The Forge of Hephaestus

With the satisfying meal alongside Elizabeth finally finished, I headed for the blacksmiths' street in Tirhi to handle my second piece of business.

Tirhi was only a small city, yet true to its place right beside the Hero Academy it boasted a whole district lined with forges. The weapons and armor sold here were all top-grade; even a clueless beginner could walk away without getting fleeced. According to the lore, the Empire and the Academy kept a tight watch on the place to protect the students—something only a handful of professors at the Academy actually knew.

I already knew exactly where I was going, so I strode past the rows of smithies without a second glance.

Damn, it's hot as hell.

The heat pouring from every forge made this single street feel like midsummer while the rest of Tirhi still basked in spring. And the gaze fixed on me was every bit as scorching. I glanced back at the girl walking beside me.

"Didn't you have business of your own in town?"

We've eaten. If you've got somewhere to be, go take care of it. Keep staring at me like that and even I start to feel weird. For a shut-in gamer who only ever shuttled between company and home, the eyes of a beauty like Elizabeth were pure pressure.

"If I have become a burden to you, Young Master, I shall wait in the plaza."

Why does she have to put it like that?

My heightened senses uselessly picked up the faint loneliness in her expression. Suddenly I felt like the biggest bastard in the world. I sighed inwardly and shook my head.

"I only asked if you had something to do. If you don't, that's fine."

The loneliness vanished, replaced by a small spark of happiness. I felt a fresh flicker of fear toward the nobles of this world.

Does she feel some kind of duty to stay glued to my side?

I couldn't begin to guess what was going through her head. We walked on through the awkward air until a familiar silhouette appeared a short distance ahead. The owner of that silhouette spotted us too and waved as she hurried over.

"Wow, you're out of the hospital already! Young Master Winchester, and Lady Spencer—what a surprise running into you here!"

It was the green-haired girl, Enri.

I nodded.

"Hello."

Elizabeth returned the greeting as well.

"Last time things were so chaotic we never even introduced ourselves properly. My name is Enri Arundel. I was out cold so I don't know the details, but William told me it was Young Master Winchester who saved me. Thank you so much."

Saved or not, I'd been the one who dragged her into it, so I shared some of the blame—but she clearly didn't see it that way.

Or maybe it's because of the groundwork I laid back then?

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

I'd told the ones who wanted to run to run, and left the choice to her. Thank goodness that worked out.

"What brings you all the way here, Miss Arundel?"

"Hehe, Lady Spencer, I'm just a fallen noble—please call me Enri."

"Then please call me Elizabeth as well, Enri."

"Thank you."

Enri scratched her head and glanced at the stall she had been standing in front of.

"My shield got wrecked in the last fight, so I came to buy a new one… but wow, city prices. I was still debating whether I could afford it."

I followed her gaze. The stall was stacked with gear that screamed budget-tier. Given Tirhi's standards they were decent value for the money, but still—

For a tank who's going to be rolling around a lot more, this stuff just won't cut it.

"Green girl. If you want a shield, follow me."

"Green…! My name is Enri Arundel, you know…"

I ignored her protest and started walking. Behind me I heard Elizabeth gently gathering her up.

"Come along, Enri."

"Ugh… what even is happening right now?"

Our party of three moved down the street, drawing stares from every man we passed.

What are you all looking at?

Maybe it looked like some noble young master strolling around with a pretty girl on each arm, but I felt completely wronged.

I'm innocent. Both of these girls are part of the protagonist's harem.

Well, one of them was my fiancée—but if the story stayed on rails, Elizabeth's engagement would be broken off for certain. We pushed through the jealous glares until we finally reached our destination.

The forge Hephaestus.

This was where I had ordered armor a week earlier—and the upgrade shop that would power up the protagonist's party.

The moment we stepped inside, heat far worse than the street slammed into us. The interior was a forest of weapons and armor. Sturdy plate, razor-sharp blades—if it existed, it was probably here, all of it high-end and gleaming. Mannequins dressed in dazzling gear stood on display, enough to make any hero's heart race.

While I made a show of browsing, Elizabeth—who had shown almost no reaction until now—stopped in front of a row of robes, nodded, and her eyes lit up. Enri ran her hand over a gleaming shield, then caught sight of the price tag and snatched her fingers away as if burned.

