Chapter 196: Blacksmith Ruigentz
Several days had passed since then, and we had gathered enough metals. From the riverbed, we managed to extract Mithril Silver and Magic Steel, and to our delight, we even found a small amount of Orichalcum and Hiheiron.
“Today, we’re going to visit that blacksmith, right?” Phonia asked.
“That’s right,” I replied.
As Phonia said, I was hoping to see some Adamantite weapons crafted by the blacksmith. It would also be nice to ask about the uses of the metals we had found, especially the ones I wasn’t familiar with.
“But he’s a busy person, isn’t he?” she continued.
“Seems like it, but we won’t know until we try,” I said.
“Katanas! Katanas! I’ve never met anyone who makes katanas before, so I absolutely want to hear all about it!” Rio exclaimed, her excitement palpable.
While Rio was practically bouncing with enthusiasm, we had finally gathered enough materials to justify interrupting a busy craftsman. With a decent amount of Adamantite and rare metals in our possession, we set off early in the morning toward the Blacksmith District.
“Is this the place?” I asked, as we crossed the river and entered the artisan area. Upstream, I spotted Ruigentz’s workshop. It was located at the edge of the district, but smoke billowed from the chimney, confirming it was indeed a blacksmith’s forge.
As we stepped through the open entrance, we found ourselves in a small space with only a tiny counter and nothing else of note. Behind the counter sat a girl, rowing her arms as if she were in a boat.
“…Ah, welcome!” she greeted us with a cheerful voice that seemed to imply she wasn’t asleep.
She was taller than Phonia but still considerably shorter than me. Despite her height, her sturdy build made her look less like a child.
“If it’s not a request for weapon creation, I can take care of it!” she declared.
I felt like I had been hit by a preemptive strike, but since that wasn’t our purpose, I decided not to dwell on it. Besides, was she really not just waking up?
“I came to see Ruigentz’s creations,” I said.
“Master’s creations…?” she echoed, tilting her head in confusion.
So, she was a disciple of Ruigentz. Despite that, her casual demeanor at the counter didn’t quite fit the image of a diligent apprentice. The girl glanced behind her, but the counter obscured my view of whatever lay beyond. I could see a few small metal chunks on the shelves, but they were too small to be useful for forging.
“Um, is it okay if we just look?” I asked.
“Yes, just looking is fine,” she replied.
“Ah…”
Her response was somewhat hesitant, making me wonder if there were really no works displayed in a workshop. A temperamental craftsman might say that any piece he didn’t like was a failure, not worthy of being shown to others.
As I pondered this, a burly man appeared from behind the counter. He had a robust build and a bushy beard, resembling a dwarf from the tales of old.
“…!? Master!” the girl exclaimed, startled as she turned around.
He had appeared without a sound, which would certainly surprise anyone.
“…”
“Oh, these people want to see your creations,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
“…”
“Yes, it seems they’re not here to make a request,” she added.
I could only hear the girl’s voice, but it seemed she was conversing with the master. His beard obscured his mouth, making it hard to tell if he was responding. He was shorter than me and had a stout physique. I had tried to appraise him, and there was no doubt he was a dwarf.
After a moment of their silent exchange, the girl turned back to us.
“Oh, thank you for waiting.”
She straightened up and faced us again, while the master retreated into the back, as if his business was concluded. We hadn’t really spoken to him, so what was that all about?
“Um, the master has some completed items, but those are orders from other customers, so he can’t show them to you,” she explained.
“Oh, I see…” I replied, feeling somewhat disappointed. I wondered if there were any unsold pieces lying around. If he only accepted custom orders, then there probably wouldn’t be any, but the Guild Staff had mentioned that his order book was full…
“However, if you’re interested in his failed creations, there are plenty in the back, so feel free to take a look,” she offered.
“Really? Is that okay?” Rio asked, her eyes wide with surprise.
I was taken aback as well. I had imagined a temperamental craftsman, but he seemed quite generous.
“Yes, but just to be clear, he has no intention of selling them, so keep that in mind. And please don’t take anything from the workshop,” she added.
“Of course! Thank you so much!” Rio exclaimed, her excitement infectious.
Now I was starting to feel a bit excited myself.
“Alright, I’ll guide you, so please follow me,” the girl said, leading the way deeper into the workshop. Nil and Phonia, who had been playing in a corner, quietly followed behind us.
“This is different from what I expected,” I remarked.
“True, but in a good way,” Phonia replied.
“I didn’t think he would be so quiet,” I added.
As the three of us shared our first impressions of Master Ruigentz, we were led to a storage-like area. The temperature was slightly warmer, likely due to the proximity of the forge.
“You can freely handle anything in here,” the girl said.
The room was about the size of a six-tatami mat, filled with shelves and jars, and various weapons and armor were carelessly strewn about.