CH 31

Here’s the chapter, enjoy~

“Your abilities are kind of… weird.”

“Sir Leonard, you should have known that Kosuke was not normal when he healed your leg.”

“…Indeed.”

Isla and the old man with the lion’s face carrying two iron swords said whatever they wanted to say. The name of the lion faced old man is Leonard whatever-san. I can’t remember his name because it’s too long. He seems to be a former knight, and everyone called him Sir Leonard. He seems to belong to a different organization than Danan, a royal guard member. I heard that he is a master swordsman who was said to be the best in the Merinard Kingdom. And he’s the one whose leg I healed during lunch.

“I’m not sure about that, but it’s a really useful ability. It’s not the same as magic, is it?”

“Yes, Kosuke’s ability is a little different from magic. Because he doesn’t have any magic power, to begin with.”

“No magic, huh. Well, I can’t use magic myself, so I feel a sense of intimacy with you.”

Said Shumer, with a fierce smile on her face, carrying a club that looks like a log on her shoulder. She’s a woman of the Red Oni tribe, and she’s even bigger than the big Danan and Gerda. Her height is probably over 2.5 meters. She is as powerful as she looks.

“Let’s go quickly. If Gizmas come, it will be troublesome.”

“That’s right. I’d like to try out this weapon for a while, though.”

“That’s an impressive weapon… I envy you.”

The Lizard Woman, who was looking around with an iron spear in her hand and without a care in the world, turned her face towards me as if she was appealing for something. The expression of the Lizard woman is very difficult to understand, but her eyes convey the message. The eyes speak louder than the mouth. I can feel her strong desire for me to make a weapon for her.

The one who is giving me such a look is not a lizardman, but a lizard woman, Ms. Zamir. She used to be a spear instructor in the Merinard Kingdom and is said to be a master of the spear.

All of the people accompanying me are said to be warriors with the martial power to overwhelm Gizma alone. I don’t think I need to explain Sylphy’s abilities now, but Danan, a former member of the royal guard, is also extremely skilled in martial arts. Gerda apparently once killed Gizma with her bare hands using her brute strength. That was amazing.

Sir Leonard is known as “Leonard of the Twin Fang” for his dual swordsmanship, Shumer is a high-ranking former adventurer who is known as “The Mince Maker,” and Ms. Zamir doesn’t seem to have any particular nickname, but her strength is known when she is Danan’s mentor. Incidentally, Danan has never defeated Ms. Zamir before.

Me? I’m collecting Gizma’s corpse while being protected by such super strong people.

“He also made Danan’s weapon, didn’t he?”

“Yes, Master.” [T/n: Shisho.]

“I wish I had a better sword too.”

“Well, in that case, I’d like a decent weapon, too. After all, it’s just a log, you know? This one.”

The three superhuman dangerous people’s gaze is drawn to me. I looked to Sylphy for help with my eye, but she nodded. Ah, yes.

“Now that I have Sylphy’s permission, I’ll make it next time. Please think about what kind of weapon you want.”

“Understood.”

“Umu.”

“Yay.”

The three of them looked satisfied. Well, I don’t mind; my own fighting ability is quite limited. If I can ingratiate myself with strong people, they will be able to protect me when the time comes. The people are your castle, your stone walls, and your moat, as Shingen Takeda said.

“Gieeeeeeeeeee!”

“Mm, it looks like we have a guest.”

The roar of Gizmas can be heard from beyond the dark forest. Oops, it’s no way for wave 2, is it?

“It’s not good. Should we run?”

“There’s no need to worry. You won’t be surrounded or attacked as much here.”

Sir Leonard, who had drawn his two swords before I knew it, said this in a relaxed tone.

“Sir Leonard is overly optimistic.”

“But the old man Leonard is right, isn’t he? In a place like this, they’ll only be able to use their antennae.”

“Old man sounds disrespectful.”

“How can you be noble in this situation?”

“If you put it that way, I guess you’re right.”

Although Gizma was about to appear at any moment, they were still relaxed. What is this mysterious sense of security?

