"Talk about being thorough..."
Rei had just finished explaining that being blacklisted by the weapon shops wouldn't actually cause him much trouble. Phron muttered her response, looking thoroughly exasperated.
However, Rei simply gave a small shake of his head toward Phron and Brasso.
"It's not as if I specifically anticipated this situation."
In the case of spears, the one he had obtained from a thief during the Rank Up Exam just happened to be left in his Item Box. As for the daggers, he had either seized them from the Falcon's Claws when he first arrived in the City of Gilm or purchased them on a whim while strolling through the streets.
"...So, Pamidoor. Rei says he's fine, but what about you?"
Brasso spoke up with a smirk, causing Rei to turn a puzzled look toward him.
Pamidoor didn't seem to mind Rei’s confusion and returned a grin similar to Brasso’s. Under normal circumstances, it might have been called a mischievous smile, but given his naturally intimidating features, he looked like nothing so much as a bandit-faced rogue plotting to raid a merchant caravan.
"...Pamidoor. You really ought to realize that you have a total bandit-faced look."
"Hah? What was that, you brat? Phron, you're the one who had your sword forged by this 'bandit-faced' blacksmith!"
Pamidoor tried to act threatening, but Phron was already used to his temper and let it slide with a casual shrug.
After giving Phron a brief glare, Pamidoor turned his gaze back to Rei.
"Rei, was it? Rest easy. No matter how much this Boluntar fellow claims to run the weapon shops in the City of Gilm, we... or rather, I, am not one of his lackeys. I have no reason to follow such a ridiculous order."
Rei's eyes widened.
"No, wait a moment. You might not be one of his men, but as you said, he controls the weapon trade in this city. If you defy someone like that, you won't come out unscathed either."
"Hmph. I only recently arrived in this City of Gilm. Such schemes don't concern me. I forge what I want, and I sell it to people I respect. I came all the way to this frontier town specifically because I wanted to do business on my own terms."
"I appreciate the sentiment, but if you do business with me, won't the other weapon shops stop buying your products?"
"Hah! The weapon shops aren't my only customers. In fact, I have far more people like these lot who deal with me directly."
Rei couldn't help but let out a wry smile at Pamidoor, who spoke with the absolute conviction of a stubborn craftsman.
"You're a fool. You should have just gone with the flow."
"Hah! Don't say such stupid things. If I wanted to do business like that, I wouldn't have bothered coming to the frontier. I came to the City of Gilm because I believed the weapons and armor I made could help those facing the threat of monsters out here."
"...Hah. Do as you please. You're a strange one."
Rei sighed as he muttered the words, but the look Pamidoor directed at him seemed to say, 'You're one to talk.'
(Well, I didn't expect to have trouble regarding weapons anyway, but gaining Pamidoor's cooperation means I have even less need to rely on the other shops. That leaves the question of what to do about Boluntar... Should I have just finished him off back then? I backed off because I believed Galahat when he said he wouldn't let him interfere anymore, and yet here we are. But since that matter was technically settled, if I were to harm Boluntar now, I might end up with a bounty on my head. ...If I trust Daskar's word, that shouldn't be a concern, but I can't underestimate Boluntar's political reach or his money either. In that case, it might be best to get in touch with Galahat first.)
Once he decided on his next move, he turned his attention back to Pamidoor.
"If you have any knives for material stripping, could you show them to me?"
"Hm? I don't mind... but before that, let me see the one you're using now. I want to check if I can repair it before you go buying a new one."
Following the blacksmith's request, Rei produced the iron knife he used for stripping from his Misty Ring. At the same time, he also presented the Mithril Knife he always wore inside his Dragon Robe.
"O-Oi. This is..."
As expected, Pamidoor was stunned, recognizing the value of the blade at a glance. It was the first time both Phron and Brasso had seen the Mithril Knife Rei possessed, and they were similarly transfixed. Their gazes were focused entirely on the mithril blade; the ordinary iron knife he had produced alongside it was completely ignored.
"Stripping materials with a magic item... Talk about luxury."
"Umu. Moreover, the mithril in this knife is of incredibly high purity. It’s of a quality that could serve as a family heirloom for a noble house. Rei, where did you get this?"
In response to Brasso's question, Rei told the cover story he had prepared.
"It was a parting gift from my master."
"...To give away an Item Box and this Mithril Knife as parting gifts... Your master is either a legendary figure or a complete fool. No, considering he trained a disciple like Rei, he can't be a fool. A legendary figure it is, then."
Listening to Pamidoor's half-exasperated voice, Rei saw that his gaze was still fixed on the blade. He sighed and returned the Mithril Knife to its sheath, tucking it back inside his Dragon Robe.
"Ahhh..."
Pamidoor and Brasso groaned in unison with disappointment, but Rei ignored them and thrust out the iron knife he was still holding.
"Even I don't use that Mithril Knife unless I have to. I usually use this iron knife for dismantling and stripping, and I only use the other one for things this one can't cut. So, this is my main tool."
"...Muu."
With a low, intimidating groan, Pamidoor took the iron knife and inspected it.
"This... it's been used quite a bit. Despite that, it's been reasonably well-maintained. Do you do the work yourself?"
"Yeah. Though all I really do is wipe it with water and a cloth after stripping is done, and sharpen it with a whetstone at the inn at night."
"No, that's enough. Among the kids today, there are too many who think of their tools as disposable just because they're cheap. That tendency is especially strong among those nobles from the Center who play at being adventurers for sport... Compared to them, this is well-kept."
(Nobles playing at being adventurers, huh. Well, considering there are wars to fight, I suppose they're still better than those who don't even try to hone their skills.)
