Dark Fantasy: Magical Eye Knight – Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Claymore

Russell was surprised. He had never met an elf outside, but here he was in a smithy. And a dark elf at that. ‘Did elves do blacksmithing? Well, in The Lord of the Rings, an elf reforged Aragorn’s sword. . .’

Come to think of it, some myths did depict elves as a race with superior craftsmanship to dwarves.

The dark elf, who was about the same height as Russell’s chin, wore a low-cut tank top and baggy pants. She neatly tied back her long, raven hair to keep it out of the way.

Tiny beads of sweat adorned her pretty face, as if she had just returned from work.

Russell watched as one of the beads traveled down her graceful jawline, over her neck, past her collarbone, and disappeared into the hollow of her chest. The dark elf looked up at Russell, her head tilting in curiosity.

“You’re a very large human. What brings you here?”

“I have something to sell.”

Russell looked away from her chest and gestured behind him. The dark elf wiped her chin and neck with a towel, then approached the wagon behind him.

“Armor and a sword? Spoils of war?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm, I can’t sell those myself. Once Aunt Philly completes her tasks, we can examine them together. I have some work to finish myself. Would you like to wait here? It won’t be much longer.”

‘Aunt Philly?’

“May I look around a bit?”

“I suppose so, but it’s quite hot.”

“I’ll be fine.”

Heat no longer affected him after he awakened his magic and stored it in his body. This level of heat meant nothing to him.

“Very well. Don’t say I didn’t warn you if you pass out from the heat.”

The dark elf turned around sharply and headed into the workshop. Russell followed behind her.

A dwarf, who appeared to be the owner of the deep, gruff voice, stood with her arms bare, like the dark elf. She wore overalls with many pockets.

The dwarf held a piece of metal with tongs and pulled it out of the forge. The blade was glowing white. It was so bright that the surrounding area looked dark in contrast. The dwarf immediately placed it on an anvil and began hammering it.

Clang, clang! Clang, clang! Clang, clang!

The sound of hammering dominated the scene for a while. Russell watched quietly, not wanting to disturb her.

The blacksmith’s work was characterized by the heat of the blazing forge, the rhythmic sound of the hammer, the rippling muscles, and the silent flow of sweat. The work of a blacksmith had a solemnity and tranquility that were hard to describe.

On the opposite anvil, the dark elf hammered away at armor. It looked like a breastplate. Her tied-back hair danced as she moved her hammer.

More beads of sweat trickled down between her toned muscles. She must have been close to finishing because she hung the breastplate on a hook and approached Russell.

“You’re quite resilient for a human. The heat in our forge is enough to make most people faint.”

“I can handle it.”

“Hmm.”

The dark elf stood next to Russell and watched the dwarf work.

As if finishing up, the dwarf used tongs to lift the blade and place it in a bucket of black liquid next to the anvil. White smoke rose up. She then took it out, looked it over, and turned to the dark elf.

“Alicia, what do you think?”

“It’s wonderful. I couldn’t have taught you any better.”

“Is that so?”

There was a hint of friendly rivalry in their exchange. The dwarf chuckled at the dark elf’s praise and began sharpening the blade with a whetstone. There was a swishing sound as she rubbed it back and forth.

When she poured water on it, black water mixed with metal shavings flowed out. After doing this a few more times, she wiped the blade with a cloth and attached the hilt, crossguard, and pommel to the blade.

Just like that, a sword was complete. The dwarf held it up to her nose and examined it before placing it on a stand in the corner.

Having finished her work, the dwarf put her tongs and hammer in her pockets and walked over. Her height barely matched Russell’s waist, yet her broad shoulders and muscular bare arms radiated strength.

She tied a towel tightly around her head, and a brown beard covered her chin. It wasn’t a rugged beard like a man’s, but it was soft and fluffy.

The face, visible between the beards, was surprisingly smooth. And, surprisingly, as the dark elf had said, it was a woman’s face. Removing her prominent breasts and beard would have transformed her face into a feminine one.

The dwarf looked up to see Russell’s large face. The dwarf, who was almost bent over, grumbled.

“Damn, he’s big. My neck’s killing me. Did you drink some giant’s blood?”

Russell shook his head. The dwarf looked at him suspiciously.

