Chapter 104: Vol 7 – Chapter 3 – The Mines Of Moira? Not! (Part 2)

“Tek here, blacksmithing comes up fairly commonly in fantasy books and moving, it also turns up commonly in Light Novels too--I have always wondered why the main character always does a lot of blacksmith-related things--always trying to make armour and weapons instead of buying it. It’s strange.”

“Let me see you forge a sword. We’ll talk after that.” Dohar barely looked up from his work as he said that.

I have absolutely no knowledge in sword crafting…I managed to make Liza’s spear, because spears can be simple, especially using Monster parts. I sometimes saw blacksmithing on TV, and I feel that my blacksmith skill has implanted knowledge into my head--which is why I could make the armour for Nana and Liza--but I feel that swords are more difficult.

“I have no idea how to make swords.” I speak up, looking at Dohar.

“Then we can’t talk.” He glanced up and the back at the very cool looking sword he was currently working on.

“Grandfather, Tek is an acquaintance of Viscount Rottol, and--” Jojori starts to plead my case.

“I only talk to people who make swords.”

This Dwarf was quite unreasonable.

“How about talking to someone after having a match with them?” I speak on a whim--since hotblooded people, like this Dohar seems, usually like to fight to: ‘get to know people’.

He looked up at me with a glint in his eye, a second passed--before he burst out laughing, “Alright lad, bring it on!”

I ask Jojori to bring a message to Arisa and the others that I will be having a fight and may not be back until late. I knew that Liza would probably want to watch, but I wanted her there to make sure the girls were well protected. Nana followed along after the little Dwarven woman. I Ordered her not to kidnap or in any way inconvenience Jojori--then gave her another note to give to Arisa, where I wrote down that Nana could cause some trouble, and to look after her. Nana looked at me with a slightly sad expression as she wandered off.

They would be staying in one of the guestrooms of the Mayor’s mansion.

 

***

Dohar leads me to a hall near the mayor’s mansion. The hall is four meters high and separated into two layers, the second is a walkway that rings the hall--the center is an open area all the way up. It looks like a dueling hall.

“Try swinging this. I have just finished it, and was going to just store it--but, if you win, or I approve of you--I will let you keep it.”

I receive the presented sword.

It’s a double-edged bastard sword, constructed from Mithril--but it seemingly only weighs about 70-80% of a similar sized iron sword. As I hold it, it feels a bit light--if a sword is too light, won’t it not cause as much damage?

When I take a stance, following the instincts ingrained in my Fighting and Single-Hand Skills. It seems to feel firmer than any sword I have held before, and the balance feels…perfect.

I swing it lightly--it feels nice. I try to swing it faster this time, somehow, it seems to cut through air resistance. Which doesn’t really make sense from a scientific point of view--the Holy Swords were like this, so maybe Magic materials can cancel out the laws of physics in this world.

“Put Magic Power into it.” Dohar has been watching me swing the sword, and gives a suggestion.

 

I put in 10MP.

 

Ooh, it accepts Magic Power easily, just like Liza’s spear. As expected of a sword created by a Dwarven Master Craftsman--it also might be an ability of Mithril as well.

Ripple-like green patterns appear on the surface of the sword. Strange, different materials give off different coloured light. Blue for Holy weapons, Blue for Magic Weapons, Red for Monster weapons, and apparently Green for Mithril weapons.

When I put in more Magic Power, the light begins to gather around the edges and a fine red layer appears over it, almost like it is trying to form a Magic Edge.

Mysteriously the sword’s weight also increases as it accepts my Magic Power. At the first 10MP the increase was so small that I barely felt it, thinking I may have imagined it. But now, it’s very obviously heavier.

“Alright, it seems that the sword accepts you--let’s begin the match!” As he speaks, he takes out a battle-axe and readies himself.

My Danger Sense kicks in as soon as I see the battle-axe.

Wait, that’s a cursed weapon, right?

I can see a swirling and bubbling black aura on it.

 

>>Skill: Ghost Vision Acquired.

 

I don’t think I need that skill, so I won’t apply Skill Points to it for now, but it may be useful if we find some kind of desolate or undead area--but for now, I don’t need it.

He swings the sword for my head, moving slower than my maximum speed. I don’t want to show off too much power, but I have to win this match.

So I barely dodge his hits, getting a few swings in.

Swinging my sword feels strange. My muscles move before I can think of the movements, swinging in ways that I don’t expect, but ways that block Dohar’s blows.

