Chapter 54
“By the way, what was that thing about the Wind of the Azure Sky?”
Lyle asked as he wolfed down the breakfast delivered to our room at the inn.
“Oh, it was about how Glen-san was secretly working with the bandit knight.”
“...Huh? Seriously? Glen-san?”
“You’d show it on your face right away, Lyle, so I kept it from you until the operation was over.”
At my matter-of-fact remark, Elena, who was tearing off a piece of bread beside me, chuckled.
“That was the right call. ...To be honest, I’m not sure I could’ve kept it off my face, either.”
“It seems the Guild was using the Wind of the Azure Sky to conduct an undercover investigation. Last night, we were just exchanging information about that.”
“Oh, that’s all... I see.”
Elena visibly relaxed.
“We’ll leave the rest to the Guild and go buy equipment today.”
At my suggestion, Kai nodded silently. Kai’s eyes shone with anticipation.
The moment we left the inn, turned onto the main street, and stepped into the Artisans’ Quarter, the town’s appearance changed completely.
The sharp ring of numerous hammers striking iron trembled through the air, and the smell of smoke stung my nose.
Waterways ran along both sides of the cobblestone street, where waterwheels churned with a heavy rumble, spraying water.
Following Hans’s letter of introduction, we crossed a short wooden bridge leading to a workshop.
The bridge planks were damp with spray, and the soles of our shoes slipped slightly.
As soon as we stepped into the dim, earthen-floored interior, we saw several boys near the bright entrance, weaving chain mail by linking thin iron rings together one by one.
“...What do you want?”
The oldest apprentice, his cheeks smudged with soot, looked up.
“Is this the workshop of Berthold the armorer?”
When I held out the letter of introduction, he glanced at its crest, then raised his voice toward the heat-shrouded space in the back.
“Master! We have a customer! He’s been sent by Hans-san!”
The hammering stopped, and a muscular man appeared from the back of the workshop. Wearing a leather apron, he looked me over as if appraising me.
“A recommendation from Hans, huh? ...Oh? You took down a wanted man at your age?”
The master’s gaze sharpened as he read the letter.
Without a word, he sized up Lyle and Kai.
“That swordsman needs shoulder guards and a breastplate. I’ll punch plenty of holes in the straps. Tighten them up and they’ll last a few years, even as he grows. I’ll make the shoulder guards adjustable, too, so you can change their position.”
The master shifted his gaze to the large shield Kai was carrying.
“For the shield-bearer... lamellar armor, then. It’s eastern armor made by lacing together small iron plates. You can add as many as you like later. It’ll accommodate the wearer growing taller or broader. You won’t find better armor for someone who’s still growing.”
The master leaned forward, a fearless smile spreading across his soot-stained face.
“I’ll make it the best gear there is, so you won’t come to grief on the battlefield. What do you say? Trust my judgment?”
“Yes, please.”
Behind me, Lyle and Kai’s eyes lit up as I nodded without hesitation.
“...All right, it’s settled.”
The master opened his ledger and picked up a thick quill.
“Then that’s shoulder guards and a breastplate, plus a full set of custom lamellar armor. I won’t skimp on the materials. I’ll throw in a mountain of spare plates, too. Ten gold coins for the whole lot.”
The master stopped his quill and peered at me, as if testing me.
“...Can you afford it? I’ll start forging once you place the order. Half as a deposit, and the rest when I hand over the finished goods.”
“Yes. Here’s the deposit.”
I untied the cord of my leather pouch, took out five gold coins, and lined them up on the wooden counter.
The master closed his sturdy hand around the coins and wrote the date and amount in his ledger.
“All right. I’ll have it ready in ten days. First, let’s take your measurements. One at a time, get up on that platform.”
The master deftly had Lyle stand on the footstool in the middle.
“Now, straighten your back, but relax. If you tense up like a board, you’ll end up with armor you can’t move in when it matters.”
He ran a measuring tape marked with graduations over Lyle’s body in one place after another.
It was Kai’s turn next. The master took more detailed measurements of each part, considering the armor’s construction.
“Perfect. Then come back here in ten days. I’ll have you looking like a whole new person.”
The master nodded with satisfaction and wiped the sweat from his face.
“Once that’s done, could you recommend a place where we can get new weapons, too?”
