111. You promised to protect us!
Filloren Harbor where a ship about to collapse is anchored.
A nearby tavern was lively with similar stories.
None other than Kraken.
Of course, for sailors, there was no disaster that was not as catastrophic as the Kraken.
It was because there were few news stories as interesting as this for them, who live at sea every day.
“Is that… the traces of a fight with the Kraken?”
“I heard that it is? They said that they actually brought the kraken corpse.”
“Well, nothing.”
“I must have taken it from City Hall. Isn’t it the Kraken?”
“Ah…you can’t believe it?”
“That’s what you’re saying because you arrived late and missed all the spectacles. How many people have actually seen it here?”
Even so, the man shook his head and made a face telling him not to lie.
“I met that monster, how did you make it to the port alive?”
“They said he killed them. So they probably didn’t drag the body.”
“…I wonder if I’ve lost my ears. I can hear nonsense.”
“They fought and killed it. Kraken.”
“……”
The man paused for a moment.
made a sudden jump.
“Hey. You son of a bitch. Am I easy? Why do you keep lying and f*cking!”
“No, did this bastard just live deceived! Can’t you see those people are gathered over there?”
“What is that? What is that! Why are people gathered there?”
“The captain who boarded the ship with the monster that killed the Kraken is sitting over there? Rumors have already spread! Only you don’t know, only you!”
The man who was listening to the story, his eyes shook as he saw the crowded people.
“…It’s true? So, what you’ve said so far isn’t a joke, is it all true?…”
The man who spoke on the other side saw him like that and punched his chest.
“Ah! It’s frustrating, I’m going to search!”
* * *
“It’s exhausting.”
long three months.
It was the time we were afloat.
They say three months, but in reality, three months in the open sea were not easy times.
More than half of the way there was even sailing in a state where it was half-destroyed by the Kraken…
I flopped down on the bed of the hostel.
“Whoa…”
after a long time has passed.
Andrew, who had gone out saying he would come back soon after packing some snacks, opened the door and came back.
“Hee hee!”
Seeing him, Orhel frowned.
“Why did it take so long for the guy who said he was coming right away?”
“No, well, brother. It’s not like there’s a fuss outside right now?”
“What? What’s going on?”
“So we’re all heroes?”
“What? Hero?”
Andrew put down the various foods he was holding and continued.
“You caught the kraken, the kraken! It must have been a complete nightmare for the sailors. A lot of dead people.”
“Well. That’s right. Are Krakens normal monsters?”
“That’s right! We brought the Kraken corpse right away, so there’s no doubt about it. Our ship captain is also very popular right now?”
“Hey, little brother.”
“Yes……?”
Looking at Andrew, who was so excited, Orhel opened her eyes fiercely.
“You came here after hanging out to realize your popularity? That’s why you’re late… Is that why your drinks are so lukewarm?”
I was sure.
The reason Orhel was angry was nothing else.
That it was just because of the lukewarm alcohol.
“Ah, no… that’s… that’s true.”
“Hey, you immature bastard!”
Orhell raised his palm and chased after Andrew.
Andrew, not wanting to be hit, started running around the room.
Looking at them like that, I let out a small sigh.
Then he clicked his tongue.
Now was not the time to worry about the alcohol temperature.
“I was going to move quietly, but if a spear comes flying again…”
At that, Orhel paused and answered my murmur.
“I thought I wouldn’t have to worry about that.”
“Hmm? What do you mean?”
“That spear. I didn’t know where I saw it, but I remembered it while fighting the Kraken. That’s Barutum’s spear. That giant, it takes a year to use the clairvoyant’s power to throw a spear again. We’ve been on a boat for three months. , Even if you consider all the preparations you have prepared… you still have more than half a year left.”
“okay?”
It was surprisingly good news.
The spear that suddenly flew from the sky was actually quite burdensome.
Orhel, after explaining to me, started chasing after Andrew again.
Andrew ran away with his head covered with an unfair look on his face.
“No, why! I fought the Kraken too!”
“Fighting is a piece of cake! The guy who didn’t even go into the sea!”
“I was trying to get in!”
“You didn’t go in after all!”
Meanwhile, the distance between Andrew and Orhel gradually decreased.
As expected, Orhel’s physical ability seemed to be a little better.
“They even give you a free drink!”
stop.
I think Andrew’s side is a little better when it comes to rolling small hair.
“Hey, you’re giving me a free drink…?”
“Of course! You got that for free, too? Go downstairs. They say you’re treated like a hero of the great ocean, so they’ll just give you a drink?”
“……”
Orhel stood still as if something was broken for a moment.
I scratched my head.
“Kuhmm… Shall we go get some fresh air? To see the land for the first time in a while…”
“Let’s go together!”
“Is that so? Ha ha ha!”
Gradually, I felt like Andrew was controlling Orhel well.
* * *
After the noisy two disappeared.
in the room alone.
smart smart
A sign was heard.
Since no one was there, I stood up and opened the door myself.
Then I saw Atrum’s face.
“What’s up tonight?”
Atrum said with an ambiguous face.
“The Dwarves I talked about before.”
Ah, the dwarf who said he would make a new sword?
I nodded.
“I remember it.”
“I’m on my way to see you just now.”
“already?”
It had only been half a day since we arrived at the port.
But I’ve already met you.
