Chapter 71 The Blacksmith Trembles
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Tatara, your ideas are… how should I say this… completely out of this world,” Sister Kareha said.
”I don’t mind if you don’t understand them, Sister Kareha,” I replied.
I had just stepped into the forge, ready to start crafting new equipment, when she made that comment. I couldn’t blame her for choosing her words carefully—but I’d been told the same thing so many times that I was used to it.
First, I placed her shield and a lump of iron into the furnace to melt them down. The real challenge was separating the mixed magic metals inside the iron. If I didn’t do that properly, it would be a mess later. A good weapon only comes from a perfect balance of materials—that’s my personal rule. As the metal melted, I used my crafting skill to sort the materials.
Mithril. Orichalcum. Adamantite. I divided them into their kinds. Most of the weapon would be Adamantite, though I planned to add a little Orichalcum. The rest I would save for her shield. Even so, there’d still be some Adamantite left—enough to make gauntlets or greaves later, maybe.
Now, for the sword mace. It was my first time working with Adamantite, but its nature felt similar to Demonsteel—surprisingly easy to shape. I began forging right away, combining Adamantite and Orichalcum. Both were tough and stubborn metals; Adamantite resisted mana flow, while Orichalcum demanded a huge amount of it to bend. Still, I guided the mana carefully, finding a path through both metals until they softened under the hammer.
I set a core of Orichalcum, then wrapped it with layers of Adamantite. Strike, fold, strike again—sixteen cycles. By the end, I had forged a composite magic alloy with nearly two hundred thousand layers. I shaped the blade to about one hundred and thirty centimeters, then started grinding. It was so hard that I had to push mana through it just to soften it enough to sharpen.
Slowly, patiently, I polished the blade. When it was done, the sword shimmered black, like the night sky trapped inside. The edge glowed faintly gold where the Orichalcum surfaced. Using orc material for the grip, the whole weapon stretched to one hundred fifty centimeters—six centimeters thick, ten wide. The blade itself was blunt-edged, yet the Orichalcum would react to its wielder’s mind, sharpening as they willed it.
Because the forging had fused the two metals completely, the sword inherited both their traits: about eighty percent of Adamantite’s toughness and sixty percent of Orichalcum’s mental resonance. If I could master this craft, I might one day make something that fully carries both. Even now, I had a feeling this sword was far more dangerous than it looked.
”Sister Kareha, the sword mace is ready. Please, take it.”
Wiping the sweat from my forehead, I handed the weapon to her. She accepted it reverently, eyes wide in surprise.
”It looks like a greatsword,” she murmured, “but yes… it’s definitely a mace.”
The broad face and heavy thickness must have triggered her hammer mastery skill. I felt mine flare the moment I held it too.
”How does it feel?” I asked.
”It fits perfectly,” she said, testing the balance with a small swing. “The weight is good, the reach is just right. You truly have a gift, Tatara.”
She smiled at me—a bright, confident smile, but with a wildness behind it, like a predator showing its fangs. I shivered. Terrifying.
”I’ll start on your shield next,” I said. “It’s a magic device, so it’ll take some time. I’d like to focus for a while, if that’s alright.”
”Of course,” she said. “I’ll practice in the garden while you work.”
She seemed to understand what I meant and stepped outside.
Now, time to cheat a little. I pulled out a stash of large mana stones—mostly gathered by Dahlia and the others. Apparently, they’d fought an absurd number of liches and brought back several huge stones from their corpses, along with the material for the ‘Robe of the Undead King.’ Perfect for what I needed: levitation stones.
For the main shield, I used Mithril, Orichalcum, and a touch of Adamantite—just like the sword mace. When finished, it was a small kite-shaped shield, closer to a heater shield in form. It wouldn’t cover the whole body, but that wasn’t its true purpose. On the back, I carved spell formulas for ‘Barrier’ and ‘Telepathy.’ That would be the parent unit.
Next, I forged more Mithril and Orichalcum together for the smaller sub-shields. I shaped them into trapezoids, carved the same kind of runes—this time adding ‘Sensing’—and set a levitation stone into each base, locking it in place with crafting skill.
