Holy Sword.
Said to contain the energy of the stars, it is the ultimate sword.
Simply possessing it enhances various abilities of its owner.
In the original work, it granted automatic healing, physical enhancement, protection magic, immunity to confusion, and more.
Without it, I can confidently say the line “She heals the wounded world” would have surely led to a bad ending, as it was a true Deus Ex Machina in the story.
Thus, it was only natural for readers to be curious about the identity of the blacksmith who forged the Holy Sword.
At first, that person was depicted as someone significant.
However, from some point onward, the blacksmith of the Holy Sword was hardly mentioned.
Readers also gradually lost interest.
In the end, their identity remained a mystery until the very conclusion, and that was when I first learned of the term “MacGuffin.”
“So? Looking for me means you want the Holy Sword?”
The next day.
While riding in the carriage with us, Marin asked me.
Of course, having the Holy Sword would be convenient in many ways, but everything that shouldn’t change would change completely.
I was well aware of this, so I shook my head.
“That’s not it. What I want is to custom-make a sword that fits me perfectly.”
“Heh? The Holy Sword could be the perfect sword for you.”
“That’s unlikely, and even if it were, I think it would be too heavy for me.”
The Holy Sword is the weapon used by the Crown Prince to defeat the Avatarara.
I didn’t want to carelessly take it in hand and twist my future into the worst-case scenario.
“How strange. Usually, those who’ve heard the rumors come to Vulcanus looking for the Holy Sword.”
“Should I start wanting the Holy Sword too?”
“No? On the contrary, I like it. It means you’re looking for me, the blacksmith, not the Holy Sword?”
Marin smiled widely, showing her fangs, genuinely pleased.
But then she continued.
“I won’t give my sword to anyone I don’t recognize. Thanks for the food; thanks for letting me ride in the carriage. But custom-making is a different story.”
“That’s fine. If I could gain recognition from the blacksmith who made the Holy Sword, that would be an honor for me.”
“I like you after all.”
“So does that mean I pass?”
“Not at all. For now, let’s talk about that at Vulcanus.”
“Understood.”
“By the way, why is it just a rumor?”
Once the discussion about custom-making wrapped up, Reina spoke up.
“What do you mean?”
“I believe that Marin is the blacksmith who forged the Holy Sword.”
However, there was a hint of disbelief in Reina’s eyes.
Well, the Holy Sword is a legendary sword.
In the original work, everyone doubted it until they physically held the Holy Sword.
“If that’s the case, you could widely spread that fact to elevate your reputation. If you inform the royal family, it would be a feat good enough to climb to the ranks of nobility. But why does the existence of the Holy Sword spread only as a rumor? It raises some questions.”
In other words, Reina’s doubts were valid.
Honestly, I had my own doubts lingering in my heart too.
Though being asked a question that doubts her could be unpleasant, Marin merely chuckled and nodded.
“You really have a troublesome personality, my lady.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“Just what I said!”
Reina’s frown was so icy that I instinctively shrank back.
But it seemed Marin didn’t care at all.
“Well, I’ll give you an answer. The reason is simple. The Holy Sword is something that gets made purely by luck.”
“Excuse me?”
“But don’t get it twisted. I’m confident in my skill. Among the blacksmiths in Vulcanus, I must be in the top three. But it’s also true that luck is required for the Holy Sword. If every sword I made were a Holy Sword, the magical beasts on the continent would go extinct!”
That was certainly convincing.
If the Holy Sword became as common as ordinary supplies, then the extinction of magical beasts wouldn’t be just a dream.
“Anyway, it was almost luck that I made the Holy Sword. So I don’t brag about it. I was so surprised at that moment that I fainted, which is how the rumors spread.”
“But the fact that you forged the Holy Sword is true, and even if it’s luck, that’s undoubtedly an achievement…”
Before Reina could continue pressing her point, Marin cut her off in an instant.
“An achievement, perhaps. But if I were to be rewarded by the empire and become a noble because of that, would I be satisfied? I doubt it. Rather, I would feel angry. I’m a blacksmith who makes weapons, not a merchant selling lucky creations.”
What shone in Marin’s eyes as she spoke was what one might call pride.
“Thus, I won’t prattle on about the Holy Sword. The reason I told you was partly to repay your kindness, but fundamentally I trusted you. So if, as a result of this, rumors about the Holy Sword spread further, I’ll throw it away somewhere no one knows. Understood?”
“…Understood.”
Reina quietly accepted Marin’s words.
★
“Here is Vulcanus.”
Reina and I were following Marin.
Anna had sent us ahead to find a place to wait for the carriage.
As we walked along the path, I noticed that numerous workshops were established along the street.
It was truly a smithy city, Vulcanus.
However, there was something peculiar about it.
“The buildings all look somewhat similar.”
Just as Reina said, except for very minor details, the appearance of the workshops was almost identical.
Brown roofs. Signs painted with a hammer and anvil.
To distinguish the differences, you had to read the names written faintly beneath the signs.