Thinking to himself, Rei looked at the knife in Pamidoor's hand.
"That knife is an item I obtained when I first arrived in the City of Gilm. It's easy to use, so I've grown fond of it."
To be precise, it would have been more accurate to say he had seized it from the Falcon's Claws... but Rei glossed over that part.
"Hm, well, yeah. It’s been maintained well enough for an amateur, but from a professional's perspective, it’s still lacking. For now, consider this my greeting—I'll regrind it for you. Wait a bit."
With that, Pamidoor disappeared into the forge in the back. Rei watched him go and was about to say something to Brasso when—
"I'm home!"
The door was thrown open, and a cheerful, loud voice echoed through the workshop.
"Ah, I knew it was Big Bro Rei! I saw Seto outside, so I knew right away! You actually came to visit!"
The owner of the voice caught sight of Rei and immediately sprinted toward him, nearly tackling him with a hug.
"Whoops!"
Rei caught the boy—Kumito, a youth of about ten with a bright, intelligent face—and held him steady.
"It's been a while. Have you been well?"
"Yeah! But Big Bro, you're late! If you'd come sooner, we could've played a lot more."
Kumito pouted while smiling at the same time—a rather impressive facial feat. Rei gave a wry smile and patted his head.
"Sorry about that. I'm an adventurer, you see. I have work to do. Hey, don't you recognize these two?"
Rei shifted Kumito's position and turned him toward Phron and Brasso. After a brief, confused blink, the boy spoke again.
"Ah! Big Sister Phron and Uncle Brasso! Do you both have business with my dad? I didn't know you knew Big Bro Rei too!"
"Yeah. It's good to see you're as energetic as ever. I wish I could have a bit of that energy for myself."
"For someone being called 'Big Sister,' you're sounding awfully old."
"Hah! It's better than being an 'Uncle' like Brasso."
"I do not particularly mind being called an old man... or rather, an uncle, you see?"
An old woman. Upon hearing that word, Phron's cheek twitched even as a smile formed on her lips. However, that smile was what one could only call a Hannya smile.
"Brasso. Did you just say something? I thought I heard some strange sleep-talking... If you're going to correct yourself, now is the time."
"Now, I wonder what it was. After all, I am an uncle. My memory isn't what it used to be."
As the two bickered, a tense atmosphere began to fill the room. Rei sighed, expecting the usual routine, and tried to lead Kumito away from the pair, but—
"No fighting! Honestly, you two are always like this. Big Bro Rei, say something to them!"
Kumito jumped forward and stood between Phron and Brasso, then looked back at Rei for help.
"Even if you say that... this is just how these two always act. There's probably no need to worry."
"But it's a fight! We have to stop them."
"No, I wouldn't call this a fight. It's more like... a type of frolicking. Haven't you ever seen Seto rubbing his head against things?"
"...I wouldn't know. I haven't really played with Seto much yet."
Kumito pouted, his expression shifting from wanting to stop the fight to honest dissatisfaction over not getting enough time with Seto.
Hearing themselves described as 'frolicking,' Phron and Brasso both lowered their fists and sighed.
"Rei, we aren't exactly frolicking..."
"Umu. I have no such intention whatsoever."
The two spoke in perfect unison. Seeing them like that, Kumito tilted his head in wonder.
"But you're perfectly in sync, aren't you?"
"Guh..."
"Hahahaha! Did you lot come here just to make me laugh? Oh, Kumito. You're back."
Pamidoor came out of the forge laughing and gave Kumito's head a rough pat. At the same time, he tossed the now-sheathed knife toward Rei.
"There. Maintenance is done. If the edge gets dull again, bring it back here."
Rei caught the knife, stored it in his Misty Ring, and gave a small smile.
"Thanks, that helps. I'll use it right away when we're stripping the harpy materials."
"Do that. Tools are meant to be used. A tool that's just for display isn't a tool at all."
As Rei accepted the blacksmith's advice, he turned back to Brasso and Phron.
"So, what's the plan? What should we do about the harpies I stored back on the mountain? They're in the Item Box, so they won't rot, but we should probably strip them sooner rather than later."
"Mu, that is true. However, it is already dark outside."
Brasso opened the workshop door slightly and peered out. Since it had been dusk when they first arrived, the time spent talking with Pamidoor and sharpening the knife had allowed night to fully fall.
"In that case, tomorrow?"
"Ah—I have some business to attend to tomorrow afternoon."
Rei interjected apologetically. Phron and Brasso shared a look, seemingly unconcerned.
"There are only about ten harpies, so we should be able to finish in the morning. The only issue is the location. Given what harpies look like, if we dismantle them in a public place, someone might report us to the Knight Order."
Phron sighed. Since a harpy's torso and face were those of a human woman, anyone seeing the monsters being dismantled would likely misunderstand the situation.
"Should we do it outside the city then? Somewhere secluded?"
"That would be best. If we're too close to the gates, we'll probably be reported by merchants entering the city."
It was right as Brasso said those words that Rei noticed something. He turned a sharp gaze toward the workshop door and grabbed the knife he had just stored. Sensing the shift in the air, Phron reached for her sword. Brasso, knowing his Earth-shaking Hammer was too large for the room, moved to Kumito's side to protect him.
Kumito looked around, confused by the sudden tension, while Pamidoor’s stern face twisted into a ferocious grimace as he picked up a small hammer.
"Kumito, get back to the forge."
"Eh? U-Understood!"
Following his father's command, Kumito shot one anxious look at Pamidoor before retreating to the back.
In that instant—
"Rei! Are you here!?"
The door burst open and a man stumbled in, bleeding from several wounds with an arrow protruding from his left shoulder. It was Mult, Galahat's sworn younger brother.