Chapter 91

"Lord Ars, what are you doing?"

"Hmm, well, I was thinking that it's about time to start preparing Valkyrie's equipment."

"Valkyrie's equipment? Are you planning to make armor for your servant beast?"

"No, armor would be too expensive. For now, I need to make other things, so I'm going to start with those."

"Hmm. What exactly does Valkyrie need?"

"Well, it's obvious, isn't it? A saddle and stirrups."

After finishing the paper, the next thing I tackled was making a saddle and stirrups for Valkyrie. In this area, there are various types of servant beasts, and people ride them in different forms. Therefore, it's common to make saddles and other equipment tailored to each servant beast. I had considered making them before but gave up because I needed a specialist in the city to make them for each servant beast, and I didn't have one.

But now, things are different. Gran, who is in front of me, can handle a wide range of tasks and produces high-quality results. I was writing down the design on the newly made paper to communicate what I wanted and have him make it.

"However, Lord Ars, you can ride Valkyrie without such things. I don't quite understand why they are necessary."

"You're right, I thought I didn't need them since I can ride Valkyrie. But I realized that they are essential in battle."

Thanks to the multiple training sessions, I can ride Valkyrie without a saddle or stirrups. However, I felt the need for them during the battle with Raymond in the Fontana army.

When Raymond's Ice Spirit Sword struck me, I lost my balance and was thrown off Valkyrie's back. But I think the outcome would have been different if I had stirrups. With a proper saddle and stirrups, I could have braced my feet more effectively and exerted more force. When wielding a weapon while riding, stirrups allow the power from the lower body to be transmitted to the weapon. I realized this during the battle.

"Besides, I want to increase the number of people who can ride Valkyrie, not just me and the part-timer. Having a saddle and stirrups will definitely make it easier to ride."

"I see, so you're planning to form a cavalry unit."

Exactly. I find it inconvenient that only I can ride. I've heard somewhere that speed is crucial in battle, and a cavalry unit would undoubtedly boost our combat strength. While horned Valkyries can serve as a reserve force, there are more hornless Valkyries, and I want to use them as a combat force by having people ride them. That's why I decided to make a saddle and stirrups.

"Here's a rough design. But can you make it so that it doesn't put too much strain on both the rider and Valkyrie, Gran?"

"Understood. Leave it to me, Lord Ars."

With that, I finished the rough design and entrusted Gran with the task of making the saddle and stirrups.

* * *

"Alright, there's one more thing I need."

Even after entrusting the task to Gran, I continued to focus on Valkyrie. There was another item I wanted to make.

Horseshoes.

I remember from my previous life that horseshoes were attached to the hooves of horses. The hooves of horses wear down with movement. If they are wild, the hooves will naturally grow to balance out the wear, so there shouldn't be a problem. However, when horses are used to carry people or goods, the hooves wear down faster than they grow, so horseshoes, which are essentially shoes for horses, are necessary.

Until now, I had sold the hatched Valkyries and didn't pay much attention to this. But from now on, the situation will be different. I don't know when I will introduce Valkyries as a combat force or use them to transport people and goods. I can't predict how much strain will be put on their hooves. So, I decided to prepare for it now.

I observed the hooves of one of the Valkyries while it stood still. I had a vague feeling about this, but I confirmed that Valkyries have a certain characteristic. All individuals are the same size. The first individual I hatched with my magic and the ones hatched by Valkyries themselves had different sizes, which is why I didn't notice it before.

However, now, most of the individuals are hatched by horned Valkyries using [Magic Infusion]. The size of the hatched individuals is consistent. This makes things easier. I decided to make horseshoes out of hardened bricks. Since all individuals are the same size, I can create perfectly fitting horseshoes out of hardened bricks and enchant them. This way, anyone can create perfectly fitting horseshoes for Valkyries by casting a spell.

With this in mind, I continued to make hardened brick shoes that fit Valkyrie's hooves. Unlike wild horses, Valkyries can understand what I say. If they feel any discomfort, they will shake their heads in protest. I kept trying and testing until I made shoes that Valkyrie was satisfied with. I created specialized shoes for Valkyries that can run on various terrains, including dirt, roads, riverbanks, and river bottoms, along with a saddle and stirrups for carrying people.

This is how Valkyrie's equipment was gradually prepared.

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