Kays Translations

Chapter 154: Hephaestus's Sword

The presence behind him had been following at a consistent distance. Even after passing through the crowded market, there was no sign that they would suddenly attack from behind.

...I now understand what it feels like to have someone ogling your behind.

Mentally apologizing to his wife, Lutz entered the craftsman's district. If an unfamiliar figure, especially one wearing a hood low over their face, were to enter here, it would stand out even more.

Nevertheless, the man continued to follow. It seemed like he knew he had been spotted.

The so-called materials storage area was nothing more than a place for discarded items. When Lutz arrived there, he stopped and slowly turned around. The man didn't seem perturbed.

"For crying out loud, aren't you tired of staring at a man's backside? Shall we get to the point?"

Lutz drew his axe from his back, readying himself. However, the man didn't draw his sword. Instead, he removed his hood to reveal his face.

He had a large scar on his cheek. It seemed familiar, but Lutz couldn't quite place it. It had been over a year and a half since he had stormed the Knight Order's headquarters to rescue Claudia, and he couldn't muster any stronger feelings than vague recognition.

Just as Lutz thought the man was reaching for his sword, he instead unsheathed it, placing it beside him as he knelt before Lutz.

"Huh?"

"At last, I get to meet you, my god!"

"Huh?"

If he was being targeted for his life and the man was a believer, it would be strange. Lutz tried to make sense of the situation, but it still made no sense. It would have been more plausible if it were a trap to catch him off guard. However, the man showed no intention of attacking.

"Uh, let's try to make sense of this. You're Donald, right?"

"Oh, you know my insignificant name!"

The man suddenly lifted his face. His cheek was flushed, and his eyes were filled with an emotional intensity, akin to being in love or deeply moved. Lutz wished it were the latter.

"Oh, yes, right, Donald it is. So, is there a chance you've mistaken me for someone else?"

"The incarnation of Hephaestus, the supreme swordsmith, Lutz-sama, am I right!?"

"Just the name is correct..."

Donald had placed Lutz on the same level as the god of fire and the blacksmith. While it was flattering, Lutz had never thought of himself as a god, and certainly not as the god of blacksmithing. He had occasionally entertained the thought that he might be the best on the continent when he completed a masterpiece, but he was always aware that it was a mere delusion. Being called the incarnation of Hephaestus was not only laughable but also unsettling.

Before him stood a notorious serial killer. However, it didn't seem like he intended to harm Lutz. So, for now, Lutz decided to listen to what he had to say. Of course, he didn't let go of his axe.

"Well, there are tons of questions I'd like to ask."

"Yes! I'm all ears, day and night!"

"Ten or twenty minutes will do. So, why do you think I'm a god? And what happened to you, Donald?"

"Thank you for asking," Donald nodded deeply. Lutz regretted opening the dangerous door too easily, but it was already too late.

"Let me take you back to when you came to save the female merchant."

"Claudia?"

Lutz said with irritation that Donald couldn't even remember the name of the person he had helped. Donald regretfully lowered his head.

"After leaving a sword as payment for saving Claudia-sama, I was captivated by the beauty of that sword and ended up hurting my own face."

Even if he was resented, there was still no clear reason for worship. Lutz nodded slightly, encouraging him to continue.

"My face was covered in blood. I could feel the pain sharply even as consciousness faded. In that mysterious experience, I realized that this was a true weapon!"

Donald's expression became more ecstatic.

"I even began to enjoy the pain in my face as if it were a sweet caress. Compared to that sword, the swords we carry on our hips are not swords at all. They are nothing more than sharp iron rods!"

It seemed that the cursed sword, "Tsubaki," had shown traces of its magic power even before it was enchanted. Perhaps it had turned into an extraordinary sword after being bathed in this perverted man's blood. Lutz, who knew nothing about magic, couldn't make any further speculations.

"With my facial scar healed, when I returned to headquarters, my perspective completely changed. How ugly my fellow knights were! They had no real skills, made no effort, became knights through their parents' influence, and were only oppressing the citizens. They had baseless confidence and spent their days complaining while drinking cheap alcohol. It was hideous and incredibly foolish! I endured it for a while, but I couldn't stand it any longer, thinking that I might be seen the same way, so I left the headquarters."

"So, that's why you went into seclusion, improved your skills, and started hunting monsters?"

Learning that Lutz knew about his situation seems to have delighted Donald immensely, as he nodded vigorously like a happy dog wagging its tail. Lutz regretted saying too much.

"After completing my training, I returned to the city. I thought I should at least let my family know that I was alive. But before that, I did something unnecessary. I wanted to peek back at my old nest," 

Donald's expression clouded slightly. He continued speaking, as if confessing something shameful.

"There were still those pathetic guys who hadn't grown at all. And when I saw that the sword of Lutz-sama, which had been boasted about in the past, was ostentatiously hanging from their waists, my anger got the best of me. They have no right, no worthiness, to carry those swords. It doesn't suit them."

"So, you killed them?"

Donald's shoulder trembled slightly. However, he didn't deny it and eventually, in a solemn voice as if confessing to a deity, he answered,

"Yes."

Lutz understood the motive but couldn't comprehend it fully. It was understandable that the knights of the Count’s domain were a bunch of scoundrels and that they didn't deserve that short sword. However, going as far as to kill them for it was a leap in logic. Even if there were arguments or unpleasant feelings, it would have ended there for an ordinary person.

"One more thing, you didn't just follow me to exchange greetings, did you?"

"Yes, I wanted to inquire about what happened to that sword. I heard that it was confiscated by a high-ranking knight, but what happened after that?"

"That sword was enchanted and turned into an unbelievable cursed blade. It ended up in the hands of a man worthy of being its master."

"A worthy man?"

"Yes, I can vouch for that."

Donald smiled sadly. It had been a sword he had yearned for, but he had realized that he wouldn't be the one to wield it. So, he should at least be happy that it had found its way into the hands of a deserving man. It was a smile of blessing, tinged with a faint trace of pain.

"It's probably better not to ask for the name of that man. You might end up looking at him with jealous eyes."

"Forget about it. It's a love that's over."

Using the term "love" for a sword might sound strange, but Lutz's words settled comfortably in Donald's heart.

"Well then, excuse me. Can I reach out to you again?"

"If we're in a place where there's no one else around."

Donald deeply bowed and then picked up his sword before turning his back. Lutz noticed that he seemed to have something else to say but chose to remain silent.

Donald had been desperately holding back words like, "I want you to forge a sword for me," but he couldn't casually make such a request given what had transpired between the Knight Order, Lutz, and Claudia. He decided to engrave in his heart the determination to request it again when he had furthered his training and become a respectable man. With this resolution in mind, the former knight left.

Lutz was torn between hating or acknowledging him. With a complex expression, Lutz watched Donald's back and then let out a foolish-sounding voice.

"Ah..."

He had let a serial killer escape. 

After concluding his bizarre conversation with Donald, he now had to figure out how to explain this to Josel.

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