Volume 7 Chapter 3 The Blacksmith And Jeweler Of The Capital City
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Hey! Which noble is that?”
”You don’t know? That’s Lord Blackdagger, who’s recently become part of the Capital City’s garrison. They say his lady is Lady Miriallia, the Dream Demon of Black Dagger.”
”Seems like he’s accompanied by a bunch of women…”
”Yeah, there’s a rumor that they’re all his concubines or mistresses.”
”What could a high-ranking noble like him be doing in this rundown area of Capital City?”
”I have no idea, but it looks like he’s headed to Rosella’s shop… It’s wild that he’d visit such a backstreet blacksmith.”
As we walked down the street after getting off the carriage, local residents gathered curiously, whispering among themselves.
I had opposed arriving by carriage, but Milly insisted it was necessary for safety, so reluctantly I agreed.
But as expected, we drew a lot of attention from the locals.
”Milly… everyone’s staring at us… I told you we should’ve walked…”
”Kent! No noble in Capital City would ever consider walking to such a close-out area!”
Milly confronted me with a fierce expression.
”Is that so? Annabella?”
”Lady Miriallia is right. I’ve heard that the outer district has a poor reputation for safety, and it’s almost unheard of for nobles to walk around here…”
Annabella seemed to agree with Milly.
Just then, I overheard the whispers of the gathering crowd.
”Hey, it looks like there’s some kind of trouble… Could it be that he’s fighting with Lady Miriallia over wanting to take Rosella and Rosana as his mistresses?”
”That could be the case… those sisters are really beautiful… but Rosana’s pretty tough, so no one dares to go after her… remember when some noble tried to make her his concubine and ended up getting beaten up?”
”Ugh, Rosana’s rampage back then was brutal. It wasn’t right for the Nobles to try and drag her away, but killing half her guards was a bad move…”
”Will he be Rosana’s next victim? Which side you betting on? I’m placing my bets on being turned away.”
”Hey! That’s not fair!”
I overheard this kind of conversation.
Reina had recommended these skilled craftspeople, sisters who worked as a blacksmith and an ornament maker.
Plus, they were both beautiful women, so my expectations were pretty high.
Rosana is known for her strength, but the guards I’m bringing are top-tier fighters even in the South District, so I’m more worried about them hurting Rosana.
”Sir Kent, Rossella’s shop is just ahead.Turn that corner, and you’ll find the workshop.”
Reina was leading the way to the shop.
Aurelia, the expert I’d hired to judge the equipment, was practically frantic, urging Reina along.
I’d decided to leave the judgment of the blacksmith and ornament maker’s skills to Aurelia.
Her ability to assess equipment had become almost professional since she’d earned the [Appraiser] job title.
”Lord Kent! Let’s go! If their skills are good, we’ll build a large-scale equipment manufacturing workshop in my Westferm! I apologize to Lord Golerg, but they’ll provide us with affordable, high-quality equipment.”
It seemed Aurelia planned to build an equipment workshop in her territory, Westferm.
Since I respected Aurelia’s opinion on land management, I figured if she could cover the costs herself or get approval from her mother, the green light would be given.
Aurelia’s territory already had plans for the construction of Garuda’s Colosseum, and with the additional equipment workshop, the town would likely become even more focused on warfare.
”Aurelia…calm down a bit.”
”Ah, I see it! The workshop……!?”
Aurelia, who had been in the lead, was speechless.
I arrived and saw Rossella’s shop and workshop, and was also speechless.
The shop that Reina guided us to, Rosella’s, looked like a rickety old shack that could fall apart at any moment──definitely not what you’d expect from an equipment workshop.
”Welcome…!? Reina!? Is that really you? I heard from our classmates that you fell in battle in the South District… You’re not a ghost, right?”
A young man from the Majin Clan rushed over to Reina and pulled her into a tight hug.
”It’s been a while, Rosella. So, everyone thought I was dead? The military really is something… I was just transferred! I’m now in charge of supply procurement for the South District military. It’s quite a promotion, you know! I’m making a salary that would shock you!”
