Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: Ruby
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: The Greatest Masterpiece of My Life
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Viscount Moden's corpse was soon discovered.
And naturally, the position of mayor was handed over to Baron Romhadi.
Of course, the city hall itself had become a mess, so he couldn't start working there right away.
Baron Romhadi devoted all his efforts to normalizing the city while conducting business from a temporary government building.
As for me, well, Baron Romhadi would take care of things from now on, so I didn't pay much attention to it.
What was important was taking care of the things I needed.
First, my most important ally.
Treating Diaz was the top priority.
"They said you'd need to rest for about a month to bring yourself to peak condition."
"No. This much is no problem."
"I'd prefer if you didn't act stubborn."
"......Yes."
When I spoke a bit firmly and decisively, Diaz didn't object any further.
If she had fought a demon, she wouldn't have been injured like this, but since her opponent was human, it seemed she couldn't fully demonstrate her abilities.
"Rest. I'll go take care of some business."
"Understood."
The next thing I resolved was, as expected, the Phoenix Flower.
With Baron Romhadi's ascension, two of the three brothers from the Modest Herb Shop who had been detained were also released.
I visited the Modest Herb Shop again with them.
Thanks to that, I was able to witness the touching reunion of the three brothers right before my eyes.
"Brothers!"
Fernandes jumped to his feet at the appearance of his two older brothers.
"Little brother!"
"Were you taking good care of the shop?"
"Haha! What's there to say! Just look, it's perfectly fine!"
The eldest nodded and looked around the shop.
And then......
"Hey, you brat! How long has it been since I told you to repair this, and it's still like this?"
"Brother, you're nagging as soon as you arrive?"
"Can't you just do things so I don't have to nag?"
"What, did I slack off? Do you know how busy I was keeping the shop by myself?"
"But seriously, this punk is talking back?"
"What, am I keeping my mouth shut because I have nothing to say!"
The touching feeling disappeared quickly.
This seemed to be what real brothers were like.
The second brother stood between the two and barely managed to stop them.
"Come on. There's a customer here, stop fighting. Brother! Didn't you say you'd repay our benefactor?"
"......Right. I did."
"Now, little brother, you stop too. Go get the hammer and nails for repairs."
"Alright, second brother......"
Fernandes disappeared.
Only now did the two brothers turn to look at me.
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"Ahem. You saw us in a rough state. We apologize."
"No. I don't mind."
"Well, what we do is go around gathering herbs like this. If there's anything you want, just take it. We'll give you as much as you want."
I almost nodded without thinking.
But I shook my head.
"Taking it for free would be difficult. I'll pay."
"Huh? You don't have to do that......"
"The goods are too good. I can't do that."
"Ha! Hahaha! Well, well. You're a holy knight with an eye for herbs!"
The two brothers had very satisfied expressions.
Of course, I didn't say this just to make them feel good.
'I can't blow the hidden quest conditions.'
I smiled slightly and answered.
"Paying a fair price for fair goods. It's only natural."
"Hahahaha! I like you very much. Then go ahead and choose!"
From then on, storm shopping began.
The goal was getting overcharged.
But this......since the favorability had risen quite a bit, it didn't look like it would be easy.
'I'll need to get overcharged strategically......!'
I racked my brain and attempted to get scammed at an advanced level.
Coming up with the idea was difficult, but the method was simple.
'I'll alternate between expensive and cheap ones so much that even the seller gets confused about the prices!'
Between ones that looked as similar as possible.
This is expensive, this is cheap, this is cheap, and this time it's expensive again.
Like playing a shell game, I started buying them all mixed up.
Sweat dripped down the faces of the two brothers watching from the side.
"Uh, um......"
"......Ha, haha......"
And then, after jumbling them up like a shell game, I asked them to calculate.
"L-let's see. This is......how much is this?"
"Ah, brother. That's one copper coin."
"And. This is......"
"That's two copper coins. The one next to it is five copper......"
My eyes flashed.
'Five copper? That's a three copper one!'
The perfect opportunity to get overcharged!
I wasn't one to miss it.
"Here's eight copper."
As I quickly handed over the money, the second brother suddenly came to his senses.
"N-no. This last one is three copper. I'll return this to you."
"No, it's fine."
What's done is done.
How dare they try to return money.
I firmly shook my head.
"These goods were worth that much."
In reality, these herbs were ones that would be useful for treating Diaz too.
The quality was top-grade at this level.
It was awkward to even call it a loss.
But the two brothers, having their herbs that they gathered with all their might recognized, had very moved expressions.
"Well now. I can't just sit still after hearing that. Second brother. Go get that thing."
"What? Brother? That, do you mean?"
"Yes, that."
"Understood!"
The second brother disappeared to the back for a moment, then reappeared carefully holding something in his hands.
Then he handed it to the eldest.
"Here it is, brother!"
"Good."
Something wrapped in a fine cloth.
The eldest who received it opened the entrance slightly and showed me what was inside.
"Do you know what this is?"
"......"
I didn't answer.
Because I was struggling just to keep the corners of my mouth from rising.
How could I not know?
That was......
"It's a Phoenix Flower."
I flinched.
I almost broke into a full smile.
Finally, that thing had come into my hands.
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The Phoenix Flower wasn't actually a flower created by a real phoenix.
Just like foxtail grass wasn't made by foxes.
