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ED: LonelyMatter
Chapter 105 – Exchange Between Countries
Mouton’s new shop was blessed with many amenities.
He was said to drink a lot of water and had a newly installed well where he tasted fresh groundwater every day.
Ain went to the backyard where the well was installed. In front of him was a large white mass. The hard material, the backbone of a sea dragon, which was as solid as it could be, no matter how many years have passed, was placed in front of him.
“You really prepared it, huh…?”
“Of course! No amount of iron can withstand it!”
“Huh? But I thought Mouton-san hadn’t checked its sharpness yet…”
“I can feel it. That’s how it is.”
Seeing Mouton with a proud look on his face, Ain was convinced that this was the way it should be.
If a blacksmith as good as him says so, it must be so.
Krone and Chris both saw this and just smiled bitterly.
“Now, please do it, Your Highness.”
“Well, I guess I’ll just cut it off like normal, huh?”
“Yes! You can cut it in half!”
Mouton wanted it to be showy. Of course, Ain also wanted to do something flashy for the first time.
But how difficult could it be? Not knowing the stiffness of the sea dragon’s backbone, Ain opened his mouth first…
“I don’t know how hard it is, and I don’t want to damage the sword, so can I just check how hard it is?”
“Uh-huh? Ah… Well, you have a point. How do you check it?”
“Well, just put the sword against it like this and tap it… bang, bang…?”
He wanted to check the feeling of the sword by hitting it with the tip of the sword and tapping it. That was all he wanted to do, but something happened that no one, not even Ain, had expected.
“Your Highness. That’s not a tap; that’s a bang bang.”
“H-huh…?”
The plan was to strike with the tip of the sword about three times. But that was only Ain’s plan, and the sword seems to think differently.
Looking at the bones with a relaxed face, he was surprised to see that the result was different from what he expected.
“Ain-sama? Excuse me, but may I check?”
“Ah, yes. Chris, please.”
Ain still did not understand what happened.
Chris was also a little intimidated but approached to check the bones.
“It’s cleanly cut. Four vertically, it seems to have been broken apart for the number of times Ain-sama used it!”
“Ain, what are you doing…?”
“Wait, it wasn’t my fault! I just thought I’d give it a tap, that’s all!”
Hearing the results of Chris’s observation, Krone looked at Ain with a stern look. As for Ain, he made a big gesture to deny that he felt that he was not to blame at all.
“Gahahahaha! Hey, did you see that, Ememe? It’s amazing! This doesn’t make any sense!”
“As expected from you, Master! It makes no sense, and I’m getting hungry!”
“Oh! We’re celebrating tonight! Let’s go eat something tasty!”
“Really? You’re so generous; I think I’m falling in love with you!”
Even Ain would like to laugh. The backbone of a sea dragon was definitely not a soft material. If such a thing were to be cut off, the situation would even be frightening.
“Hey, Chris? Um… How hard is the sea dragon’s backbone?”
“It should be harder than the White King’s, but… it’s hard to say exactly how hard it is.”
I see. In other words, if I ever get a chance to fight my grandfather, I should take this sword and go on a rampage. Unable to understand, Ain distracted himself by thinking about his grandfather.
“W-what should we do? Should I take it away from Ain…?”
“Don’t say such a terrible thing, okay? Okay?”
It had become a dangerous object, but Ain did not want to let go of it.
“Don’t worry, I’m only about 60% serious.”
“That’s more like a majority, but shouldn’t I be worried?”
“Oh, don’t worry, Your Highness! I will make a good sheath for it!”
Mouton’s words gave Ain a moment of relief, but then he felt uneasy again. The sword was too sharp.
“Um, Mouton-san? It won’t cut down to the sheath, will it?”
“Don’t worry, I didn’t get a scratch on it when I made it! That must be the way it is!”
I see. That’s the way it is… I don’t know, but I understand, Ain thought in his head. What could be done about this situation?
“Well, Your Highness? It’s probably okay, right? Maybe it’s because of the rebirth of the monster’s material, or maybe the material itself is adapting to it… Besides, even the famous swords that existed in the past were firmly sheathed in their original sheaths!”
