Chapter 23: The Blacksmith District

When Ren returned to the Elendil residence that evening, his sudden and remarkable achievement astonished Lessard and the others.

Licia alone simply smiled, as though nothing Ren accomplished could surprise her anymore.

Berserk Fish meat was delicious, so at Ren’s suggestion, it was served at the residence. They also kept the monster’s thick scales, since they were useful for sharpening blades.

After dinner, Licia visited Ren’s room once she had finished bathing.

“I heard you never made it to the blacksmith district.”

“That’s right. So many things happened that I didn’t have time for anything else.”

“What happened?”

“…It’s still a secret. You’ll find out soon enough, Ren. I’m a little annoyed at having to tell you myself, so let me be stubborn just for today.”

“Stubborn?”

Licia sat on the bed.

Ren had been sitting in a round chair beside it, but Licia patted the space next to her, inviting him closer.

The gesture was so unusual that Ren stared blankly. When she patted the bed a second time, he finally sat beside her, never realizing how bold she was being.

Then she held out an envelope.

“This came from Edgar-dono.”

Their physical distance seemed smaller than usual.

Wondering what it contained, Ren broke the seal and unfolded the parchment. Ulysses had written only that they would meet in the Imperial Capital the following week.

“I’m meeting Ulysses-sama in the Imperial Capital next week.”

“Marquis Ignat? Are you having dinner with him?”

“No. I spoke to him before about Asval’s horn. He says he will introduce me to a blacksmith.”

That meant the meeting would concern Ren’s armor, and the thought immediately excited him.

Seeing his expression, Licia smiled like an older sister.

“You really are a boy, aren’t you?”

“I’d like to go with you, but I’ll restrain myself this time. Instead, let’s visit the blacksmith district together another day.”

Licia suddenly clapped her hands as though remembering something. She reached into her pocket and produced the small vial Edgar had given her.

“Look! It seems I have an aptitude for the Mighty Sword Style too!”

Licia had always been diligent, but she was equally blessed with natural martial talent.

Ren’s influence had made her question which sword style suited her best, yet she had still demonstrated exceptional ability. Her swordsmanship aside, her mana control was already precise enough for the technique connected to Mantle.

The crystal sphere inside her vial had split cleanly in two. In Edgar’s words, that proved a rare degree of talent.

“It’s true. I expected you to succeed, Licia-sama, but I’m still as happy as though it happened to me.”

“Exactly! I’m sure you’ve cracked yours too.”

“Well… about that…”

“Show me. Please.”

Her voice carried a faint sweetness.

Ren rose, opened a drawer in his desk, and took out the vial he had stored there. He handed it over somewhat reluctantly.

“…”

Licia’s smile twitched.

“You didn’t crack it. You shattered it!”

“…It happened after today’s hunt.”

Licia had been so pleased that she had broken her own crystal that seeing Ren’s reduced to fragments came as a shock.

Yet she was happy for him too. The difference between them was frustrating, but she was accustomed to being astonished by Ren, and she did not entirely dislike it.

“…Fine. You’re Ren, so I suppose it can’t be helped.”

“Sorry. I was so surprised that I became strangely calm.”

“I thought so. I believed the amount of mana I possessed wasn’t far behind yours, but now I’m not sure.”

“I think you’re misunderstanding what the test measures. The total amount of mana has little effect on the result.”

The exercise required the user to refine mana, send it through the glass vial without breaking it, and affect only the crystal inside. Control mattered far more than raw quantity.

Ren actually suspected that Licia possessed more mana than he did. His result merely showed that he was better at manipulating the particular kind of mana the exercise required.

“Is that how it works?”

“Yes. So please don’t worry about it.”

“All right. When the time is right, let’s visit Lion’s Holy Office together. Edgar-dono said I could accompany you.”

A letter of introduction for Licia would soon arrive at the Elendil residence.

“Then it seems the promise we made before may come true after all.”

They had made that promise when an Imperial Knight visited Clausel and told Ren that he lacked aptitude for the Sacred Sword Style. Ren and Licia had agreed to find styles that suited each of them.

