Chapter 41: The Legendary Smith

So, I decided to obtain the Magic Sword ‘Fortissimo’ that Jean obtains in the game, but strictly speaking, that Magic Sword doesn’t exist yet. It has to be made from now. Do I make it, you ask? Don’t be silly. There’s no way a six-year-old girl can make a Magic Sword. In the game’s story, a legendary Magic Sword smith makes it for Jean. Well, there are twists and turns to get to that point, though. So, we are currently heading to the town where that Magic Sword smith is located. In a kitchen car summoned by [Store Summoning]. Persuading Father and Mother to leave the capital was the hardest part… I managed to get their permission, though.

“However, this carriage is truly fast. No, since a horse isn’t pulling it, is it not a carriage?” “It’s called an automobile, Grandfather.”

Yes. The reason Father and the others gave permission was because Grandfather insisted on coming along as a guard. Seriously, aren’t they too overprotective? In Car 1, driven by the lead guard Tanya Celesta, I was in the passenger seat, and Grandfather was in the kitchen. In Car 2, driven by Estelle‘s mother Julia, were Estelle, Bianca, and annoyingly enough, Jean. Hearing that I had a lead on obtaining a Magic Sword, he tagged along saying, “I’m coming too!” He probably thought he wanted to get a Magic Sword too if there was a chance. I could have refused, but since I’m trying to steal Jean‘s Magic Sword in the first place, I felt guilty and somehow couldn’t refuse. Dammit. Just as it happens, parties for nobles are continuing one after another at the Royal Palace. While Elliott, being royalty, can participate, the apprentice Jean is being left out. In short, he’s free. Do I not have to attend, you ask? Since it would undoubtedly be troublesome, they said I don’t have to. Apparently, there are tons of nobles with ulterior motives wanting to get close to the ‘Princess of the Holy Sword’. Honestly, I wouldn’t want to go to such a place even if asked.

“But is such a smith really in that town of Foco?”

Tanya Celesta, holding the steering wheel in the driver’s seat, spoke doubtfully. The town of Foco we are heading to is a small town with many smiths, located a little south of the Imperial Capital Symphonic. It takes less than a day even by carriage. With a kitchen car, it’s a distance we can return from in a few hours. It’s a smith town that anyone particular about weapons or armor has visited at least once. Even in such a town, Magic Swords are rarely found. In the first place, a Magic Sword cannot be made without a suitable [Gift] and top-class smithing skills. Such creators are rare, and even if they appear, many go into hiding due to the large number of people seeking Magic Swords. The smith I am trying to visit is also using a false name and living in hiding. Since he said in the game he had been living in that town for twenty years, he should be there already. By the way, Father also asked how I knew such a thing, but I fudged it by saying I heard it from an apothecary grandmother when I lived in the slums. We were traveling from town to town, after all. It wouldn’t be strange for such information to reach my ears.

“So, Sakuraile. What is the name of this Magic Sword smith or whatever?” “Umm, if I recall correctly, it was Balunbre or Barclay…”

Honestly, I don’t remember the name clearly. I wasn’t that interested in dwarf characters… I remember the face clearly because it was distinctive, though.

“Bal…? Oi, don’t tell me… is it Balkblay!? The master of the dwarf master smith Gildrain!? I can’t believe such a person is so close to the Imperial Capital!”

Grandfather excitedly tried to stand up in the kitchen. Stop, stop, the kitchen is cramped. Tanya Celesta, driving the kitchen car, also had a surprised face. Eh? Is he that famous?

“The dwarf smith Balkblay is famous for having forged a Magic Sword for our Imperial Kingdom’s First Emperor in the past. For those who wield swords, possessing a Magic Sword made by him is the highest honor. truly a legendary smith.”

Eh? The First Emperor was a person from hundreds of years ago, right? Ah, dwarves live long lives, so it’s possible… He forged a Magic Sword for my ancestor too… What a strange connection.

“Even you don’t possess a Magic Sword made by Balkblay, Grandfather?” “No, I obtained one at an auction and possess it. However, it is a small axe, not a sword. Even so, it cost nearly thirty royal gold coins.”

Nearly thirty royal gold coins… that’s nearly three hundred million yen!? For a single axe!? Expensive! Since it was an auction, the price was probably driven up, but even so…! Hmm, I’m getting worried. Will he really make one for Bianca? I prepared a trump card just in case, but… Carrying us and our worries, the kitchen cars arrived at the town of Foco past noon. Since kitchen cars stand out, I dismissed them before entering the town. Foco was a stone town with smoke rising from here and there. It felt a bit hot due to the kilns and furnaces burning everywhere. The sound of hammers striking—kankan—could be heard from everywhere, and the smell of iron and metal reached our noses. Many dwarves could be seen in the town, and besides them, there were many beastmen and demi-humans. Humans were rather the minority. Perhaps because there are many dwarves, elves, who are on bad terms with dwarves, are hardly seen. Well, there aren’t many elves in the Imperial Capital either.

