Episode 24—Morgan's Perspective

I froze at the Knight Corps Commander’s words.

You want to ask Faik for an Enchantment? Wh-what on earth…? I must be mishearing, right?

“Didn’t you hear me? I want to ask Faik for an Enchantment. Where is Faik?”

When the Knight Corps Commander said that again, I snapped to and analyzed the situation in front of me.

The result was, unsurprisingly, astonishing.

Wh-what the!? What on earth is going on!?

“Wh-why would you say something like that…?”

“Well, you see. I don’t have the talent to read the magical data written in an Enchantment… but my blacksmith said the Enchantment applied to this sword is wonderful. So I thought I’d like to meet them once and came here… so which one of you is Faik?”

Faik is not here.

I was momentarily surprised by the Knight Corps Commander’s words, but I quickly returned a smile.

“Faik doesn’t have much talent and is currently on vacation.”

“What? And what do you mean he doesn’t have talent?”

“Yes. Perhaps the Enchantment you praised from Faik was just a fluke—something that happened to come out well, don’t you think?”

We have Faik produce dozens, even hundreds, of pieces. It’s not strange that something might turn out well by chance.

I’m not interested in Faik’s Enchantments and haven’t looked at them at all, so I don’t know how good his work really is, but my statement probably isn’t far off.

“…Well, that’s a possibility, I suppose. Very well. This time I’ll ask this Faik fellow. For now, I’ll entrust you with this sword. Take your time until he’s back from his break; I request an Enchantment.”

I took it and immediately broke into a smile.

“…Shall I make it instead? I’m the head smith of this blacksmith division. I have the most talent here. Of course, my skill surpasses Faik’s.”

“Even if he’s on break, it’s only for two or three days, right? It’s not urgent, so it’s fine after he returns. Please give my regards to Faik.”

“……”

I didn’t like it. I wanted to click my tongue at the Knight Corps Commander for bringing up Faik’s name so insistently, but there was nothing I could do.

“Understood. I’ll ask Faik, then.”

“Yes, I’m counting on you. Well then, sorry to bother you while you’re busy. When it’s finished, inform the royal guard knight.”

The Knight Corps Commander left after saying that.

…Honestly. What a musclehead.

To think he’d push for Faik so persistently. He can’t even read magical data, so what is he even talking about?

And that the Knight Corps Commander has a personal blacksmith is suspicious as well.

Claiming Faik is excellent… If Faik’s Enchantments are excellent, then what would you call mine? Would you call mine an Enchantment that will leave a name in history?

…Ah, I’ve thought of something good.

Seitor came over to me.

“What are you going to do?”

“There’s nothing to it—it’s simple. A chance like this won’t come twice.”

“…So, what will you do?”

“I’ll do the Enchantment in place of Faik.”

“Eh!? I-is that really okay!?”

“Yeah. If it’s an outstanding Enchantment that Faik supposedly made, I’ll handle it without fail. That way, I can become the Knight Corps Commander’s personal blacksmith.”

After I laid out the brilliant plan, Seitor’s eyes widened.

The other blacksmiths looked at me with envy.

“Isn’t that cheating?”

“Exactly. The request was brought to the blacksmith division, you know?”

“Anyone could surpass an Enchantment from someone like Faik, right?”

“…Yeah. It was such a useless Enchantment that even we couldn’t read it.”

I shook my head at their noisy bickering.

“This opportunity belongs to the person who has led this blacksmith division. I won’t give this job to any of you.”

This job is mine.

If I can become the Knight Corps Commander’s personal blacksmith, I’ll be someone whose name will be recorded in history.

…I was born as the fifth son of a count and wasn’t given much status, but I never expected such a big opportunity to come up now.

Becoming the Knight Corps Commander’s personal blacksmith, and then――

I couldn’t help but smile as I imagined a rosy life.

To show off to my envious colleagues, I gripped the sword.

I began the Enchantment on the sword handed to me by the Knight Corps Commander.