Episode 8

The Enchantment applied to weapons mainly enhances a weapon’s sharpness and sturdiness.

Occasionally someone wants to add an Element to a sword, but since it’s more efficient to transfer one’s own mana, requests for Elemental Enchantments are rare.

I stared intently at the flat of the blade and observed it.

…It carries tremendous magical power. It’s incomparable to the Enchantments I usually performed at court.

An Enchantment of this magnitude is something bestowed upon the weapons of people of a certain rank or higher, such as knight commander.

Enchantments are done by inscribing tiny characters and combining them; these are collectively called a “program”… A program crafted with this much effort couldn’t be made in a day or two.

It was probably made over the course of about two days.

“You have one week. If you can’t repair it by then, this manor will――”

“If it’s just the repair, it won’t take that long.”

“What?”

Lord Goral raised the outer corners of his eyebrows with a slight twitch.

I immediately placed my hand on the sword and began the repair.

Since the original program remained to some extent, the repair wasn’t difficult. What had been shaved off was only parts here and there.

To give an example, it’s like a sentence.

Take the sentence ‘〇〇 ate rice’—the 〇〇 part would be the broken portion. By putting the correct characters there, repair becomes possible.

By looking at the surrounding program, you can roughly see the completed form. Of course, even if it’s hard to reproduce it perfectly, you can probably create something with similar performance.

Reading programs like this is the moment a blacksmith’s skill is tested.

Since the basic form was in place, writing the program was completed quickly.

In about three minutes the repair was finished; I returned the sword to its scabbard and handed it to Lord Goral.

“Please, check it.”

Lord Goral said nothing. He took the sword from my hand and then slowly drew the scabbard.

Then he swung it several times as if checking the sword’s condition.

…Can Lord Goral see programs? This depends on a natural talent, so some people can and some can’t.

After swinging the sword several times, Lord Goral’s expression hardened… I don’t think I had failed, though――.

“I never imagined you’d have skills to this degree…”

“…Thank you.”

“B-but… I haven’t fully accepted you as my daughter’s husband yet, you know.”

Sure enough, Lord Goral glared at me as if puffing his cheeks.

…I thought he seemed quite strict, but he also has childish sides.

“I’ll continue to work hard.”

“Yes, do your best. You may use the workshop in the manor freely. Use as many materials as you need, and if they’re insufficient, tell me. I’ll have them prepared.”

“M-may I practise blacksmithing?”

“Yes. You’re a blacksmith, aren’t you?”

…For me, who had been forced to do nothing but Enchantments, just being able to practise blacksmithing made me unbearably happy.

Just as a rookie cook is assigned to dishwashing, a novice blacksmith ends up being assigned Enchantments.

“Thank you!”

“There may also be requests for weapons from the knights in the manor. Well, I’ve spoken to the maids about that matter too. If there’s something you want to do, ask them. I have some business and will be away from the manor for a while.”

“Understood.”

“Don’t you dare do anything indecent with my daughter just because I’m not here.”

“I-I won’t!”

“…Hmph. I’ll take your word for it.”

He stared at us for a moment, then Lord Goral left the room.

I glanced over at Alicia. She was smiling happily.

“I’m glad… For now, you managed to persuade my father… right?”

“Yeah. But it seems he hasn’t fully accepted me yet, so I’ll have to keep working hard.”

“…But it’s the first time father praised you that much, so I think that’s a very good sign.”

“I see.”

I wonder if I was able to repay a little of the debt I owed Alicia for helping me.

When we stepped into the hallway, a maid bowed her head gracefully.

“Nice to meet you. I’ll be guiding you through the manor; my name is Refy.”

Accompanied by the maid named Refy, I walked through the manor.