Chapter 37
The next day, the blacksmiths' guild asked me to forge a single sword with all my skill, regardless of cost.
They apparently intended to use it as a model for improving the skills of the town's blacksmiths.
Apparently, my skill had earned that much recognition from the Travoia Duchy's blacksmiths' guild.
It was a great honor, but at the same time, it put a great deal of pressure on me.
When I asked about the rumor I'd heard yesterday—the matter of the war—I was told it was true: the northern part of the Minor Nations was under attack by Darotte.
However, things were still limited to minor skirmishes. The countries in the northern part of the Minor Nations would probably send reinforcements to the Kingdom of North Zaire, but it was apparently still unclear whether the Azedda Alliance would be summoned.
In any case, there didn't seem to be anything I could do about it.
There were probably already blacksmiths specializing in military equipment, and smiths who accompanied the army to repair worn weapons and armor would also be needed, but a job like that obviously wasn't something they'd ask a wanderer like me to do.
Though I hadn't exactly wanted to get actively involved in the war, being far away and uninvolved while something major was happening nearby left me feeling vaguely unsettled.
Curiosity may one day kill not only cats but high elves as well, but, troublesome as that was, it was simply my nature.
Still, no matter how restless I felt, I had no obligation, reason, or standing to involve myself in it.
Since I'd been entrusted with an important job, I needed to focus on it and devote myself to it completely.
Incidentally, any sword would apparently do, so I decided to forge the type used in Yosogi-ryu—the kind I understood best and was most accustomed to making.
In short, it was a single-edged, straight sword for slashing.
To prepare myself mentally for this major undertaking, I borrowed the rooftop of the blacksmiths' guild building.
Preparing to forge the type of sword used in Yosogi-ryu meant, in other words, wielding a Yosogi-ryu sword.
The techniques were left and right diagonal downward cuts, left and right diagonal upward cuts, left and right horizontal torso slashes, a downward cut, an upward cut, and finally a thrust—nine in all.
Every one of those movements would have a shape, balance, and center of gravity suited to it.
To give an easy example—not one from Yosogi-ryu—a huge sword would be powerful in a downward cut because of its weight, but that same weight would make it ill-suited to an upward cut.
But I would actually have only one sword in my hands, and if I were to wield it in Yosogi-ryu, it would have to suit every movement.
That was remarkably difficult.
I swung the sword tirelessly as I searched for the ideal sword's form, shape, weight, and balance.
But of course, I couldn't find such a thing.
The vague shape in my mind floated there coyly, like a noblewoman behind a bamboo blind, yet whenever I reached for it, it would glide smoothly away.
Yet as I continued searching, heat like that of a furnace filled my heart, until I could no longer bear not to give even part of the shape in my mind a physical form.
That was the state of concentration I reached when forging a sword for use in Yosogi-ryu.
The guild's staff watched me with expressions that suggested they couldn't understand me, but I didn't care in the slightest.
Only Azvald and Kaeha, my two masters, could understand me in this state.
And if those two understood me, that would be enough to make me happy—more than enough, perhaps.
The others only needed to see the result, not me.
I would give the finished product a form anyone could understand at a glance.
I then spent three weeks—or eighteen days, to be precise, since I took three days off during that time—making the sword.
I poured all my energy for the day into the steel through my hammer, so at first Nonna ended up worrying every time I returned to the inn.
Still, she understood that I was devoting all my energy to my work and took care of me in various ways at the inn.
She worked hard to carry the bathwater up to my room, and even served me a little extra food—though not enough for her mother to scold her.
Each thing was minor, but seeing the girl take such care of me gave me the will to keep going.
Today, I swung the completed steel straight sword nine times, then delivered it with satisfaction.
The guild's staff all praised the finished sword, but their praise barely reached my ears.
Yes, I was completely burned out.
I felt like doing nothing for another three days or so, and I'd probably spend those three days holed up in my room at the inn, doing nothing at all.
The fatigue and satisfaction mingled pleasantly, and for now I wanted to bask in the feeling.
Apparently, my reward would be paid after a careful evaluation, but right now I no longer cared about even that.
Once I felt better, I'd probably be happy to hear the assessment and grateful for the money.
Once I received my reward, I would take Nonna out for cake again.
My brain seemed to be craving the sweetness of whipped cream.
Above all, she'd taken such good care of me this time.
It certainly wouldn't hurt to treat her to something sweet.
Ah... Ah, but it did feel a little lonely that I couldn't show that steel straight sword to Azvald, my damned dwarf master, or have Kaeha swing it.
That was far more appealing to me than any number of large gold coins as a reward.