"The more I look at it, the more impressive it is..."
The Factory Manager looked pleased as he admired the giant glass jar placed on a shelf in a corner of the workshop. It contained Lingzhi mushrooms, which the locals called Dwarf Mushrooms, steeped in alcohol.
The sight of the mushroom proudly sitting inside the massive jar was truly impressive.
"Wow... Did you go out the front gate earlier because of that?"
Channing, who had gone to the shower after seeing the Factory Manager leave, asked while drying his hair with a towel. The Factory Manager nodded.
Whenever the Factory Manager went out the front gate, which he usually told Channing and Illia not to go near, something interesting always seemed to appear.
Channing guessed that today's find was the alcohol.
"I can't just let this good mushroom go to waste. It'll take about three years to be ready to drink though. Ah, by the way, where's Illia?"
The Factory Manager asked, and Channing pointed towards the backyard. Illia was weeding the backyard.
Since neither the Factory Manager nor Channing paid much attention to the backyard, Illia would weed and tidy up the flower beds whenever she had time.
Unlike the front gate, which was always locked because the Factory Manager forbade them from going out, Illia thought the backyard, where guests often visited, should be kept clean.
"Illia. Come here. The Factory Manager is looking for you."
Channing called out, poking his head into the backyard. Illia took off her red gardening gloves and entered the workshop.
"I'm here."
As Illia spoke, the Factory Manager handed her a black bag. It was a bag as big as Illia herself.
"Wow! What is this... Huh? It's light?"
Channing, thinking the bag would be heavy for Illia due to its size, was surprised as he took it from her.
Illia, also surprised by the lightness of the bag compared to its size, received another bag from Channing.
"Uh... What is this?"
"It's a blanket. And I bought you some pajamas too. I felt bad just taking the mushrooms without giving you anything, so don't worry about it."
Illia smiled at the Factory Manager, who seemed embarrassed as he averted his gaze to the mushroom wine, even though no one had asked why he bought it.
"Thank you."
"It's nothing. You gave me the mushrooms, so..."
When the Factory Manager said that, Channing laughed and playfully nudged him in the side.
"Hey. Why are you so shy?"
"Shut up! You punk! Go away!"
When the Factory Manager shouted, Channing laughed and took the bags from Illia's hands.
"I'll take these to your room. I need to change my clothes too."
"Thank you."
Only after Channing went upstairs did the Factory Manager clear his throat and look at Illia.
"Ahem... By the way, what's that rusty thing on your waist?"
The Factory Manager, as if changing the subject, showed interest in the sword hanging from Illia's waist, and Illia quickly pulled it out to show him.
"I found it in the forest. It was stuck in the ground and broken. I've been using it for various tasks."
The Factory Manager examined the sword closely.
"It looks similar to the sword that knight requested before. But the handle is short. Is it a one-handed sword? Well, I don't know much about swords. The rust is quite severe. And the handle is practically non-existent."
The Factory Manager unwrapped the cloth Illia had tied around the handle and examined it carefully.
"What is it? That broken sword?"
Channing, who had changed into his new work clothes, came down and asked. The Factory Manager showed him the sword.
Channing examined the sword carefully and then handed it back to the Factory Manager.
"It looks like a knight's sword, but it's incredibly rusty. And the blade is broken. Are you going to melt it down to make something new?"
The Factory Manager looked at Illia, who shook her head.
"It's good for clearing the backyard."
"But this completely rusted thing... Well, if it's comfortable for you, then it's comfortable for you. I'll at least get rid of the rust."
The Factory Manager placed the sword on the workbench and changed the blade of the hand grinder.
After attaching a brass blade instead of the usual cutting blade, the Factory Manager put on his gloves and started the hand grinder.
The motor of the hand grinder whirred, and he began to grind the blade and handle of the sword with the brass blade. Rust started to fly off as powder.
"Whoa!"
Channing recoiled in surprise, and Illia also stepped back slightly and pulled a mask out of her pocket.
The Factory Manager finished grinding the blade and the handle. The heavy rust had mostly disappeared.
"Wow. This is serious..."
After removing most of the rust, the Factory Manager placed the sword on the workbench and went to one side, bringing back a plastic bucket and various materials.
"What are you going to do?"
"Rust removal."
The Factory Manager placed the plastic bucket on the workbench and went to the corner of the workshop to fetch a square car battery.
"I see you're planning on doing something interesting again."
"I'm going to remove the rust with electrolysis."
After answering Channing's question, the Factory Manager connected wires to a piece of rebar and to the rusty sword.
"Go and fetch some water. Fill it more than halfway."
Channing took the plastic bucket and filled it with water. The Factory Manager poured a white powder into it.
"What is that?"
"Soda (Sodium Carbonate). Don't ask too many questions. I don't know much about it either. It's something called alkali, I think, and it's used for various things."
