Chapter 95

Thank you for visiting today, Your Highness.

"Then, Your Highness, it would be best to bring this letter. If we mention the words of the Balt family, he shouldn't treat us rudely."

The next morning, Ain was making his way to the Balt Earl's residence.

He had unexpectedly obtained a rare item, a Living Armor helmet, and a skilled blacksmith who could handle such material.

He had come to be introduced to this blacksmith. ——The Balt Earl's residence was about a 20-minute walk from the inn. The roof shape typical of a snowy region and the building with firewood prepared were impressive.

He had thought that the room would be heated mainly by magic devices, but it turned out that the nobility preferred the more labor-intensive firewood heating. Thus, they used both magic devices and wood stoves.

"Thank you, Earl. I appreciate it."

This morning, after waking up, he realized something.

‘I haven’t contacted the Earl yet...’

Considering his position as the Crown Prince, he would still be received even without prior notice. However, doing so might be seen as disrespectful, so he wanted to avoid it unless it was an emergency.

But there was his aide, Krona.

Ain had informed her about his visit to the blacksmith yesterday, and she had already delivered the letter.

"…He has a craftsman's temperament, so I can't guarantee his manners, but I hope you can approach him with a broad mind..."

"Don't worry, I'm the one asking. I'm grateful for the reception despite the sudden visit."

It's a common thing, Ain thought, and he sincerely agreed.

On the contrary, if the blacksmith spoke in overly polite language, it might be a bit disappointing.

"Your Highness, shall we go now?"

Krona, standing beside him, asked about the schedule.

According to her, the whole day was free. They had just returned from the former Demon King's territory, and the knights who accompanied them needed a break, so she had decided to take a day off.

"Hmm..."

He glanced at the scenery outside the window.

The weather in Balt today was bad, with a strong blizzard. This made him reluctant to go out.

'(It will take time, and I'm reluctant, so maybe I should put it off...)'

He had a one-month stay planned.

Therefore, he didn't want to waste even a single day.

This was not a place he could visit casually, so he wanted to make the most of his time.

"Yes, I'll go. The weather is bad, but time is limited."

Krona also wanted him to rest.

But she understood the meaning of Ain's words about time being limited.

If the weather were good, she could have nodded in agreement, but there was nothing she could do about it.

"Then, Earl Balt, I apologize for the sudden visit today. Thanks to you, it seems we can make a good weapon."

"Haha, that's the best. ——Please be careful, as it's stormy outside."

He stood up from the sofa and put on a coat given by his guard, Lloyd.

It was lighter than the one he wore when he went to the former Demon King's territory, but it was still an excellent coat for keeping warm.

'(Well, I'm excited to meet this person.)'

He wasn't looking for a stereotypical person.

But naturally, he was curious about the personality of a skilled blacksmith.

—Leaving the Earl's room, he met Dill, who was waiting at the door.

Their destination was the blacksmith's shop. With the map in hand, Ain and the four of them headed to the location.

*

Aiming for a moment when the blizzard calmed down, the four of them set out from the Earl's residence.

The large snowflakes hitting their faces were cold. The snow that melted on their faces turned into water, which was a nuisance to wipe away.

No matter how much they wiped, the snow showed no signs of stopping.

In such conditions, they somehow continued to move and finally arrived near the blacksmith's shop.

"Is everyone okay?"

Ain checked on the three of them.

They all seemed to be struggling with the blizzard, just like Ain.

"Yes... I'm still okay."

"Compared to the path to the former Demon King's territory, it's much easier to walk... However, a blizzard is quite troublesome if you're not used to it."

"I'm fine, Ain-sama. Just like my father, I'm having a bit of trouble with the unfamiliar blizzard..."

Krona seemed to be the most uncomfortable.

Ain had suggested sending her back to the inn first, but she firmly refused and accompanied them.

Should he have insisted on leaving her behind? Ain regretted it now, but it was too late.

"It won't be as bad now that the snow isn't getting in. We can relax a bit."

Ain was in an area where many buildings were lined up. The heavy stone used in the construction made him admire the craftsmanship of the buildings.

If the weather were good, this scenery could be enjoyed as a tourist attraction.

In any case, since many buildings were lined up, it was less exposed to the blizzard.

So they could finally take a break.

"Krona, are we close?"

"Yes, we are. If we go down this road a little more, we should be there..."

Lloyd asked, and Krona looked at the map again.

Thanks to their steady progress, they had arrived near the destination without much trouble.

