Chapter 95
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ED: LonelyMatter
Chapter 95 – Hidden Talent
Ain’s souvenirs arrived in the royal capital, and Chris and Martha were invited to join them that evening.
Needless to say, dinner was late. Katima’s wildness forced Sylvird to agree.
Still, it was worth the wait, and the castle’s chefs had prepared a gourmet meal.
After a long night, Ain awoke when it was light outside.
Since he had nothing special to do, he slept more than usual.
The second expedition to the territory of the former Demon King. The schedule would be set soon… so it would be best to keep his energy up.
“Good morning, Krone.”
“Yes, good morning, Ain. Geez… Your hair is messed up again today.”
“Eh, where is it?”
This slightly too-loose appearance could never be shown to the royal guards.
Normally, it was not something even an a.s.sistant should be allowed to see, but their relationship could be seen in the fact that everyone around them tacitly approved of it.
“Not over there… over here.”
Krone, who had stood up, approached and gently held Ain’s head.
These days, they were getting closer and closer. When Ain was asked if he was used to it, the answer was, of course, “No.”
“Oh, thank you.”
“Fufu… Don’t let other people see you like this, okay?”
He thought about whether it’s okay for Krone, but she’s seen it so many times that it’s too late to say.
She smiled at him, so he wanted to believe that she’s not completely disappointed.
“Hmm. Am I too relaxed?”
So he decided to ask her opinion about what was really going on.
“Ara. Are you aware of it?”
“Well, I mean, you know, I’m going a little too slow. I know there are places where I’m too careless.”
“Hmm… Is that so? You let your guard down a little too much…”
Krone looked at Ain’s face, moving from side to side a bit while holding Ain’s hair with her hand.
She looked a bit happy, but he didn’t know why.
However, as far as Ain was concerned, he was satisfied if she looked happy.
“Speaking of which, was there any crown prince who had his a.s.sistant fix his sleeping habits?”
“As you can imagine, Ain is probably the first.”
As a member of the Ishtalika royal family… and the crown prince, Ain continued to set various “firsts.” He worries about how he would be remembered by future generations.
“I don’t want to leave it behind for posterity; I’m really serious about that.”
“Fufufu… Then you better pray to G.o.d that they don’t find my diary, okay?”
“I guess so. Praying to G.o.d… Huh? Sorry, what diary is… Huh?”
Ain heard those disturbing words. The way the conversation was going, did she keep a diary about these things? He looked at Krone.
“——…Yup, it’s fixed now. Yes, well done, Ain, it’s done.”
She looked a little sorry, but without showing her face to Ain, Krone removed her hand from his head.
“Hey, Krone? What is that diary about… Huh?”
“Do you want something hot or cold? You’re thirsty, aren’t you?”
“Oh, yeah. I guess I’m a little thirsty because I just woke up from sleep. So I’d like a cold one… No, like I said, Krone? Hey, what’s the diary…”
She left the disturbing words and quickly excused herself from the table at her own pace.
Such techniques were her specialty.
“Oh no, even though the weather is so sunny, my heart is not at peace.”
Outside the window, the sky was an endless blue. The contrast with the occasional white cloud was beautiful.
It must be a warm day. The icicles on the overhanging roof drip water more intensely than usual.
By the way, during the night, when the snow melts like this, the temperature drops and it freezes. Ain had learned from this investigation that the ground becomes slippery when the snow melts.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
Krone returned with a drink. As requested, she prepared a cold drink for Ain.
On the small tray was another bowl of steaming water, probably for Krone.
“It’s a nice day today.”
She wouldn’t tell him about the diary anyway.
Thinking this, Ain opened the door and started talking about the scenery. It was a beautiful sight, that’s a fact.
“It’s warm today. That will make it easier to go to Mouton-san’s blacksmith.”
“Huh? Dill just went there yesterday, didn’t he?”
“Ain didn’t tell me that. Ain asked if there was anything we could do about the cost of moving the magic furnace.”
“I said… What, are you done with that part already?”
