Chapter 39
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 39. Orichalcum
The next day, as soon as I opened my eyes, I headed straight to the Tower.
Along with a familiar vibration, my vision brightened, and Imperial Princess Cassia, the Chamberlain, the Royal Guards, and the blacksmiths I had taught welcomed me gladly.
"Have you arrived! Sir Knight!"
"We have been waiting!"
Their faces were overflowing with vitality.
Listening to their stories, it seemed the rumors about the Knight who resolved the famine were spreading among the Imperial citizens as well.
Thanks to that, the people's morale went up, but the tasks to solve increased accordingly.
As people harbored hope again and started farming, now words were coming out that there was a lack of land to cultivate.
Because most of the Empire's territory was taken by monsters.
Then, as if waiting, a system message popped up before my eyes.
—Ding!
Does this mean since internal problems are solved, drive out the external enemies now.
To reclaim the lost territory, armor and weapons were essential.
I gathered the blacksmiths in the smithy again.
"Now, everyone pay attention. Starting today, we stop making hoes and sickles."
At my words, the blacksmiths' eyes grew round.
"From now on, we will make swords, spears, and armor for the soldiers to use."
At first, everyone clearly showed signs of bewilderment.
Because they thought farming tools and weapons were strictly different domains.
But it was a groundless fear.
Perhaps because they got the hang of fire control and hammering while making farming tools, they adapted faster than I thought.
Of course, compared to the equipment I made, the stats were lacking by a long shot.
But what was certain was that the quality of the equipment was much more stable than when they previously made things with a 'click' using their abilities.
Material waste also noticeably decreased.
If they just build up more skill like this, making good equipment didn't seem like a dream.
Watching them sweating and hammering, a corner of my chest felt proud.
A few days later, all preparations for departure were completed.
It was when we stood in front of the gate to head to the territory taken by monsters in earnest.
Cassia, armed in silver armor, stood at the forefront.
Normally, if one has the status of an Imperial Princess, isn't it standard to command from the safe rear of the castle and only send soldiers?
Come to think of it, it was said the Emperor of this Empire first led the Knight Order and entered the rift.
Is this that noblesse oblige or whatever?
Thinking it must be a rule unique to here, I gave a light nod to the Imperial Princess.
"Are you ready?"
"Of course."
She drew her sword with a grim expression.
We moved our steps toward the granary region.
Not long after, we encountered a monster horde with eyes rolled back with red energy.
"Kraaaah!"
"All troops! Charge!"
The battle began.
It was definitely different from before.
The armor the soldiers were wearing were the ones I made personally.
Perhaps because of that, even when monster claws scratched the armor, it didn't pierce easily.
The swords also dug deep into the monsters' leather without chipping.
There were also things the blacksmiths made, but it still didn't look easy to block all the monsters' attacks.
Still, they didn't break at once, and thanks to that, they weren't helplessly beaten like before.
But the one who stood out the most among them was Cassia.
She swung her sword as if dancing at the vanguard of the battlefield.
The sight of her fluttering her white hair and weaving between monsters was beautiful.
Having swept away a batch of monsters, she flicked the blood off her sword and approached me.
"Certainly, the sword you made is sturdy so it's good. Before, it would break immediately after swinging a few times."
She smiled with a flushed face and revealed her satisfaction.
But I couldn't smile.
My eyebrow twitched seeing the sword held in her hand.
That was the Mithril sword I made pouring my heart and soul into it.
But the state of that sword right now was a mess.
The edge was all chipped like a saw blade, and there were hairline cracks on the blade as if it would break any moment.
No, how the hell do you swing a sword that it gets like that after fighting once?
I let out a deep sigh and reached out my hand.
"Give me the sword for a bit."
"Huh? Why is that?"
"I have to repair it. It will break at this rate."
She handed over the sword as if embarrassed.
I took the sword and familiarly used the skill.
Space shimmered and my body disappeared.
