Save Log 23: Battle of the Smiths

The afternoon, sun was bathing the whole living room with its warm yellow glow. The autumn breeze was flowing across the room carrying a crimson Belvora leaf with it which landed on the sofa beside where Lina was sitting. The scene would have been better if we weren't fighting over a plate with a gorgeous slice of strawberry cake

"Just let it go already. You had 5 pieces already. Let me just have one more. What the heck!"

"No, I want to have some more. We got plenty anyway. So you let go." Furara argues back.

"What the heck do you mean? I didn't get a single bite of that strawberry cake and I like it more than the others."

"Will you two stop fighting already? Or I will just finish this one too."

Lina finishes her cake and is approaching for the plate we are fighting for which has the sweet pink coated cake. The baker woman's reward for getting her pet rock. One of the three cakes was this strawberry one.

"Hey hey! That's mine. Don't take it." I quickly retrieved the cake back to myself as Lina pulled her tongue out like a kid.

"You can have mine if you want Hanjiro-sama." Zefira offered her strawberry cake to me.

"No thank you. You didn't eat that cake either. Furara ate a whole lot of 'em."

"Please Hanjiro. Let me have some bites from that piece."

"How many more do you want to eat?"

"Let me take a bite then? Please, just one bite." Furara begged, bowing to me with no hint of stopping.

"Alright! Just one bite and that's it."

I handed the plate to her. She happily accepted it and picked up the fork. With her mouth opened enough for a whole orange to fit in, she ate the whole cake in one go."

…….

She wept and struggled to get the hood I took out from her head.

"Hanjiro-sama, just a reminder, Joro-sama is currently sleeping. I don't Joro-sama to be disturbed by you all." Furorem said while glaring at us with her murderous red eyes.

We turned dead quiet. Furara sat down on the sofa beside Lina while I took the other one.

"What do we do now Hanji?"

"What do you mean what are we going to do? We will just pass the day off. Already did two quests for today."

"I don't know. I feel like I can do more than I can usually do. I am pretty hyped."

"Oh, that is pretty rare to hear that from you Lina-san. Did you eat something weird again?"

"What do you do anyway? Just goofing around, stealing items from the opponent and hiding behind me when we are in a serious fight."

"Don't say that with that straight face. You two are always so mean to me!"

"Please! Joro-sama is sleeping. Don't make noises!" Furorem came to the room again. Her eyes were telling us that this is the last warning. We again kept our cool and looked at the dead fireplace. It's very chilly without the fire.

"Oh, why don't we go to Grodmin ozi-san and Sylfia to help them with the shop?" Furara proposed.

"Hmm, not bad. I was thinking of going there too. But maybe their shop is closed. You two tagging along?"

"Sure, I am bored anyway. This might kill some time. I miss lil Silfi after those times during the sale. Well, I think Hanji is missing her ain't that right Hanji?"

"It's been two days since you met her last though."

"Shut the hell up and let's get going. They are waiting for us at the shop."

We got up and went toward the entrance, intending to go to Grodmin's shop since we got bored.

"Ca-can I go as well?"

Oh, I forgot about her again.

He walked through the market district until we reached the 'Grodmin's Weapon and Armor'. The shop was closed just like I thought. I knocked on the door.

"Sylfi! It's me Onii-san!"

"Onii-san?! Hang on, I will be there!" a kid's voice came from inside. After a while, the door opened and Sylfia, wearing a blue apron over a pink dress, showing behind the door smiling.

"Welcome back nii-san! Oh, Furara, Zefira and Lina nee-san too. Welcome back!"

"Glad to see you too, lil Sylfi. How ya doin?"

"I am doing good. Come inside!"

She opened the door wide enough for all of us to enter. The shop was almost empty. I saw Grodmin sharpening an axe.

"Oh, you lads are here. Here for the result of my work?"

Huh? Oh right, the reason we helped him was by looking after the shop. Almost forgot about that one.

"Of course we are. We didn't forget about it or something. Right, Hanji?" Lina elbowed me slowly.

