Chapter 68

After picking up a few items, I left Camilo's shop. The town isn't as large or as crowded as the capital, but it's no less vibrant. Walking through the streets, four of us—three women and one man—pulled a cart (though only I and Rike were actually pulling it), so we certainly drew attention. However, there were a few other groups with similar compositions, though without carts. Most of them were still in their travel gear, and they were probably the adventurers.

I intended to live my second life in this world as a "blacksmith." But if I had received a different cheat, I might have been traveling like them. As I idly watched the travelers,

"What, Eizou, do you want to go on a journey?"

Sermia noticed me. Her voice made Rike and Diana pay attention to me.

"Not at all. I came here from the north for a 'reason.' I don't want to go through that kind of hardship again."

I lied. I was worried Sermia might see through it, but the "reason" and "coming from elsewhere" parts weren't lies. It was just the method of my arrival that was a bit unusual.

"Well, if you're just going out for a bit of sightseeing, it might not be bad."

"Hmm."

Sermia seemed to lose interest in the topic. I was relieved she didn't see through it, and I could hear Rike and Diana sigh in relief.

"What's wrong, you two?"

"The boss is kind of unreliable, you know. It's not about his blacksmithing skills or the risk of being attacked, but he seems like the type who might suddenly disappear without a word. I think Sermia was probably thinking the same thing, which is why she asked."

Rike said this, and Diana nodded beside her. Well, it's true that I did just suddenly appear from another world.

"At least I won't disappear without telling my 'family.'"

"Okay!"

Rike and the other two smiled in relief.

On the way back, we remained vigilant, but nothing happened, and we returned safely. Apart from the incident with Diana, nothing out of the ordinary has happened since I arrived, which is quite fortunate. I don't know if there's a god in this world, but if there is, I should be grateful.

When we got home, we unloaded the items. Sermia and Diana helped bring firewater and salt into the house, while Rike and I stored the iron ore and coal in the workshop. The consumption of iron ore hasn't been keeping up with the supply. However, since we don't know what might happen, it's good to stockpile iron ore. We can continue receiving supplies from Camilo for a while, and we might consider building a warehouse before it becomes a problem.

After we finished unloading, Sermia called me over.

"What's up?"

"I smell rain. Given the wind direction, it might last a while."

"How long?"

"I can't say for sure, but probably not a week. Maybe three days."

"Got it."

We don't have enough water bottles to store three days' worth of water. It's only a 30-minute round trip, so I'll go fetch tomorrow's water today.

After fetching the water, I prepared dinner. It's the usual menu. I added extra pepper to the soup since I bought more. Tonight, Rike, who has traveled extensively, and Diana, who occasionally went on trips with her father, shared stories about places they had been. The iron ore seems to be mined from a mountain they saw when they left the capital. I'd like to visit it if I get the chance.

The next day, the rain that had probably started in the middle of the night continued. It was quite heavy, so I was grateful I had fetched the water the day before.

Today, we replenished the sheets of metal. We melted the iron ore in the furnace and hammered the iron. Diana joined us this time. At this stage, it's not too demanding. The furnace continuously spewed out iron, and we kept making sheets of metal. By the end of the day, we had produced a considerable amount. Diana, being new to the task, was quite exhausted.

"Good job, Diana."

"Do you always do this?"

"We have to do this at least once a week to keep up with the materials."

"Your strength must come in handy for this kind of work."

"Sermia and Rike are naturally strong, but maybe for me too."

I got some of my strength from the "cheat." Sermia and Rike, who had been listening, flexed their muscles playfully. Both of them had impressive biceps. Diana laughed, and the workshop was filled with laughter, marking the end of the day's work.

As Sermia predicted, the rain continued the next day, but it was much lighter than the day before. I quickly went to fetch water.

"Phew, I'm all wet."

When I returned, drenched, Diana said,

"Welcome back. You should dry off. Here, take this."

She handed me a cloth.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Diana smiled. I quickly returned to my room to avoid her seeing my embarrassed face.

"Today, I'm going to make something new."

The three of them gave a modest round of applause.

"What are you going to make, boss!?"

Rike asked excitedly, her eyes sparkling. She really loves this kind of thing.

"A halberd."

"A halberd?"

Sermia tilted her head, not quite getting it. You don't see them much unless you're on a battlefield. Even the town guards carried short spears.

"Like a combination of a spear and an axe."

"Wow, that sounds strong."

"It is."

Depending on the situation, a halberd can do more than just thrust and cut, making it more versatile. Diana asked,

"But why make a halberd? Will it sell?"

"Yes, I have a buyer in mind."

I smiled at Diana's question.