"It's me, but who be ye? Human?"
Malvil picked up the hammer from the ground and tried to place it on the table.
Seeing him struggle to put the hammer on the table, I moved forward and offered him a hand.
"I'll help out."
"Ah, thank ye."
"...What in the world is this hammer made out of?"
In hindsight, I probably should've thought this more thoroughly since the hammer weighed a ton.
Even with my current stats, I could barely lift it.
"Khh, what is this hammer made out of?"
"A lot o' bloody metal"
"Aren't you a blacksmith? How can you work with a hammer that you can't lift."
"...Well, it's nae mine, it's me students."
"Bounded artifact?"
"Ye."
"...no wonder."
Bounded artifacts were artifacts that could only be used by a specific user. If anyone else tried to use it, the artifact would not respond to any mana fluctuation.
As such, unless held by the true owner, it was nothing more than a piece of scrap metal. An extremely heavy one at that.
"I'll hold it by its head an' ye hold it by tha handle."
"Okay...ukk."
"Put more strength in your hips, youngster."
"Ugh, I'm trying."
After struggling for what felt like an eternity but was actually more like a little less than a minute, we finally managed to place the hammer on the table.
"...My god."
I collapsed on the ground, completely drained of energy.
Even if the artifact was a bounded one, to think that it would weigh so much in its regular state. Just how difficult was crafting it?
"...So what did you come here for?"
Malvil wiped his forehead that was filled with sweat.
Standing up, I tried to introduce my self. However, before I could do that, I was quickly cut off by him.
"Let me introduce myself. My name is Ren, and I'm he—"
"You're here to get an artifact, right?"
"...yeah."
It looks like he already knew my answer. He probably just asked out of formality.
"What type of artifact do you want?"
"A sword."
As I asked, my heart rate sped up a little. Most likely, I was going to get rejected. But I at least wanted to know the requirements for getting accepted.
Malvil pointed towards the front of the shop and said.
"We have plenty in our shop; you can check them."
"I already have."
"...and?"
"I'm here to have a sword crafted rather than buying one."
"Crafted?"
"Yes."
An odd look flashed Malvin's eyes.
Patting the hammer on the table, he sat down on a wooden chair and rested his elbow on the table.
"Alright, show me your move. If ye can intrigue me, I may be interested in forging ye a sword."
"That's it?"
move, and if he was impressed, he would
my expression, Malvin
boy, let me tell ye this. I've seen all kinds o' swordsmanships. If what
"That makes more sense."
be hailed as one of the greatest blacksmith's of the world, they had
Ko—! Tok—!
table to get my
remember, just because ye helped me, dinna assume that it will affect me judgment. I'm very strict
"...Never thought you would."
"Glad ye know."
from my dimensional space, I rested it by the
in my waist as it hinders my movements when walking. I only took it out whenever I was about to
lifting my head slightly,
show you a regular
matter. Preferably, a regular move. Big moves can damage tha place. Whatever damage ye
"Sure..."
was filled with precious materials and artifacts, I decided to hold back on the major
sure about what he wanted exactly, I was still
"Huuu..."
on the sheath of the sword and calmed my mind. Closing my eyes, I placed my thumb
"Ye ready?"
"I am,"
I replied.
right foot back,
a couple of seconds
show me what
—Click!
okay from Malvil, almost out of instinct, my thumb pushed forward, and a silver streak of light
followed the silver streak
sheathed and
at Malvil,
"..."
"How was it?"
and
in that one strike. I felt incredibly
good enough to meet his standards? I wanted
before
"That's it?"
"H..huh?"
made me lose composure
and almost borderline bored expression on his face
myself. Was it really that bad? Was my swordsmanship that boring
composure, I looked back at Malvil
you mean
truly tha
"...Yes."
main movements, it would've made
The fundamentals were there.
"I see"
before going back to the entrance of
"Excuse me?"
"...What?"
"So, did I fail?"
"You dinna think."
of disappointment flashed across my
never had too much hope from the beginning, getting told outright that I didn't make the cut still
at least tell
on the counter of
was the problem with
disappointed, I wasn't
many failures in
was best for me to understand why I had failed so that I could
mean he was going to reject me again in
could help
from the side, Malvil picked up an artifact and
out a sigh,
do this because ye
"Please."
I smiled happily.
Malvin went straight
put, your swordsmanship be a
"A mess?"
ta wield a sword nae too
picked another one and repeated the same process as
me from the side
"Is me analysis wrong?"
"...no, you're correct."
shook my
blacksmiths in the world. With just one glance, he was able to tell that I had
can tell from your rank that yer talented, an' that
Malvil paused.
once again picked another one
he put down and looking back
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