“Don’t worry, Kosuke, just go ahead and collect the Gizma.”

“Aye aye, ma’am.”

With the exception of Gizmas, who emerged from the forest, and Sylphy, who stayed behind to escort me, the rest of the team entered the battle while I watched from the side and collected Gizmas one by one.

“Haaaahh!”

Danan’s attack! The Gizma’s head was split open by his bardiche!

“Eeeii!”

Gerda’s strike! Her long mace crushed the Gizma’s head!

Gizma’s strike! Quick antennae attack Sir Leonard!

“Fumu.”

Sir Leonard slashes away Gizma’s antennae in an instant! Sir Leonard’s half-strike! Gizma is decapitated!

“Hmph!”

Ms. Zamir’s attack! Critical hit! Her spear killed Gizma to the face!

“Oraaa!”

Shumer’s attack! Gizma became minced meat. Eh? What? Mince meat?

“Shumer, how can we retrieve the Gizma’s body if you do that?”

“I’m sorry, I used the wrong amount of strength.”

Sir Leonard complained, and Shumer scratched her head as she lifted the log club.

“Surge up, thunder. Lightning.”

A blinding light illuminated the area, and a tremendous roar rang out. As soon as I saw what was going on, I realized that Isla was sending lightning bolts from her staff’s end, knocking away multiple Gizmas.

“Magic is awesome! Hey, Sylphy! That’s magic! Magic is so amazing!”

“It’s not like I’m a kid who’s seen magic for the first time… So this is the first time Kosuke’s seen magic in real life?”

“That’s right! The only magic I’ve ever seen is the kind that Sylphy used to heal my wounds.”

“Oh, that’s right. Isla’s destructive magic is truly on the level of a court mage. It’s not easy to see.”

Complimented by Sylphy, Isla looked a little better and made a small peace.

“You know, everyone talks about me like I’m an interesting person, but aren’t these people even more interesting?”

At the very least, I can’t slash, smash, stab, mince, or electrocute a bug the size of a light truck with a single blow, not in the flesh.

“Anyone can do this if they train their skills and become proficient in handling magic.”

“Eeehh? Really, that it is?”

If that’s the case, then the people in this world are much more dangerous than me. If I didn’t have the ability to craft and command actions, I’d be a mere mortal with no power.

“I guess that’s just the difference in our common sense.”

That’s the way it is, isn’t it? It’s hard to accept, but they are wielding their power based on a theory that can be explained within their common sense. The ability that I use is not in accordance with my common sense, their common sense, or any kind of logic, and I wonder if that is the reason why I am looked at as strange.

“If you have time to think, just go ahead and work.”

“Aye aye, ma’am.”

Indeed, it’s not something I should be thinking about right now. So, I moved from corner to corner in the kill zone, protected by people who kicked Gizma around easily and went around collecting Gizma’s corpse. There were a whopping 216 of them. Let’s see, at two Gizma a day; all the refugees would be able to eat Gizma meat, so we had enough Gizma meat for 108 days.

“Melty will be happy.”

“Not only Melty, but all the refugees will be happy. Whether or not they have Gizma’s meat, it will make a big difference in their diet.”

“Yes, the taste of the soup changes a lot with the meat.”

“Gizma’s meat makes a good broth, doesn’t it?”

Gerda and Sir Leonard also join our conversation. The two of them may be rather gourmets.

“Thanks to Kosuke-dono, I will be able to go hunting. I’ll be able to return the favor to everyone for the free food I’ve been eating.”

“Old man Leonard just wants to eat good food, doesn’t he?”

“Of course, there is nothing better than a good meal… However, the striking sword of the Holy Kingdom is still very sloppy. The blade is already crushed.”

“Holy sword does not choose the sword… but even so, there is a limit. This spear is also terrible.”

“If you let too much magic through, the sword itself may shatter.”

Sir Leonard and Ms. Zamir glanced at me. I understand I understand.

“I’ll take anything as long as it’s big and sturdy.”

