Chapter 35

"But how many years has it been? Is the teacher doing well?"

"I'm doing fine, just fine. Valder seems to be doing well too."

"Yeah, you can tell just by looking at this body!"

With a puff, Valder flexed his muscles at the same time.

No, he really does look well. He seems like someone who has no connection with illness or injury.

"Teacher, do you know each other?"

Aliushia, who had been watching our exchange with a slightly bewildered look, voiced a question that was understandable from her perspective. Indeed, since the periods when Aliushia and Valder were around didn't overlap, it's not surprising that she didn't know him.

"Yeah. You might be surprised, but he was one of my former disciples."

Valder Gasp.

I remember him well. He was the only disciple among the many I had who was older than me.

Like Kurni, who is on good terms with him, Valder's period at the dojo overlapped with Kurni and Fissel. Since he came after Aliushia, she didn't know him. Well, in Bident Village, it might be different, but in the capital Valtrane, it wouldn't make much sense to loudly proclaim that he used to attend my dojo. People would probably just think, "Who is this guy?"

Valder was at the dojo for a little over a year. Because his goal wasn't to master the sword, he didn't stay for a long time. It's rare for someone who is also aiming to be a blacksmith to come to the dojo with the motivation to understand the feelings of those who wield swords. Despite being older than me, his insatiable curiosity and thirst for knowledge left me speechless.

So, rather than teaching him sword techniques, I often gave lectures on what swordsmen think when choosing and wielding swords, and what makes a good weapon for a swordsman. I had no complaints since he paid the tuition, but I remember him standing at the edge of the dojo, watching the other disciples diligently practicing. There was no one else like him. Of course, he also participated in the training.

"Really, you have your own shop now. Congratulations."

"Yeah, thanks, teacher. It was tough, though."

With a comment, Valder proudly looked around the shop. It's a bit small, but I think it's a good-looking shop. As someone in the profession, I often rely on blacksmiths, and I can generally tell from a quick look around whether the shop and the people working there are doing a good job.

The walls of the narrow shop are lined with various weapons. Just by looking at them, it's easy to see that they are well-maintained and have a sharp edge. This gives a glimpse of his skill.

"So, you came here for a reason, right?"

"Yep! I need to have it sharpened."

Adjusting his tone, Valder asked. Kurni was the first to react to his words.

Well, I'll talk about my sword later. It was originally just a favor for Kurni.

"Let me see it."

"Here you go."

Kurni removed her short sword from her waist and handed it to Valder. He drew the sword from its sheath and examined the blade closely for a moment.

"... Kurni, this is no good. You need to buy a new one."

With a small sigh, the life of the sword was declared, and Kurni was taken aback.

Weapons and armor, like anything else, have a lifespan. Just like my longsword broke, there comes a time when they can no longer be used. Well, it's rare for a sword to break so cleanly.

As a blacksmith, one must be able to accurately determine this lifespan to some extent. My sword breaking was an accident. It would be impossible to predict such a thing.

"Did the blade get crushed?"

"No, it's a bit different. There are several 'chips' that can't be fixed by sharpening."

"I see."

When I asked, it seemed that the problem was more with the user than the lifespan of the sword. Well, it's a common issue.

Weapons are not all-purpose. There is a correct way to use each weapon. For example, no matter how sharp a sword is, if you use the flat side to hit someone, you won't be able to use its full potential and it will quickly break. That's the idea. Conversely, if you use it correctly, weapons, especially weapons, can last surprisingly long. They are tools for fighting, so they are inherently durable.

In this case, there are mainly three reasons why the sword has 'chips.' Either the sword itself has reached its lifespan, or it was used to cut something it shouldn't have, or the user's skill level and the weapon don't match.

"Kurni, did you cut something strange?"

"No, I didn't! I only use it for training and actual combat!"

That training and actual combat are suspicious, but let's put that aside for now.

"I also observe her sword technique, and it doesn't seem like she's using it recklessly."

"Hmm..."

Here, Aliushia provided support. Well, Kurni also trained at my dojo, and given her position in the knights, she shouldn't be using it recklessly. I've seen her movements during training, and she doesn't seem to be swinging the sword with brute force. So, there must be another reason.

"Still, normally, this kind of chipping doesn't happen. How are you using it?"

"I told you, normally! Normally!"

"Okay, okay."

I suppressed Kurni, who loudly expressed her dissatisfaction. I'm not trying to bully her. If criticizing Kurni would help the conversation move forward, that would be one thing, but it's not very constructive on its own.

Hmm. Considering her build, it's unlikely, but maybe...

"Kurni, how do you feel about the short sword?"

"Huh?"

She paused for a moment, taken aback by my sudden question.

"Well, if you ask me... it's light, I guess..."

"That's it."

"That's it."

Our voices overlapped in response to her hesitant answer.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"To put it simply, a short sword isn't the right weapon for Kurni."

I said this to Kurni, who was repeatedly expressing surprise. Yes, the short sword itself doesn't suit Kurni. This answer feels the most fitting.

Obviously, the right weapon varies from person to person. Of course, there are many types of weapons besides swords. Finding the right one for yourself might seem easy, but it's actually quite difficult.

This is different from custom-made weapons. Custom-made weapons are about selecting the best weapon from the ones that suit you. For example, it wouldn't make sense for someone skilled with a spear to have a custom-made sword.

In Kurni's case, she wasn't bad when she was at the dojo. It's almost certain that a sword suits her. I can tell if a disciple at the dojo clearly doesn't have the aptitude for swords. I didn't feel any significant discomfort when I was teaching her, so maybe she improved a lot after joining the knights.

"If you can't even feel the weight of your weapon, you won't be able to wield it properly. That's probably the reason you're struggling."

"I think that's correct."

"Ugh..."

Valder folded his arms and sighed. He came to my dojo to give this kind of advice, so it's good that his time wasn't wasted. However, whether Kurni is struggling is a separate issue. But from her reaction, it doesn't seem to be far off.

Weapons function properly only when you can feel their appropriate weight.

Of course, if they are too heavy, that's also a problem. There is a balance of weight that allows you to wield a weapon effectively, and this varies from person to person. It's hard to explain in words. For me, that balance is with a longsword. And for Kurni, it's probably not with a short sword.

"Valder, can I see some swords?"

"Sure, go ahead, teacher."

Looking at the weapons hanging on the wall, I thought about which one might suit Kurni. Since short swords are light, a longsword would probably be the same. The names are complicated, but there isn't much difference in the actual blade.

Considering weight alone, spears or axes might also be candidates, but her movements are optimized for swordsmanship. It's not impossible that she has other talents, but it would be quite difficult to discover them now. Besides, I don't know much about weapons other than swords. And knights generally use swords, probably.

"... How about this one?"

"Huh? Really?"

After pondering for a while, I picked up a large sword with a long blade and a distinctive ricasso.

It was a two-handed sword, commonly known as a Zweihänder. There's a romantic appeal to a small person wielding a large weapon. Probably.