Aftermath
How many days had it been since I last gripped my hammer? Today, too, I sat in front of the door, waiting for him to show.
The new forge was built to resemble the old one as closely as possible, but no matter how similar, it still felt off—unfamiliar.
Waiting for some guy whose arrival was uncertain in a place like this wasn't exactly a barrel of laughs, even as empty words.
Even when I tried to forget he'd left and focus on pounding iron, those thoughts kept creeping back.
Maybe he actually beat Robo and came back with its materials.
By any reasonable odds—even being generous—it was less than 1%, a miracle bordering on the impossible. But for some reason, I couldn't shake the possibility from my mind.
So today, like always, I sat in my chair, waiting for him to return.
Just like yesterday, as I stared blankly at the door, I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned instinctively.
"You invite him and then just stare at the door all day? Though, to be fair, you usually ignore guests and just make swords anyway, old man."
"If you're bored, wait at the hotel."
The woman yawning like she couldn't stand the tedium—Hardi—looked at me with sleepy eyes.
A sword made from monster materials, especially something on Robo's level... It chafed, but I lacked the power to forge it alone.
Unlike rare metals with their inherent special properties, fully infusing a sword with a monster's power required a mage—a specialist in enchantment magic.
Hardi was young, but already one of the kingdom's rising stars in magical enchantment.
I'd called her ahead, betting he'd show. But Hardi, who knew nothing about him, clearly didn't think he'd return alive.
"Old man..."
"What."
I gave a curt reply, eyes back on the door, and she hemmed and hawed before speaking.
"I mean... why not just go inside and rest? You sat there all day yesterday too."
"Sitting's nothing compared to forging a sword."
"...Hate to say it, but he's probably dead. Common sense says a first-year academy student can't take down Robo."
"......"
Anyone who didn't know him would react that way. Hell, even I, who did know him, was half-convinced of it myself.
Figuring I was like this out of guilt for sending him to his death, Hardi patted my back sympathetically.
"And it's not your fault if he actually went there, right? The one who went is to blame, not the one who told him. Just think of it as suicide and—"
"That guy's not the type to off himself. Unless his hands got cut off and he couldn't draw anymore."
"Pardon? D-Draw? What are you even saying?"
"......I don't know either."
Damn it... what the hell was coming out of my mouth? The more I thought about that lunatic, the more it felt like my brain was getting tainted.
"Not sure myself, but hearing you talk like that... you must've really liked him, huh?"
"No. Hell no. If anything, I've thought the world would be better off if he got stronger but still died there."
"Huh... Then why make him a sword? For free, even."
"Because he's strong. As long as he deserves a sword I forged, I don't care if he's an adult or a psycho killer."
"...If even you say stuff like that, I kinda wanna see him now. Or maybe not, since he's the latter."
"You'll see him soon enough, like it or not."
"No, but come on. No first-year, talent or not, can take down a legendary monster like—"
Hardi's words cut off abruptly at the sudden knock echoing through the room.
—Knock knock.
The forge wasn't open yet, and I'd told no one the location except him and Hardi.
Unless some drunk had wandered in by mistake this early in the morning, there was only one possible visitor.
"...He's here."
"Huh? No way..."
Unlike the skeptical Hardi, I was certain—and waited for the man to open the door.
Moments later, the door creaked open slowly, revealing a face unchanged from two weeks ago.
"Heh..."
Hardi, recognizing him from my reaction as the one I'd been waiting for, stared in disbelief.
"......Holy crap, he actually came."
"...Not sure if this is good or bad."
"Bad? Don't know what you mean, but thanks for the warm welcome!"
With that, he stepped inside and handed me the bizarre lump of iron he'd been holding.
"Bought this as a souvenir from a nearby village. Don't need it, so it's yours!"
"Souvenir?"
Souvenir? Weird word, but on closer look, the iron chunk was shaped like a rapier.
Pier the Sage used a rapier, so maybe it was sold in a village near the forest.
But it's too big for a souvenir...
Less souvenir, more like a forcibly detached piece of a statue—rough material and all.
"Um..."
As I wondered what kind of freak souvenir this was, Hardi spoke up from behind.
"I've been to the village near Sage's Forest. Isn't that from the Sage's statue there? The one at his waist looked just like it."
"Esacta! (Correct!)!"
"Esa... what?"
"Means you're right!"
"Huh..."
This lunatic had ripped off a hero's statue now?
No point pondering why. A madman's logic is beyond normal folk.