I left the two of them wandering around and headed straight for the counter. I already knew every piece on the floor was just window dressing.

The clerk spotted me approaching and smiled.

"Welcome. Looking for anything in particular?"

"Is the master in?"

The clerk's smile froze solid. His expression hardened as he looked me over carefully, gaze climbing from my boots all the way to my hair.

"Y-Young Master Winchester! My deepest apologies—please wait just a moment!"

The black hair had given me away. The clerk bellowed for the master and bolted through the back door.

"Is something the matter?"

Elizabeth and Enri drifted over, curious about the fuss.

"You two come with me. It'll be useful."

The clerk returned almost at once, smiling again.

"Ahaha… the master has granted you entry, Young Master. Right this way."

We followed him through the rear door into the depths of the shop. There, in front of a massive furnace rather than an ordinary forge, an elderly dwarf was hammering steel. His name was Harson—an old friend of the previous Duke of Winchester, according to the lore. Later in the story he would forge weapons for the protagonist after the boy was taken in by House Winchester.

Even in the blistering heat he didn't break a sweat, just kept working in silence. He clearly knew we had entered, yet the hammer never paused. Elizabeth started to step forward; I held out a hand and shook my head. She fell quiet and stayed put.

After a while the old dwarf finished whatever he was working on and finally looked up.

"Hmph. Look who it is—the Winchester brat who doesn't keep his appointments."

Elizabeth and Enri both jumped at the rude, prickly tone. I answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"I'm sure you've already heard the news from the Academy, old man."

"There was a terrorist attack, wasn't there? So—how's that body of yours holding up?"

"Do I look like there's anything wrong with me? More ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠importantly, what about my order?"

"Heh-heh-heh. Cheeky little bastard—just like your parents. Thinking about all the trouble you're going to cause at that Academy already makes my head hurt."

Harson shook his head at me as though I were a lost cause.

"Who do you take me for? Of course it's finished. Leave it to a Winchester to somehow get his hands on quality mithril right at the start of the school year."

Once enrollment season hit, every new student scrambled for gear and good ore became scarce. I would have preferred orichalcum or adamantium, but materials of that grade needed more time to acquire. The mithril ore I had handed Harson was something I had given up on finding myself and paid the information guild a small fortune to obtain.

"So—those young ladies behind you your brides?"

The two girls, who had been watching in confused silence, both turned bright red.

Old man, these two already have owners. Don't drag me into it.

"Enough nonsense. What I need is gear suitable for a wind mage, and a shield for a Guardian."

Harson caught on at once that the equipment was for the girls behind me.

"Which one's the Guardian?"

"The green girl."

I felt Enri flinch at the nickname, but she had enough sense not to protest this time.

"Hmm. Then this should do. Hey, Bandor! Bring what this brat ordered, plus numbers 105 and 232!"

"Yes, Master!"

The clerk by the door dashed off and returned moments later with his arms full of equipment.

"This one's my personal work."

A full plate set in the black of House Winchester. I had asked for a circlet instead of a full helm so my vision wouldn't be blocked; with the unexpected side-effect of Dragon Blood sprouting horns, the design turned out to be perfect for me.

I was thoroughly satisfied.

Behind me, Enri was struggling to hold a metal kite shield almost as tall as she was, while Elizabeth tried on a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bracelet that boosted wind affinity.

I pretended to stow my new armor in a spatial bag and actually slipped it into my inventory.

"What's the price?"

"Hmph. Forget it. If I take money from the little Winchester, that old skinflint will laugh at me for being a miser."

Harson snorted, clearly thinking of someone—probably the previous head of House Winchester.

"Heh-heh-heh. Besides, that stiff little brat has grown up enough to bring brides along. Consider it my gift."

"…Tch. I'll take the goods gratefully, then."

I wasn't short on cash, but free was free. No reason to refuse.

The two girls bowed and thanked him; Harson waved it off as nothing.

"Save your thanks for that brat over there."

"We'll be heading back now. Good work."

"Always so curt… Come by again so I can see that face ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of yours more often."

"…I'll try."

The faint regret in Harson's voice made me flinch. It felt exactly like saying goodbye to your grandfather after a holiday visit home. This was only the second time I had ever met him in person, yet…

It left me with a strangely warm feeling.