CH 256

My friends and I took the large shell a great distance from where we found it, so that Crimson couldn't follow us.

"I can't see inside. Let's open it and take a look."

Kiel moved his face close to look into the mouth of the shell, but he couldn't see the inside of the perfectly closed mouth of the shell.

"Oh, I'll take care of it. Nggu!"

Dogora put strength into both hands and tried to pry open the mouth of the shell.

Dogora forcefully and slowly opened the mouth of the giant shell, which the B-rank Fish couldn't destroy.

""Ohhh!""

My friends and I let out a sound of surprise at once.

The sparkle that everyone had hoped for slowly became visible through the shell.

It contained a slightly craggy, pale, gold-tinged lump of Orichalcum.

I pondered what I could make from the lump of Orichalcum.

(Let's see, weapons for Kurena and Dogora and then a shield for Dogora. This lump can only make one of those.)

Kurena and Dogora used very large weapons.

The lump of Orichalcum, considering the size of it, was only enough for one of their weapons.

And their armor and shield would require more Orichalcum than that.

I had been looking for the Oricahlcum for some time then, but after finding out, more than the happiness at finding it, I was trying to figure out how to use it.

"Well, let's make this one a Greatsword for Kurena."

"Oh, for me? Yes! ORICHALCUM Weapon!!!!"

Kurena raised the lump of Orichalcum to the sky with both hands, her whole body exploding with joy.

My friends sometimes required the same equipment. In such cases, I was the one who decided who would get the equipment, based on efficiency.

Everyone had agreed upon it since the time we were in Academy.

So even though Dogora did not get the Orichalcum, he didn't say anything.

And no one complained when they saw Kurena expressing joy with her whole body.

Then three days passed.

We did our best to find another lump of Orichalcum, destroying all the shells, but we could not find it.

It was a little earlier than usual, but we decided to leave the dungeon.

"What? Are you looking for Orichalcum? I already found it."

"Yes."

Kurena was holding the lump of Orichalcum with both hands, and my gaze was drawn to the pale gold glow.

My friends and I spent three and a half days in the dungeon and took one and a half days off, while Helmios' party spent three days in the dungeon and took two days off.

We left early to meet up with Helmios' party.

"Mr. Helmios. I want a Greatsword!"

"Umm, yeah. Yes, that's right. Okay, I'll show you tomorrow morning."

Helmios was slightly taken back by Kurena's pressure who was holding the Orichalcum in both hands. He said that he would take us to the blacksmith who could process Orichalcum into weapons the xet morning.

Riding on B-rank Birds, we left the tower of the S-class dungeon after a long time.

"Master Habarak stays quite far from here. It will probably take us about two days to get there at this speed."

Helmios told us as we were flying through the sky.

Helmios had traveled to Fortenia on B-rank Bird in Rosenheim, so he knew how fast B-rank Birds were.

The Imperial Capital of the Bakius Empire was only half a day away from where we were, but the blacksmith's place was about two days away.

My friends and I and Helmios were all going to the place where Master Craftsman Habarak stayed to ask him to make Kurena the Orichalcum Greatsword.

I was told that Master Habaral was a stiff person and was someone who easily got into a bad mood.

Then two days passed.

We were still riding B-rank Birds.

"The landscape has changed around here."

I noticed that the terrain had changed.

The terrain was becoming more mountainous and rugged.

And there were many volcanoes, with plumes of smoke rising from craters everywhere.

"Oh, this area is already in the old Kingdom of Mercia. I heard it used to be called the Land of Fire."

(I see, it was a different country before it was absorbed into the Baukis Empire.)

Even in the Academy, I had read that the Baukis Empire had united the continent into one country after the Demon King's army's first invasion.

We had traveled a long way and it seemed that we were already out of the former Bakius Kingdom territory to the territory of the former Melica Kingdom.

"At this rate, we can reach there today."

Then, after some time, a city entered my sight.

"That's the city where Master Habarak is."

"Yes. Shall we get off a little ahead?"

(One of the only 3 legendary Master Craftsmen isn't staying in that big of a city.)

Helmios had told me that there were only three blacksmiths in the world who could process Orichalcum.

The city where one such legendary Master Craftsman lived was a normal-sized town or barely a city with a number of chimneys visible but no other unusual features.

Although Helmios didn't know the way exactly, we were able to arrive safely, thanks in part to E-rank Bird's [Eagle Eye].

Originally, Helmios wanted to use magic boats while transferring from one port to another for travel.

I decided to get off a little further away and head into the city so as not to startle the citizens with B-rank Birds.

We entered the city at a time when it would soon be evening.

The guards let us in without any issues when we showed them our Adventurer's card.

