The blacksmith, who hadn’t expected Ian to pay so easily, looked at him in bewilderment.
“You’re… not going to take it?”
“Oh? I mean, I should. This is the price for my weapon, after all.”
Ian spoke to the blacksmith, who still seemed somewhat dazed even as he held the gold coins in his hand.
“Would it be possible for you to make a custom scabbard?”
The blacksmith’s expression instantly changed.
“What? Are you saying you’re not satisfied with the current scabbard?”
Ian shook his head.
“It’s not that. I simply have better material.”
“What kind of material?”
Ian took out a piece of Wildbone leather from his inventory.
“No way… Is that Wildbone leather?”
“Yes.”
“Oh my god!”
The blacksmith, hastily shoving the coins into his pocket, rushed toward Ian.
“To think I’d actually see Wildbone leather in my lifetime!”
In the northern regions, Wildbones were relatively common monsters, but in the south, they were rare.
Wildbone leather was particularly prized because the creature’s skin was durable. However, during a hunt, it was easy for the leather to get damaged.
Damaged leather couldn’t be crafted into armor, so most of it ended up used in experiments at the Magic Tower, meaning blacksmiths hardly ever got the chance to see it.
“What exactly do you intend to make with this?”
“A scabbard.”
“Are you out of your mind?! Making a scabbard with leather this fine… Do you realize what you’re saying?”
Ian started to pull the Wildbone leather back.
“If it’s too much trouble, that’s fine. I’ll find someone else—”
“Whoa, whoa! No need to be so hasty. Sure, I’ll make you a scabbard. Just show me the sword you want it for, and I’ll get started.”
Quickly, as if afraid Ian would take the leather away, the blacksmith snatched it from him.
Ian saluted him as he presented the sword.
“I’d like you to make a scabbard for this sword.”
“What? Why? Is something wrong with the current one? I put my heart and soul into that scabbard!”
“My daughter wants it.”
The blacksmith followed Ian’s gaze and noticed a cute young girl clinging to his pant leg.
“What does a kid want with a… scabbard?”
“Does she have to use it for something?”
It was said that the things women loved most were beautiful, even if they served no practical purpose.
Ian’s sister often referred to such items as ‘pretty trash,’ saying they were things that made a woman happy just by owning them.
“Hmm. Well, in that case, how about this? I have some leftover leather from making a scabbard. I could use that to make one just the right size for the little lady.”
“Hmm.”
After a moment’s consideration, Ian spoke.
“Rose, what do you think?”
“I like it!”
Rose nodded enthusiastically.
“If she’s happy with it, then please do so. How much would it cost?”
The blacksmith grabbed Ian’s hand as he reached for his coin pouch.
“Instead of money, how about you leave a piece of that leather with me?”
The blacksmith coughed, somewhat embarrassed as he looked at Ian expectantly.
“That would be a bit too much. Perhaps just a small piece?”
“Then please return it.”
“Are you really going to be so difficult? Even though I sold you my sword?”
“Shall I return the sword to you as well?”
At Ian’s words, the blacksmith shouted in frustration.
“You’re going too far! Seeing Wildbone leather in my lifetime has been my lifelong dream! How can you just disregard the wish of an old man like that?”
Ian found himself speechless.
How could someone be so brazenly greedy for someone else’s belongings?
He had met all kinds of people while working as a hunter, but this blacksmith was truly unique.
“If you want the leather so badly, why don’t you buy it?”
In fact, Ian had plenty of Wildbone leather in his inventory.
Besides, giving a piece to the blacksmith wouldn’t be much of a loss, since Wildbones were common monsters in the Northern mountains.
However, the blacksmith’s boldness made Ian reluctant to just hand it over.
“Well, maybe for a single gold coin…”
“Return it.”
“Come on! Are you really going to be like this? Didn’t I give you a good sword for a low price?!”
The blacksmith’s outburst drew the attention of those around them.
“What’s going on, Benato? Why are you so angry?”
“Benato, did you encounter a troublesome customer?”
As nearby blacksmiths gathered, Benato’s face darkened with embarrassment.
“What’s that you’re holding?”
“Is that… Wildbone leather?!”
