The next day.
"Good morning. Did something happen?"
When I stepped into the shop, I found a small crowd gathered in the kitchen.
"Ah, Boss!"
"Good morning!"
"Take a look at this."
The three girls working there stepped aside to reveal a workbench. Resting on a plate were three massive coils of connected sausages. It was an impressive amount of meat.
"The lady from next door brought them over. She said it was a gift to celebrate your contract with the Rimul Birds."
"She also mentioned the deodorizing fluid you left yesterday. She felt taking it just in exchange for slime feed wasn't a fair trade."
"It seems it was incredibly effective. She had a huge smile on her face when she dropped these off just a few minutes ago."
"I see. I must have just missed her, then."
"I've decided to use these for today's lunch," Shelma announced from her spot in front of the refrigerator.
Would she grill them? Or perhaps put them in a soup? Either way, I was already looking forward to it.
I left the three girls to their work and headed to the manager's office. There, I received a report from Caulm.
"It seems the rumors have been successfully circulated."
"Since we stuck strictly to the facts, it wasn't particularly difficult. We'll have to wait a while to see how the situation develops from here."
"Understood. And how is the shop itself?"
"No major changes to report. There hasn't been any further interference, either... Oh, that reminds me. A lady came by earlier asking if we were selling the deodorizing fluid."
"The deodorizing fluid? She must have heard about it from Sieg. I can guarantee its effectiveness and safety, but do you think it will actually sell?"
"There definitely seems to be a demand for it. Besides, it's not entirely unrelated to our main business. I believe it would be worth displaying some at the storefront."
"What about the workload for production?"
"Bottling it is a simple task that anyone can handle. Besides, Koken and the others have been researching various things in their spare time. It shouldn't be an issue to ask them to manage it between their other duties."
"...Then, just to be safe, I'll meet with Koken and the others tomorrow to reconfirm the safety of the fluid. If there are no issues, let's try putting some out for sale. I'll prepare the price boards as well."
Keeping the sale of the deodorizing fluid in mind, I spent the time until lunch quietly working in the back of the shop.
After lunch.
"Well, what should I do with my afternoon...?"
I had run out of work. There wasn't much to do to begin with, and Koken and the other manager candidates had taken what little remained to use as study material.
If there was no work for me here... I suppose I should focus on building my house—or rather, my trap.
With that in mind, I headed back toward the abandoned mine.
"If it isn't Ryoma."
"Asagi-san, hello. Are you off today?"
"Indeed. Even a samurai needs a day to rest his body once in a while. And what of you, Ryoma? Are you working today as well?"
"I actually just finished up and was on my way home."
"Is that so? Then the timing is perfect."
Asagi reached into the cloth bundle he was carrying and produced a single bottle.
"If I recall correctly, you have received the divine protection of the God of Wine, have you not? Please, accept this."
"That scent... is this Japanese sake?"
"Oh! You recognized it? This is Daiginjo, crafted in this one's homeland. It is a variety of alcohol known as Nihonshu."
"This is—thank you very much."
"Consider it a gift. I have heard it brings good fortune to treat one who possesses the God of Wine's protection to a drink, after all."
Now that he mentioned it, I believe that bit of trivia was part of the common knowledge provided to me.
"In that case, I'll make sure to drink it while praying for your good luck, Asagi-san."
Japanese sake... how nostalgic. It would be nice to have a drink for the first time in ages.
"Even so, you are remarkably well-versed in the ways of this one's homeland, Ryoma."
"I used to hear many stories from my grandparents."
"I see."
"...Right, changing the subject, Asagi-san, where do you usually obtain your katanas?"
I decided to ask a question I had been curious about for a long time, making sure not to slip up regarding my own history. Given the defense situation at the mine, I wanted a proper katana soon.
"This one uses equipment sent periodically from my homeland. Do you desire a katana, Ryoma? Do you intend to wield it as a weapon?"
"Yes, I want one for actual use."
I had been trained in the way of the sword, but longswords were the standard in this country. Tigger's Weapons and Armor Shop, which I had visited recently, didn't stock katanas at all.
