Chapter 25

Five days after we left Muno City, we came to the crossroads where we had to part ways with Sara and Miss Karina. One direction leads to the home of the dwarves, Bolehart City. The other will take Sara and Miss Karina to their destination. It took longer than we expected. The mountainous border region was more challenging to traverse than I expected. Monsters attacked us a few times, and bandits tried to raid our caravan at one point. But we didn't have to lift a finger. Whenever danger appeared, the knights escorting Sara would swiftly take care of it.

"Well, here we are. I hope we meet again in the old capital,"

"Indeed. If you go to the old capital, please do visit the Tenion Temple,"

Sara and her company bid us far well as miss Karina nervously watches from the sidelines. We exchange promises to meet again once we reach the old capital.

"S… Sa… sir Pendragon. Are you sure there is no way you might accompany me to the old capital?"

Miss Karina looks like an abandoned kitten when she finally speaks up. She's blushing as she anxiously looks up at Satou.

"I'm sorry, Lady Karina. I am duty bound to deliver Miss Nina's letter to Bolehart City,"

I knew that would be Satou's answer even if he won't go with miss Karina because he is excited to meet a dwarf. Satou's even has some expensive liquor to make a good first impression on them. With how he's been acting, I'm surprised I haven't found him awake at night, saying he is too excited to sleep.

"Hee-hee. You seem to be quite close to Sir Pendragon, Lady Karina,"

For a priestess, Sara is surprisingly quick to tease people and jump into conversations about romance. During the tea party, I was shocked by Sara trying to get information out of me about Satou's body when the woman didn't believe me when I said I never saw it. When I first met her, I thought she was a saint. Now I see she is like every other girl with a keen interest in romance.

"I… I have no such r…relationship with this person, I'll have you know!"

"Oh? Denying it so fervently is rather insulting, is it not?"

Sara smiles, watching miss Karina franticly deny her love for Satou. I used to have a pair of friends just like them at school. One was in love with a guy from the year above, and the other teased her at every opportunity.

"Lady Sara… Lady Karina is quite innocent at heart, so please don't tease her any further,"

"Hee-hee, I suppose you're right," Miss Sara quickly accepted Satou's suggestion and returned to the original subject. "We will be waiting in the riverbed city of Gururian for a few days. So if your business is brief enough, Sir Pendragon, perhaps we will meet again there."

"Then I shall put our cart horses to work and bring that to fruition,"

"Hero Kura, please come visit the temple. I know the head priestess would like to meet with you,"

"I will be sure to stop by,"

Sara smiles sweetly as we part ways. Boarding our separate carriages, we wave goodbye as we get moving.

Our carriage is slightly faster now. We parted with the long convoy of wagons. Thanks to baron Muno, we now have four horses pulling us along. Combine that with Satou making the carriage as light as possible, and we can travel much further than we were capable of before. The ride is a lot better too. Satou installed some shock absorbers, so I barely feel any bumps in the road.

Looking out one of the windows, I can see Nana and Liza riding beside us, deterring thieves from attacking. Although the security of the Ougoch Duchy was not as bad as it was in the Muno Barony when we first arrived. Satou still reported spotting plenty of bandits when he scouted the area. At least none of them tried to attack us.

The first hour of our journey was peaceful as I helped the younger girls study the word cards Satou brought. Arisa jealously scolded Satou for being too close to Lulu. Mia ended up riding with Nana at some point, and after a few more hours had passed, we decided to make camp when Liza took down a wild boar.

We camped outside a small village and had boar hot pot for dinner that night. We shared the leftovers with the villagers. It won them over and granted us especially good treatment even before they realised Satou, and I was nobles. But once they noticed that fact, they insisted we stay in the village chief's house, but we turned them down. We didn't want to trouble them with so many guests.

<0>

Two days after our stay in the village, we finally arrived at Bolehart City. Arisa was muttering that dwarves should live underground when we see the city. According to Satou, parts of the city are underground. Still, more than half of the dwarves live in the above-ground portion of the city. As we got closer to the city, the number of tall trees decreased, while there were more bushes and reddish-brown thickets.

"Mine pollution, perhaps?" Arisa murmured as she looked out the window.

"You think so? I've never been close to a mine before, so I have no idea," Satou replies, looking around.

"Mrrrr? Spirits," Mia answered, making a cute X over her mouth with her fingers.

"It's because of spirits, you mean?"

"No. No spirits,"

"They're withering because there are no spirits, then?"

"Mm," Mia nodded, satisfied.

"Mana shortage," The elf added, and Arisa nodded rapidly.

Well, that's fantasy logic. I can't quite understand it, but I played some games in the past where mana or some fantasy power source had similar effects on the world.

"Master, explain?" With her sage expression still on her face, Arisa turned toward Satou.

"As I understand, spirits convey mana to everything in the natural world. I don't know what effect it has on plants, but I think there's an adverse effect if they don't get enough,"

Satou and I obtained this information from Trazayuya's journals in the Cradle. According to the documents, mana affected living and non-living things and phenomena. This probably included natural phenomena like wind currents and temperature changes.

"Huh. Have you ever seen a spirit, master?"

"Well, we've seen a dryad, remember? She was a tree sprite, so that makes her a spirit, right?"

"No," Mia shook her head.

"So…not a spirit?"

"Mm," She nodded.

I don't understand the difference, but I'll take her word for it since Mia can see spirits while I can't.

"Well, if dryads aren't spirits, then I guess I've never seen one. To see them, you probably need a skill like Mia's 'Spirit Vision'" Arisa nodded, then twisted around toward Mia.

"Mia, what do spirits look like?"

"Pretty,"

"Well, that's not much to go on,"

"Mrrrr," Mia scrunched her eyebrows and thought for a moment. "Glowy pearls. Fluffy. Nice."

"Hmm! I'd like to see one for myself, then,"

"Me too,"

Arisa murmured enviously, and Satou nodded in agreement. I would like to see one, too, someday. I wonder if they feel as fluffy as Mia described. But Satou must have other ideas. Even from where I sit, I see him drooling, only to be scolded by Arisa.

