Chapter 45: Steel Love Letter

While Gerhard and his team were fighting off the bandits, Lutz and Claudia were walking through the city with a donkey in tow.

The destination was the workshop of the decorator Patrick. The purpose was to decorate Claudia’s dagger, a strangely named love letter.

The love letter’s sheath is black lacquered and unadorned. This is not bad, but it is plain. We once talked about how painting something in a goldsmith’s work would add a touch of luxury, and today we are going to do just that.

“It would probably cost quite a lot of money to get a professional to do it….”

Claudia says, but she did not argue too strongly. She couldn’t resist such pleasure that the man she had fallen in love with had given her a gift for herself, and remembered her casual conversations.

“Well, it’s fine, it’s not bad to pour the money you earn from swords into swords.”

Lutz smiled and said. I have a good amount of money to live on, having completed a number of requests to make swords from important people. A few gold coins will do me no harm if I spend them.

“I thought Lutz-kun wasn’t really interested in decorations.”

“I used to think so until not so long ago. No matter how much money you spend on the sheath and brim, it doesn’t affect the sharpness of the sword in any way. Not only would it not change the value of the sword, I even thought it would muddy its essence.”

“That’s a sultry complication, isn’t it ……”

“Exactly. So the other day I was shown the sheath of the Demon Wailing Sword and it was really wonderful. It really changed my whole outlook on values. To raise the dignity of a sword, it needs to be decorated.”

Lutz said excitedly. Knowing how to make the sword more attractive was a big change for him.

“So, I wonder if Patrick-san, who we’re going to now, is okay. From what I’ve been told….he’s quite an odd person”

“No problem. He just gets mad when he’s in front of a great sword, but his skills are solid.”

“Isn’t it a good story that can be dismissed as just…?”

Claudia decided that it would be better not to delve too deeply into this story.

“By the way, Lutz-kun, since this is a good opportunity, there is one thing I would like to ask you.”

“What’s wrong with you? If you can even count the wrinkles in people’s buttholes, there’s nothing to hold back now.”

“That’s true, too. No, it’s not a difficult story. Lutz-kun, don’t you want to own a famous sword yourself?”

Until now, Lutz has produced many famous swords and passed them on to many people. However, his own sword was not good enough to sell. A failure that can’t even be called a failure. He said he was comfortable with it because it wouldn’t hurt much if it was broken or stolen.

However, Lutz must be the one who understands the charm of a famous sword the best. Claudia wondered if he didn’t want a sword of his own.

“It’s not that I don’t want it, but…”

Lutz looked up at the sky and said while thinking. In particular, it seems difficult to explain because it is not a matter of ideological claims. Somehow, that’s all there is to say.

“If I can make a good sword, I’d rather give it to someone else to use it rather than use it myself.”

“You’re a blacksmith at heart. …”

“I want people to say that the sword is a wonderful thing, and I want to be praised as the best swordsmith. I also want money.”

“You’ve suddenly become very worldly.”

“Look, Clau, this is very important. Only honour and admiration can fulfil your dignity and motivate you to do another piece. Art is only complete when it touches people’s eyes, Clau.”

Lutz suddenly speaks passionately and painfully. And now he calmed down and lowered his voice, as if he was ashamed of being heated.

“…… Well, that’s why saying it’s my own personal masterpiece is lower on my priority list. I’d love to have one someday, but I don’t have a specific date in mind or anything like that.”

“Isn’t that a pattern that you won’t do for the rest of your life if you don’t move aggressively?”

“No doubt about it.”

While we were talking about this, we arrived at the place Patrick had told me about. It was a magnificent building that would be pointless and vain to compare it with Lutz’s hut. It was a natural place for dozens of people, including masters, craftsmen and apprentices, to live in.

He hitched up his donkey and knocked on the sturdy door, and a man who appeared to be his apprentice emerged from inside.

“My name is Lutz, the swordsmith. Is Patrick-san at home?”

The disciple thought for a moment and looked up as if remembering something.

“Ah, I heard from my master. If Lutz-sama or Gerhard-sama comes to visit, let him pass even when you are in the middle of trouting.”

I guess it means that the visitation is the top priority, but I wonder if there was another way to say it.

It really hurts to see the look from Claudia, who wonders if it’s really okay.

When I was guided to the master’s room, the middle-aged man I met at Gerhard’s workshop greeted me with a big smile.