“What?! Did you say Wildbone leather?!”
Hearing this, blacksmiths from across the area, even those who were busy selling weapons, started running over.
“Wildbone leather? I thought I’d never see it in my lifetime!”
“Benato! Don’t hog it all to yourself—let us have a look too.”
“Who brought this? I’ll buy it—just name your price!”
“No, no! I’ll be the one buying it!”
“What are you saying? I’m the best at making armor here! I’ll even make whatever armor you want for free if you let me have it. All I need is a chance to make armor with that leather!”
Several blacksmiths, uncertain who owned the leather, shouted out offers.
“Uncle…”
Rose, frightened by the ruckus, clung to Ian’s leg.
“Haaa.”
Ian sighed, putting his sword back into his inventory and lifting Rose into his arms.
Then, he turned to Benato, who was still clutching the leather tightly, as if afraid of losing it.
“I’ll be back tomorrow morning to pick up the child’s scabbard.”
Leaving the aftermath for Benato to handle, Ian turned to leave.
The blacksmiths alternated between looking at Ian and Benato before swarming around Benato again.
“Rooose!”
Unlike Rose, whom Ian quickly lifted out of the chaos, Fenrex found himself trapped amidst the sturdy blacksmiths, helplessly calling out to Rose.
“We have to rescue Fenrex!”
With Rose’s urgent plea, Ian clicked his tongue and grabbed Fenrex’s arm, hoisting him up.
“Can’t a wolf handle even this?”
Fenrex shot Ian a glare.
“What do you think wolves are, superheroes?”
Clicking his tongue again, Ian released Fenrex’s arm, allowing him to land gracefully on the ground.
Fenrex then extended his hand toward Rose.
“Rose! We need to hold hands.”
Rose looked up at Ian.
“No. There are too many people around; it’s dangerous. Let’s walk after we finish eating.”
Nodding, Rose turned to Fenrex.
“Uncle says it’s not safe. Sorry, Fenrex.”
“It’s okay. I’m fine.”
Despite his drooping ears, Fenrex answered cheerfully, following Ian obediently.
After leaving the bustling area, Ian found a restaurant and ordered food. He then carefully wiped Rose’s hands with a wet towel provided by the server.
“You know to always wash your hands before eating, right?”
“Yes! Fenrex, you too, wash your hands.”
“I-I will.”
Fenrex, who had been haphazardly wiping his hands, started cleaning them thoroughly at Rose’s request.
“Is the food ready yet?”
After stepping outside to change into more comfortable clothes, Edelmar returned and sat down next to Ian.
“Did you finish all your tasks?”
“Yes. It seems even my brother wasn’t fully informed about the Wakta territory. He’s sending knights to handle the situation.”
Ian nodded.
“Did you enjoy looking around? Did you find anything nice?”
This time, Edelmar directed his question to Rose, who looked up at him with bright, eager eyes.
“Yes! I got something pretty!”
“Something pretty? What is it?”
“Oh… what was it again? A sword?”
Looking uncertain, Rose turned to Ian.
“A scabbard.”
“A scabbard?”
“Yes. It sparkled in the sunlight, and I thought Rose liked it because of that.”
“Ah.”
Kids usually liked things that were pretty, cute, or sparkly, one of the three.
So if it was a scabbard that sparkled in the sun, it made sense that Rose would be fond of it.
Edelmar glanced around Rose and asked,
“Where’s the scabbard you bought?”
“My uncle has it.”
“It’s an adult’s size, so we’re having it remade into a child’s size. We’ll pick it up tomorrow morning.”
Edelmar stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“If that’s the case, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to make a sword specifically for Rose, don’t you think? After all, she’s the child who will inherit the duke’s position. It wouldn’t hurt for her to start with a sword of her own.”
Ian shook his head.
“With so many knights in the duchy, there’s no need for Rose to learn swordsmanship.”
Edelmar let out a faint laugh.
So, did the emperor learn to wield a sword because he lacked knights?
People who held high positions had responsibilities that required proficiency in both martial and scholarly arts.
If Ian envisioned Rose as the future ruler of the duchy, it was only natural for her to learn swordsmanship.