This was the only good news in this bad weather.

"What was the blacksmith's name again?"

"Come on... Ain? You're asking for a weapon, and you forgot the blacksmith's name?"

"...I'm ashamed."

When the Earl was explaining, Ain's mind was preoccupied with thoughts of new equipment.

He tried not to miss the important parts, but he had forgotten the blacksmith's name.

"Mutton, that's his name. Remember it this time, okay?"

"Y-Yes, I got it... It's such a warm name, I'm a bit envious."

Considering the current cold, a blacksmith named Mutton sounded warm and a bit envious.

"Dill, just to confirm, you'll guard the entrance, right?"

"Understood, Father. You will stay with Ain-sama, right?"

"Yes, I'll guard Ain-sama inside."

Even if he had to wait outside, it wouldn't be so cold in this area.

In fact, they weren't feeling the cold at all in the current situation.

"By the way, Ain-sama, may I ask you something?"

"Hmm, what is it, Lloyd?"

"Have you decided what material to use for the handle of the weapon?"

"...Huh?"

What, is there something missing?

Do I need something other than the Living Armor material?

...His excited mood gradually calmed down.

"Ain-sama, Father didn't explain it well, so I'll explain. As you know, a different material is used for the handle. A material that is strong, not too heavy, and has a good balance. This material determines the overall balance of the weapon."

"Oh, I see... I thought I needed to gather something like the Living Armor material..."

Thanks to Dill's explanation, he breathed a sigh of relief.

—But then, Dill's next words made Ain even more excited.

"My recommendation is the frontal bone of a 'Sea Dragon'... the part that protects the magic stone."

"...What? That sounds too good to be true."

The part that protects the magic stone is covered with a hard shell or bone in any monster.

It is the hardest part, designed to protect the vital spot.

Using the rare Living Armor material and the even rarer Sea Dragon material.

Could there be a man who doesn't feel the romance of this? No, there probably isn't.

"Dill... I might not have explained it well, but I was thinking the same thing!"

"Father... Please don't compete in front of Ain-sama. It's a bit embarrassing."

The son put his hand on his forehead, looking exasperated.

Seeing the natural side of the Glacier family made Ain feel fresh and happy.

"Sorry to interrupt, but... we've arrived."

While enjoying the conversation, they had arrived at the blacksmith Mutton's shop.

Krona, unsure of what to do, informed Ain and the others.

"...Then, let's go in, Ain-sama."

Did he snap back to reality?

Perhaps he was thinking about his earlier behavior, as his cheeks were slightly red, and he urged them to enter the shop.

He said, 'The cold makes the skin red,' trying to cover it up, but it was obvious he was trying to hide something.

"Ah, yes... Dill, I'm sorry for making you wait outside. If you can't stand it, come in and rest."

"Thank you, Ain-sama. (And I apologize for my father being so noisy.)"

Dill said the last part quietly, so Lloyd wouldn't hear.

—Seeing the fresh side of the Glacier family, Ain had no complaints.

The old bone sign read 'Blacksmith Mutton.'

A simple name, but Ain liked it.

*

"Excuse us!"

Ain knocked on the door and opened it, leading Lloyd and Krona inside. ——Or so he thought.

"Stupid! Use your arms properly! If you keep this up, you'll end up as a grilled chicken!"

"Master! You said using your legs would give more power! And it's not a chicken, it's murder!"

Feathered legs with sharp claws and flexible muscles.

The upper body had large wings on the arms.

—In other words, she was a non-human. A 'Harpy,' which he had never seen before, and he never imagined a Harpy would be a blacksmith.

Her skillful use of the hammer with those sharp claws seemed mismatched to Ain.

"Hey! Don't give me that! Now, lift it with those feathers, you idiot!"

The one scolding her was a dwarf, of course, a non-human.

He was about 150 cm tall, with strong biceps and a hairy chest.

His beard was neatly trimmed, and his face was full of masculine charm.

"Master! How is it!?"

Ain and the others watched the interaction from the sidelines.

The Harpy was trying to lift the hammer with her wings and strike the anvil.

It was clear she was trying her best, but the power was lacking compared to before.

"You idiot! Don't take blacksmithing lightly! What's with that weak swing? You have strong legs, so use them! Don't worry about your appearance!?"

"Master! It's going to be the same as before! I'm getting confused!"

The master seemed quite unreasonable, but he was probably Mutton, the blacksmith.

His brainy attitude was so full of 'character' that it was almost beautiful.

