Day 321-330/Day 322

Day 322
After I woke up, before sunrise, and finished the daily training early in the morning, I walked to Blacksmith-san's place. This was because I had been called via ear cuff during training to come after it was over. Blacksmith-san's voice could be heard, and she was shouting at the chief of the dwarf blacksmiths that mixed metal in the ≪Workshop≫ everyday. I heard them fired up and roaring as if they were responding to those who are working as disciples.
Similarly, judging from the work's contents, the leprechauns that are working in the ≪Workshop≫ do not make loud sounds to begin with. However, as for the business, there is no inferiority because I repair a large quantity of leather armor or battle dress that they carry.
They who have been striving to work while dripping sweat in the day-to-day ≪Workshop≫, would often be doing things such as making or repairing the arms of members whose numbers have increased. Though it is also busy even in peace times, the ≪Workshop≫ seems to be in full operation since early morning for the readjustment of worn arms after the events of the festival.
Through craftsmen who were busily moving, I called out to Blacksmith-san who was in in the depths of the ≪Workshop≫. Then she lively said hello and greeted me with a big smile on her face. After having made light physical contact, I decided to hear the circumstances for being called at this time. According to her, she seems to want to strengthen the halberd some way or another.
Personally, my halberd is a weapon with almost no flaws which has been strengthened and remodeled time after time by Blacksmith-san. I am familiar with the handling as well, and there is a large variety of techniques which can play an active part in various situations.
Although inferior to the truly sacred treasures of【Divine Artefacts】and【Legendary】class magic items, it is definitely a gem. However, the further remodeling has been said to be more difficult than before. I had lacked ability in - whose skill level went up in Blacksmith-san and the chief of the dwarf blacksmiths, and presently I've made a little progress. However, the biggest reason was it lacked necessary materials.
At that time, I was asking what on earth the necessary materials were, but it was said that even Blacksmith-san did not know it. Anyways, I ran out of ideas. That's the real nature of ignorance, isn't it? I honestly wonder if such a thing could exist. It is a thing that I can't understand enough, because the story is strange if I try to think about it.
However, I wouldn't be convinced if it is said that the answer derived from such a racial ability【Prayer of Mineral】and 【Blacksmith's Artisan】which are racial abilities from the chief of the dwarf blacksmiths, which were actually in the family of abilities like【Voice of Armor】and【Whisper of Forging Spirit】which are abilities from the occupation【Smith】and【Smith Spirit】that Blacksmith-san has.
The development of the magic alloy has the ability to discover an answer to that question, but sometimes it doesn't. It has started to reach a result of above a certain level, but there was a point at which I half gave up without making the thing I still lacked.
It would be a lie if I said it didn't shock me when I heard it had been found. I have no idea what the heck it actually is. It can be heard from the sounds from Alchemist-san who is one of the joint developers. She said『This is the answer』while pushing a cart with the ingot of the magic alloy which was a strange hue mixed of black, gold, silver and green, which she had already prepared in another room.
The magic alloy is slightly soft and elastically lukewarm if I squeeze it in hand. It distorts If you add pressure with a single finger. It might be closer to metal slime or biological metal. While I was lost in such thoughts, I accidentally made a glance sideways, to Blacksmith-san and Alchemist-san who were standing there drilling me with stares, and quickly looked away. I avoided their stares while in a cold sweat. It was quite obvious that my actions were shady.
As for the material, you might say it is better not to thrust too deeply and I shouldn't question it in too much detail. Seems that, if I do, then they will explode. I may be looking into an insane abyss if I question too deeply.
When I put the raw materials aside and ask Alchemist-san what kind of metal it is, it seems to be one of the best masterpieces which she can announce with confidence in the magic alloy which had been made by trial and error through repeating dozens of hundreds of times with successes and failures so far. Well, it seems like they want to resume the magic remodeling at once, because the missing subject has finally met the conditions according to the careful conversation that I took part in.
Such a material does not seem to have a problem. It's plain to see that my favorite halberd is strengthened. I feel a slight sense of uneasiness with the materials, but was also filled with confidence that it won't degrade. The fact is that I took the halberd out of the item box and incidentally took out【Lord's Spirit Stone of the 4 Wing Jade Eagle】and handed it to Blacksmith-san.
Alchemist-san doesn't know whether they are usable or not, but I keep handing out lots of kinds of rare magical medicine from the dungeons in dozens of units. The 2 people who had received the respective goods were immediately immersed in their work. There was a strange atmosphere in the air which I don't think was very pleasant or maybe it really wasn't there, but it will be wiser to pretend not to notice it.
I then left the ≪Workshop≫ and they saw off my retreating figure. There is still important work that remains for the Holy War. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens to the halberd.