It was merely a name given because the shape and color of the petals resembled a phoenix's feathers.
But surprisingly, its effect did give a bit of a phoenix feeling.
[Immediately recovers all damaged health.]
Simply put, it meant becoming full HP.
But if this was all there was to it, would I have been so obsessed with this flower?
Even if I consumed it right there on the spot, the effect would be certain, but......
'That's not what I want.'
I wanted the extreme effect that the Phoenix Flower possessed.
To do that, I needed to extract the essence completely.
If I could just succeed at that......
'The recovery ability itself increases.'
Simply becoming full HP immediately and increasing health recovery ability were completely different stories.
And my current condition wasn't bad enough that I needed to consume the Phoenix Flower right away.
However, to do that, several processes were necessary.
First, a month's time.
A skilled herbalist needed to devote a month's worth of care to drying it.
'If it's those three brothers, they won't lack the skill.'
They were talents capable of harvesting the Phoenix Flower in the first place, so it couldn't be impossible.
And after turning that well-dried Phoenix Flower into powder.
'I'll need to ask an alchemist for a favor......'
I had someone in mind for this too.
So I'd skip this part for now.
I still had one last thing to do.
Clang......clang......clang......!
The sound of a hammer ringing out steadily.
The sign had "Garun's Forge" written on it.
I stepped inside.
Just passing through the entrance, hot air rushed over me.
Even so, I felt good.
Because this heat would gather to create my new sword.
'A handmade sword by Garun, of all people......!'
The blacksmith specter Garun had appeared as a specter wandering the nine heavens, unable to fulfill his lifelong dream.
Actually, this was content many people wouldn't remember.
Because it was close to being an Easter egg.
The kind of thing that caused absolutely no hindrance to game progress even if you didn't know about it.
'Writing carved on a wall that you couldn't even read unless you specifically went to find it, and a semi-transparent specter briefly visible at the edge of the screen just before obtaining an item. That was all.'
Garun never appeared in the game after that.
There was no need for blacksmith settings to appear in the game one by one.
All that appeared were a few weapons that were supposedly made by him according to the lore.
But at this moment.
I was so grateful to my past self who had taken an interest in that Easter egg.
Garun himself was unnecessary content, but the weapons he made were all Epic-grade items without exception.
Moreover, their actual stats exceeded Epic grade, so they were good enough to use all the way to the ending.
'If I hadn't known, I would have just passed by Garun and everything.'
And I wouldn't have known this either.
I took out one herb I had obtained from the Modest Herb Shop from my bosom.
'Premium Areunia Leaf. This should be helpful enough, right?'
Garun's weapon manufacturing method uniquely had content about Areunia Leaf being key.
Just then, Garun, who noticed I had entered, glanced at me and continued hammering.
"Wait a moment! This is an important timing!"
"I will."
Clang......clang......clang......
Waiting wasn't so bad.
Even the steady sound of his hammer was pleasant enough to enjoy.
Garun, who had been hammering away like that for a while.
After almost three or four hours, he entrusted the metal he'd been working on to another blacksmith and approached.
"So. What brings you here?"
I took out a pouch containing Areunia Leaves from my bosom.
"I thought it might be helpful, so I brought it."
"This is......could it be. Areunia?"
"That's right."
Garun looked at me with a shocked expression.
"H-how......"
The reaction was a bit different from what I expected.
I thought he'd just be happy, but his face looked like he'd seen something unexpected.
"Actually, I was thinking about a way to use Areunia Leaves. I'd only conceived that this might truly become the key to my works. To think someone who thinks the same as me exists in this world......just who are you?"
'Hm? He only conceived it? What's this about?'
Could it be that Garun's items that appeared in the original story didn't include this?
Garun continued speaking with the corners of his mouth rising as if this was interesting.
"Haha! If I had died without trying this, I would have become a vengeful spirit. I should give it a proper try this time!"
Aha.
Now I understood.
The Garun in the original story probably died in a previous battle.
So he ultimately couldn't use the Areunia Leaves he'd only thought about.
That seemed to have become his resentment and turned him into a specter.
Garun smiled broadly and patted my shoulder with his pot-lid-like hand.
"Look forward to it! I'll make you the greatest masterpiece of my life! Hahahaha!"
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And so, a month's time flew by like an arrow.
During that time, Diaz fully recovered her body.
The Phoenix Flower dried beautifully and became fine powder that entered my possession.
And.
"Here, take this!"
Garun held out a sword to me.
I accepted it with a joyful heart.
"I'll use it well."
"Yes! Cut down all the demon bastards in the world! Demons and demon-like bastards too! Every single one!"
I nodded and drew Garun's masterpiece.
Ssshing.
A refreshing friction sound tickled my ears.
And the black blade that revealed itself.
It was a very mysterious appearance.
"It seems to be the effect of the Areunia. The blade turned black. But its strength was greater than any sword I've ever experienced."
I asked with a pleased expression as I surveyed the sword up and down.
"The name?"
"The name is......Lasgalon. In ancient language, it means black moon."
"Lasgalon. I like it."
Having sheathed the sword, I showed my gratitude with a small nod and mounted my horse.
Now the next destination was.
The land of alchemy and Diaz's homeland.
Also, where I might perhaps find a way to delay the great invasion......
The Kingdom of Baltras.
I took steps toward that place.