I need to receive proper instruction, because purely relying on skills will make me incredibly weak--if skills are ever disabled and I need to fight, I will die incredibly quickly.

He even manages to see through some of my movements, barely missing me. Even with my superior speed, I still feel like he is cornering me. It feels similar to when my cousin constantly beat me in chess--

As expected of a veteran of many battles, having a lot of real combat experience is amazing after all.

Of course, I could easily brute-force it, but this isn’t a fight to the death.

I realize how much I am lacking experience--I need to train in the Labyrinth too, limiting my power so I can actually learn.

In the end, I fight Dohar until he stops the fight. He says that he has: ‘seen my true heart’ and knows that I am a ‘good man, heroic and righteous’.

He is incorrect about some of that--which is expectable since he seems to believe that he can actually somehow psychically understand someone through mock battle. And no, he didn’t use any Magic, and checking the log verified that he didn’t use any skills that would allow him to read my mind.

“That sword is now yours, and consider yourself a lifetime friend of the Dwarves!” He speaks with an almost deafening laugh.

We had been fighting for almost 3 hours, and it was now around 6pm--I wasn’t as late as I had expected.

***

Dohar handed his battle-axe to his disciple, Zajir, and walked towards me.

His breath is perfectly ordered, even after moving around so much, his stamina must be incredible.

“Show me the sword.”

I give the sword to Dohar, and then after checking the blade for any chips, he swings it, “Mhm, very good. No chipping, and no distortions.” He is praising his own sword crafting.

Then he looked at me with a curious glint in his eyes, “You have incredible speed and strength, but you were swinging the sword in a way that looked so awkward that I wanted to stop a few times.” He gave me back the sword ran a rough hand through his hair.

“Uhh, I’m better with bows and crossbows…I have some dagger training, but I have never gotten officially trained.”

“And you got the One-Handed Sword Skill at the same time, so you find that your muscles move in ways that you don’t don’t expect.”

“That is true.”

“Hahaha! Well, don’t worry lad--you will get used to it, and training will speed up your adaption.” He laughed, and smacked me on the back.

Damn, he hits hard. Just a simple slap on the back hit with almost as much force as the Demon from Seryuu City.

Dohar holds the sword in both his hands, staring in silence, before beginning to chant, “**, Name Order: Fairy Sword Trazayuya!”

It is fine to give a sword such a silly name like ‘Fairy Sword’?

Well, Mithril has been called ‘Fairy Silver’ before, so maybe he gets it from that.

“Are you familiar with Trazayuya?”

You are reading story Death March — Fixed at novel35.com

“Mhm. Well, it’s an old story, but I had served the Sage for a long time. This is the best sword that I’ve made in my life, so I named it after the late Sage just now.” He closes his eyes and falls silent.

Now I feel slightly guilty--I didn’t know that the sword had such a story behind it…

After a moment, he opens his eyes and hands the sword to me, “Since it accepted you, it’s now yours. Use it well.”

I receive the sword from him.

When I glance at it, I notice that the Market Price shows ‘--’. The stronger Magic Swords in my storage, along with the Holy Swords also have ‘--’ as their Market Prices.

As expected of the work of the master among dwarves.

Dohar’s face breaks out in a smile and he shouts, “The Dwarves have gained a good friend! We shall drink tonight! Bring out all the barrel!”

***

Then, like that, we have a banquet with a lot of alcohol.

We stay in the hall where we dueled, as Dohar speaks happily about his time serving the Sage Trazayuya. While we sit, Dwarven women are scuttling around, bringing in large quantities of grilled meat, fruits, and fish, among other things.

Not losing to the women, the Dwarven men are bringing out large amounts of liquor barrels--half seem to be ales and the other half some kind of distilled liquor.

Jojori pours me a drink while I sit near Dohar. The strong drink poured into the silver cup is mostly transparent liquor with a faint reddish tinge. It seems strong when I smelled it, but it tasted surprisingly good when I took a sip--fairly easy to drink.

I just shrug and chug it down--and feel like the Demon from Seryuu City kicked me in the chest, and the head, then hit me with the lightning spell again…

Damn this stuff is good.

I mean--is strong.

“Guhahaha, you sure can drink.” Dohar says with a booming, heroic laugh.

Jojori smiles and pours me another cup.

I wanted to get drunk, something I liked to do on Earth, and had disabled my Poison Resistance.

 

>>Skill: Alcohol Resistance Acquired.

 

Yeah, I’m not enabling that one--in defiance, I chug my second mug of alcohol which would probably be two to three hundred proof…

Liza and the others are invited to the banquet too.

