Chapter 51
Chapter 51
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: When the Sword Gets Serious? Black! Hahaha! (3)
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I focused my energy on the famed sword and opened its status window.
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Name: Lagia
Job: Guide
Personality: Chatterbox - Talks a lot
Trait: Assimilation - Can change its own appearance and abilities to suit the user
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There it was, just as expected. The status window.
But the job was unexpected. Guide. It might reflect the history of the merfolk heirs passing it down and serving as advisors to the merfolk king.
The personality was spot on. Chatterbox. Talks a lot, and I even wanted to add "giggles frivolously, hahaha."
I closed the lid of the box and left the study. I'd hand it over to Pippin tomorrow morning before his sword training.
***
As soon as day broke, I sought out Pippin and shoved Lagia at him. His expression was indescribable.
"Master. Are you serious?"
"Dead serious. It's your sword now."
"...I'll never be able to focus if I fight with this. I'd be better off with my current guard sword, or a saw for cutting wood, or a kitchen knife for meat."
"No way. It's a famed sword, isn't it?"
[That's right! A famed sword!]
Lagia chimed in.
"......"
Pippin took the sword as if he had no choice. The moment he did, Lagia's form began to change.
[Yes! This is the feeling! You, hero who grabbed me! Your potential is insane!]
[Lagia's Assimilation trait activated]
Lagia seemed to melt and wobble, then its body swelled enormously. Soon, the sleek, elongated sword had transformed into a hefty bastard sword. Pippin's eyes finally lit up. Whoosh, swoosh. He swung it a few times and clicked his tongue in amazement.
"It's no ordinary sword. Incredible. I've never seen anything like it..."
He looked satisfied. A sword that changes form based on the user. That was something special. I marveled at it while inwardly grinning wickedly.
Last night, Lagia had tried not to reveal its weakness. But I'd just spotted it. When the sword changes form, there's that moment when it wobbles and seems weak. The process from a slender sword to a broad, massive bastard sword takes a few seconds at least, no matter how fast. The body softens and glows white as it expands.
That would be the perfect time to destroy it.
If Halo fell into Enbi's hands, I'd smash the sword right then to keep him from becoming merfolk king. Enbi without the throne wouldn't meet the heroine. In the original story, the heroine meets Enbi after he's already king. They encounter each other during the monster subjugation at his coronation.
If I could prevent their meeting from the start, I could avoid any contact between the violent merfolk Enbi and our tiny, fragile, lovable little Duchess Dalia.
Dalia. This big brother will protect you from that rotten fish!
[Ooh, power surges, power surges! I feel like I could make this human the merfolk king!]
Lagia's nonsense made Pippin and me grimace. Lagia soon vibrated with its signature frivolous laugh.
[Joke, joke! Just means you've gotten that strong.]
I patted Pippin's shoulder, which was fixed in a perpetual frown. Pippin looked at me pitifully and offered the sword, but I pushed his hand away.
"It's a very important sword to me. Make the most of it."
Then, turning so Lagia couldn't hear, I whispered in Pippin's ear.
"Might have to destroy it later. Treat it roughly."
Perhaps sensing the seriousness in my grave tone that it wasn't a joke.
The light in Pippin's eyes settled calmly.
***
"Understood."
Pippin nodded solemnly and headed to the training grounds.
He swung Lagia, gradually getting the hang of it, then shattered dozens of wooden training dummies in one go. Later, the head butler even came chasing after him, nagging that he'd have to order a month's worth new.
His skill was undeniable. The sword's effect was great too.
Pippin seemed pleased with the results. After carrying around saws, kitchen knives, and plain guard swords, how good must it feel to hold a proper one?
I stood with arms crossed, watching proudly as his master. Then Pippin strode toward me, sword in hand.
"How is it, Pippin? Your thoughts?"
"It's heavy."
"And?"
"Every strike carries maximum power. The max I can output... no, it feels like even more. Accuracy is up from usual, and critical hits are stronger."
His answer was more satisfying than expected, so I clapped. Suddenly, Pippin's face turned stone-cold. My claps slowly stopped as our eyes met.
"But it's too noisy."
"......"
Pippin held out the sword to me. Up to then, Lagia had been chattering away on its own without any response.
[Hahaha! It's been ages since I was swung like that—feels great! The heavy~ feeling is the best. I just named it: Lagia-Soulweight version! Hahaha! Human, Pippin, was it? You like it too, right? Right, pa—rtner?]
