Chapter 107: Vol 7 – Chapter 6 – Blacksmith Obtained

“Tek here, I had experienced a lot of bullying in school because I wanted to be something different than a lot of people, a programmer, and I knew that many other people have experienced it as well--unfortunately, this also occurs in other worlds as well.”

Mara explained that her father was one of Dohar’s direct disciples, her mother was a woman who had managed to catch his eye, she was an astonishingly good blacksmith.

Her mother had always expressed a desire to explore the outside world, but her father was obsessed over blacksmithing--he was so obsessed with it that her mother ended up leaving them when Mara was thirteen.

She had no idea where her mother went, but a few months later, she received a letter from her mother which said that she was sorry and that she hoped her daughter a good life with the joy she couldn’t have.

When Mara was seven, she went to a ‘school’, one which specialized in teaching literacy and blacksmithing. Jojori, Zajir, and her had all been friends--at first. But Mara found that she was astonishingly good at blacksmithing, as though blessed by the gods. However, this made everyone jealous of her, and she lost all of her friends. She kept getting bullied, so she decided that she had to leave.

The destination that kept popping up in her mind was Labyrinth City--when she had nightmares, her mother would tell her stories about the Labyrinths, and of fighting powerful Monsters.

Her plan was to join a pre-established part and level up in the Labyrinth, gaining reputation. After she was strong enough, and was well known, she would be able to blacksmith as much as she wanted--and beat up anyone who tried to bully her.

When she turned 18, she finally gathered her courage, and left Bollhart to go exploring.

Since Dwarves had long life-spans, at around 300-400 years, they were considered adults at 18. Unlike Humans, who were considered adults at 13 - 14, depending on the Kingdom, Empire, etc.

A few days before she left, she had finished creating a masterpiece, a Mithril axe. She also had some simple armour, which she made in her spare time. Thinking herself prepared, she left Bollhart, and began her journey to Labyrinth City.

However, after only a week, she ran into a group of men who were journeying to get weapons for the tournament--they saw her Mithril axe, her low level, and small size--they attacked her.

If they wanted to kill her, it would have been easy--but luckily for her, they wanted to kidnap her and get her enslaved, to be their personal blacksmith.

They didn’t mistreat her, until she tried to escape, then they decided that they had to ‘teach her her place’ and they starved her and beat her.

Luckily, before they had broken her spirit, they were ambushed by another group of tournament candidates. The other group had seen the Mithril axe, and wanted it--she took the chance and ran.

However, she got injured by a stray shot from one of the men with a bow, and passed out near a road. Luckily, she made it quite a distance from the site of the battle, and she was small, so none of the men found her.

When she woke up, she had a slave collar around her neck and she was in a wagon. She asked one of the girls next to her, she had been captured by a Weaselman slaver and they were on their way to his shop in Bollhart.

Apparently, the Weaselman had lied about her being healed by a Priest. I felt Liza tense behind me, she seemed annoyed that the Weaselman had lied to me.

But, it’s okay.

According to my Heads-Up-Display, Mara didn’t have any illnesses or STIs.

I had seen a cheap prostitute, and under Abnormal Statuses, it listed that she had Chlamydia and some illnesses.

After she had finished her story, she seemed to notice the tears running down her cheeks. She swiped at them almost angrily as her cheeks flushed.

Even Jojori looked slightly sympathetic.

“Master, permission to comfort the small organism?” Nana spoke from beside me, staring intently at Mara with slightly teary eyes. She seemed upset that the ‘small organism’ was crying.

“Ask her, not me.”

Mara looked confused by our conversation.

“Permission to comfort you?” Nana turned her attention back to Mara.

Not really understanding what Nana meant, “Uhh, okay?” Mara consented with a nod.

As soon as she got confirmation, the pleased Homunculus crouched down and wrapped the very, very confused Dwarf in a hug--before rubbing her cheeks on the top of Mara’s head, making pleased noises.

“Don’t worry. Master is the best! We are also on the way to Labyrinth City.” Arisa said to Mara with a smile, reaching around Nana and placing a hand on the Dwarven girl’s shoulder.

 

“Master is the best!”

“The best.”

 

Tama and Pochi enthusiastically agreed with Arisa.

I patted the two on the head.

“Master is going to Labyrinth City?” Mare looked at me with anticipation.

“Yeah, I am. You don’t need to call me ‘Master’ if you don’t want to, my name is Tek.”

“You paid 5 gold for me, and I am your--” She paused for a second, looking as though she was marshaling herself, “--slave.”

I nod to her, Arisa gives her a thumbs up. Nana muttered in approval--Tama and Pochi held my hands and hopped around with “Yay!”, “Yay.”

Jojori looked at our commotion with a strange expression, before speaking, “So, do you want me to take you back to the mansion now?”

“Yes, please.”

***

We are currently in the guestroom, and I am sitting on one of the couches. Liza is standing behind me, and Nana is sat beside Mara--she seemed pleased with the new addition.

The first thing Lulu did when we got back was going to the kitchen to make some tea.

Mia took advantage of the free space on my right and sat down, leaning against me with a pleased smile--well, and almost imperceptible rise of the corners of her lips.

Arisa sat at my other side, she leaned forwards and looked at our new companion.

Tama and Pochi were relaxed as usual, sitting at my feet and snacking on some sweets.

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“Master?” Mara sat on the couch across from me, she had a curious, and slightly worried, look on her face.

“Hmm? Oh sorry, I got distracted,” I smiled at her, trying to be reassuringly.

“Can I ask, what are your plans for me?” She still seemed nervous, but I don’t know if it was because of the new situation--or because Nana was staring at her in a way that could be interpreted as hungry.

“Nana, come over here. You can do that later--she is new here, and you will probably scare her.”

