Kays Translations

Chapter 66: The Mask of Blessing

Hehehe, she's here.

It's not that cute, but that's how I would describe Oliver's taut smile.

Claudia froze with the door open.

An elderly man with a body that has been tempered through many years of blacksmithing, holding a bouquet of flowers under his arm and a forced smile on his face. It is no longer a horror story.

It was only after a few seconds that I realized that it was not a demon of any kind, but one of the masters who had made the greeting rounds.

"Oh, hi, Mr. Oliver. How can I help you today?"

“I am here to congratulate Mr. Lutz on his new position. I would very much like to meet him in person.”

"Yes, but ......"

Claudia was puzzled. Then she remembered. I think I told him to come and say hello from that side, in a kind of a sales pitch.

At that moment, a young man appeared from behind.

"What's up, Clau?"

A man with a toned body from his work as a blacksmith. He has several burn marks on his arms, probably from the scattered sparks. He is either a colleague or a masochist with a taste for cruelty.

“Are you a disciple? I would like to meet Master Lutz, will you show me around?"

"It’s Lutz."

“Yes, please guide me to where Lutz-sensei’s is.”

"It’s Lutz."

"...enough with the name-checking. Just get on with it."

"It’s Lutz."

Is this guy crazy? I really can't do it, but I want to punch him. I clenched my fist hard and heard a giggle. It is Claudia who is laughing.

“Oliver-san, the man in front of you is Lutz, the swordsmith owned by the Count, and he is my husband.”

"What?"

No matter how you look at it, the man looks like he's in his twenties, too young by all appearances. He was old enough to be a craftsman in Oliver's workshop, where he could be trusted to do a little work.

……The Count is plotting something, and isn’t this guy just a cover?

It was Oliver who had such doubts.

“Lutz-kun, you should stop with the weird characterizations."

"I was having a little fun wondering when he was going to figure it out."

The two of us laughed together, saying things like.

“Excuse me, Oliver-san. I am Lutz, the swordsmith.”

"Oh, oh. I'm Oliver, the master blacksmith. I know it's back and forth, but congratulations on your new position as the official blacksmith of the Count's family."

Saying that, Oliver handed the bouquet to Lutz, which he relayed to Claudia. Since there was no stylish thing like a vase, it was decided to put it in a bucket filled with water.

......The ostensible business is over.

He said hello and congratulated him. If they say, "That's enough for today," I have nothing to say in return.

When I was worried about what to do, Lutz said to me,

“If you'd like, I could take you to see where I work."

"...Is it okay?"

"That's what you came here for."

It was more than a little frustrating to have the young man see right through me, but now was not the time to be talking about such things.

Refusing was not an option for Oliver.

“I want to repay the bouquet too.”

Lutz laughed and showed it to him.

No matter what Oliver's motives were for coming, I'll thank you for celebrating me. Lutz's idea was as simple as that.

……I wonder if this guy is a good guy.

Oliver's evaluation of Lutz was changing into a favorable one.

When I was taken to the blacksmith workshop, I found an unusual array of equipment. Whether swords or knives, they are still made by beating steel, so the use of the equipment was somewhat understandable.

"Hmm, this is..."

In his mind, Oliver tried to simulate the case of striking a sword with these facilities. He could only imagine that it would be somewhat better than before.

Just using the same equipment is not enough. A big secret is hidden in the work process.

But the question is how to know it. Who would honestly tell someone they just met for the first time if they were asked to give them the source of your food?

Teach the craft for free. This was the greatest disrespect and taboo for artisans. It wouldn't be strange to be ostracized the moment you say it.

At the very least, if I was told that, I would hit him immediately.

......Yes, I can't just sit here fretting and worrying about it. I need a way to make a sword.

He seems like a nice guy, and he might at least listen to what I have to say. I'll give him whatever he asks for in return, be it money, ass, or skills.

“Lutz, I humbly request of you.”

"Yes?"

"I want you to show me how you actually strike the sword."

I said it. I was bracing myself for an iron fist sanction, but nothing of the sort happened.

Lutz was not outraged, but was looking up at the spot-free ceiling, pondering.

"I'd like to think about it for a while."

"That's fine, but ......

Why, he asks with a look on his face.

"I'd like to discuss this with my wife."

"You've laid it out on that ass."

I accidentally said such a thing in a scene where I had to go out badly. Oliver looked bitter, but Lutz replied calmly.

"If it's that butt, I think it's a long-cherished wish."

"It must be."

The two idiots smiled at each other.

Any doubt in Oliver's mind that it was a conspiracy by the Count, or that this guy was a cover, was cleanly erased from his mind.

This man is one of us, one of our own.

After Oliver left, Lutz and Claudia sat around a table drinking beer on the second floor.

Unlike the previous residence, the legs of the table were aligned and didn't rattle. I really appreciate that.

“Hmm, if you want to teach him how to make a katana, then that’s fine. You already taught Borvis-san."

Claudia tilted her head, wondering what the problem was.

"That's Borvis-san. It was only because of Gerhard-san's referral that I accepted his request, and I know nothing about Oliver-san."

"He will be taught the method of making the katana, and sell it to another place at a high price, so it will be dull."

“Also, Borvis-san taught me how to make a sword, so I don’t really have anything I want to ask Oliver-san.”

“It reminds me of gift diplomacy. If it were a merchant, I would use money to adjust the terms.”

"I wonder if you can sell techniques for money."

With a groan, Claudia traced the rim of the wooden mug with a thin fingertip.

"Whatever it is, teaching for free is a bad idea."

“I see. I thought it wasn't so bad in the sense that I could sell you a favor."

"People don't feel indebted so easily. Unless it's a life-changing, shocking debt."

Leaving room for exceptions, Claudia continued.

If you give them something for free, they will be grateful in the moment. But the next time something happens, if you bring up money or conditions, they will be dissatisfied. If other people find out that we taught them for free, they will demand that we do the same. If we refuse, they will resent us. That's just the way it is."

"It's scary. It's a negative cycle."

"Free sometimes leads to lawlessness"

The two of them often pondered in silence, wondering what to do. Eventually, Claudia looked up as if she had come up with something.

“Better yet, let’s reverse our thinking.”

"You got an idea?"

“Before we talk about your ideas, I would like to ask you something, Lutz-kun. What you said when you were with Borvis-san, is there no mistake in your confidence that no matter who you teach the katana manufacturing method to, you will always be the best?”

To this question, Lutz responded with a pout.

"Who or what do you think you're asking, Clau?"

"That's good, really good. That's the man I love, Lutz-kun."

"I'm flattered by the compliment. So, what's with the reversal of ideas?"

Claudia smiles wryly and smugly. Lutz regrets asking, but he can't help it.

"Gather all the masters in town and show them how it's done."

It took Lutz more than a minute to understand what she was talking about.

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