Upon hearing Ememe’s explanation, Ain felt a bit relieved. However, considering that the source of the information was Ememe, it could not be trusted.
“Oh, that’s for sure. That’s why it’s like that! You understand, don’t you, Your Highness?”
It seemed that Mouton himself knew this, but in that case, he should have said so from the beginning. He wanted them to understand that it sometimes made him uncomfortable when they were lumped together as “that kind of thing.”
“By the way, the scabbard is made of sea dragon scales, and the belt is also made of sea dragon leather. It’s extravagant!”
“Oh, by the way, Ain? It’s going to be declared a national treasure in the future, so take good care of it.”
“It’s a piece of equipment worthy of a hero. It suits you well, Ain-sama.”
It’s scary to equip something like that. Unfortunately, he thought it would be difficult to use it casually. It’s so sharp that when he thought about it, it wasn’t something that could be used casually.
“Speaking of which, how much is the processing fee for the sheath and belt?”
“Don’t worry, I’ve already paid for them.”
“Um, Krone-san? When did you pay…?”
“I finished it last year, remember?”
Then why didn’t you tell me? Ain vowed in his heart to take such a small revenge to make her feel embarrassed next time.
“I don’t want you to ask how much it costs. You don’t have to go to the trouble of using such expensive materials…”
“It’s also formal wear, you know? It’s the crown prince’s formal wear, so you have to make something appropriate for the occasion, right?”
“Ain-sama, Krone-san is right. And with this sword, the sheath would be meaningless if it were not made of sea dragon material…”
Of course, a crown prince would wear a sword at his waist. If that was the case, it was only natural that this sword would be the formal attire, and furthermore, it was only natural that the scabbard would be meaningless if it was not made of sea dragon material.
“Ah… It makes sense when you put it like that.”
The sword was made of living armor material. Since it was made, it had to be tempered with a material that matched it. It was Ain who had lost sight of this.
“Well, let’s continue. Let’s go back to the shop and adjust the belt.”
The sun was setting, but Ain still had time. And since adjusting the belt was also important, he would have found time somehow, even if he had a schedule.
“I’m fine today. So please adjust the belt for me.”
“Oh! Then let’s go back to the workshop!”
＊＊＊
The adjustment of the belt was done quickly, taking just a few minutes, and Ain finally had a new partner at his waist.
The belt and sheath were beautifully made of white silver, a contrast to the sword it held.
With the sword hanging on the left side of his waist, Ain felt a different kind of heaviness than usual.
The three of them left Mouton blacksmith’s shop and were on their way back to the castle. It seemed that Mouton and Ememe were having a party, and they were going to walk around and eat a feast.
“Do you feel uncomfortable walking around?”
“I’m fine. The belt is in good shape and feels great to wear.”
Mouton said that even with a single belt, there were a thousand different ways to wear a sword. He said the craftsmanship shone through in the smallest details, such as the center of gravity and the degree of swing.
“But you need to make another sword.”
“Huh? Why, I just finished this one.”
Krone’s words were uttered with a mysterious look on her face. Ain did not understand why, but Chris, standing next to him, immediately understood the meaning.
“That’s right. You should make another one with a sword you are not ashamed to carry.”
“Even Chris. I already have this one, so it’s okay.”
Even Chris agreed with Krone’s opinion. Ain was a bit sad because he had not expected even Chris to say that.
“Ain, are you sure you want to use that one sword? Do you feel safe with it? That… it won’t cause an accident?”
“…Krone-san? I’m sorry, but could you prepare some things from the budget?”
On second thought, they were right.
Would he be able to manage with only this too-sharp partner? It was indeed a bit scary. So, as Chris said, he should make another sword that was not too embarrassing.
“Yes, Your Highness, I’ll think about what to do.”
In a situation like this, it was best to leave it to Krone. Although he wondered if he was not throwing too much away, Ain silently entrusted it to Krone because it was the most stable way to leave it to her.
