Kays Translations

Chapter 148

In the end, there was no bandit attack, and just as planned, we arrived at our destination, Izbel, a little past noon on the fourth day.

My guess is… among the five-man group we crushed on the first day, one of them was supposed to act as a messenger. If they had successfully lured the caravan alone, he would have reported to the main force, and only then would they have struck.

Lately, Melt and Letty-san seem to have been taking out a lot of bandits too, so perhaps from now on, attacks will come in more roundabout ways like this.
This is something I should probably report to the guild in Izbel.

“Arriveeed! Same, this is Izbel! It’s huge, right? The town spreads all the way around the foot of the mountain!”

“It really is big… That must be a mine, right…?”

The mountain itself wasn’t as massive as the one near Lindblum, but even so, it looked like climbing it would take a whole day. And wrapped around that great mine, the town stretched far and wide.

“Well then, let’s head to the guild. You’ll receive the rest of your payment there.”

“Understood. Let’s go together, then.”

Escort jobs generally follow the system of “advance payment + remaining payment at the destination guild.”
The reason is simple—to prevent all sorts of problems such as adventurers turning on their clients, faking ambushes, or even murdering them.

The client pays the full reward to their guild in advance, and the guild at the destination pays the adventurers their share once the request is confirmed complete.
This time the danger came from bandits, but it’s not impossible for shady adventurers to try something similar.

And so, making our way through Izbel, which gave off the feel of an industrial town, we arrived at the Adventurers’ Guild headquarters—slightly more modest than Lindblum’s main guild.

“This one isn’t a ‘General Guild,’ it’s the Adventurers’ Guild HQ. Apparently, ‘General Guild’ is something unique to Lindblum! Here, there are also separate guilds for merchants and others.”

“Oh-ho, so once we’re done here, the Concon Company folks will head to the Merchant Guild then?”

As expected, Koyan-san went with us to the guild’s reception. The request was recognized as complete, and the remaining reward was paid without issue.

Actually, this was my first time using this system.
When I traveled from Golda to Lindblum, because it was across national borders, I’d been paid the full sum upfront.

Which means, from the client’s perspective, hiring escorts across countries is always a risky job.
That’s why it’s only available to adventurers of Emerald Rank or higher, who already have proven results and trustworthiness.

“Well then, we’ll head to the Merchant Guild. Same, we’ll be staying at an inn called the Concon House. If you need us, come by. We’ll be here for seven days, so hopefully we can talk during that time.”

“Got it. Concon House, right? How about dinner together tomorrow night?”

“Sounds excellent. I’ll also try to find a good restaurant during my business rounds.”

“Much appreciated.”

And with that, we parted ways with the members of the Concon Company, whom we’d traveled with for four days.

…But hey, now that I think about it? A fox-tribe company called Concon Company, with a caravan leader named Koyan… isn’t that a bit on the nose!?
Feels like someone intentionally set it up that way!

And Concon House? Sure, it’s a smithing town, but that name is a little too on the nose too!
Maybe giving inns quirky names is just common practice around here…? Come to think of it, Hamsutei Inn wasn’t exactly a normal name either…

“Well then, shall we go pick up Melt’s armor?”

“Yeah! Once we get it, I’ll give you a tour of the city!”

Clearly overjoyed, Melt practically bounced as she walked, smiling so brightly that even passersby couldn’t help but smile warmly back at her.

Izbel, as a whole, gave off the same kind of atmosphere as Lindblum’s Craftsmen’s Street.
Small shops dotted the city, the faint sound of hammering could be heard in the distance, and smoke rose into the sky from countless chimneys.
It truly felt like the city of smithing.

“It’s sunny today, but when it rains here, everyone puts out their fires at once, and the smoke disappears completely.”

“I see… maybe it affects the firepower and ruins the quality otherwise.”

“Hm-hm… and since this city has tons of weapon shops, I bet they’re all competing on quality.”

“Probably. Speaking of which, isn’t the big tournament coming up soon? Want to stick around and see it? From what I hear, smiths complete their pieces within a month, and both professionals and the general public get to judge them.”

On the way here, Koyan-san had explained that Izbel’s smithing tournament was about creating exceptional weapons and armor, and having them judged not just by fellow smiths and collectors, but also by residents, adventurers, and mercenaries.

Of course, there would be evaluations by experts too, but since public attention mattered, naturally not only quality and performance, but also appearance and impact were vital.

