Episode 106

Along the way I had a servant bring me a meal and, though I took a short break then, it still took almost the entire day.

All that was left was to correct the magical information, so I never expected it would take this long.

But it’s almost done.

Embed an Enchantment in the sword made from Esrea Magic Ore, sharpen it, and it’ll be finished.

But… I lifted the sword I held to my eyes and swallowed hard at the power contained within it.

Even though I haven’t applied an Enchantment yet… I can already tell this sword is top-class.

The material… is too good.

There’s a huge difference between Esrea and Eirea Magic Ore.

…Are they really the same Magic Ore? This sword is so special it makes me ask that.

“…You’re amazing.”

The compliment slipped out of my mouth before I could stop it.

“……”

The sword itself seemed a little pleased.

After spending a whole day talking to it face-to-face, I somehow understood what it wanted to say.

It felt like it was saying, “Finish me perfectly!”…So even though I’d missed dinner, I kept working.

It’s almost finished.

Right now it’s like it’s naked; I can’t just leave it like this.

I checked the magical information to perform the Enchantment.

There was no major resistance. We had already agreed on the direction.

There were small resistances, so I applied the Enchantment while following the Magic Ore’s tendencies.

…What’s astonishing is how much it can be reinforced.

Reinforcements that ordinary Magic Ore probably couldn’t withstand are accepted easily by this one.

It absorbs more and more, like an item box or Bertie’s stomach.

“…Amazing.”

As if to say that’s not enough, the sword’s surface glittered with magic.

…Yeah, that’s right.

This isn’t the time to be surprised.

I need to throw myself into applying the Enchantment even harder.

I layered another Enchantment on top.

…And after Enchanting the whole sword, down to the smallest detail, I created a wind magic.

All that remained was to sharpen the blade.

With my usual focus but aiming for greater sharpness than ever, I formed a circular wind and placed the sword into it.

It made a tremendous sound as the sword was ground.

When sharpening a sword, it’s best to use high-density Wind magic if possible.

Doing so refines the Enchantment and makes the blade keener.

But if the magic is cast too powerfully, the sword itself will be damaged.

However, Esrea Magic Ore doesn’t flinch. It easily takes that and demands even more mana.

…What a ridiculous demand.

I was exasperated, but I cast the Wind magic to meet its expectations.

At this point it’s a contest of whether my mana will hold or whether Esrea Magic Ore can endure it.

I poured in more mana and sharpened it with Wind.

When the sword was finished, I stopped the Wind magic.

Fatigued, I sat back down, picked up the sword, and inspected it.

“…It’s perfect.”

A sense of accomplishment and joy.

The finished sword was a masterpiece.

…This is a sword made from Esrea Magic Ore.

The blade shone with a beauty that made it hard to believe it was the same sword.

I gave the sword a light flourish.

The next moment, I felt the space itself…cut. It was an illusion, but it felt that way.

“…Aren’t you the kind that can cut anything?”

When I asked, the sword gleamed on its surface as if pleased.

…This thing is sucking up its owner’s mana without permission.

This is the kind of thing that, if it worsens, becomes what people call a cursed sword.

At this level it’s still cute, but…I might have made something terrible.

It was the moment I tried to sheathe the sword.

The sheath was cleanly cut.

“…Hey, don’t mess around.”

“……”

The sword said nothing. Apparently it hates being sheathed.

But leaving it exposed like that is a problem.

As I wondered what to do, something was conveyed from the sword.

…Did it tell me to swing it down?

It seemed that was correct.

I was a bit uneasy, but I decided to follow the instruction.

I looked at the nearby table and brought the sword down.

But inwardly I didn’t want to cut it――

The sword struck the table and stopped.

Apparently it can sense its owner’s emotions through mana.

“…A sword that can cut anything yet cuts nothing, huh.”

“Alright. I won’t sheath you. Be a famed blade without a sheath and support an adventurer named Bertie.”

I declared that to the sword I held and slung it across my back.

Even though the blade was touching me, my body wasn’t cut.

The sword itself probably chooses its owner. Someone the sword can cut wouldn’t be accepted as its master.

In time, this thing might be called a cursed sword.

I’m fine with that—as long as it can hunt the Horned Dragon.

“What a splendid sword.”

“…Bestel?”

I heard his voice from behind.

When I turned, Bestel was there with his usual smile.

“So that’s your Esrea Magic Ore sword.”

“…Yeah. But I couldn’t have gotten here alone.”

Bestel nodded at my words.