“Duke, are you planning to raise Rose to be fragile?”
“Learning to wield a sword doesn’t necessarily make one strong. Besides, Rose is still young. She has a wide range of choices ahead of her—to learn swordsmanship, magic, or even become a spirit summoner.”
“Does Rose have a talent for magic as well?”
Ian nodded.
“If she didn’t, forming a contract with a spirit would have been difficult.”
Rose possessed mana so pure that it was adored by spirits.
If she decided to study magic, she could surpass Ian’s own abilities as a mage.
“Interesting. Rose is as intriguing as you are.”
“Please don’t show any more interest in Rose.”
Just as Ian firmly dismissed Edelmar’s interest, the food they had ordered arrived.
The sight of the delicious dishes made Rose and Penrex gulp in anticipation.
“Careful, it’s hot. Eat slowly.”
Once Ian served the food, the children, who had only had soup for breakfast, eagerly began eating.
Ian kept an eye on Rose as he ate.
“We’ll arrive the day after tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
They would pass through two more territories before reaching Tailor’s estate, where the holy relic awaited.
However, since Taylor’s estate was located on a steep mountain range, they wouldn’t be able to use horses to get there.
“What will you do with Rose?”
“I’ll take her with me.”
Leaving her behind would likely make her feel abandoned. Even if it meant carrying her, Ian was determined to bring Rose along.
“Alright.”
Despite his strong build, Edelmar had a small appetite and finished his meal quickly. The two children also set down their utensils shortly afterward.
Ian, who ate in a mannerly yet efficient way, finished his meal soon after as well.
“Do you want to look around some more?”
“No, let’s head back.”
After paying the bill, Ian picked Rose up again.
Having cried in the morning and walked a great deal around town, Rose grew sleepy as soon as her stomach was full, nodding off as they made their way to the inn.
Back in their room, Ian laid Rose down on the bed, and Penrex tried to stealthily lie down beside her.
“Go to your own bed.”
“Napping together is fine, isn’t it?!”
Fenrex protested loudly.
“No. I told you, boys and girls shouldn’t sleep together past a certain age. Go back to your own bed.”
“Tsk. That whole ‘boys and girls shouldn’t be together’ rule! That doesn’t even exist in the Beast Kingdom.”
“It does in the duchy. If you don’t like it, you can go back to the Beast Kingdom.”
Unable to win against Ian in a verbal spar, Fenrex sulkily returned to his bed, though he kept turning to look at Rose.
Noticing this, Ian positioned himself to block Fenrex’s line of sight and then called Edelmar over.
“Yes? Do you need something?”
Ian retrieved the sword, Salute, from his inventory.
“While the Grand Duke’s sword is good, I think this one would suit you better.”
Edelmar’s eyes lit up as he recognized the scabbard.
“This is the scabbard Rose was so taken with, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
Even though there was no sunlight inside the inn, the silvery leather of the scabbard seemed to glisten, catching Edelmar’s attention as he took the sword in hand.
“It’s easy to see why Rose fell in love with it. Is the sword the same color?”
“You’ll know once you try pulling it out.”
At Ian’s suggestion, Edelmar unsheathed the sword. With a sharp, metallic sound, the dark sword was revealed, prompting a murmur of admiration from Edelmar.
“…This is a remarkable sword.”
“Runes are engraved on it, so you won’t need to sharpen it or even clean off the blood.”
Edelmar quickly scanned the runes engraved at the base of the blade.
“Are you really giving this to me?”
“Yes. It’s a token of gratitude for the help you’ve given me and the help you’ll give in the future.”
If someone else had possessed it, Ian wouldn’t have taken it from them, but Salute was originally meant for the crown prince.
Ian couldn’t bear the thought of the crown prince, especially after recent hostilities due to a certain friend incident, possessing such a fine sword.
Moreover, a sword should be wielded by someone who truly knew how to use it.
The crown prince, while skilled, wasn’t a sword master; having Salute would be like placing a pearl necklace on a pig.
“Thank you.”
“It’s nothing.”
Ian shrugged as he sat down on the bed.
He then summoned Rose’s spirit.
“Ermenia, come forth.”
