Chapter 17: The Long Road to the Imperial Capital – Part 28
The feast showed no signs of ending even as the sun dipped below the horizon.
It seemed that nearly all the dwarves of the village had gathered, and around the large bonfire, hundreds of them were reveling in raucous celebration.
Barrels of ale had been emptied by the dozen, and an astonishing amount of food had vanished into their eager bellies.
Of course, the dragon was a popular spectacle, drawing a massive crowd while the sun was still up. But now, in the darkness, the dwarves were simply drinking, eating, singing, and making merry. In other words, they were just looking for an excuse to celebrate.
The commotion was so overwhelming that I had set up Geshura’s log cabin a little way off, allowing some members of ‘Soul’s Guidance’ to rest there. Larni, Karma, and Shizuna, who loved to join in the festivities, were still mingling with the dwarves.
Before I knew it, I had been treated as the guest of honor, seated in a designated spot at the gathering.
Naturally, sitting with me were Marquis Zanzagil and Village Chief Lianos, both of whom were enjoying their drinks.
The ale dwarves consumed was of a high alcohol content for this world, and had I been my former self, I would have been completely drunk by now. However, thanks to my Poison Resistance skill, I was barely affected.
“Indeed! The more I hear, the more I realize that you, Soushi, are truly deserving of the title of hero!” Lianos exclaimed, slapping my back with a hand as sturdy as a glove.
Throughout the feast, I had been regaling the Marquis and the Village Chief with tales of my adventurer’s life. Sakurahime and Lady Dorozitte were also present, their eyes sparkling with fascination as they listened to my stories.
“I possess a skill called ‘Divine Fortune,’ which seems to lead me into various situations. Thus, it appears I have become somewhat famous whether I like it or not.”
“By your account, Soushi, it sounds like you’ve faced adventures that would have claimed the lives of ordinary adventurers many times over. Overcoming all of that, you are indeed a hero without question,” the Marquis declared, nodding in agreement as Sakurahime chimed in with enthusiastic nods.
“And to think you defeated that enormous dragon with your bare hands! That is the act of a true hero! No, it may even be akin to the deeds of a god! Hahaha!” Lianos laughed heartily, slapping my back again without restraint.
While I appreciated their recognition of my strength, I couldn’t help but wonder if the dwarves would be able to work tomorrow, given the state of their revelry.
“By the way, Soushi, what is it that you wish to request from us?” Lianos asked.
“First and foremost, I need a new weapon—a mace. The one I was using has broken.”
“Do you have the materials?” he inquired.
“Right here,” I replied, pulling the warped Aberrant Mace from my Item Box. It was a sight I hadn’t seen in a while, and its shape was indeed far from conventional.
“What in the world is this! I’ve never seen a mace like this before! And to think you can wield it with one hand—it’s utterly unbelievable!” Lianos exclaimed.
“It contains Dark Metal, making it far heavier than it appears…” I explained.
“Dark Metal, you say? That’s hard to believe! But the craftsman who made this must have been quite skilled,” he remarked.
“Yes, it was indeed a dwarf craftsman. Looking back, he was quite talented.”
“Hmm, well, there are always peculiar individuals who wish to hone their skills outside the village. If it was made by a dwarf, I can accept that. Now, what materials do you wish to use?”
“I have a large quantity of Orichalcum, so I would like to use that. I would also appreciate it if you could craft weapons for my companions, such as swords and naginatas.”
At my words, Sakurahime reacted.
“Lord Soushi, I do not believe I possess the skill to handle weapons crafted in this village yet. While I appreciate the offer…” she said hesitantly.
“You’ll become a fitting adventurer in no time, Sakurahime. After all, you are one of the members who conquered an unexplored A-Rank Dungeon. Have confidence in yourself.”
“…Well, if you say so, Lord Soushi…” Sakurahime replied, her embarrassment mingling with a hint of joy as she nodded.
Her father, the Marquis, bowed his head in gratitude towards me. “I am grateful, Lord Soushi. As a father, it brings me joy to see my daughter receive such attention.”
“It is the leader’s duty to prepare suitable weapons for the party members. I have always felt that Sakurahime was an exceptional person since her time with ‘Supreme Radiance,’ and I am thankful she has joined ‘Soul’s Guidance.'”
I thought it might be a bit of flattery, but it wasn’t a lie, so I let it slide. Perhaps it was the alcohol, but the Marquis seemed genuinely pleased, his eyes narrowing with delight.
As the Marquis advised Sakurahime to “strive to match her weapons,” my back was once again slapped.
“By the way, Soushi, how much material do you have? The amount will determine what can be crafted. Also, if possible, please show us the other weapons you are currently using. I cannot allow myself to create something weaker than what you already possess, and balance in equipment is crucial.”
