kscans

Chapter 173 - A Famous Sword, It Seems, Act Two, 3. Birth of an Heirloom

"H, hey, Yuri-kun, can I just touch it for a moment?"

"Ah... yes..."

"Katra-jou, touching it is one thing, but please refrain from running around telling everyone about it like last time, if you would."

"Ah... yes..."

Though his words were gentle, Adon’s firm warning caused Katra’s giddy mood to sink just a little. It was not enough to suppress her heart, which was soaring with anticipation, and she excitedly took Yuri’s iron sword in her hands...

"Wow... It’s not quite like a stone sword, but... it feels so natural in my hand..."

"How is it, Katra?"

"Yeah... It conducts magic well, and it doesn’t have that unpleasant feeling like normal iron. A pure elf might prefer a stone sword, but I think there will be some half-elves like us who prefer this iron one."

Ho ho, Adon chuckled to himself. First the stone swords, and now iron swords were added to his inventory. For a merchant, it was a dream come true, an opportunity he absolutely could not let slip by. There was no falsehood in his self-appointed role as Yuri's guardian, but Adon was a merchant before all else. If Yuri’s life were in danger, that would be another matter, but otherwise it was only natural to pursue profit. Amassing power in this way should, in time, help to protect Yuri. It was almost a foregone conclusion that this naive boy would eventually get caught up in some kind of trouble. To prepare for that time, he would have his firm handle these iron swords as well... The words that rose to Adon's lips as he prepared to make his request were uttered with absolutely no ulterior motive.

"By the way, Yuri-kun, is this the only type of iron sword you’ve made?"

"Uh... um..."

Seeing Yuri stammer and avert his gaze made it obvious he was hiding something. He was truly terrible at keeping secrets. In his previous life, Isarai Yuuri, thirty-seven years of age at death, had been a bit more capable of such subtleties. But since coming here, perhaps pulled by his physical age, he seemed to have regressed a bit into childishness.

"...Yuri-kun?"

"...Yuri?"

"No! To be precise! That is the only iron sword I have!"

"And what about swords that are, precisely, not made of iron?"

"...Well... one more..."

Unable to evade Adon's sharp pursuit, Yuri was forced to confess not only about the Mottled Blade Sword but also about the special steel...

"...I shouldn’t have asked..."

That was the thought that escaped Kudol's lips.

An exotic-style curved sword was troublesome enough, but on top of that, special steel and layered steel... There were too many things that couldn't be spoken of publicly. It seemed to have been made using some sort of suspicious magic... but even so, there should be a limit...

"That’s why... I didn’t want to show it to you..."

Yuri muttered sullenly, but Adon and Kudol were certainly at fault here. However, it was also true that they never expected something this outrageous to appear. This was far beyond a simple business opportunity. If mishandled, it was a major problem that could shake international relations.

"...Yuri-kun... that is a family heirloom, passed down through the generations in your family. You mustn't show it to just anyone, you hear?"

"Huh?"

Yuri stared at Dalia, who had suddenly said something strange, with a look that said, What is this person talking about?

"...Right. It must be an artifact Yuri's ancestor found in some dungeon."

"...And the reason your grandfather left his homeland must have been because someone tried to take that artifact from him, right, Yuri-kun?"

"Indeed. It is a dangerous item to bring out into the open in this day and age. Your grandfather was likely concerned about that."

"Huh? Huh? Huh?"

Before he even knew it, his "grandfather’s" past was being revealed piece by piece.

"...So then... the iron sword is just a copy you made, modeled after the shape of the family heirloom... right?"

"Whoa, you’re sharp, Katra. That’s gotta be it."

"And that’s the story. Do you understand, Yuri?"

"...Yes."

Though their journey had yet to begin, the entire party already felt exhausted.