Chapter 64

"This is as far as I can go. It's just like the past. I've done the work up to this point and handed it over to the dwarves, so the rest is up to you."

"But... even the finishing touches on the remaining work are beyond our current skills."

"Then you need to learn."

As I said this with a smile, enthusiasm began to light up Golgoda's face.

"Well... can you... teach us those skills!"

"It's not free. It's a give and take. Is that okay?"

"Of course! If we can match the skills of our ancestors, I'd sell my soul to the devil!"

"Ah... teach us! I'll do whatever you say!"

"Teach us! No, teach us, Master!"

Look at how quickly they changed their stance.

"Alright. Then..."

The look in their eyes that had seen me as a mere youth was completely gone.

It's hard to believe something until you see it with your own eyes.

It's difficult to see the seasoned blacksmith in a human boy who has just come of age, not being a dwarf.

As I trailed off in thought, the dwarves looked at me with tension.

"Let's start with my work first."

But the moment I said this, they seemed to lose their energy and stumbled.

I feel bad for them, but there's a hierarchy in work.

The main reason I came here.

While maintaining the facilities of the fief is a goal, the top priority is something else.

"Your work?"

"In fact, I came to the Yellow Rock Tribe to borrow the Dialogue Route."

"The Dialogue Route?"

"I was entrusted with a final work, and I need to finish it myself."

As I said this, I took out two items wrapped in cloth from the bag on my back.

"Are those swords?"

As I unwrapped the cloth and held up the items, the dwarves' eyes began to sparkle, instinctively realizing that these were unfinished swords.

"Hmm..."

"Amazing!"

"Incredible..."

Even though they are unfinished, and the dwarves' skills are not what they used to be, they are still renowned craftsmen of their time.

They were clearly surprised as they looked at the two crude swords I had taken out.

The dwarves' faces were a mix of shock and amazement.

* * *

This is something that makes you suspect a jinx.

-Why do people always look at you like that when you show them something? You'll end up being arrested for blasphemy one day.

'With the stigmata I've received, would I even fear divine punishment?'

-Tsk tsk. Real divine punishment is inflicted by humans, not gods.

The skills I showed were impressive, but the dwarves' gazes were directed at the two swords I had taken out.

They were longer than daggers but shorter than longswords, and their design was distinctly different from the continent's weapons, but the craftsmen seemed to immediately recognize what they were.

"Hey, what are these swords!"

The 1st Elder and the Yellow Rock Tribe's best craftsman, Golgoda, cautiously asked me, representing the shocked dwarves.

"How do they look?"

"What do you mean, 'how do they look!' What are these... Did you make them?!"

"No, I didn't make them. I'm going to finish them now."

Even with the materials, I still lack the skill to make such swords.

These twin swords were likely made by the blacksmith Surt at the end of his life.

"Then... the blacksmith who made these swords..."

"He's dead. A long time ago."

"Ah! I'm sorry."

Perhaps he had made some assumptions based on my words.

Golgoda stepped back with a troubled expression and bowed his head.

It's not a lie that he's dead, so I don't feel guilty, but seeing the old dwarf flustered made me chuckle.

"He died a long time ago. It's been thousands of years."

Perhaps he understood my meaning.

Golgoda's eyes widened as if they would pop out.

"Thousands of years ago? Could it be...!"

The problem is that the swords' performance has improved several times over due to the long period of maturation.

While the materials are inferior to those of the divine sword Kaldiras, the performance is unpredictable due to the long-term circulation of mana and refinement.

-It's not wine, but maturation.

'The mana processing method requires a certain period of maturation. The initial sword... no, the new sword I'm making also needs thorough management and waiting for a few months before further work.'

-I see.

'The difficulty is clearly different.'

Silently running my hand over the blade, I narrowed my eyes.

How should I finish them?

The quality of the items is so high that I'm genuinely conflicted.

Even with 10% left, the tension is palpable.

The work time won't be long, but the quality of the swords will vary greatly depending on how much effort I put in during that short time.

"Hey... do you have any finishing materials?"

"Hmm? No. I was thinking of using an alloy with mithril, so I'll borrow some of the materials here."

I can't expect high-quality materials right away, but in a dwarf village, I should be able to find good mithril.

