I Became the Hero Who Banished the Protagonist

59. What is the sword for (2)

I scratched the back of my neck shyly and looked at the blacksmith. The blacksmith was still blinking in surprise. I will be surprised. Even if you listened to the analogy, you heard the warrior.

“Can we talk a little bit?”

The blacksmith’s expression was complicatedly distorted. I tried to make it quietly and take it quietly without revealing the status of the hero, but in order to convince this person, I should use at least this method. I had a hunch that this blacksmith could make a good sword.

The blacksmith crossed his arms and looked at me. I could tell at a glance that there was some kind of conflict going on inside her. The blacksmith walked past me, closed the door to the forge, and lowered the screen. It looked like he was trying to prevent it from becoming noisy.

“… If you’re really a hero, maybe we can talk about it.”

The blacksmith pointed to a table at the edge of the workshop. I nodded and went to the table to sit down. The blacksmith unfastened his apron and wiped the sweat. Then he went to the sink, washed his face, washed his hands, and looked up at me while wiping off the water.

“It’s going to be a little hot, will you be okay?”

“Yeah. It doesn’t matter.”

The blacksmith walked slowly and sat across from me. Washing his face, smudged with soot and other stains, made the five-year-old look younger. Maybe Illroy and I are similar in age. The blacksmith sat there and stared at my face for a long time.

“You really are a warrior. There’s such a celebrity in my studio… , I didn’t know that the hero would come.”

She said to herself, then pulled the chair forward and sat down. Her voice and tone were full of life, but her eyes seemed to wander somewhere with life and blood.

“I needed a sword, so I found an alley with a blacksmith guild. But as I said, the items made by other artisans are not up to the mark. I tried to visit Mr. Georges’ workshop at first, but he said that today is a holiday.”

“Then wait for that inspiration to return, why did you come all the way here? He’s a picky person, but his skills are clear. If it was a request to make a sword for the hero, I would never refuse.”

It wasn’t a questioning tone, it was a questioning voice as if she was really curious.

“Just in case, I did. There may be other masters, but there is no need to insist on just one. There is nothing to lose by expanding your options.”

I looked towards the polishing table. On the table near the polishing table, there were junk items made of iron. Chains, kitchen knives, crafts and even iron grates. None of them were unusual. Maybe this guy made all of them himself.

“Then, by chance, I saw a craftsman making a knife. The option of visiting Mr. Georges was erased from my mind at that moment.”

The explanation is enough here. Even the blacksmith knows very well how great a sword can be made. The blacksmith slightly narrowed his forehead and looked at my left waist.

“By the way, warrior. you use the holy sword Do you need another sword besides that?”

I touched the hilt of the holy sword and nodded.

“Yeah. I happened to be dealing with twin swords, so I need a sword to use with the holy sword.”

“… No, you’re going to leave such an important task here?”

“Because it’s here, I’ll leave it to you.”

A blacksmith who gives me confidence and has the skill to push the holy sword powerfully. Don’t miss out.

“So, could you please take care of making the sword?”

The blacksmith bit down on the compress and let out a long sigh.

“… As the hero guessed, I was originally a sword maker. I swore I wouldn’t make a sword now.”

The blacksmith said, wrapping his right hand on the table with his left.

“Is it okay if I ask why? If you don’t want to answer, it’s okay if you don’t.”

“no. Nothing great. It’s so personal and not even funny, so I’m a little hesitant to tell the hero. If other blacksmiths hear it, they will laugh at it.”

The blacksmith smiled bitterly. I just stared at her quietly.

“… Seeing that look on your face, I can’t help but tell you.”

The blacksmith’s green eyes locked as he recalled the memory.

“I started working at the night market following my father when I was very young, and I heard that I was quite good at it. I lived in a studio, but I was happy. I like hitting iron. I like to refine the shape, and I like more than anything to see my series of works completed and released to the world.”

The blacksmith’s neatly gathered hands turned into a clenched fist.

