Chapter 235: Horrific Order

Guard Corps, Meeting with the Commander.

“We, the guards, must not only be strong. We must always be by His Majesty’s side, as close as his clothing. If we appear shabby, it implies that His Majesty wears shabby attire. To put it simply for commoners, it means being looked down upon. Do you understand?”

“I understand.”

Lutz nodded earnestly. He didn’t particularly care about the aesthetics of the Royal Guards, but if it led to making swords that customers desired, he couldn’t afford to ignore it.

Claudia did not accompany Lutz this time. Many nobles disliked women interrupting negotiations, especially among knights who made a living from battle. From Lutz’s perspective, it wasn’t about gender but rather that Claudia was more accustomed to negotiations. However, if the client said no, there was nothing he could do.

As the commander himself described, he was a well-groomed dandy. His hair was meticulously slicked back without a single strand out of place. His beard was neatly trimmed, and even his mustache was precisely cut. From Lutz’s perspective, accustomed to a more casual approach, the commander’s meticulousness seemed almost pathological, making him the polar opposite.

“What I seek in a sword is beauty. However, it’s not simply about studding it with gems. It shouldn’t outshine His Majesty. If His Majesty is a rose, we are wildflowers. It should possess a subtle beauty that, though not conspicuous, makes one admire and cherish it when seen.”

The commander spoke with a somewhat ecstatic expression. He seemed excited, with a slightly flushed face. While Lutz couldn’t quite understand what was so exciting about the conversation, he understood that the commander sought a modest beauty, so he nodded confidently.

“Thank you very much for your time today. Thanks to you, it seems I can make a good sword.”

“Hmm.”

As Lutz deeply bowed and prepared to leave the room, the commander called out to his back.

“Hey, blacksmith.”

“Yes?”

“Elegantly, got it? Don’t forget.”

“Uh, yes.”

Honestly, there was no other way to respond to such a remark except to be troubled by it.

The second encounter. The Fourth Knight Order, Meeting with the Commander.

“So, you know, that sword thingy, it’s like, bam! Swing it, slash it, this thing’s the real deal. Got it?”

The commander spoke with strange gestures, as if shouting. Well, he wasn’t aware that he was shouting; he was just speaking as usual.

He was a man who could be described as a muscle mountain. In fact, there was no other way to describe him. Although he wore armor tightly around his chest and waist, his shoulders and arms, with bulging muscles, were exposed, perhaps because there was no size that fit him, or perhaps because he disliked feeling constricted.

The soldiers under his command would be inspired, and enemy soldiers would flee in fear at the sight of him. Lutz didn’t particularly want to fight such a person.

“I understand.”

“Really? Do you really get it?”

The commander became suspicious because Lutz answered too easily. He seemed to dislike people who only paid lip service.

Lutz answered without hesitation. He was much easier to understand than the commander of the Royal Guards.

“A sword that can cleave enemies in two from the front, enduring even reckless use, is a blade that can withstand the brute force of a warrior. With His Excellency’s splendid physique, he could handle a slightly heavier sword. In fact, it might be harder to handle without the weight.”

“Ou….”

The commander nodded nonchalantly. It meant to continue.

“In that case, I’ll make the blade thick like an axe or hatchet to ensure sharpness and enchant it for durability enhancement. With this, it will never betray His Excellency, even in the harshest battlefield, creating a reliable companion-like sword.”

Although he was not good at negotiations, when it came to talking about swords, Lutz found himself surprisingly eloquent. The commander remained silent, watching Lutz. It was hard to tell from his expression whether he was in a good mood or a bad one.

He was indeed a knight commander serving in the capital; his mere silence exuded an aura of intimidation. Feeling slightly suffocated, Lutz was about to speak when the commander opened his mouth.

“You, join the Fourth Knight Order.”

“…I’m sorry, but that’s impossible.”

“Impossible, huh…”

Muttering in a voice too loud to be called a murmur, the commander solemnly shook his head.

He was overly exuberant, but it was only because his words were insufficient; he was by no means lacking in intelligence. He immediately understood Lutz’s position and backed down. If he were to forcibly recruit him, he knew he would face opposition from the king, the marquis, and the count.

“Well, for now, I look forward to the completion of the sword. Is there anything planned for later? If not, let’s have a drink. I want to hear what kind of trouble your swords have caused so far.”

Although describing it as “trouble” was quite a statement, Lutz couldn’t deny it. It seemed that trouble always followed the swords he forged, or perhaps he forged swords in response to trouble.

Feeling grateful for the commander’s favor, Lutz answered with a disappointed expression.

“I apologize, but I have another appointment to attend to today. It’s with the commander of the Thirteenth Knight Order.”

“Thirteen, huh…”

The commander spoke with an expressionless face. As Lutz prepared to head to his destination, he couldn’t help but feel curious about the commander’s demeanor.

“Forgive me for asking, but you don’t seem to like him very much?”

“No, it’s not that I dislike him. I just find him a bit difficult to deal with. He’s a hero who achieved great success in the war against the Allied Nations, a reaper.”

“A reaper, you say…”

“Isn’t it laughable? There are probably hundreds of people in this world who call themselves the Black Knight or the Grim Reaper. The sound of it might be impressive, but it’s embarrassing how oversaturated it is. Still…”

The commander said with a distant look in his eyes.

“The only fitting title for him is, indeed, the Grim Reaper.”

Ah, the commander muttered and raised his head. He realized that he had inadvertently detained Lutz, who still had matters to attend to.

“I apologize for keeping you so long with my talk. Well, although he’s got such a grandiose name like the Grim Reaper, he won’t just suddenly come after you.”

With a hearty and irresponsible laugh, the commander thanked Lutz and left the room.

Guided by a knight, Lutz headed towards the room of the commander of the Thirteenth Knight Order.

The Grim Reaper… Lutz couldn’t help but make a bitter face at the thought of meeting such a person. Wasn’t there a slightly milder title available?

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