Chapter 659
Chapter Title: The Forgemaster's Secret
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659.
Gerwin, the headmaster of Demian, was sipping his tea.
Across from him, a beastkin and a dwarf sat, engrossed in conversation.
*Knock, knock—*
A moment later, a soft knock preceded the door opening.
A professor from Demian entered and bowed to Gerwin.
“Headmaster. The people from Lumerne have arrived.”
“Let them in.”
As Gerwin set down his teacup, the door opened, and seven people entered.
A woman with a small frame, standing at the forefront, offered a greeting.
“Hello, Sir Gerwin. I am Artian Nier, a professor from the Summoning Department at Lumerne.”
“Welcome, Professor Artian.”
Gerwin rose from his seat, laughing heartily as he warmly welcomed Artian.
After exchanging pleasantries, Gerwin’s gaze naturally shifted to those behind Artian.
“Good to see you, Leo Flove. And…”
Gerwin’s eyes rested on Karl.
“The One Who Prepares for the Beginning.”
“Um, Sir Gerwin.”
“What is it, The One Who Prepares for the Beginning?”
“Well… why are you calling me by my title instead of my name?”
As Karl asked cautiously, Artian smiled faintly.
“It’s because heroes are beings who must be respected. The title recorded in the Hero Record is, quite literally, a testament to one’s status as a hero. As such, it is proper etiquette to address them by their recorded name in official settings. In student Leo’s case, he is unfortunately called by his name because he has no title.”
“You didn’t even know that?”
Iliana remarked, her tone dripping with pity, causing Karl to click his tongue.
“Like I’d ever have a reason to meet a hero in an official capacity?”
“Ho ho. In truth, everyone finds it awkward at first. But you’ll get used to it over time.”
“Grandfather, Ar doesn’t seem awkward at all, though?”
Driana, who had been observing the situation, chimed in. Ar crossed her arms, her tail held high.
“Heeheehee! A student of Azonia is always prepared! And ‘The One Who Inherits the Brave Hero’s Will’! Doesn’t that just have a wonderful ring to it?”
Ar admired her own title as she repeated it to herself.
“Isn’t it a title that just perfectly suits me?!”
“I sometimes envy that endless confidence of yours.”
Ordinarily, becoming the successor to someone who achieved great deeds is an immense burden.
No matter what one does, they are inevitably compared to their predecessor.
And in Ar’s case, she was the successor to none other than the Great Hero, the Brave Hero Ar-on.
Even Driana, who, like Ar, had not yet been officially recognized as Dweno’s successor, felt a tremendous amount of pressure.
Of course, she wasn't crushed by that pressure, but she often found herself marveling at Ar, who was always overflowing with confidence.
“Is her mental fortitude just that incredible?”
“Driana, you’re so weak-willed, aren’t you? You should watch this big sister and learn a thing or two.”
*Hahaha!* As Ar laughed and patted her on the head, Driana muttered seriously.
“Hmm. Or is it because she’s a beast and doesn’t think?”
“What did you say!”
Ar’s eyes shot wide, but Driana paid her no mind.
“The Black Rabbit is Sir Kyle’s successor, but he’s not intimidated in the slightest! That means your mental strength is just weak!”
Ar declared, pointing at Leo.
At her words, Karl and Chelsea muttered inwardly.
‘That’s because Leo is…’
‘Kyle himself.’
“The lively atmosphere is nice.”
Gerwin chuckled and gestured for the Lumerne students to have a seat.
Leo’s group joined Ar and Driana on the sofa they were sitting on.
Then, they froze, their eyes fixed on the object in the middle of the table.
“Is this… Brave?”
Duran, recognizing the broken sword’s identity, marveled.
Gerwin nodded in response.
“Yes, it is the sword that The One Who Inherits the Brave Hero’s Will received from Sir Ar-on.”
Gerwin said, his expression turning a little grave.
Seeing Gerwin’s reaction, Leo examined the sword more closely and spoke.
“It’s falling apart.”
At those words, Ar’s ears drooped.
“That’s right, Black Rabbit.”
Brave was currently in the same state it had been in right after the battle with Erebos.
It was the state it was in just before Ar-on drew his last breath.
Since Ar-on had returned to the present world on the verge of death, it was unavoidable.
Even after receiving the sword, Ar had used Brave in several battles.
A sword that had already reached the end of its life.
Thus, even for one of Dweno’s masterpieces, it was inevitable that it would slowly break down.
“We were discussing whether this sword could be fixed.”
Gerwin was the most skilled weaponsmith among all living artisans.
As such, Ar had asked Gerwin to repair Brave.
To state the conclusion…
“It’s impossible.”
“Indeed.”
Gerwin let out a deep sigh.
“Restoring a weapon requires the exact same materials that were used to create it. Most of the weapons made by Sir Dweno contain a special metal that he personally forged. Unless that metal can be created, repairs are impossible. Even if it were repaired, it would only have the same appearance. It could not be called Brave.”
Seeing Gerwin’s regretful expression, Eliza spoke up.
“Karl, doesn’t the grimoire you inherited from Sir Dweno have the alchemy formula for the metal used in his weapons?”
At her words, everyone’s expectant gazes turned to Karl in an instant.
“Come to think of it, I was planning to inquire about that as well, The One Who Prepares for the Beginning.”
Gerwin’s eyes gleamed.
“Student Karl. Does Sir Dweno’s grimoire perhaps include his metal forging techniques?”
Artian also asked, her voice filled with anticipation.
“Unfortunately, the only metal recorded in Sir Dweno’s grimoire was the one needed to create sculptures.”
“Metal for sculptures…”
“Then that’s not it.”
“Indeed. The metal used for sculptures and the metal used for weapons would be different.”