“However, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of responsibility and guilt for the fact that my work, which I put out into the world, was stained with someone’s blood. It was fine at first. News about who used what sword was rare. but… .”

The blacksmith furrowed his eyebrows.

“Five years ago, I heard the news. Some of the knights who bought my sword played a big part in the border dispute between the Kairos Kingdom and the adjacent Benisha Kingdom, and they said that my sword was very good. He said he could easily cut down enemies with his armor. My workshop became quite famous after that, but I turned down all requests for arms production after that.”

A sword that makes killing people easy. The blacksmith closed his eyes as he spoke to himself.

“That must have been the original purpose of the sword, but for some reason, after hearing that, I couldn’t make a sword any more. I won’t make it, I made a promise that wasn’t even funny. You don’t have to understand. I know why it is difficult for others to understand.”

So, you can’t make a sword.

The blacksmith said so.

“I know you’re a warrior, and thank you so much for visiting me, but making a sword seems to be a separate issue from that. Should I say it’s a matter of my heart? I’m sorry, warrior.”

The blacksmith was sincerely apologizing to me. The holy sword clicked its tongue in my head.

“[What are you going to do, Illroy. It would be best if this blacksmith made it, but there is no alternative. Even if it’s suboptimal, it’s okay as long as it’s not too bad.]”

What should I do, I have to mess around with it. Anyway, I’ll either convince him today, or I’ll visit a blacksmith named Georges tomorrow. Either one.

“I will not cut and kill people with my sword. My sword is for protection, not for killing.”

Saying that, I raised the Holy Sword, pulled it out of its scabbard, and set it on the table. The blade and hilt of the Holy Sword, which had been repaired yesterday, were shining like new. There are no special decorations or sculptures, but the unique sublimity appears as magic beyond its appearance and changes the atmosphere.

“The Holy Sword is not a sword that cuts people. The holy sword will never cut people.”

I looked up and saw the blacksmith. Her eyes were shaking slightly as she stared at the holy sword.

“If you make me a sword, that sword will also share the same fate as the holy sword.”

“… I believe in the words of the warrior. He is the one who defeated the third and fourth plagues.”

I pushed the sword across the table, saying that it was okay to look at the holy sword, and the blacksmith accidentally put his hand on the blade of the holy sword and swept it away.

“Please take care of the production. There are probably more people saved by your sword than killed by it, and I’ll tell you you’re not wrong.”

“It’s for cutting black people. That will be an unchanging fact.”

I listened to what the Holy Sword tipped me off.

“If you want to cut a person with a branch, you can cut it. With a shield or armor, if you kill people, you can kill them.”

I brought the holy sword back and put it into the scabbard. The blacksmith moved his eyes along the holy sword.

“Then, there’s no law saying you can’t protect and save people with a sword.”

The blacksmith changed his expression to a blur. As if he realized the contradiction in his words.

“I know the hero didn’t mean to say that, but it’s true that I’m running away. It is an escape that cannot be called faith. It is true that you are afraid to face the truth. I’m not saying it’s wrong. Even running away is because I’m a pretty stubborn person.”

I didn’t deny If she herself realized it, my role was not to deny it. I’m just giving you the answers I can give you.

“And it is also true that I am trying to forcefully catch you and bring you back. If you want to criticize me, feel free to criticize me. But to accomplish what I set out to do, I need your sword. I can bear the criticism.”

The blacksmith let out a long sigh. Realizing that the sigh was a sigh raising a white flag, I clenched my fists inwardly.

“You, knowing that I would never be able to refuse if you asked me as a hero, did you push ahead? I mean, how can you stop it I’m trying to make you realize that my promise is worthless in front of your convictions, what is it?”

“Well, there are things like that. Of course not the latter. I do not consider myself to be a person of any particular conviction.”

“It’s really bad.”

“If money was not enough, I can add more.”

I tore another checkbook, and the blacksmith waved his hand in contemplation.

“Stop, stop! Then I guess I’ll just end up giving in to money.”