Six of those sub-shields fit into the main one, forming a complete magical defense system. All that remained was to paint the symbol of the Maiden across the front—but before that, I needed Sister Kareha’s opinion. And I still had some Adamantite left; I wanted to ask her how best to use it.
So, I stepped outside, shield in hand—just in time for a thunderous boom that rattled my bones. I raised the shield on instinct as a shockwave slammed into me. Peeking from behind it, I saw something out of a nightmare.
Two monsters in human form were clashing at terrifying speed—gold-haired Calmys, the war god’s saint, and Sister Kareha herself. Their weapons struck faster than my eyes could follow.
”The saint blessed by the war god is truly powerful,” I murmured.
”Don’t flatter me,” Calmys said. “No one without a shield has ever deflected my strikes so easily.”
”You honor me,” Kareha replied politely.
They smiled—sharp, dangerous smiles—and traded another blinding series of blows. Wait. That sword mace weighs several times more than Calmys’s weapon. How on earth was Kareha swinging it that fast?
”Heh,” Calmys laughed between strikes. “To think I’d face you, armed with Julon’s weapon!”
”I have no wish to stand against the war god,” Kareha said, her voice calm.
”Strange words, coming from the woman said to have slaughtered a hundred bandits who attacked the church and made them repent through blood.”
”Oh, that was just my wild youth, you know?”
…Wait. A hundred bandits? What exactly was her past?!
”Hey, Tatara…”
A familiar voice spoke beside me. I turned to see my childhood friend—the idiot—creeping closer, looking genuinely frightened. If even he was scared, this must be serious.
”So, the saint Calmys is one of your regulars,” he said, “but why is that holy knight Kareha at your forge?”
”…Paladin?” I asked blankly.
”You didn’t know? Of course you didn’t…” He sighed—a mix of disbelief and reluctant respect.
”That woman is one of the top three battle-saints in the entire Healer Maiden order. Her stories are soaked in blood.”
”…Wait, Sister Kareha? That kind woman?”
”You’re the only one who can bring out that side of her,” my friend said.
Was that true? I always thought she was someone who returned kindness with kindness, a person who quietly watched over others.
”Listen,” he went on, “that story Saint Calmys mentioned—the hundred bandits? That’s nothing. She once protected an innocent man accused of a crime and defeated fifty of the war god’s knights. Then there’s the one where she wiped out a cult trying to break the Demon Lord’s seal. Oh, and she took down a fallen spirit all by herself.”
”…She sounds like the hero of a legend.”
”You’re not wrong. And that’s one of her smaller stories.”
Smaller? That didn’t match the calm Sister Kareha I knew—but looking at her now, maybe it did. If that counted as minor, what did she do on a large scale?
”In any other sect she’d be named a saint,” he said. “The Healer Maiden only grants that title to doctors or apothecaries, but what she’s done—she’s basically a hero.”
”Yeah, no kidding.”
On the field, Calmys swung her flaming blade, Fiero, sending waves of light slashing through the air. Sister Kareha blocked and deflected each one with her sword mace, graceful and unyielding. One mistake, and she’d be cut in half.
”So… that shield you’re holding?” my friend asked.
”That’s hers too,” I said. “Don’t even ask me to explain how it works.”
”How long do you think they’ll keep going?”
”She said her stamina was dropping earlier, but honestly, she still has more than me.”
”I wouldn’t stand a chance against either of them.”
We both stared from a safe distance, watching two monsters tear the garden apart with their duel. Then, a voice rang out behind us.
”Ta~ta~ra♪”
The City Mayor. And she was furious. My idiot friend started shaking beside me.
”Why,” she began, smiling in that terrifying way, “do you keep creating projects that give me stomachaches? The power plant modifications, Sister Kareha’s equipment—care to explain why you keep multiplying my headaches?”
Scary. Purely, physically scary. Her pupils were wide even as she smiled. If she’d been holding a knife, I’d have dropped to my knees in apology.
”T-the power plant upgrades were to reduce risk during operation—”
”I read the report and had to spend an entire day in bed afterwards.”
”So that’s why you didn’t show up yesterday…”
”And then, when that bird-shaped golem dropped off more files in the middle of the night, I was still finishing two days’ worth of paperwork! Tell me, Tatara, do you hate me? Do you?”
