Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: The Forge and the Tailor
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The next morning.
For the first time in a while, Oscar's house was filled with commotion.
Oscar had prepared a special breakfast to celebrate Loan and Lucas's admission into the Union.
He’d prepared a generous spread of meat and vegetables for the growing children. But his poor control over the fire left it undercooked, and the seasoning was so bland it might as well have not been there. It was incredibly tasteless.
"Eat up, everyone."
But that was just wishful thinking on Oscar's part.
If Sophie, the other new recruit, hadn't been there, the food would have likely remained untouched.
Sophie asked, crunching on a piece of wilted celery.
"Sir. Where do you think we'll be assigned?"
"Hard to say. The Governor-General probably already made arrangements during your interviews."
"There's no chance the three of us will end up in the same place, is there?"
She asked, though it was more of a hopeful wish.
Oscar looked at Sophie and shook his head.
"Only ten people passed, including you three. And you're the only graduates from the Union school among them. Placing all of you in one spot would be unconventional, but frankly, I don't pretend to know her intentions."
Over a thousand people had applied, and a large number of graduates from the so-called "shining generation" had passed the first test.
Because of that, everyone had speculated that the number of final passers would be double that of previous years, but in the end, it was no different from last year.
The second test against combat-hardened veterans was one wall, and the interview was an even bigger one.
‘Her will…’
Loan's goal of making as many of his friends as strong as possible to get them into the Union had been thwarted, but he had expected as much.
He had watched his friends over the past five years, after all.
And having met the Governor-General in person, he could fully accept the results.
Like Oscar, he had developed a kind of blind faith in her.
There was a sound reason behind the decisions of one with such absolute authority, and it wasn't his place to question it.
Oscar said.
"Well, until this morning, I was Lucas's father and an uncle figure to you all. But once we leave this house, I am the Deputy Commander, and you are members. A Seeker and Ozes, nothing more. You understand that, right?"
"Yes, sir."
"Alright then. Enjoy your meal. I'll see you at the Union. I'm heading out first."
Oscar rose from his seat, slung the massive claymore over his back, and strode out the door.
A moment later, after confirming through the window that his father was a good distance away, Lucas spoke.
"I don't care where I go. As long as it's not the Faith Division."
"You hate the idea of working under your father that much?"
Sophie asked teasingly, but to her surprise, Lucas's expression was dead serious.
"That's not it. We live in the same house, but we've always been distant. Even after he was away for five years, nothing's changed between us."
"Then why? Are you afraid of him?"
"No. It's just... better to keep work and private life separate. You know..."
Loan was surprised to find that Lucas had the wisdom to think that way.
It showed just how much Lucas had grown.
Loan patted his friend's shoulder and said.
"I don't care where I end up either. Even if I'm with you, Lucas, it'll be fine. It's not like we're close enough to worry about separating our personal and professional lives."
"Oh, is that so, buddy?"
Sophie dabbed her lips gracefully with a napkin and quietly rose from the table.
It was clear the two still-childish boys were about to start roughhousing.
* * *
Loan, Lucas, and Sophie departed for the administrative district, seen off by the congratulations and farewells of their school friends and teachers.
Their destination was the main building of the Administration Bureau, as they had been instructed.
The Administration Bureau, which had several branches throughout the city, managed not only the city's administration and security but also everything related to Union members.
"Loan, Sophie, Lucas. Your credentials are in order."
When they presented their acceptance certificates, they were addressed with formal language.
He had visited the Administration Bureau several times to see Director Lazaros, but this was the first time he had been treated with such respect.
Loan was struck by the sudden realization of his new status.
"We will provide you with the necessary items for a member, and then we'll proceed with the orientation. Now, if you three would please follow me."
They went up the stairs.
From here on was a restricted area. A place even Loan had never been.
Colorful doors lined the hallway.
The staff member opened one of the doors, revealing a tailor's shop.
Various fabrics, delicately tanned leathers, racks of uniform suits, and custom-made accessories for specific needs drew the eye in every direction.
As they took in their surroundings amidst a complex fragrance that had a calming effect, a click echoed, and someone emerged from behind a mirrored door.
An incredibly tall man in a red vest looked down at the children over the spectacles perched on his nose.
It felt less like he was making eye contact and more like he was scanning their entire bodies.
The man, who was clearly a tailor, abruptly stretched a long tape measure between his hands and said.
"Well then, shall we have a look?"
Loan unconsciously stepped forward and onto the platform in front of the tailor.
The tape measure stretched from one shoulder blade to the other, then swiftly moved across his back, down his arm, under his armpit, and around his waist and neck.
The speed was incredible.
The movements of his body and hands were so fast that Loan couldn't follow them even by predicting the flow of mana.
It was a skill that inspired awe, far beyond that of a mere tailor.
After meticulously measuring Loan's leg length, the thickness of each part of his body, and even the position and angle of his pelvis, the tailor took a small step back.
"Neither overdeveloped nor underdeveloped. You're not built for swordsmanship or martial arts, so you must be a mage. It's been a long time."
He deduced all that just from measuring his body and gauging his muscle mass.
"Your suit will look no different from the Union's standard issue. It will just have a few minor details befitting a mage. For instance, the outer fabric on the wrists, which is easily singed, will be different."
"I see."
The time passed in a daze.
Once Sophie had her measurements taken separately behind a curtain, their business in the tailor's shop was finished.
"Your clothes will be issued after the orientation. You may go now."
The tailor saw the children off, his tone polite to the very end.
Loan was unaware that the man's gaze lingered on the back of his head for a long time.