“Wasn’t it? Not then.”

The blacksmith smiled bitterly at my words. I looked at the bitter smile that seemed relieved and smiled at him. It seems that the production of the sword will be done fortunately.

“[It’s not like you. There must be another reason why you are trying to complete this production by pushing that blacksmith like that.]”

The Holy Sword clicked its tongue at me and said. Well, the reason she almost forcibly asked for it to be made, as the holy sword said, wasn’t just because she was good at making swords.

“[Weren’t you worried that the blacksmith would regret it?]”

Does it have to be a holy sword? Fitted exactly.

If I hadn’t pushed through to the end, the production wouldn’t have come to fruition in the end. Then I’ll keep dwelling on the fact that I didn’t make my own sword. Because she was running away from making swords like that.

“[I guess so. Because no one knows what you’re trying to do. So, what’s left of her is one of two things. Either live with another feeling of guilt for not making me a sword, or rationalize that I kept my convictions and get more trapped inside myself.]”

that’s right. It would be much easier for her to say that I half-forced her to make the sword like this. Later, if you see what the sword she made will do, you will be able to free yourself from the chains that have completely entangled her.

“[…] You care so deeply and unnecessarily. Is it okay if she doesn’t know about this?]”

I do not care. I’m not going to be hated this is how you know

As if to make amends, I gently gripped the hilt of the holy sword. Seonggeom hurriedly added in a panicked voice.

“[Nu, who said they wanted that? I mean, I can read your mind to some extent. It’s getting harder and harder to read your mind completely… .]”

yes, yes thanks. I rubbed the hilt of my sword and looked up. The blacksmith was looking at me with determined eyes.

“I’ll make it for you.”

“thank you.”

I bowed my head, and the blacksmith scratched his head shyly and brought out paper and a pen.

“I want you to tell me the shape and material you want. It’s better if you have a sword that you can refer to.”

“I want the material to be the closest to immutable metal. I don’t care too much about the weight. The form… I want the tip of the sword to be a little wider and not too narrow.”

The blacksmith, who had been writing down my words, sighed and exhaled.

“I think a mithril alloy would be nice… . By the way, it seems like I’ve seen it a lot somewhere.”

“I want it to be similar to the sword of Archduke Quenore Strop. It seemed to fit my hand well.”

At those words, the blacksmith’s eyes widened.

“crazy. You mean you used that sword yourself?”

I nodded shyly. The blacksmith frowned and looked down at the paper.

“… That’s right, I want a masterpiece of that level… . Give me your hand to use the sword.”

I held out my left hand, and the blacksmith took my hand and felt it all the way to my wrist.

“great. Now that I’ve decided to take care of it, and since it’s the warrior’s sword, I’ll do my best to make it. It will probably take a few weeks from when we get the materials to when production is finished.”

“All right.”

The blacksmith rose from his seat and held out his right hand.

“My name is Robin Bell. I’ll take care of you, warrior.”

“This is Illroy. Please take good care of me.”

“And, if possible.”

Robin looked at my empty right hip.

“I want to see you save the world with the sword I will make for you someday.”

“I’ll make sure to show you at the next improvement ceremony. You saved the world with your sword.”

I said goodbye to Robin and left the forge. There were unexpected things, but I’m glad that things worked out anyway.

“[…] I just remembered something while listening to your conversation with the blacksmith, Illroy.]”

What’s up?

“[The fight against the cult of the end is not a fight against calamities or monsters, Illroy.]”

The Holy Sword said so in a voice of concern.

“[I will not dissuade you from going there. It would have been something you had to bump into and go through someday. but,]”

I walked away without a nod or an answer.

“[I have a feeling you will be put to the tough test again this time.]”

I suddenly stopped and looked at the street. People were strolling through the noisy blacksmith streets. Among them, there may be some who worship the end.

“[Be strong.]”

… it should be

I nodded quietly. A cool breeze blew, signaling the end of summer.