“You’re absolutely right. Allow me to excuse myself for a moment…” I stood up and activated my Item Box to retrieve the materials.
I pulled out Orichalcum Ingots the size of bricks—there were probably around 500 of them. The Mithril Ingots were likely double that amount.
Lianos’s eyes widened in astonishment as he stood up, while the Marquis and Lady Dorozitte leaned forward in intrigue at the sudden appearance of a mountain of rare metals.
“Goodness! I have never seen so much Orichalcum and Mithril in one place! Especially this Orichalcum—how did you gather so much?” Lianos asked.
“Most of it came from boss treasure chests and Orichalcum Golems that appear in A-Rank Dungeons,” I explained.
“An Orichalcum Golem is a formidable monster to defeat. Just thinking about how many you must have taken down to acquire this much makes me dizzy,” Lianos said, shaking his head in disbelief.
“We’ve been quite fortunate in that regard. I believe we have enough quantity, but what do you think?”
“Without a doubt, it is more than sufficient! We can craft an Orichalcum mace, sword, and naginata without any issues. With this much Mithril, we could also make armor, but it may be difficult to surpass the Dragon Scale Armor,” he replied.
“We might need gauntlets as well. I’ll discuss that with the members,” I said.
“Indeed, we must make use of the materials we have. If possible, I would appreciate it if you could sell any excess to us,” Lianos added.
“I don’t mind, but… Grand Master, selling materials directly without going through the Guild is against the rules, isn’t it?” I asked, turning to Lady Dorozitte, who was happily stroking the Orichalcum Ingots.
She nodded in response. “Generally, yes. However, selling metals to the dwarven village is an exception. Otherwise, everything mined from the northern mines would have to go through the Guild.”
“Mining materials… through the Guild? I’m sorry, but I don’t quite understand. Does the Adventurers’ Guild have rights over mining in the mines as well?”
“That’s correct. Even the mines are considered dungeons,” she explained.
This was a perspective that differed from my previous understanding. Perhaps in this world, it was normal to obtain ingots as monster materials from dungeons rather than mining ores and refining them.
“Um, what is the difference between a mining dungeon and a regular dungeon?” I inquired.
“A mining dungeon is one filled with monsters that yield metal materials. It might be more accurate to say that such special dungeons are referred to as mines,” she clarified.
“I see. So, you don’t actually mine ores to create metals in the mining dungeons?”
“Of course, that is done in regions without mining dungeons. Both the kingdom and the empire have national policies to ensure they don’t rely solely on adventurers. Though I can’t say it too loudly, it also serves as a place for the atonement of criminals,” she added.
“Ah, I wasn’t aware of that.”
“Perhaps you were born in a region without mining dungeons. If so, it might seem strange to you,” she said, her gaze probing.
I could only nod vaguely in response.
Then, my back was slapped once more.
“If you don’t mind, while we craft your weapons, could you gather materials from the mines? If you go deep enough, you should be able to find plenty of Mithril and Orichalcum, but there aren’t many adventurers capable of reaching that depth,” Lianos suggested.
“That sounds reasonable. I’ll discuss it with my members,” I replied.
“Lord Soushi, we will need many strong weapons moving forward, so I hope the Guild can cooperate as well,” Lady Dorozitte added, her tone hinting at the impending calamities that might befall this continent. Indeed, gathering materials could serve as preparation for such disasters.
“I will consider it positively. We have time. Oh, and I should show you my own equipment as well.”
I retrieved the Immovable Fortress Wall and placed it on the ground.
When placed alongside the Orichalcum Ingots, it was clear that it was simply a massive block of Orichalcum.
I thought the dwarves might find it uninteresting, but…
“Whoa!? What is this! Is it even permissible to have such a shield!? No, more importantly, who could possibly wield such a thing!? Wait, you just held it with one hand, Lord Soushi!?” Lianos exclaimed, his eyes wide with astonishment as he rushed closer to examine the Immovable Fortress Wall, running his hands over it in awe.
Noticing the commotion, other dwarves began to gather, their mouths agape as they stared at the towering Orichalcum shield, frozen in disbelief.
“I thought it might contain other materials, but it’s entirely made of Orichalcum! And while it appears simply shaped, it employs an extraordinarily high level of craftsmanship! The number of enchantments is unbelievable! This is divine! Truly, a weapon crafted by the gods! No human would ever dare to attempt making something like this!” Lianos exclaimed, his excitement infectious.
Drawn in by Lianos’s enthusiasm, the other dwarves began to swarm around the Immovable Fortress Wall, their fascination palpable. I hoped they would be careful not to topple over, but the atmosphere made it difficult to voice such concerns.
In the end, the dwarves continued their raucous celebration, fueled further by the presence of the Immovable Fortress Wall.