After dissolving the soda in the water, the Factory Manager submerged the wired sword and rebar into the water and connected the wires to the car battery.
"We'll wait a bit, and it should be done soon. Now, let's get to work."
At the Factory Manager's declaration, Channing looked into the bucket and then moved away. Illia carefully pulled a chair over and climbed onto it to look inside the bucket.
Bubbles started rising from the submerged sword, and a strange smell wafted up.
Illia quickly got off the chair.
******
While the Factory Manager and Channing were making the ordered stakes, Illia continued to tidy up the backyard with the trowel the Factory Manager had found for her. Weeding and removing stones was quite a laborious task.
Illia gathered the weeds she had pulled out into one pile and the stones into another.
Illia thought she would definitely need the help of the Factory Manager or Channing to make a proper flower bed.
Wiping away her sweat, Illia went into the workshop for a short break. The Factory Manager, having finished his work, also wiped his sweat and walked towards the workbench.
"I think it's about done."
The Factory Manager said, looking at the water. The water had turned a murky brown, and strange floating debris covered the surface.
Seeing this, the Factory Manager disconnected the wires from the car battery and pulled the sword out of the water.
A blackened, but rust-free sword was revealed.
"Hey, Channing. Bring me a rag."
At the Factory Manager's request, Channing went to a corner and picked up a pile of old rags.
Taking the rag, the Factory Manager began to meticulously wipe the sword. After wiping it with water and removing any remaining rust, the sword regained its original luster.
"Huh?! There's a pattern?!"
Channing, who had been watching from the side, exclaimed in surprise as the sword returned to its original color. Illia also approached the Factory Manager and looked at the sword.
"There's a pattern."
At Illia's words, the Factory Manager placed the sword on the workbench and pulled over a nearby stand to shine a light on it.
Under the light, the unique pattern became more visible. A pattern resembling the rings of a tree was revealed on the blade.
Illia quickly pulled over a chair and climbed onto it, and Channing also came closer to examine the sword.
"A sword with a pattern... I've heard of them. Swords and equipment made with the now-lost ancient dwarven techniques have unique and distinctive patterns. They say the swords are so good that they can cut through anything. This is the first time I've seen one in person, though."
Channing explained, and Illia looked at the sword with wide eyes. To think that the sword she had pulled out of the forest and broken was a legendary item.
Illia was so surprised that she reached out to touch the sword and pricked her finger on the sharp edge.
"Ouch!"
"Oh dear. Are you hurt?"
The Factory Manager, who was standing next to her, quickly checked on Illia as she cried out and pulled her hand back. A small amount of blood was oozing from her fingertip.
"It seems you pricked yourself on the broken part. Go and apply some medicine."
Illia nodded and got down from the chair. The Factory Manager looked at the sword.
"To think this is such a legendary item... Honestly."
-Of course, I am a legendary item.-
The moment the Factory Manager lifted the sword,
A strange voice suddenly echoed from somewhere, causing the Factory Manager to drop the sword.
The sword clattered as it hit the floor.
"Damn it! Should I quit drinking? I'm hearing things."
"Factory... Manager-nim! That wasn't just you. I heard it too."
-Hey! Human! Elf! Don't treat me so carelessly!-
While the Factory Manager and Channing were talking, the voice echoed again, and Channing flinched and looked back at the Factory Manager.
"See!"
"Wow. The piece of metal is talking."
-A piece of metal?! I am a legendary, great sword!-
The Factory Manager approached the sword, reached out, and lifted it.
-It seems you weren't the one who awakened me. The blood of the one who awakened me was pure and beautiful. Not like the stale blood of an old geezer like you.-
"You damn piece of metal. I fixed you up after you were about to be melted down, and you have such a foul mouth. Should I trade you for scrap metal right now?"
-I don't know what you mean by trading me for scrap metal, but it doesn't sound pleasant.-
"Factory Manager-nim... Arguing with a legendary item..."
Channing cautiously approached the Factory Manager, who was arguing with the sword, and tried to calm him down. The Factory Manager looked at Channing and replied.
"Well, if it were actually made of Damascus steel, it would be legendary, but this is just pattern-welded. What's so legendary about it?"
Channing was startled by the Factory Manager's words and looked at him in surprise.
"What?! You know how to make it, Factory Manager-nim?"
"Yeah, roughly. Wait a minute..."
The Factory Manager placed the sword back on the workbench and went to a bookshelf in the corner of the workshop, browsing through the books before pulling one out.
"Yep! Here it is. It's from a few years ago, but there was a special feature article in Monthly Metals. So, real Damascus steel is made by refining metal mixed with impurities like vanadium and molybdenum, which are found naturally in iron ore in India. It's an incredibly strong, tough, and rust-resistant metal with a unique pattern. It's a legendary item even in our world. They say there are people researching it. Anyway, it's a method of making it by repeatedly folding and forging specific metals."