That’s what he said. Mouton would take care of his own weapons, and he had discussed the possibility of doing something about it.
“Yes, I finished it a few minutes ago. Look at the table.”
He turned and looked at the table in the middle of the room.
He expected to see a piece of paper spread out on the table, but instead, he saw a thick envelope.
“That envelope?”
“I put a lot of things in it. Do you mind?”
Rather, she asked, “Do you mind?” With such a joyful look in her eyes, there was no reason for Ain not to ask.
“I’m sure there’s more than I asked for… but what did you put?”
Krone put her mouth to the teacup. After this graceful gesture, she smiled at Ain and told him her next words.
“It’s a little business thing, I guess. I did some bad things to my grandfather, so I thought I’d introduce him.”
“Graff-san… Oh, I see. I see what you mean… the August Trading Company.”
The poor thing she mentioned was when Krone had tried to be Ain’s a.s.sistant.
She had beaten him back in a flash, forcing him to give her an unusual discount.
But then she added the words, “I’ve done this a few times,” suggesting that something similar might have happened in a place Ain didn’t know about. Of course, he was a little scared, so he decided not to ask for details.
“Fufu, you’re right. I guess it’s hard to prepare for a new place to live and all that. So I’ve packed all the materials for that as well.”
It was a smart but still competent thing to do.
In fact, given Mouton’s personality, he would have appreciated it.
“It’s a good idea that will save everyone. ——…Hmm? Krone, you said earlier that you felt sorry for Graff-san, didn’t you?”
“Y-yes… I was a little too aggressive, wasn’t I? I mean, I have my share of regrets, you know? So this time…”
“Meaning. Did you ask for unreasonable advice about introducing Mouton-san to him?”
She scowled, and she began to look as if she’d been slapped in the face with a falsehood.
After a few seconds of stiffness, Krone finally opens her mouth.
“Oh, hey, Ain. Your hair’s a little messy here, too; let me fix it for you.”
“Thanks.”
It was a very obvious attempt at deception, but he’ll forgive it in light of her happy smile.
Let’s send Graff-san a letter next time, Ain thought in his mind.
＊＊＊
“Nothing seems to be wrong, so let’s leave me alone with Krone, okay?”
This line was uttered by Ain as Lloyd and the others prepared for the escort.
Lloyd and Dill both looked stunned and rejected it. It was obvious.
Then Ain laughed and said, “Well, who’s out there?” He mouthed the words.
The two men, who had no idea what that meant, asked Ain what it was about.
“I think it is Warren-san’s men. As usual, they’re watching from a distance, so I’ll just ask that fellow for help.”
…Of course, for Ain, the words were playful and mischievous.
However, Lloyd could only feel sympathy for the undercover person who was now so easily exposed.
The other party was to blame. So don’t worry about it… In his heart, Lloyd was praying hard for them.
——Meanwhile, the two silently prepared for the escort. Today, the four of them came to Mouton’s blacksmith shop as usual.
“Oh, Your Highnesses! Come in!”
“Sorry to interrupt…”
They entered the shop smoothly, having gotten to know each other well.
Of course, there were no customers today. And there were no visitors scheduled for tomorrow.
Dill also decided to go inside today instead of standing guard outside.
“Oh, you’re the guard! Thanks for coming yesterday, too!”
“No. It’s no problem.”
It was a simple and modest answer, but Mouton was not offended.
On the contrary, he was impressed by Dill’s work ethic. His a.s.sessment of Dill was that he was a young man with a good spirit.
“Oh… I’m sorry. Ememe is sleeping today.”
“Ememe-san? Is she sick?”
Such a cheerful girl was not here. It was so powerful that it made this smithy seem like a different place.
“I made her work too hard last night. That’s why she’s sleeping in today. Sorry for that.”
Looking at the room where the furnace was, Ain could see the magic stone furnace that was more than half dismantled.
Dismantling the furnace is a difficult task that requires a lot of physical and mental strength. He had heard that from Mouton.