"You're drooling, master!" Arisa growls as Satou whips his lips. "Cheater!"

"Cheater!"

"Cheater, sir!"

Even Pochi and Tama join in. there looked like they were on the verge of dozing off a moment ago, but now they start climbing all over Satou. He pats them on the head as he seats the two down beside him. Lulu giggles as she looks in from the coachman's stand.

"Master, there's a great deal of smoke up ahead,"

Just then, Liza, who'd brought her horse close to the carriage, reported to Satou with some anxiety. Looking forward, there doesn't seem to be another to be alarmed about.

"Don't worry. It's just fumes from smelting iron,"

"I… is that so? I apologise for disturbing you,"

Satou disappears to the coachman stand after assuring Liza. The city reminds me of the factories I used to pass by on the train. Tall chimney stacks pour smoke into the sky, and even the smell is the same as when I was back in Japan. Even the traffic reminds me of my old world. Despite arriving in the afternoon, there was still a long line of carriages in front of us. We stopped our carriage at the back and waited for our turn.

"Looks like there are maybe twenty carts in front of us? We might be waiting quite a while,"

"Seems that way,"

Arisa climbed onto the coachman's stand to get a better look. Before long, Pochi and Tama join her, climbing onto the roof of our carriage.

"Tama, Pochi, stand at the back of the carriage and keep watch for thieves,"

Bringing her horse up alongside the carriage, Liza gave instructions to Tama and Pochi. They were staring around wide-eyed from their perch on the roof.

"Aye-aye, sir!"

"Roger, sir!"

"Mrrr…"

"Sorry,"

"We're sorry, sir,"

Pochi and Tama were quick to follow Liza's orders. They jumped back into the carriage and rushed at lightning speed towards the back. Unfortunately, along the way, they ended up knocking Mia over. She wasn't hurt, but those two should be more careful in the future.

"Master, it appears that weasels visit this town. They are a cunning tribe, so please be careful,"

"All right, got it. Thanks, Liza,"

If I remember correctly, the weaselfolk is the race that destroyed Liza's village.

"Nana," After picking herself up, Mia beckoned to Nana. "Ride."

"Hero Kuro, I will transfer horse operation duties to Mia, I report. Permission to do so?"

"Sure. Don't go too far, though, all right?"

"Mm,"

Mia hopped in front of Nana and took the reins, turning the horse toward the front gate. She probably wanted to check the situation at the front of the line. As Mia and Nana left, they passed a group of approaching peddlers.

"Mister, won't ya buy some potatoes? They're right tasty,"

A woman with an unusual dialect selling boiled potatoes was the first to arrive. One potato costs one copper. This was three times the price that my Estimation skill suggested.

"Mister, forget them potatoes. I got chicken skewers here. They use lots o' rock salt from Bole'art! Only three coppers apiece,"

"Master, don'tcha want some real meat? These whole-roasted toads'll fill ya right up. Nice an' chewy."

Maybe I was just prejudiced, but the weaselfolk sounded shady. Everything they tried to sell us was overpriced, and the toad, while smelling good, didn't look that appetising. Tama and Pochi made it hard to turn the merchants down. As soon as they smelt the meat, their eyes shone brightly. When we sent the merchants away, their ears flopped.

As we waited our turn, more peddlers, including more weaselfolk, ratfolk, and rabbitfolk children, accosted us, selling things like sandals and rope. We didn't need any of it, and I am starting to think the people here see us as an easy mark. Everything is at least twice as much as it should be. But one of the rabbitfolk seemed to know Pearl. They exchanged a few words in their native tongue. I picked up the rabbitfolk language skill from overhearing their conversation. Still, I tried not to eavesdrop even as Pearl's friend stared at me.

After a while, I step out of the wagon to stretch my legs. Nana and Mia had just returned with a purchase they'd made near the front of the line when I did so. Both of them were wearing flower crowns atop their heads. As a bonus, Mia had something sticking out of her mouth.

"Kura,"

Mia took out the long, stemlike object from her mouth and offered the end to me, so I gave it a taste. It was sweet. A nice gentle sweetness like the nectar of a flower. There was this brand of sweets I used to love back in Japan.

"Ah!"

"That was an indirect kiss, wasn't it?! That's it. I'm going next! Master, please buy me a stem like that one!"

Lulu gasps, seeing us, while Arisa instantly starts pestering Satou. I can understand Lulu reacting the way she did. Still, I thought Arisa was old enough in her previous life to get past things like indirect kisses.

A young weaselfolk girl must have overheard them. She came running over with a basket full of stems and seeing everyone's faces, Satou and I had no choice but to buy some. Arisa kept trying to get Satou to share with her, but apart from that, we all enjoyed the treat together.

"Ach, coachman! Does this carriage belong to a noble or what?"

"Or is it a merchant? Hey, coachman!"

I heard gruff voices shouting, but I didn't see anyone. Oh. I see. Lowering my gaze, I see a pair of dwarves standing by the carriage. They are so small, only about half my size. Yet they look as strong as bodybuilders and wear heavy-looking armour with spears resting on their shoulders. Satou doesn't seem to have spotted them yet. He's still looking around from the coachman's stand.

"Right here, coachman,"

"That's right. Down here, y'see,"

"Nice to meet you, Sir Dwarves. I am Satou Pendragon, a hereditary knight of Muno Barony,"

Satou replies as he finally notices them. He must have accidentally scared them because both dwarves instantly stand up straight and pound their hands to their chest.

"S-so terribly sorry. We didn't realise ye were a noble, ach…."

"Mighty strange noble at that, to be sittin' on the coachman's stand, y'see,"

"So, what business did you have with me?" Satou asks in a friendly tone to help the dwarves relax, but they still look tense to me.

