Chapter 28: Gran Cappadocia (1)

Chapter 28: Gran Cappadocia (1)

"Navirose?"

"Address me as Instructor. And remember, smoking is prohibited on campus."

With ashen skin and silver-gray hair, the Grand Swordmaster Navirose stood there. A massive blade, longer than her own height, was slung diagonally across her back.

Ronan, who had been flicking a cigarette holder, stood up from his seat.

"It's been a while. What's going on here?"

"I see you have questions, Ronan. How did the Empire's swordsmanship class go?"

"I did too well and got kicked out. I was too upset."

Ronan, rummaging through his pockets, handed Navirose his early graduation certificate. Navirose nodded as she looked at the slightly crumpled certificate.

"As expected, it seems it was rather mundane. I had expected it."

"While it's nice to find out things I didn't know, there's no sense of accomplishment. It was fun learning your techniques on my own."

Ronan recalled the times at the inn when he mimicked Navirose's rotating sword technique. It took a while to get used to it, but it was a rewarding time.

As Navirose pondered something, she spoke up.

"Draw your sword."

"What?"

"Let's spar. There's not much else to do, is there?"

"Well, still, we're going to spar here?"

Instead of answering, Navirose raised her hand to the hilt of her massive blade. Ronan, unable to resist, drew his own sword. Seeing the condition of the obsidian sword, Navirose furrowed her brow.

"...Have you been swinging that thing around?"

"Yeah, well, I will have to use it until I get a new sword this weekend."

"Handle your weapon carefully. It's a swordmaster's lifeline."

"Well, the person swinging it is important, not the sword. Of course, I'll choose the most sturdy one."

"What?"

Suddenly, Navirose's expression stiffened. She let go of the hilt of the blade, releasing a light sigh.

"I wanted to assess your skills first, but... let's cancel the sparring. Hand me the sword."

"Huh?"

Navirose wordlessly grabbed Ronan's sword. She began to stroke the blade of the obsidian sword with her fingers. With each rough scar she felt, her brow furrowed.

"Negligent maintenance... no, it's like you haven't done anything at all. Why do all these swordsmen search for legendary swords with such passion? Why do they treat their treasured swords like their own children?"

"Is it because they're not skilled enough?"

"...Well, you might not know. You haven't even reached the level of a Sword User. To someone who doesn't know how to infuse mana into a weapon, it might not hold much meaning."

Ronan's pupils dilated at her words.

"What? Did you know?"

"Yeah. I find it hard to believe that you can exhibit such strength without using mana."

"Damn, it's not that I'm not using it, I can't use it. It's driving me crazy."

"Don't worry too much about that. You'll be able to use it eventually. But if you don't start now by choosing good weapons and practicing proper maintenance, you'll face trouble when you start using mana."

Navirose walked toward the lakeside. The expansive lake had ripples created by the spring breeze. With a poised stance, Navirose began to speak.

"Watch closely. I'll show you the importance of a weapon."

Swish!

In an instant, Navirose's arm vanished from sight. The sword stroke sliced through the air, and the shockwave landed at the center of the lake.

Splash!

A fan-shaped water spray rose, obscuring the forest on the other side of the lake.

"Wow."

Ronan exclaimed. It was an incredibly clean sword strike, more impressive than he had imagined. Navirose tossed the obsidian sword to Ronan.

"This thing is even less useful than I thought. It's just a piece of iron."

"You're too much. Is there that much of a difference between your sword and the professor's?"

Ronan grinned. Even when comparing it to his memories from his past life, it was an impressive strike. Currently, Navirose was undoubtedly one of the prominent swordsmen on this continent.

Swish!

Navirose drew her massive blade without a word. Her arm disappeared from sight once again. The same stance, the same technique.

- Swish!

A different outcome.

A wall of water filled the sight. The waterspout that had shot up from one end of the lake to the other obscured the sun. The blade that had flown towards the water created a slope from the lake's surface to the lakebed below.

Ronan's eyes widened as if they were about to pop out.

"What the...?"

Ronan glanced down the slope of blue. He could see the lakebed devoid of water below.

Mud with vegetation was bubbling up. Water plants that were experiencing wind for the first time swayed gently. A few unfortunate fragmented fish blinked their eyes.

"Enroll in my class, Ronan. Normally, it's available starting from the second year, but I'll make an exception for you."

Shoosh!

The waterspout that had covered the sky turned into rain, pouring down. Students strolling by the lakeside were shielding their heads and running away.

Against the backdrop of the closing lake with the thunderous sound, Navirose spoke.

"But there's a condition. Bring a weapon that suits you, something you can wield for the rest of your life."

****

"...Something like that happened."

Ronan spoke with a serious expression. It was the first weekend he had spent in Philleon.

Aselle and Marya, dressed in casual clothes, were led out by Ronan and walking somewhere.

"Beah!"

Cita was perched on Ronan's shoulder. Aselle, having heard Navirose's story, opened his mouth in astonishment.

"Incredible...so, the weapon matters that much."

