Kays Translations

Chapter 50: Setting the Target

The sound of sharpening swords stopped.

He wiped off the water and checked the finished product. Lutz's face reflected on the blade was not a cheerful one.

“Lutz-kun, are you ready?”

Claudia came to see what was going on. She looks at Lutz's face and realizes it was another failure. This is the third one already.

"It's not bad, but..."

Lutz replied, twisting his head.

"It doesn't resonate with my soul. I was told to make a great sword, yes I did, that's all. I guess you could call it a clerical finish, like ......."

Claudia looked at the sword. The thick blade could shatter anything with a single blow, and the blade's crest was clearly visible.

It's a good sword, I'm sure it will sell for a good price. But that's it.

"Yeah, it's true that when I look at the sword, I don't think 'Oh, how wonderful!' It's not like, "Oh, it's amazing," I only get cold impressions like other people's affairs or something like that."

"That's right. It looks like a lump of iron in the shape of a sword. There is no heart, soul, passion, or lust. There is no such thing on it at all."

Lutz slumped his shoulders and let out a big sigh. It's an important job that must be completed successfully, but I'm still not motivated to do it.

“I'm not going to say it now, but, you know, I wasn't into this job. It's not that they're going to use my sword, but they're going to use it for political purposes from the beginning. I couldn't go along with it."

“I remember that Lutz-kun is making a sword because he wants someone to use it. Or more precisely, you want it to be pampered by the person will use the sword, saying that ‘you are the best in the world’, that ‘you are wonderful’, and that ‘you want to be hugged’, don't you?"

"... a little more like this, what's called a trick."

“Isn’t it fine, I like Lutz-kun, who is full of desire. Desire for approval is the driving force for people to move forward. It's very important, as long as it doesn't get complicated.”

"If you are trying to compliment me, you’re not ......"

"Fufu. It's love, love."

As usual, Lutz felt a little more at ease.

“Is Lutz-kun the type that is easier to work with if he has a theme?”

"Maybe so. The themes of Demon Crying Sword and Knight Killer came first. For Camellia, I wasn't thinking about anything in particular, but to put it the other way around, there wasn't any noise like a nobleman's favoritism."

"Then it's a quick story. We just need to decide on a theme first and then hit it."

"Then there must be one. A tall sword with a thick blade."

"It's not a theme, it's just a fixed shape. What matters is who you want to kill with that sword."

Claudia suddenly said something disturbing.

“It's nothing surprising. Swords are for cutting people. Isn't that what Lutz Papa said? A sword is just a manslayer's knife after all...."

"Don't be servile, don't take a slanted stance, just accept the fact naturally. Right."

"Yes, that's right. The Knight Killer is for killing knights indoors, the love letter is for stabbing the heart when attacked by bandits, and the Demon Wailing Sword is for preventing a surprise attack by a nobleman with just one blow. Lutz-kun is an idiot. What do you want to destroy with your big sword?"

I was just hitting as I was told. That's why I could only make boring swords. Without knowing what to cut with the sword, there was no way I could put my soul into it.

“Thank you, Claudia. I can't see clearly yet, but I have a direction to think about.”

"That's not what I want to hear, you know."

"I love you"

"Fufufu"

Claudia smiled satisfactorily, and Lutz burst out laughing as well.

Now, there was one problem when I thought about what to make the sword for cutting. This is a sword to be presented to the king of an enemy kingdom. If so, would it be a soldier or a nobleman of the kingdom who would be the target of the sword?

...... I wonder if that is indeed the case.

A king who calls himself the incarnation of the sun wields a mighty sword, what kind of power does such a king need? I don't know, I just couldn't picture it.

“Lutz, are you there? Are you at home!?”

There was a thumping, violent and unreserved knocking sound. That voice was Gerhard's apprentice, Jocel, a high-ranking knight.

He was a crazy punk who mixed loyalty, faith, and chivalry into a blender. To be honest, he was a little bit of a difficult person to deal with. Even more so for Claudia, who dislikes knights.

When I was talking to Claudia about ignoring it.

"Hey, I know you're in there. Open up, the Count wants to see you!"

He made the first move and told me.

The Count knows I've been away, and he wants to see me. Apparently, I can't help but go along with him this time as well.

As I wondered why they knew I was inside, I heard the thwarted braying of a donkey. Yes, there he was. I always take him with me when I go away.

Lutz stood up cumbersomely, unbolted the inside bolt and opened the door.

“Hi, Jocel-san. I'm sorry, I've been in the middle of some things."

“I understand the situation. I would like you to concentrate on your work if you can, but for once I will ask you to come with me. I say the Count's calling, but the client is elsewhere ......."

And here he broke off the words. It is not a waste of time, but Jocel himself seems to be puzzled.

“The third princess, Listil-sama, wants to meet the craftsman.”

"Huh……"

I don't understand what you mean..

What does it mean that the royal family wants to meet a craftsman who is below the lower rank?

Unlike Gerhard and Patrick, Lutz lives outside the citadel. And he is not a member of a trade association. On the family register, Lutz is an unemployed, suspicious person with no permanent address.

Rather than thinking that it was an honor to be called by the royal family, it was troublesome.

"When you say the third princess, that's the one who was about to be used as a pillow of a completely naked little girl by the perverted king. I'm not talking about the past tense yet, but if the making of the sword doesn't go well, I'm sure it will again."

Jocel's brow furrowed uncomfortably at Claudia's apt description.

“Claudia-san, you're talking about a princess. Choose your words a little more carefully."

"Oops, excuse me."

"And where did you hear that the barbarians wanted Listil-sama? It's not open to the public."

"You can easily find out such a thing by gathering a few rumors in town. It seems that among the Twelve Nobles, there is a man who is very light-spoken."

The merchant living outside the city walls knows what is being negotiated. Jocel frowned more and more at the lack of information control and slackness in discipline.

"I don't know anything about the etiquette of the castle, Mr. Jocel. I don't want to be disrespectful, so I'd like to decline."

It was as if Lutz had written on his face that he did not want to go because it would be too much trouble. The princess had asked him to go, and Jocel couldn't back down.

"I'm not telling you to pay attention to every move you make, and I'm not even expecting you to. Just add "desu, masu, aru" at the end of each sentence. Just don't say things like, 'Wow, you're a princess, I hear you're a great one’.”

"No, of course not. That's insane."

Lutz laughed dismissively, while Jocel, on the other hand, clenched his fists tightly and shouted.

"There are people out there who do that kind of thing!"

"... you were there?"

“As a bodyguard, I have been present many times when the Count meets adventurers, but sometimes there are idiots who misunderstand such rude behavior as being free and cool!”

Naturally, such people could not become adventurers in the service of the count's family. It is out of the question if they do not know the rules of etiquette and do not even think about being courteous in such an event. It would be like saying, "I can't judge the situation properly.

“Listen to me, Lutz, remember. Idiots always go above and beyond expectations! You can't tame beasts with the chains of common sense!"

"Uh, yes"

Jocel seems to be having a lot of trouble.

It wasn't something I could refuse to begin with, and I decided to go to the castle because I thought it would be okay to show Jocel some face.

However, on the condition that Claudia should be brought along.

"Isn't it strange to have your wife accompany you to these things?"

"Well, yes, but..."

Jocel said, looking unenthusiastic.

Jocel seems to have a hard time with Claudia, as he is teased and belittled at every turn.

Claudia, who noticed such a movement in her heart,

“My husband and I are one in the same, I definitely want to follow you, hahaha.”

She laughed wickedly at such things.

That's the point," Lutz said to himself.

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