“Is that true? Anyway, thank you for waiting, young man. My name is Philly. As you can see, I’m a dwarf.”

“I’m Russell. I may look like it, but I’m human.”

The dwarf extended her right hand first, and Russell shook it. Russell had to bend down a little, and the dwarf stood up on his tiptoes.

The dark elf, who had been watching the two of them shake hands, chuckled.

“I’m Alicia. As you can see, I am a dark elf.

Russell and Alicia also shook hands. Philly, the dwarf, inquired after a brief introduction.

“What brings you here? You don’t look like you’re running an errand for the Lord. Are you a mercenary?”

The dark elf, Alicia, added.

“He said he had some spoils of war to sell. He brought them in a wagon.”

“Is that true? Let’s see them.”

“Here you go.”

“Hmm.”

Russell showed them what was in the wagon. Aunt Philly, who had been wiping her sweat with a towel from her pocket, came over and examined them. She immediately clicked her tongue.

“Tsk, tsk. What kind of idiot would use armor like this? My goodness, look at that blade. It’s as good as a saw. Some half-witted human bandits or monsters must have used it, right? Right?”

“I obtained them by defeating a group of uruks.”

“I thought so. Hmm, hmm.”

She ran her large, thick hands over the armor and weapons. Six out of the nine uruks had been wearing armor, and they had one broadsword, three or four knives, and a few axes.

The armor they wore was more like a collection of pieces gathered from here and there than a set. There were various types and sizes of breastplates, shoulder guards, gauntlets, and greaves, but they were not well-maintained and did not look very good.

Aunt Philly looked them over, tapping with her fingers and rubbing her thumb over the blades. There was no blood on them, so they must have been too dull to cut.

Aunt Philly spoke.

“Some are in good condition, and some are in bad condition. But there’s quite a lot of them. Eight gold coins. Is that okay, Alicia?”

“Yes. That seems fair. Even melted down, it’s still good steel.

The price was better than he had expected. Was it because it was steel, even though it was in poor condition? Or was it because there was a lot of it? He nodded.

“That’s fine.”

“Good.”

The dwarf rummaged through his many pockets and pulled out a leather pouch, from which he counted out gold coins. Russell took the gold coins and put them in his pocket instead of his purse. Russell said.

“And I’d like to see a sword, too.”

“What? A sword? That’s difficult.”

“That’s right. That’s a bit difficult.”

Russell frowned.

“Why is it difficult to sell a sword in a smithy?”

“Are you an outsider? Haven’t you heard that Lord Frederick of Calisden is currently recruiting soldiers? Thanks to him, our smithy is thriving. We have more orders for swords and armor than we can handle. We have scheduled all the swords and armor we just made for delivery.

Russell recalled a conversation he had heard at the tavern yesterday.

“I heard there was trouble in the northwestern forest.”

“That’s right. There’s a group of bandits who have set up camp in the forest. They’re quite large. Because of them, there’s almost no traffic through the west gate. They have also closed the north gate.

Russell had come through the south gate. The guide for the caravan he had been escorting chose a roundabout route that took into account the proximity to monster habitats.

Even so, he had encountered monsters such as uruks and goblins, as well as a strange troll that wielded fire at the very end. His efforts had not been in vain.

“I suppose it’s more than just trouble.”

If Calisden, a trade and gate city, loses its traffic, the bandits’ rampage will become more than just a nuisance. Aside from that, a week ago, the lord sent out soldiers to scout them out, and they said the bandits were using monsters. They sent out twenty, but only five came back. Maybe there’s a powerful wizard or witch involved. When you think about it, where did you come from? The east gate?”

“I came through the south gate.”

“What?”

“The south gate?”

Aunt Philly and Alicia exclaimed in surprise.

“If you went through the south gate, I heard there was a monster blocking the path. Was that an ogre?”

“It was a troll. I killed that troll yesterday.”

“What? That was what people were talking about.”

Aunt Philly looked surprised. Then she shook her head.

“Oh, dear. Speaking of which, my neck is killing me from looking up at you all the time. Let’s take a short break. Alicia, are you finished?”

“I was only working on the breastplate. I finished it a while ago.”

Russell sat down in the chair that Aunt Philly had shown him. It was a human-sized chair, so it was comfortable enough. Alicia sat down right next to him.

