Kays Translations

Chapter 110: Like a Girl Who Suits Roses

"What in the world is this...?"

Patrick arrived at Gerhardt's workshop and received the decorated scabbard. Gerhardt squinted his eyes as he examined it.

The scabbard was adorned with intricate goldwork, depicting roses and vines intertwining.

It was truly a magnificent piece. Gerhardt couldn't help but be impressed that such a narrow and elongated scabbard could depict an entire world.

The problem was that this was the sword intended to be presented to the king.

"Why roses?" Gerhardt asked, naturally questioning the choice. Patrick answered with a strangely serious expression.

"Why do you think roses are beautiful?"

"Huh? Well, I'm not sure..."

"It's because they are cared for by someone. In other words, roses are flowers that bloom and thrive when love is poured into them."

"Uh, I see. But what does that have to do with the king and roses?"

"Not much, really."

"What was the point of all this then!?"

Gerhardt was perplexed by his conversation with Patrick. Talking with him always gave him a headache.

"Lutz mentioned it as well, but we know very little about the king."

"Well, that's true."

While Gerhardt traveled around with the Earl's entourage, he couldn't accompany them for an audience with the king. So, like Lutz and Patrick, he had only caught a glimpse of the king during the peace conference.

Though he wouldn't dare say it out of disrespect, compared to the kings of the Allied Nations, King Rattbald Walshaite lacked ambition. It was an honest impression. It might be better that he didn't have too much ambition and risk being assassinated. That level of ambition might be just right.

"We don't know what makes that old man happy, and it doesn't really matter. The point is to create something valuable."

"That's quite vague. But since I don't know the king's preferences, there's no point in me saying anything..."

Gerhardt drew the blade from the scabbard and found himself captivated. He had seen many beautiful swords before, but this one was exceptional. It exuded a certain allure rather than the typical beauty of a sword.

"Hey, isn't it a bit perverted?"

Patrick grinned mischievously as he spoke.

"That's not a term you usually associate with a sword."

"Did you think of Claudia while forging this?"

"It would be the most valuable thing for him."

When thinking of a seductive sword, the demonic sword "Tsubaki" came to mind, but unlike that, this sword didn't possess an intense and self-destructive aura. It exuded a soft beauty that made one want to keep gazing at it.

"Women, roses, and now, what kind of enchantment should I imbue? Moreover, I have to use ten fragments of the Conqueror's Eye."

"What comes to mind next? Love or wine, perhaps?"

"That makes no sense. It has nothing to do with enchantment."

"Don't overthink it. Just infuse it with your own interests. In the end, that's what will create the greatest masterpiece."

With that, Patrick stood up.

"What, are you leaving already?"

"If an actor whose role is finished continues to linger, the next act won't start."

Saying so, Patrick left, leaving Gerhardt alone in the workshop.

He felt like he had been thrown into the wilderness, told to do something with a sword that had images of women and roses. What was he supposed to do?

When it comes to magical enchantments on weapons, there are the basic elemental attributes of fire, water, wind, and earth, as well as light and darkness. By imbuing an attribute, various effects can be achieved.

Alternatively, effects can be directly inscribed. Enhancing sharpness, increasing strength, reducing weight, and so on. There are also more unconventional effects like charm, sleep, paralysis, and poison.

However, light and darkness were excluded this time because the amount of magic power required to infuse them was on a completely different scale.

It would be wise to avoid the charm enchantment, considering its past record. It's a delicate magic that only manifests its effects when the opponent is injured, and if the sword's craftsmanship is too good, it could possess a terrifying power that spreads curses to the surroundings. It wouldn't be appropriate to present such a dangerous item to the king. It might even cost them their own lives.

"Guess I'll exclude wind as well..."

Associating ancient characters with a sword of the wind attribute would overlap with what Gerhardt presented to the Earl. It would be awkward if one had superior performance over the other. Here, he chose self-preservation and put it on hold.

"Women, roses, swords... Not the best combination."

Gerhardt muttered while his eyes remained fixated on the blade.

Both swordsmith Lutz and decorative artist Patrick did as they pleased. In that case, he should do the same. A dark smile appeared on Gerhardt's face.

Days later, the usual group was summoned to the castle's courtyard. Gerhardt held the sword, while Lutz, Claudia, and Patrick anxiously watched.

A barrel filled with water was prepared. Gerhardt drew the sword and pointed the tip towards the barrel. Nothing happened, but something seemed off.

Crack! The sound of boards breaking echoed. Water gushed out of the barrel. It was supposed to be a wine barrel, so it shouldn't have been so fragile.

Gerhardt remained motionless, still pointing the blade. Crack, crack—boards continued to shatter.

Eventually, the barrel broke, and water flooded the area. There was something odd about the way the water spread.

"Gerhardt, what in the world just happened?"

Lutz asked, voicing the group's collective confusion.

Taking a breath, Gerhardt sheathed the sword.

"The magic infused into this sword is of the earth attribute. It's truly worthy of its five-letter name and the Conqueror's Eye fragments. Its power is fearsome."

He chuckled, clearly satisfied with the outcome. It seemed that the sword had exceeded his expectations. If roses were the focus, he chose either earth or water attributes for no particular reason, but it turned out surprisingly well.

"It's the earth attribute, huh? I can't quite imagine what kind of effect it would have," Claudia remarked.

Fire attributes make things burn, wind attributes make them lighter or send shockwaves, and those effects are relatively easy to understand.

But when it comes to the earth attribute, what could it be? Perhaps throwing stones? Honestly, it's not a popular attribute. Very few customers visit the enchantment workshop specifically asking for an earth attribute.

"The earth attribute doesn't do much with just one or two characters, but when its power is enhanced, it can suddenly reveal its true form."

"I see. What happened to the barrel then?"

"The barrel collapsed under its own weight. When this sword is pointed at something, it becomes incredibly heavy, to the point where it cannot move. It's a finishing move that cuts down wooden puppets who can't even lift a finger. Haha..."

"I see. That's indeed terrifying, fitting for a five-letter name. But it doesn't really have much to do with women and roses, does it?"

"It's not entirely unrelated. The combination of women and roses represents a noble queen. Before this sword, all men will kneel. Hahaha..."

Gerhardt's mood took a strange turn as he found satisfaction in completing a masterpiece. He seemed to be elated after a series of troublesome matters. This was it. This made him the best enchanter in the count's domain.

Gerhardt laughed heartily. Lutz and Patrick exchanged glances.

"There's a lesson to be learned from that sword."

"Please tell us, Patrick-san. I'm probably thinking the same thing."

Lutz urged, and Patrick nodded slightly before answering.

"Women are scary."

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