Ideally, I'd like orichalcum or adamantium, but those are extremely rare and hard to find.

But as they say, good things come to those who wait, and the problem was unexpectedly solved.

"Wait! I'll give you my workshop! Although my skills are inferior to yours, I've managed it thoroughly! You'll have all the tools you need to fully demonstrate your abilities!"

"Hmm?"

A personal workshop is almost sacred territory for a craftsman. But Golgoda shouted with a passionate face.

"And, I have some finishing materials to offer!"

He's not just cooperating because I offered to teach new skills.

His eyes were filled with the desire to see the completion of Surt's final work.

The initial excitement over the Dawn Flash had long faded.

Hey, you shouldn't do that.

It feels like the roles have been reversed, but they look like they're dying to see what I'll show them next.

"If you can, you might create a sword that rivals a divine sword! Wait for me!"

Like his tail was on fire, he dashed off somewhere, and the dwarves looked surprised.

"Golgoda, you can't be serious!"

"Is he going to bring it out?!"

"He's crazy! He never showed it to anyone, even when many elders asked to see it!"

Surprised by their outburst, I looked at them curiously.

What could it be that they're reacting like this?

My curiosity was quickly answered when I received a small item from the breathless Golgoda.

Mana, but a different kind of mana, was intensely felt.

"What is this?"

Narrowing my eyes at the unfamiliar mana, I unwrapped the cloth to reveal a white object.

Almost instinctively, I realized what it was.

-Bone?

'Crazy.'

"It's a dragon bone left by our ancestors long ago. It seems to have contained mana for a long time."

My face went blank at the unexpected finishing material.

I was genuinely shocked.

"It's a family heirloom passed down from our first elder. No one has been able to handle it, so it has been kept safe... but with you..."

He looked at me with a passionate gaze.

Unlike the initial design, the unfinished swords had matured over thousands of years with the circulation of mana.

"Wow."

An involuntary sigh of admiration escaped my lips.

Again, I'm a slightly lesser craftsman compared to Surt.

But that doesn't mean I can't do what he did.

The path of a craftsman is the closest to the saying "the student surpasses the teacher."

I had a strong feeling that something incredible was about to be born.

* * *

"Ahem! Master! Look at me!"

One of the elder dwarves, glancing around, hesitantly approached.

"About this... I heard that Golgoda offered you everything..."

"Yes, I did receive excessive gifts."

"So, since you've received the best materials and are using a personal workshop, wouldn't it be a bit difficult? How about using my workshop instead?"

"This... this old man!"

"Ah!"

"Get lost! What are you trying to touch where I've laid my claim!"

"Hey! Why should you get all the glory!"

"You're right! This is tyranny!"

"Our personal workshops are no less than yours! Master should choose himself!"

"What, what?!"

In an instant, it turned into a chaotic scene, and they looked ready to come to blows.

Dwarves are known for their hot tempers and quick reactions.

If left unchecked, they would likely come to blows.

It seemed I needed to intervene to prevent this.

"Alright, calm down."

"Ahem!"

"Since Elder Golgoda was the first to offer, it's only right to use his workshop."

"Ahem! If Master says so..."

"If you need anything, just let me know! I'll gladly get it for you!"

"Ah! I have a very small amount of orichalcum!"

"No! This old man?! Then I'll bring out our family heirloom! The Thorsrim reagent I've matured for 100 years!"

The 6th Elder, Perdom, shouted as if in an auction.

"Hey!! 100g of adamantium! Our family heirloom! To be used in the work of Surt! This material will let us brag for decades!"

"No way! Is that important?! It's an heirloom!"

"Hey, old man! It's better to invest in this than to let the material go to waste! And, what's that reagent in your hand? You always refused to show it to me!"

Unable to lose, the 7th Elder, Lancel, shouted.

As the dwarves began to bring out their treasures one by one, the atmosphere grew competitive, and shouts echoed from all directions.

One by one, the materials they brought out were impressive.

Even for dwarves, it's hard to easily obtain such high-quality materials.

Especially rare metals like orichalcum and adamantium are so precious that a dwarf might see them only once in a lifetime of blacksmithing.

When they are found, the quantity is minimal, and they are accumulated over generations to make a single piece.

It's not surprising that they are called family heirlooms.