"Aa, ye-yes. We didn't forget. Totally."

"Glad to see ya all. I was kinda nervous but everything is going to be okay." he said smiling. A rare one, that I don't see often.

"When will it be Grodmin-san?" Furara asked from behind.

"It's gonna in the evening if I remember correctly."

"You remembered well Lina. It's gonna be held in the evening. In front of the Gelvin's Farm."

"I am sure you will win this year." said Zefira. We nodded to agree with Zefira.

The sun has set, and the sky is clear with twinkling stars and the crescent moon. In front of Gelvin's Farm, many people gather around as well as us, to see the smith who has won this year. The Harvest Festival is never finished without one.

"Ladies and gentlemen! We will now be announcing the results of the War of the Smiths!"

There was an uproar. We cheered as well with Sylfia with us. Grodmin is on stage with the other blacksmith.

"This year both of them showed many efforts into their work and it was very hard for my team to decide the winner of the 4 categories. But we have to have a winner so here we go."

"What are the four categories?"

"Don't ask me. I never remember them that well."

"Sorry Hanjiro-sama, I don't know either."

"Oh I know, it's the four categories of, the tools durability, sharpness, design and most importantly, how many tools were fixed." Sylvia explained ending it with puffing up her chest with confidence that what she said was all valid.

"I see, they pick a winner separately for the categories?" Asked Furara.

"Yep. It's pretty unfortunate dad only 1 reward before. But I am pretty sure dad will win all of them this year."

"He sure will Sylfia. Don't you worry." I rubbed her head which is covered with golden strands.

"For durability, both gave astonishing results, but we can say that Grodmin's tools were more durable than Alfenzo's tools. Grodmin wins it!"

We clapped and cheered hearing the result. Sylfia was very happy as well.

"Next, for sharpness, Alfenzon's…"

Did that other blacksmith win this one?

"His tools weren't that sharp compare to what Grodmin gave us. It was razor-sharp and made our work easy. Grodmin wins again!"

The people in the crowd roared. While a part of them didn't. Seems to be supporting the other blacksmith who was sitting beside Grodmin, his face was all red and furious.

"This is the first time Grodmin oji-san won 2 rewards. I am proud."

"For the designs, we told our employees to pick the one that is beautiful to you. Almost half of them picked Alfenzo's tools, less than Grodmin's. Here we are, Grodmin again won another!"

I don't know how crazy people became in the crowd. Most of them buy their gear from Grodmin's shop. It is cheap and the shopkeeper is very friendly. I heard the other guy just owns a blacksmith shop and doesn't sell weapons as Grodmin does. They are really happy to see Grodmin winning 3 rewards for the first time maybe even four.

"And finally, the number of tools that they have fixed. Unfortunately, Alfenzo's team brought me a lot more tools than Grodmin did in the afternoon on the day before the festival."

Oh no? Will he lose this one?

The people in the crowd were chatting and whispering. They aren't happy about this one.

"Weird, oto-san made plenty of tools. They fixed more than that?"

"I was wondering that too. If they fixed more than Grodmin-san, that means it was a huge amount." Furara commented.

"Something is wrong I can feel it."

"Well, at least Grodmin won 3 awards this year." said Zefira. Everyone nodded their heads silently in reply.

Alfonzo was giving a nasty grin sitting there. I don't accept this.

"However, at night, he bought me the rest of the tools he fixed and overcome the number that the Alfenzo's team fixed. So, the winner is again none other than, Grodmin!" the narrator announced. The smile on Alfenzo's face faded away.

"Grodmin oji-san won! He won! He won all of them!"

"See Sylfi? Your dad won it all!"

"Oto-san is the best!"

"I am kinda relieved to hear he won all of them."

"He won over the team of 6 members all alone. That man is strong."

Grodmin's joy knew no bound. He happily accepted every award. For the first time in his life at Midlofhin, he won the 4 awards.

"Objection!"

The crowd became silence by the roar. Alfenzo wasn't happy about this after all.

"I object that he didn't won them fair enough"

Looks like we celebrated too early.