The Blacksmithing Town of Corky (3)
Having stayed overnight in the inn, I decided to head over to Gozoh’s house and rush through my greetings before checking out Kantra’s house. I mean, Gozoh’s family are all just normal adventurers. Wataru was still continuing his drinking bout from last night and Shikina was dead drunk. Let’s pretend I didn’t see a noble daughter sleep-puking.
Alright, guess I can go check out Kantra’s now? Or maybe more like go observe it? I also just really want to see what a blacksmith’s home is like.
By the way, Ichika and Rokuko were with me.
Meat stayed behind. She wasn’t feeling up to walking (she had a hangover).
“Still though… stiiill~… Goshujin-sama~”
“What’s with you being so clingy today? Did something happen?”
“Eeeh~? I woooonder? Weeeell, it’d be nice if Goshujin-sama said it~”
“Hey, Ichika? You’re too close to him! You’re going to make it hard for Kehma to walk with you holding on to him like that.”
Rokuko pushed her way between Ichika and I. And since Rokuko started holding on to me instead, it was just as hard to walk. Either way, I have no clue. The reason Ichika’s being so touchy-feely today is something I have absolutely no clue about or inclination of.
“I know Rokuko-sama’s the legal wife though! Mhmm! I’ma slave hug pillow! So Goshujin-sama can just use me like an item… like a pet ya can play with, yeah?”
“I see, so you’re a pet! Alright then, I mean, I even let Feni stand on my hands and shoulders, after all!”
Rokuko’s pets included Feni, a phoenix, and Dia, a jeweled turtle. She’s equating Ichika to them?
… Oh, I guess it fits. She treats them about the same.
How should I put this…? Meat’s more pet dog-ish, but she’s treating Ichika as the pet? Meat is my hug pillow though. Maybe that’s why?
“So, this is where Gozoh said Kantra’s house is…?”
We’d come from around back… but there were tons of dwarves coming and going, as well as the sound of metal striking metal inside. It looked like smoke coming from some furnace was rising out of it, so I figured this was the only place he could’ve meant.
It’s a bit late to think about it, but I wonder if I could get them to show us around?
I mean, I had Kantra show me around his, but his family’s—master’s (?)—is more, err, high-level feeling… Well, it looks like a serious workplace, I have no clue if they’ll let at outsider like me look around.
I’ll give up if it turns out it’s a no go. I don’t actually care that much.
I just figured that I might be able to reproduce it to some extent with golems after using Menu-san’s recording function if they showed me around. Like maybe it’d help Nerune out or something.
I was able to forcibly process even orichalcum with [Create Golem], so the only advantage for me was the possibility of being able to mass-produce things without being so dependent on [Create Golem].
… Wait, isn’t Kantra enough for that? Me taking a look here’s unneeded then? No no, I’ll have to collect a lot of samples to learn this world’s standards.
“Hey, Kehma. We’re not going in?”
“I mean, I’m not actually sure if we can… Alright, head on in, Ichika!”
“Eh, me? Guess it makes sense to announce ya first. I’ma do it then… Heeeeya! We’re here to meet Kantra-han’s family~!”
When Ichika went and called out, a dwarf with white hair came out using a cane.
“Hm? Kantra’s our brat, but who be ye?”
“Oh, I’m from a village called Golen. Kantra-han’s always helpin’ me out with stuff so I wanted to come and say hi. I’m always havin’ him fix up my weapon too~”
“What? Let meh see that.”
Ichika handed the short sword—that is, the kitchen knife golem she kept at her waist to the dwarf.
Accepting it from her, the dwarf then flicked it with his finger.
“Hoh. A magic sword, eh? Ye, there’s some ‘a Kantra’s work done te it.”
“Ya could tell just by that? That’s awesome, nothin’ less from a dwarf blacksmith~”
“Hrmph, ‘course I could. He’s me son, I’d know the brat’s work this close up any day.”
“Hohoh. So yer Untara-han then?”
“Oh aye, Untara be me name. Gahahah!”
With that, the dwarf—Kantra’s father, Untara—burst into a hearty laugh.
“Guess Kantra’s been doin’ good fer himself. How’s a cup o’ good stuff sound, lass?”