"Excuse me... Is it okay?"

"Huh? Who are you, and how did you get in here!?"

There's no other way in.

But of course, he didn't point it out, as it would only cause trouble.

He thought it might be fun, but with Krona here, he couldn't play around too much.

"We came in through the entrance. ...We have a recommendation from Earl Balt."

"Through the entrance? Well, you're right... And if it's the young master's recommendation, I can't turn you away. Sit down."

He pointed, and there was an old dining set in that direction.

It wasn't exactly clean, but there was no need to complain.

"Hey, Eme! Bring some tea! It's been a while since we had a customer!"

"Understood, Master! I'll be right back!"

Eme, the Harpy, left the room with a 'whoosh.'

Ain had heard he was a skilled blacksmith, but what did he mean by 'it's been a while since we had a customer'?

"You look like you have a complaint. ...I choose my customers, or rather, the materials. That's why customers don't come often. But don't worry, my skills aren't bad."

His confident demeanor and strong physique.

Looking at him, it didn't seem like his confidence was misplaced.

"You know, I'm Mutton, just a 'skilled' blacksmith."

He extended his hand, saying, "Nice to meet you."

His hand was thick-skinned with many calluses, the hand of a craftsman.

Ain shook hands with Mutton, responding positively.

"I'm—..."

Just as he was about to introduce himself, Mutton spoke first.

"You're the Crown Prince, right? The one with you is from the Glacier family, considering the sword he's carrying. Am I right?"

Ain blinked a few times, and Lloyd smiled, speaking to Mutton.

"...Impressive, Mutton."

The Glacier family's presence meant royalty.

From that, it was clear who this boy was.

"Of course. After all, that sword was made by my real—..."

It felt romantic.

Probably, it was made by Mutton's father.

That's why he recognized Lloyd's sword at first glance.

Lloyd felt the same way and, like Ain, waited for Mutton's next words.

"It was made by my real 'cousin'!"

The romance was on a delicate line and couldn't quite exist.

If it were a real brother, it might have worked, but 'cousin' was a bit too much.

As evidence, Lloyd and Krona behind Ain couldn't close their mouths.

"Huh? What's wrong with you? You can't even speak? ...Hahaha! By the way, that 'cousin' is already dead!"

He laughed heartily, but the surprise he intended and the surprise Ain and the others felt were different. And it wasn't really a laughing matter.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, customers! ...What's with this atmosphere?"

The apprentice Harpy, who had been treated unfairly, returned, but the awkward atmosphere remained.

*

"I see. You have good materials and want a sword made, right?"

"Yes. It's a rare material, so I want a skilled person to handle it."

"That's why the young master recommended you... I understand."

They managed to move on to the blacksmithing discussion despite the earlier atmosphere.

As expected, when it came to blacksmithing, Mutton's attitude was serious.

The playful atmosphere from before was gone. ——But from Mutton's perspective, he wasn't trying to be playful.

"I'll decide whether to take the job after seeing the material. ...Understand, Your Highness?"

His eyes became sharp, and he looked at the material as if evaluating it.

Ain nodded without hesitation and placed the box he brought on the table.

"The material is in here."

Inside was the Living Armor helmet.

To say it was a national treasure-level material would not be an exaggeration.

"Can I open it?"

"Of course. Decide whether to take the job after seeing it."

Mutton smiled at Ain's words.

Behind him, Eme was floating, watching nervously.

"Quite confident, aren't you? As expected of the Crown Prince? The material you bring is quite impressive."

"...I just got lucky. It was just good fortune."

It wasn't just luck, but it was true that he wouldn't have met Marco the knight without using the 'Illusory Hand.'

"I see. But luck is important too. I'll open it without hesitation, then."

Mutton reached for the box and placed his hand on the lid.

It was funny how Eme, floating behind him, was more nervous than Mutton himself.

As everyone watched, the contents of the box were finally revealed.

"Hey, is this...?"

"Master...!"

He must have recognized it immediately.

Considering he called himself a skilled blacksmith, it was natural that he would know about this material.

"Eme, did you recognize it...?"

"Yes...!"

The apprentice Eme was indeed impressive.

Being the apprentice of a blacksmith recommended by an earl, she must have had the knowledge to match... or so he thought.

"——So, Master, what is this?"

That was a line that made Ain speechless.

Eme's character was so strong that he couldn't help but think, 'Impressive.'

As the year-end approaches, there might be days when I can't update.

I'll post an activity report about it, so I'll let you know when it's posted.