(Is this really the right choice?)

Ren knew Licia possessed talent for the Sacred Sword Style, so he could not help wondering whether drawing her toward the Mighty Sword Style was wise.

Still, the Mighty Sword Style was unquestionably powerful. Learning it could only benefit her.

He resolved to train hard and compete with her in a friendly way.

“But studying comes first,” Licia said. “Then there’s combat training against monsters. Speaking of which, did you visit the Adventurers’ Guild?”

“I stopped by this morning. A guild branch in a major city really is different.”

“Of course. It sells far more goods than the Clausel branch, and there are many more requests.”

Something about the guild had been on Licia’s mind.

“What is your guild rank now, Ren?”

Like monsters, registered adventurers were assigned ranks.

Those ranks did not correspond perfectly to strength. Advancement required fulfilling several conditions, so even an exceptionally powerful adventurer could remain at a low rank without meeting them.

That was why Ren was still E-rank.

“That’s the situation.”

“Hmm… I think you’ll rise quickly.”

“I’m not sure. There are advantages to a higher rank, though, so raising it wouldn’t hurt.”

Adventurers who reached B- or A-rank could receive priority access to guild requests and discounts at certain inns, including some in the Imperial Capital.

Those employed by nobles might also acquire considerable influence. High-ranked adventurers could sometimes travel abroad without the usual documents, and a few had even been received as honored state guests.

(The latter benefits already seem unnecessary for me.)

Ren’s connection with Ulysses carried more weight than most adventurers could ever obtain.

Even so, Ren had no intention of depending entirely on that relationship. If it ever collapsed, doing so would only hurt him. Raising his own rank remained worthwhile.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

As Edgar’s letter instructed, Ren traveled to the Imperial Capital the following week.

Ulysses and Edgar came all the way to Elendil to collect him, and the three headed together toward the capital’s blacksmith district.

Steam rose throughout the neighborhood. Adventurers and knights frequented it, as did students hoping to become knights and cooks seeking finely sharpened knives.

Its maze of narrow alleys and steep slopes made carriage travel impossible, so the three continued on foot.

Along the way, they discussed the crystal Ren had destroyed.

“I expected you to break it quickly, Ren-dono,” Edgar said. “But I never imagined you would reduce it to fragments.”

“Ha ha ha! All I can do is laugh,” Ulysses said. “Lady Clausel’s aptitude already surprised me, and then you surpassed even that!”

Perhaps such a result should have been expected from the boy who defeated Asval.

Neither man had ever heard of anyone accomplishing the same feat. Their astonishment had eventually become laughter.

“In any case, congratulations,” Edgar said. “It should not take you long to master Mantle.”

“Indeed,” Ulysses added. “At this rate, you may soon become a Swordsman–or even a Swordmaster.”

“Thank you. I’ll work hard.”

Once the discussion of the Mighty Sword Style ended, Ren turned to the purpose of their visit.

“What kind of blacksmith are we meeting?”

“An excellent one,” Ulysses said. “Unfortunately, he is also eccentric and thoroughly work-shy.”

He gave a theatrical shrug as they moved through the crowd. Combined with his handsome appearance, even that gesture seemed picturesque.

“That doesn’t make him sound like a very reliable craftsman.”

“That is an exaggeration. He is merely extremely selective about the work he accepts.”

“…Can he really process Asval’s horn?”

“I don’t know. I’ve sent him several letters, but he hasn’t replied. I suspect he hasn’t even emptied his mailbox. So I decided to visit him directly. Ha ha! He may be the only person I know who would ignore my correspondence!”

Ulysses enjoyed unusual people, so he found the situation entertaining.

Ren did not. He would accept it if the trip proved fruitless, but after coming this far, he sincerely hoped the blacksmith would accept the commission.

He sighed and looked away.

From the district’s elevated streets, he could see the capital’s academy district below.

Among its many schools stood the unmistakable grounds of the Imperial Military Academy, just as they had when Ren last visited.

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