“Being officially recognized blacksmiths in Vulcanus means they have similar skills. If you don’t have a specific blacksmith in mind, it means you can get what you want from any workshop.”
Because of this culture in Vulcanus, it took quite a while to find the Holy Sword in the original work too.
Originally, I had planned to visit every workshop.
Meeting Marin like this was truly a great stroke of luck.
“This is my workshop and shop.”
The workshop we arrived at, guided by Marin, showcased numerous weapons.
Among them, what caught my eye was a sword displayed right next to the counter.
Unlike the other swords shimmering in silver, this one radiated a gentle platinum hue.
It wasn’t flashy. In fact, it could be described as simple.
But seeing the color of that blade confirmed it for me.
That’s the Holy Sword.
“You’re sharp. Having it displayed out like this usually avoids attracting attention.”
“Haha.”
I responded awkwardly with a laugh.
If I hadn’t known about the original work, I might have just walked past it.
“Anyway, this is where I sell the swords I make. The workshop is in the basement. Aike, you said you wanted me to custom-make something for you, right?”
“That’s right.”
“As I said, I only take custom orders from those I recognize. So follow me.”
Marin opened the back door and gestured for me to come.
As I moved toward it, I found stairs leading down to the basement.
“Wait a moment.”
Reina caught up with Marin and me as we were heading down to the workshop.
“Can I request a custom order too?”
Marin looked Reina up and down for a moment, then lightly nodded.
“Sure. Then you come along too. But don’t expect any leniency.”
As we descended to the basement, a flurry of tools for metalworking greeted us.
Furnaces, anvils, hammers, tongs, and so on.
“How long do you plan to stay in Vulcanus?”
“I plan to leave by lunch on Thursday at the latest.”
Today was Saturday. The Martial Arts Tournament finals would be on Friday.
I had at least until Thursday evening to get accustomed to the sword.
“Alright. That should be enough.”
Marin, saying this, approached a red orb in the corner of the workshop and infused it with magical power.
“Eek?!”
Suddenly, flames burst forth from the furnace attached to the wall.
It wasn’t some delicate fire like the campfire we used yesterday.
It was a much hotter, intensely scorching flame that felt like it would melt me away.
In an instant, the room was engulfed in tremendous heat.
Just seconds passing made me start sweating profusely.
“Hot, it’s hot!”
“I understand it’s your first time, but hang on. If you want to use a sword, you need to know how it’s made.”
Saying this, Marin took her place in front of the furnace.
Even though she must have been wrapped in the heat, her expression didn’t change at all.
“What do you want me to make for you?”
“I want a standard two-handed sword.”
“I’m thinking of a dagger.”
“Okay. I’ll remember that for now.”
With that said, Marin closed her mouth.
Then she took some metal from somewhere and began to hammer it.
No one spoke a word.
The only sound echoing in the workshop was the clang of the hammer striking iron.
Clang!
The steam became so hot that it made breathing difficult.
How many times did this process repeat?
A few times, I thought maybe it was okay to stop now.
But Marin was seriously watching it, seamlessly continuing the process as if it were simply natural.
Already my clothes were soaked with sweat.
A quick glance sideways showed Reina had her usual poker face, but her face was beet red from the heat.
We had reached our limit, though we didn’t mention it because of Marin’s atmosphere.
Only she remained intensely focused without so much as a pant.
“Alright, done.”
With those words, time, which I thought had paused, started flowing again.
Marin immediately got into posture and pulled a knife from her back pocket to scrape off the ashes.
Slowly, a silver blade was revealed.
And after scraping off the remaining black ashes completely.
A sharp blade was born.
“Seems like it turned out well, considering we started in a hurry.”
“Is it finished?”
“Just wait a moment. I need to make the hilt.”
Saying this, Marin resumed her work.
However, this time it didn’t take long.
Soon, she crafted a hilt that would fit the blade perfectly and sealed the two together.
“Done.”
What was completed was a two-handed sword similar in length to the one I originally used.
“Here you go.”
“What? Is this it?”
“Don’t worry. I wouldn’t make a standard production model for your custom order. And for you, my lady… let’s hold off for now.”
“Understood.”
“What time is it… 8:30 PM. Should be enough, right?”
Marin was counting something on her fingers.
“Eh, it should be alright! Both of you follow me.”
With that, Marin opened the door to the workshop and climbed the stairs.
As we entered back to the shop, Anna was waiting at the counter.
“Did you finish your conversation?”
“No, it’s just beginning.”
Marin answered Anna’s question for me.
Then she opened another door next to the one leading down to the workshop.
“What’s this?”
“Just an ordinary garden.”
As Marin said, it was a garden laid with lush green grass.
But, as she said, it wasn’t an ordinary garden.
There were no flowers blooming. No table for preparing snacks.
The only thing that stood in the center of the garden was.
It was something too unsettling to be called ordinary.
“It’s simple to earn my recognition.”
And without hesitation, Marin lifted it.
“All you need to do is beat me with that sword. Simple enough?”
With a massive greatsword raised, she smiled, baring her fangs.