“I’m sure Your Majesties would like to see it as well, but please be careful while showing it.”
“Yes.”
He thought he’s used to handling a sword.
But he had never seen a sword as sharp as this one, so it was impossible for him not to be nervous.
“Speaking of which, Ain, do you have a name for that sword?”
“Mouton-san didn’t say anything about it, so maybe he hasn’t decided yet.”
“If it is Ain, you should decide on a name for it.”
With such a great sword, it wouldn’t hurt for it to have a name. The sword he received today was undoubtedly a great sword. If that were the case, Ain would be tempted to give it a name.
“But I can’t think of one right away…”
He’s aware of it, but Ain’s sense of naming was not something to be praised with open arms.
It was somewhat disconcerting since he even had the skill called Dark Straw.
“(If I ever get a chance to meet Marco-san, I’ll let that guy decide for me.)”
Come to think of it, it was thanks to him that he was able to get such a great sword.
In that case, it might not be a bad idea to let Marco name it for him.
“I’ll think about it. I can’t think of a good name right away.”
Whether or not he would get another chance to meet Marco remained to be seen. But for now, he decided to sit tight and wait for Marco to give his partner a name.
＊＊＊
“Oh, Ain-sama? You’re home, I see… May I ask… what’s that thing on your hip?”
Dill happened to pass Ain at the castle. He was carrying several bags, probably because he was helping Lloyd with his work.
Krone had gone to her office, so Ain and Chris were alone.
“I’m home, Dill. Oh yeah, I just got it. It was a little more monstrous than I expected, but…”
“A monstrosity, is it…?”
“Yes, it’s a monstrosity. The sharpness is so great that I don’t know what to do with it, and I can’t just pull it out.”
“That’s just unbelievable… I’m glad to hear that you have a great sword.”
Dill can say that because he hasn’t seen it.
He seemed to be genuinely pleased to hear Ain’s words, but the story didn’t end there.
“Maybe it’s not what Dill thinks; it really is a monster. I made a test cut in the spine of a sea dragon. I tapped it to test its hardness, and that’s all it took to cut it, you know?”
Dill, who had been smiling until then, immediately turned serious with a straight face and a serious expression. Hearing Ain’s words, he finally understood that it was not just a great sword.
“You can’t just pull it out carelessly, can you?”
“Right? I really can’t just pull it out… just like you say.”
Dill could only smile bitterly but was happy that the sword was finally ready.
Considering that Ain had been waiting impatiently for it, Dill was glad that Ain was happy.
“Oh, by the way, Ain-sama… It pains me to tell you this after all this joy, but there is one thing to discuss that also requires your presence…”
Dill’s voice changed, and he spoke to Ain as if it was a matter of grave concern.
When Ain heard his voice, his expression changed, and so did Chris, who was standing next to him.
The sound of crumpled paper echoed from the luggage Dill was carrying.
“A letter has arrived from Heim.”
＊＊＊
Let’s settle this once and for all and have some kind of closure. This was the matter of the situation that Ain was thinking about regarding Heim and that Sylvird was willing to come on board with.
Let’s talk about it in Sylvird’s presence. Ishtalika sent back a letter with such details and finally received an answer via Euro.
Ain was asked by Sylvird to be present at the meeting, but when he asked, he found that Sylvird was waiting there alone, not in the castle… but in a certain place behind the castle.
“Your Majesty…? Why are we talking here?”
When Ain asked Warren, he heard that Sylvird was already on his way there, and Ain hurried over to that place.
“I thought I should talk to the Crown Prince alone first. Maybe His Majesty the First can help us here, right?”
——The Royal Cemetery.
The place Sylvird was waiting for and the place Ain arrived at.
It was a sacred place where successive generations of Ishtalika kings were buried, and only royalty and specially appointed administrators were allowed to visit.
At the far end of the site was a large and magnificent tombstone. Even the great kings of the past were not allowed to stand next to it… The tombstone was that of the one and only first king of Ishtalika.