“So, what’s going on today? The four of you are all here, so you must have something important to talk about, right?”
He sat down on the table with a thud and rested his muscular arm on it.
Lloyd also looked at the craftsman’s arm. For Lloyd, that alone was enough to tell how skilled he was.
“I have come here today to speak with Mouton-sama.”
“Oh, it’s His Highness’ young lady, is it? So, what’s the matter?”
Krone was pleased to hear the word “His Highness’ young lady” and took the envelope out of the box.
Then she unfolded the contents on the table and presented the contents she had been considering.
“Mouton-sama, have you heard of the August Trading Company?”
“Of course I know of it. Even the craftsmen of Baltic are in contact with that large trading company these days. What about it?”
“…That’s very good to know. In fact, I’m the granddaughter of the president of that trading company. So this time, I would like to make some suggestions about moving to the royal capital.”
“Oh… That’s a surprise. A granddaughter of such a ridiculously rich trading company? That’s great!”
Mouton laughed out loud.
He had not expected someone almost as great as the Crown Prince to come to him.
“I don’t like to talk in a roundabout way. So, let me be clear. …If there is anything you need, my family’s trading company will be able to guide you through everything.”
Krone’s confident expression was full of conviction.
Mouton’s expression also tightened a bit when he sensed that.
“Everything, huh… I’m sorry, His Highness’ young lady, but what do you mean by everything?”
“Literally everything. The housing arrangements, the purchase of the land, and even the preparation of the necessary equipment… as well as the moving of the things related to the move that you are concerned about. Please let us know how we can a.s.sist you.”
The smile on her face was exactly what one would expect from the granddaughter of the August Trading Company, a major trading company in the royal capital.
“Hahaha! That’s good! I hate trouble. I hate having to go through multiple merchants, and I hate sending out requests to adventurers. It’s a waste of time! …So, in other words, what His Highness’ young lady says… That means I can trust you with our ‘future’? And that includes everything to do with Ememe.”
A mere woman would have been intimidated by the look in Mouton’s eyes.
But instead of being intimidated, Krone only smiled more.
“…If you need anything else besides what I have mentioned, please let me know. I promise you a comfortable life.”
These words must have been the deciding factor. Hearing those words, Mouton’s expression softened, and even his voice became quieter.
“Then I guess I’ll leave all the troublesome matters to you. His Highness’ young lady says you’ll learn a lot about money, won’t you?”
“Yes, of course. I have already dealt with my grandfather.”
Ain wanted an explanation as to when she had done that.
And would it be any different now that she was called His Highness’ young lady? Ain felt embarra.s.sed.
“I would like to ask you another question. My idiot disciple ordered the perch she wanted. Ah… do you know the Huorn Group?”
“Yes, I know of them… What about them?”
“Then that’s good. We’re supposed to get it in three weeks, but since we’re not here anymore, it’s going to be a ha.s.sle to send it. Can I leave that to you, too? …She may be a dumb and stupid bird, but for me, she’s the sweetest disciple of all.”
With his mouth, he complained and scolded her. Although he would never mention it to her for the rest of his life, he still considered her to be a sweet little disciple.
That is why he wanted to send her to the royal capital somehow, to the perch Ememe was looking forward to.
“Then don’t worry. Since the Huorn Group is part of our group business, we can handle the transportation work internally. So we won’t charge you any extra fees for transportation.”
“(August Trading Company is amazing!)”
Ain reconfirmed Graff’s ability. It was natural to be surprised by the size of the project. He was afraid that the suddenly mentioned trading company was their group trading company.
“Hey, hey… when did the August Trading Company acquire the Huorn Group?”
“It’s not an acquisition. We just have a close working relationship.”
The Huorn Group has a reputation for woodworking, having prepared good quality lumber.
They had a good reputation among craftsmen, but in a short time, the August Trading Company developed a close relationship with them.
This was quite shocking information for Mouton, a craftsman.
“I see. I don’t know what to make of it, but in other words, the August Trading Company is going to take care of us, is that right?”
