Chapter 30. Meeting the Father-in-Law
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"Hey, hey, hey! What's with this setup?!"
Welf Crozzo knelt on the ground, trembling as he bowed his head.
"You…" Cyd crossed his legs and looked down at Welf. "Just so you know, if you dare have any improper thoughts about my Bell…"
Welf gulped.
"I'll kill you!"
The massive sword blade was raised high, and the magical markings on Cyd's face made him look like a war god descending from the heavens.
"I'm sorry! It's my fault! I don't even know what's happening, but I'm sorry!"
Welf immediately prostrated himself in a perfect dogeza position before Cyd.
"Teacher!!!" Bell, who had just come out with tea, was so shocked by the scene that he almost collapsed.
The companion he just found was bowing on the ground, while his teacher was holding a cool-looking greatsword and studying Welf as if searching for the best place to strike.
But that greatsword really is cool...
Ah, wait, no!!!
"Teacher, stop this! Welf isn't a fraud!" Bell quickly grabbed Cyd's arm.
But up close, this sword really is amazing!
Ah, wait, no!
"Well, Bell, although I did say that you wouldn't be allowed to go to the middle floors if you couldn't find a worthy companion, you brought one back the very next day," Cyd said as he ruffled Bell's hair. "I still need to check him out."
"That's right! Bell-sama, you need to be careful not to be tricked again!" Lili puffed out her cheeks.
Unfortunately, Hestia was at work, otherwise, things would have been even livelier.
"Welf isn't a bad guy!" Bell hurriedly pointed to his armor. "He made this."
"Emmmm… isn't this the one I bought?" Cyd rubbed his chin, deep in thought.
Now that I think about it… this guy bowing in front of me does seem a bit familiar.
At this moment, Welf also secretly raised his head to study Cyd.
I feel like I've seen him somewhere before…
"Ah, I remember," Cyd snapped his fingers. "I saw it by chance while passing by and thought it was perfect, so I bought it."
Welf breathed a sigh of relief.
At least he knows me; I won't be mistaken for a fraud.
Just as Welf was about to get up…
"Huh?" Cyd's eyes narrowed. "So what?"
Welf immediately resumed his dogeza position.
"Give me your age, profession, and skills," Cyd said as he lowered the [Reforged Pandora].
So cool!!!
Bell's eyes widened, his mind filled with the image of the [Reforged Pandora] transforming from a greatsword back into a box.
"Okay! My name is Welf Crozzo! I'm seventeen years old! I'm a blacksmith, as you can see, running a not-so-successful shop," Welf raised his voice. "Though this may be presumptuous, please entrust Bell to me!"
Huh? What's this… a son-in-law meeting the father-in-law situation!
Lili blinked.
At this moment, Cyd was resting his chin on his hand, scrutinizing Welf like a father sizing up his daughter's suitor.
Meanwhile, Bell seemed to accept this (actually, he was just too distracted by the [Reforged Pandora]).
"Bang———"
Lili pushed Welf aside and knelt before Cyd in a perfect dogeza.
"My name is Liliruca Arde, I'm fifteen years old, and I'm a supporter. I'm deeply trusted by Bell-sama, so please entrust him to me!"
Eh? What's going on? Why is Lili kneeling too…
Bell was bewildered as he looked at the two kneeling before Cyd.
"Ahem, Welf, what do you think of Bell?" Cyd cleared his throat.
"A strange person!" Welf replied loudly.
Ugh… that hurts…
Bell clutched his chest and squatted down.
"He's as naive as someone out of a fairy tale."
Another metaphorical arrow pierced Bell's fragile heart.
"He came to me for armor maintenance, but halfway through, he suddenly asked me to be his companion. Honestly, at first, I thought he was joking, because…" Welf scratched his head.
"Ah! I remember now!" Lili suddenly lifted her head. "You're that weird blacksmith who refuses to make magic swords even though you can! Bell-sama, you were tricked after all!"
Welf smiled bitterly but didn't deny it.
Because it was true—he didn't correct Bell's misunderstanding, so being exposed in public was something he had to accept.
"Uh… I didn't ask Welf for a magic sword," Bell said as he touched his armor. "Just being able to make a contract with such a skilled blacksmith is already a win for me. Welf doesn't need to make magic swords; it's fine~"
Welf was stunned, staring blankly at Bell.
Lili, on the other hand, showed a helpless yet proud smile.
"That's how it is. This kid's life story is like a blank slate. He believes in the goodness of this world. I want him to grow, but I don't want him to use pain to enrich his life. One regret is enough, and he already cried away his weakness that night! So!" Cyd bent down. "Please help him create a heroic tale that will keep this kid smiling for a lifetime!"
"Teacher!!!!" Bell was so moved that he hugged Cyd.
Lili and Welf exchanged glances, then slammed their heads onto the ground in unison.
"Please leave it to us!!!!!!"
Seeing the blood flowing at his feet, Cyd's mouth twitched as he grabbed Bell's hand.
"Hurry… hurry and save them!!!"
"Lili! Welf!"
And so, in the chaotic rescue led by Cyd and Bell, Welf and Lili's heads were bandaged like mummies.
"Honestly, there was no need to go that far to show your determination," Cyd said, lightly tapping Lili and Welf's heads with chopsticks.
"No, because Bell…" Welf glanced at Bell, who was fumbling with the medical supplies, his gaze softening. "He's worth it. This is the first time I've met someone like him."
With his magic swordsmithing skills, Welf could easily become a renowned blacksmith if he wanted to, but… what about the forging skills he had honed?
For the first time… someone told him that it was okay if he didn't forge magic swords.
Oh, gods… if this is a dream, please don't wake me up.
Meeting him… I'm so glad.
"Though I agree with what you said, I won't lose when it comes to protecting Bell-sama, junior!" Lili shook her fist.
"Then let's compete, little senior," Welf said as he placed his hand on Lili's head.
"Too cocky, newbie!"
"By the way… Welf, why don't you want to forge magic swords?" Cyd asked softly.
"Because…" Welf hesitated, then clenched his fist. "Those things will eventually betray their masters. I don't want to create something like that!"
"I'd prefer if you kept making magic swords," Cyd said, glancing at Bell, who had just broken a plate in his panic and was now wailing in distress. "That kid has too many storms to face. If you want his innocence to remain unshattered by power, he needs strength."
"I…" Welf bit his lip.
"And I don't believe that magic swords will betray their masters," Cyd lowered his eyes. "The weapons you forge sacrifice everything to help their wielders, even shattering into pieces to protect them. As a magic swordsmith, shouldn't you be proud? Because only magic swords can do that—offer up their lives willingly for their masters."
Welf stared at Cyd in shock, his mouth hanging open.