IWTTSMD Chapter 90

“Excuse me, I have a question!”

I couldn’t just walk away like this. No one had given me permission to ask questions, but I spoke up anyway, directing my words to the Dwarf blacksmiths.

“What is the most perfect gemstone?”

But the Dwarves didn’t seem particularly interested in a child’s question. Instead of answering, they casually gulped down the water in their cups.

“Ah, refreshing.”

“Thanks for the break.”

“Well then, time to head out.”

The blacksmiths began to disperse quickly.

I hurried to add, as if talking to myself.

“It’s a school field trip assignment… I have to submit it by today… I thought if I asked the smartest blacksmiths, I’d be able to decide…”

Clatter.

“We are pretty smart, you know.”

“The most perfect gemstone? Didn’t the chieftain ask the Travel guys that same question a while back?”

“Those Travel bastards. They’re still around? No wonder we don’t hear anything from outside the village, we just hammer all day.”

“Watch your words. This kid is a Travel.”

Chieftain Baltar revealed my identity to the blacksmiths who had gathered again. They were briefly startled, but quickly returned to their indifferent attitudes.

“For a Travel, the kid speaks our language well.”

“Well, all those prankster Travels from back then are dead now.”

“I like that way of thinking.”

Apparently, they didn’t harbor as much hatred toward the Travels as Chieftain Baltar did.

“Anyway, let’s each name a gemstone and be on our way. We need to leave before the iron cools down. I’ll go with sapphire. It’s got good hardness and durability, and works well with alchemists’ potions.”

“Then I’ll say diamond. Can’t beat the strongest.”

“You guys picked all the obvious ones. I guess I’ll go with… opal. It has a brilliant appearance and is relatively easy to shape.”

Their answers were more ordinary than I expected.

‘Hmm. What should I do? I thought talking about gemstones would lead to some secret or rare stones that the chieftain might be secretly mining at Crest Mine…’

I was pondering my next question when Chieftain Baltar, who had been listening silently, snorted.

“Sapphire? Diamond? Opal?”

‘Oh.’

It looked like Chieftain Baltar was about to speak. I perked up my ears.

“And you call yourselves Dwarf blacksmiths! The most perfect gemstone in the world is—”

‘The gemstone is—!’

“—none!”

“…None…”

I murmured in disappointment, but my quiet voice didn’t reach the Dwarves.

One of the blacksmiths muttered to himself loud enough for me to hear clearly.

“Looks like he’s starting again. His obsession with that mythical metal…”

‘Metal?’

“Yikes. My iron! I’m leaving.”

“Yeah, me too.”

In the blink of an eye, the blacksmiths scattered, heading back to their forges.

Left alone, Chieftain Baltar continued speaking as if nothing had happened.

“But the most perfect metal does exist! Adamantite! The dream of every blacksmith!”

…Adamantite?

***

Reytan sat on the second-floor balcony. Sitting to his right, Theon couldn't take his eyes off the grand podium ever since the Grand Priest and Emperor had entered.

‘They do look alike.’

Reytan’s gaze moved past the speaking Grand Priest and landed on the Emperor, seated on a luxurious chair. He wore a benevolent smile, clearly mindful of watching eyes, and sat beside the Empress.

Black hair, black eyes—he resembled Reytan’s disciple. But Reytan had already heard from Damian that the Emperor had no heirs.

Reytan briefly patted Theon’s head, then spoke to Damian, who was seated on his left.

“There are more people than before.”

“It’s been six years for you. Attendance has been growing each year. It’s one of the most valuable diplomatic events you can find.”

“I see.”

The front row of the ground floor was reserved for royalty and nobility.

As Damian had said, there were more royals attending than in the past—famous figures and also unfamiliar faces. Then, one royal caught Reytan’s eye.

A man with white skin and boyish beauty. Someone Reytan didn’t recognize.

“…Damian.”

“Yes?”

“That man with the cloth draped over one shoulder—is he royalty too? Who is he?”

“Ah, that’s Sir Alexis.”

Damian identified him immediately.

He had first appeared two years ago and had been present at every major diplomatic event since.

With his pink hair, tall stature, and captivating appearance, he was quite the famous figure.

“He’s a royal from the Kingdom of Edencia. The son of the current king’s younger brother.”

“…I see.”

Clench.

Reytan’s hand tightened around Wyndis. Blue aura began to surge, reacting to his emotions. He calmed the holy sword before it could flare out of control.

***

Several days had passed since the Travel Count’s family had been roaming the village for their so-called field trip.

Baltar couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d made a mistake.

“Adamantite! The dream of every blacksmith! I will mine it someday!”

When I was asked to name the most perfect gem, I grew emotional at the sight of the blacksmiths offering nothing more than the most common stones.

Was it acceptable for dwarven blacksmiths to be satisfied with such ordinary jewels? That was the heart of what I meant.

So I spoke from the depths of my heart. But when I came to my senses, the blacksmiths were gone—and only the youngest granddaughter of Count Travel remained, looking up at me.

“Adamantite? Is that the most perfect metal? The one you want to mine, Chieftain?”

“…You heard that?”

Nod.

The little human girl nodded her head.

“…It’s a secret to everyone in Travel, got it?”

“Yes!”

She answered quickly. But still—she was just a human child.

A child from the Travel family, no less.

How could I trust the words of a child I just met?

Ssss—!

As the hot iron from the furnace plunged into water, a hiss of steam exploded into the air.

Baltar laid the metal on the anvil and raised his hammer. The moment the hammer struck, all distracting thoughts vanished.

It was just him and the iron. A world of two.

And yet—

Clang!

‘What if that girl told Count Travel about Adamantite?’

Clang!

‘What if those money-hungry snakes eventually find the tunnel I secretly dug in the Crest Mine?’

Clang!

‘If I could just buy Crest Mine back from Baron Oldman—!’

The thoughts wouldn't stop. His poor focus was affecting his hammering—nothing was coming out right.

Baltar lifted the piece of iron he had just forged with tongs.

‘Ruined again!’

None of his work had satisfied him for days.

He had hoped that touching iron again might help him recover his feel for the craft, but with such anxious thoughts clouding his mind, there was no way to create something flawless.

And hadn’t he told Count Travel not to worry about quality?

“Chieftain, are you going somewhere? Not working anymore?”

“I'm going to take a break!”

Baltar’s firm reply made a nearby blacksmith shake his head. That temper again.

Baltar stomped off.

The cause of his anxiety was clear: the fear that those Travel bastards might steal the adamantite from him.

‘Starting today, I’ll take up my pickaxe and head back to the mountains myself.’

Now that he had made up his mind, it was time to act.

Baltar grabbed a massive pickaxe from the village warehouse. He wrapped a band with a glowing stone around his forehead and headed for the village entrance.

‘I’ll mine it with my own hands!’

Just as he was crossing the village boundary, someone called out to him.

“Chieftain Baltar.”

“Who’s bothering me now when I’m this busy—?!”

He turned around—and his eyes went wide when he saw who it was.

It was Baron Oldman’s representative.

The person who had shown no expression during their last meeting now looked... uncomfortable. Was she here with bad news?

“Please remove the glowing stone.”

“Ah, my apologies.”

Only then did Baltar realize the shining band on his forehead. He quickly pulled it off and stuffed it into his pocket.

The representative handed him a letter.

“It’s from Baron Oldman.”