Kays Translations

Chapter 34: Knightmare

A sword is a tool for slashing people and I always thought I had that much in mind. It was my first experience of hitting a sword specifically for the purpose of killing someone. Moreover, it was a human, not a monster, and a knight from the same country. If you do it, you will immediately become an inquirer. No, my position becomes suspicious when I have something like this.

To make matters worse, the sword that Lutz struck was terribly well made.

A senior blacksmith had just created a masterpiece by brilliantly blooming a dead flower, and I felt ashamed not to answer to him.

“Lutz-kun, come on ……, are you someone who can’t take it easy or something?”

Claudia gave Lutz a dumbfounded look, and Lutz shrugged his shoulders, looking like a child caught in the act of a prank.

On the table between them, a disastrously gleaming sword was lying carelessly.

Even a layman can tell from a quick glance that it is a sword that seems to cut well. It could easily rip through human flesh, among other things. It had such a blackish shine that it would be perfected by being bathed in blood.

The quality of Lutz’s work is uneven. He has made a variety of swords: a famous sword, a holy sword, iron scraps, and a cursed sword. Apparently, this is his fourth.

“I just got fired up…”

Claudia was in a mixed mood, as if she wanted to scold Lutz, who seemed uncomfortable.

This blade is a sword that has made the delinquent knights within the citadel its virtual enemy. The fact that it was so well made meant that Lutz had taken into account Claudia’s resentment and frustration. Thinking about it, I wanted to push him down and kiss him right now.

On the other hand, there was the fear that if he carried such a cursed object, he might someday actually ride unannounced into the knight’s quarters. It is not impossible for a sword to be able to trick its wielder. I’ve been reminded of this in the last few months.

“Lutz-kun, you should get rid of this guy as soon as possible. Of course, you shouldn’t even put a name on it.”

It’s like a proof of rebellion against the knight order, and even against the family of the Count. At the very least, it was an object that could be interpreted as such. No number of lives would be enough to put a name on it.

Lutz’s purpose in striking the sword was to show his hand and rivalry with Borvis. That purpose was achieved when he had a good one. He has no objection to letting go.

“Clau, I understand well that it is dangerous to have this thing. But, you know, I’d like to at least give it a name before I release it.”

“Yeah, it’s either your name or …….”

Lutz had once given away a mysterious blade without naming it. Although that was something he had no choice to do, it has always stuck in the corner of his mind in the form of regret and guilt. He had a natural desire as a swordsmith to at least put a name on a piece that he recognized as being of good workmanship, and it was also a matter of courtesy to his own work.

“What should I do? Should I think about something appropriately?”

“No, just for this time, let me put it on.”

“Lutz-kun?”

Claudia’s eyes widened with a look of surprise. Lutz has a terrible sense of naming things, and he knows it. For this reason, he has recently been throwing naming ideas to Claudia, rather than trying to come up with them himself.

Such a man has insisted on giving it his own name. If he did a bad job, he might give it the worst possible name, such as “Knight Stick Chonkirimaru.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to give it a strange name. I’m just going to name it what I think is the only name for it.”

“… so, what is that name?”

“The Knight-Killer.”

Knight-Killer, simple as it sounds, and there seemed to be no other suitable name.

“What do you think, this name is based on Clau’s taste.”

“Not bad. No, it’s really good. Very good.”

“Well, now that I have your endorsement, I can breathe a sigh of relief.”

An inscription was engraved on the finished sword, and it was decided to store it in the back of the storage box for the time being.

Originally, it was supposed to be forgotten as it was, but it was soon dug up by an old man’s sense of smell.

“Lutz, did you make a new work?”

A week after sealing the Knight Killer, Gerhard, to whom I had made no particular promises, came to me and asked me to produce the sword without any context.

“Mr. Gerhard, I should not have received any orders from you.”

Lutz said with a dubious face.

“I guess so. I’m not that stupid either.”

“Yes.”

“But you made something, didn’t you?”

I can see everything, the old man has a smile on his face, but his eyes are sharp enough to pierce.

“Borvis struck a splendid sword, so I thought that Lutz might be striking a sword out of rivalry.”

Gerhard proudly tapped the sword at his waist. He was absolutely certain that if he had been a blacksmith himself, he would have done the same.

“Lutz-kun, there’s no way to deceive him anymore. It would be quicker if you showed him.”

Claudia said with a sigh, and Gerhard nodded in satisfaction. Lutz also took a contemplative look, removed the bottom board further inside the storage box, took out the sword, and laid it out on the table.

“Hoho, well, well. Looks like you could cut a person’s bare head pretty well.”

It was just the right length to wield indoors, and the blade was thick. Gerhard was pleased to hold the vicious sword in his hand.

“Have you signed it yet?”

“I called it a knight killer. It’s a sword that cuts the enemy’s neck off on the battlefield…”

“That’s a lie.”

Gerhard said with a grin.

“Eh?”

“It is too well made for a side weapon. Too well made is also a bad thing, Lutz. The moment I picked it up, I knew I could trust my life to it. I’d rather use it to ambush a large number of people indoors, but what do you think?”

The concept had been completely seen through. Lutz had lost the will to resist, wondering if he could tell that much just by holding it.

“With great respect, sir, but I made the knights’ order a virtual enemy.”

“I am not a member of the Order or anything like that, so I won’t do anything silly like telling on you. I would rather praise the excellence of this sword. If a skilled man came barging in with it, it wouldn’t take him more than five minutes to kill them all…”

And Gerhard laughed eerily.

Lutz regretted a little that he should have stuck it in the furnace and melted it down after all.

“Lutz, will you sell this to me? An artist must always be in touch with good things. It’s about time my pupil had a sword of some renown.”

“I would be delighted if you would take it with you.”

“How about ten gold coins? Bring it tomorrow and exchange it for the actual item.”

“We have a deal.”

With a firm handshake, Gerhard left with light steps. Behind him, Claudia folded her arms and tilted her head as she saw him off.

“What’s the matter, Clau, is something on your mind?”

“No, if I remember correctly, Gerhard-san’s apprentice was a high-ranking knight or something…?”

“Hmm?”

It just seemed like an outrageous, bad-tasting joke.

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