Gerwin and Artian wore expressions of disappointment.
“…What kind of metal did you say?”
But Driana’s eyes lit up.
“Metal used as material for sculptures.”
“That might be it!”
Driana exclaimed in an excited voice.
“You! Don’t you remember who Sir Dweno was before he was a blacksmith?!”
“Unlike you, he was a brilliant artist.”
“Unlike me! I am also a perfectly fine art—”
“No, you’re not.”
“Don’t insult art.”
Karl and Ar cut Driana off at the same time.
In response, Driana’s lips jutted out in a pout.
“It’s certainly a possibility…”
Karl crossed his arms and glanced discreetly at Leo.
Leo’s eyes met Karl’s, and he gave a slight nod.
‘Crap! For real?!’
If that was true, it was an incredible revelation.
‘Why are you only telling me this now?’
Karl, who had been wearing a shocked expression, soon recalled something and understood.
‘If this fact becomes known to the world, it would be dangerous.’
Karl’s thoughts were spot on.
Leo had realized upon reading Dweno’s grimoire that the metal described was the same one Dweno used for crafting weapons.
The reason he hadn't told Karl was because it could put Karl in danger.
‘It’s the foundation of none other than that Dweno fellow’s weapon crafting method.’
Dweno’s weapons were called divine instruments.
Of course, even if one were to make a weapon with that metal, it would be impossible to create one on par with Dweno’s.
But it would still be possible to create weapons far more powerful than those currently in production.
‘Moreover, it won’t just be factions wanting powerful weapons that will come after Karl.’
While some might simply try to kidnap Karl.
Others would try to kill him outright.
‘Tartaros.’
These were the weapons of Dweno, of all people.
From the perspective of Tartaros, it was the manufacturing technique for weapons that had killed a god.
They would undoubtedly try to kill Karl by any means necessary.
Gerwin, too, seemed to have reached the same conclusion, as his expression turned grave.
“For the time being, everyone is to keep this matter to themselves.”
At his words, everyone in the headmaster’s office nodded.
“So? Since you have the recipe, can you make it?”
At Gerwin’s question, Karl scratched his cheek.
“Actually, making it isn’t easy either.”
“Why is that?”
“Because creating the metal requires Sir Dweno’s flame.”
“For that, we have Leo, don’t we?”
Driana’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Leo.
In response, Leo said.
“My body probably can’t handle Dweno’s flame.”
He could emit the same firepower Dweno used when swinging his hammer, but he couldn't withstand it.
“Crucially, I have no talent for smithing.”
Having said that, Leo looked at Driana.
“…? Why are you looking at me?”
“Do you want to try wielding Dweno’s flame?”
“What? Is that possible?!”
Driana’s eyes widened.
“I think I can at least serve as a furnace. Of course, withstanding and controlling that flame will be entirely up to you.”
“I’ll do it! It’s a great honor for a dwarf!”
“So you’ll do it?”
“Of course!”
“Good. Then we can start training today.”
“Yes! Sounds great!”
Driana said with a bright smile.
She was so overjoyed that she forgot to imitate Dweno’s speech pattern and reverted to her own.
“Alright, then let’s conclude our discussion about Brave’s restoration here. How about we take a short break before we talk about the mission?”
“Ah, in that case, Student Karl and I will return to the other students.”
Artian and Karl, who had visited the headmaster’s office to report their arrival, had no further reason to be there.
“Ho ho. At least have a cup of tea before you go.”
“Ah, in that case, we will have a cup of tea.”
At Gerwin’s words, Artian nodded.
And so, a brief tea time began.
“Hey, Leo.”
“What.”
“You seem to be getting better and better at scamming people, you know?”
At Karl’s words, Leo let out a smirk.
“I’m still a long way from catching up to that swindler lizard.”
‘Just how good of a scammer is Sir Lisinas for Leo to be saying this?’
Thinking to himself, Karl looked at Driana with a pitying expression.
“By the way, as soon as the second-years arrived at Demian, they took a warp gate somewhere else. Where on earth did they go?”
Chelsea asked with a puzzled look on her face.
As someone who had gone through the Smith Contract at Demian Academy last year, Chelsea was curious about the whereabouts of the second-years who had been moved to another location immediately upon arrival.
“That?”
Karl took a sip of his tea and grinned.
“I sent them to the mines.”
“Huh? The mines?”
“Yep.”
***
“No!”
*Thwack—!*
“Seriously! Why!”
*Thwack! Thwack!*
“Does a mage! Like me! Have to be!”
*Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!*
“Swinging a pickaxe in a mine!”
*Thwack—!*
“Wooooow! Amazing!”
“Is she really a mage?”
“Such brute force!”
“Who was that just now! The one who called me a brute! I’ll smash your head in with this pickaxe!”
Juen’s eyes blazed as she wildly swung her pickaxe toward the Demian students.
Watching Juen, Luke spoke.
“We can’t help it, Juen. It says we have to gather the materials for the weapons in this year’s Smith Exclusive Contract ourselves.”
“Even so!”
*Thwack—! Thwack—! Thwack—!*
“Just look at Aina!”
“She’s dual-wielding pickaxes!”
“I cannot lose.”
“Hah! Haviden too!”
“Knight Department… you guys are having the time of your lives, aren’t you?”
Juen wore an expression of disbelief.
“Juen. Stop playing around and get to work.”
“Hey! Why are you, a princess, so excited and working so hard!”
“I am realizing the nobility of labor. I believe this is a very important study, experiencing the lives of the people I will one day rule!”
“Hey! Aren’t you the least bit curious why we have to do this kind of manual labor?”
“…? Not particularly.”
Seeing Sasha tilt her head in confusion, Juen’s expression turned serious.
‘…Am I the strange one?’