“Yes. By all means, Mouton-sama, you can count on us.”
“Then tell me about the property. I have a budget, and I’d like to stay within it.”
With that, he stood up and took a sheet of sooty paper from the storeroom near the furnace.
“Sorry about the dirty paper. When I cleaned the furnace yesterday, it was covered in dust. …I talked to Ememe about it and came up with conditions for the property. I’ve also written down a budget for the property, so could you please think about it?”
The conversation flowed as sharply as was typical for him. The way everything was decided so quickly, you could feel his dislike for trouble.
“May I see it?”
Krone took the paper. Thinking it would be rude to look at it, Ain, Lloyd, and Dill quickly averted their eyes.
“…Excuse me, Mouton-sama? For this amount of money, I would expect a facility that’s not only a little more, but… a few steps better.”
“Oh, really? Does that mean I can buy a furnace from Ist?”
“Y-yes… Even if you furnish the whole place with the latest equipment, you’ll still get some change.”
“That’s great. Now, His Highness’ young lady, please do a good job within this budget. I don’t need any change; just do it with the intention of spending it all!”
Hearing this manly line, Ain made a mental note of it.
He couldn’t take his ears off Mouton’s words because sometimes he said lines that he admired.
“…Mo-Mouton-sama! Are you really going to use it up…?”
“It’s probably a good idea to spend a little every now and then. It’s not like I’m going to lose my savings; it’s only about two-thirds of it, so don’t worry about it!”
“Okay, I understand. What do you think about the location?”
“Anywhere that’s easy for His Highness to come and shop is fine. I’ll leave that up to you, too!”
Mouton probably intended to leave the preparation of the property entirely to Krone now.
It seemed like he was already throwing everything at her.
“Then we will prepare it that way. Now, I have a few things to discuss with you regarding the delivery of the furnace, etc. Is it a problem if someone from our trading company comes to see you?”
“No problem! I’m sorry you had to go through all this!”
Gahaha! Mouton was full of male hormones and was happy that the trouble had been taken care of.
Krone, on the other hand, looked surprised. Ain decided to ask her later what was going on.
“Well, now that the trouble is taken care of, I’m going to do a little service. Hey, Glacier, show me your sword.”
“…Mm? Me?”
“Yes, that’s you. Show me that big sword on your back; you haven’t sharpened it, have you?”
Mouton pointed in the direction of the sword on Lloyd’s back.
Lloyd looked surprised and asked how he had noticed it.
“Sure, I haven’t sharpened it lately, but… how did you know?”
“Oh? You could tell by the sound of it moving in its sheath; I know that much. The sword makes a noise. Come on, let’s see what it’s like.”
What are you talking about? Lloyd’s face was curious, but he was right that he hadn’t sharpened it lately.
After confirming Ain’s nod, Lloyd pulled out his sword and showed it to Mouton.
“What’s this? It’s covered in scratches again, isn’t it?”
“…As far as I can see, it doesn’t look like there are any scratches on it.”
“What are you talking about? No matter how you look at it, it’s covered with scratches. I don’t really serve this kind of thing, but it’s a special treat for His Highness’ young lady.”
Mouton then picks up the sword and goes to the forge at the back of the room.
What did he see? Lloyd didn’t know.
“…Father. But it would give us an idea of Mouton-dono’s skill, wouldn’t it?”
“A-ah, yes… but if what he just said is true, then it means that Mouton-dono is also a man of monstrous abilities.”
He could tell the state of a sword by the slightest sound.
If that was true, then he could truly be called the G.o.d of Blacksmithing. That’s how much it meant.
“Mouton-san also sounds amazing. Krone? What’s wrong with you? You look so surprised. It’s not like you.”
“…These latest furnaces they make at Ist are so expensive. How much do you think it costs to buy one?”
“I’ve never heard of it, but maybe 10 million G’s?”
Lloyd and Dill had never heard of it either. As expected, they had never paid attention to the price of a furnace.
“Even the smallest, the newest ones, cost 200 million and up.”
