The Blacksmith Arrives

"Ooh, Gozoh! Thanks for inviting me. Is Roppu doing well?"

"Kantra! Glad you could make it. Yeah, she's doing great."

Inside the guild branch's small hut, two bearded dwarf ossan were embracing each other.

Gozoh is the C-Rank adventurer who defeated the Iron Golem and collected its iron materials.

And this Kantra person is apparently a blacksmith who just arrived.

With magic swords being produced and Iron Golems being harvestable from this dungeon, it seems like quite the premium location from a blacksmith's perspective, so Gozoh called over a blacksmith he knew.

By the way, since first hunting that Iron Golem, Gozoh has gone on to hunt two more.

Thanks to that, it seems this dungeon has been classified as one that periodically produces Iron Golems.

That's what gave him the confidence to call his blacksmith acquaintance over.

"So anyway, Kehma. This here's Kantra. Do right by him."

"Uh, yes… nice to meet you?"

"Likewise, Kehma-dono."

So why am I present for this reunion between these two? I got caught when I came out of the dungeon with Niku, equipped with gear to make it look like we'd been doing adventurer activities, and was dragged to the guild.

"… So, why am I here?"

"Kehma's the secretary to the [Dancing Doll's Pavilion] owner, basically the number two, right?"

"I heard from Gozoh that you're one of the top conquerors of the dungeon [Cave of Desires]."

In short, I'm someone with influence, but only as far as this dungeon is concerned. Well, I really am the Dungeon Master, but still. I didn't realize I'd become the public face of this place…

"So yeah, I'm gonna set up a smithy a little ways off. Don't know when it'll be done, but I can do weapon maintenance right away, Kehma-dono. Oh, right. As a token of friendship, would you let me maintain that sword at your waist? Free of charge, of course."

"It's free? Then sure, please go ahead."

I handed over the magic sword Golem Blade, sheath and all.

"… Hm? … Is this a magic sword?"

"You can tell?"

"I'm a blacksmith. My dream is to craft a magic sword myself someday. I'd heard this dungeon produces magic swords, but to get to see one so soon is a good omen."

"Yeah. Just as you guessed, I obtained this sword from this dungeon. Since you're here, could you show me what proper magic sword maintenance looks like?"

"Magic swords are fundamentally the same as regular swords. Now, if the blade were made of water or fire, that'd be a different matter entirely… Hmm, this sword doesn't really need any maintenance though. Actually, it hasn't been used at all, has it?"

… Geh, busted. As expected of a blacksmith. I guess he can read swords? Though it's a golem.

"I'm a mage, after all. I don't really need a sword."

"Is that so? What a waste. But if that's the case, can't be helped. Here you go… What about that little one over there?"

"She's my vanguard. Ah, could you maintain her sword instead?"

"Sure, leave it to me."

When I said that, Niku, who had been standing by nearby, handed over her beloved Golem Knife.

"… Heh, this one's a magic sword too? And it's been well-used. It's been maintained properly too. Looks like it has a good owner."

Kantra flashed a toothy grin at Niku.

With that beard, he gives off a kindly grandfather vibe, though I don't actually know his age. For all I know, by dwarf standards he might just be a friendly young man.

When did Niku learn to maintain her blade, though? Maybe Ichika taught her.

"Well then, let me give this some maintenance. I can only do a light job without proper equipment though."

With that, he produced a whetstone on the spot and began sharpening the blade with smooth strokes. He'd give it a light swing, hold the edge up and examine it from the side, then go back to polishing with the whetstone… He repeated this several times.

Kantra gazed at the sword intently, then nodded with satisfaction.

"Alright, that's enough sharpening. Now for the finishing touch… [Revitalize]… there we go. Something like that."

"Hm? Was that the life magic [Revitalize] just now? Not the earth magic [Sharpen]?"

Ichika taught me about this before, but [Revitalize] should be a life magic spell that slightly invigorates the soil to marginally increase crop yields.

[Sharpen] is a Low-tier earth magic that enhances cutting power for the first few strikes after casting.

So I thought he'd use [Sharpen] as a finishing touch.

"Yeah. [Revitalize] energizes the earth… so wouldn't it energize swords too? They originally came from the earth."

… I never thought of it that way. Certainly, minerals are found in soil, which is part of the earth. In other words, they're a type of earth.

To think I'd get outdone in magical conceptualization… Well played.

"Also, blacksmiths who use [Sharpen] are second-rate. It's magic used to cover up poor maintenance skills. Since I'm a blacksmith too, I can cast it if asked, but I don't like to. Though I do think it's good magic when you absolutely need firepower on the spot."

"Kantra's [Revitalize] is more like a good luck charm though. I've never seen any other blacksmith do it."

"That's rude, Gozoh. This method has been passed down through generations in my family. My swords really do cut better and last longer than other blacksmiths', don't they?"

"Hahaha, that's because you're skilled! Even if that charm has any effect, it'd be minuscule. I mean, what does it even mean for a sword to be 'energized' anyway? It's not like it'll run off and start cutting things on its own."

"Good grief, swords are alive, you know. If you're a dwarf too, Gozoh, you should show proper care and affection for your weapons…"

Come to think of it, magic effects change considerably based on mental imagery. So if you believe [Revitalize] will energize a sword, it probably really does get energized.

I wonder if using it on a golem would work like recovery magic? I'll have to try it sometime.

"Oops, we got sidetracked. Sorry about that. Anyway, once the smithy's up and running, I'll be counting on you. I'll probably get a lot of weapon and armor orders from adventurers, but I can also make nails, tableware, and other everyday items."

Ah, right. I had this game-influenced image of blacksmiths only making weapons and armor, but in reality they also make everyday goods.

"Got it. I'll put in an order if we need anything."

"Count on it… That said, first I need the smithy. At the very least, I need a forge before I can do anything. I'm planning to make a simple one, but expect it to take about one or two weeks."

Hmm. That's quite a while.

"What are you making the furnace out of?"

"Hm? Bricks with fire-resistant materials mixed in. I got a bunch of Red Lizard scales and bones cheap a little while back, so I'm thinking of using those."

Oh right, fantasy world. So that's how heat-resistant bricks work.

… Come to think of it, I have a ton of leftover phoenix eggshells. Those can withstand even dragon flames, so wouldn't they be pretty good?

I pulled out one egg's worth of shell and handed it to Kantra.

"Then here, consider this an advance payment. You could probably use it if you need heat-resistant materials."

"Is this eggshell? Let me see… yeah, fire-attribute. Eggshells from fire-attribute monsters make excellent materials. With this, I'll be able to make a proper furnace. I gratefully accept."

"Right, and in exchange for your good work… let's see, when Kantra manages to make a magic sword, give me one."

"Oi oi, Kehma, isn't demanding a magic sword for a single eggshell a total rip-off?"

"Hahaha, I don't mind. I'll be in Kehma-dono's debt going forward anyway, so I'll present him one when I'm able to make them."

Kantra. Pretty reasonable guy, isn't he?

I don't know how far one egg's worth of shell will get him, but I hope he achieves his goal of crafting a magic sword himself.

(Did I just set up a flag that'll get collected way too fast…?)