Chapter 392: 392

[……A contract?] Jade

Jade-san repeated Xelo-san’s words. Then, Jade-san looked at the others like what he just heard didn’t make any sense.

[What? You didn’t know?] Xelo

[We just arrived here yesterday, and after staying at the inn, we immediately come here.] Jade

[Don’t you know about the Trial Gate in this city?] Xelo

[Trial Gate?… Oh, that?] Jade

Jade-san seems to have remembered something.

Trial gate? I wonder what was that? It sounds interesting though.

[Come to think of it, there is such a thing in this city.] Jade

[Oh, there was certainly such thing in here.] Mel

[I forgot.] Toya

[Maybe that’s why there are so many adventurers and merchants around?] Senia

Jade-san and his friends seemed to understand it, they’re agreeing with each other. But me, Fina, and Ruimin don’t know what’s happening.

[What is the trial gate?] Yuna

I don’t know about it, so I asked.

When I asked, Jade-san and Xelo-san explained to me.

According to them, there’s a gate in this town called the in this city. The gate opens once a year for a few days to test the skills of the blacksmiths, to see how much they have grown over the course of a year. It’s said to be a place to test the skills of apprentice craftsmen.

[But what’s with the adventurers?] Yuna

[It’s only natural. Blacksmiths are sword makers. Adventurers are sword users.] Jade

At the trial gate, it seems that a blacksmith who made a sword and an adventurer, a person who’ll handle the sword are needed. It’s true that blacksmiths don’t fight monsters, animals, or people. So it’s the adventurer’s job to handle the sword.

[So Jade, why don’t you join us with the sword I made? Think of it as a simple sword test.] Xelo

[I don’t mind participating, but since it’s you, Xelo-san, there’s probably an adventurer that you’ve been favoring even without asking me.] Jade

[Every year, there’s an adventurer who was always asking me to sign him up. I was going to ask that adventurer again this year, but I was informed that he was injured a few days ago. The other adventurers I know have already contracted with another blacksmith, or they’re in a place that cannot be contacted.] Xelo

So that’s why he’s asking Jade-san?

[At first, I didn’t think I’d have to join, but I figured I needed to make sure my skills weren’t getting rusty. Also, it’s good to see how far other adventurers can go with it, once in a while.] Jade

They check their skills at that testing gate. It is growing? Or is it declining? Worst of all, they say, some of them are thinking of retiring.

Of course, adventurers have growth and decline and there is no end to it.

They also explained that some blacksmiths asked talented adventurers to show off their swords.

[Don’t you want to be known as the best, Xelo-san?] Mel

[I’m fine with you guys. I don’t want to be bothered with making offerings or making the best swords. I’ll give those jobs to whoever wants them. I’ll make whatever I want, and if I make something good out of it, then I’m satisfied with it.] Xelo

Xelo-san laughingly smiling.

Just because you can make one good sword, doesn’t mean you can make a second one. If you could make top-quality weapons that quickly, then you’d have nothing to worry about.

And it’s not like you can just tell the others to make it for you.

[Well, to each his own. You can spend a lifetime making the best masterpiece you can. Or you can make one for an adventurer like you. Life is different.] Xelo

Touching his majestic long beard as he spoke, he exuded the dignity that he had built up over the years.

[All right then. If it’s okay with you, I’ll sign up with you.] Jade

[It would be a great help.] Xelo

The conversation was over, and now we’re going to check out Toya’s arm.

Xelo-san started to walk and as we’re following him, Jade-san, who was walking in front of us, looked back.

[What about you, Yuna? If you want to go to Rojina-san’s place, I’ll let Mel guide you.] Jade

Hmmm, what should I do?

Personally, I would like to see how Toya would be judged. If it’s just a matter of looking at the hand as I imagine it to be, it should be fine here. But the fact that he started walking suggests otherwise.

However, if there are any other criteria, I would like to know for future reference.

[I’m curious to see if Toya will get a pass, so I’ll stay and watch for a while.] Yuna

I’m not in a hurry.

[Fina and Ruimin you’re fine with it, right?] Yuna

[Yes, I don’t mind.] Fina

[I’m also curious. I’d like to see it too.] Ruimin

It seems that both Fina and Ruimin are interested as well.

Well, after coming this far, it would be strange not to be curious. But Toya, the main character, has a face that says otherwise.

[You don’t have to come with us. I’m sure you girls have a lot of places to go.] Toya

Toya hates the idea that we’re trying to follow him. It’s human nature that you want to follow someone when the person himself doesn’t want to.

[It’s kinda awkward if I refuse now.] Toya

[If you say it like that, you can’t refuse anymore.] Mel

That’s a flag.

[Speaking of which, Xelo-san, have you taken on an apprentice?] Jade

I can hear the sound of iron hitting iron from the back of the room since earlier. Jade-san asks while looking towards the direction of the sound.

[My son. He said he wanted to be a blacksmith, so I’m teaching him. I’ve been beating him with my knowledge like that every day, but he’s not quite there yet.] Xelo

I can hear the reverberating sound. Even if I’m just listening to the sound, I can feel that he’s working very hard.