After the Factory Manager's explanation, Channing picked up the sword from the workbench and spoke firmly.
"So, this isn't made using that specific method?"
-That's right! I am a legendary weapon made with that...-
"No, it's a bit different. Real Damascus steel has a unique pattern because of the specific impurities mixed in the metal. But this, while it's made in a unique way, is a bit different from real Damascus. The pattern is very regular."
The Factory Manager took the sword from Channing's hand.
"Look. This kind of regular pattern is just simple folding and forging. Even Popper over there could make this. This is hardly a legendary item. Don't you think so, Popper?"
-Hey! Human! Don't talk nonsense! Elf! What year is it?-
"Now? It's the year 328 of the Continental Calendar."
-Continental Calendar? What's that? What about the Spieth Calendar?-
"Ah, that's 3561."
At Channing's words, the sword fell silent, as if thinking. The Factory Manager and Channing looked at the sword, and it exclaimed,
-It's been 400 years since I last slept!-
"What? You're completely ancient."
The Factory Manager retorted at the sword's surprised exclamation.
-Th... This...-
While the sword sputtered, making sounds that would have been accompanied by a very grim expression if it had a face, Illia, who had disinfected and bandaged her wound, returned to the workshop.
-Oh! It's this child!-
The sword immediately recognized Illia as the one who had awakened it.
When the sword spoke, Illia looked around, not knowing where the voice was coming from.
-Little girl! Over here! You awakened me!-
"Hey. Why did your tone change?"
-Shut up, human! To be awakened by the hands of such a pretty little girl. It's a wonder I've lived this long.-
The sword yelled at the Factory Manager's sarcastic remark and then spoke. Illia hid behind Channing.
-Little... girl?-
"That thing is weird."
When Illia said that, the sword fell silent again.
"Well, it is. A talking sword. It's pretty weird."
-Well... Doesn't it make you feel awed or impressed that a sword is talking?-
"You're an idiot. Someone who would be impressed by a talking piece of metal is the weird one."
The sword dejectedly asked at Channing's words, and after the Factory Manager's reply, it fell silent again.
As a brief silence fell, someone entered the workshop through the back door.
"Hey! Black Hair! Haven't you finished making the stakes? I need them quickly so I can bend the rest!"
It was Popper.
Grumbling, he walked towards the group and saw the sword in the Factory Manager's hand.
"What's that? That old-fashioned sword. It looks like something from ages ago. A one-handed sword? And it has a pattern."
-I... I am a legendary sword!-
"Oh my god! What is this?"
The sword responded to Popper's words, and Popper exclaimed in surprise.
"Hey! Where did you get this strange thing? Take it to the cathedral for an exorcism. Want me to introduce you to a good priest?"
-E... Even a dwarf doesn't recognize my greatness!-
The sword said dejectedly. It seemed extremely disappointed.
"Hey, Popper. You know how to make this kind of pattern, right?"
The Factory Manager held out the sword and asked. Popper examined the sword, turning it over and over.
"Of course. It's a method that's not used these days, though. You hammer, fold, and twist steel and wrought iron together to create this kind of pattern. Finally, you soak it in vinegar. But these days, there's no need to make it this way, so we don't. It's a truly old-fashioned technique. Who would bother making it like this these days?"
-Wh... What?! You call it an old-fashioned technique?!-
The sword responded in a shocked tone to Popper's explanation, and the Factory Manager took the sword back and spoke.
"You heard him. Even the kitchen knives Popper makes would have a pattern if you treated them with a suitable acid. Of course, to get this kind of geometric pattern, you'd have to fold and twist steel and wrought iron together, as he said. But it's a bit much to call it a legendary weapon, isn't it? Don't you think so, Popper?"
"Well, people often call things legendary weapons, but it is a legendary weapon, in a way. It's been over 100 years since metalworking techniques improved enough to make sufficiently strong and good swords without having to make them like this. So, naturally, the swords used by heroes and knights in the old days had this kind of pattern. That's probably why the legend was born. Well, I'm a bit surprised by the talking sword, but honestly, it's a creepy object."
Popper replied to the Factory Manager's words, and the sword, seemingly truly dejected, fell silent.
As silence fell once more, Illia approached and took the sword from the Factory Manager's hand.
"Uh... Don't be too disappointed, Mr. Sword. Even though your blade is broken, the pattern is quite pretty when you look closely, and I used you well to clean the backyard."
-Wait! What? You said I'm broken?-
The sword exclaimed at Illia's words. Illia thought for a moment and then held the sword up to a steel plate leaning against the wall. Although slightly distorted due to the polished surface, it could be used as a mirror.
Seeing its reflection in the steel plate, the sword, which had been silent for a moment, let out a scream.
-Nooooooooooo!-
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