Chapter 58

"Well, then it's the scabbard next, right?"

I call out to Camiro and Marius.

"Yeah, that's right. We need a scabbard too."

Camiro says. For a regular longsword, we could just whip up a scabbard without much thought, but since this is a family heirloom...

"Well, I don't know how long it will be an heirloom, but if it's going to be one, it needs a proper scabbard, right?"

"Can you finish it by tomorrow?"

This is Marius.

"Well, I can get it to a usable state, but I'll finish it today."

"Don't make it too ornate. The fake scabbard wasn't that fancy either."

"Is that so? Then I'll make it like that."

"Yeah, thanks."

With that, they left. The next time they come will be for the final delivery. Well, let's get started.

I'll make the base out of wood. I choose an older, denser piece of wood from the materials available. This kind of judgment relies on my cheat. Even though it's an heirloom, using newer wood isn't a problem because we can say it was recently remade. Making a new scabbard for a national treasure or a divine artifact would be much more difficult.

I place the sword on the wood and measure it, then hollow out the wood to fit the shape of the sword. I prepare two pieces of wood, hollowed out half on each side, and glue them together with hide glue. I then shape the exterior with a high-end knife I made as a test. I can also use this knife for the carvings, so I'll add a single pattern of a flower stem and leaves in the center.

Once that's done, I smooth the entire scabbard with the knife, similar to planing. Next, I apply beeswax to the entire surface with a cloth. It's a high-quality item, but since it's an heirloom scabbard, I won't skimp.

I spend a considerable amount of time applying the wax, then move on to the fire pit. I heat a not too large piece of sheet metal and hammer it thin. The thin steel plate will be used for the scabbard's edging. Normally, this would take a lot of time, but thanks to my cheat, it's done in one go.

I attach the extended metal plate around the scabbard and carve patterns with a chisel. These are also plant-like patterns. By the time the sun sets, the scabbard is finally complete. I was woken up quite early in the morning, and Marius and Camiro didn't stay long, so I spent a considerable amount of time on this single scabbard. Even so, what would normally take about a month to complete was finished in one day, thanks to my cheat.

When I sheathe the sword, it looks quite intricate. This should hold its own against the fake. As I stand there, smirking to myself, Camiro and Marius arrive.

"How's it going? You're not behind schedule, are you?"

Camiro asks with a cheerful tone. He doesn't even consider the possibility that it's not done. His trust is both heartwarming and a bit embarrassing.

"It just finished a moment ago. How does it look?"

I show the newly made sword and scabbard to the two of them.

"Oh..."

Marius exclaims in awe.

"With this, we can easily stand up to the fake."

"That's good to hear."

I respond a bit gruffly to Marius's cheerful comment. It's nice to see them happy with what I made, but the embarrassment is still overwhelming.

"Eizou, thank you very much."

"No problem. I owed you one, so I just paid it back."

Marius extends his right hand. I take it and shake it firmly.

"Take a rest for today. I'll come to get you again tomorrow morning."

Camiro says to me.

"Alright, got it."

I decide to follow Camiro's advice and go to sleep. I'd like to sneak out in the middle of the night, but the gate will be closed. It would be less suspicious to leave when it's crowded in the early morning.

The next morning, I wake up before Camiro comes to get me. I wash my face with the water from the jug and prepare to go home. There's not much to prepare since I didn't bring anything. I'll take one of the test knives I made as a replacement for the one I crushed for self-defense. When I get home, I'll make a new "custom model" and use it for self-defense.

When the sun has been up for a while, Camiro and Marius arrive, along with a few women. What's going on?

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

Camiro asks with a grin. I respond, still confused,

"Yeah, I was up before you guys arrived."

I often slept in chairs in my previous world. While I'm still confused, Marius speaks up.

"I'm sorry for the sudden request, but could you change into this?"

He shows me some luxurious clothes.

"Huh?"

My confusion deepens. Why do I need to change into fancy clothes just to go home?

Ignoring my confusion, Marius instructs the women,

"He's not used to this kind of clothing. Help him change."

The women nod and surround me.

"Wait, hold on! Why do I need to change!?"

I almost scream. The women start to undress me efficiently. I hold onto my clothes, but I don't want to damage them, so I occasionally loosen my grip. The women take advantage of this and quickly strip me down to my underwear. At this point, I have no choice but to let them dress me. The fancy clothes are indeed complicated to put on.

Since I didn't resist much, the dressing process is quick. The clothes are similar in design to Marius's, giving off a noble vibe. I hadn't fully processed the situation, but upon closer inspection, Camiro's attire had also improved significantly.

"So? What's the plan? You're not just letting me go home like this, right?"

I ask the two of them with a reluctant expression. Marius, unable to contain his laughter, responds,

"We're going to confront my brother. And you'll be joining us."