Side Story 128: A Certain Blacksmith's Story (2)

Blacksmith Zeno-dono,

Dear Sir,

I sincerely thank you for forging the spear that has become my arm. The spear into which you poured your soul clings to my hand and makes me feel as though it were a partner who had been with me for 100 years.

I am deeply impressed by your skill. I am a man of few words and found it difficult to convey my wishes, but your spear could be said to be exactly what I had in mind.

The sharpness of the spearhead goes without saying, and I was also pleased that the shaft was made of steel. It brought to mind Zackhart-sama's 'Unadorned,' and I am proud of it.

Though I was skeptical when I first heard the rumors, it seems a shame that a master like you remains known only in one region ―――

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Having read this far, Zeno took his eyes off the letter and wondered, "What is this? Is this really a letter from that taciturn gentleman?"

Yet even when he looked at the address again, it bore the writing of Bekstadt, commander of the Fifth Knight Order, and the contents were certainly about the spear Zeno had forged.

Zeno wondered whether someone was playing a prank on him, but he could think of no reason anyone would hold a grudge against him strongly enough to resort to such an indirect form of harassment...