"Regrettably, they cannot be found in this vicinity. There are shops in the royal capital that carry them, but... in this one's homeland, the katana is a weapon for war, a work of art we boast of to the world, the symbol of the samurai, and our very soul.
Consequently, while katanas are exported, acquiring one requires a staggering sum of money. Even with your earnings from the shop, the blade will inevitably wear down with use. Replacing it every time would be a ruinous expense. This one was once forced to purchase a blade from a shop in the royal capital... but the cost was so great that one could hardly afford to live if such a thing became a habit.
I have heard there are blacksmiths from abroad who were permitted to learn the techniques of a master, but that path is narrow... at the very least, I know of no such people. Direct negotiation is also unrealistic."
"Is there no way to obtain them regularly at a lower price?"
"Hmm... There have been cases where one receives a supply by becoming a disciple of a specific school. Regrettably, however, this one is still but a student in training. I lack the authority to take a disciple, nor do I have any acquaintances here who possess such qualifications."
To begin with, Asagi had left his homeland for his training, and tradition dictated that his connections to home be restricted during this period. He was only permitted to send brief letters to report his safety and receive auspicious gifts like sake. Katanas were only allowed as an exception due to absolute necessity.
"Where did you learn to handle a blade, Ryoma? I believe relying on those connections would be your best course of action."
"My grandfather was a blacksmith who could forge them. He was the one who taught me how to use them as well."
"I see... That explains why you are so strangely knowledgeable about the traditions of my village."
I decided to let him believe that.
"But if that is the case, your only choices are to buy an expensive blade or switch to a different weapon."
"I see... Thank you anyway."
"Forgive me for being unable to help."
It wasn't Asagi's fault. I thanked him again for the alcohol, and we went our separate ways.
However, as I left the city and walked along the peaceful, empty road, I couldn't stop thinking about it.
...Actually, could I just make one myself?
The material for modern katanas is tamahagane. And to make tamahagane, you need charcoal and sand iron.
I could make charcoal. I had been a Japanese salaryman, after all. I had spent countless hours fantasizing about a quiet retirement burning charcoal, and it had already proven to be a vital fuel during my winters in the Gana Forest.
As for sand iron, that was even easier. Its most common form is black triiron tetraoxide. While its composition differs from the ferric oxide I feed to the metal slimes, it's still just a compound of iron and oxygen. With alchemy, I could easily produce the necessary material from the iron oxide found in abundance in the abandoned mine.
I even had the knowledge. My father had been a professional swordsmith. I had watched him work constantly when I was a child, and I had even been taken to see tatara steelmaking in person. Once I was old enough, I was forced to help him, and he had even secretly taught me the basics of forging a blade.
However, he had quickly decided I had no talent for it and stopped.
I had the materials and the knowledge, but I lacked the technical skill. I likely wouldn't be able to make anything fit for practical use—at least, not overnight. If I were serious about it, I would need to apprentice myself to a master, which would take years.
Still, even knowing that, I thought it might be fun to try teaching myself.
"I should have asked Asagi-san if there were any regulations against making one..."
I'll have to remember to ask him next time.
Having made that decision, I suddenly remembered something else.
It wasn't a katana, but I was sure I had something I could use...
"Item Box."
The moment I reached the clearing at the abandoned mine, I let my tamed monsters roam free and began searching for the item.
It should have been stored away in here... Found it!
I pulled out Melzen's Spear, the weapon I had taken from the bandit leader I defeated a while ago. It was a bit long, but the construction was solid, and there was no sign of rust or warping. Despite its length, it felt surprisingly light. The material wasn't iron... Fire ore? My appraisal results were a bit vague. I'd have to ask someone about it later, but for now, it looked like a decent weapon.
After confirming that the slimes were nowhere nearby—the metal slimes were currently occupied tumbling down a short slope and crawling back up—I gave the spear a few experimental swings.
"...Handling is fine. But as I thought..."
