Volume 4 Chapter 4 It Was Actually Amazing, But...
The big hatchet made from the horns of an evil dragon seems to fit me perfectly, maybe because it's tailored to my grip. It has just the right weight, and since the blade is shorter than a sword, it's easy to swing.
"Wow, it's impressive how you managed to craft this hatchet in such a short time. I'm beyond impressed, really."
The old man nodded in agreement with Gram's words.
"Crafting it was truly challenging. It was quite a bone-breaking task, literally."
"Is it not easy?"
"We had to heat it with magic fire, soften it with alchemy, and then shape it. If we stop working on it for even a moment, it hardens in that shape, so we had to work on it non-stop through the night."
The old man smoothly brushed off my tsukkomi.
"The finished product was done about an hour before you arrived. In the workshop, the magician and alchemist who helped out are snoring away."
"Aren't you overworking acquaintances too much?"
"Oh, don't worry. We're old buddies who like to fool around together. They were quite enthusiastic too."
――I had no idea who they were, but it seems that the old acquaintance of the old man snoring in the workshop at that time was none other than the highly skilled magician belonging to the Royal Magic Division and the elder alchemist managing the potions within the royal castle. I was speechless when I heard about it later.
Unaware of such a heavyweight presence, as I reveled in the satisfaction of the armor and hatchet's completion, Gram began to say something that felt like a bucket of cold water being poured over me.
"Even just a set of armor would cost enough to build a mansion, wouldn't it?"
"Expensive!? ――Wait, isn't that too expensive!?"
I couldn't believe it, wearing the price tag for a luxurious home. I was utterly astonished, to the point of saying it twice.
"Of course. Dragon materials are top-notch for crafting, but they're also incredibly difficult to work with. Without exceptional skill and tools, the processing is near impossible. The big hatchet made from evil dragon bones could easily become a noble's heirloom. It's even pricier than a full set of armor."
The amount I brought―― or rather, all my savings wouldn't even come close to covering it. Seeing my shock at the estimate, the old man explained,
"As Gram says, if you were to get everything from scratch, it would cost that much. Even if you provide the materials, the labor alone would still be quite expensive."
"...Do you have any discounts for regulars?"
Coming all this way just to be put on hold is too harsh, huh?
"Well, don't get too worked up. If you're willing to agree to a little condition, I'll give you both armor and a big hatchet for free."
I instinctively crossed my arms as if embracing myself.
"Sorry, but I've got some ladies I've set my heart on."
"No jokes like that."
"Got it."
I was easily brushed off, feeling a bit sad. Well, that aside...
"What's this condition? I hope it's not something too unreasonable."
Something that could make two or more mansion's worth of money free seems quite the deal. What could it be?
"The gist of it is simple. It's materials from an evil dragon brought by a messenger from the royal family. There's still some left even after using it for armor and hatchets. If you hand that over, I'll give it to you for free."
"Is that really okay?"
The old man's conditions were like the goal had already been reached. All I had to do was nod my head. It was surprisingly easy.
"I used the best materials to make your equipment, boy, but even what's left is top-notch for monster materials. It's more than enough for me."
"Got it. Then I'll take that."
Whether it's a monster or the evil dragon, they're both creatures. There's no reason to let their corpses rot. It's better to have someone who can handle them properly.
And so, I safely obtained new armor and spare weapons.
Then, I suddenly realized.
"Huh? So does that mean the reimbursement for the equipment from the king will come straight to me?"
"Probably, it was likely the king's thoughtful gesture considering your wishes, partner."
Gram said casually.
"Partner, the amount you received was added to the repair costs, right? Subtracting the cost of the armor and the hatchet crafting and the remaining materials from the evil dragon, that's probably the leftover."
The old man nodded upon hearing Gram's speculation. Gram's observation was spot on.
"...It feels like I'm being manipulated quite skillfully by that king."
"Of course. He's the king of the country, after all. Compared to you, who was just a villager until recently, he has much richer experiences, partner. Well, you should graciously accept his kindness."
While feeling somewhat uneasy, I swallowed Gram's words. Above all, I'm not losing anything.
"By the way, old man, I've been curious about something since earlier. How do you know that I defeated the evil dragon?"
In regular talk, people think that Relix defeated the evil dragon. But the old man assumes I did it from the start. That's kinda puzzling.
"Partner, you got a dagger from the old man, right?"
Gram suddenly said.
"Aina asked the old man to give it to you."
Who would've guessed that was a love letter substitute? Turns out it's an old noble tradition that's fallen out of favor now.
"The pattern carved on that sword represents the sender's status and name. And Aina is royalty. Only special craftman with permission from the royal family can craft patterns representing royalty. If anyone else did it without permission, they'd be in big trouble."
"I see. So, the old man got permission from the royal family――"
Wait a minute. That means...
I couldn't help but stare at the old man.
"If he got permission from the royal family, he must be pretty trustworthy, partner. He used to be a blacksmith at the royal castle, and he was really good at it."
"It's all in the past now."
The old man quickly confirmed Gram's guess.
With a slightly nostalgic look, the old man continued,
"I heard about you defeating the evil dragon from a messenger from the castle. They told me not to tell anyone, though."
"Is that so?"
I knew the old man was skilled, but he seemed even more talented than I had thought.
"Just keep it a secret that I used to work at the royal castle. I'm not hiding it, but I don't want people making a fuss."
"Of course. I wouldn't want my favorite spots to get noisy either."
We both laughed at that.
Since coming to the royal capital, aside from Kyunei and Mikage, I've spent the most time with this old man. I hope we can continue our friendship just like this.
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