Chapter 131
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 131
Chapter Title: Impossible
"So you're saying you left the Guild Master in that state?"
After our simple spar, I returned to the Adventurer's Guild and handed over a rather worse-for-wear Argo.
Argo headed to the infirmary for treatment, and Adela, who remained at the reception desk, asked me what had happened, so I told her everything. Now, she was glaring at me with narrowed eyes.
"Yep."
"Are you out of your mind...?"
"Yep."
I didn't understand why she was taking it out on me. Argo was the one who said he needed a pretext and asked for a spar, and he was the one who came at me like he was trying to kill me. I just responded in kind, so what's the problem?
More importantly, I didn't get why she was so angry. I'd never seen Adela this mad before. I pondered it for a moment, and a single, perfect answer flashed in my mind.
"Aha! Adela, you're in love with Argo!"
"...Excuse me?"
Her expression didn't change one bit as she gave me a look that screamed, *what kind of nonsense are you spouting now?* As expected of a receptionist, her acting was top-notch.
"It's only natural to get angry when someone you like gets hurt. I completely understand."
"..."
Isn't that how it goes in comics? The classic protagonist-awakening cliché. When a close friend or lover gets hurt, they suddenly fly into a rage and awaken their powers. I figured it was something similar for Adela.
Wow... despite the large age gap, they're pursuing a difficult love.
"Well, they say all that matters these days is that you love each other, right? I can't say I understand it, but I'll support..."
"Luke."
"Yes."
Her eyes told me that one more word would mean my death, so I shut my mouth immediately. Even though my current self feared no S-rank adventurer, for some reason, Adela reminded me of my mother, making me instinctively shrink back. Dammit! A Stand that shows you what your opponent fears most! How cowardly!
"Then why are you so irritated?"
"Because if the Guild Master can't work, our workload increases."
"Ah."
That made sense. I'd be angry too.
"By the way, what's happening with my promotion?"
"The Guild Master has promoted you to A-rank. However, since this was so sudden, it will take about a day to create your emblem."
"I have a question. Are there any perks to becoming an A-rank adventurer?"
"None."
Adela's reply was firm, without a hint of hesitation. What? Isn't that complete garbage? Then what's the difference between an F-rank and an S-rank, besides recognition?
"Ah, now that I think about it... there is one thing that could be considered a perk."
"Oh? What is it?"
"You can attend the social gatherings hosted by the Imperial Family."
"And that's a perk...?"
"It depends on who you ask."
"But what is this social gathering hosted by the Imperial Family?"
I'd never even seen an imperial-hosted social gathering. In a novel where the academy was the main stage, there was no reason for something like a high-society event, the main stage for nobles, to appear.
"The Imperial Family holds a social gathering at the palace once a year for various reasons. Adventurers receive an invitation to attend."
"To a mere A-rank, not even an S-rank?"
"...You may not know this, but A-rank adventurers are so talented that there are fewer than a hundred of them on the entire continent."
It was that serious? I thought it was just the top ten percent or so, but that's a lot fewer than I expected.
"Is there any advantage for an adventurer to attend a social gathering?"
Knowing how rotten the nobles here were, would they really just stand by and watch a commoner like me set foot in the imperial palace? The invitation came from the Imperial Family, so they wouldn't openly cause trouble, but it was obvious they'd look down on me with their glares and attitudes. No, more importantly, what could an adventurer possibly gain from going there?
"It's a way for both adventurers and nobles to build connections. No matter how strong an A-rank adventurer is, some things are impossible to do alone. In those cases, they can ask for help or sponsorship from a noble with whom they have connections. For the nobles, having an A-rank adventurer in their network is a good asset to have in a pinch, so there's no harm in making connections."
So nepotism isn't just a thing in my past life. To be honest, I wasn't really interested in sponsorships. Those noble bastards would just throw some money at me and try to control me, and I'd obviously lose my temper and kill them. That would make the sponsorship meaningless.
"As it happens, a social gathering is scheduled to take place soon. We've received the invitation, so if you wish to attend, we can give it to you. What would you like to do?"
A social gathering would mean a ton of food, right? And since it's hosted by the Imperial Family, the taste and quality of the food would be guaranteed. As I was debating whether to go, I felt someone tugging at my sleeve. It was always Yui who tugged at my sleeve, so I turned around, wondering what it was this time, only to find the culprit was, surprisingly, Liche.
"Um... can we not go to the social gathering...?"
She pleaded with me, a look of fear on her face.
"Why."
"You know without me saying..."
I knew. Since Liche's family was a duchy, attending the social gathering was probably mandatory. But she was practically an outcast in her family. She must have been constantly mistreated, so meeting her family had likely become a source of trauma.
"No."
But usually, when someone tells you not to go, it makes you want to go even more. Liche hadn't been with us for long, so she probably didn't know yet, but when she said it like that, it was only proper that I go.
