The Sword Master’s Son-in-Law

– Golem

I was astonished.

Unavoidably so.

An unimaginable person sat before me.

“Rednil? Why are you here?”

“That’s…what I should be asking…? No, wait. Thinking about it, you being here makes sense.”

Rednil glanced at Asia, then nodded a few times as if having reached an understanding.

The current situation.

I never expected to run into Rednil in a place like this.

Inside the Hephaike Workshop.

A reception room for commissions, or perhaps a consultation room, it seemed.

Rednil being here.

Furthermore-.

“You’re a prince?”

“Yeah.”

“And this Hephaike Workshop is…royalty adjacent?”

“Yeah.”

Rednil didn’t exactly radiate regal bearing.

It was truly bewildering.

‘More importantly, why didn’t he tell me?’

I thought we were fairly close.

Was that just my own delusion?

“You look like you’re overthinking it. Dwarven artisans are supposed to hide their status, it’s a rule.”

“Ah….”

“And it’s not like being royalty is anything to brag about anyway.”

Rednil began to explain the Hoorun Kingdom.

A kingdom formed by ten dwarven tribes.

Thus, in a way, there were ten royal families.

But as it was a single kingdom, they needed a single representative.

So, they decided that the workshop with the most skilled artisan would be responsible for the royal affairs, Rednil explained.

And currently, that was the Hephaike Workshop.

“That’s…something.”

The place with the best artisan is royalty.

It was a glimpse into the dwarves’ pride in their craft.

“…Shall we move on to the main topic now?”

Asia had been waiting for Rednil and I to finish our conversation.

It was her who spoke.

The Point.

That was the obvious course.

This meeting was about commissioning the crafting of an Asian sword.

My excitement at unexpectedly seeing a friend had simply derailed the discussion.

“Ah, my apologies. You are Miss Asia of the Messiah Family… correct?”

“Yes.”

“First, concerning the custom order, are you considering using the same material as Grandfather’s White Blossom Sword?”

Asia nodded.

Listening quietly, I was deeply surprised.

‘A sword of the same material as the White Blossom Sword?’

The White Blossom Sword could withstand even my unique mana.

To think, the *material* of such a sword.

Wouldn’t that be exactly the kind of sword I needed?

I’d never heard that the White Blossom Sword had a specific material.

For now, Rednil was talking with Asia, so I decided to ask him after this conversation ended.

To see if he could make my sword out of that material as well.

.

.

.

“Then, we’ll proceed with the creation as such.”

“Yes, please do take care of me.”

The conversation between Asia and Rednil had finally ended.

I dredged up the memory and asked Rednil.

“Hey, Rednil.”

“What is it?”

“Is that offer you made before still valid?”

“The offer I made before…? “

The offer to make me a sword, if I just brought the material.

That was the offer I was referring to.

“The one where you said you’d make me a sword if I just got the material.”

“If a man goes back on his word, what good is he? Just get the material. I’ll do it for free.”

Oh-ho!

I saved money.

The material of the White Blossom Sword seemed special, so obtaining it alone would have cost a fortune.

It worked out perfectly.

I could save on the production cost.

“What was used as the material for that White Blossom Sword?”

“That… I doubt you’d be able to afford to buy it…?”

Unaffordable?

Why would it be unaffordable?

“Why, though?”

“Expensive. Terribly so.”

The high price drew a faint smile to my lips.

‘I have the money left over from selling the mana stones, so I have no need to worry about money.’

Mana stones aren’t exactly easy to come by, are they?

Their value is so high, you could name any price you want.

There was no way buying the material for a sword would be too much.

“Don’t worry. Just tell me what the material is, will you?”

So I can hurry up and buy it.

But Rednil still spoke with a displeased expression.

As if he was certain I absolutely couldn’t afford it.

“It’s Masril, a composite material of Rare Mithril and a mana stone.”

Masril?

More to the point, a composite of what and what?

“I think I misheard. Could you tell me again?”

“Rare Mithril and…”

“Wait, Rare Mithril, you say…?”

Wasn’t that the mineral Chief Retid mentioned?

An extremely rare mineral, and a specialty of the Hoorn Kingdom.

Which meant it would be pricier than regular Mithril.

But.

If I hadn’t misheard…

“That… Masril, you’re saying it’s a composite material of Rare Mithril and a mana stone?”

“That’s right.”

I realized it immediately.

The current me couldn’t afford that.

Was it really possible to buy a material composed of mana stones and Rare Mithril with just the money from selling mana stones?

It was clearly impossible.

Had Asia realized my predicament?

She offered me a subtle proposal.

“…Shall I lend you some money?”

