Chapter 18: Flickering Flames

A few days later, Gerhard came to the designated house.

The house is located a short distance from a series of crude huts along the river.

The area near the river is convenient to live in, and a large amount of water is needed for blacksmithing, but if the water rises, the river will wash it away. That is why the house is located a little bit far from the river.

“Welcome, Gerhard-san.”

“Hey, thanks a lot.”

Claudia greeted him. They had become good friends in the lumberjack settlement, and their language was easy-going.

The donkey was placed in a shed, which was only fenced and roofed, and was led into the house.

“Lutz-kun, Gerhard-san is here.”

Lutz smilingly emerges from the forge when I call out to him.

“Lutz, I wonder if you would listen to me today.”

“Of course. Please come in.”

The blacksmith, merchant, and adjunct spellcaster gathered around the living room table, and Gerhard began to talk about the whereabouts of the mysterious sword, which would be the first thing they would be interested in.

Taking away the sword from the Knights.

After enchanting it, an outrageous magic sword was created.

That it fell into the hands of the hero.

That the Count also asked for a sword, and that he finally arrived here in search of a swordsmith.

While listening, Lutz and Claudia looked at each other and wrinkled their eyebrows.

I was surprised, horrified, and just a little bit proud, especially when I heard that the mysterious sword had truly become an unmanageable substitute.

It’s irresponsible and unavoidable, but it’s tantamount to pleasure that a craftsman has created something that has an impact on the world.

“That hero of yours, I wonder if he can handle the mysterious sword.”

“Well, I don’t know. The rest is his own problem now. He may be out there in the woods right now, alone, poking his throat out, but I don’t know.”

Gerhard said plainly.

Lutz wondered if that was all right, but when he thought about it, there was nothing he could do for the man named Ricardo. In the end, he confessed that he was glad he didn’t put his name on it.

“I wonder if you understand my request. I want a sword to present to the Count. I will engrave ancient characters on the sword, but would you mind if I put my hands on the finished sword?”

After groaning, Lutz replied.

“Not much, I guess.”

“Oh really.”

“If the owner feels that the sword is too long, it is common practice to shorten it by grinding up the lower part of the blade, the kagojiri. But a swordsmith cannot be blamed for this. For the user, ease of use is directly related to life and death.”

Although the sword has an aspect as a work of art, we must not forget that it is essentially a weapon. That was Lutz’s thinking..

A sword is after all a manslayer’s knife.

Don’t belittle those words, don’t take a slanted stance, just accept them naturally. That’s what his father taught him.

“It’s also possible to combine enchantment with it, but I think it’s okay for you to process it according to the purpose.”

Gerhard nodded in satisfaction at the simple and clear answer.

“Excellent. I promise I will do my best to enchant.”

The two craftsmen recognized each other, and then the conversation moved on to the specific shape of the sword.

“The Count, who is not very good at martial arts, wears a sword, right? Then I would prefer one that looks good and is not too heavy.”

“I bet you didn’t assume that you would stand up to an assassin yourself.”

A weapon such as Claudia’s dagger, which was shown the other day, was specialized to pierce the heart, but this time I don’t have to think about that.

Claudia, who had been silent until now, opened her mouth.

“Wait a minute, Lutz-kun. If you’re a weapon-loving aristocrat, there will be times when you’ll get together with like-minded people. At that time, they may ask you to show them your sword. A sword that is only for show will bring shame to you. Whether you use it or not, shouldn’t you pursue its practicality?”

When I turned my gaze to Gerhard, he also gave a small nod and agreed.

“When it comes to a sword that is light, looks good, and has outstanding practicality…”

Lutz opened and closed his fingertips to formulate an image of what shape to make and how wide to make it.

“Can you do it?”

“Well, this is how it’s going to be…this is how it goes. Oh, yes, yes, yes. This way you can go……”

Whether he heard Gerhard’s voice or not, he finally regained his sanity after immersing himself in his own world for a while.

“I think I can do it. Can you come back in two weeks, and I’ll try to get it into shape.”

“Well, I’m glad to hear you say something so dependable.”

Gerhard stands up, grabs Lutz’s hand and shakes it happily.

At that time, Lutz noticed that Gerhardt’s hand was strangely stiff. At first Lutz thought it might be because he was a craftsman, but he was an adjunct spellcaster and not primarily engaged in heavy lifting.

and he seems to be quite good at it. Lutz wondered if he could win a head-on fight. Frankly, he was not very confident. He seems to be an old man with a lot of mysteries.

“by the way……”

And again, Claudia said.

“Gerhard-san, Lutz-kun is not able to decorate the sheath or hilt. It’s really bad. It’s a burnt wasteland, with his artistic sense so devastated by his self-indulgence that he thinks it’s fine to use it like that.”

“Claudia, you could put it a little more gently…”

“For that reason, is it okay if I leave the decorations to you?”

Gerhard remembered the mysterious sword and the dagger that Claudia had shown him. Both had black sheaths. They were too plain to be presented to the Count.

“Okay, let’s secure the finishing craftsmen here.”

Thus, the conversation was settled, Gerhard walked away, and Lutz went to work on the sword.

Lutz was in the forge, arms folded, still and thoughtful.

It was the first time for him to strike a sword to be presented to a nobleman. And he was not a low-ranking nobleman. He was a count, the highest of the nobility.

“What is it, Lutz-kun, is it interesting to stare at a piece of iron?”

It seems that Claudia has come to see how things are going, feeling suspicious that there is no sound for a long time.

“I’m nervous, maybe I’m a little scared. I think that my life will change completely by striking this sword.”

“Ahahaha, what the hell is that?”

Claudia laughed off the troubled Lutz. After being called such a thing, Lutz turned a slightly displeased face.

“The biggest turning point in your life was when you threw a mysterious sword at the knights. Everything else is just a trifle.”

“… Really, you don’t try to break your style by always saying, ‘You like me’.”

“I have proof, would you like to see it?”

“I’ll pass.”

“A love letter that you wrote but never sent out. That’s wonderful. You expect it to be found so quickly did you?”

While saying that, she took out the dagger from her pocket. Apparently she still carries it around. She continues her story, stroking the handle with her slender fingertips.

“When we’re both sitting in the sun together with wrinkled gray hair, I wonder if he was actually going to say …… for that dagger, ……. That would be romantic, though, wouldn’t it? Oh no, too bad, too bad.”

Claudia said whatever she wanted and went back to the living room. Lutz, who was left behind in the forge, mutters to himself.

“Everything after that is trivial, huh…”

Whether Lutz is a poor blacksmith or an employee of a nobleman, Claudia will not mind either way and will probably follow him. It is very typical of Claudia to assert that this is a matter of course.

I have decided what to do.

Lutz lit the furnace and blew the air with the bellows.

Lutz gazed at the swaying flames with his straight eyes.

A few days later, the shape of the completed sword was like a huge sashimi knife.

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