Volume 4 Chapter 31 Alcohol and Metal, Command Bracelet
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”A letter?”
One day, after finishing our dungeon exploration, Tifi handed me an envelope as we returned to the Love Hotel.
”Here, it’s from Mr. Beckus.”
Beckus, the swordsmith, is the one who forged Kéa’s blade for her.
An old dwarf with a fondness for women.
He’s skilled, no doubt, but a real character as well.
When I commissioned Kéa’s dual swords, I paid him with whiskey from the ‘Love Hotel’ and stainless steel cutlery.
He gladly took on the job, thrilled by the fine liquor and the rare stainless steel in this world.
I can still picture his delighted face from that day.
I wonder what this is about.
Well, I can guess.
I opened the letter.
Inside, written in Beckus’s bold handwriting, were the words:
’Wine and Metal!!’
That was it──just those words sprawled across the page.
”Haha…”
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
”That’s so typical of him.”
Kéa looked on, clearly exasperated.
”So he wants more wine and metal. But I wonder what he’s planning to offer in return?”
Lifia leaned in to peek at the letter.
”That sounds just like the old man… but fine, I actually have something I want to ask him too.”
Maybe I’ll swing by tomorrow.
* * *
”Taro, that whiskey the other day! It was incredible! I’ve never tasted anything so good in my life! And that stainless steel? It’s amazing! It doesn’t rust, it’s tough, and it looks stunning!”
The small dwarf was rambling excitedly.
This was the famed smith, Beckus.
In a dark alley that looked like a slum, stood a crumbling shack.
This was the workshop of the master, Beckus.
The moment we pushed the door open to his shop, we were hit with this.
”I need more of your country’s liquor! And what about that stainless steel? Can’t get any more? I tried working with it… it’s something else, I tell you!”
Beckus approached me, bubbling with excitement.
”This isn’t just any iron! I tried heating it, but it required a lot more heat than I expected. But once I melted and reforged it, man──it’s got incredible hardness! And it won’t rust! This material is something else entirely!”
I see.
If Beckus, the master craftsman, is this fired up, there might not be any stainless steel in this world.
Could it be an unknown metal?
”So, Taro! Send me more! And booze, too! I’ll think of a fair trade! You won’t lose out… huh? Wait!”
After that outburst, Beckus’s gaze shifted behind me.
He must’ve noticed Yomi’s presence.
”Well, well, another cute girl! What a chest, and that backside!”
Yomi, in her sexy high-leg leotard magician outfit, was hard to ignore.
The curves of her ample chest and the outline of her hips through her tights were undeniably alluring.
”Wh-what’s with this old man…”
With a smirk, Beckus pointed at Yomi, whose expression was a mix of shock and disbelief.
”Hey there, little lady, take a look at that!”
”Huh? What?”
Turning around, Yomi spotted a sword hanging on the wall.
”Is it this?”
”No, no, look closely. You should pick up on something.”
”Hmm… it looks like just a rusty old sword to me?”
”Take a closer look, I mean really close…”
While Beckus didn’t seem to take his eyes off Yomi’s hips for a second.
”What a fine piece… those curves, heh heh. I can’t get enough…”
Beckus squinted, licking his lips as he fixated on Yomi’s silhouette.
And then, he finally reached out.
In that instant.
”That’s enough.”
I quickly grabbed the old man’s wrist.
Only I get to touch Yomi’s hips!
”Huh? …Ah!”
Yomi felt Beckus looming right behind her.
In a reflex, her leg shot up.
*Thud!*
The heel of her high heel made solid contact with Beckus’s face.
”Gah!”
The old man tumbled to the floor with a pathetic scream.
”Ughhh…”
Holding his head, Beckus curled up on the ground.
Yet even in this state, his grin didn’t fade──he truly was incorrigible.
”Th-this is a reward for me…”
”Quit messing around and get to work.”
I sighed, looking down at the old man sprawled on the floor.
Same old pervy geezer, but his skills as a blacksmith are undeniable.
Guess I’ll have to keep this conversation going.
”So, old man…”
”What?”
”You wanted booze and metal, right?”
”That’s right!”
Beckus shot up with sparkling eyes, looking up at me like a dog waiting for a treat.
”Well then, I’ve got something for you.”
I pulled out an item from my magic bag and offered it to Beckus.
”What in the world is this?”
The old man picked it up, curiosity written all over his face.
It was a gleaming silver cylindrical object ── a can of beer.
Beckus stared at the can, tapping it with his fingers and scratching it to get a feel for it.
”Whoa… What’s this metallic wonder!? It looks silver, but it’s so light, soft, and yet oddly sturdy. Definitely not stainless steel!?”
”That’s aluminum.”
”Aluminum, you say? You really bring back some interesting stuff! And it’s filled with liquid… is it booze!?”
In the next instant, the old man’s face lit up with pure joy.
”How do you open this!?”
”Well, that’s…”
As I was about to explain, Beckus fumbled at the top of the can and discovered the pull tab.
”Hmm… Like this!”
*Crack!*
With a quick pull of the tab, foam burst out with a rush, filling the air with a rich aroma.
He just figured it out by instinct.
”Wha… this is!!”
Beckus’s eyes widened in amazement.
Then, he tipped the can back and chugged it down.
Gulping loudly, he downed nearly half in one go.
”Ahhh!!”
The old man raised the can, shouting in ecstasy.
”What is this! It’s nothing like ale! The smoothness is incredible! That bubbling sensation! Whoa, it’s divine!”
Beckus looked over at me, his eyes shining.
”Taro! You don’t have more of this, do you!? No, bring as much as you can! I’ll make anything for you in return!”
Alright, that’s a good reaction.
”Then tell me, can you craft a magic tool?”
”Hmph. There’s hardly anything I can’t make. Just name it.”
Reliable, huh?
That’s the answer I wanted.
”Then, can’t you make a magic tool for summoning?”
”Ugh… summoning, huh? Grumble grumble…”
Beckus’s face scrunched up in a frown.
Apparently, it’s more challenging than it seems.
”Guess it’s not exactly a blacksmith’s forte, huh…”
”I’m not saying I can’t do it!”
Yet, he quickly crosses his arms with a confident gleam in his eye.
”However, if I can call in one more expert to help, I can craft a perfect piece for you.”
”An expert?”
”Yeah, I know a magic tool craftsman. Team up with him, and we can make anything.”
I see, combining a blacksmith and a magic tool expert could yield a more precise creation.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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