Nana’s eyes got a little teary at my words, she walked over to me with an imploring look in her eyes.

She sat down next to Mia, looking at Mara.

“My plans for you? Well, I am going with the girls to Labyrinth City, where we will dive into the labyrinth and level up--since Demon Lord Season is soon. It’s likely that the girls will need new armour and weapons as they level up. We will be finding a lot of interesting materials in the labyrinth--so, we will need a talented blacksmith.”

Mara’s expression cleared up, she seemed to become much more relaxed when she heard my words. She also got exited when I mentioned Labyrinth City and Labyrinth diving, a glint appearing in her eye at the mentioning of blacksmithing with interesting materials.

This girl had a rather expressive face, it was even more obvious since I was getting used to reading Mia and Nana’s faces, well more of reading their eyes or tiny changes.

“Of course, you will need to level up as well, so we will all enter the labyrinth together.” I continue.

Her excitement rises--before a look of curiousity overtakes her, “Why did you pay so much to buy me? 5 gold coins.”

“Well, I have Appraisal, and I saw that you have some skills and titles that seem to be very interesting. I want to help you gain power and see what your potential is.”

Arisa looked over at me and grinned, “You mean, you want to see what happens when she gets stronger--and want someone to make armour and weapons, so that you can slack off or make Magic Tools?” She poked her tongue out at me.

“Well…sort of.”

Arisa knows me very well, especially since we have only known each other for three or so weeks.

Mara looked between the two of us, “What do you mean, Master?”

“Well, you have both a Skill called ‘Magic Blacksmithing’ and a Skill called ‘Intuitive Blacksmithing’, as well as what seems to be a species-specific skill called ‘Giant’s Strength’. As well as two titles that interest me: ‘Descended from Giants’, and ‘Divine Blacksmith’. According to my, ‘Appraisal’, it seems that someone in your family line was a Lilliputian Giant.”

“Th-That’s impossible…Dad was very definitely a Dwarf, one who came from a very long and pure bloodline. Mum was--” Mara paused, “I’m sure Mum was a Dwarf.”

“You don’t sound so sure.”

“Well, something strange did happen, but only once,” She looked intently at me as she recounted the event, “I was smithing, and one of the heavy lumps of ore, which waited on the belts running through the room, tilted and started to fall towards me. Dad was off and working with the Elder. Mum was next to me, and when she saw the ore begin to fall, she grabbed it and heaved it quite a distance away--with seemingly very little effort.”

Mara looked at the floor, “I-It could have been that she panicked and gained extra strength, right?”

“It might be, but you are definitely related to a Lilliputian Giant somewhere in your family line. Anyway, those skills and titles interested me. Magic Blacksmithing is a skill I have only seen in Dohar, and I have never seen Intuitive Blacksmithing before.”

“I-I see--well, if you just want me to smith, which I love doing. I’ll make the best weapons and armour that you have ever seen!”

Lulu had come back with the tea and was now sitting beside Arisa.

“I am glad to hear that. Normally, I would offer to release you from your collar, asking if you want to join me, but…Well--I don’t want you to run, sorry.” I found myself unable to meet her eyes as I felt slight guilt, and I was going against my nature.

I did believe that people should have a choice, and so offered each of the girls the choice to be free. Arisa and Lulu couldn’t because of the Geass, and the Beastkin girls all wanted to stay enslaved, at least for now.

Arisa looked over at me and rolled her eyes, “You are too kind, Master.”

Mia, Tama, and Pochi seemed to all be asleep.

“If all you want is for me to be a blacksmith, and to level up in Labyrinth City--I am more than willing to be your slave. I can see how well you treat your other slaves, which is much better than even my parents treated me. I have also always dreamed of going to Labyrinth City--if I’m with you, then I won’t be kidnapped again…it’s perfect!” She smiled at me--she was cheering me up.

“Alright then, well--it’s time to sleep. Are you okay with sharing a bed? Nothing really goes on since Tama and Pochi are there--though I will probably leave during the night with Arisa, Liza, Lulu, Nana…or a combination of them.”

Mara nodded, though her cheeks went bright pink, “I should be fine with it--though I have never shared a bed with this many people before. I need to get used to it, don’t I?”

“Yep!” Arisa nodded enthusiastically.

When we went to lay down, Nana’s eyes darted around, looking slightly conflicted--When I asked what was wrong, she explained that she wanted to hug her mother while sleeping like usual, but she also wanted to hug the ‘small organism’.

Mia looked a little irritated when Nana referred to her as mother, but she seemed to be getting more used to it--because she just rolled her eyes and flopped down with a disgruntled, “Mwuu.”

Mare looked confused.

“Nana, you should let her slowly get used to your affection. Don’t be too clingy, she might get scared.”

“If she gets scared, I will comfort her.” A proud look appeared in Nana’s eyes.

I turned to Mara, “Do you mind her hugging you so much? She likes to hug and touch ‘small organisms’ and ‘young organisms’.”

Mara glanced at Nana, “I-I don’t really mind.”

Nana looked at me with a triumphant look in her eyes…so cute.

So, I pointed out that since Mara was so small, if she lay between Nana and Mia, Nana could cuddle both.

“Small organism, please?” Nana seemed to almost vibrate in excitement, impatience in her eyes.

Mara glanced at me quickly, before laying down on her back, right next to Mia--causing the Elf to glance over at her. Nana beamed at me, “Thank you, my Master.”, then she lay down facing the two, wrapping her arms around both with a content look in her eyes.

I lay down, Lulu on one side, and Liza on the other. Tama and Pochi curled up on my stomach, and Arisa was cuddling Lulu--with a mischievous grin.

I think I know who I will be leaving the room with later.

So ends our second day in Bollhart, a long and eventful day, but a good one. We got a new and interesting companion to join us on our journey.

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