Chapter 10
Winter came and went while he has resided here. I feel as if he's becoming more responsible the longer he resides with me.
The only problem that I know of is that whenever he gets here he just eats and immediately returns to his room. He doesn't seem to go and socialize with anyone and I haven't seen him talking to any women. A boy his age should be making friends, not cooped up in his room. I hear strange noises from his room at night so I doubt he's having any issues when it comes to that area.
I've recently noticed that I don't need to wake him up early anymore as he just wakes up on his own. Waking up early in the morning is a good skill to develop, so I'm happy I drilled that behavior into him.
Speaking of, he should be bringing me my breakfast soon…
"Here you go Anisama, A bacon omelette and a light soup with a plumric base. I hope you enjoy."
"Pray with me boy."
I prayed again to the G.o.ds that have affected my life in so many ways. I thanked the G.o.ds for letting this boy in front of me learn how to cook. I concluded with an amen, as I usually do.
As we ate, I saw that something seemed to be bothering the boy, so I asked out of the kindness of my heart.
"Something bothering you, boy?"
"Oh, it's nothing Anisama. I was just thinking that it's been four months since I moved in with you."
He is right. The boy has been here for a while now and has diligently worked for this entire time. I am rather impressed by this kid.
"Hm, well, time flies when you're experiencing it, doesn't it?"
"Haha, yeah…" Kenji looked off to the side. Something is bothering him. Whatever is bothering him I hope he can fix soon.
"Well, I'm off to work. Have a good day Anisama."
"I plan to. Don't get arrested again." This was a line I said to him every time he left for work ever since a certain day.
Kenji walked out of the door and left me to myself. I had nothing in particular to do today so I went back into my room. Once I got to my room I brought out a small box and unlocked it with a key I keep in my pillow. Inside the box I counted the coins that glistened within.
"Seven hundred and twenty in total so far… He really hasn't missed a single payment even after I stopped asking about it. Honestly, this boy…"
I held a gentle smile, locked the box, and returned it to its safe place. I decided I would take a walk around town and go window shopping.
After dressing myself in my day gown and locking the door behind me, I stepped outside into the newly spring sun. The temperature was not cold nor was it hot, instead it was a sublime comfortable. What a wonderful day.
As I left my house, I took a right towards the shop of a certain man I've known for a long time. As I walked I saw children playing, people going about their days, and birds flying overhead. When you look at the world like this, it seems like the threat of the demon king isn't real.
After a few minutes of walking, I entered a certain shop.
The wave of heat from a hot furnace and the deafening sound of hammer on metal filled the room. This shop is a smithy, and it isn't just any smithy, either.
The metal items like swords, s.h.i.+elds, and tools littered shelf after shelf. Each item on its own spoke to the skill of the smith at the forge. After I walked a few steps, I saw the person I was looking for.
A sweaty dark skinned man was working on what appeared to be a sword at the forge. The man was wearing goggles, a thick ap.r.o.n and gloves, and a thick work s.h.i.+rt that was covered by overalls. Despite the gray hair on his head that indicated his age, the muscles of this man were obviously well developed from years of repet.i.tive
This man is named Gudo. Despite what adventurers have been led to believe, he is the best blacksmith in town, and he is someone I come to see on occasion. I've known him for longer than almost anyone else.
"Ah, Anisan! It's good to see you! When was the last time you were here?"
"About… four months ago." I said after acting like I was thinking. I knew exactly how long it had been, especially because I was reminded of it this morning.
"Well, What can I help you with today?"
"Let's see…"
I knew the general idea of what I wanted to get. I've been here a few times over the years and I've always ordered something similar.
Armor is too much. I can't hope to use armor for this because the skill for it is nonexistent. I don't want tools either because any two bit smith can craft tools that work just fine.
I need something specific.
"If I were to request an item for you to create, when would you be able to have it done?"
"Hmm… That's a tough question. I suppose it depends on the item. A suit of armor will probably take over a month, but something like a sword could be finished within two weeks. What were you thinking?"
"What about a dagger?"
"Hmm… a dagger, eh? Depending on the metal you want to use, it could take between one week to one month. Of course, the longer it takes the more expensive it will be as well."
"What's the one month option dagger made of?"
"Big spender, eh Anisan? You've always had an interest in unique items though, so it's not surprising. This one would be made out of the best metal I can get my hands on, but it's not cheap."
