Crafting A Sword for Profit
***
――Several days have passed since I arrived at the village of Beowulf.
"Hey, how are you feeling today?"
Sitting beside the house of Mauru and Meara, I address the massive white-furred wolf.
『Oh, Anego¹. As you can see, my condition has greatly improved.』
The wolf, claiming to be the descendant of the mountain's guardian and self-proclaimed divine wolf, has been under my care for the past few days. Thanks to my ability to understand his words and engage in conversation, I've been able to monitor his well-being closely.
Over these days, I've managed to nurse him back to health by providing him with suitable food based on the limited knowledge I have about what's safe for a wolf or rather, a dog to consume.
『Sister』 As I approach, he rolls over and presents his belly.
『Give me a belly rub. Scratch-scratch!』
"Again? You really like it, don't you? You're more like a giant dog now." With his tongue sticking out, he's acting quite affectionate, resembling more of a large dog than a wolf.
By the way, Entia is his name. Apparently, it's a venerable name that he has inherited as a descendant of the divine wolf lineage. He claims to be a descendant of the species known as the "Divine Wolves," who protected this continent in ancient times. Essentially, they were sacred beasts possessing unmatched power compared to ordinary animals.
The descendants of the ancient "Divine Wolves" are also the beastfolk known as Beowulf. In the past, beastfolk were scattered across the continent, but due to human influence, their numbers have dwindled considerably.
However, Beowulf who serves the 'Divine Wolves' and protects their land considers it their duty. He explained to me that it's their responsibility to be guardians. He, being still quite young, bears the responsibility of a guardian deity.
I stroke Entia's pale belly with both hands.
『Ehehe, it feels good, Anego』
"Hey, don't you forget you're a descendant of the Divine Wolves?"
"Mako, Entia seems to be in much better condition now." Carrying a bucket of water for Entia, Maul appears from inside the house.
"But who would have thought that the guardian of the mountains would become our watchdog? He's really taken a liking to you, Mako!"
"Hey, Mako! We've brought breakfast for Entia!" A few other beastmen then arrive, each carrying a bucket filled with fruits.
"Thank you as always. I'm sorry, I keep receiving food all the time."
"It's all good. We want you to recover soon and continue protecting the mountains."
"If there's anything else we can help you with, just let us know."
The beastmen who were initially hostile towards me on the first day now approached with smiles and friendly words. It seems that rescuing the guardian of the mountain had a positive impact on their perception of me.
『The weather is nice today. I feel like running around in the mountains after a long time.』
"You're right. Your condition has improved, so some exercise would be great." With these words, I felt a sense of camaraderie and warmth from the beastmen, and it was a stark contrast to the tense atmosphere from when I first arrived in the village.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※
With everything that had happened, I had become a true member of the village of "Beowulf." While I continued crafting metal fittings and reinforcing the houses, the beastmen of "Beowulf" reciprocated by providing me with food supplies.
Today, I was working on reinforcement tasks once again, walking around the village with Mauru, who was helping me out.
"Hey there, Mauru! Are you assisting Mako again today?"
"From the outside, they look like siblings!" Passing by beastmen greeted us with those words, and Mauru responded with a bashful smile.
We shared a friendly exchange as we went about our tasks. It was heartwarming to see the progress in our relationships and how I had integrated into their daily life.
"Yeah! Mako is like our big sister."
It seemed like Maul had grown quite attached to me. It was a bit of a dilemma. Not that I minded being trusted by this cute animal-eared boy.I had somehow settled into this village and was leading a somewhat ordinary life here.
It was strange to think that only a few days had passed since I arrived in this world. Though, I wish I could have seen this week's K●menRider.
As I thought about that, while passing through the village square, I overheard a conversation among the beastmen.
"Hey, is this week's earnings only this much?"
"Yeah, it looks like taxes went up again or something, and they took quite a bit from us."
"Again? If they take any more, it's going to ruin our businesses." Several adults Beowulf were distributing what seemed to be the currency of this world and discussing the situation.
"Hey, Mauru. Are those people traders?"
"More like merchants. They sell goods in the city." Mauru answered my question.
"They take things like meat from the mountains, wild vegetables, nuts, and even crafts to the city's market bazaar, trying to exchange them for money."
