CH 159

“It’s so hot, isn’t it ……”

“You should be a little more shy, don’t you think?”

It was very hot in the workshop with the fire going, and we took off our jackets to watch her work, but Luciela was wearing a shirt and shorts that flapped around her chest, so we couldn’t look at her.

When we were first-year students, there wasn’t much of a difference in our physiques, but now they’re getting more feminine.

“Oh, I wonder where Lars is looking? Do you want to see? Do you want to see?”

“Don’t stick to me, it’s too hot. It’s not like I want to look at Luciela’s, though.”

“What! …… Are you saying that you want to see if It’s not me?”

“It’s not like that.”

“I’m sorry to interrupt your little chat, but could you hand me that sawtooth oak?”

“Oh, yes.”

Luciela sticks her tongue out at me and hands the tool to Arjan-san. My brother and Nora are taking a break for lunch at home, while Me, Luciela and Tigre-sensei are standing by here.

“Oh, thanks a lot, girl.”

“It’s Luciela. Hey Arjan-san, about what you said earlier, do you have any problems with your father being famous?”

“Huh? That’s a strange question. Are you not getting along with your father?”

He paused and turned to Luciela, frowning and asking.

“It’s not like that, but …… we’re a pretty big merchant family. I sometimes wonder what I would do if I took over and I ruined it. I wanted to ask you if you didn’t have any worries that you would ruin your father’s name if it’s Arjan-san.”

Luciela gave neither a negative nor a positive response to the question of her relationship with her father, and then stood in the middle of the room behind Arjan-san as he processed the fangs and said.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ve never been troubled by my father’s fame. I’ve always admired my father, and I thought it was my filial duty to surpass him. I don’t know what to say, but of course, there is a possibility that Luciela will be ruined by taking over the family. But I’m sure they’d be happy to hear you say you’re taking over the family.”

Arjan-san never took his eyes off the material, but he smiled and told Luciela.

“I wonder …… Wouldn’t you be angry if it were destroyed?”

“So what if Luciela is the parent and the bad kid wants to take over?”

“Hmm, I’ll let her take over. I’ll just back her up …… Oh.”

Luciela gasped and held her mouth, her eyes widened and she fell silent. Noticing this, Arjan-san stopped his hand, turned his face to Luciela, and said

“That’s what I’m talking about. You’re not going to be on your own from here on out. If you have any problems, you can ask for help or rely on someone else. I learned the basics from my father, remember?”

“……”

Arjan-san returned to his work. Luciela was staring at his work in silence, as if she had something on her mind. Seeing her like this, Tigre-sensei muttered 

“I’m sure she has a lot on her mind as the older sister.”

“Did you once say that you have a strong need for approval?”

“You remembered well, Lars. That’s right, she tries to do everything on her own to be recognized. When she was a freshman, her classmates shunned her because she seemed to brag about being a merchant, but for her, it was status. It was all she had.”

I wonder if it’s because she lacks self-confidence, so she dresses up with what’s around her. It’s true that when you lack self-confidence, you can’t help but feel insecure in everything you do. …… I know the feeling.

“Luciel has a useful skill for merchants, but her’s is [Amplification]. It may have been her complex that she couldn’t be of much use to the house.”

“…… I guess it’s fortunate that the sisters get along well?”

“i guess so. I know it’s meddlesome of her to try to bring you and Luciel together, but I know she’s doing it out of love for her sister. “

I can’t say anything about that, and I look at Tigre-sensei. Then he chuckled and tapped me on the shoulder.

Immediately after that, Luciela slapped herself on the cheek with both hands and opened her mouth.

“…… Yeah. I’m me. But there is no need to worry about it alone. If I don’t know what I can do, why don’t I just do it all!”

“Ha-ha, you’ve got a good look on your face. Are you feeling a little better?”

“Yeah! Now that that’s decided, let’s get to it! Let me help you make that dagger of mine!”

“Oh!? That’s dangerous!?”

“Geez, you’re a nasty piece of work when you’re well ……”

“Maybe it’s best for Luciela to be a little annoying.”

“Lars, did you just said something?”

“No, not at all. Can I help you make my own sword too?”

“It’s not my problem if it’s not good enough!”

Arjan-san shouted and laughed, and we laughed along with him. Then, Sarge in my bag fluttered away and I started talking.

“Uoh!? What the hell!? A lizard flew through the air and talked!?”

“What is it, Sarge?”

“Oh, so you’re a dragon ……? But it’s so small!”

“Yeah, Sarge can change his size.”

When I said this, Arjan-san rolls his eyes and says.

“Seriously …… Ah, no, you can give us later if we really mess up the material. The consideration is enough. It’s not cool to say, “Well, it didn’t work, so we’ll do it next time.”

“Oh, why?”

He showed his nails and suggested that he can use them, and told him what he wanted him to create. I thought that that’s just like Sarge.

“Is that okay?　Will it hurt?”

“Interesting dragon! I’ll take that offer, too.”

Arjan-san shook Sarge’s hand and proceeded to sharpen his nails. I hugged Sarge, who was looking at his nails, which had become a little smooth, and I thanked him.

“Thank you, Sarge.”

“You’re very loyal, aren’t you?”

Luciela said that, but she probably cares about Aina who cried a lot, she smiled and stroked Sarge. 

“Ah! Sarge is out!”

Just as Nora came into the workshop, I spent the day helping my brother and Arjan-san, who came in later.

The next day, when the sun was going down, we had to leave Arjan-san’s house because we had to go to the mountains to ride Sarge.

“…… Have a safe trip home.”

“Fufu, It’s been a long time since I’ve had fun. Come again.”

“Yes! Take care of yourself, Auntie!”

“Thank you for everything.”

Nora, who had grown quite fond of Arjan-san’s mother, hugged her, while brother smiled and bowed his head.

“Don’t look so bitter, they’ll come again, after all!”

“Aaaah? It’s good to be quiet! Come visit us again ……”

Luciela laughs as she rests her hand on the dagger at her waist, and Arjan-san swears. I chuckled as well and opened my mouth.

“I’ll come with my classmates next time.”

“Good grief, it looks that it’s going to be loud again ……”

He blurted out at Luciela’s words, but Arjan-san’s face looked happy. In the end, Tigre-sensei gave his greetings and left the workshop.

“The hat is cute, isn’t it?”

“The dagger was a definite success, so let’s hope for the sword too. I’m sure he’ll surpass his father.”

“That kind of craftsman is a good way to live.”

My brother said, and Tigre-sensei nodded.

My brother is going to come back for his sword during his next vacation, but I told him I would bring them all with me then. My sword is going to be shown to the king, so I’ll have to leave it for a while, though.

In the meantime, they’ve agreed to pay half price for all of us, so even Ryuuze and the others can get their hands on it. I went back to the house, thinking of everyone’s happy faces, thinking that we had a good talk.

In the next chapter, a disturbing atmosphere is ……?

Thank you for reading!

[Afterword Theater]

“Now, it’s Luciel’s turn!”

Well, the previous chapter was suspicious too ……