Chapter 38: CH 38

“A Named?” Valder asked as he observed the claws, hide, bones, etc. placed on the counter. “Since when did you bag such big game…?”

“It was just the other day. We just finished butchering and collecting the materials,” Selena said proudly.

“Hmm… it’s tough,” Valder said, picking up the materials and toying with them using his fingers. I believe he wasn’t satisfied with that and started hitting them with a small mallet.

Xeno Glaive was definitely tough. The bones and claws alone should have considerable hardness, as the outer hide alone was barely scratched.

“But why a longsword?” Valder asked inevitably.

I had a bad feeling about this, somehow. Well, was it rude to say I didn’t like it? Whatever the case, I had that bad feeling so I decided to keep my mouth shut.

“I was thinking of giving them to you, Master, but since you’re here, this is pretty convenient,” Selena said.

“Selena, I told you I’d pass.”

Yeeep. It’s this conversation all over again.

Ah, well, I have to be grateful. I don’t have any weapons on hand right now and I’m not saying I’m uninterested in a sword made from a Named. To be honest, I find something intriguing about that.

But, all that being said:

Selena was the one who killed Xeno Glaive and she was under the Adventurer’s Guild’s jurisdiction. It’s hard to say that the old man who just scratched the Named’s sides would deserve this delivery of materials.

Also, I don’t want to be indebted to the Adventurer’s Guild like this, as I mentioned before.

“But Master, this is some good stuff,” Valder said. “It depends on my skill, but I’ve got a feeling I can go far with these. All that said, why won’t you take them?”

“Hmm? Master?” Selena butted in. “Did you also teach Valder?”

By the way, I haven’t explained this, because few people knew it in the first place.

To be precise, Selena was never one of my disciples.

I did teach her swordsmanship but I never considered it a master-student relationship. There’s also the fact that I couldn’t consider myself her guardian forever.

“Oh, Valder was also from my dojo,” I said. “He was only there for a little over a year.”

“Is that so?” Selena asked. “For a blacksmith, you seemed to have a swordsman’s senses.”

“Well, that’s why I apprenticed myself to you, yeah?” Valder added.

Their reactions were small surprise and big conviction, respectively.

As Valder said, that’s why he came to Bidden Village. This old man found it strange he intended to be a craftsman, ultimately.

I think there are plenty of other swordsmanship dojos, so why’d you choose one in the countryside? If he didn’t regret it, it was fine, though.

“Speaking to you only, Master, I’d like to correct one thing,” Selena said. “The Adventurer’s Guild has no more sway over this matter.”

“What did you say?” I asked.

Selena must have known I had my hesitations.

Nonetheless, recommending me a weapon made out of Xeno Glaive’s corpse somehow dispelled my concerns.

“These are already my personal property as part of the subjugation reward, and you haven’t been compensated for taking down Xeno Glaive, Master,” Selena continued.

“You were the one who killed it, Selena,” I said. “I don’t think I deserve it.”

“No, even if it was temporary everyone in the party should get something,” Selena said. “Porta and the rest of his friends also got the finder’s fee, too.”

“Hmm…”

Mmm. It’s a little weak of an argument.

I’ve heard that Named subjugation comes with a hefty reward. I didn’t listen in detail because I thought they’d have nothing to do with me.

If Porta and the other newcomer Adventurers also got a reward, is there any reason for me to forfeit my reward? I’m not sure. I’m not going to get any more money from the Guild, anyway.

“Putting aside the rewards,” Selena said, “this is just my personal feelings, I want to use this as compensation for breaking your sword, Master… it’s what I want to do.”

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about…” I said.

I wonder if Selena is still bothered about breaking my sword, even though I wasn’t bothered.

“It’s rude to refuse this gift, Master,” Valder said.

“… Right,” I said.

Well, I can think of it as a gift from Selena, rather than a reward from the Guild or something like that, will my worries subside?

No, I don’t really get it. There’s no reason for Selena to have to make compensation.

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But, as an objective fact, Selena did break my sword. Isn’t it bad to keep refusing since she keeps saying she’ll make up for it?

I don’t know the subtleties of politeness and gratitude around here. It may be a harmful effect of my being in the countryside all this time.

“Yeah, well… if you put it that way, thank you, I’ll take it,” I said.

“Yes! Please, it’s all yours,” Selena said.

Whatever the case, what I’m most worried about is getting involved with the Adventurer’s Guild more than necessary. If I didn’t have that worry, I’d want the weapon, and I’d be a lot more amenable to her offer.

“Master’s sword!” Valder barks as he stares at the materials. “My arms are tingling!”

Well, the weapons here are proof of his evidence. I just pray he doesn’t come up with anything too fancy.

“I’d appreciate it if you could just make an ordinary sword out of these,” I said.

“Oh, don’t worry, I’m not going to go crazy,” Valder replied.

“I think he’s a good blacksmith,” Alexia said. “You can tell by looking at his swords.”

It seems she had been examining Valder’s selection while Kuruni and I were talking. They all seemed to match her standards, above all else.

It would make this old man plenty happy if you’d get a new sword, as well.

No good, huh? Looks like it’s no good. Dammit.

“Speaking of that… I’d like a week because I need to process the materials,” Valder said. “Please come back for it after then. Is it okay if I bill Selena for it?”

“Yeah, that’s fine,” Selena said. “Don’t care how much it costs, give it your all.”

“Gahaha!” Valder roared. “Roger that!”

It was supposed to be my sword but the conversation’s moving on without me.

Isn’t this strange?

And is the payment arrangement alright? This old man’s a little worried.

“Well, I’m looking forward to it… it’s all good?” I asked.

“Yeah, you can look forward to it, Master,” Valder said, taking the materials to the back of the counter. “See you all soon.”

I’m sure he enjoys forging weapons regardless of whether or not it’s my sword. And if the materials are top-notch, the blacksmith will be able to show off his skills.

Since Kuruni and Selena are done with their business, is it time to leave?

“Well then, Master, let’s head back to the training grounds!” Kuruni cried.

“Woops, right,” I said.

Kuruni is beside me and carries her zweihander with a smile.

For some reason, she may be looking forward to this new weapon. The handling is different from before, do we focus on that area? Her muscles aren’t already half bad, so if she held down the basics, the rest should sprout from that to some extent.

“Well then, Master, I’ll be going now,” Selena said.

“Okay, thanks, Selena,” I said. “I’ll be happy to use it when it’s done.”

“No, it wasn’t that big a deal,” Selena said. “I’m off, then.”

Now much lighter, Selena leaves Balder’s smithy.

She had a very relieved look as if a weight had fallen from her shoulders, too. Did breaking my longsword bother her that much?

Given her feelings, refusing here may have caused some unnecessary emotions. Let’s just play along and say I’m looking forward to the completion.

“Let’s go, then,” I said. “Since it’s after usual training, let’s keep it light today.”

“Yessir!” Kuruni said.

“I’ll be heading back, too,” Alexia said. “I’ve got some work to do.”

Did she follow us while she still had business to attend to? I hope we don’t get in trouble.

Well, Alexia seems busy as usual, and I hope that my and Kuruni’s sword hunting gave her a break.

Now then, it’s been a long time since I trained anyone to use large blades.

Kuruni left my dojo in the middle of her training but as her former master, I feel blessed with this opportunity to train her again in this manner.

Alright, this old man will be enthusiastic, as usual.

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