Entering the workshop, I immediately lit the hearth and lifted the hammer.
Holding the sword that quickly became smooth like new, I went back out.
"Here you go."
I handed the neatened sword to Cassia.
Cassia, who received the repaired sword, tried to run out towards the swarming monsters again without even a moment to catch her breath.
I hurriedly reached out and grabbed her shoulder.
"Rest for a moment. I will handle it this time."
"But...!"
I pulled her back and took out the [Staff of the Crimson Lord].
The red core resonated, making an unpleasant sound.
I raised the staff high and used [Giant Blood Bullet].
—Vwoooom!
The atmosphere screamed.
The blood scattered on the battlefield condensed into one place, and a giant red sphere over 3m in diameter was created above my head.
It looked as if a blood-red sun had risen.
"Th... What is that?"
"The Knight is using magic!"
Cassia and the soldiers couldn't close their mouths in astonishment.
I was surprised as well.
"Huff...."
Half of my MP disappeared in an instant.
It wasn't a skill that could be spammed.
Sweating cold sweat, I swung the staff towards the middle of the swarming monsters.
The giant blood sphere fell to the ground with a roar.
The moment it touched the ground, an explosion did not occur.
Instead, the blood sphere spread like liquid and dyed the earth dark red.
The moment the monsters were flustered and paused.
—Shoo-shoosh-shook!
Hundreds of sharp blood-red thorns soared up from the red-dyed ground.
"Kieeeeek!"
"Kuaaaak!"
A forest of thorns was created.
Orcs and Trolls within the range were skewered like skewers and hung in the empty air.
The number that the soldiers and the Imperial Princess would have had to cross swords with dozens of times to barely catch was cleaned up in a single blow.
The battlefield became quiet in an instant.
"What... is this...?"
Cassia muttered blankly.
I swallowed my saliva too.
The power was too strong compared to what I thought.
But there was no time to be admiring.
Because the bastards' reinforcements were constantly swarming from beyond the horizon.
I put the staff into the inventory and took out the [Mithril Greatsword of Blast].
"I'm going!"
As I stood at the vanguard, Cassia also gripped her sword properly and stood side by side next to me as if not wanting to lose.
Watching that sight, the Captain of the Royal Guards shouted as if venting his pent-up anger.
"Look! The liege we must protect! The benefactor who saved us! They are shedding blood at the very front!"
His voice rang through the battlefield.
"Are you not ashamed! Until when do you intend to just hide behind!"
The soldiers' eyes changed.
"Even if you die, die first with honor! All troops charge!!"
"Waaaaaah!!!"
The soldiers, whose morale was boiling, shouted and rushed towards the monsters.
Massive waves clashed.
After that, through the 15th, 16th, and 17th floors.
It was a continuation of quests to reclaim the lost territory.
We ate, slept, and fought together, becoming comrades-in-arms.
Now the soldiers weren't awkward around me, and I too became comfortable with them.
We were reorganizing after a battle ended.
Cassia approached me hesitatingly.
In her hand, the Mithril sword, tattered like a saw blade, was held.
"...I'm sorry to keep bothering you."
She bowed her head as if having no face to show me.
I don't know how many times this is already.
I chuckled and received the sword.
"It's fine. Repairing this is secretly fun, you know. It has a strange addictiveness, you could say."
I threw a joke for her, who felt sorry, and lightened the atmosphere.
I familiarly opened the [Primeval Workshop], finished the repair, and handed it back.
Cassia, who received the sword turned like new, stroked the blade and muttered to herself sullenly.
"Thank you.... If only we could reclaim the mine with the sturdiest mineral in the Empire, there wouldn't be this hassle...."
The sturdiest mineral?
It was a word that made my ears perk up.
Does it mean there's a mineral sturdier than Mithril?
"What kind of mineral is that?"
When I asked showing curiosity, right on time a system window popped up before my eyes.
—Ding!
"Ori... chalcum?"