"We came to say that if ye be a noble, ye needn't wait in line, ach,"

"Yes, nobles don't need to wait in line, y'see,"

The dwarves led us past the line and into the city. We had never had to wait in line much before, so it wasn't an issue we encountered. Thinking back, I think either Henry or earl Seiryuu might have mentioned this being a perk of nobility when I first became a knight. Once we get into the city, we get the treatment we have come to know from my noble title. They verified my and Satou's IDs before quickly searching our carriage. They don't ask for any tax or check any of our companions and just let us in.

<0>

"A he… hero… is it true?"

"Yes," I nod. "My name is Kura Suou. I'm a hero and knight in the service of earl Seiryuu."

"I… I'm sorry… I should have been better prepared to greet you… I will prepare our best room for…."

"It's fine," I assure him. I feel that if I didn't stop him, I would have been stuck going to feats and meetings instead of enjoying my time here. "You don't have to give me any special treatment."

"I see…." He pauses before turning to Satou. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sir Pendragon. I've received the letter from Viscount Lottel. Is the brave lady doing well?"

"Yes, she's ruling with great enthusiasm. And please feel free to call me Satou if you'd like,"

We were currently visiting the city hall to chat with the mayor, Mr Dorial. The others were relaxing in a separate room, except for Arisa, who was currently beside Satou. Miss Nina had asked her to take care of something. She almost sounded like a different person as she addressed Mr Dorial.

"If it pleases you, Master Dorial. We would like to formally request your gracious acceptance of exchange students from the Muno territory to study abroad here, as is written in that letter,"

"Hmm. Viscount Lottel did look out for me when I was studying abroad in the old capital, so I'm sure we can accept a few exchange students each year,"

Mr Dorial opened the letter as he answered. The lord of this dominion was his father, Mr Dohal, not Mr Dorial himself. I was starting to wonder if he could really make promises like that. Perhaps sensing my trepidation, Mr Dorial went on.

"Worry not. My father entrusts me with all but the most important matters. The letter states that you might be interested in blacksmithing and such, Mr Satou. Would you like to visit the public workshops and refining facilities?"

"Yes, please!"

"Would you care to join us, hero Kura?"

"It would be a pleasure,"

I wasn't interested in blacksmithing, but I doubt I would get another chance to see something like this.

<0>

"This is the biggest blast furnace in the city,"

Before us was a building with a ceiling height of about sixty feet. The only people here were Mr Dorial, a female dwarf acting as his secretary, Satou, and me. The female dwarf, named Jojorie, was Mr Dorial's daughter. Instead of the cutesy little girls who often represent female dwarves in recent games, she was just a beardless version of a male dwarf. Meanwhile, Arisa had gone off to the commercial district of the city. She declared that she would look for a merchant to deliver the response to Muno City.

Jojorie opened the heavy-looking door, releasing a blast of hot air. Inside the building was a large room, like a mill or a factory, with many men working hard. They seemed to be shovelling black lumps into the hole at the centre.

"That there is the top of the furnace,"

That's impressive. Just the top alone is bigger than I was expecting. I thought I would see a room filled with multiple smaller furnaces but instead. Instead, Jojorie explains this furnace extends down another five floors. It's so hot here that I am surprised anyone could stand working with this furnace.

"Does it use coal?" Satou asks, not looking the slightest bit concerned about the sweltering temperature.

"The fuel is transmuted from monster cores and coal to create something called 'refined monster coal.' It's got more heating power than ordinary coal, and using monster cores for the fuel is more cost-efficient than running a magic furnace,"

"It's too hot in here. Let's do our explanations elsewhere,"

Mr Dorial urged us to an observation area where the heat was milder. According to Mr Dorial, an insulation spell protected it. From here, we could fully visualise the blast furnace. The room was cut in half down the middle, and the far side served as a sort of well that went about two hundred feet underground. On the lower floor, a large group of shirtless dwarves and beastfolk was hard at work. Occasionally, red-hot metal would flow out of the furnace, illuminating the dark underground section.

"This is quite a facility you have here," Satou comments.

"Yes, thirty percent of the iron used in the duchy is refined here,"

That sounds like a lot. I'm not sure how much is made in other places, but the way they sound makes me think they are the top suppliers of iron.

"The smoke is purified when it passes through that pipe there. The inside of the pipe is lined with a catalyst transmuted from water stones and wind stones, which cleans away the soot from the smoke without needing any additional magic power supply,"

Moving on, we also got to tour a rotary kiln and a roller. The latter used a giant magical furnace that was some magic tool, as far as I could tell. This furnace required magic to run, as evidenced by the men stumbling around in robes like sorcerers on the verge of exhausting their magic.

"That seems to be quite a difficult endeavour,"

"Indeed. We would normally have more hands on the job, but gnomes are currently visiting home, so we're short on people,"

I feel sorry for anyone having to work overtime in this heat. I doubt I would be able to handle a job like this. Hearing heavy footsteps, I turned to find a group of little giants around ten feet tall carrying finished bars of iron and steel. According to Jojorie, they come from a different clan than the ones we meet at the Mountain-Tree Village.

We were able to get a fairly thorough tour. Still, they hadn't yet shown us the mithril-related facilities Satou said were beneath us in the underground caverns. It was probably a highly classified part of Bolehart City. Unable to resist his curiosity, Satou asked Mr Dorial about it, just for kicks.

"Are the mithril facilities underground, then?"

"I… I'm surprised you knew about that. Did Viscount Lottel tell you, perhaps?"

"No, it was just a hunch. Besides, I heard that this city's mithril goods are the finest in the world, so I very much wanted to visit for myself if possible,"

"Is that so…? I should like to allow it, then, but I would need my father's permission for that,"

Mr Dorial crossed his short arms and furrowed his brow. Unable to watch her father fret any longer, Jojorie spoke up.

"Father, why not simply talk to Grandfather? Surely even he would never command a total stranger to forge a sword or anything like that,"

Why did she have to say that? Now we will probably be drawn into a sword-making contest with her grandfather.