Aunt Philly sat down in a chair and reached down to operate something. There was a clicking sound, and something suddenly rose up. She said it with a proud expression.

“Isn’t it amazing? I attached a bellows to the chair’s bottom. You have to turn the handle to lower it again, but it’s convenient when you need it.”

She then rummaged through a nearby shelf and pulled out a large keg and three wooden cups, which she placed in front of Alicia and Russell. She opened the lid, and the smell of beer wafted out.

“You must be tired from standing in the heat for so long. Here, have a drink.”

“Drinking while working?”

“What’s wrong with that? I’m drinking my own beer.”

“I can’t argue with that. I’m fine, so you two drink.”

When Alicia refused, Philly shrugged and poured ale only for himself and Russell. The golden liquid flowed out.

“Beer is a must-have for dwarves. Now, let’s toast!”

Russell chuckled and clinked his cup. He’d underestimated the dwarven woman. Gulp, gulp.

His eyes widened as he drank the beer. Even in this hot forge, the beer was ice cold. Aunt Philly leaned back in her chair and let out a sigh.

“Ahhh! That’s good.”

“It’s refreshing. Is it magical?”

“What else could it be? Humans know a lot of strange spells. But it’s good!”

“I’m sure there’s a demand for something like this.”

The keg appeared to be under the influence of a magical force. The dwarf cleared the beer from her soft facial hair and uttered a word.

“So, you say you killed that troll? I heard it was huge. Did you really kill it all by yourself?”

“I had some help.”

“Tell me about it. Let’s hear your story.”

Russell looked into the gleaming eyes of the dwarf and the dark elf, telling them about his battle with the troll. The two of them listened intently to Russell’s story, which was more eloquent than they had expected.

Russell finished his story, leaving out the part about the troll wielding fire and saying that he had defeated it with the help of a wizard and a priest.

“That’s still amazing. Only a knight could kill an adult troll on their own.”

“Hmm. It’s only been four days since it showed up, but that’s enough time for word to spread among the merchants. The prompt resolution was fortunate. Otherwise, there would have been a lot of grumbling about having to take a detour.”

By the way, As she finished her beer, Aunt Philly spoke.

“Hoo. You might get involved in something.”

Alcohol is a strange thing. The more you drink, the more thirsty you get. Maybe that’s the power of alcohol. Russell asked, taking a sip of his beer.

“What might I get involved in?”

“What could you get involved in? Didn’t you hear what I said earlier? The Lord is recruiting soldiers. That includes not only soldiers but also mercenaries. And skilled ones at that. Do you manipulate energy?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t seem surprised.”

“Neither are you, Philly. Nor is Alicia.”

Aunt Philly chuckled and poured beer into her cup. The white foam bubbled up.

“You’re a sharp one. I’m just using the skills I learned from my father, mother, and ancestors. I can handle a bit of fire and metal. Alicia is the same.”

“Oh, there’s one thing I’ve been wondering about.”

“You mean, why are a dark elf and a dwarf working together as blacksmiths?”

“Yes.”

“Alicia, you tell him. I’m too embarrassed.”

“Oh, come on. Everything makes you embarrassed. To put it simply, Aunt Philly and I are teaching and learning each other’s blacksmithing skills. I was the first to settle in this city, and I started working with Auntie when she came looking for work.”

Aunt Philly, sipping her beer, continued.

“Alicia is better at making swords than I am. I’m learning a lot.”

“Aww, stop it, Auntie.”

“Okay, you little brat. Are you content now?”

“Yes.”

“Good. When you get back, if you’re a skilled mercenary who can wield magic and kill trolls, the lord will call you. He’ll ask you to join his subjugation force.”

“What if I refuse?”

Aunt Philly shrugged.

“The city will expel you. And you’ll never be able to come back.”

“That seems a bit harsh.”

Alicia said.

“What can we do? Lord Frederick is the ruler of this city. Do you know how much wealth flows through this great city? I’ve been to other cities before, but none of them are even half as prosperous as Calisden. There are geographical factors, of course. So if he comes looking for you, just accept it. The Lord is generous, so you will receive ample compensation.