It seems to me that these people are determined to have me make weapons as soon as we get back to the village. Help me, Sylphy!

“You can make it right away, can’t you? In exchange for the reward for this escort, why don’t you make them? I’d like a weapon with a little more reach.”

“Yes.”

Sylphy was on their side too. How dare she.

“Me too.”

“Hmm?”

I tilted my head as Isla tugged at the hem of my clothes. I thought Isla didn’t use any weapons.

“I want a staff with that thing.”

“That thing? I don’t know if it’s possible to use it with the facilities available at the moment, and don’t magic staffs require some kind of special processing or decoration?”

“Hmm, that’s true. I’ll draw up some plans next time.”

“Oh, please be easy on me. I don’t want to be too elaborate.”

I don’t know if I can achieve that level of precision if I’m asked to design something too elaborate. But well, since I can make bolts and nuts, there is a good chance that I can reflect a high-precision design, right? Let’s believe that, yes.

We were greeted with cheers as we returned to the village through the huge gate. Then we were jostled by people and children who were not participating in the defense. Whoa, stop it! Who the hell touched my ass?

“Hahaha, you’re very popular.”

Sylphy, who wasn’t being jostled, was laughing with amusement. Don’t laugh at me, help me!

“Now, now, that’s enough of you jostling Kosuke. We still have a lot of work to do.”

Sir Leonard clapped his hands and rescued me from the people who had surrounded me. Sir Leonard’s stock went skyrocketing in my mind.

“So, I need you to make me a sword as soon as possible.”

The stock price plummeted. This old man is quite loyal to his desires.

“My spear, too, please.”

“I don’t mind getting mine last.”

These guys surround me. There’s no way to escape! Well, it’s not really a big deal, though.

“Please be more specific about what kind of weapon you prefer. For example, a sword can be light and sharp, heavy and sturdy, sharp, striking power, penetrating power, straight sword or curved sword, single-edged or double-edged, one-handed or two-handed, long or short. There are so many things to consider.”

“Hou, you know more than I thought. My preference is for a broad sword that is good for slashing and striking. I prefer single-edged swords.”

“I prefer a spear for stabbing. However, it is better if the blade is a little longer and can also cut.”

“I don’t care what it is, but I’m not very good at making blade lines. I’d prefer a striking weapon if possible.”

“Got it.”

After hearing the three’s opinions, I opened the crafting menu of the blacksmithing facility to see if there was anything that would fit. Yeah, there are none. The first thing I did was to take out the steel spear that was already in my inventory and show it to Ms. Zamir.

“This is the standard steel spear, but would you prefer it to have a longer blade?”

“Hmm, it’s a pretty good spear, but… you’re right, I’d like it to be at least twice as long as this one.”

“…Considering the durability, I think it would be heavier with a wider blade.”

“I don’t mind. This one is just too light.”

“Okay.”

I wondered if it was some kind of shortsword with an unusually long handle. I was skeptical, but if she said so, I’d try to make it as ordered. Well, it’s like I’ve seen a spear like that in a manga or something… Oh, that’s right. It’s the one from the manga where a boy and a youkai work together to fight a powerful giant yokai. It’s the kind of spear that absolutely kills youkai. Should I make it in that image?

[T/n: It was Ushio’s Beast Spear from Ushio to Tora.]

As for Sir Leonard’s sword, I think it should be a falchion. It’s wide, sturdy, heavy, and sharp. It’s a bit like a barbarian sword, but it’s what he requested, so it should be fine.

I’ve already decided on Shumer’s weapon. The red oni’s weapon of choice is probably the metal rod. Or, to be more precise, a crushing rod. It’s an all-metal weapon with a lot of bumps and protrusions.

By creating a concrete image, I was able to add Beast Spear, Falchion, and Metal Crushing Rod to the crafting menu. Hey, Beast Spear is too direct! Is this okay? Won’t someone get mad?