”C-could you please stop repeating the last word? It’s… kind of terrifying.”
”…Haa?”
”Nothing! I said nothing!”
Terrifying. Absolutely terrifying.
”So, about that shield?” she said coolly.
”Ah—well—”
”Show me.”
”It’s not really—”
”Show. Me.”
”Yes, ma’am.”
Help. Someone.
”…How much are you charging for this thing?” she asked.
”Uh, well, money wasn’t really—”
”Tatara, this is worth billions just in technical fees. Including materials? Maybe not ten, but definitely over five billion.”
”Eep.”
My idiot friend squeaked. Not that I blamed him. The shield used Adamantite, Orichalcum, and Mithril—the three great magic metals—plus mana stones and levitation cores. Add in a linked set of child and parent shields forming a complete barrier network… yeah, if that didn’t cost billions, it would be a scam.
”…You were planning to donate it to the church, weren’t you?” she said.
”…Yes.”
”Tatara, I know she’s like a mother to you, but there’s a limit to generosity. You already donate half a million regularly, plus food support. That’s not charity—it’s obsession.”
She sighed, though her voice softened a little.
”You probably think I don’t notice,” she went on, “but sometimes you send me those cost-ignored ‘gifts,’ don’t you?”
”I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
”Accessories engraved with barrier magic that I’ve never seen even in my homeland. Healing crystals sealed with top-tier recovery spells. And that inner shirt you made with Mithril silver thread—what was that supposed to be, a secret armor?”
”…I’m sorry.”
Yeah, she knew everything. The accessories and crystals were things I’d sent her ages ago with Calmys’s help, and the shirt was a recent gift—a hidden armor I’d made after coming into a good stock of Mithril. Calmys had been speechless that time too.
”I was actually thinking,” I said weakly, “of making a reusable healing crystal by embedding an ‘egg’ into a seal core—”
”Don’t you dare. My stomach will literally explode.”
She pressed her fingers to her temple, sighing again. And yes, I knew I was the cause of her constant headaches, but still—if she kept sighing like that, happiness was going to flee her forever.
”Tatara,” my friend muttered, “what kind of stuff are you making these days?”
”Hey, I know what I’m doing. I tailor everything to the user’s ability. You couldn’t handle half the weapons I’ve built.”
”Of course not! Your serious-level equipment would be overkill for me anyway.”
He couldn’t help but jump into the conversation.
”Oh? And you are?” the mayor asked, finally noticing him.
”Ah, sorry. I’m his childhood friend.”
”I see. That must be exhausting.”
”Well, I’m used to it,” he said with a small smile. “He’s my best friend.”
”Then treasure that bond,” she said kindly.
She’d only just noticed him—understandable, since her rage had probably narrowed her vision until now.
”So,” she said, turning back to us, “what did you come here for?”
”Oh, right.” He turned to me. “Tatara, about my armor?”
”Yeah, it’s ready. Try it on.”
Ignoring the ongoing chaos in the garden, I brought out his armor and gauntlets. His eyes lit up at the red cloak that came with the set. I helped him put on each piece, adjusting the fit as I explained the features.
”How does it feel?” I asked.
”A bit tight under the arms, and the fingers feel loose.”
”Got it.”
I quickly fixed what he pointed out, then had him swing his weapons to test the range of motion. Any flaw, no matter how small, could cost his safety during exploration—so I refused to cut corners. I didn’t even notice when the battle behind us stopped; I just kept adjusting the armor.
”Well?” I asked.
”…Perfect,” he said at last, his voice almost reverent. “I didn’t know it’d feel this incredible to have gear made just for me.”
Grinning, he drew two swords—one in each hand—and began to move. His twin-blade dance was smooth and full of spirit. It wasn’t elegant, but it carried the weight of his effort, the strength he’d built over time. It was honestly beautiful.
”Let me see those,” I said. “I can fix some wear I’m noticing.”
”Hey—”
”Consider it a gift. Your first custom armor deserves it. Next time, order your swords in Demonsteel.”
I hurried back to the workshop and made the quick repairs. The single-edged sword needed more than just mana; I reforged it lightly with an iron ingot, tightening the grip and improving balance.
