CH 102

[The Real Face of the Sword Master]

After saying goodbye to Sophie and leaving the Adventurer’s Guild, I go to the shop of Nikolai – whose skill was admired by Alfine and to who she always requested to make swords – accompanied by Noelia.

“Hick. The store is already closed for today. Come back tomorrow.” (Nikolai)

Since the sun has already set and it is time for the night to cover the royal capital, Nikola – who saw Noelia and me – makes a gesture as though chasing us away with an annoyed face.

As usual, he sure is a man who makes you doubtful whether or not he has motivation to work.

From his appearance, he must be drinking all day from the morning today as well.

Looking at the number of bottles rolling on the floor and the strong smell of alcohol, Noelia – who should’ve heard about the circumstance – looks at Nikolai with a surprised face.

Gawain is a weirdo, but this Nikolai sure is no less weirdo.

He always declared that he couldn’t forge a sword if his body wasn’t filled to the brim with alcohol, and even the quality of the swords he made with his mind set on it could range in quality from a super masterpiece to that of the work of an apprentice blacksmith or less.

Even so, if lucky, he will produce a sword with a quality that is comparable to Gawain’s Dayle, thus it seems he has no shortage of requests from adventurers and nobles.

“We know it is time for the shop to close, but there is something we want to ask to Nikolai-sama, so please excuse our rudeness.” (Noelia)

“A mage has a business in my shop, you say——nh!? Oi, red-haired lad over there! That sword on your waist, is that a sword Gawain made!?” (Nikolai)

Nikolai – who is sitting in the chair and looking at Noelia with half-drunken eyes – suddenly stands up and rushes to me, seeing Dayle on my waist.

“This is, even just from the make, I can tell it’s a pretty good sword… Lad, can I take it out of the scabbard?” (Nikolai)

If I refuse, Nikolai – a sword enthusiast – will get angry and won’t listen to Noelia.

Since he only wants to see, should I let him?

I nod silently, expressing my consent.

“Hooooh, it won’t be an exaggeration to call this a masterpiece. Even the blade is deep red… Coating-like thing is covering the blade, huh. It is fitted with a magic stone, so it is also compatible with magic, huh.” (Nikolai)

Nikolai is checking the craftmanship of Dayle with an expression so serious that couldn’t be imagined from his drunken appearance until just now.

I can’t tell him that Dayle is forbidden weapon, that is an intelligent magic sword, though.

Even just looking at her as a simple sword, there’s no doubt that she is an extremely sharp sword.

“To think that muscle idiot blacksmith bastard can make a sword with such a good craftmanship. As expected, his reputation of being the hero Lloyd’s exclusive blacksmith doesn’t lie, huh. Lad, it seems that you are quite liked by Gawain or the hero Lloyd, aren’t you? Only someone recognized by either of them can possess a sword with such a good craftmanship.” (Nikolai)

After putting Dayle into the scabbard, Nikolai returned her to me.

“It might be impertinent of me, but he is a magic swordsman whose strength is recognized by both my father Lloyd and my master Gawain-sama, so I think he is someone qualified to possess the magic sword Dayle.” (Noelia)

“Magic sword Dayle. It is a sword that has a name, huh. Certainly, it has a quality that deserves it a name——EH!? Is Ojou-chan perhaps, the daughter of that hero Lloyd?” (Nikolai)

“Apologies for the late introduction. I am Noelia Henestrosa. And, the owner of that magic sword is Frick-sama.” (Noelia)

Learning about Noelia’s identity, Nikolai is petrified while still holding Dayle.

“Hero Lloyd’s daughter has a business in my shop——huh! Finally, he’s finally sick of that muscle idiot blacksmith and wants my sword——” (Nikolai)

This is, he might have a misunderstanding in various ways.

If I remember correctly, Nikolai’s dream should have been to forge a sword for the hero Lloyd.

It isn’t strange that he thought that to be the case when his daughter visits him, huh.