<0>

"Hmph. Let's see ye forge a sword. Then we'll talk,"

I knew it. Jojorie can't even look us in the eyes. After squeezing through a narrow underground tunnel only a few feet high, we reached Elder Dohal's workplace. In the back of the room, high-level dwarves were forging swords. They were all highly skilled. Each sword was higher in attack power, sharpness, durability, and other parameters than anyone on the street by more than half. And after we were introduced to him, he made the very request Jojorie had joked about.

I sensed his eyes on the Silent Bell of Bolenan attached to my wrist, but he said nothing about it. He is probably the only person who recognised the bell, not to mention it. I have read in books that dwarves and elves don't get along, so maybe that's why.

"Father, Sir Satou is an acquaintance of Viscount Lottel…."

"Hmm. Certainly, we owe Nina a debt of gratitude, but that has nothing to do with this. Seeing someone forge a sword speaks volumes of their character. Zajuul, bring out a heated mithril ingot,"

"Of course, master,"

Despite Mr Dorial's protest, we won't be able to get out of this. Well, I will probably get the blacksmithing skill from this test, so it won't be a waste of time. Being able to maintain our swords and other weapons ourselves will save us some money in the long run too.

The brawny grey-bearded dwarf Zajuul prepared ingots and the necessary tools for us. I have been watching the dwarves forge weapons around us, so I have some idea of what to do. I hope the Blacksmithing skill works like my Cooking skill. Let it be that it will help guild my hands like the Cooking skill helps me notice the perfect time to flip the meat or the right amount of seasoning to use.

It will be fine. I grasped the red-hot ingot with smithing tongs and placed it on the anvil. Then, I struck it with the mallet, sending sparks flying. It is good that Pochi and Tama aren't here, or they will be trying to catch those sparks. Just as I had hoped, I got the Smithing skill the second I brought the mallet down, so I maxed it out. I breathe a sigh of relief when the knowledge of what to do just comes naturally to me now. But something feels wrong. Glancing over at Satou, I see he must sense it too. Possibly sensing our confusion, Elder Dohal took the tool from me and struck the ingot. After a single blow, he called Zajuul over, raking him on the head with his knuckles.

"How many decades have ye been working with mithril now, ye fool? I've said time and again that melting metal into an ingot is the foundation of smithing!"

"Of course, master,"

"All right, we're going to the mithril furnace. Come with me, youngster,"

"Certainly,"

I guess we passed his test. I'm not sure what we were being tested on, but it must have something to do with recognising a bad ingot. I'm glad the ordeal was easier than I thought it would be. Now Elder Dohal was going to take us to the mithril furnace himself. Mr Dorial and Jojorie follow close behind him, with Satou and I taking up the rear.

Compared to the iron blast furnace I'd seen outside, the one for mithril was much smaller. It was probably only about a third of the size. Unlike the first one, it seemed to operate solely on magical power, so all that went into the hole in the top was mithril ore. In front of the control panel for the furnace, Zajuul was shouting at several other dwarves.

"Brother Zajuul… We only have poor-quality monster cores left, so we can't produce enough heat,"

"We need better quality cores, or the magic furnace just won't work, no matter how much we plug away at it, y'see,"

"Oh, if the gnomes were here, they could refill it from the emergency magic supply terminal there…."

I really feel bad for the guys working overtime. At least in the upper levels, they could get their work done. Down here, all they could do was struggle and sweat in the heat with equipment that refused to work. The dwarves down here just slump down with looks of exhaustion on their faces. They look miserable.

"You morons! The youth of Bolehart shouldn't whine like this!" Zajuul yelled.

"Lemme see your guts! We're gonna work together to power up the supply terminal!"

"Brother Zajuul?! A-all right, let's do it, then!"

"Oh, will it really work with just us?"

"We'll round up all the bastards who are on break, too, of course!"

So they were going with the brute force approach. I doubt it would work with how tired everyone is, and besides, I have a feeling that even if they were all in perfect condition, it would work. Still, Zajuul looks determined to go through with it. A dwarf throws a pink magical core into the furnace and starts it up. Then, with Zajuul leading the way, the group of ten men grabbed the "magic supply terminal" thing and started pushing magic into it. The crimson ore furnace took on a faint golden glow. However, they didn't seem to be able to produce the magic fast enough, and the glow began flickering on and off.

"Looks like you're a bit short. Let me help out,"

"If you're helping, Father, then I will, too,"

Even Elder Dohal and Mr Dorial came to pitch in. Mr Dorial was grinning and rolling up his sleeves, excited to get a piece of the action. I still don't think it will be enough.

"Sir Dohal, would you mind if I help as well?"

"Just use a free terminal!"

"M… master!"

Seems Satou had the same thought as he quickly volunteered to help. Seeing another free terminal, I stepped up as well. I hope this doesn't leave me feeling as weak as that dryad did. It seemed I had nothing to worry about. If anything, I would say it feels the same as when I provide Nana with magic… just without the naughty sounds and Mia calling us lewd.

"All right, you lot! Breathe in time!"

"RIGHT!"

Elder Dohal and Zajuul alternately shouted "HEIGH!" and "HO!" to get a rhythm going. Hearing the dwarfs shout brings a smile to my face bringing back memories of childhood movies where they would shout similar lines.

I focus on controlling the flow of mana through my hands. It's pretty straightforward, but I don't want to collapse. At first, I only let a little bit of my magic flow into the machine but seeing that wasn't enough, I slowly increased the amount. Careful not to overload the machine or exceed the amount of mana I recover. I found the perfect balance and even gained the Magic-Tool Tuning skill that I swiftly maxed out. I would have thought I would have gained the skill of helping Nana. Still, it helps me a lot, and I can fine-tune the amount of mana I am sending.

Suddenly the furnace seems to work. It glows brighter, and I can feel the temperature rise. But all of the dwarves fail to notice. Huffing and puffing, they keep their fall attention on the terminal to keep feeding the furnace.

"It's stabilising! You can do it!"

Jojorie's cheer put the spark back in the dwarves' eyes. The furnace began to let off a shrill sound as the repeated shots of magic started to cross the threshold.

"Now! Throw in the mithril ore!"

"Right!"

At Elder Dohal's command, the dwarf waiting on standby near the furnace tossed in the ore.