“Marc von Ishtalika, the first king of Ishtalika. Resting in his beloved homeland.” [T/n: Since I read the LN before the WN, this feels unfamiliar to me.]
When he looked at the tombstone, he saw that it was engraved in beautiful letters. Ain did not visit this cemetery very often. Once a year, he would come to the cemetery with Sylvird and his family to pay his respects.
It was probably because the tombstone was several hundred years old. Some of the letters were chipped off and were hard to read.
“That may be so…”
Ain greeted the first king of Ishtalika with a hand on his chest and a bow. Sylvird looked at Ain and noticed something.
“Hmm? Is that your new sword?”
“Y-yes. It was a hell of a monster, and I’m having trouble handling it without getting careless.”
Sylvird felt differently than Dill.
Ain said so much, and he was so worried about it. That was, it ias a reasonable situation.
“Sea dragon bones, how much did you cut off?”
“It’s cut… or rather, if I take it close enough, it will cut by itself.”
“I wonder if I should take it away…”
“Please don’t say the same as Krone.”
However, the grandfather’s feelings were natural, and the weapon was too dangerous to say anything else.
“U-umu… I’ll ask you more about the sword later. Let’s get right to the point.”
“I understand. Dill told me that Heim’s answer had arrived.”
After nodding, Sylvird took an envelope from his pocket.
It was made of good paper and sealed with a gold seal. The large letters “Heim” on the front made it clear that it belonged to the royal family of Heim.
“Look at it carefully.”
“Yes. Then I will have a look.”
He was a little nervous. A mixture of excitement and fear was in the air as he wondered what the letter would say and what demands they would make this time.
“Hmm…”
He nodded occasionally, telling Sylvird that he was looking through it. There were things in it that made him want to frown, but for now, he decided to read on without worrying about it. …But the writing was beautiful, and that was the only thing that saved Ain.
“I have read it. I think I understand most of it.”
“Then I would like to hear your thoughts.”
“The letter can be summarized simply, ‘Come to Heim, and we will have a showdown in our castle.’ Isn’t that right?”
“Umu. I am afraid so.”
It was a ridiculous story. They went all the way to Heim to speak in the enemy’s castle. Did they think they would be accepted?
But first, they had to give Sylvird an answer. But the answer was already decided…
“It’s not worth talking about. It seems to me that the other party is strangling itself.”
“Well, I suppose so…”
“Besides, if we leave with our fleet, what will happen to the port city of Roundheart, for example? They haven’t thought about that, have they?”
After all, Sylvird was supposed to attend the meeting. Of course, it was inevitable that a large fleet would be sent. If that happened, the port city of Roundheart would be reduced to rubble in an instant if a battle broke out. The only question was, what were they thinking when they came to this conclusion?
“As for me, there is one place I am considering.”
“What do you mean?”
“There is a tiny little island. It’s right between Heim and Ishtar.”
“So you want to use it as neutral ground.”
Let’s say, for example, that the meeting was to be held in Euro. If that were to happen, of course, it would cause problems for the Euro, and if things went wrong, it would be the Euro that would suffer the most. Besides, Heim would surely refuse to go to Ishtalika for the meeting. As Sylvird said, it would be best to choose such a neutral place.
“Umu. Since there is no other choice, we will at least do some work on the island ourselves. That’s the kind of answer I want to send.”
“I feel that it’s a terrible waste of money, but I think we should just dismiss it as a necessary expense.”
“You’re right. It’s a small price to pay if it gets us to the end of the line.”
It would be great if they could give Heim a shot in the arm during the meeting. Of course, Warren and the others would be preparing for that.
“I’m for it, too. It seems like they’re going to be a little stubborn… but it’s okay if we just ignore them.”
“I will prepare my reply accordingly. …Oh, by the way. The person who wrote that letter is your assistant’s mother, you know?”
I see. Did Krone inherit many talents not only from Graff but also from her mother? Ain thought.
“It was a nice letter, wasn’t it? Heim seems to have a good civil official.”
“Umu, that’s right. She is too good for Heim! Hahahaha!”