"Yeah, it does if you know how to handle mana. I've decided to pick a better weapon and use it properly."

"That sounds like a good idea. But how was last week? Your timetable looked terrifying..."

Aselle knew about Ronan's killer schedule as well. Ronan sighed and pulled out a bundle of papers from his pouch, handing it to Aselle.

"What's this?"

"Termination notices."

The crumpled papers were all early graduation certificates. Marya's eyes widened.

"H-How many are these? Empire's swordsmanship, Empire's spear techniques, basic hand-to-hand combat, basic shield techniques..."

"Nine certificates. Thanks to them, my timetable is completely empty."

Ronan grumbled. The timetable that had been filled to the brim was now adorned with X marks. All of the subjects were courses that had been granted early graduation.

"If you know any good classes, introduce them to me. All I'm doing is training my stamina."

Most of the courses that received early graduation were basic martial arts subjects. They were similar to Avarda's classes in context, leading to early completion.

- I have nothing more to teach you.

- I'm fortunate that there's no one like you left. Otherwise, I would have starved.

- Let's be honest. Have you ever handled a spear before?

Marya furrowed her brows. Until just yesterday, she had been rolling around in Avarda's hellish training.

"I hate it. This is why I dislike geniuses."

"Well, it's not like I would understand if it's difficult. It's just simple."

"Do you know how jealous your classmates are of you? You're probably in a situation where if you had even handled mana well, you might have dropped out."

Upon hearing these words, Ronan quietly took out a cigarette holder. Just thinking about it felt like his head was about to explode. Aselle, who had intruded without reservation, grinned.

"Oh, you still can't sense mana well?"

"...Yeah. I felt like I was becoming a monkey or something. There seems to be something fundamentally wrong."

Twice a week. Despite attending classes taught by renowned professors in the Empire, Ronan still couldn't sense mana. Among his peers, he was the only student who hadn't reached the level of a Sword User.

"Not even being able to sense mana. Isn't that ridiculously funny? Master Nari achieved enlightenment in her eleventh year."

Ronan chuckled in self-deprecation. Aselle clenched his fists and said with determination.

"Someday... no, I'm sure you'll be able to do it soon!"

"I know, buddy."

Ronan lightly tapped Aselle's head with the cigarette holder. It was frustrating, but there was a sense of accomplishment in the challenge. With a bun pinned behind her head, Marya spoke.

"If there's anything like a potion that helps with mana sensing, I'll get it for you. So, where are we going?"

"Y-Yeah, that's right. I was curious too."

It felt like they had been walking for a long time, and there was no sign of stopping. Aselle looked around the gradually deteriorating area with an anxious expression.

"Ah. I've been thinking, but since we're already going, wouldn't it be better for all of us to go together?"

"Where to?"

Ronan rummaged through his pouch and pulled out a metal plate. Marya's eyes widened as she recognized the metal plate. Ronan caught the plate in mid-air after tossing it, then said.

"To a place that might make decent weapons."

****

The blacksmith shop Shullifen had mentioned was located at the western end of Craftsmen Street.

After walking for about thirty minutes, the three of them arrived at a blacksmith shop with the stupid name "[Hammer Hammer Hammer]." Ronan, sensing something was off, raised an eyebrow.

"...Is this the right place?"

The three looked around. Something was strange. Not only was it almost collapsing, but there was also no sign of popularity. Ronan muttered under his breath.

"There's no way that guy lied... Let's go in first."

As Ronan entered the blacksmith shop, he looked around. It seemed like quite some time had passed since anyone had laid a hand here. The forge had gone cold, and the various weapons hung on the walls were all rusted.

"Is anyone here?"

Ronan's voice echoed in the darkness. At that moment, a rustling sound came from deeper inside, and a man walked out holding his head.

"Ugh, hungover... What the hell do you guys want?"

He was even taller than Ronan by two heads. On the top half of his body, which was exposed since he wasn't wearing anything, fur was growing in tufts. Rather than human, he seemed closer to a beast.

"Ugh..."

Terrified, Aselle hid behind Ronan. Ronan furrowed his brow. The man emitted a strong smell of alcohol, iron, and an intense dog-like odor.

The man asked in an irritated tone.

"Who are you guys?"

" There's no way he'd lie If you know him... Anyway, can we come in?"

Stepping into the blacksmith shop, Ronan looked around. It felt like quite some time had passed since anyone had touched anything. The forge had gone cold, and the weapons hung on the walls were all rusted.

The man spat on the floor. Ronan took a deep breath, suppressing his anger. If he caused a scene here, people outside might hear.

As Ronan rummaged through his pouch, he took out the metal plate.

"Here, look."

"Huh?"

Ronan pushed the metal plate in front of the man. For a moment, the man's pupils widened. He looked at Ronan, then at the metal plate, then at Aselle and Marya behind him, and burst into laughter.

"House Gracia's emblem, huh? So what? Are you guys Gracia?"

"What?"

"So you guys are from Gracia? Damn, I don't know where the information is leaking from. Get lost, kids."

The man scratched his head in annoyance. He yawned, stretched, and then focused his gaze on Marya and Aselle.