“Ah, no. I am not here to talk about that. I have some questions about Sword Master Alfine’s case, so I decided to visit you.” (Noelia)

Noelia explains the reason for her visit to Nikolai, who seems to be kind of pleased, with a calm attitude.

“Alfine’s case? Isn’t that sword idiot girl got executed for attacking the commander of the Royal Guard Knight or something? She left this world before I could hand her the swords that I did my best to finish after lots of troubles.” (Nikolai)

Finding that Alfine is the reason for Noelia’s visit, Nikolai have a change in expression from the happy one he had until just now, and he sit down and begin to hold the bottle of alcohol in his mouth again.

Looking at Nikolai sullenly returns to his seat after hearing about Alfine, I remember the time when we had just arrived in the royal capital.

We’ve known him since we requested him to make those swords we gave to each other immediately after we became adventurers, so that means it’s been 5 years, huh.

After coming to the royal capital from the orphanage and registering as adventures, we immediately visited Nikolai’s shop.

He was already forging while being drunk at that time, the result of the swords that we had him to make with the little money we had couldn’t be said to be good even as a compliment.

However, thanks to the poorly made swords, we of that time displayed a distinct improvement in our sword skills without depending too much in the performance of our swords.

In particular, Alfine had honed her fighting technique to the point that she could made up the quality of the sword, no matter how lacking it was, with her sword skill alone.

With the sword we gave to each other as the starting point, both Alfine and I had been using the swords Nikolai made ever since.

The swords we used when subjugating the demonic dragon Gae Briggs were also the swords he forged, but I remembered that he got into a quarrel with Alfine when we showed him the swords that had broken apart after the subjugation.

Although I said they quarreled, both of them were enthusiastic about swords, so actually, it was like a discussion in the sense that they were comparing and adjusting the subtle differences in feel, however.

It would have seemed like a quarrel to the outsiders seeing it, though.

I think the one who could make Alfine – who didn’t try to show her true self to most people – showed her true self was Nikolai.

“According to the information my family received, there is a possibility that Alfine-sama is alive, however?” (Noelia)

Noelia tells Nikolai, who is sitting in the chair and have an alcohol bottle in his mouth, the information she owns without hiding it.

Perhaps she wants to see the reaction of the other party by bluntly telling him about Alfine’s survivial.

It seems that Noelia asked him straightforwardly because I’ve told her in advance that he is a person who couldn’t lie.

“Hou, that sword idiot girl might be alive, you say… Where did you get that information?” (Nikolai)

Nikolai – who is holding an alcohol bottle in his mouth, trying to drink up its contents – stops and stares back at Noelia.

There’s a reaction? Does Nikolai know Alfine’s whereabouts?

“Our family received a report from a sharp-eared person, so if the Sword Saint Alfine-sama is alive, my father would like to welcome her to our family. He always said that he wanted her to become the instructor of our knight order after all.” (Noelia)

“That sword idiot girl becoming the instructor of the Henestrosa family’s knight order, huh? Now that’s an interesting story. If it’s the frontier count’s knight order that is said to be the strongest knight order of the kingdom of Hartford, they must have a lot of swordsmen who got backbones, right? At least she wouldn’t be stressed and have her skill wasted at those cowardly Royal Guards’ place.” (Nikolai)

Nikolai, who is looking back at Noelia, talks about things that shouldn’t be heard by other people with his expression loosened as though he misses Alfine.

“I will ask frankly, but is Alfine-sama, who is alive, not hidden by Nikolai-sama?” (Noelia)

“That sword idiot girl is in my place, you say? That’s a strange thing to say. The last time I met her, if I remember correctly… was just before that bastard Finn disappeared. It was the day when we discussed about the specification of the sword for the birthday present of that guy. That Alfine knew Finn’s fighting habit and his body built, to the minute details for some reason, and she noisily said that she wanted to make a good sword that perfectly fit him. For her, making a sword exclusively for Finn should have been something she had to do for the one she fond of, but I don’t know if that was transmitted to that blockhead Finn.” (Nikolai)

That Alfine, she never told me anything about that.