At my words, the master curled his lips into a grin.
“Sure. For swords and shields, go to Ulrich. Head north along this street; it’s across from the Barking Dog Inn. He’s a cranky sort, but nobody in this city can match his steelwork.”
The master took a small wooden tag from a shelf with his dirty hand, scrawled a note on it with a piece of charcoal, and handed it over.
“Take this with you. ...It should make him a little friendlier.”
I thanked him, accepted the wooden tag, and left the heat-filled workshop.
Behind us, the hammering began to ring out once more.
――The Barking Dog Inn.
The shop was in a noisy corner where the fierce dog painted on the inn’s sign seemed to bark at the constant clanging from the smithy across the street.
When we ducked beneath the curtain hanging in the doorway, the air was filled with the cold scent of sharpened steel, different from Berthold’s workshop.
“A recommendation from Berthold, huh? That guy’s always bringing me unnecessary work.”
The man—Ulrich—was sending sparks flying from the enormous rotating grindstone in the back. He spoke coldly without even looking up.
“...So, what do you want from me?”
Lyle stepped forward and met his gaze head-on.
“I want a new sword. Preferably one longer than the one I have now.”
Ulrich’s gaze raked over Lyle as if sizing him up, then shifted to Kai beside him.
“And you?”
“A heavier shield. This one’s too light now.”
Saying that, Kai casually lifted the tower shield on Kai’s back with one hand.
“...If you’re ready to pay in gold, I’ll get you the finest gear in ten days. But my swords choose their wielders.”
He grabbed a sword from the back of the shelf and casually tossed it to Lyle. It was still without an edge.
“It’s a bastard sword. You can use it with one hand or both. Give it a swing.”
Lyle hurriedly caught it.
“Sure, watch this.”
Whoosh! The sound of the blade cutting through the air echoed through the workshop.
First, Lyle swung it powerfully with both hands. Then he switched to one hand, stepped in, and drove forward with a sharp thrust. His movements were fluid, and each swing stirred the air.
Ulrich watched Lyle’s footwork, the turn of his wrist, and the movement of his shoulder muscles with keen eyes.
“I get it. You pull hard with your left hand. Then I’ll make the pommel a little larger to improve control when you grip it with both hands. And I’ll shift the balance slightly toward the hilt. That way, your natural tendency should turn into an incredibly sharp strike.”
The man nodded with satisfaction, then stood in front of Kai.
“Shield-bearer, you’re next. You say it’s too light, even with those long, skinny limbs? Then I’ll design a real ‘wall’ to crush your enemies. But don’t come whining that it’s too heavy to move.”
“I want a spike in the middle.”
Kai said quietly.
“Interesting. You mean to use it not just as a wall, but as a striking weapon, too. All right. I’ll set a sturdy steel spike there, so all the force will focus on that point when you shove an enemy back.”
Ulrich’s expression remained cold, but a craftsman’s burning fire shone in his eyes.
“Twelve gold coins.”
Before Ulrich had even finished speaking, I took gold coins from the leather pouch at my waist and lined up six on the workbench.
“It’s the down payment. The rest when it’s finished.”
The dull gleam of gold stood out vividly against the soot-covered workbench. Ulrich’s previously cold eyes wavered slightly.
“...Hmph. Just like Berthold said, you’re no ordinary brat.”
He flicked one of the gold coins with his fingertip, checked its clear ring, then roughly stuffed it into his pocket.
“All right, we’ve got a deal. Come pick them up in ten days. ...Now get out of here.”
Prompted by his shooing gesture, we left the workshop.
As soon as we stepped outside, the coal smoke hanging over the city enveloped us. Behind us, a sharp sound like it was slicing through the air began again, perhaps as Ulrich started up the grindstone.
“A bastard sword, huh... I can’t wait!”
Lyle clenched a fist in the air, as if picturing the sword he had yet to see.
Kai smiled with satisfaction, too.
“All right, let’s head to the plaza next. Maybe we can find some gear for mages or other bargains.”
Lyle, unable to contain his excitement, dashed toward the plaza.
“H-Hey, wait up, Lyle!”
Elena hurried after him, her hem fluttering. Kai and I exchanged glances, then followed the two of them with wry smiles.