"But if possible, leave those two behind."

"Those?"

"Those scrawny kids. They look quite tasty."

The man laughed coarsely. Aselle and Marya's expressions hardened. Ronan turned to them and spoke.

"Be careful, you two. If you provoke him, you might end up living as ashes."

"Is it a crime to say that something looks tasty? If you don't like it, come at me."

"Is that so?"

Ronan gripped the hilt of his sword. The tip of the black iron sword shot toward the man's abdomen. It was the moment the strike touched the man's skin.

-Clang!

As the shock was transmitted through his hand, a sound of something shattering resonated.

"What?"

"Ronan, the sword!"

Ronan narrowed his eyes. In his hand was half of the broken obsidian sword. The broken blade was lodged in the wooden wall.

"...It was an heirloom."

The man laughed incredulously. He seemed not to have even noticed that the strike had been unleashed. Marya, who had been glaring at the man, suddenly yelled.

"Huh?! Armor?"

Sure enough, the upper half of the man's body, which had been clearly exposed a moment ago, was now clad in armor. No one present saw when he put on the armor.

The man, rubbing the spot where he had been hit by Ronan, sighed.

"Damn, the enchantment broke just from blocking a single attack. I need to reinforce it a bit more."

"What kind of sorcery did you use?"

Ronan furrowed his brow. Judging by the fact that the obsidian sword broke, the armor wasn't ordinary. It seemed to possess the strength of a Madros-class or even higher-grade material.

However, it wasn't invulnerable. Ronan was about to swing the half-broken sword again. The man raised both hands and clapped.

"Whoa! whoa! stop. Since you passed, you're welcome to come in. Damn it, I never thought an Enchanted Sword like this would be blocked. You'll need to provoke me a little more if you want to make it through. Who gave you that emblem?"

Ronan didn't answer. He pointed his thumb at Aselle and Marya behind him and said.

"First, apologize to these two."

"Oh, right. Sorry, Both of you. I didn't mean it."

The man immediately bowed politely. Caught off guard by his unexpected action, the two were taken aback and accepted the apology hesitantly. It was only after seeing their reactions that Ronan finally provided an answer to the question.

"Shullifen."

"The young lord of the Gracia family? Quite the coincidence."

The man chuckled dryly and knocked his leg with a hammer. Once again, before the hammer hit his leg, a metallic sound resonated. Another set of armor appeared.

The form completely encased his leg, with the upper and lower parts connected, creating an elegant armor suitable for knights. Ronan lowered his sword.

"An armorsmith werewolf, this is intriguing."

"What? You figured it out?"

"The stench of a dog is quite overpowering. Are you the owner of this forge?"

The man burst into a hollow laugh. He looked at Ronan, who remained composed, as if finding him interesting.

"No, I'm just an apprentice. The true owner would be the inspirations below."

"Then why are you here if you're not assisting at the forge? If you're playing the role of a gatekeeper, you could have assigned someone else."

"I wanted to test the transparent armor I developed this time. Originally, I was planning to ask the knights of Gracia to test my technology, but then you guys showed up."

As he spoke, the man's body began to transform. His snout elongated, and a reddish-brown fur burst forth all over his body.

His height increased considerably, his head nearly touching the ceiling. He had a bulk that was almost comparable to that of a werelion or weretiger.

"Hee-hee-hee-hee!"

"A-a werewolf?"

"Ba-aah!"

Aselle and Marya retreated in terror. The werewolf bristled its fur, emitting a threatening presence. Ronan asked with a stern expression.

"Why did you suddenly transform?"

"I wanted to show off the excellence of my masterpiece. Look, even though my physique changed, it's not coming off or breaking."

Come to think of it, it was indeed quite impressive. The strange armor automatically formed seams and conformed precisely to the anthropomorphic shape of the transformed man. The man spoke proudly.

"How is it? Isn't it fantastic? True enchanting is the forefront of technology. Those blacksmiths who monotonously pound on metal can't survive anymore."

Just by looking at the man's expression, one could feel his passion for his profession. Ronan smiled wryly and sheathed the half-broken black iron sword.

"You're quite capable of specializing in Gracia's weapons."

"What, did you know that too? Hahaha! I'm proud of my workplace."

His large tail wagged vigorously from side to side. The man, who had torn his mouth all the way to his ears, extended his hand.

"Dydican."

"Ronan."

"All right, Ronan. What exactly is your purpose for visiting the forge?"

"To acquire usable weapons."

"Then you've come to the right place. Let's go inside. You guys too."

"You want us to enter?"

"Did you really think this was our workplace? Come on, follow me."

The three humans and one beast followed Dydican into the interior of the forge. From the outside, it looked quite narrow, but the space inside was larger than expected.

Dydican stopped behind the furnace. He turned to Ronan's group and said.

"Everyone, stick close to me. I wonder if we can all fit in this thing at once."

The group huddled around Dydican. He pressed a certain area on the wall behind the furnace.

The building vibrated slightly, and the floor they were standing on began to descend slowly.