While Golan-san shaved the hilt and scabbard, I prepared the habaki[1], guard, and the leather and string that would coil around the hilt.
To finish it off, Golan-san and I worked together to endow it with enchantments to strengthen the sword.
「This is satisfactory.」
「Ah, Doganbo-san. Since when did you arrive?」
Doganbo-san spoke up from the other side. He told us why he came to the workshop as he received the sword from Golan-san.
「Obviously I’m bored. Just like Sophia and the girls, there’s nothing left to see. This is my homeland, after all.」
It seems he simply had free time. So, while he wasn’t too interested, he came to see how the smithing showdown between King Goban and I was going.
「Hou…… is a layer of the metallic structure making the wave-like pattern on the metal? A slender, curved, single edged sword, huh? It seems difficult to use, but what a beautiful sword.」
「Right? But it isn’t just a slender beauty, you know? This sword」
Just as Golan-san said so, the door slammed open and an angry King Goban barged in.
「The match should be about the completed sword. How it was made is inconsequential!」
「Are you in any position to say that? Younger brother of mine.」
King Goban said so as as he clutched a jewel-adorned long sword.
「Mu, it’s a matter of which sword excels!」
「The type of sword is different, so I don’t think either can win or lose……」
I tried saying that there was no need to decide on a clear winner, but that wouldn’t do.
「Oh what, you made a sword by changing it with magic but you’re admitting defeat?」 Orıginal content can be found at 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭•𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮•𝘯𝘦𝘵
「Takumi, this younger brother of mine clearly doesn’t understand. Goban, lend me the sword you forged.」
「Ou, look at it, Brother.」
King Goban handed his sword to Golan-san full of confidence. When Golan-san accepted the sword, he drew it from its scabbard and examined it before handing it over to the accompanying knight guarding King Goban.
「Oi, try cutting this with Goban’s sword.」
What Golan-san said to cut was a steel longsword he himself had forged.
「This is a steel longsword I forged. Goban’s sword is adamantite. It should be easy, no?」
「Brother! Do you take me for a fool!? It can cut a steel sword right in half! Oi! Cut it!」
The Dwarven Knight took the sword to try it out and looked at the steel long sword, then swung King Goban’s adamantite sword at it.
Gathering his spirit, the knight yelled and swung his sword down.
The steel sword was cut right in half, and the knight trying out the new blade was relieved.
「How’s that, Brother!? Cutting a steel sword is child’s play!」
「Haa…… look at the sword you forged.」
「Hm? Ah, ahhh, it’s nicked slightly. Though it’s a steel sword, it’s only natural it would nick the blade if it’s the sword that Brother had crafted.」
The adamantite long sword that King Goban forged had been able to cut Golan-san’s sword, but at the cost of a nick on the blade.
Golan-san silently took out another steel longsword for testing, and set it down for testing.
「Doganbo, hand me Takumi’s sword.」
Golan-san received the sword, he raised it overhead with one hand and swung it down without any spirit.
The steel longsword was soundlessly cut in two.
Golan-san held the blade up so it could been clearly.
「Take a goooood look at it!」
「That thin sword, even if it’s adamantite, it would still get dama…… w-what…… far from nicking it, there’s not even any cloudiness to it.」
「Goban, it’s a disgrace for a Dwarf to make a mistake judging equipment. Relenquish your title as a God Craft.」
King Goban was stunned.
「King Goban. You’ve been so busy with the duties of a king that it couldn’t be helped that your smithing skills have grown dull. What Golan-aniki is angered by is that a Dwarf who doesn’t even take part in smithing couldn’t even see the value of the sword Takumi forged.」
「Why would foreign countries buy here if a dwarven armaments were so sloppy. Someone’s life depends on it.」
King Goban head hung low in disappointment.
「Takumi, could I safekeep this sword in this workshop? It would become encouragement for the craftsmen of this workshop.」
「Both the adamantite and the mithril were owned by the workshop anyhow, and if it can be helpful to the novices.」
I decided to store the adamantite alloy longsword I forged in their workshop. I hope that a sword could be used as reference and provide even a little bit of encouragement to the craftsmen of the workshop.
Later on, this sword had become one of Gnomstoll Kingdom’s national treasures.
1. Metal collar mounted between a sword blade and the hand guard