”Wow, so soldiers in the South District can actually live comfortably?”
”Absolutely! In the South District, jobs related to fighting are respected! Unlike the Capital City, where they think of us as a bunch of failures!”
Reina was passionately explaining this to Rosella.
It appeared that they had known each other for a long time.
”I see… The South District sounds pretty nice… By the way, what brings you to a rundown blacksmith like ours today?”
”I brought my boss along to admire Rosella’s skill with decorative swords and Rosana’s blacksmithing abilities.”
”…So you came to check out my decorative work and Rosana’s blacksmithing… How intriguing. If you’re looking for hires, there are definitely better blacksmiths and jewelers out there.”
I decided to step back a little and hid behind Milly and the others, taking off my Illusion Glasses and putting on my X-ray Glasses to get a better look at Rosella.
She had a tall, athletic build, and although her chest was modest, her well-shaped breasts gave off a distinctly feminine charm.
Her face was striking too, with berry-short silver hair and big, chestnut-colored eyes.
She had a straight nose and a beautifully defined jawline.
Wow… she was even hotter than I expected… Maybe I should hire her even if her skills are just okay…
As I was thoroughly admiring Rosella’s nude form through my X-ray glasses, another woman emerged from the back of the shop.
”Ah! Ms. Reina! You’re alive!”
”RosRos! I’m not dead! That’s just bad luck.”
The girl who jumped at her was probably Rosana, Rosella’s little sister.
She had a youthful face that still held traces of childhood, and her chestnut brown eyes mirrored a strong will, slightly slanted yet endearing.
Despite her small frame, she carried large assets that seemed disproportionate to her delicate structure.
Whoa… even with that loli body, she’s got major curves… Lina’s fidgeting and drooling over there!
”Ahem, ahem. Reina… could you introduce us to those 2?”
Lina seemed interested in Rosana and nudged Reina to make the introductions.
It was clear Lina had her own plans to size up Rosana, coming up with some excuse to do a body check.
Still, with Rosana’s impressive chest and her assertive look, she’s definitely a woman who piques my interest… even if her skills aren’t top-notch, maybe I should take her under my wing…
”Oh, I’m sorry. This is the jeweler, Ms. Rosella, and her sister, the blacksmith, Rosana.”
Reina introduced the two.
Even though they were introduced as sisters, I noticed their hair colors were different, hinting there was some reason behind it.
I put away my X-ray glasses and put on my Illusion Glasses instead, stepping forward.
”You must be the skilled blacksmith and jeweler Reina was talking about… I’m Kent. I apologize for arriving with such a large group, but Reina insisted she wanted us to meet you, so here I am. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
I bowed my head to Rosella and the others.
”Kent… you’re the hot-topic Noble from Capital City, right? The one famous for having a lot of mistresses and concubines.”
Rosella scrutinized me with a dubious look.
”Oh really… Are you planning to make a move on big sister? Just because she’s beautiful doesn’t mean I’ll let her become one of your lovers! If you try, I’ll crush you with this hammer!”
Rosana raised an imposing hammer, effortlessly brandishing it as a warning.
”N-No, that’s not it. I brought Sir Kent because I want you all to become the South District’s official blacksmiths and jewelers. It’s not that I want to take you as lovers.”
Reina was trying to mediate between us so Rosana wouldn’t explode.
…Honestly, I’d much prefer if they participated in duties rather than just showcasing their skills as blacksmiths and jewelers… Maybe it’s best to keep that to myself…
”So you want to hire blacksmiths from a town like ours, huh…”
Rosella continued to glare at me with suspicion.
It seemed likely that her caution came from having received similar proposals from other nobles multiple times.
”Lady Rosella… I would like to see the equipment you’ve made, if that’s alright?”
Aurelia stepped forward, encouraging the identification process.
”Who do you think you are?”
Rosana locked her gaze onto Aurelia, glaring.
