Volume 3 Chapter 11 The Blacksmith's Pride
I explained the situation to Rose, who tilted her head in confusion.
"I mentioned it earlier, but the weapons crafted by Fran hold Divine Revelation. To perfect them, we need to 'level up' through training. What we need to do for that is..."
"Monster hunting...?"
"Exactly."
I nodded firmly in response.
While I wasn't completely sure, if the mechanism of Divine Revelation was the same for us humans, then the divine artifacts created by Fran should level up through monster hunting.
"That's why I want you, Rose, to use the weapons forged by Fran to hunt monsters. I believe you can take them down safely and quickly better than anyone else."
"I see..."
Rose seemed to accept my strategy, which prioritized safety and efficiency.
However, Cosmos, standing nearby, opened her mouth with a somewhat dissatisfied expression.
"...It's true that I can trust Rose, but I feel a bit complicated about this."
"I've said something similar before, but this isn't about comparing you and Rose. Your job class is magician, and the weapons you can use are catalysts like staves and books. Those are all made from a material called 'divine wood.'"
"Oh..."
"While there are monster materials that can be used to create catalysts, they mainly consist of minerals, so the weapons crafted will inevitably be swords or spears. Only Rose can handle those kinds of weapons."
"...I see."
Cosmos nodded, still looking a bit conflicted but seeming to understand.
Of course, if the weapons were staves or books, I could have had Cosmos handle it.
She would also be able to hunt monsters safely and quickly.
However, since we were going for mineral-based materials this time, I wanted her to accept that.
"Just be careful not to break the weapons you create, Rose. I'll enhance them with my support magic, but you have a history of breaking your own weapons."
"Understood!"
Rose stretched out her right hand and placed it on her forehead, giving a cheerful acknowledgment.
For now, the problem was solved.
We had access to a workshop, and we could gather good materials from monsters.
If I left the task of forging the sacred weapon to Rose, it should grow significantly by the time of the auction.
Just as I was feeling relieved, I suddenly noticed something and gasped quietly.
I glanced over at Fran.
"..."
He was biting his lip, clearly wanting to say something, and his small fists were clenched on the table.
I sensed Fran's feelings and quickly calculated the days in my head.
Well, I guess we could manage somehow.
Reflecting on how I had rushed into the conversation, I spoke up for Fran.
"Um, sorry, Rose. Could we take that back?"
"Huh?"
"Fran wants to defeat the monsters and forge his own weapon."
"...!"
Fran looked up in surprise, turning to us.
Immediately after, he seemed very apologetic, his shoulders slumping as he spoke in a weak voice.
"I-I feel like I have to do that part myself. I know it might sound strange to say this after asking for help with finding a workshop and gathering materials, but..."
Fran placed his hand on the sword on the table and continued with determination.
"If someone else forges my weapon, it won't feel like mine anymore. If I'm going to present a weapon made by Flax Ran at the auction, I can't rely on anyone else for that part."
Though he was still inexperienced as a blacksmith, his inner pride was undeniable.
He had learned the basics of blacksmithing from his beloved father and aspired to become a top-notch blacksmith in response to that legacy.
So, it made sense that Fran felt he had to forge his own weapon.
"But, that's really tough, isn't it?"
"Why do you think that?"
"I have no experience in monster hunting at all, and there are only 3 weeks left until the auction. If I combine the time needed for gathering materials and crafting weapons, I think it will take about 2 weeks, so the time I have left to forge the divine weapon is..."
"...only one week."
Fran continued, sounding uncertain.
"Even so, for someone like me with no experience in monster hunting, starting from scratch to forge a divine weapon is really difficult."
"..."
The weapons that Fran has worked on can be enhanced through monster hunting.
Additionally, the skills that can manifest are a significant advantage.
However, to achieve that, we need the "time" to defeat monsters.
Given Fran's lack of experience, it's uncertain whether he can consistently defeat monsters at all.
In the current situation, where time is limited, that is indeed a considerable disadvantage.
I think it would be safer to leave it to Rose...
"...but I'll manage somehow."
"Huh?"
"Since Fran seems to have no experience in monster hunting, we don't even know if you can fight properly. If you're worried about that, I'll support you with everything I've got and help you fight."
"Roezé will...?! But how...?"
Seeing Fran's wide-eyed confusion, Rose and Cosmos chuckled softly beside us.
Then I decided to share something with him that I had forgotten to mention.
"I forgot to say... I'm Roezé, a 'Nurturer' who helps budding adventurers grow in this town. Even if someone has little experience in monster hunting, with my abilities and support magic, I can help them fight effectively."
"..."
It might take longer than leaving it to Rose, but this method should still be enough to help the divine weapon grow.
More importantly, if Fran fights monsters, he will become stronger himself.
I believe that as he continues to work as a blacksmith, monster hunting will also become part of his job to forge weapons, so it's beneficial for him to get stronger now.
He might awaken some new abilities, and this could very well be the best choice for the future.
"Well, if I leave most of the work to Rose and Cosmos, I might end up getting criticized by Brue at the Auction. He could say something like, 'That's not even a weapon you made!' So, I have to defeat him with a weapon that Fran genuinely poured his sweat and effort into creating."
"Of course, if you're too scared to fight the monsters, you don't have to push yourself. In that case, let Rose handle it, and just make sure we're ready for the Auction."
"Y-Yeah, I understand."
Fran seems to be thinking about fighting the monsters, his delicate shoulders trembling.
But when he looks at the sword he made, his expression tightens as if he's made up his mind.
"Oh, but Roezé is working as a 'Nurturer,' right? If I'm going to ask for help in battle, I should probably pay a fee or something..."
"Don't worry about it; it's something I want to do. I think it's better for Fran to stay at the workshop, and we're just helping out on our own. But as a favor in return, could you do me one small 'request' once this is all over?"
"Y-Yeah, that sounds fine..."
With that, we wrapped up our discussion and decided to take action starting tomorrow.
First, we should secure the workshop...
Oh, wait, maybe we should lightly investigate the 'Divine Artifact' first.
Since we've made decisions based only on speculation so far, it would be wise to see if the Divine Artifact can actually be strengthened by defeating monsters and how it grows.
If this worn-out sword here can develop into a sufficient weapon, then we could put it up for auction.
In any case, I hope we can create a good weapon by the time the Auction comes around.
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