Tama, Pochi, and Liza all fixate on a table in the corner of the room which is filled with all kinds of smoked and grilled meat. They stood behind and beside me, drooling--all of them had imploring eyes and expressions of begging. Liza’s tail even seemed to move subconsciously and the tip rubbed the back of my leg, like it was begging as well.

So cute!

“Alright…Go!”

As soon as the word ‘go’ came out of my mouth, they moved so quickly that even with my perception skills, it almost looked like they vanished.

Nana and Mia are sitting on either side of me and drinking fruit water--Mia is nibbling on fruit and leaning against me. She looks like a cute animal, and her long Elven ears are twitching in happiness.

Lulu is following Arisa around and taking samples of the meat for some reason.

I overhear that they had a Magic Shop at the entrance to the Dwarven Mining District--it seems to be a very good place to buy Earth and Wind Magic Scrolls. Whatever they’re willing to sell, I will definitely buy.

Jojori pours me another drink.

Is she planning something by giving me a lot of alcohol?

Whatever, the radar and my skills don’t detect any malicious intent--and she is pouring as much for her grandfather, so it’s fine.

***

Some of the Dwarven men and women though that Liza and the rest should join in the drinking--and I agreed, since I was curious what they were like with alcohol, with no inhibitions.

“Ehehehe Tek. Fufun T-ek. Ahahaha, Tek~” Lulu is giggling, draping herself over me. She seems like a merry drinker--since she seems to have had enough. I take the cup away from her, and she wraps her arms around me and begins to cuddle.

“Shuch a ghood mashta…Take me, here and now--use your Arishaa~” Arisa seems to be the kind who gets…’slutty’. She is straddling my lap and rubbing against me--

‘Hehehe, it’s fun, this is fun. Now Tek, go drink more. Fufufu, there are three of you, it’s wonderful!’

Who the heck are you?

The always taciturn Mia begins to speak rapidly in the Elven language--this is both confusing and incredibly cute. I believe it is called gap-moe or something.

My head is spinning a little…and Arisa licking my cheek is a little distracting. Oh, Lulu is nuzzling into my neck, and seems to have seen Arisa, and beginning to lick me too.

If only this wasn’t in public.

 

“Nihehe mas tar mshatra.”

“Nya, Nyur.”

 

Both Pochi and Tama seem to have lost control of their tongues and are babbling to each other while laying flat on their backs on the ground at my feet.

“Master. The condition of my logic circuit is unusual. Requesting Master to give me a thorough inspection.”

I have to stop Nana from beginning to strip.

It seems that she had drunk as well. She has become able to eat a bit of food since a few days ago. Well, since she seems to be in a bit of a dangerous position, I quickly give her, and Arisa, a cup with two Potions in them. One of the potions is to make sure they don’t get hung over, and the other puts them to sleep.

Liza, who has been quietly drinking beside me falls asleep in a sitting position--damn, that girl has good posture even when unconscious. Her tale is wrapped around one of my wrists though. At some unknown time, she had taken out her spear, and was affectionately cuddling it to her chest as she sat like a sentinel.

Well, they seem to be alright with their alcohol. I have no objections if they want to join in at another time.

“I have to get my girls to the room--I may as well sleep as well.” I say apologetically to Dohar.

He nods in understanding and gestures for some of the more sober servants to help me.

When I stand up, holding Arisa. Lulu is hanging off me like a koala, Mia stands up while swaying, but she seems safe to walk. Tama and Pochi are fast asleep, and the servants carefully carry them--along with Nana.

Liza somehow detects me standing up, her tail tightened on my wrist and she wakes up. Seemingly in perfect control, she stands just behind my right shoulder. She is still holding her spear, and her tail keeps its grip.

Like that, we return to the room, and I lay Arisa, Nana, Tama, and Pochi onto one of the beds.

I lay down with the others on the second bed. Mia cuddles up against one side, wrapping her whole body around me, muttering to herself in slurred Elven. Lulu cuddles close on the other side. Liza though, is strangely forward, and lays down on top of me, fitting her body against mine, and her face buried in my chest--before falling asleep again.

Like that, our first day in the Dwarven City Bollhart, ended with a lot of fun.

 

>>Title: Friend of the Dwarves Acquired.

You can find story with these keywords: Death March — Fixed, Read Death March — Fixed, Death March — Fixed novel, Death March — Fixed book, Death March — Fixed story, Death March — Fixed full, Death March — Fixed Latest Chapter