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RAWS
“三百二十二日目”
太陽が昇る前に目を覚まし、日課である朝練を終えると、その足で鍛冶師さん達のところに向かった。
訓練中、終わった後に来てくれとイヤーカフス経由で呼ばれたからである。
鍛冶師さん達が日々作業している≪工房≫からは金属音に混じった鍛冶長ドワーフの怒鳴り声、それから弟子として働いている者達のそれに応じる気合の雄叫びなどが聞こえてくる。
同じく≪工房≫で働くレプラコーン達は仕事内容からして音こそあまり出していないが、大量の革鎧や戦闘服などを補修したり運搬したりしているので忙しさは遜色ない。
数が増えていく団員達の武具の作成、あるいは修復などやる事が多い彼・彼女等は日々≪工房≫で汗水垂らしながら仕事に邁進している。
平時でも忙しいのに、祭りの催しモノで摩耗した武具の再調整のため、≪工房≫は早朝からフル稼働中のようだ。
慌ただしく動いている職人達の間を通り、奥にある自分の作業場に居た鍛冶師さんに声をかけた。
すると元気よく挨拶され、満面の笑みで迎えられる。
軽くスキンシップした後、今回呼ばれた経緯を聞いてみる事にした。
それによれば、どうやらハルバードの強化をしたいらしい。
鍛冶師さんによって幾度となく強化・改造されてきた俺のハルバードは、個人的には欠点のほとんどない武器である。
手によく馴染んでいるし、様々な場面で活躍できる多様性がある。
流石に【神器】や【伝説】級のマジックアイテムには格で劣るものの、逸品である事は間違いない。
しかし残念な事にこれ以上の改造は難しい、と以前言われた事がある。
鍛冶師さんや鍛冶長ドワーフの当時の腕前――今はレベルも上がって上達している――では技量がやや足りなかった事もあるが、理由として最も大きかったのは『必要な材料が足りない』事だった。
その時に必要な材料とは一体なんなのかを聞いてみたのだが、それは鍛冶師さん達すら分からないと言われた。
とにかく足りないのだ。それも正体不明の何かが。
そんな事あるのだろうか、とは正直思う。
分からないモノが足りない、と断言できるなど考えてみれば変な話だからだ。
しかし鍛冶師さんの持つ職業【】や【精霊鍛冶師】の能力である【武具の声】や【鍛冶精霊の囁き】、鍛冶長ドワーフが持つ種族的能力である【鍛冶の匠】や【鉱物の祈り】などから導き出された答えだと言われれば、そうなのかと納得するしかなかった。
魔法合金の開発はそれに対する答えを発見する、という側面があったりなかったりして、それは一定以上の成果を出していたのだが、それでも足りない物を造る事ができず半ば諦めていた部分もあった。
だが見つかったと言われ、衝撃的でなかったかと言えばそれは嘘になる。
一体足りなかったのはなんなのか、と聞いてみれば、別室で用意していたのか共同開発者の一人である錬金術師さんが黒と金と銀と緑が混ざり合ったような奇妙な色合いの魔法合金のインゴットを乗せたカートを押して来て、『これがその答えです』と言った。
手に持ってみれば魔法合金は妙に生暖かく、若干柔らかい。
指で圧を加えれば歪むそれはまるで金属製のスライムか、あるいは生体金属に近いのかもしれない。
それにしても、どこか覚えのある波長の魔力を帯びているのだが、と意味を込めて鍛冶師さんと錬金術師さんを横目で見てみれば、サッと両名ともに目を逸らした。
逸らした後は頑なに目を合わせず、若干冷や汗を流し震えている。後ろめたい事があったのはほぼ間違いないだろう。
素材については、あまり深く突っ込まない方がいいのかもしれない。
あれだ、多分煮詰まって、やり過ぎてしまったのだろう。
深く突っ込めば、狂気の深淵を覗き込む事になりかねない。
原材料はさて置き、錬金術師さんにどんな代物なのか聞いてみると、今まで幾十幾百と成功と失敗を繰り返しながら試行錯誤してきた魔法合金の中でも自信を持って発表できる最高傑作の一つであるそうだ。
まあ、細かい話は省略するとして、本題はようやく条件を満たした為、早速魔改造を再開したいという事らしい。
そういう事なら問題は無い。愛用のハルバードが強化されるのは望むところだ。
材料に若干不安を覚えるが、これだけ自信に漲っているのだ、劣化する事は無いだろう。
という事で早速アイテムボックスからハルバードを取り出し、ついでに【四翼大鷲の主の御霊石】も取り出して鍛冶師さんに手渡した。
錬金術師さんには、使えるか分からないが迷宮産の珍しい魔法薬の類をダース単位で渡しておく。
それぞれ品を受け取った二人は、すぐさま作業に没頭していった。
ちょっとそれはどうかと思うような奇声があったりなかったりしたが、見て見ぬふりをするのも優しさだろう。
その後ろ姿を見送り、俺は≪工房≫から出て行った。
聖戦に向けて、細かい仕事がまだ残っていたからだ。
ハルバードがどうなるのか、楽しみにしていようと思う。
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Category:Novel
Category:Re:Monster Volume 8