Chapter 120
Chapter 120
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 120
Chapter Title: The Last Material
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We'd suffered an unexpected ambush, but we managed to complete the mission safely.
"But do I only need to make the blade?"
...
We could only complete about half of it.
"That's where the slight problem comes in...."
Thanks to the information from Proban the priest, we'd found the Goddess's Tear and finished crafting the blade for the demon sword. So far, so good.
The problem was that all we'd completed was the blade.
A sword can't be used with just a blade.
You don't necessarily need a full scabbard, but it needs a proper hilt to grip the blade if it's to be called a true sword.
That said, the hilt's only real purpose is to let you hold the blade securely in your hand.
When I first looked at the crafting manual, I thought solving the issue with the Goddess's Tear would make everything else straightforward.
"For some reason, every time we try to attach a hilt, it just breaks."
The special demon sword blade, tempered in the Goddess's Tear, rejected any hilt like a picky child refusing side dishes the moment we tried to join them.
Force it in, and the hilt would shatter like a kid flipping the table.
'If I just hand it over to Reynesis like this...'
The blade was properly made, so it could fulfill a sword's role just fine.
No hilt? No problem; you could still hold it barehanded.
But.
'What if the demon sword's functions don't work properly because it's incomplete?'
If that happened, boldly drawing the blade to kill Orabi could backfire—we'd achieve nothing but expose the plan.
Then handling Arleus would fail, and Reynesis might end up the victim instead, paving his way to becoming the Demon King.
"We can't help with that part. You're way ahead of us in crafting."
Mary was right; I was the only one who could solve the hilt issue right now.
That's why this unexpected wall had me stumped.
"...Hmm."
I sat at the inn room's table again, arms crossed, pondering alone.
We'd finished crafting the demon sword in the temple basement and returned to the holy city of Benarium.
For now, we'd stay here until the hilt issue was resolved.
"How about we eat first and think later? I hear the egg sandwiches here are a real treat!"
"You're awfully calm for someone who's captured."
"Demons need to eat too, you know."
Jerry had ambushed us to steal the demon sword but failed against Rapne and got caught.
Even bound in special chains using mana-absorbing stones that sealed her magic, she seemed totally relaxed.
Drooling with sparkling eyes.
No, was this just about wanting a sandwich?
I planned to hand her over to Reynesis like this.
I couldn't bring myself to kill her, but releasing her risked another attempt on the sword.
Reynesis would handle her however he saw fit.
'Wait a sec...'
Jerry, wriggling in her chains, begging for a sandwich.
Watching her, a sudden question popped into my head.
"Hey, Jerry."
"Yeah? Sandwiches go great with coffee and salad, right?"
"I'm not asking about breakfast combos."
How serious was she about this sandwich?
"You tried to steal the demon sword when it's just a blade, right? Why?"
"...Huh? The, the blade?"
Excited about breakfast at first, she suddenly shuddered, averted her eyes, and started playing dumb.
As I suspected.
"I told you to deliver the demon sword. Arleus would use it to take out Reynesis."
"D-Did I...?~"
"Can you even use this blade as-is?"
"......"
Jerry didn't answer.
But she was bad at lying—her face twisted, clearly racking her brain for an escape.
"Or do you know how to make a hilt?"
Whatever her answer, it'd solve our problem.
If she planned to hand it to Arleus hiltless, that meant it could function as a demon sword without one.
In that case, we could just give it to Reynesis as-is.
And if she knew how to make a hilt...
"...Ugh, urk."
Having heard everything, Jerry turned away, groaning like she'd never answer.
Answering would confirm the demon sword that kills Arleus was complete.
For her, who served him, that was the last thing she'd want.
'Should've brought Alicia along.'
In info wars like this, no one had an edge like Alicia.
Her magic eyes would've made Jerry spill everything, no matter how stubborn.
"Sigh... No helping it."
"...W-Why, what're you doing?"
I sighed and stood up.
