Chapter 155: Illuminated Path

Lutz never thought he would meet the deranged Donald again, and he certainly didn’t want to. However, their reunion happened unexpectedly soon.

Lutz still couldn’t see a suitable vision for a two-sword style, and on this day, he was swinging his swords in the materials storage area near his workshop. One sword in his right hand and another in his left, practicing his dual-wielding technique.

The swords were heavy, making it difficult for him to move them freely as if he were wielding them with both hands.

Even when trying to swing both swords simultaneously, their different lengths sometimes caused them to collide. To avoid this, he needed to swing them one after the other.

It felt like awkward and futile movements.

Despite the gradual easing of the summer heat, sweat dripped from Lutz’s entire body. He couldn’t see any progress.

Lutz was starting to think that the best solution might be to advise Ricardo, his client, to abandon the two-sword style altogether.

But that would be a feeble excuse for his own inadequacy.

It wouldn’t be something he could proudly tell his beloved wife or his late father. Nor could he confidently say it to the respected craftsmen. No, absolutely not. Kneeling down and apologizing to Ricardo would be a better option.

When he prepared to try again, he felt a presence behind him.

“Oh, my god! We meet again, my god!”

“…Donald-san?”

He didn’t need to turn around to know. There was no one else who spoke in such a bizarre manner. No way.

Lutz lowered his sword and turned to face Donald. Simultaneously, Donald removed the deep hood that had concealed his face. He had a wide grin on his face, which featured a large scar.

“Could you stop calling me ‘my god’? If someone else hears that, they’ll think you’re insane.”

“If it bothers you, then how about ‘Lutz-sama’?”

“Well, I guess that will do…”

Lutz compromised, even though he wished Donald had stopped that as well. Explaining why it was not appropriate seemed like too much trouble.

“Is this sword practice for the two-sword style?”

“Huh? Well, yeah…”

Looking at the swords hanging from both hands, Lutz started to feel a bit embarrassed. He felt like a child whose prank had been discovered.

…Maybe I should consult this guy.

Unlike the delinquent knights of the Count’s domain, the man in front of him seemed dedicated to his training in the mountains. With a feeling of desperation, Lutz decided to seek his opinion.

“I’m currently working on a commission for a sword that’s easy to handle in a two-sword style.”

“In that case, how about making the sword you hold in your left hand shorter?”

Lutz let out a deep sigh, thinking that it was indeed the case. However, there were circumstances that prevented him from doing so.

“I usually hold it with both hands, but I want to switch to dual-wielding when needed,” 

“Who on earth is the idiot that would trouble you like that, Lutz-sama?”

Donald furrowed his brows deeply and grumbled in annoyance. Lutz traced his cheek with his fingertip and replied.

“The owner of that one.”

“Dual-wielding with that beautiful sword! How extravagant. Well, but…”

“It’s a dream, isn’t it?”

“Absolutely.”

Donald nodded deeply in agreement. Had he picked up such romantic notions in the mountains? He showed understanding for Lutz’s troubles regarding the sword.

Lutz’s opinion of Donald increased slightly, but at the same time, a sense of caution arose, warning him not to get too involved with him.

“In that case…”

Donald contemplated while toying with his stubbled chin and then spoke up.

“Is it really necessary to consider the ease of a two-sword style?”

“Huh?”

He had just abandoned what had been troubling him. Lutz asked why.

“The two-sword style is, in a sense, a deviation from the sword’s original purpose. It’s more like a heretical sword technique. Whether one can do it or not is entirely up to the person. It shouldn’t be a blacksmith’s responsibility.”

“You’re being quite blunt…”

“Isn’t it better than half-heartedly trying to accommodate someone’s request and ending up with something mediocre?”

“Guh…”

He hit the nail on the head. What had been bothering Lutz was precisely that. Anyone could make a sword that was simply easy to handle, but he didn’t find any appeal in that.

Seeing the dejected expression of the esteemed blacksmith, Donald looked as though he regretted what he had said. It seemed he had a bad habit of speaking without thinking. Moreover, this habit seemed to have carried over from his time in the Knight Order. This realization filled him with self-loathing.

“I apologize. I spoke out of turn, whether it’s my god… I mean, Lutz-sama. I said too much without thinking. Even though I’m not a craftsman…”

“Well, you might not be a craftsman, Donald-san, but you’re someone who wields swords. Your opinion is not meaningless. I’ll take it into consideration.”

This reaction was somewhat surprising to Donald. Craftsmen, especially those considered master artisans, were usually more stubborn and eccentric, weren’t they? Or perhaps this flexible attitude was what made him a master craftsman.

“Forgive my presumption, but isn’t what we should be seeking more about the compatibility between the swords rather than ease of use? If the compatibility is good, then naturally, the two-sword style will work well, don’t you think?”

“Compatibility, huh? So it’s like creating a little sister for ‘Tsubaki’?”

“A little sister?”

Seeing Donald’s puzzled expression, Lutz waved his hand hurriedly. Claiming that a sword was like a woman would make him seem like a lunatic. Explaining the details of the situation to someone unfamiliar with it was quite challenging.

“Never mind that. Thanks to you, Donald-san, I’ve found a direction. Thank you.”

In Lutz’s mind, an image of Claudia and Princess Listille’s relationship appeared. If he could create a sword that symbolized those two, he believed it could be wielded effectively whether it was for the two-sword style or something else.

Lutz sheathed the two swords and was about to return to his workshop when he suddenly remembered something.

“Oh right, I heard that all those short swords have been collected by Josel-san, so please don’t go attacking knights anymore.”

It wasn’t like he cared if Donald attacked knights or not, but he didn’t want to burden Josel with more work. Even though Lutz had no obligation to catch murderers, he still felt a sense of guilt for chatting like this while Josel was out there working.

“What kind of person is Jocel-sama in your eyes, Lutz-sama?”

“Huh? Well, wouldn’t Donald-san know better, having been in the Knight Order with him?”

“When I was in the Knight Order, I only saw him as a nagging superior…”

In hindsight, it was only natural for Josel to complain, and Donald was surprised he hadn’t been punished more severely. The Knight Order was quite lax.

“He’s a true knight.”

Saying that, Lutz quickly walked away. Donald watched him until he disappeared from view and muttered to himself with a lonely expression.

“A true knight, huh…”

What these words meant was essentially that the knights of the Count’s domain were not real knights. Donald had no disagreement with that assessment. So, what should he aim for in the future? What should he become? He still didn’t know.

What he did know, however, was that he still wanted a sword. A companion that could illuminate and guide his path.

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