Well, I guess there’s no way I could get in trouble in this world. There’s no such thing as copyright! That’s why I’m going to select the items added to the crafting menu and create them. As for the required cost of the metal crushing rod, I’ll try not to look at it. Hahaha, I’ll have to go digging for iron again.

“It’s done!”

I took out two falchions, a beast spear, and a metal crushing rod and gave each one to them―it’s so heavy! The metal crushing rod is too heavy! I won’t be able to carry it.

“Hou, these swords have a bit of a vulgar vibe, but they’re very practical.”

“This is great.”

“Hahaha! This is good!”

All three of them smiled satisfactorily as they held their new weapons in their hands. No, Shumer. How can you wield that heavy metal crushing rod so lightly with one hand? If I’m not mistaken, it weighs more than 30 kilograms, you know? Ah, but she was wielding a much larger log just a moment ago… That’s probably just fine.

“Do you think Gizma will still come?”

“Well, I don’t know. There seems to be a little bit of a pause, but they might come back again like they did the other day.”

“Then I’d better make some bolts.”

“Yeah, do that. That would be the best way for Kosuke to be active.”

The recovery team was disbanded, and everyone except for Sylphy and me headed back to the wall. Sylphy and I stayed in the workshop to mass-produce bolts. Well, Sylphy is just staying by my side, though.

While I reserved the mass production of arrowheads at the smithing facility, I dismantled multiple dead bodies of Gizma in my inventory. In this way, I can recover the bolts that were shot into Gizma. It seems that some of the arrowheads have been smashed, so I use the blacksmithing facility to repair them. Sylphy was watching me without saying anything in particular. What is she thinking about? A woman’s heart is complicated, you see.

“Sylphy.”

“Hmm?”

“What kind of weapon is Sylphy interested in?”

“Well… any weapon that Kosuke made would be fine for me.”

“At least decide what kind of weapon you want.”

I smiled back at Sylphy’s answer. Sylphy laughed, too.

“Right, I’d like a blade. Swords are good.”

“A sword.”

“Yeah, make me a good one that suits me. Right, how about that scimitar you were telling me about?”

“A scimitar.”

That’s the weapon I recommended to Sylphy myself. A beautiful woman like Sylphy would look great with an elegantly decorated scimitar. I’m not sure if it’s better to call it a shamshir rather than a scimitar.

Well, names are trivial, aren’t they? However, even if it were made of iron or steel, a slender scimitar specializing in slashing power would be ineffective against Gizmas and armor-clad soldiers. Should I make it out of mithril? Isla is also trying to get me to make a staff out of mithril, so it might be a good idea to give it a try.

“Let’s give it a try.”

I’ll use mithril to make a scimitar. I want to decorate it with gems. I want it to be sharp, strong, unbreakable, unbending, and a masterpiece that makes the most of the properties of mithril. I want it to have a blade that looks like pale moonlight, to match the image of Sylphy.

・Mithril Scimitar――Materials: Mithril Ore x 4, Gemstones x 5, Silver Ore x 2, Iron x 2, Steel Leaf Spring x 2, Leather x 1

Oh, I’ll give it a try. The Mithril Scimitar is now on the menu. Let’s reserve a crafting session.

“The crafting time is too long!”

“What’s wrong?”

“No, I’m trying to make a special weapon for Sylphy, but it’s taking an inordinate amount of time.”

“Hou? How long?”

“Four hours.”

“That’s… long.”

That’s the longest crafting time I’ve ever experienced. By the way, the second-longest was the metal crushing rod I made for Shumer, which took two and a half minutes.

“What kind of special product did you make?”

“You’ll have to wait and see.”

Normally, if you try to make a sword made of mithril, it will take several months, maybe even years. That’s why mithril swords are so expensive. It’s no wonder it’s so expensive if you have to detain a top-notch craftsman for a long time.

After this, I stayed on alert until past midnight, collecting the corpses of the Gizma that attacked sporadically, but the Gizma attacks had stopped by the time the date changed. The moon’s color, which I could see from my vantage point, had somehow turned yellowish.

It seemed that we had successfully survived Gizma’s attack.