”How rude. I’m Aurelia Vermillionblade. I serve under Sir Kent as a knight and have been granted a territory. I’m planning to build a large equipment workshop in my territory and am looking for responsible individuals. I was sent to meet you at Lady Reina’s recommendation.”
”So you’re one of the lord’s pets. Do you really need us for the equipment workshop you’re building in your territory?”
”It depends on your skills. If you don’t impress me, we’ll drop this matter altogether.”
The tension sharpened Rosella and the others’ gazes at Aurelia’s provocative words.
…Wait, Aurelia.
I was actually planning to hire them even if their skills were just okay… If you set the bar that high, I won’t be able to hire anyone!
”Are you mocking us? Just because you’re a noble doesn’t mean you can look down on us like that!”
”That’s why I want to see the equipment you’ve made. Depending on your skills, Sir Kent might pay you several times more than the going rate for military blacksmiths.”
”This feels fishy… Rosella, they look pretty suspicious. Ms. Reina, are you really working with these people?”
Rosana pressed Reina, her eyes still filled with distrust for me.
”Rosana, watch your words. The guards here with Sir Kent are all incredibly skilled. They could make you disappear in a flash. And Lady Miriallia, the Dream Demon’s Black Dagger, is also present.”
Rosana’s face turned pale after hearing Reina’s warning.
”Wh-what? Lady Miriallia? Kent Blackdagger… Ahhhh! Blackdagger is Lady Miriallia’s husband!”
”So, you’re the man from the Majin Clan who married the Dream Demon’s Black Dagger, Kent Lord Blackdagger, rumored to have achieved great feats in the South District!”
As I nodded slightly, the two of them tensed up so much they ended up prostrating themselves on the ground.
”We’re so sorry! We didn’t realize Reina had become a confidante of such a noble person and were rude.”
The two of them were now in a full prostration, their foreheads pressed firmly against the ground.
”Please forgive us. We didn’t mean to startle you… Just, please, lift your heads.”
”I should have introduced Kent properly. I could have summoned him to the palace using the Blackdagger name. My apologies. My husband is too much of an oddball.”
Milly chuckled softly as she spoke to the two of them.
”I would like to see your equipment again, if you please?”
”Oh, yes. We have it right here.”
Rosana dashed into a shabby workshop as if she were flying.
* * *
”Hmmm…”
Aurelia furrowed her brow as she identified the equipment Rosana had brought.
The weapon in front of her now was a standard broadsword, typical military equipment.
I may not have an eye for equipment, but based on my experience with Golerg-made gear, Rosana’s broadsword seemed rather unrefined and purely functional.
This was explained to be a weapon before Rosella added her decorations, but compared to the similarly functional Golerg equipment, it seemed to be of much lower quality.
”What do you think, Aurelia?”
”In terms of quality, it’s barely in the mid-range… the sharpness is just okay… If it’s the mass-produced stuff Reina mentioned, it’s acceptable, but…”
Aurelia also seemed a little disappointed.
Reina is really strict when it comes to evaluating things, focusing on cost efficiency, so she usually gathers affordable, high-quality materials.
However, this time, since she wanted to introduce a friend, she might have given a slightly lenient score.
But honestly, even if the craftsmanship is a bit off, I’m more than willing to hire them, so I didn’t feel it was a big deal.
”…So it’s no good after all? I’m sorry, Rosana… If only we had better materials and proper equipment… I could’ve made them acknowledge your skills as the best.”
”Sis… there’s no point wishing for things we don’t have. I’m the one who should apologize… I couldn’t craft sturdy enough equipment to show off your talent for decoration.”
The sisters hung their heads in defeat after Aurelia’s appraisal.
But their words stuck with me.
──If we had quality materials and equipment, could we create even better quality equipment?
Curious, I decided to ask them a question.
”Can I ask you something? Could you show me the materials and furnace you used this time?”
Rosana nodded in response to my question.
Then we stepped into Rosella’s workshop.
”This is the scrap ore we used as materials.”
”Wait… You managed to enhance the quality to that level with scrap ore! To think something you wouldn’t even call materials could yield such quality…”
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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