“It’s been a while since I came to this town. It hasn’t changed.”

Grandfather walked beside me, looking at the townscape nostalgically. As expected of Grandfather, called the ‘Lion of the Empire’. He seems to have visited this smith town many times.

“So, Lady Sakuraile, where is that smith’s house?”

Tanya Celesta, walking in front, turned back and asked. Well, where is it indeed. The game didn’t mention the address…

“A house with a red roof on the outskirts of town, with a big chimney, and there was an apple tree nearby… ah, no, apparently there is such a house…” “Isn’t it that one?”

Reacting to my words, Jean pointed to the right. Straining my eyes, a small house with a red roof stood alone on top of a hill. There is a tall chimney too. Whether the tree nearby is an apple tree… I can’t tell from here, but some tree is standing there. I think that’s probably the house.

“Anyway, let’s go.”

The house standing alone on the hill on the outskirts of town was a sturdy brick house with a large chimney sticking out. On the sign hanging from a pole sticking out from the roof, a silhouette of an anvil and hammer was drawn. There seems to be no mistake that it is a smithy. In front of the house, an old dwarf sat on a chair, splitting firewood placed on a stump with a hatchet. Noticing us approaching the house, the old dwarf stopped his hand splitting the firewood.

“What do you want, you lot?” “Umm, are you Mr. Balkblay?”

When I asked, the old dwarf raised one eyebrow with a twitch.

“Don’t know him. I am Balay. There’s no guy named Balkblay here.”

Answering curtly, the old dwarf started splitting firewood again. Playing dumb, huh. I remember your face clearly, you know. Well, this was within expectations. I took something out of my pochette.

“I want you to forge a Magic Sword.” “Go home, ignorant little girl. A Magic Sword isn’t something that can be forged so easily. Don’t you know?” “I know. But you can forge it, right? If you are the legendary Magic Sword smith Balkblay.” “Like I said, I am Balay…”

Balay-san, who returned his gaze from the firewood to us, stopped moving. His gaze was glued to me. Strictly speaking, to the liquor bottle I was holding. I opened the lid of the single malt whiskey and poured it into a small glass I took out. A mellow aroma drifted from the amber liquid into the surroundings. It’s a thirty-year-old whiskey that my vocational school senior had been clamoring to drink at that shop. It’s an outrageously expensive whiskey, but if I don’t use it here, where will I use it?

“I brought it as a souvenir for Mr. Balkblay, but if he isn’t here… Grandfather, here.” “Ah? Eh, can I drink it?”

Grandfather received the glass with a goofy voice and, as told by me, took a sip.

“Kuh…, haa…! What is this liquor…! A taste I’ve never experienced before…! How deep and rich…”

When Grandfather let out a sigh of admiration after one sip, a gulp sound of swallowing came from the dwarf in front of us. Liquor for dwarves. Liquor is indeed the Dwarf Slayer. Abbreviated as Dwasla. Don’t forget it. Normally, there is a process event where Jean begs and begs, sitting in front of the house for days rain or shine, until Balay-san gives up in exasperation, but sorry, I’m skipping that.

“Th-That liquor, where is it from? This aroma… it’s not a liquor of this country, is it? Is it a new liquor from the Empire?”

Amazing, he can tell that much just from the aroma. A dwarf’s love for alcohol is hardcore. But wrong.

“Too bad. It’s not in the Empire either. This is liquor from another world obtained with my [Gift].” “Li-Liquor from another world, you saaaaaaaay!?”

Balay-san opened his eyes wide, made a surprised face, and reached for the liquor bottle I was holding. Oops, I can’t give it to you that easily. After all, it’s a unique liquor in this world. …No, well, I have plenty of bottles back home, though.

“Will you make a Magic Sword?” “Gununu, you have a bad personality for a little kid…! You won’t grow up to be a decent adult!”

Well yeah, I am the head villainess here. I’ll use any means available.

“Grandfather, how about another glass?” “Umu, I’ll take it!”

I poured whiskey—tokutoku—into Grandfather’s empty glass, which he had already drained. Ayaya, I poured with a bit too much momentum and spilled a little from the glass. Serving drinks is difficult. The spilled whiskey created a stain on the ground.

“Nuaaaaaaaah!? What are you doing, you idiot! What a waste! Eei, fine, I get it! I’ll at least listen to what you have to say! So give me a sip of that!”

Alright! Once he listens, I’ve got him. Balay-san will definitely forge a Magic Sword. I took another glass out of my pochette and poured whiskey, careful not to spill it this time. Balay-san, receiving it with slightly trembling hands, showed an ecstatic expression just by smelling the aroma. Gubiri, he tilted the glass. Balay-san, who had closed his mouth in a straight line to savor it, suddenly opened his eyes wide—Ka!

“Three bottles.” “Eh?” “Three bottles of this liquor a week! For a year! For that, I’ll forge a Magic Sword!”

Huh!? He agreed to forge it without even hearing the story!? Just how much do dwarves love alcohol…