“…Two hundred million?”
It was 20 times more expensive than he had imagined, and he couldn’t help but ask again. Next to Ain, Lloyd and Dill showed similar expressions of surprise.
“The condition of the property includes. It said one small furnace and two large ones. The large furnace costs almost 300 million, so the total for the furnace alone is 800 million.”
“…You’re kidding, right?”
“It’s true, you know. There was also a note made in the royal capital along with the furnace, so his ability to pay is acceptable.”
That’s why I was surprised. Krone said this.
When Ain and the others heard this, they were just as surprised as Krone.
“Krone-dono… by the way, the budget that Mouton-dono set…”
Finally, Lloyd, overcome with interest, asks about the budget.
“One billion. That was the budget for the house.”
Lloyd’s mouth dropped open, but that was to be expected. It is true that the cost of high-end magic tools can exceed 10 billion. Ain had learned that from Chris.
But he hadn’t thought that Mouton would pay that kind of money for it.
“So, all the transportation and other costs will be included in this budget. Also, we can choose a very good location. …Good for you, Ain; it will be much easier for you to get there, right?”
“Yes. You’re right.”
Where and how did he make so much money?
…No, if you think about it, his technical fees are very high. If you think about it, maybe it’s not that hard for him to make that much money.
“What are you talking about? …Here you go, Glacier. I’m done sharpening it.”
“U-umu, sorry to bother you… Mm?”
While they were talking, Mouton returned, having finished sharpening the sword. Lightly carrying Lloyd’s great sword, he came to Ain and the others.
“——Is this really my sword?”
“This is what you call a scratch-free sword blade. You’re using such a fine piece of equipment; you should take good care of it.”
Lloyd picked up the sword, which was so well made that he would have thought it had been replaced by another sword.
The light coming in through the window reflected off it. This was usual, but there was no distortion in the light.
On the contrary, it was as if the light was even stronger than direct sunlight.
The owner, Lloyd, was so impressed with the quality that Ain, Krone, and Dill were equally impressed.
“…Can a simple sharpening process make such a difference?”
“It’s no big deal! This is what the Mouton mark of sharpening is all about! Even Ememe can do it!”
Ain had never thought that the bird in charge of the comedy was so skilled.
But at the same time, he understood why Mouton was so rich.
“And while you’re at it, try cutting that thing. Just a test cut.”
In the direction he pointed, there was an iron post rusted in places.
It had been put there to support the furnace but was no longer needed. Cut it down, he said.
“…Then I’ll be happy to oblige.”
A reborn partner. So was Lloyd, who was curious about its sharpness.
Lloyd approached the indicated iron post and raised his sword. Ain watched with bated breath.
“Haaaaahhh!”
With a spirited effort, he swung his greatsword down.
The sound of metal clashing echoed for a moment, and then Lloyd stopped his sword near the ground.
“I thought I had a good grip on it.”
“Look closely. The post is already cut; it has so much potential; take good care of it.”
Mouton picked up a small hammer and threw it down.
When it hit the post, it fell to the ground with a dull thud. ——Then the post bent, and the column shifted to match the line Lloyd had cut.
“As expected from a Glacier man. That was a fine swing.”
“…W-what sharpness! I didn’t know sharpening could make it so sharp…”
Lloyd’s sword was not a weapon that focused on sharpness. If anything, it was a weapon designed to cut with its weight.
And yet it did. It cut the iron post with a sharp edge.
“Hey, Your Highness. I’m going to make your weapon from scratch. Are you looking forward to it?”
He was definitely… the best blacksmith in Ishtalika, that’s for sure. He was convincing enough to make him think so.
Ain was excited, of course. He was curious to see what kind of swords would be made with Mouton’s skill.
When he saw him smiling, Ain’s heart danced wildly.
“…This is great, Mouton-san. I can’t wait to see what kind of sword you’re going to make!”
Living armor material and sea dragon material. What kind of sword would it become? Ain couldn’t help but look forward to what would happen after he returned to the royal capital.