Chapter 417-2 First Day of the ‘Grand Market’ (Part VII)
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”It’s Gargantua.”
”I’ve heard a lot about you from Elberhardt and Shinji.”
Toldo removes his glasses and grins.
”I’ll take care of the maintenance. How about one small gold coin for both?”
”Is it really okay to charge so little?”
Hernando asks, taken aback.
Indeed, it seemed too cheap for a blacksmith renowned as the best in the kingdom.
”I’ve fallen in love with this tachi and great naginata. That’s the reason.”
Toldo replied, maintaining his smile.
* * *
”My master was also a katana blacksmith. He passed away before he could teach me the art of sword-forging.”
Toldo sat at a table in the corner of the shop, puffing on a pipe.
A few young male and female adventurers who had been in the store earlier had each bought one of the well-crafted knives and left.
Their faces were filled with satisfied smiles.
(Even though they were just knives, they were crafted by the renowned master Toldo. It would be a stretch for these novice adventurers to even consider purchasing them.)
They must have pushed themselves to buy them, to own a masterpiece crafted by the “kingdom’s greatest master.”
And it would likely become their most prized possession.
”I heard from a merchant that a clan of katana blacksmiths, carrying on the name Kuniyasu, is hiding in the old Himuka region.”
Mitsuyoshi shared his knowledge with Toldo as he sat at the table across from him.
He had been told that the only blacksmiths capable of forging katanas nowadays were the Kuniyasu clan, who lived in seclusion, only interacting with a select few merchants.
And among those merchants was the empire merchant Mitsuyoshi.
”Even after the fall of Himuka, they seem to refuse to be under the empire’s control. I’m also researching the katana forging techniques. Aluda! Eluda! Could you bring that item over here!”
At Toldo’s loud call, the sound of a hammer coming from the workshop at the back of the store stopped.
After a while, 2 dwarf girls appeared.
One with short hair and the other with her hair tied back.
In their hands…
”A short dagger, a tanto?”
Hernando and Esperanza, who were looking for weapons in the store, also gathered here.
”I’m Aluda. I refined tamahagane with Grandpa and forged this from scratch.”
”I’m Eluda. If you’d like, please take a look.”
The daughters handed me a short dagger (tanto).
”With my eye for craftsmanship, it’s not quite a masterpiece… but I’m proud of it.”
”Then, please excuse me…”
I first unsheathed the short dagger (tanto) I received from Aluda and examined the blade.
”Hmm… indeed, it’s well-made. Did you forge this from scratch?”
I handed the inspected short dagger (tanto) to Hernando and accepted the next one from Eluda.
”I’ve seen Master’s method a few times. I tried it by memory and used our Analysis for adjustments.”
Toldo exhaled smoke with satisfaction.
”Hoho, this one is also quite impressive…”
”H-how much is it?”
”Please, I must buy it!”
Esperanza and Hernando asked with excitement.
”That’s just a prototype… not for sale… well──”
Toldo suddenly looked at me as if struck by an idea.
”Since the Gargantua of the Four Dark Heavens is here, does that mean you’ve reconciled with Shinji and his group?”
”Ah, yes. He and Milia… they called me their ‘friend.’”
”Then, this is a gift from me. Their friends are my friends too.”
I was caught off guard and couldn’t speak.
(‘The kingdom’s finest craftsman… called me his friend──’)
”Are you sure!?”
”I don’t mind. Take it. But──”
Toldo restrained Hernando and Esperanza, who were leaning forward eagerly, with a laugh.
”Next summer, during the Dragon God Festival, you must visit here. Reporting on the usage is mandatory. Gargantua, you too.”
The two nodded so vigorously it seemed their heads would come off.
”Yes, we will definitely come.”
I smiled back at Toldo.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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