”Here,” I said, handing both back.
”Ten minutes. You finished both in ten minutes?”
”That’s normal for me. No complaints.”
He laughed softly, looking down at his beloved swords, then up at me. Around us, the adults—Calmys, Kareha, even the mayor—watched our exchange with gentle smiles.
”So Julon does have friends his own age,” Calmys said.
”Of course he does! Don’t sound so surprised.”
”I was simply worried,” she said. “He’s always surrounded by women. It’s nice to see a healthy friendship.”
”Hey, don’t make it sound like I’m usually unhealthy,” I groaned.
”Whatever happens, treasure that friendship,” Calmys said gently.
”…I will,” I replied.
Teased by Calmys, comforted by Sister Kareha, and scolded by the City Mayor—I really was blessed with good adults around me.
”Sorry,” my friend said, tightening his armor straps. “I want to test this gear out, so I’ll head straight to the field.”
”Oh, didn’t mean to keep you waiting.”
”Don’t worry about it. I got to see a mock battle between Saint Calmys and the temple knight Kareha—that’s a once-in-a-lifetime show. Plus, I’m walking away with this amazing armor and Ethelena’s cooking. Any more luck today would just be greedy.”
”I see. Then go.”
”Yeah, see you soon!”
I watched him leave. I didn’t tell him to come back safely. Partly because it was embarrassing—but mostly because I trusted he would. That’s how friendship between men works.
”…Oh? He already left?”
Ethelena appeared right on cue, carrying a tray with light snacks and tea for everyone. Too bad he had just gone—but the food wouldn’t go to waste.
”Good morning,” I said.
Or rather, that greeting came from behind me. Dahlia stumbled out of her room, hair a mess, eyes red, rubbing her face with one hand.
”…Go wash your face, Dahlia.”
”Yes, maaaster…”
She shuffled off toward the wash basin with a limp reply.
”She seems lively as ever,” Ethelena said with a smile.
”Oh, she’s full of energy. Whenever she sees one of my magic devices, she gets so excited she starts talking a mile a minute.”
”What kind of situation is that…”
You’ll understand when she sees Sister Kareha’s shield, I thought.
Just then, Kareha turned her gaze toward me and the shield I was holding.
”So, Tatara,” she said. “That is my shield, isn’t it?”
”Yes. Please test it first, and if anything feels off, I’ll rebuild it.”
”…You would rebuild this magic device?”
The City Mayor looked at me, half in disbelief. What’s so strange about that? If I’m using the same materials, it’s fine.
Kareha accepted the shield and strapped it to her left arm. It looked like a small kite shield, but its power wasn’t in its shape.
”It’s a bit small, and slightly heavy,” she noted.
”All right, Sister Kareha—please activate the shield.”
”Activate…?”
”Yes. As I mentioned yesterday, this is a magic device. Pour your mana into it to awaken its true power.”
”…It is a shield, right?”
”Absolutely.”
Cautiously, she flowed mana into the core. The shield glowed, then six small panels floated off it, circling her like satellites. The child units hovered in perfect balance around her—the setup worked.
”Ta–Tatara! The shield’s separating and surrounding me!?”
”Good! That means it’s working. Try moving them with your thoughts.”
”Thoughts!? You expect me to control them!?”
”…You know,” the Mayor said, “that’s strangely nostalgic.”
”Yes,” Calmys murmured, “we haven’t seen that kind of reaction in a while.”
Both women looked oddly sentimental watching Kareha’s confusion.
I coached her through the control process until she got used to it. An hour later…
”Ha-ha-ha! Now this is true iron defense, Paladin Kareha!” Calmys shouted.
”I’m no longer a temple knight, Saint Calmys!” Kareha yelled back.
And just like that—round two of their monster brawl began. My poor garden’s HP had dropped far below zero. Please, just don’t destroy the teleportation gate.
”That shield of yours is troublesome!”
”Your sword disappears when you swing—it’s unfair!”
”You’re blocking it just fine!”
”And you’re breaking through my barrier like it’s nothing!”
They exchanged words and blows at equal pace. Honestly, seeing someone keep up with Calmys like that was impressive. Also… why was the barrier, meant for magical defense, blocking physical strikes too?