"Mithril blast furnace preparations complete!"

"All hands, equip light protection gear!"

"Here, Mr Satou," Jojorie came up behind him and affixed something like sunglasses to his face. "It's a light shield. The glow of the furnace can hurt your eyes even when you're wearing these, though, so please avoid looking directly at it."

"Thank you very much." Satou nodded gratefully to Jojorie.

"This is your pair hero Kura," Jojori fitted me with a pair. "Neither of you should take them off unless told to."

"Mithril blast furnace, commence operation!" Elder Dohal made another declaration.

"Right!"

One dwarf moved away from the magic supply terminal and gave the control panel a hearty smack. The reddish-gold glow around the furnace gathered at the bottom, creating dazzling rings of light that floated upward rhythmically. It was a beautiful sight I didn't expect to see from a furnace. The next moment, my eyes were overwhelmed.

A bright light hurt my eyes, forcing me to turn away. It must have caused some damage because I notice my HP bar has lost a few points, but I quickly heal. I'm glad I have "Cheat Abilities," as Arisa would say. I managed to gain the Light Resistance skill, which I maxed out to cure my blindness. I am starting to think I am lucky not to have gone blind from all that.

"Come on, you lot! The work's not over yet! Keep the magical pressure going!"

"RIGHT!"

I turn away from the furnace and focus on the terminal. It may not cause my HP to drop anymore, but it still hurts to look at. I take it nice and easy to provide a steady amount of mana to the terminal. The dwarves, on the other hand, seemed to be pushing themselves too hard and dropped one after another from overwork. Eventually, the only two left standing aside from Satou and me were Elder Dohal and Zajuul.

"Look at you, human! Seems I misjudged ya!" Zajuul chuckled heartily and smacked Satou's shoulder with a thick palm. "And heroes are just as amazing as I heard."

I wish he didn't smack me too. I may be pretty strong in this world, but that still hurts. I'm sure they would have gone flying if he had hit any other human other than Satou and me.

"Thanks for your help, Mr Satou, miss Hero. Are you thirsty? You too, Mr Zajuul,"

I took a gulp of the liquid Jojorie offered me. I was surprised when I felt the alcohol burning my throat. I should have expected it considering they are dwarves, but I didn't expect them to drink at work. Looking closely at the drink, it looks similar to water, but I catch the refreshing scent of rice wine in my nostrils. I nearly choked with surprise, but somehow I kept it together.

"Is this alcohol?" Satou asks, nearly choking on the drink.

"Distilled rice wine from the city, yes. It won't get you drunk like strong spirits would, but it's good for you to drink after working up a sweat,"

"Zajuul!"

"Yes! Master!"

Zajuul pressed a button on the lower part of the furnace, and the door at the bottom opened, producing the freshly tempered mithril. Instead of a melted metal like iron, it produced about twenty solid ingots. They were even in the proper shape already. There must have been a mould inside. Once they cooled, the completed ingots gleamed silver with a light green finish. Hearing thudding sounds, I turned to see that a door on the side of the furnace had opened to discharge some blackish lumps.

A metallic sound made me turn back around. Elder Dohal hit one of the ingots with a small hammer to check the sound. Then he pointed out a few that had met his standards, instructing Zajuul to bring them to the smithing area.

"Come along, youngsters. I'll have ye hammer in turn with me,"

"Master! A human child can't keep up with your hammering!"

"Silence, you! Don't contradict my decisions!"

"Youngster! Ye'd best assume that ye won't be sleeping till morning. Jojorie, we'll need meat. We still have that smoked basilisk, do we not? Bring the whole thing here. We must fill our stomachs first,"

Smoked basilisk? I haven't tried it, but I can't wait to. Back when I first came to this world, there were plenty of things I would never have dreamed I would have eaten. Rat's, hydras, and other types of monsters. Most of the things I hate would have repulsed me. Now I can't wait to try new things. I wonder what a basilisk would taste like?

Once we'd moved to the blacksmiths' messroom and Jojorie had served us, I asked her to deliver a message and some food to our companions. We had arranged to spend the night in the mayor's guesthouse, so it shouldn't be a problem. The process had taken such a long time that Mr Dorial had already returned to his mayoral duties, leaving Jojorie behind.

<0>

A massive lump of metal shook the floor with a thud.

"What's the matter, youngster? Is the giant smithing hammer giving you second thoughts?"

Zajuul smirked and patted the handle of the enormous tool on the floor. It was basically just a substantial unrefined lump of metal with a handle, and it looked like it could easily weigh a ton.

"A dwarf would be able to lift this with one hand, y'know. Put yer back into it!"

One hand? I heard dwarves were strong, but I would have expected even them to need two hands to lift this monster of a hammer. Still, if a dwarf can lift this with one hand, I should also be able to with my maxed-out strength stat. Zajuul did indeed lift it up with one hand to demonstrate. I pretended not to notice that he was trying to impress Jojorie. I didn't want to make a comment that might earn him another smack from Elder Dohal. When he drops the hammer, I simply pick it up with one hand, causing his jaw to drop.

"A… a human c… couldn't have… while it must be because you're a hero,"

Zajuul commented, shaking his head. A few other dwarfs looked surprised too, but they quickly got over it after hearing Zajuul call me a hero. Satou doesn't make as big a scene as I had when he picks up the hammer provided for him. Smartly he picks his up with two hands, pretending to struggle a bit. While I practised swinging the giant hammer, Elder Dohal peered into the pot his apprentices had brought.

"It's a little weak. Bring something stronger,"

"Och, master, this is all we've got right now,"

"Have Ganza formulate some more, then,"

"Och, Ganza went back home to take care of some incident in Boleheim,"

It seemed the chemicals didn't meet Elder Dohal's stands, just like the ingots. I would accuse him of being picky, but Elder Dohal seems to know his craft well, so there is probably a reason why he is turning down so many things. I might be able to help, but I can't expect them to tell me the recipes for the products they use so quickly.