Honestly, I’d like to see such masterpieces with my own eyes at least once.

“Mmm, yeah, that does sound interesting… I’d love to see some beautiful swords or armor.”

“The dagger you’re using now was just something I gave you because you needed a combat weapon, but it’s not a great piece. Since you’ve advanced to Ruby Rank, if I find a good sword at the event, I’ll buy it as a gift to celebrate.”

“Whoa! Then I’ll definitely stay here! Let’s stay until the smithing tournament ends!”

“Deal. So, what should we do while we wait? Sightseeing? Or maybe pick up some short-term guild jobs? We’ve got plenty of money, though.”

Honestly, I already had enough money to live in comfort for the rest of my life.
But at the same time, I knew I could never spend it all, and hoarding it would only stall the economy.
I wanted to use it for investment, charity, or something that would benefit the country.

“For now, let’s just do sightseeing. Once we’ve seen enough, we can think about it then.”

“Sounds good. But first, let’s go get your armor.”

Sightseeing—resumed.
I had to admit, I was probably a little giddy about exploring this new city myself.

“Here it is, here it is! Frentz Mace Advanced Arms Shop! To even call yourself an Advanced Arms Shop, you need at least two craftsmen who have placed in the tournament before. Letty-chan recommended this place to me!”

“Oh-ho! Yeah, the storefront and the scale are definitely a step above the other shops.”

The store Melt led me to stood higher up on the mountainside, in a district carved out of the slope.
It had a stately presence, with a massive workshop attached behind the shop itself.

“Hello!”

As we entered and the bell rang to announce our arrival, the chill of the outside was replaced with an almost sweltering heat that wrapped around us.
Not from heating, but likely from the workshop’s blazing forges radiating warmth all the way to the storefront.

“Welcome. Are you here today to place an order? Or to buy or sell? At the moment, since our craftsmen are busy preparing for the upcoming tournament, any new custom orders will require quite some time to complete.”

“Uh, well…”

At that, Melt pulled a piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to the clerk.

“Ah, here to pick up an order, I see. Then please allow me to guide you to the exhibition floor.”

The clerk went upstairs, leading us to the second floor. Apparently, the first floor was reserved for reception, access to the workshop, and general administrative tasks.

“Hehe, this feels kind of embarrassing—like I’m some kind of special customer. When I made my request last time, they gave me an order form.”

“I see. Then let’s head up to the second floor.”

When we reached the second floor, we found rows upon rows of weapons and armor, each carefully placed within glass display cases.
However, a sturdy iron gate separated the staircase from the exhibition area, preventing us from going inside.

“What’s the purpose of that iron gate?”

“Well, this space is for storing custom-made items, so customers can’t enter without an attendant. But because you can see these top-class items through the bars, it inspires our general customers. It makes them think, ‘One day I want to buy something worthy of being displayed in there.’ In other words, it sparks admiration, maintains motivation, and helps foster future patrons.”

“I see… quite the shrewd strategy.”

Whoever owns this place is no ordinary person.

After the gate was opened for us, I carefully observed the equipment on display.

…Honestly, times like this make me think it might’ve been better to come in my original form. In that state, I could’ve used Mind’s Eye to examine the details of these weapons and armor.

“Woooow… these weapons are amazing! Wow… wow…”

“They really are. Even at a glance, you can tell they’re on a completely different level from the average sword.”

They didn’t even look like ordinary metal.
There were longswords with blades faintly tinged with blue as if infused with power, dual blades that trembled ever so slightly as though releasing some invisible force, and gauntlets that gleamed brighter than simple reflection should allow. Each piece seemed imbued with some kind of magical essence.

“Here is Lady Melt’s armor.”

“Whoa!!! Amazing—it’s so beautifully finished!”

Further inside, a wooden mannequin stood on display, fitted with what was clearly Melt’s light armor.

Silver and gray-silver plates covered the chest, while the rest was composed of finely woven chainmail, almost like clothing, designed to be easy to wear.
The chainmail was so intricately knit—was it made from ultra-thin wire?

It was a masterpiece of fine craftsmanship, built to fit snugly to the body even in fierce combat, yet delicate enough to resemble an ornamental work of art.

“Wow! This is mine, right? I can wear it, right!?”

“Of course. You already paid for it in full at the time of the order—eight large gold coins, all upfront. There aren’t many customers your age who can purchase something from our shop like that, I assure you.”