“Welcome, welcome Mr. Lutz! As long as I am happy that the maker of that demon sword-chan has visited, I will make this day a holiday at the workshop!”

The expression was exaggerated in some way. Although this is really what this man would have done.

“It’s my pleasure, I couldn’t forget the sheath of the Demon Wailing Sword, so I came by.”

“fufu”

The greatest compliment to a craftsman is a compliment to his work. Patrick let out a sickening chuckle when a first-class swordsmith praised his sculpture.

“Today, I’m here to ask you, Patrick, to decorate the scabbard for my short sword.”

When I sent a quick glance, Claudia, who was waiting behind me, stepped forward.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Claudia, Lutz’s wife.”

She took a deep bow.

Patrick’s eyes glowed spectacularly as she took a black lacquered dagger from her pocket and placed it on the table.

“Hoho, hoho… Is this the  blade that Lutz-san struck?”

“That’s right”

“A sword smith strikes a sword for his wife. Oh, it’s love! Love is dazzling!”

“It’s not that big of a deal……”

Lutz was at a loss for an answer, unable to keep up with this man’s tension. He made it because Claudia wanted it, so for Lutz it was just that.

“You chose me, Patrick, because you wanted to add flowers to your love! Is that what you mean!?”

Is that what this is all about? Lutz could no longer do anything but nod with a vaguely ambiguous smile.

When Patrick grabbed the scabbard and pulled out the blade, he was mesmerised by its sharpness and beauty.

Gurgling, he cleared his throat and said.

“If you get stabbed with this, you’ll die!”

He was so excited that his vocabulary was a bit of a moniker. I wanted to tell him that it was just the right length to pierce the heart, but my head couldn’t keep up.

“So, so what’s this little cutie’s name!?”

“Heh, what’s its name…?”

Lutz was again at a loss for a response. It’s not that he doesn’t have a name, it’s not that he doesn’t know it. It’s just that it’s hard to explain when people ask where the name comes from.

Claudia smiled thinly and advanced, with a flustered Lutz at her side.

“This sword’s name is Love Letter.”

“Love letter, love letter-chan. This is another strange name.”

Patrick pulled out a mallet and tried to remove the nail that stopped the handle. This was a decorator’s workshop, and there were many tools for detailed work.

“Patrick, do you remove the handle to do the decorations!?”

Lutz’s eyes widened and Patrick looked at him curiously.

“That’s right. Working with it attached puts a strain on the blade, and it’s hard to fix it in place.”

In fact, there was no reason not to remove it.

Lutz had missed a story that would have been obvious if he had thought about it a little. He reflected on the fact that he had never really taken an interest in other people’s business. And now he was going to pay the price for his indifference.

“Don’t worry, Gerhard taught me how to remove the pegs. I’m also the one who decorated the Wailing Sword. I have a track record”

No, it’s not, I’m not worried that you might break it.

The pegs and handle were quickly, yet carefully removed. Words of love were once again exposed to the public eye.

DEAR YOU.

Gerhard had laughed out loud when he saw this before. He thought it would happen again this time, but Patrick froze as he looked at the stem.

“Precious……”

“……Eh?”

“I can’t take it anymore, it’s hard, it’s so tough. I feel like I’m going to explode here. I want to quit being human and become a flower.”

“Patrick-san?”

“Words of love from a man who would normally be a man of few words, to a pocket sword that protects his wife. Oh, jeez, there’s no room in between. I realised what I was born into this world to do. It was to dress this little love letter up nicely. ……”

Patrick is babbling fast. It’s full of ramblings, but I wonder if I can have a decent conversation with Patrick now.

Lutz isn’t talkative, but it’s not like he talks a lot with Claudia. As he has previously commented, the relationship is like having a work colleague, friend and lover all together. We talk about three times as much as normal. When we run out of topics, we can switch to body language.

Born to embellish a love letter, what kind of stupid story is that? Perhaps Patrick said something similar at the time of the Demon Wailing Sword.

Tiredness. It is terribly tiring to deal with this man. Who said that he is okay because he has good skill?

Claudia then told him the pattern she preferred and negotiated the price before leaving the workshop. The apprentice who came out to see us off did not say ‘thank you’ or ‘have a safe journey home’.

“Thanks for your hard work.”

I was somewhat impressed by what he said.

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