[Jade, you know where the backyard is, right? Wait for me there. I’ll be there in a minute.] Xelo

We went to the backyard while listening to the sound of iron hitting iron from the back of the building.

[But what do you think are they going to make Toya do?] Yuna

[If Xelo-san comes here, you’ll know.] Jade

After waiting in the backyard for a while, Xelo-san brought a few swords with him.

[Toya. Let’s begin your test.] Xelo

[Y, yeah.] Toya

Toya replied a little nervously.

Xelo-san stabs one of his swords into the ground.

[It’s a sword that my son made.] Xelo

Xelo-san held out another sword in his hand to Touya.

[It’s not as good as the sword I made for Jade, but it’s still a mithril sword that I made. Try to cut it with this mithril sword. If you can do it, I’ll make you a mithril sword.] Xelo

[Okay.] Toya

Toya took the sword offered to him. He pulled it out of the scabbard and stood in front of the sword stuck in the ground. He took a small deep breath and grasped the sword. He then swung his sword down at the sword stuck in the ground.

The sword that was stuck in the ground did not get cut, but bounced off and rolled on the ground instead.

They all looked at the sword that had flown away, then look back at Toya.

[Wait. Let me do it again.] Toya

Toya picked up the sword that had been flicked away and stabbed it into the ground again. He then took a deep breath to calm his mind. Then, he swung the sword down again. But the result was just the same as before.

Toya stared at the sword he was holding. And everyone is looking silently at Toya’s figure.

[Old man Xelo. Isn’t this a blunt sword?] Toya

Xelo-san picked up the sword that was silently blown and stabbed it once again in the ground. Then told Toya to give the sword back.

[Jade, you do it. Don’t go easy on him. It’s not good for Toya.] Xelo

When Jade-san silently received the sword, he flashed it at the sword stuck in the ground. Then, the sword stuck in the ground was cut in the middle.

[This is the difference between you and Jade. Mithril Sword is still too early for you. Even if I make it for you, the Mithril Sword will be wasted.] Xelo

I don’t think he needed to say that much.

[Toya…] Jade

Jade-san, Mel-san, and Senia-san looked worried. Toya clenched his fists tightly.

[There may be other blacksmiths who can make it for you. We’ll just have to look elsewhere.] Jade

[Xelo-san…] Toya

Jade-san tried to say something, but Toya interrupted him.

[Old man Xelo, may I have another try?] Toya

Toya, who had been looking down in frustration, looked up and met Xelo-san’s eyes, asking with a powerful gaze.

[Hou, if you can cut it, then I’ll make it.] Xelo

[Old man, I’m gonna borrow this sword.] Toya

Toya heads over to Jade-san and receives the mithril sword. Xelo-san looks at Toya intently.

[I’ll lend it to you. Also, you can take that sword over there.] Xelo

He pointed to the sword, which was called a blunt sword.

[I promise you.] Toya

Toya left with one of the swords that seem to have been made by Xelo-san’s son.

[Toya!] Jade

Jade-san shouted.

[I’ll go after him. Jade, Mel, both of you stay here.] Senia

When she said that, Senia-san chased Toya.

Fina and Ruimin looked at Toya and Senia-san who had left, then looked at Jade-san, and finally looked at me to see what I’m going to do.

[We’ll let Senia handle it for now.] Jade

As we were looking at the two who had left, Jade-san called out to us. I’m a little worried about Toya, but Senia-san has gone after him, so I guess it’ll be okay.

[Xelo-san, aren’t you being a little hard on Toya? You didn’t even do this before.] Jade

Speaking of strictness, he was indeed harsh. However, in some games, if you don’t have enough muscle parameters, you can’t equip good gear. It’s probably the same here, if you don’t grow inside, you can’t equip a weapon with good performance.

Xero-san turned his back on us and began to speak.

[There’s not much of a reason behind it. That’s just my selfishness.] Xelo

[Selfishness?] Mel

[A new adventurer who used my sword just died. Because he had a good sword, he mistook it for his own ability. So he fought a strong monster and died, just like that.] Xelo

[…………]

[It’s not Xelo-san’s fault.] Jade

The new adventurer didn’t know what he was capable of and was just being reckless. It’s like an ordinary person got the hero’s sword and said, . As Jade-san says, I don’t think Xelo-san is at fault.

[Maybe so. But I want to make a sword that matches his ability. So if Toya can’t do this well, I’m not going to make it. And I’m going to ask another blacksmith to make Toya’s sword.] Xelo

Xelo-san picked up the sword that Jade-san slashed and looked at the sword.

[You’ve become stronger.] Xelo

[Xelo-san…] Jade

[That’s all I have to say. Tell Toya that he has until the gates of the trials close.] Xelo

[Understood.] Jade

Now, we can only hope that he can do it, right?

Author’s Note:

Touya has been rejected. But it looks like he hasn’t given up.

Next time, I will post in 3 days if nothing comes up, and in 4 days if something does.