"Jojorie! Go up to the surface and get me an alchemist. Anyone will do,"

"Lord Dohal, if you really do mean anyone, perhaps I could formulate it?"

"Hmm? You do alchemy, too, do ye? It's in your hands, then,"

Satou volunteered to help, and elder Dohal's swift decision seemed to agitate Zajuul and the other apprentices. However, none of them was able to say that to his face. One of the apprentices guided us to the alchemy area in the corner of the room. I would offer to assist, but I would only get in his way in such a cramped room.

"I've only helped with formulation before, but…."

According to the dwarf's explanation, the pots were lined up in order of when they should be mixed in. The assortment of tableware strewn around in front of the pots was used in place of scales to measure the material. It looked like it was pretty approximate.

The Transmutation Tablet used to finish the job already had the proper settings in place, so Satou could master the Dwarf Elixir without much trouble. Checking over his creation, Elder Dohal nodded sagely.

"Well made. Perhaps ye can take over for Ganza,"

Elder Dohal didn't sound like he was joking. He carried the elixir pot into a room next to the smithing workshop. It looked like this was a smithing room for his exclusive use. The room contained a small furnace of scarlet ore and an anvil of mithril alloy.

"Magic Pulse Connection Mamyaku Setsuzoku,"

Elder Dohal's words caused a golden-red flame to spring up in the melting furnace. The diadem around his forehead started to glow as he chanted a spell. This feeling. I stood next to baron Muno when he used the city core back in Muno City. It feels just like the power baron Muno used back then.

Elder Dohal's apprentices quickly moved around the room, setting everything up for us. Smithing tools were laid out, buckets for cooling were placed, and lanterns were lit. Most of them left when their job was done, but a few stayed around, staying quiet in the back of the room. I guess they are here in case elder Dohal needs anything.

"Is that water in there?"

Satou asks, taking a closer look at the liquid in the bucket. It is the same colour as ordinary water but looks thicker and smells like alcohol.

"It's Dwarf Water for cooling," Elder Dohal answers. "Three parts oil, one part spirits. Even mithril here likes liquor, y'see."

I was surprised he was so open. Dwarf Elixir, Dwarth Water, and letting us see the mithril furnace. Elder Dohal is either too trusting or confident we won't try to steal his skills.

"Master! Preparations are complete!" Zajuul reports after checking, the apprentices didn't forget anything.

"Great! Then let us begin!"

I can feel the gazes of the dwarfs that remained in the room on us. Glancing over my shoulder, I can't miss the jealousy in their eyes. They watch our every move and make the occasional comment. It looks like being able to smith alongside Elder Dohal is a great honour everyone wishes for. I'm sure they will get this honour one day if they work hard. I do my best to ignore them as I get to work. It is hard to work under such conditions but working alongside a great swordsmith is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I certainly won't let it pass me by.

<0>

We worked until dawn, but we managed to complete our weapons. Mine is nothing compared to Satou's and elder Dohal's, but I am still proud of what I made. It isn't pretty, but it is light and sharp enough to cut through most defences. While Satou and elder Dohal made long swords, what I made more closely resembles a saber.

I was planning on making a repair for Nana, but I had more mithril to work with than I was expecting, so I made a weapon with a broader blade. I spoke to elder Dohal about it while we hammered away at our ingots. I asked about light weapons, and he suggested a few to me. He was upset that I didn't make a weapon for myself. However, he seemed to understand when I explained that Nana is the only one of my companions still using an iron sword.

Since my weapon was smaller than the other two, I had some material left over, so I made some thin plates. I managed to catch elder Dohal's eye with that move, but when I pulled out a pair of gloves I made while in the Muno Barony, he seemed to understand what I was making. Using some spare cloth I had in storage, I sewed the plates into the gloves protecting my fingers and the back of my hand. Borrowing some scraps from Satou and elder Dohal, I had enough to make similar gloves for Liza, Nana, and Pearl. I thought about making a pair for Pochi and Tama, but Satou and I agreed that they would quickly outgrow the gloves as they got older.

"I'm impressed you both managed to finish in a single night," Elder Dohal comments as he inspects our work. "If either of you wishes to study earnestly, you are welcome here any time."

Elder Dohal smacks us both on the back. It hurt more than when Zajuul smacked us. But I still managed to smile. We got some new equipment, and I learned a lot, so I have plenty to smile about. Still, I'm surprised I haven't heard anything about someone dying by elder Dohal's smacks. I swear those things could send a demon flying.

"I still have some things to do," Elder Dohal says as he collects our completed swords. "Go on and eat without me."

But despite working through the night, Satou and I don't get to take a break just yet. As soon as elder Dohal is gone, Zajuul and the other dwarves quickly surround us. Some were only interested in examining the gloves I made, but most just came to compliment us.

"Yer both pretty good for mere humans,"

"Yer darn right. Are you two sure yer not dwarves?"

"You two are welcome here any time, y'hear,"

I didn't think what we did was all that impressive. We just struck the ingots all night until our weapons were made while following elder Dohal's instructions. Honestly, I felt like I was in a trance after striking the ingot for multiple hours straight. When I close my eyes, I can still see the sparks flying. But somehow, through all that, we managed to impress the dwarven blacksmiths.

We all started to leave the room after a few moments' comments. Jojorie, who was sleeping in the corner, was nearly left behind. If Satou hadn't woken her up, she would have probably missed breakfast.

Pochi and Tama will be upset. For our breakfast, we had plenty of meat along with some liquor. Everything was so tasty I knew they would have eaten until their bellies were full and they couldn't move. Well, if all dwarves enjoy meat as much as the blacksmiths, those two are probably eating more than they can handle for their breakfast.

After we ate our fill, Satou and I were summoned by elder Dohal. Guided to him, and soon we find ourselves in a hall in the basement. It looks like this place is an atrium. The ceiling was pretty high, and the space was wide open.