She always handed over Nikolai’s swords carelessly and said ‘use this from tomorrow’, so the impression I got was I was coerced, however.

“After Finn disappeared, her butler Vigo came to ask about him, and Alfine suddenly stopped showing up. If she is alive, I really want to hand her these Alfine-exclusive sword and Finn-exclusive sword, see.” (Nikolai)

Nikolai takes out two swords from under the counter in a sulky manner.

The make is totally the same as the swords that Alfine and I gave to each other, huh.

However, I can tell these swords are as good as Dayle just by looking at them from the outside.

Taking a glance at Noelia who is listening to Nikolai’s talk, she seems to be thinking about something.

Thinking about it from Noelia’s perspective, she should be unwilling the old stories of me and Alfine…

She must have been forcing herself to accompany me, but after we’re done with Nikolai’s place, it may be better to continue by myself.

“I am the daughter of the hero Lloyd, so I also know a little about the quality of swords, but from this craftsmanship, Alfine-sama must have loved Finn-sama very deeply.” (Noelia)

“Well, yeah. I think for that idiot, giving an exclusive sword is the greatest expression of love to one’s partner.” (Nikolai)

“………”

Noelia silently looks down at the swords Alfine ordered from Nikolai.

“I will confirm once again, Nikolai-sama neither knows or hides Alfine-sama’s destination, yes?” (Noelia)

Having returned her gaze from the swords to Nikolai, Noelia once again asks about Alfine’s whereabouts, confirming.

“Ahh, I don’t know, and I don’t hide her either. That sword idiot girl has such personality, so she didn’t have that many friends. When I heard that she went crazy and attack the commander of the Royal Guard Knights because she was piled up with lots of worries after her lover Finn left her, I thought, even if that Alfine were to go frenzy, it’s unthinkable that she failed to kill the guy. I was in doubt, thinking that there must be something going on. Besides, there was also a rumor that those lot of Royal Guards were searching for a young black-haired woman with bloodshot eyes after all.” (Nikolai)

Nikolai has the same impression as Sophie.

If she didn’t show up at Nikolai’s place either, there is no more people in the city who have a close relationship with Alfine…

Where is she really? That Alfine…

“Is that… so. I understand. If you get in touch with Alfine-sama, would you please tell her that my Henestrosa family is willing to protect her?” (Noelia)

“Ahh, she’s better off swinging his sword at the frontier after all. I’ll persuade her and bring her even if I have to drag her along. At that time, should I, the blacksmith dedicated to the Sword Master, open a shop in Youg Hannotes as well?” (Nikolai)

“Yes, my father is always looking for a good blacksmith, so I am sure he will be happy.” (Noelia)

“In that case, I’ll also try using my connection to investigate a little bit about Alfine’s whereabouts. I’ll tell the Henestrosa family if I find something.” (Nikolai)

“Thank you so much for your consideration. It would be a great help if you could do so.” (Noelia)

Nikolai places the alcohol bottle on the counter and shakes hands with Noelia.

After that, we left Nikolai’s shop, but although we tried asking the people who I felt was likely Alfine asked for help to in the royal capital, we found no noteworthy result.

Maybe she had already escaped from the royal capital and went somewhere……

The place outside the royal capital where Alfine likely to drop by is…

The orphanage, huh…

I feel like Alfine isn’t hiding there, however.

“Noelia, thanks for accompanying me investigating Alfine’s whereabouts. She doesn’t seem to be in the royal capital; next I will try visit our hometown orphanage by myself.” (Frick)

Noelia clutches my hand when I said that.

“Frick-sama, I will also go with you. No, please let me. How you lived, how you spent your time, I need to know more about Frick-sama.” (Noelia)

When I see Noelia looking up at me with tears in her eyes, I become unable to say ‘it’s fine, I’ll go alone’.