”Magnificent!” Dahlia suddenly exclaimed, her voice echoing like a preacher’s. “That is the defensive magic device crafted by the great artisan Tatara Julon! A system that unites a main unit with six sub-shields—creating a complex, layered defense! The levitation stones resonate to amplify the barrier’s power, generating repulsion strong enough to deflect even physical attacks! A sacred wall of light, turning faith itself into protection! If our Automaton Maidens bore such shields, we would be the holy warriors of the gods!”
”…Tatara,” the Mayor said dryly, “what’s wrong with her?”
”She’s fine. This is normal.”
Dahlia had just come back from washing her face and immediately launched into her speech. The Mayor looked horrified, but honestly, I’d stopped being surprised long ago.
So the levitation stones boosted the barrier’s physical strength—good to know. I wouldn’t have figured that out without her explanation.
”Master, I want one of those shields too!”
”Impossible. We don’t have enough materials.”
”But we have plenty of Mithril, don’t we!?”
”We’re short on Orichalcum and Adamantite. Besides, if I make that, your Arcane Armor project will be delayed.”
”Ugh… fine. I’ll wait.”
”Good girl.”
I ruffled her hair; she scowled. Guess she didn’t like it as much as the foolish fox did.
”Tatara,” Ethelena called, “what about dinner?”
”Oh, right. Time to start prep. Let’s see what we have…”
”You’re all awfully calm, considering the garden’s in ruins,” the Mayor muttered.
Thinking too hard about it was pointless, I figured.
Tonight’s menu: seasoned rice with soy sauce, mirin, cooking wine, chicken, and minced ginger. Let it rest an hour before cooking. Chicken takikomi rice—would’ve been better with mushrooms or fried tofu, but the Whirlwind doesn’t stock those.
For the side, simple salted salmon—or rather, salt-pickled salmon. Rinse carefully to remove excess salt, then steam it with sake. I didn’t have a grill, so I placed a handmade mesh in the pan and cooked it that way. Everyone wasn’t home yet, so I focused on getting things ready.
”My, Tatara,” a warm voice said behind me, “you’ve improved quite a bit.”
I nearly jumped. Getting spoken to right when I was focused always startled me.
I turned to see Sister Kareha, holding her shield with one hand.
”How’s the balance?” I asked.
”It’s perfect. It suits me even better than my old kite shield.”
She smiled softly. Looked like she truly liked it. All that was left was to paint the Healer Maiden’s image on the front—and it would be complete.
I took the shield back for a moment, held a mana stone in one hand, and activated my crafting skill. In my mind, I pictured the familiar statue from the church—the image of the Healer Maiden who brought comfort to all people. Using that vision, I etched her figure onto the surface of the shield.
When I was done, what appeared wasn’t quite what I expected. It was the image of a woman gently placing her hand on the head of a young man kneeling in prayer. …Wait. What?
”How—how did it end up like this?” I muttered aloud.
Calmys leaned in to look, then froze. Her expression said it all—she’d seen something like this before. Kareha, curious, stepped closer too.
”Oh my, how adorable!” she exclaimed.
Adorable? That wasn’t the reaction I expected.
”So this is how you see the Healer Maiden,” Kareha said, smiling. “Gently blessing you as you pray… What a sweet image.”
”Wait—me? That’s supposed to be me?”
I hadn’t copied any painting, just the statue I always saw at Kareha’s church. But now that I looked closer, yes—the background matched that place perfectly.
”That’s amazing, Tatara,” Ethelena said. “Even if we ignore that it includes a self-portrait, you really captured the Maiden’s gentle spirit.”
”Hold on—so that is me?”
”Obviously. It looks exactly like you.”
How could anyone tell? It was just a carved relief!
”Julon,” Calmys said suspiciously, “you haven’t been… projecting your own image into divine statues again, have you?”
”Uh… maybe?”
”…You know that war god statue? The one that was extremely inappropriate?”
”I’m sorry!”
I bowed my head so fast I nearly hit the floor. The statue I made at the head temple had gone missing back then—apparently, they’d found it.
”So it really was you,” Calmys sighed. “Relax, only I, the pope, and a few priestesses know. The war god himself seemed amused.”
