CH 36.2

Oniisama’s sword—

What came out was a sword with no decoration. The size was about 75 cm, the curvature of the blade was shallow,, and the blade pattern was a perfect reproduction of the wavy Notare sword pattern. Of course, I am no sword smith, so this was not an aesthetically pleasing sword. What I wanted for this sword was purely strength.

Originally, a sword shows its true value only against lightly armed opponents, but the strength of this one is such that it can cut a soldier in heavy armor without bending or splitting the blade… on the contrary, it is impossibly hard because I made it a prerequisite that it can be used even against dragon class opponents.

The material used for it was not iron. This uses a special alloy I made, using alchemy to mix various metals with repeated failures, and finally using the result. Its estimated strength is five times that of Dwarven steel. It is an ideal alloy that is not only hard, but also has strong tenacity, so there is no fear of it breaking. If it could be made on Earth, it would be worth a lot of money. Well, most of the metals used are not found on Earth, so it is impossible to reproduce the same thing there.

And the reason why this sword is so sturdy is because it can withstand the vibration magic that was sealed within. It can be said to be the ideal form of a sword, with a blade that vibrates to the limit to increase its cutting ability, and a defensive mechanism that does not affect the user.

In the experiment I conducted, even I was able to cut a Dwarven steel shield in half.

“This looks like a Yamato sword… it’s brilliant, but I don’t think it’s good enough to hide. And it is heavier than the sword I used to use… perhaps the material used is compensating for the thinner blade… but it’s a metal I’ve never seen before.”

“It certainly doesn’t look like something worth hiding, but perhaps it’s a magic armament?”

A cursed sword is a sword that has been transformed by chance, strong obsession, or exposure to high magic power. The sword made by this process has a wide range of abilities, and even the person who made it does not know what it is until they use it. In the case of obsession, it is easy for it to become an effect such as a curse, but there are many magic swords that have unintelligible effects, such as a sword that prevents the hair on the head of the person it cuts from growing back.

“Alicia, take Big brother’s old sword and hold it lightly. Then, Big brother, you should try to cut it lightly with your sword while pouring magic power into it. If you do it as if you were covering the sword with your magic power, it will absorb the magic power and activate.”

When I gave instructions to the two confused people, Big brother happily tossed his old sword while Alicia held up the sword that was carelessly tossed to her, fearfully. Well, she doesn’t want to point a sword at her lord’s son, even temporarily, but it would be also a pain in the ass for me to hold.

Then Big brother lightly cut at the middle of the Dwarven steel sword in a way that was so unnerving I couldn’t watch. Then, the sword, which should still be strong despite the chipped blade, was cut in half without any resistance as the tip of the blade fell to the floor.

“”Hah?””

They both looked at the half of the blade that fell off. Well, I can imagine what they are feeling. The blade was cut without any resistance, after all. Dwarven steel is that strong, so a sword that cut it in half so easily cannot be normal by any stretch of the imagination.

“This is why it is a failure. In front of this sword, shields and armor are not worthy of their protection. Even if you wear protective gear, it will cut through it without resistance. By the way, in case you misuse it, I will break it. If it receives a self-destruct code from me, it will destroy itself immediately.”

Basically, all contents of the treasury are like that. I can destroy them all at my will because I have engraved a self-destruct technique in the foundation of the magic formula that is contained in everything, and if that part of the formula is removed, it will throw the balance off and the magic will not be activated. In other words, it is a safety device.

“It’s way too sharp… it’s unimaginable. It certainly is too dangerous. Misusing it won’t end just with harming yourself.”

“… Again, you did it again!?”

Suddenly, Alicia became disarranged. The tea she was drinking spilled a little onto her skirt because of the ruckus she was making. I think it’s bothersome for those around you to suddenly become so passionate.

Then Alicia grabbed my shoulders and started shaking me. I put the tea down near me when she spilled it, so I didn’t spill any, but this was an unusual behavior for Alicia, who usually talks so much about proper etiquette.

“Just how dangerous things are you making!? Let’s stop with the research already, okay!? Yes, from now on I will be even more demanding than I am now so that you can become a great princess. Specifically, so much so that you don’t have time to do research.”

“Alicia, calm down. She didn’t have that kind of time since long time ago. I don’t know where you plan on making time, but I think it’s pointless, and if you overdo it, and she runs away from home, it will be your neck that comes off.”

Certainly, even I would run away if I were so tightly bound. Specifically, somewhere around the Dwarven lands? There, they are not afraid to shelter craftsmen… even royalty, as long as they have the skill. And of course, there is no time. I have to do the bare minimum of official work and study… well, I have done most of my studying pretending, so I don’t have that much time for studying, but I don’t have much free time because Alicia is basically sitting next to me. However! I have the designs of the magic tools in my brain, so the creation itself doesn’t take that long. The voices of the spirits is also basically unheard by other humans, so I make time to secretly consult with them, so even if I’m immersing myself in study, I only gain more knowledge. Besides, when I enter the academy, I will be holed up in the library, so it’s useless.

“I don’t care if my head flies off, I won’t let the princess live this tightrope life.”

“Impossible. I will freely do my research. I will become a stray princess if you get in my way.”

“Puh! Stray princess, you say… if Father heard about this, he would do everything in his power to stop you… but you can run away to that treasury, right? Give it up, Alicia, Alicetia won’t be that considerate to you.”

“I can’t anymore…”

Alicia broke down crying. Big brother already had the sword at his waist, lightly pulling it out and feeling the blade. I have no more reason to show any self-respect, so I will be free to do as I please. As soon as I return to our country, I will complete the underground facilities and start working in earnest. Until then, let’s work on collecting magic and knowledge. I will also surprise Father and Mother by raising my adventurer rank before I return home.

“It’s a bit of a juggernaut in terms of performance, but it seems to be very user-friendly. The sharpness can be adjusted before activation.”

“I’m going to finish Alicia’s brush next.”

“You are still working on that…”

Actually, the comb is for Alicia, but I have failed dozens of times. I’m not satisfied with any of the combs I have made. The newest comb is supposed to make the hair glossier and remove loose hairs and dead cells, but I want to make the gloss even higher, so I keep making it over and over again.

“You have done plenty already… even with half the performance, I keep receiving marriage proposals from other Beastmen…”

Hair gloss is one of the appeal points for Beastmen, so it can’t be helped. However!

“If they want to marry you, they have to defeat me first.”

“And to defeat Alicetia, they have to defeat Father first… which is impossible.”

For some reason, because of Father’s participation, people who are looking for Alicia’s hand in marriage will not approach me. Well, I’m not going to give her to them, so it’s no problem.

Alicia’s tail and ears were made that high quality for my own enjoyment.

I will make Alicia’s comb another time, and since Big brother liked the sword, I was not against him keeping it. He will get used to handling it, and hopefully won’t abuse its power.