Russell scratched his head. He had planned to rest in this city for a few days anyway. The other major cities besides Calisden were more than a week or two away on foot.

There was no need to think about it in a hurry. He had left home with the intention of wandering around leisurely.

“I understand. But I still need a sword. Are you truly out of them?”

“Yes. We’re out of them. We will deliver all the ones we’re currently manufacturing.”

“Aunt Philly, don’t we have one left?”

“What?”

Aunt Philly looked puzzled, and Alicia laughed. Aunt Philly soon realized something similar.

“Oh, that? Would that be okay?”

“What do you mean? I’ve been keeping it in good condition, just in case. It’s just taking up space. If not now, when else would we sell it?”

The two of them looked Russell up and down, nodding.

“Okay. Shall I bring it?”

“I cleaned it up yesterday. I’ll bring it.”

Alicia disappeared into the back of the smithy and soon returned with a large sword in her arms. It could be called a claymore.

“That’s?”

The large sword, which looked like a claymore, was wider and longer than a normal claymore.

Even considering that it was in a scabbard, it was more than 15 centimeters wide, and the blade itself was more than 120 (1.2m or 3.9ft)centimeters long.

Leather covered the grip, which was long enough to hold with two hands.

Alicia touched the sword and said,

“This is a sword that Frederick’s father, Patrick, asked me to make when he was young. He was a hot-blooded young man. I asked him what I should make for him, and he said to just make a big, cool sword. I was a bit worried, but when I made it, he said it was too heavy to hold. I didn’t even get paid properly. That bastard.”

Russell asked Aunt Philly in a low voice.

“How old is Lord Frederick now?”

“I think he’s in his late thirties. Why?”

“. . . . . .”

Russell looked at the dark elf in front of him. She looked no older than her twenties. In fact, she looked like she was in her late teens.

However, according to what she said, that sword was at least thirty years old. If Frederick’s father, Patrick, was young, it could have been forty or fifty years ago.

“She won’t tell you her age. Don’t ask.”

With her red eyes, Alicia glared at her. Russell shrugged and took the claymore she handed him. He slowly drew it out.

Swoosh! With a chilling sound, the blade slid out. The sword, shaped like its scabbard, was in his hand. Despite its construction thirty years ago, the sword’s sharpness remained unaltered. Aunt Philly whistled.

“It’s still in good condition.”

“That’s amazing.”

“No, it’s not. Maybe it’s because it was made a long time ago, but I can see some flaws in it.”

The lower part of the blade featured a single, engraved pattern. It was a completely symmetrical drawing of a tree, and it was impossible to tell which was the branch and which was the root. Alicia examined the area he was focusing on and provided clarification.

“Oh, that’s the symbol of the world tree. According to our elven mythology, there is a huge tree that stands the same way up and down, and each of its branches bears a world like a fruit.”

It was a mythological tree that Russell seemed to have heard of in his past life. . All thinkers’ imaginations are similar.

“Elves who work as blacksmiths usually engrave the symbol of the World Tree on the weapons they make. Later, when they make something like a masterpiece, they may engrave their own symbol.”

“Isn’t this a masterpiece?”

“Of course. Not only does it consist of steel, but it also incorporates other metals. It’s not enchanted with magic, either. It’s just a strong, sharp sword.”

“As long as the sword is strong and sharp, that’s enough. I’ll take this.”

“Just give me two gold coins.”

Russell handed over two gold coins.

“Yay, I sold a keepsake!”

“Congratulations, Alicia!”

The dark elf and the dwarf danced around, holding hands. It was an interesting sight for Russell, who had seen many works of fiction that depicted them as being very different in height and often portrayed as at odds with each other.

He chuckled, attached the scabbard to his belt, and strapped it to his back. It was reassuring to feel something solid on his back. He pulled his right hand over his shoulder and grabbed the hilt. The sword slid out and back in without any resistance.

The two different races who had been dancing nodded in unison as they watched Russell.

“It suits you nicely. I’m glad it found its master.”

“Indeed.”

“I will use it well.”

Russell left the smithy. Alicia and Aunt Philly, who had come out to greet him, called out.

“Come again! If you have anything to repair, I’ll give you a discount!”

“Come for a beer!”

“Auntie, stop drinking!”

Russell waved goodbye.

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