***
For now, I had things to do, so I just took the invitation from Adela. We left the Adventurer's Guild and headed for the blacksmith.
*Tinkle.*
"Mister."
"Hm? What, it's you. It's been a while."
"A lot has happened."
It felt like I said the same thing every time I came here. I tried to visit often, but the world seemed determined to throw curveballs at me.
"So. Did you finally come to replace that weapon of yours today?"
"Yep."
"I'm surprised it hasn't broken yet."
"My thoughts exactly."
Even if it was made from the material of a named monster, it was still just material from a D-rank monster. Yet I'd used it to kill B-rank monsters, A-rank monsters, and just yesterday, I'd even beaten an S-rank monster with it. It was a miracle it had held up this long without a single crack.
"So. The reason you're here today is to show me that amazing material you mentioned before?"
"Yes. And for your information, I'm an A-rank adventurer now. You should have high expectations."
"Yeah, yeah. Let's just see what incredible thing you've brought."
The way he spoke, it didn't sound like he was expecting much. He probably thought I'd brought some A-rank material at best. To shatter that illusion, I took the branch of the World Tree from my inventory.
"Ta-da. What do you think this is?"
"...What is this."
The blacksmith seemed taken aback. It wasn't like he was asking because he genuinely didn't know; it seemed he recognized the majesty of this material, which at a glance looked like just a large tree branch.
"Do you feel something from it?"
"I can't say for sure... but it gives off a strange feeling."
He scanned the World Tree's branch with a deep gaze. At the same time, his fingers twitched, as if his blacksmith's intuition had kicked in. This wasn't something just anyone could do. I always felt that I'd found a good blacksmith.
"What in the world did you bring me...?"
"A branch from the World Tree."
"W-what...? The World Tree? You mean the one those elves worship like crazy...?"
His words were a bit strange, but it was a fact.
"Yep."
"Hah..." The blacksmith let out a sound of admiration.
"And those pointy-eared bastards just gave this to you?"
"The World Tree gave it to me directly."
If the World Tree itself wanted to give it, what could they do? They were always going on about the World Tree's grace and blessings, so if they had complained about me taking a single branch, I would have killed them all.
"...But isn't this too little to make a weapon?"
I had received only one branch from the World Tree. No matter how large the branch was, it wasn't enough to make a weapon on its own. If I used a straight sword like a longsword, maybe, but I used a greatsword—an ultra-greatsword, even larger than most—which required three to four times the material of a normal weapon.
"Of course, that's just for the hilt. The real deal is something else."
"You have something even better than this...?"
"Have you ever heard of a monster called the Volcanic Horned Dragon?"
"I've only heard the name."
The blacksmith was no spring chicken, but the Volcanic Horned Dragon was a monster old enough to be in history books. While documents about it might exist, it was rare for anyone in the current generation, aside from long-lived races like elves, to have actually seen one.
"So why are you suddenly talking about that monster? Don't tell me you brought material from it?"
"I did."
"What...?"
A normal person would never believe it. An S-rank monster? The wish of all humanity. Who would believe me if I suddenly said I'd hunted one?
So, as proof, I took the Volcanic Horned Dragon's material from my inventory and showed it to him. A carapace that looked like a lump of coal on the outside. Judging by its age alone, this thing belonged in a museum.
"So. What do you think when you see this?"
"You... just what are you?"
"An adventurer?"
His fingers were twitching, eager to touch it, so I handed it right over. I had to give it to him to make the weapon anyway. He then handled the material like a virgin on his wedding night, touching it here and there, before placing it on the counter a moment later and declaring firmly.
"Impossible."
"How do you know without even trying?"
"How long do you think I've been doing this? I can tell just by touching it whether it can be forged or not."
"Why not?"
"First, the tools are a problem. A material this hard would just dent any ordinary hammer. And from what I know of the Volcanic Horned Dragon's material, a normal furnace can't melt this."
He had a point. The carapace belonged to a beast that was fine even when volcanoes were erupting all around it; of course a furnace wouldn't melt it. In fact, if someone could forge a material of this caliber, they wouldn't be an ordinary blacksmith but a legendary one.
But this was the only blacksmith I knew. If he couldn't do it, where should I go? Should I go out and look for another smithy?
"For the record, this will be impossible no matter where you go."
"Dammit."
So S-rank monster materials were complete garbage, huh? If it can't be forged, what the hell is it good for?
"Then what should I do?"
"If there's a race that can forge something like this, there's only one, isn't there?"
In any fantasy world, there was a race known as the masters of blacksmithing, called the people of iron. The only race the blacksmith could be talking about, capable of forging such a rare material, was...
"Dwarves?"
"That's right."
It hadn't been long since I'd returned from Alfheim, and now I had to go on another long trip just to make a weapon. The mere thought of it made my head spin.