I could say it was great physical strength.
but by the way
Why is the face of the person I met?
It felt like something was wrong.
And that feeling was not wrong.
“They say there’s a bit of an obstacle in making the sword.”
Who dares to interfere with my new sword forging?
I asked with a frown.
“I’d like to hear a detailed explanation.”
My eyes were so savage at the moment.
Atrum was slightly taken aback.
“Oh, no, that’s actually… They say it’s two problems. One is that the blacksmith’s lights are off.”
“Is the light off?”
“That’s right. Of course, it’s not a normal fire, but it’s said that it’s a fire created by a fire spirit… They say that it’s gone out, so you can’t do anything about it.”
what.
It wasn’t a big deal.
Isn’t the fire I use the spirit king’s fire?
The power of the Spirit King, which is on a different level from the normal fire spirits.
So I decided to listen to the next problem.
“Anything else?”
Let me pass it to the next level too easily.
Atrum tilted his head.
“Is there a way? It must be difficult to obtain because it is a fire created by a fire spirit…”
“I don’t think it will be difficult.”
“I-really?”
His eyes widened.
He saw it with his own eyes when he fought the Kraken, but he didn’t even know what it was.
“Yes. What’s the other problem?”
“Ah, that, that… The first problem was a really big stumbling block, and the second problem is a bit trivial. The movement of suspicious people near the forge has been detected. This part is simply for making swords. It doesn’t get in the way… but it seems like there’s a security problem.”
I affirmed his words.
“I don’t care if people I don’t know what it is. I’ll accompany them.”
“Okay. If you add your strength, it will be of great help.”
So, to meet the dwarves.
The next day, I left the house immediately.
* * *
A forest with dense trees.
Forest roads like this were common on the Antea continent.
However, the trees here on the continent of Lesia felt a bit different.
‘but. It’s a continent this far away. Is it natural that the tree species are different?’
We continued on through the forest, which was familiar yet strangely different.
How deep do you go?
shock.
Levarsen and Atrum’s lieutenants, who had been hiding, joined them.
“Are you here? Captain.”
“Are there any abnormal signs?”
“Yes. Yesterday and today they don’t approach. I guess they noticed that people on our side were lurking.”
“…I don’t know who it is, but it seems to have a good feeling.”
“It’s the same idea.”
Levarsen looked back at me and continued.
“By the way. Even if you put aside the interrupters, is there any way to light the embers again?”
Orhel snorted at her question.
“He’s worried about everything. He’s worried about lighting a fire for Brother. You can see it with your own eyes.”
“……?”
“The sparks you made when you were making the Kraken roast. Did you think that was what kind of firefly light it was?”
“What are you talking about…”
“That’s the same power that the fire spirit king has. It’s a spirit king class flame.”
People are embarrassed, what kind of pride do they make so grandiose?
Well, that’s true, though.
tall.
Orhel’s words.
Levarsen and Atrum froze.
I threw a light joke at them.
“If you’re going to stay frozen like that, would you warm me up in the fire?”
“Oh, no! It’s all right!”
“You’re on your way, now.”
I was joking, but I burst into laughter as I watched the two of them turn blue.
It was only then that Atrum realized that it was a joke and smiled shyly.
Levarsen went over to clear his throat.
“Keuheum. Uh. Just arrived. Hey, hey. That’s the blacksmith chief, the dwarf Humkarian’s forge.”
At the same time, we turned our heads in the direction of Levarsen’s fingertips.
‘That’s right…’
It seemed to be the birthplace of my new sword.
* * *
profit.
Open the door to the forge and step inside.
There was no heat, nor the sound of tapping iron, which is usually a blacksmith’s fault.
It’s just quiet.
The empty smithy, even though it was still broad daylight, gave off an eerie atmosphere.
at that time.
I felt a sudden presence in one corner.
That small, heavy barrage of people flew in with tremendous speed.
Quaang!
Isn’t that the point of lowering the ax with all your might!
Of course, the party, including me, easily avoided it.
In addition, Atrum and Levarsen were not normal bets, so they avoided the blow sufficiently.
A sharp-edged ax was embedded in the floor…
‘If it was right, it would have split properly…’
I saw that the wooden floor was cracked.
I could feel that it was deliberate and swung.
He again pulled the ax from the floor and tried to attack again.
“Aww!”
Patter.
His face was slightly exposed in the sunlight that came in through the door we left open.
Atrum recognized him.
“Humkarian? Wait! Stop! It’s us!”
“Atrum? Is that you?”
An old man’s voice, heavy and stern.
Atrum answered the question.
“Yes! Humkarian. What is it?”
The short old man put down an axe.
I raised my head.
Short, about waist-length.
Arms and legs as thick as an old tree.
An old man with a small but very strong-looking body stood in front of us.
But surprisingly…
“No, Humkarian! What’s up!”
Humkarian’s whole body seemed to have been cut by something, and there was no healthy place.
He couldn’t even stand for long.
dump.
sat down
Surprised by him, Atrum approached him and knelt down to help him.
“You! You promised to protect us! But what is this!”
“No, what the hell…”
Atrum tilted his head.
I had no choice but to stop saying it.
The sun that was just in time.
It was because it revealed the inside of the forge.
“I-I can’t do this…!”
The forge floor.
It was full of dwarves who were killed by something unknown.