Chapter 53

Bart, a squire serving Sir Noein Alquvist, mainly deals with the transportation of supplies.

He is valued for his appearance that easily makes a good impression and his communication skills, and is entrusted with the role of transporting export goods such as lapis lazuli to the Keinitz Viscount's territory, Letvik, and collecting necessary supplies in Letvik to bring back to the Alquvist territory.

Moreover, behind these transportation duties, he has been given instructions such as, "Collect information about the territory outside Letvik" and "Report any useful information for the Alquvist territory regularly."

"Well, I'm going to the workshop, so you guys go ahead and book a room. You can rest today if you want."

"Understood, Master Bart."

"I'll book a room at the usual inn."

When transporting lapis lazuli to Letvik, it often takes time due to procedures with the Miles Trading Company and waiting for the goods to be inspected, so it is common to stay overnight.

After giving instructions to the residents who accompanied him to help with the transportation of supplies, Bart headed to a certain blacksmith's workshop.

This workshop, which boasts one of the largest scales in Letvik, is also a close associate of Noein, and often receives orders for iron farming tools, tools, nails, and other items needed in the Alquvist territory.

Holding the order form entrusted by Noein, Bart entered the large building of the workshop located on the outskirts of the town.

"Hello, I'm here to place an order for farming tools."

"Oh, yes, sir, a squire from the Alquvist territory. I'll call the master right away, please wait a moment."

There is a reception area at the entrance of the workshop, and the employee at the counter immediately responded to Bart.

Since Bart is a regular here as Noein's envoy, there's no need to introduce himself.

After a while, the master of the workshop arrived, still sweating from his forehead, having just finished working.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, sir."

"No, it's fine. I'm the one who keeps coming here unexpectedly..."

"Since you're from the Alquvist territory, it's inevitable that it's urgent. Don't worry about it."

The master, laughing heartily, took the order form from Bart and asked about the details of the order. Each time, the master personally handles the transactions because Bart is an envoy of the noble lord Noein.

"---Understood, I'll take care of it."

"Yes. I'll come to pick it up when I'm in Letvik next time... probably in about two weeks."

"Understood. I'll make sure to have everything ready by then."

Just as the transaction was about to proceed smoothly, an intruder appeared.

"Ah! There you are! Master, please listen to me! Please take a look at this design!"

A young man, holding a piece of paper, marched straight from the workshop's work area behind the reception.

"Hey! You can't come in here!" the receptionist tried to stop him, but the young man reached the master, completely ignoring Bart, who was a customer in the middle of a transaction.

Bart was surprised by the sudden appearance, while the master clearly showed his anger.

"Idiot! Don't come here! It's rude in front of a customer!"

"Customer? Oh, I'm sorry for interrupting your business... but Master! Please, let me make this! You'll understand when you see this design! I've improved it again!"

"Shut up! How many times do I have to tell you that a new guy like you is being too arrogant! Get back to the back!"

Then, a back-and-forth argument began between the young man, who kept insisting, "Listen to me," and the master, who kept ordering, "Get back to the back," and eventually, the master silenced the young man with a punch.

"Ouch... You didn't have to hit me..."

"Damn... Sir, I'm sorry to show you such an unseemly scene. This guy recently transferred from another workshop. He's skilled, but he causes trouble like this all the time."

It turns out that this young man has been fired from several workshops in Letvik for causing such disturbances.

He was born in a village near Letvik, where his family ran a blacksmith's shop. He has been exposed to blacksmithing since childhood and is skilled, but his behavior has prevented him from fitting in at any workshop.

The reason is that he is always eager to "develop new things." In every workshop he has worked at, he has persistently pestered the master with ideas like, "I thought of this tool" and "I want to make this," and has been fired. Now, he is doing the same here.

Incidentally, he is currently boasting about having "developed a new weapon that will change the nature of war."

The master, having given in, once allowed him to develop it, but the prototype that was created was too immature and useless.

"That's why I keep telling him to stop dreaming and focus on his training, but he won't listen. I hired him because I know his family's blacksmith, but this is... Oh, I'm sorry, sir, for complaining to you."

"No, it seems like you have a tough job, Master."

Bart responded with a polite smile. He could imagine the difficulty of having a problematic subordinate, as his own lord, Noein, had recently struggled with the handling of a certain slave.

"Still, a 'weapon that will change the nature of war'... I used to be on the battlefield, so I'm a bit interested."

"Oh! Sir, you're interested!? Will you listen to me!?"

When Bart showed interest, the young man pounced on him like a predator that had found new prey.

"Idiot! Don't pester customers indiscriminately! Besides, it's too early for a young guy like you to develop anything! A blacksmith should focus on training when they're young! I did the same and gained experience!"

"Your thinking is outdated! If you have the talent for development, age doesn't matter! If someone gives me more time and budget for development, I can create something that will change the world!"

"There's no such person! Stop spouting nonsense! Do you want to get fired from here too!?"

The young man and the master started arguing again. Just by listening to their argument, Bart understood why they didn't get along.

He could understand the master's point of view. Generally, craftsmen spend their youth as apprentices and only have the freedom to do as they please once they become independent and have their own workshop.

In the northwest of the Roadberg Kingdom, where peace prevails and social changes are minimal, such conservative thinking is particularly strong. Of course, the master is deeply immersed in this way of thinking, which the ambitious young man finds disagreeable.

In the heat of the argument, the young man had dropped his design on the floor, and Bart picked it up and glanced at it.

(This... Lord Noein might be interested in this.)

Bart, responsible for transporting supplies outside the territory and gathering information, decided to report this incident to Noein.