Their next stop was the annex of the Administration Bureau.
Located in the bureau's rear courtyard, it was a place Loan had never visited before.
Inside, it was incredibly noisy and hot.
Perhaps it was the roar of the forge, or perhaps it was the heat radiating from the dwarves with their stout arms and legs, bustling back and forth in front of it.
Stunned for a moment, they moved deeper into the annex.
They soon came to a wide, open space.
In the center was a spacious hall, its surrounding walls lined with display cases full of weapons.
It looked as if every weapon in the world was on display.
From the shadows, their guide spoke to the three new members.
"To earn the title 'Swords of the Union,' you will need new weapons. It is now time to craft weapons befitting each Oz. I leave them in your care, Master Alix."
The staff member who had guided them disappeared into the darkness, and a moment later, a dwarf with a messy beard emerged from the opposite side.
His entire being seemed to scream that he was a weaponsmith.
"Pick a weapon you're used to from over there and come here."
At the abrupt command, the new recruits' eyes all turned to the same spot.
The display racks on the wall, filled with all sorts of weapons.
Of course, these weren't for them to keep. The blades of the swords were unsharpened and dull, the tips of the spears blunted.
"This one's not bad."
Lucas chose a claymore similar in size to the one he favored, while Sophie picked up a longsword and gave it a swing.
Loan stood motionless in front of the display rack.
He felt a sense of déjà vu.
It was just like the day he had first crossed swords with Sophie long ago.
"The Oz with the claymore, step forward."
As Lucas took his position, Alix told him to show him what he could do.
The *whoosh, whoosh* of the blade echoed through the hall, the sounds growing closer and closer together.
Hearing the sound, the dwarves who had been working gathered around the hall one by one.
"The young Oz has some skill. His strength and balance are excellent."
"Regardless of his proficiency, his spirit is impressive. He's chosen a sword that suits him."
"Is that Oscar's son? His sword style is so similar."
"It's a sword meant for both offense and defense. He looks reliable enough to hold the front line. I'd like to forge his weapon."
Perhaps hearing the artisans' words of admiration, Lucas put even more power into his swordsmanship.
The force of his swings was enough to make their beards flutter.
In that moment, they understood why a place for crafting weapons needed a space as large as a training ground.
"That's enough."
At the command, Lucas stopped his sword.
Alix, who had been scribbling something down while Lucas demonstrated his skill, spoke again.
"We can make it a little heavier than this one. And if we shave down the angle at the tip of the blade, it'll be far more destructive. I'll also make it longer to account for your age, so you'll have to train relentlessly to get used to it."
"Thank you. I was just thinking I wanted a sword like that. How did you know...?"
"Next. You, with the longsword."
Alix ignored Lucas's fawning and called for Sophie.
Sophie's demonstration followed, along with Alix's diagnosis based on it.
"For the Pobel family's swordsmanship, it lacks destructive power. That's a matter of aptitude, but fortunately, you have good balance and stability. Your lower body is well-trained."
"..."
"Why not use both hands? Now that you're in the Union, there's no need to cling to your family's style. If you used a shield and sword together, it seems like it would make up for your shortcomings."
"...I'll think about it."
"Good. I'll make them."
"What? A shield and a sword?"
"Yes."
He was being completely unreasonable.
And with that, Sophie's turn was over, but Loan still hadn't chosen a weapon.
Seeing this, Alix approached Loan.
He tilted his head back, stared intently at Loan, and spoke.
"A mage?"
"...Yes."
"Still, you've got to hold something. You can't fight with a book in your hand just because you're a mage."
The so-called grimoires of the kingdom were merely symbolic.
Of course, casting spells while looking at a tome full of magic circles and formulas could be helpful, but it was far too cumbersome for actual combat. It would be like advertising to the world that you were an unskilled mage.
That's why mages' weapons were as varied as swordsmen's: swords, staves, wands, maces, and more.
"I don't want to hold anything in my hands. That's why I..."
Loan continued, levitating the sword fragment into the air. He pointed to the spinning piece of metal.
"I use this sword fragment with psychokinesis."
The sword fragment gently and naturally descended onto Alix's palm.
The movement was far too smooth.
Alix marveled, realizing his eyes hadn't deceived him and that Loan was a mage of far greater skill than he had imagined.
"Let's have a look."
Alix turned the fragment over and over, examining it.
As his eyes glinted several times, his brow furrowed deeply.
"A cursed sword with its magic dispelled. You've brought me something interesting."
"Is it possible to repair it?"
"Impossible. Its life is already over."
"..."
Loan's expression darkened considerably.
For some reason, Alix felt a pang of guilt.
He quickly licked his beard-covered lips and hastily added.
"But that's its life as a sword. Its magical power can still be preserved. Even broken, it's still a considerable magical artifact."
"Is that so?"
"One, two, three... small fragments... If we use each of these, we could forge twelve new blades. Of course, their power would be somewhat diminished."
Loan's face lit up with joy.
Alix, looking impatient, quickly continued.
"It's too early to celebrate. That's just in theory."
"Is that so?"
"Reforging a new blade using a fragment imbued with magic is possible even now. The difficult part is the pre-processing. It requires a rather tricky procedure."
"What kind of procedure?"
"When shattering the fragment, you have to ensure its inherent magic is fully transferred into the twelve pieces."
"Ah..."
"Who knows? If you could personally hold the mana inside the fragment still so it can't move, it might be possible even now, but..."
Loan cut Alix off and asked.
"Is that all it takes?"