There were no humans or beastmen ther, only dwarves.

I wondered if the city was not very profitable for adventurers.

Not only weapons and armor, but also earthenware, ceramics, and various other items were displayed in stores, as if the town was full of blacksmiths.

"Oh, Master Habarak's workshop is here."

"Oh!"

Helmios pointed to one building, and Kurena's heart pounded to a climax.

Kurena had been holding the lump of Orichalcum to her chest the whole time.

The building was a modest structure that did not look like any other building.

I saw a chimney in the back, so I expected a furnace or something for smelting ore to be in the building.

Knock knock

Helmios knocked on the door.

He was going to introduce me to Habarak, a Master Craftsman, so I decided to step back and let him handle it.

"Yes, who is it?"

The knock was answered and the door opened slightly.

Then, as if peering outside, a young dwarf man peeked out and asked.

"My name is Helmios. I have something to do with Master Habarak. It is already late today. I would like to come back tomorrow, if that is all right."

"Helmios? Are you Hero Helmios?"

"Yes. I'm here to ask Master Habarak to process Orichalcum."

(Sounds a lot like the way I responded to a newspaper solicitor when he came to my door.)

Helmios was frank with the young dwarf who had the door open only wide enough to show half of his face.

"... sorry, please take it back."

""Huh?""

Helmios told him who he was and what he wanted but the young dwarf still told us to go back.

My friends and I listening in the back were surprised, not expecting a quick rejection.

"What? Can I speak to Master Habarak? Last time he said, 'You can come back anytime' to me."

"No, actually, he is in a very bad mood right now. ...I apologize."

Apparently, Master Craftsman Habarak was in a bad mood.

But Helmios couldn't leave with just that.

"It's very important. Could you at least do me a favor?"

"I understand. I don't think his answer will be any different though."

With that, the door closed.

The young dwarf headed for Master Habarak.

"Looks like we're in the right place."

"Uh-huh."

Kurena replied in a small voice to my words.

Kurena's expression was shunned and depressed in shock at the rejection.

Soon after, the door opened slightly and the young dwarf peeked out.

"How was it?"

"No good."

"Please!! I brought the Orichalcum. Could you please make it into a sword?"

Kurena, who had been watching from all the way back, stepped forward.

She really wanted an Orichalcum Greatsword.

"No."

"Please!"

Kurena pressed further on the young dwarf who refused.

"Kurena, you're going a little overboard. Don't trouble him further."

"Yeah. Sorry..."

After I admonished Kurena, she apologized to the young dwarf.

"Hey, what's that noise coming from a while ago?!"

"I am sorry, Master Habarak. I am refusing them..."

Someone came noisily from the back with an old man's voice. Before the young dwarf man could say all that, the door opened all at once.

Then an old dwarf man with a cloth-like thing wrapped around his head appeared.

"Huh? What's up with you guys?"

"Oh, Master Habarak, it's been a long time."

"Hmm? Isn't it Helmios?"

(This old man is a legendary Master Craftsman.)

"Yes, I am here today to ask you to process the Orichalcum."

Helmios told him what we were there for.

Then the young dwarf blocked his face.

"Orichalcum."

"Yes!"

Kurena showed the Orichalcum she was holding.

Then, veins emerged on Master Craftsman Habarak's face.

I could see from the side that he was furious.

"... you guys, where did you find that?"

"In the dungeon."

I noticed that something was wrong with the angry Master Craftsman Habarak, so I stepped forward to reply on Kurena's behalf.

"A dungeon? Are you adventurers, then?"

"Yes."

As soon as I replied, Master Craftsman Habarak grabbed me by both arms.

Habarak was a Master Craftsman, smaller in stature than me, but he easily lifted me with his veiny, blacksmith-trained hands.

"Master Habarak. What are you doing? What did those children do to you?"

Helmios was also puzzled, but tried to admonish the Master Craftsman Habarak for his behavior.

"You people are worshiping that little Digragni! Master Freya is so angry that she can no longer strike Orichalcum!"

"What does that mean?"

I restrained my friends, who were worried about me, with my hand, and asked them the reason for what was happening while I was being held.

"Oh, because of you guys! God, damn it!"

When I said so, Master Craftsman Habarak released.

Then he collapsed to his knees and put his hands and head on the ground as if he was crying.

"Uh, sir?"

"I am sorry, Master Freya. I'm sorry..."

I tried to talk to him, but I couldn't reach Master Craftsman Habarak.

Habarak, a Master Craftsman, was at his feet, his face scrunched up, apologizing in a trembling little voice over and over.

Allen and the others were not sure what was going on when they saw the Master Craftsman Habarak apologizing to Freya, the Fire God, as he punched the ground with his fist and sobbed.