”Wait—seriously?”
”Believe it or not, yes.”
What in the world…? Then again, judging from the Archangel’s request yesterday, weird art was trending among the gods lately. What strange taste they had.
Anyway, Kareha seemed delighted with the new engraving, so I couldn’t exactly erase it now. Great. I was stuck with it.
”Thank you for such a wonderful piece of equipment, Tatara,” Kareha said warmly. “As for your payment…”
But before she could continue, the City Mayor interrupted.
”Sister Kareha, may I speak about the technical fee for this equipment?”
”Oh? Of course, Mayor.”
”The problem is Tatara went a little overboard—the cost of this item is astronomical.”
”Wait, Mayor! I didn’t—”
”Julon,” Calmys said firmly, “no excuses. Family ties don’t matter here. If the next Chief Crafter of Whirlwind starts giving away billion-credit work for free, it will cause serious issues across the guild.”
”…!!”
Her words hit hard. Right now, no one in the city matched my crafting ability. If I accepted massive commissions and delivered them almost free, other crafters could be exploited—pressured to do the same under my example.
To protect them, I had to cut personal ties. Even with someone like Kareha, who was as close as family. It felt like betrayal. My stomach churned.
”I see,” Kareha said softly. “In that case, there’s no problem. I already know what I’ll give you as compensation.”
She reached into her inventory and pulled out a suit of armor—no, it couldn’t be.
”Is that… an ancient Arcane Armor!?”
And not just any kind—this one radiated power. At current market value, it would be worth at least eight billion. The materials alone—Adamantite, Mithril, Orichalcum—and the fact that it was powered by a divine core… it was insane.
”I found it long ago, during my… wilder days,” Kareha explained. “It never fit me, so I kept it stored away. I think it matches the value of your work, don’t you?”
”You’ve got to be kidding,” I breathed.
Even the Mayor looked queasy. I cast an appraisal just to be sure.
Arcane Armor’Reinforce’
HP +50
Physical Attack +20
Physical Defense +55
Magic Attack +15
Magic Defense +40
Speed +10
Movement +1
Special Abilities: High-Power Artillery, Regeneration
Ridiculous stats. But before I could say anything, someone spoke up without hesitation.
”Master’s creations are stronger,” Dahlia said matter-of-factly.
She didn’t even blink.
”That’s hard to say,” I replied. “The numbers here are definitely higher.”
”But Master,” she said firmly, “you’re forgetting something. Your own Arcane Armor doesn’t even use a divine core. And yet, using Demonsteel and shape-memory alloys—artificial magic metals—you achieved nearly the same results. If you worked with the same materials, your version would surpass this.”
Maybe she was biased—but it was nice to hear her faith in me. A man can’t help but want to live up to that kind of belief.
”Then let’s leave this armor as it is,” I said. “I’ll try upgrading my Black Iron model instead. I want to see what happens if I use an ‘egg’ as the activation core.”
”Yes!” Dahlia said brightly. “Automaton Maiden Dahlia believes that Master Tatara Julon is the greatest craftsman in history!”
Kareha watched us, smiling as if she saw hope itself—someone moving beyond the past toward a better future.
”And also,” she added, “I’ll give you the leftover Adamantite from my weapon’s forging—about two kilos.”
”…What?”
How did she know?
Kareha chuckled at my expression, clearly pleased she’d caught me.
”You were planning to make armor for me with the scraps, weren’t you, Tatara?”
Busted. I felt like a child caught sneaking sweets.
”With this Arcane Armor and the Adamantite, that should be fair payment, don’t you think?”
”…It’s an extravagant—but acceptable—exchange,” the Mayor sighed, looking both tired and relieved. “Very well. I approve Sister Kareha’s compensation.”
Notes:
• Kareha – A human paladin and nun appearing in ch.71. She requests new weapons from Tatara after past battles damaged hers. The order sends her under church duty. Works with Tatara and Dahlia as ally. Close to Ranka. Strong, polite, and fearless.
• Dahlia – The automaton.
• Calmys – War God’s knight, Mayor’s guard chief, whip-master hiding as a swordswoman; sharp tongue, big-sister vibe to Tatara, grants him and Ethelena church protection.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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