"Give it a swing,"

Elder Dohal hadn't taken a break. When we meet back up with him, he hands us the swords we made. In the time it took Satou and me to eat breakfast, elder Dohal worked his magic. Our swords now have hilts added to them. They are beautiful. Carved with an elegant design fit for royalty, I know Nana will love it. Elder Dohal even added a cute chicken to the design after I told him that Nana likes cute, tiny things.

Swinging the sword, it feels light in my hand. The blade is easy to move, and after borrowing a shield from one of the guards, I find that Nana will have no difficulty using this weapon. Giving the sword a few more practice swings, I doubt this is my own creation. It feels less like a weapon and more like an extension of my arm.

"Not put some magic into it and try swinging,"

Following elder Dohal's instructions, I carefully add my magic to the blade. It passed through so easily. I will have to help Nana train to control the flow of magic properly, but she should have no problems mastering this sword. Pink streaks follow the sword's path as I swing it while I notice Satou's sword giving off a light green trail. When we applied more magic, the glows turned red. But I noticed that the more magic I poured into the sword, the heavier it would become. If Nana isn't careful, I can see this weapon becoming too heavy for her to lift.

"You both have fine handling of the swords," Elder Dohal comments as Satou, and I end our tests. "Now, miss hero. How about we have a bout?"

"Sure,"

I quickly agreed. Elder Dohal showed Satou and me so much that I could spar with him for as long as he liked. With my consent, elder Dohal quickly takes out a large battle axe that gives me a bad feeling. As soon as I appraise the weapon, I learn why. It's cursed. But somehow, a seal has been placed on the curse. It allows the user to benefit from the positive effects of the curse without suffering the drew backs. I hope I can learn a skill like that one day. Cursed weapons in games I have played back in Japan always had a powerful ability.

"Let's begin!"

Elder Dohal was faster than I gave him credit for. I barely had time to react before his axe was inches from my body, but I deflected the weapon at the last second. But he wasn't done yet. With a powerful wide swing, elder Dohal forces me to jump back. He's enjoying this. With a smile, he launches a series of rapid attacks. With every attack I block, I am pushed back. I knew elder Dohal was strong after seeing him swing that hammer all night long, but I wasn't expecting this.

I'm being backed up closer and closer to the wall. Satou and the dwarves move out of the way, but I don't let us get any close. With a side step and a spin, I position myself behind elder Dohal and launch an attack of my own. I may have put too much strength into it myself. Elder Dohal nearly lost his grip on his axe after I struck it.

"Not bad, youngster," Elder Dohal chuckles as he recovers. "I expect nothing less from a hero."

The blade I made for Nana is holding up exceptionally well. No chips or signs of damage even after blocking multiple of elder Dohal's overpowered attacks. It's light, easy to swing, and I can rapidly respond to elder Dohal's attacks and counter. I am starting to get a little jealous that Nana will have such a great weapon.

We slowly increase the magic flowing into our weapons as the fight continues until both weapons release a red glow. I am a little worried that one of us will get hurt if this continues but with my healing magic and Satou's potions, at least no one would die.

"Keep it up!" Elder Dohal instructs. "Magic makes mithril stronger! Don't stop supplying it even in the midst of a battle!"

It isn't much different than using my holy sword. I struggle to control the flow with elder Dohal's never-ending strikes. Still, once I get used to his attack patterns, it becomes easier and more manageable.

After ten minutes, I have elder Dohal figured out. He always attacks when his right foot is forward and defends when his left foot is placed ahead. Elder Dohal narrows his eyes if his attack is real and never when they faint. Compared to Pearl and Liza, he is incredibly easy to read. Even Nana hides her moves better. Satou is just as easy o read, though. If it wasn't for him being overpowered, I'm sure he would have been killed multiple times by now.

Ten minutes pass, and we are still going at it. Elder Dohal seems to be a well of energy that never ends. He is one of the few opponents who even makes me feel tired. Still, it is fun. We enjoy ourselves as we trade blows and rush around the room. But the match finally ended in my victory. Ducking under one of elder Dohal's high swings, I counter with an attack of my own strike knocking the axe from his hands.

I lost count of the number of times Pearl knocked my sword free with similar moves when she started to teach me. But instead of looking disappointed or frustrated by his defeat, elder Dohal loudly chuckles as he picks up his weapon.

"Ha, Ha, Ha, it's been a long time since someone disarmed me!" Elder Dohal chuckles as he hands his axe over to one of his apprentices. "Let me see your sword." I hand it over to him. "No nicks or distortions on the blade. You've got a good arm. Who taught ye how to use a sword?"

"I am mostly self-taught," I tell him. "But I had several teachers who helped me refine my technique."

Knights at Earl Seiryuu's castle, Pearl, Liza, and even Nana taught me plenty of ways to improve my skill with the sword. Add in some experience in actual combat, and I have risen my swordsmanship to a level that I am proud of.

"Ye act like a swordsman with ten, twenty years of experience," Elder Dohal comments. "They must have been some good teachers." Elder Dohal gazed at my sword for a moment before starting a chant. "Hmm… Name Order Meimei! 'Fairy Sword Protector.'"

Protector. I'm sure Nana will like that name. But that wasn't the end of our event. Satou found himself drawn into a sparing match with elder Dohal once we had a quick break. Their match wasn't nearly as long as mine was, but it was still entertaining to watch. In the end, elder Dohal corned Satou and forced him to surrender, but he saw right through Satou's weakling act. Elder Dohal even commented on how Satou must have had the same teacher as me before giving Satou's sword the name Fairy Sword Trazayuya.

It was surprising to hear the name Trazayuya again. But then we were even more surprised when elder Dohal said he used to be a servant of Trazayuya. Elder Dohal didn't go into much detail about it. Still, he did say that Trazayuya was a wise man and Satou's sword was worthy of carrying his name. He even shed a tear as he handed Satou back his sword.

"Now then, let us drink!" Elder Dohal cheered, putting an arm over Satou's shoulders. "Today is a good day! Bring out a barrel of spirits!"

Zajuul quickly fetches a large barrel and sets it down before us. Before I can even say anything, the merrymaking begins. Dwarves come from every door and tunnel, filling the room with more alcohol and bringing plenty of food. I'm pretty sure elder Dohal arranged for all this in advance.