The techniques I inherited from my father were said to have originated from a single samurai who survived the Sengoku period. His lineage was respectable, and he had been a man of both martial prowess and academic interest. However, taking advantage of the fact that he wasn't the heir, he had lived a life of absolute freedom, eventually leaving his family—or being cast out—to live in extreme poverty.
While he had been satisfied with that life in his youth, his perspective shifted in his old age. He had no money, no wife, and no children. Though his skills were great, he had never made a name for himself. Looking back, he was saddened to realize he had accomplished nothing and had nothing to leave behind.
Ultimately, he decided to leave his skills and knowledge to posterity. From that point on, he reportedly spent the rest of his life searching for and training disciples.
For a samurai of the Sengoku period, the spear was the primary weapon. The katana was merely a backup for when the spear was lost. Therefore, that samurai—and I, who inherited his techniques—could use a spear effectively. But truthfully, a katana just felt more natural. And that wasn't just because of the era I grew up in.
If anything, it was my father's fault.
My father had passed down techniques for the katana, spear, staff, wakizashi, bow, shuriken, kusarigama, unarmed combat, and various other hidden weapons. When teaching these, he had a very specific hierarchy. At the absolute top were unarmed combat and the katana. Until I had mastered those to a certain level, he wouldn't let me touch anything else. Even after I began learning the other weapons, he strictly ordered me to devote the majority of my practice to the katana.
The reason wasn't because he was a swordsmith, but because of what was practical in the modern world.
Weapon arts are only useful when you actually have the weapon in hand. In modern society, carrying weapons is forbidden, and security measures like metal detectors are common. Even carrying a simple stick can lead to a police questioning.
Unarmed combat requires no tools. As for the katana, it was still permitted to be owned as a work of art, and since it was shorter than a spear or a staff, it was much easier to conceal if necessary. At least, that was how I interpreted his logic.
I never heard the actual reason from him, but my father's way of thinking was always far removed from common sense. He played the part of a respectable man for the public and was highly regarded, but behind closed doors...
"I wonder just how well a person would be cleaved by a blade I forged."
"!? ..."
"Kurururu."
I thought I heard my father's voice just now. No...
There was no one around. No presence of any other person. My tamed monsters were just going about their business, and none of them seemed to notice anything unusual. If anything, I had just startled the Rimul Birds with my sudden movement.
"...Just my imagination."
I walked around the area, but there was nothing out of the ordinary. I must have just imagined it because I was thinking about him.
"If only I had one of my father's katanas... I should have asked for one before I reincarnated."
I wanted to test its practicality as a tool of war. But if you cut a person, you can no longer be a swordsmith. So you don't cut.
Regardless of his personality, my father lived to forge the ultimate blade. His skill was undeniable. I wished I had one of his works with me now, but there was no use in regretting what I didn't have.
"I'll stop thinking about it. Even if I had brought one, it would probably be ruined by now without proper maintenance... Right."
I believe this spear was a magic weapon, wasn't it? I decided to see what kind of magic it could produce when I channeled mana into it.
As I shifted my focus to the spear, the experiment started to become fun.
Fire came out. So, this spear has ignition magic. Could I project it? Yes, I could. It fired a Fireball. What else? Just ignition and Fireball, then. The amount of mana channeled... it didn't seem to matter; the output was constant. It appeared to accept any attribute of mana, as well. However, the consumption was slightly lower if I used mana that matched the weapon's attribute. It seemed most efficient to just use fire mana.
As I continued investigating Melzen's spear—or rather, playing with it—I noticed the light changing.
"The sun is going down..."
I suppose it's time to call it a day.
It's a bit ironic to say this after playing with it for so long, but it's not a particularly convenient tool. Magic weapons let you use magic as easily as alchemy, but they lack flexibility.
They might be useful for someone who can't use magic when facing a monster that requires it, but in my case, I can produce more power and variety by just casting fire magic myself. It was an interesting novelty, but as a weapon, it wasn't much better than a normal spear.
Reaching that conclusion, I stowed the spear back in my Item Box.
Now, I had better get started on dinner.