“Oh, that’d be great. But could I introduce my Goshujin-sama and everyone to ya first? He’s Golen’s Village Chief.”
Ah, looks like it’s our turn now. Though woah, Ichika’s great at hitting it up with people, she talking with him so casually it felt like they’ve known each other for a while.
“Err, it’s good to meet you. Kantra’s helped me out a lot.
“Aye, so ye be that Village Chief she mentioned? Ye be lookin’ like a bean. Are ye good with leadin’ what I hear’s a village o’ adventurers bein’ so weak ‘n all’?”
“It’s fine, Goshujin-sama looks like that ya, but he’s super smart. He even managed to deal with a ton of thieves we came across on the way here without even havin’ to lift a finger, practically on his own.”
“Did he now!? Aye, ye’ll be letting me take a look at that sword ye have then, looks like a beauty, it does.”
Ichika managed to clear that hurdle in one go and he went all out at clapping me on the back. Come to think of it, I definitely shouldn’t go using Magic Sword Siesta as a weapon, huh… Rather, I can’t actually use it as one, maybe I should go around carrying a cane…?
“Yeah, but be careful with it, alright?”
“Aye, ‘course… I wi….? Eh!””
Untara had only barely began to unsheathe Siesta before immediately putting it back in. Judging by how he was mopping his brow with the back of his hand, it looked like he’d broke out into a cold sweat.
“The heck’s with this thing. Just barely took it out and it’d been makin’ me head swim… bein’ able to master it’d be no easy thing. Though I wonder… how do ye maintain its blade?”
“… Oh.”
Now that he mentions it… I haven’t… Well, I haven’t really used it to cut through anything and it’s a magic sword… so maybe it doesn’t need it…?
Let’s try sending it the thought-question of [Want to be maintained?] like how I speak with Neru, the ring succubus.
… It answered with a [Mm.]. Uhh… yeah, that probably means yeah.
Huh. This guySiesta is in the monster area for the dungeon’s named list, after all.1 I guess us being able to talk isn’t too weird.
[… Umm, I’m going to get you some maintenance then, so could you not make us drowsy during that?]
[Mm.]
I still can’t tell if that [Mm] is yes or no… but whatever, I can figure out the feeling behind it because it’s telepathy. It was a yes. This guy’s just taciturn I guess. Reminds me of how Meat used to be… well, other than it lacking her ears and tail.
[While we’re talking, can you make it so that you only make enemies drowsy?]
[… … Mm.]
Ah, that one was a no, huh. The considerable feeling of regret it sent… it couldn’t even not affect the wielder, let alone split up between friend and foe. I could tell because of our telepathy.
Eh, either way, it turned out I could turn the drowsiness on and off so I was able to have Untara take care of the sword’s maintenance.
“… I had it turn off the drowsiness for a while, so could I have you maintain it?”
“What!? … A-Aye, there be none of that feeling anymore. Ye really are a fit wielder for it, eh.”
Untara unsheathed the sword again, a grin on his face.
I couldn’t tell him that it was because I had a conversation with the person himselfsword itself though. Speaking of talking with a sword though, I get the feeling I’ve heard about people stuff like that before? Like communicating to its soul.
“Hey, Kehma. I think I want mine maintained too!”
“Eh? Have you ever… actually used that rapier?”
“Gahahah! Aye, that’s fer the Ojou-chan’s self defense eh? It’s good she ain’t be needin’ te use it!”
She did have to use that bow gun of hers when we fought the other day though. I guess it is true that it’s best if Rokuko never has to fight with her sword, though.
When we later handed him some of Feni’s eggshells and one of Igni’s scales as gifts, he happily gave us a tour around his smithy. Fire-attributed items were great for being used as fireproof bricks, after all.
They were just leftovers and shed scales, but he accepted them in delight.
“I’ll make ye anythin’ free o’ charge! Be it a weapon in me shop or something ye want to use, anythin’!”
He spoke with bloodshot eyes, but there wasn’t really anything I needed… oh, maybe I could have him make a symbol for Beddhism?
1. … Was this ever mentioned before? I don’t recall…