Asia’s expression as she offered to lend me money seemed somehow devious.

After a moment of deliberation, I refused outright.

“I, I’m fine.”

If I carelessly borrowed that much, there was a possibility I’d be stuck with the Messiah family for life.

“Hmm….”

Masril, a composite material.

If I hadn’t known about its existence, I probably would have bought a sword material that fit my budget.

But-.

‘Now that I’ve heard it’s the material for the White Blossom Sword, I can’t help but want it.’

I pondered deeply on what would be best to do.

And then…

‘Perhaps I could pay it off with my body?’

Even without a single coin to my name, I possessed a sturdy frame, didn’t I?

And not just any body, but one of Auroranite grade, one that might soon become a Sword Master’s, a physique of the highest caliber.

“Um…,”

Just as I was about to make such a proposition.

A commotion erupted outside, and a dwarf man burst through the door.

“A grave, grave matter has befallen us.”

A grave matter?

Rednil’s expression hardened in an instant.

“What manner of grave matter?”

“It’s… the Rare Mithril Quarry has collapsed.”

“Collapsed…? What then of the workers inside?”

“They are likely trapped within, I fear…”

It seemed a terrible accident had occurred at the quarry.

“Immediately dispatch a rescue party.”

“But the scale of the collapse is so vast…”

I grasped the situation readily enough.

They lacked sufficient manpower, is what he meant.

A fine opportunity, as it happens.

“Ahem! Rednil, it seems my assistance would be of value?”

“Prince Rednil, who is this…?”

“A dear friend of mine.”

“Hmm… even if he is a friend of Prince Rednil, a quarry is no place for outsiders…”

Come to think of it,

Outsiders were strictly forbidden, weren’t they?

To prevent theft, perhaps?

Just as I was about to give up.

A shout echoed from elsewhere.

“We are worried about the safety of the workers. If we can, we want to help!”

Asia declared, her eyes ablaze with determination.

The dwarf man still looked troubled.

But…

“Hm, you needn’t worry.”

Rednil, after a moment’s hesitation, granted his approval.

“Why, my Prince?”

“One is my dear friend, and the other is the only daughter of the Messiah Family. It is certain they would not act in a manner that would betray their honor.”

And so, Asia and I were permitted to lend our aid.

‘Eh? Wait a moment…? I was planning to offer my help in exchange for a loan and a discount on materials…?’

Of course, this was only the start; there would be work to be done afterward.

But somehow, it felt like volunteering for free.

I was about to correct the misunderstanding when–

“M-Me too, I’ll go!”

From the door the dwarf man had entered,

Lily stepped through.

Rednil naturally started to refuse.

But–.

“My father is the commander of the Crimson Flame Mercenaries, Lord Ailer!”

A name of undeniable reputation fell from Lily’s lips.

And so.

Rednil shot me a look that asked if this was true.

I nodded in confirmation.

“I see… Very well, she will be the last.”

“Understood. In that case, only those three then,”

The dwarf man declared, brooking no further additions.

And then, as if having missed their cue, four figures appeared in the doorway.

Letid and Commander Bertnia, Teddy, and Melia.

Each of them wore an expression of troubled unease.

“Ahem…, to send Miss Asia out alone, that simply won’t do.”

“If word of what happened gets to the Count… I’ll be truly sacked…”

“Ah… if I could build connections with the blacksmith through helping the dwarves, I could obtain a better sword than I have now…”

“A, Miss. Stay close to Arthos-sama!”

Leaving these concerned individuals behind,

we headed towards the site of the incident.

*

The interior of the quarry, its entrance completely collapsed.

There, numerous dwarf workers were gathered, along with Beljit.

Beljit had gathered the dwarf workers in one place and was addressing them.

“There’s no point in trying to outsmart me.”

With a gesture from Beljit, the golems surrounding the workers shifted slightly.

“So just obediently mine the Rare Mithril.”

The workers, flustered, moved as Beljit instructed.

They didn’t want to die just yet.

Among those workers.

“Brother, you think he’ll let us live?”

“No. He’ll kill us.”

“Then why are we listening to him?”

“Just until the rescue team arrives. Until then, let’s obey him.”

“…Understood.”

And so, with a sliver of hope clutched in their hearts, the laborers began to mine the Rare Mithril.

Belgit, watching the men at their work, stretched his lips into a wide smile.

“Kuhahaha, *this* is progress.”

Rare Mithril, the core material for golems, a mineral of exceptional rarity.

If he could return to the Demon Realm with a mountain of it…

“A count’s title… no, perhaps even a marquisate is within reach!”

Belgit, a baron in the Demon Realm, was lost in fantasies of the high rank he could attain with the成果 he would bring back.