Now Pippin's pa—rtner, he shoved the sword at me. It was so heavy my shoulder nearly buckled when I took it.
"Pippin, giving up already? You're tougher than that. Hang in there a bit longer."
"My ears lack that toughness, Master."
"What about monster lore? This guy Lagia claims to know all about monsters. Probably."
Pippin hesitated for a moment but shook his head.
"I'd rather use a scythe."
Then he picked up the iron scythe Helio had brought yesterday.
"Hey, that's not it!"
Pippin gripped the scythe and assumed position. It felt more like he was holding a spear.
"I don't fuss over tools anyway. As long as it's not for butchering, I can slaughter with a stick."
"If you don't fuss over tools, then Lagia...!"
Without hearing me out, he continued training. To me, the dummies fell at the same speed and power whether with Lagia or the scythe. I could sense his mana—he was the type who coats his weapon in mana to empower it before fighting.
So he found it more convenient to use his own random mana-enchanted tool than the chatty magic sword Lagia.
"Master. Give me this scythe. And take back that precious, noisy thing."
Pippin said curtly. I eyed the scythe distastefully and sighed.
"You sure that'll do? It's a farm tool."
"Yes. I'll take a guard sword just in case."
"Scythe and sword... Everyone will wonder if the Gluttony Ducal House's guard knight is crazy."
"Am I embarrassing you?"
"A little?"
"But I'm strong."
Pippin said with confident voice. His eyes were a bit dazed, but the confidence and skill in them were ones I could vouch for. He was strong. Yeah, he could win against enemies with an iron nail instead of a scythe.
"Master Kaku said it: Minnows quiet down in front of the strong. And not to go around saying he said that."
"......"
I patted Pippin's shoulder.
"Fine. Do as you like. Though it bugs me a bit..."
"Master. Please."
Pippin begged unusually. I relented.
[Sure, whatever! I want to go to a swordsman I like too! Sierra, was it Sierra? What about you? Ready to handle the great Lagia?]
"Ready..."
It was funny not to take the sword the crown prince gifted to the monster subjugation. We'd asked for a sword for that very purpose.
"Not mentally prepared, but no choice. Alright. Let's try."
I gripped the sword firmly.
"Can you change to suit me too?"
"Of course! Your mana flow is totally different from that hero's. Amazing, such a unique flow. Then, like this..."
[Lagia's Assimilation trait activated]
Lagia wobbled and melted, transforming into something quite different from a sword. The long rod resembled Pippin's scythe a bit, but the sharp, massive blade was far more menacing.
"This is..."
Slender and agile, perfectly balanced no matter where gripped. A huge blade that seemed ready to slice anything.
[It's a scythe now.]
I muttered while scraping the ground with the rod end.
"It's a farm tool in the end..."
[Farm tool?!]
Lagia vibrated angrily at the words.
[This is an amazing scythe! Not a farm tool! The reaper's scythe for annihilating foes. What do you know? Nothing beats a scythe as a weapon. Hmph, look down on scythes? Ever harvested grain? No scythe, no you!]
"Just spouting nonsense."
Even as a necromancer, carrying a scythe was too much. Plus, the blade was subtly short, giving off major farm tool vibes. Maybe my strength wasn't enough to cleave foes with it?
"Everyone will tease us. 'Gluttony House fights with farm tools. Guard knight scratches with scythe, Duke brings sickle. Tragedy.' Monster subjugation's not far—maybe find new weapons now."
[New weapon?! Insult to me. See how great a scythe I am yourself!]
Lagia said confidently.
"Well, might be useful."
I went to a clearing a bit away from the training grounds. It was cluttered with junk and unmanaged weeds. After Orchid Destrodo's rampage, they'd piled leftover materials from repairs here.
"Good spot to test."
I swung the scythe around, finding a stance that fit me. It definitely resonated, drawing in my mana.
Lagia's trait was Assimilation. It clearly adapted to the user's mana for optimal combat style.
"Here goes."
I raised the scythe high and swung fast. Shhhk! The grass was mown clean!
"......"
I tried several times, neatly trimming the tall weeds each go. Pretty useful.
"Well, not totally useless..."
[Hey! Heeeey! Don't use me for mowing grass!]
"Then what's a scythe for? I'm no reaper."
[Use my hidden potential! That overflowing dark mana—what else for?!]
"Potential, huh."
I swung it whoosh whoosh. It fit my hand perfectly after just a few tries.
[I can do other forms too!]
Lagia shouted confidently, shifting to an even longer scythe.
Just like the reaper's scythe.