magic enchantment, Patrick suddenly looked uneasy.

"What should we do for a decoration befitting the king?"

When they made Amaterasu for the king of the Allied Nations, there was a certain theme. They had engraved sculptures befitting the title of the Sun King on the scabbard.

This time, there was no such theme. King Rattbald was not the type to wield a sword himself.

"In any case, let's make it dazzling with gold work. We can embed gemstones as well. If we use your specialty, Patrick, the multi-colored cut that shines, even the gods won't complain."

"No..."

Patrick groaned and tilted his head at Lutz's suggestion.

"That technique, the multi-colored cut, works because it has a large surface area for light, like necklaces or earrings. If we embed it in the scabbard, the way it shines becomes ordinary."

Upon hearing that, Patrick's gaze fixed on one point. For some reason, Claudia was wearing the seven-colored cut earring on only one ear.

"What's that?"

Pointing at it, he asked with a puzzled look. It would be extremely displeasing if his masterpiece was carelessly treated and lost. Depending on the situation, he might have to reconsider how he interacted with Lutz and the others.

"Well, actually..."

Claudia explained the story behind the earring and how she gave one of them to Princess Lystill.

She had sold all her accessories to secure funds to create a place for returning soldiers, and she gave one earring to Lystill.

Upon hearing that, Patrick's stern expression softened, and he suddenly had a relaxed face.

"How precious..."

"Huh?"

"If that's the case, it's fine. If the earring I made is being used for such a noble act, then it's all good. I feel like I'm ascending to heaven right now! Oh, and please don't cry at my funeral. Just add a single flower, that's all I ask!"

Confused by his sudden excitement, Lutz and Claudia didn't understand.

"I respect people who have their own world, no matter what form it takes."

"Huh?"

Curiously, Claudia peered into Lutz's face. She thought it was a sarcastic joke, but he seemed to be saying it seriously. His expression showed not contempt but respect.

To understand craftsmen, creatures that were hard to understand.

As they walked along the road, dyed orange by the setting sun, Claudia smiled wryly.

"He's always such a mysterious person..."

"I admire anyone who has their own world, no matter how it may be."

"Oh, yeah. If it motivates you, that's a good thing..."

Once again, Claudia shook her head, unable to fully understand craftsmen.

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