"Drink up!"

Zajuul approached, handing Satou and me a bowl filled with a reddish liquid. Judging from the smell, it is a pretty strong drink. But I still at least want to try it. Taking a sip, I find it more potent than any drink I have ever had. Still, despite the drink's strength, it had a good flavour and went down easy. It left a pleasant taste in my mouth and a fire in my belly.

"Ha! You drink well for such a young human!"

"Ye show much promise to be able to drink raw spirits at such a young age,"

"The last human who drank it was that self-proclaimed swordmaster, and he chocked half to death,"

A group of dwarves sits around us, and we all share a drink together. Other dwarves form similar groups around the room, and the sounds of cheers and laughter soon fill the room. I ended up drinking one cup after the other with the dwarves, but I didn't feel drunk. One of my resistances must be helping me out here. Satou doesn't look that drunk either, and he has had at least twice as much to drink as I have.

The food provided wasn't that bad. The meat was perfectly cooked, and the chees perfectly matched the spirits. Groups of dwarven women keep bringing plates of food, giving everyone their fill. Nuts, fruit, salted fish, and many more snacks were on the other, so there was something for everyone. But I was a little worried the drinking might get out of hand as countless more barrels of spirits were brought into the room.

"Master! There they are, everyone!"

Hearing Arisa's shout, we turned our heads and spotted her and the other girls entering the hall. The younger kids instantly break out into a sprint when they see us.

"Master!"

"We missed you, sir!"

"Kura,"

Pochi and Tama instantly jump onto Satou's lap, brushing their heads into his chest. Mia, meanwhile, latches onto my side. She pouts when she sees the plate of food in my lap. Everyone looks like they really missed us.

"Hero Kura, the mayor invited us to the banquet, I report,"

"Master, we brought you a change of clothes,"

"Thanks,"

I smile, taking the clothes and promising to change later. It looks like Lulu brought Satou a change of clothes too.

"Everyone! They are making kind of a special dish, they said!" At Satou's announcement, Pochi and Tama leapt up and cheered.

"Meat!"

"I know this smell, sir!"

Pochi, Tama and Arisa wasted no time. As soon as the smell of food being cooked reached us, they ran out of the room towards the kitchen. Liza looked like she wanted to go too, so Satou asked her to keep an eye on the girls. Surprisingly Lulu ended up asking if it was okay to help serve the food. Nana and Pearl also wanted to look, so I let them go. Only Mia remained as she nibbled cutely on some nuts beside me.

"You don't want to go, Mia?"

"Mn,"

Mia remained as she was shaking her head, leaning against my side. She looks like some adorable woodland creature as she continues to nibble her way through a bowl of nuts. It probably isn't good for her to just eat nuts, so I gave her some dried fruit from my storage. Some of the other dwarves offered her pieces of meat, but Mia just shook her head.

"Oh-ho, aren't ye the Child of Bolenan Forest?" Elder Dohal comes over, noticing Mia. "I heard ye went missing. Ran off with a hero, did ye?"

"Mm. Lovers,"

She really shouldn't make jokes like that. Mia may be over one hundred years older than me, but she looks like a kid to anyone looking our way. I could get a bad reputation if she keeps making jokes like that.

"I just rescued Mia when she was kidnapped," I quickly point out. "We are currently taking her back home."

"Mrrr,"

Mia puffs out her cheeks sulkily next to me. She might be disappointed I didn't play along with her joke.

"The Bolenan Forest's Senate did issue a notice requestion information on her whereabouts. Would ye mind if we sent them a letter,"

"That would be great if it isn't any trouble,"

Yuya said he would send a letter when we left Seiryuu City but having Elder Dohal send another one seems like a smart thing. Plenty could go wrong with mail travelling by merchants, so having a backup couldn't hurt.

Elder Dohal went to arrange with the mayor to send a letter. Still, I was not left alone for long, as several blacksmiths and artisans soon gathered around me. We talked about mining and blacksmithing. Well, they talked I mostly listened. The conversation was still interesting, and the dwarves gave me plenty of tips and advice. Mia, however, was starting to fall asleep. I let her rest her head on my lap as we continued to talk.

Unfortunately, as the night continued, Satou and I couldn't prevent the kids from drinking. The dwarves started handing the alcohol for their own amusement, putting Satou in an awkward position.

"Hee… hee… hee… Satou," Lulu was at least the happy kind of drunk. She was singing Satou's name as she giggled and clung to him. "Sa. Tou… ah ha… ha… Satou…."

"Hic… at least I'll get to stay a pure maiden in this world," Arisa meanwhile seemed to be the downer kind. "I'll end up all alone in this world just like last time."

"Wheee… he-he… ishh mashhter shirr,"

"Nyoom,"

Pochi and Tama were curled up on Satou's lap, struggling to talk and sit up. Liza, meanwhile, was fast asleep. She had been drinking by Satou's side until just recently. Still, now she had fallen asleep while somehow remaining sitting upright.

"Hee… hee… this is so fun, sooo fun. Come on, Kura, let's drink some more. Ho… ho… there's three of you… how nice… sooo nice…."

Mia became surprisingly talkative after she had something to drink. She giggles and twirls around beside me, but I pull her down, worrying we might start flashing people with how her skirt is flying around.

"Hero Kura… ra... My logic circuits are malfunctioning, I report… t…t… t…. This water may contain poison… son…son…."

Nana is the worse off out of our group. Her homunculus body doesn't appear to be able to handle the drinks. She doesn't look good. Satou hands her a potion to help, and we find a quiet place for her to rest.

Unlike in Japan, I learned this world doesn't have a legal age for drinking. Liza and Pearl seem to be able to handle their drinks, but as for the others, I don't think they should be allowed anywhere near this stuff until they are older. Speaking of Pearl, I hadn't seen her for a while. Oh, there she is. It looks like she is giving some of the dwarves a run for their money in some kind of drinking game. I hope she doesn't overdo it.