"I see. What kind of items fetch a good price?
"Well, things from this village don't really sell for much... The high-value items would probably be swords and gems, I guess?"
"Swords, huh..." Upon hearing those words, an idea formed in my mind.
"Mauru, I'm thinking of trying to make a sword or something."
"Huh?" Mauru widened his eyes in surprise, and I smiled.
Not only Mauru and Meara but also the people of this village had been quite helpful to me. If I could use my abilities to repay even a little bit of their kindness...
"I believe I might be able to create something using the "Alchemy" magic. What do you think?"
―――However.
"...Huh?"
Using the 'Alchemy' skill, I attempted to create a sword. But after the glow subsided, what appeared before me was a misshapen lump of metal.
"Is this supposed to be a sword?"
"There's no way this could be sold like this." Looking at the finished piece of iron, both Mauru and Meara shared their thoughts.
"Hmm, I wonder if it's because I can't picture it well?" Things like angle brackets or nails are almost like second nature to me since I handle them almost every day, and I can vividly imagine them in my mind...
No, perhaps it's that I can't create something I've never touched?
"Whoa! And it consumed quite a bit of MP!" I check the MP display in the status window in my mind. It was at 460/460 this morning, but after the recent transmutation, it has decreased to 360/460.
"Well, I can't afford to waste it."
『Can I have this Anego?』Entia bites onto the failed iron rod. I guess it's like dental hygiene for him or something.
"Hmm... if it really is that I need direct contact with the material..." Naturally, I've never touched an actual sword.
Did my plan fail? That's what I thought, but... I remembered
"No... come to think of it." Yes, it's not a sword, but I've touched a katana² before.
I was invited by a friend who was into the smartphone game where historical swords are personified as handsome guys. We visited a workshop where they were forging actual Japanese swords, and I had the chance to touch a real blade with my own hands.
The weight of tamahagane² steel, the shine, the subdued radiance, the beauty of the hamon pattern³ – all of those impressions remained in my heart.
I began to visualize and activate the "Alchemy" skill once again.
Just like the sparks flying as the blade is struck in that forge, a similar glow radiates from the generated object in front of me. A blade takes form through my skills, reminiscent of that experience at the smithy.
"Amazing! But..."
"Isn't it another failure?" To those who have never seen a katana, it doesn't quite resonate with them.
But I'm sure of it. A blade just like the one I saw that day has been created... I believe. Of course, it's only the blade part, without the scabbard, handle, or guard.
"Wow, my MP is completely drained all at once. Maybe it's because I created something outside of my expertise?"
But thanks to this, I might have acquired a valuable item that could sell well in the market. However, I'm honestly not sure how much value this katana really holds. Especially in this other world.
But... I created it with reference to the katana I saw during the visit, so it should hold a similar value, right? But honestly, I don't have much knowledge about swords.
What did I go to see back then? Um, if I remember correctly... it was something about Bizen's Osafune⁴.
"Hey, Mako. This sword doesn't have a hilt, right?"
"Yeah... without that, it might not sell well."
Afterward, I used the cutter I had in my bag to process some wood and created a makeshift handle for the sword. I wrapped the blade with cloth, making it somewhat portable.
"Alright... Hey, when's the next time the village is going to the market? I'm thinking of going with you next time."
"We just went yesterday, so probably in about five or six days."
"I see. Then we still have time."
It's probably not a good idea to have just one piece. Before the next market visit, I should try to create a few more swords using my "Alchemy" skill.
***
Jyzciel~
¹Anego: It's an informal way of calling Sister. If you know Aniki, then it's similar to that. Or just the casual 'Sis'.
²Tamahagane: This precious metal (known as tamahagane or 玉鋼) is the very pinnacle of high-end metallurgy. A single ingot of this incredibly valuable steel is worth its weight in gold, costing thousands of dollars, and is a nationally protected resource in Japan.
³Hamon Pattern: hamon (刃文) literally means blade pattern. A swordsmith hardens the steel at the cutting edge when a Katana is made. This unique hardening process creates a wavy line called hamon.
⁴Bizen's Osafune: Bizen Osafune Sword Museum - A museum of Japanese swords where visitors can see how swords are crafted.
19/08/23