Loud sounds of metal hitting metal could be heard.
The second visit to Premie city since Yuuji came to another world.
Yuuji, Alice and Kotarou was visiting the smithing workshop producing the canned goods. Leading them was of course the now company president Kevin and his escort.
The two former adventurers who joined midway their coming to the city had gone off on their own to head to the residence their party made a base of. No, heading to the base was only the tank man who was the fiancé; the single scout excitedly disappeared into the bustling streets however.
Incidentally, after Kotarou took a glance to the entrance, she swiftly went away. It’s a little too noisy for me, I’ll come back when you’re going home, is what she looked like she was saying. Neither Kevin, Yuuji nor Alice seemed to be worried about Kotarou walking on her own. She was the sole woman among the group who was allowed to act independently. She’s a dog though.
“Now then, shall we enter Mr Yuuji? They will not hear us even if we call them from the outside, so we can only go inside.”
Kevin led the way and each of the party stepped foot inside the workshop in succession.
What Yuuji saw was a counter made of wood. Apparently they discuss business here. However, Kevin swiftly went further inside without minding it.
When he opened the door inside the counter, *whoosh* a heat blew along with it.
“Ah, Mr Kevin. Welcome.”
Perhaps responding to the opened door, a petite person came up and welcomed Kevin
His height was 140cm, but his figure was firm and strong. His long red hair with ample volume was tied in many bundles. His beard that dangled until the pits of his stomach were weaved in three.
Pectoral muscles… no… A cup…?
Yuuji’s special skill ‘Scouter’ was activated.
Eh, you’re kidding me, that can’t be true, Yuuji murmured in whispers.
Amassing a bountiful beard, the appearance was that of a petite elderly man. He appeared to be the so-called male dwarf.
However.
The special skill that Yuuji had forged by watching numerous gravure pictures and videos on Earth, the Scouter, was activated. The ability that came to be able to distinguish even traps was activated.
In other words…
“I shall do the introductions then. This is pioneer group leader Mr Yuuji. And then this is the wife of the master of this smithing workshop. In this smithing workshop, the master and wife are dwarves you see!”
In this world where Yuuji was living in.
Dwarves seemed to have beards, even women.
There were neither tanned young girls nor legal lolis.
Being aware of another reality, Yuuji felt down.
Worrying over such Yuuji, Alice gently spoke to him “Yuuji-nii, are you okay? What’s wrong?”. “I’m fine, don’t worry about it please,” Yuuji responded fraily. He didn’t seem to feel like telling Alice the reason he received a shock.
At a different place from the two, the conversation between Kevin and the smithing workshop master continued.
While Yuuji was in a slump, the wife brought the dwarven master along. Yuuji didn’t seem to have heard even his name.
“Well then master, that is how it will be. Wait, Mr Yuuji, what happened? Are you alright?”
While Yuuji received a shock, Kevin finished his business meeting with the master. Finally, Kevin called out to Yuuji. He had noticed Yuuji’s current state, but he gave priority to the business meeting and ignored him. The result: the business meeting about the proposed amendment and budget of the trial canned goods, the introduction of the apprentice planned to migrate and hearing the situation that they could migrate etc, finished smoothly. By no means did it mean it went smoothly because Yuuji did not get in the way. By no means did it mean Kevin left Yuuji as is, calculating this far. Probably.
“Eeh, I’m… I’m fine. Aah, that’s right, there’s one thing I want you to make, but…”
Having finally regained his footing, Yuuji called out to the dwarven master and Kevin.
Hearing that he would meet a dwarf, the residents of the BBS left him instructions, both in the meaning to ascertain the technological strength and to create a convenient tool that this world did not have.
Raising one eyebrow, the dwarven master urged him on. He neatly digested the complex discussion with his requester Kevin, but he normally seemed to be taciturn.
Yuuji explained with his shoddy words and a sketch drawn by borrowing wood and charcoal. He seemed to have transmitted the object he wanted to make somehow.
“So this, what is this used for? Is it a weapon?”
“No, it uses the concept of a lever and can take out nails and like this you can also lift things up you know. It’s a tool that has many other uses. Two types please, one about this long and one about this short and two of each type. How long will it take you to make it?”
Yuuji showed him the length of about 150cm and 90cm with his hands and requested two of each. Apparently, what Yuuji requested was the all purpose tool that doubled as weapon, a ‘crowbar like object’. He planned to have one set for personal use and to give the other set to the woodworker Thomas. This world had nails as well after all. He expected to have Thomas use it and hear his impression.
“Let’s see… Give me three days.”
The master answered in few words.
“Ooh, to think I can hear that dwarf live, Yuuji murmured.
The reason Yuuji was impressed was not understood by anybody.
That was natural.
It was an object that had not existed before, but solid metal existed, were processed in this workshop and various weapons were also made from it. The principle of levers and name aside, the details were understood. There were nails and he also understood the usefulness of a crowbar like item. Although he would make it for the first time, the difficulty was not high. Kevin and the others was thinking three days I see. It takes a long time but well, he must be packed with other work. It was stranger to be told three days and be moved by it.
“By the way, Lord Yuuji, you are the pioneer leader aren’t you? I think you had fights with monsters, but… Are you fine with those equipments?”
The master asked, looking towards Yuuji’s short spear and shield.
This time Yuuji had the adventurer look, wearing hide armor and holding a short spear and shield. What Yuuji was using were general store sold arms prepared by Kevin. It appears that the master wanted to say “Is it fine for the pioneer leader to bear the full brunt of monster attacks with those kind of equipment?”
“Err…”
Yuuji took a glance at Kevin’s direction.
Currently, only Kevin had an understanding on the condition of Yuuji’s heart. The pioneer leader was completely relying on his sponsor. There was also Yuuji’s part of the profits from the preserved goods including the canning.
Kevin made eye contact with Yuuji and nodded. Apparently he had given him permission to get new arms.
“Yes! Ah well, what can I say, getting a new weapon is exciting right!?”
While saying so, Yuuji obtained new short spear and shield that was stored in the smithing workshop. When he thought about it, it was the first time he selected his own weapon like this. Being happy about it may be understandable, but he was a restless 33 year old.
Alice also obtained a new dagger; she took it out from the scabbard and gazed at it with sparkling eyes. A yandere little girl. No that’s wrong, it’s necessary for self-protection and dissection of the spoils.
Witnessing the two being pleased about obtaining new weapons, the master looked glad.
It was unexpected, but the distance between Yuuji and the dwarven master seemed to have shortened.
Yuuji felt like he and the master understood each other for some reason.
“By the way… Weapons are meaningless if you don’t equip them, right?”
“Ah? What are you saying? That’s obvious isn’t it?”
Yuuji felt like he and the master understood each other for some reason, but it seems to have been his imagination.
Thus, the tour through the canning workshop and the introduction to the dwarven master and apprentice who will migrate to the pioneer land finished, so Yuuji and co left the workshop.
Incidentally, the migration in truth would be after the cart passable road was made to the pioneer land.
What was used as fuel in the workshop was charcoal, coal and magic. Even if they, for argument’s sake, were to produce charcoal in the pioneer land and request Alice for magic, they would have to transport raw materials from the city.
It will still take quite a long time before the pioneer land will be developed.