"What metal is it, Gudo?"
"Adamant.i.te. One of the strongest natural metals we can get at the moment. The metal is the perfect mix of toughness and weight. Adamant.i.te can cut through steel yet weighs only half what a dagger made of iron would weigh! Honestly just working with a metal of such high quality gets my blood pumping."
"How much would this adamant.i.te dagger cost?"
"Hmm… Normally it would cost quite a lot… but for you, Anisan, I would charge a thousand juns. This may sound like a lot, but I guarantee that any other smith would charge you double that price, if not more."
One thousand juns for a single dagger… That's quite the investment for something so small...
I don't even have a thousand juns to spend on a dagger such as this yet, so even if I was ready to splurge I wouldn't be able to.
"Will you keep this offer for me in the future?"
"For you, Anisan? I will. You're a good customer and you've always been good on your payments so I know you'd be good for it. How long would you have me wait to start?"
I did the math in my head. After a moment, I answered Gudo's question.
"About seven more weeks. Would the offer still be available then?"
"Hmm… I can't guarantee it, Anisan. I've heard a rumor that the dwarves over in the Frozen Mist Hills are under siege by the demon king's army. If that's true then I don't know how the adamant.i.te supplies will be affected…"
No matter how hard we try to forget the world we're in, the reality of our situation is always present. If n.o.body stops them, I truly believe that the demon king's armies will come to this city and destroy it in only a few more years.
"Gudo, please wait seven more weeks. Please, I know I'm asking a lot of you, but this is important to me."
A pained expression shot across Gudo's face as he looked to the ground.
"I would hate to disappoint you, Anisan. I'll do my best, but even my best is not a guarantee."
Of the people in this city, I knew that when Gudo said that he would do his best, he truly would be doing his best. I both trusted and appreciated his honesty.
"Thank you Gudo. I've always appreciated the work you do for me."
Gudo said nothing and instead just gave me a small smile.
The back door opened and another dark skinned man walked into the room. His muscles were also evident and his clothing was the same as Gudo's. Unlike Gudo, this man's hair is not grey, but instead a dark black and very short. This is Gudo's son, Gard.
"Ah, 'morning Anisan. It's rare to see you here."
"Anisan here was just asking me about making a special item for her."
"Oh? What is it? Tell me it's a set of armor, I've always wanted to make a good set of that."
"It's not armor. Anisan wants us to make her an adamant.i.te dagger."
"An adamant.i.te… dagger? Not a sword or a s.h.i.+eld? I could understand a sword or a s.h.i.+eld, but a dagger? Adamant.i.te never dulls and it's lighter than steel yet is twice as strong as even mithril! You want to waste such a rare metal on a dagger?"
"Gard, you're still inexperienced so I'll let this outburst slide. You need to learn the value of each item."
"But father, n.o.body has ever heard of a hero wielding a legendary dagger! It's always a legendary sword! If not a sword, a s.h.i.+eld that can block any attack or armor that protects from all harm! A hero that wields a dagger is the same as a blacksmith that wields a set of kitchen tongs!"
I feel like they're about to get into a long discussion, so I will interject myself for a moment.
"If I may, Gard-chan, it is not the weapon that makes the legend, but the hero that uses it. For all we know the greatest hero that will defeat the demon king will defeat him with a spoon! The tools don't make the hero, but the hero makes the tools."
"Well said Anisan. As a smith, you must understand that every item is made not to be its own item, but to be wielded by someone. If someone short came into this room and requested a greatsword, what would you tell them?"
Gard put his large hand on his chin and pondered for a moment before he suddenly spoke.
"I would tell them that they should consider a short sword instead because it fits them better."
"Correct. Now what would you think if that short person went and slayed a dragon with that short sword you sold them? Would you think the sword is the reason, or the person?"
"...The person, I guess."
"Exactly right. Any tool is just an object in the hands of someone that doesn't appreciate its value, but a true master can bring out the value of any object. This is why we smith, not to create weapons that kill things, but to create items that can be brought to their true potential in the hands of one that is worthy to wield them."
Come to think of it I just came here to request a dagger and now I feel like I'm in the middle of a big family moment. I should leave.
"Now that that's settled, I'd be happy to help you Ani"
"Oh, father it looks like she left while you weren't looking."
"Oh I see…"