Hardi shot me a look like What the hell is this guy?, but the only response I could give was:
Don't bother thinking about it. Give up.
"...So, did you bring Robo's materials?"
Steering the topic back, he thumped his chest with utter confidence.
"Of course! Why else would I go there?"
With that, he pulled fangs and claws—presumably Robo's—from his bosom. The room filled with a savage demonic aura, as if Robo's suppressed spirit had been unleashed on him.
"......"
No appraisal needed; it was Robo, or something on its level.
Hardi seemed to think the same, staring blankly at the fang like she was entranced.
"......You really did it."
Even seeing it myself, I was stunned. He snorted.
"What, stating the obvious? There's no way I'd lose with Battōjutsu."
"Battō? What the..."
Hardi tilted her head at his usual nonsense.
"Ignore it. If you nitpick every bit of crap this guy spouts, you won't live long."
"Crap?! I only speak reason. Who's the lady?"
Before I could answer his glance, Hardi stepped forward.
"Hardi Palstein. Not bragging, but I'm a pretty decent enchanter."
"Enchanter?"
"Can't fully infuse monster power into a sword alone. Invited her specially. I'll cover all costs, so don't worry."
"Nah, handling rare stuff like this is reward enough. No need for payment."
Glancing back at him, Hardi extended her hand.
"Never thought an academy student would take down Robo. Looking forward to working with you."
"You got it!! I'm Ian Bar Tow. If something like this happens again, hit me up!"
"Thanks. You're making a katana, right? Not a rapier?"
"Rapier?"
Perplexed, he checked his waist—and sure enough, a silver rapier hung there, absent when he'd left.
"What, finally ditching that weird katana obsession?"
"What nonsense is that? I'd never use a weapon unfit for Battōjutsu. Don't even joke about it."
His voice was ice-cold, no hint of play. Hardi and I flinched involuntarily.
Mistake. Handle lunatics like a razor-sharp blade—carefully, or they'll cut you.
"Ahem... So what's with the rapier? Doesn't look ordinary."
"Oh, this?"
Topic shifted, he drew the rapier from his waist and a reddish-brown staff from behind.
"No way..."
"Oho! You guessed it! Pier's rapier and staff, just like you thought!!"
"Wh-what?!"
This guy—not content with slaying Robo—had found the Sage's gravestone too?!
As I reeled from the even more unbelievable feat, he continued.
"Old master! Break these down and use 'em for a new katana!!"
"...Break them down?! These?"
"Yep!! Got permission from the spirit, so it's fine! I'd have done it anyway."
The spirit—probably the earth spirit that announced Pier's death.
If it guided him to the gravestone, finding it so fast made sense.
"Hold on! Strictly speaking, the rapier belongs to the Pier family. Even with spirit permission, we can't just—"
"Battō! (Draw!)!!!"
Hardi tried to rein him in with plain common sense, but he bellowed instead.
"What rights do those bastard bastards have?! Don't say that disgusting shit again!!"
"B-Bastards? What're you..."
What followed from his mouth made me want to erase my memories.
The Sage's descendants were actually from some nameless knight?
And the witness? None other than the spirit that spent half a lifetime with Pier.
Worst scandal in a century.
Just imagining it spreading gave me a headache.
"Keep this quiet for now. But feel free to spread word I made a katana from Pier's rapier."
"......Why?"
"So those bastards come to punish me!! Then I can unleash Battōjutsu on them full force!!"
"......Heh."
Insane. First time I'd thought it again about someone I already pegged as crazy.
Hardi, finally getting Ian Bar Tow, gave an awkward smile.
"Haha... You're a fun one..."
No positivity in her voice.
"Won't disturb your work anymore. Call if you need anything!"
"......Yeah."
After he left, Hardi and I stood dazed, staring at the door for a while before I spoke.
"Old man, what the hell is that psycho?"
"Told you. Skilled, but nuts. Anyway, Pier's rapier and staff... Gotta appraise the metals and magic stones quick!"
"Huh?! You're really breaking them down?!"
"Obviously!!"
Legendary Sage's gear. Any craftsman without interest would be lying.
Reforging Pier's rapier into my katana even felt sacrilegiously thrilling.
"Wh-what about the fallout?!"
"He handles the fallout. Even if I had to, I've lived long enough—life ain't precious."
"Ah, aah...!"
Hardi gaped, speechless. I pulled out one of Robo's fangs he'd left.
"So, you in? If not, I'll find another enchanter."
"No, that's that—this is this. Prepping now!"