“That’s incredible… you really made quite a large purchase.”

“Yep! Remember when I joined that monster subjugation force? The materials from the monster Silent and I defeated were sold, and the money was deposited to me! Fifteen large gold coins in total!”

“Ah, so that’s where it came from. You made a good investment—if you’re going to keep fighting, quality equipment is essential.”

“Exactly! At first, I thought I’d just keep using this dagger for a while… but Same insists I should get a better one. I don’t know what to do.”

“Hmm… Clerk, are all the items displayed here already reserved?”

I walked over to one of the display cases, which held a pair of daggers with gold and silver blades.

“Yes. Some customers pay only a partial deposit, with the balance due upon completion. If they fail to pay within a year after completion, however, the items become available to the general public. Unfortunately, though, that particular pair—the Moonlight and Sunblade—has already been fully paid for.”

“That’s a shame. They looked like excellent pieces.”

Even through the glass, I could sense something extraordinary from those daggers.
Golden and silver blades, intricate detailing on the guards and grips—they were clearly masterpieces.

“They look way too expensive for me!”

“But you’ve just advanced to Ruby Rank. I want to give you something worthy of that achievement.”

“My, my… I thought you were still quite young, but to already be Ruby Rank… you must be a very accomplished adventurer, sir.”

“Ehh, it’s not that big a deal… Ah! Armor! Can I try it on now!?”

“Certainly. Please use that dressing area.”

Melt disappeared behind a curtain, leaving me with the clerk for a moment.

“If I were to place a new custom order, how long would it take to complete?”

“Well… not only because of the tournament, but also due to the sheer number of requests we currently have… If you want to commission a senior craftsman, it would take at least half a year. This armor, for example, wasn’t made with any especially rare materials or complex processes, so it barely qualified to be entrusted to one of our senior craftsmen.”

“I see… understood. And I suppose even if I offered a higher budget, it wouldn’t speed things up, would it?”

A secret technique: a bribe under the table.

“…Yeah, that would be a bit much.”
“Of course. My apologies.”

Right, no way it’d be okay to delay other people’s orders.

While I waited, I passed the time by looking at a flyer for a blacksmithing tournament posted on the wall.

“New Year Blacksmithing Tournament!”
Dates: March 3rd – April 2nd
Now accepting registrations! Walk-in smiths also welcome. Apply at the Blacksmiths’ Guild.

Entry fee: 3 large gold coins.
For those needing a rented workshop, additional fees apply (5–20 large gold coins depending on workshop rank).

Grand Prize: “Quartz Dragon’s Heart-Silver”, “Elder Bark of the World Tree”, plus 50 large gold coins.

Oh-ho… those are some seriously grandiose materials being offered, along with a hefty sum of money.
On top of that, the victor also receives the title of “Senior Craftsman” or even “Meister.”

“This tournament looks amazing. There’s even a title like ‘Meister’?”

“Yes, that’s right. Even our store has only ever produced two senior craftsmen. In fact, it’s already exceptional to be awarded that title just for winning. As for the Meister title… well, that hasn’t been given out in decades. It is said that only one person ever received it— a blacksmith from Hamsterdam, known as the ‘Maiden of Golden Threads.’”

—! There it is again! That mysterious nation, Hamsterdam!
And that name, “Maiden of Golden Threads”… I’d heard it once before from Ms. Shuris, hadn’t I?
If I recall, it was the name of the craftswoman who forged her ceremonial armor…

“All done! Look, look! It fits perfectly! Even if my boobs get bigger it’s fine! The sides are woven stretchy!” 

“…Melt, don’t go shouting boobs in public.”

See? Now the clerk looks uncomfortable!

Melt emerged from the dressing area, wearing her new light armor beneath the coat she had bought earlier.

The silver and gray-silver breastplate gleamed with fine detail, while the rest was made of an intricate chainmail, woven from ultra-thin silver wire that fit her body perfectly.

At points where the armor rubbed directly against skin, like the cuffs and neckline, white leather had been added for protection.
Anyone could tell at a glance—this was top-class craftsmanship. Wearing it, Melt instantly looked like a seasoned adventurer.

“It looks incredible on you. Really cool—like a first-rate adventurer.”

“Really!? Hehehe… I feel like I’ve got to live up to it now!”

And so, one of the main goals of coming to this city—obtaining Melt’s light armor—was successfully accomplished.

Now then… what should we do next?

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