You don't need magic eyes to extract info from someone.
The world had plenty of ways to get results without them.
Guessing my intent, Jerry trembled at my rising figure, her face darkening in fear.
I gave her a cold stare.
Then we all headed down to the inn's first-floor dining hall.
"Gaaah!! P-Please―! Just one bite, pleeease!!"
"Whoa, the eggs are so fluffy!"
"The secret's in the sauce. Never tasted anything like it."
"Gotta get that recipe. Bet they won't share, though."
"Waaah! I haven't even tried it yet! One bite, pleeease!"
We savored the inn's special egg sandwiches right in front of Jerry, who'd been singing their praises nonstop.
Chained and helpless, all she could do was wail and beg.
"I'll let you eat. Hell, I could buy out the whole inn's stock if you want."
"N-No need for that much...! J-Just one... no, one bite? Please?"
She was even using polite speech over a sandwich.
How obsessed was she with these egg sandwiches?
But if she was that serious, it worked in our favor.
I coldly eyed her drooling face and took a huge bite.
*Gulp.*
Her throat bobbed audibly as she watched.
Back in the day, I was as passionate about food as anyone.
No one in this city could enjoy a meal better than me.
And as planned, Jerry stared at my bitten sandwich, lost in agony.
I wondered if she'd really betray her master for a mere sandwich.
Maybe her loyalty wasn't that deep?
Emily, eating and chatting with us, looked at Jerry pityingly and said to me,
"Ken, she wants it so bad... One bite wouldn't hurt, right...?"
Jerry gazed at Emily like she'd met a goddess.
"I'd love to. But the deal's the deal. You get the sandwich after you talk about the hilt."
"Heh, once you set your mind, you never budge."
"A-Ahh..."
Emily backed off at my firm words, and despair filled Jerry's eyes again.
Not missing it, Emily leaned toward Jerry and whispered softly,
"Jerry, why not just tell us?"
"H-Huh?"
"It's just about a sword hilt. It won't get your master in trouble. Seems harmless enough."
As I'd asked before heading down, Emily started coaxing her gently.
The classic good cop, bad cop routine.
People rebel against harsh treatment.
Forcing answers that way rarely works.
But introduce someone kind and helpful in that hostile setup...
If even they ask for info, people hate refusing a friendly face.
That psychology pulls the truth out.
Would it work on a demon, though?
"W-Well, actually..."
Demons and humans weren't so different, it seemed.
"A material infused with demonic energy?"
"Th-The sword holds the goddess's power, so normal materials can't handle it. You need something to suppress it instead."
The manual hadn't mentioned that.
How did she know? Probably demons had skilled crafters too.
'A material infused with demonic energy, huh...'
Suddenly, another headache.
Hunt down some new demon-infused material now?
The thought of scouting and searching again felt daunting.
As I watched Jerry munch her sandwich happily...
'...Huh? A material infused with demonic energy... Why does that sound familiar...?'
A deja vu hit about hilt materials. I pondered to pinpoint it.
Then I remembered.
Where I'd heard about a material infused with demonic energy.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ After breakfast, back in the inn room, I gathered the three around the table to explain the hilt material ahead of time.
Suddenly serious, they sat cautiously with puzzled looks.
"What's up? Something we have to talk about?"
Rapne spoke for the group.
For some reason, I averted my eyes like I'd committed a crime, hesitating before speaking.
"Well, what I'm about to say... Don't get the wrong idea; it's not like I planned it."
"What? You always psych yourself up like this, but it's never a big deal."
"Y-Yeah. This isn't huge either, but..."
Emily might be right; I was over-worrying.
I hadn't done anything wrong.
I just worried how they'd react when I brought her out.
Nothing guilty on my end.
Still, she'd lavish me with affection after so long apart, planned or not.
To avoid misunderstandings from witnessing that, I gathered them solemnly.
Yes.
What I was about to reveal was none other than.
The demon sword Tyrpione.