Ren stared at the hammer Verrich had set on the floor.
(Was he actually planning to strike Marquis Ulysses with that...?)
If so, it was a terrifying thought, yet there seemed to be no reserve between the two men. Ren realized that for them, this might simply fall within the realm of friendly bickering. He decided not to dwell on the details.
"Oh? Were the two of you already acquainted?" Ulysses asked.
"Damn right. That good kid there gave me a lift part of the way home. Unlike you, you little brat, he doesn't go around scribbling graffiti on my house."
"How long ago was that? I was just a child when my father brought me here."
"I'm the sort to hold a grudge, I'll have you know! Because of you, I put too much strength into it and broke the outer wall while I was trying to scrub it clean!"
"Good grief... Ren Ashton, which of us do you think is in the wrong?"
"Marquis Ulysses," Ren replied.
He had reached his limit for patience and spoke without much concern for decorum. Ulysses laughed heartily, looking quite unrepentant.
"I think so too," the Marquis said brazenly.
Regardless, it seemed Ulysses had been quite the troublemaker in his youth. Ren felt a prickle of interest in a past so far removed from the legendary figure depicted in the tales of the Seven Heroes.
"So, what's the deal? Why is the brat dragging a good kid—"
"My name is Ren Ashton."
"—Ren, then. What are you here for?"
"Business. But this works out perfectly. If you're already acquainted with him, it’ll save us a lot of time."
"B-Business? Give me a break... You know the word I hate most in the world."
"Was it 'sobriety'?"
"Exactly! And that's why I don't want to work!"
"Um, if your least favorite word is sobriety, what does that have to do with wanting to avoid work?" Ren asked.
"If you want a job done right, you can't be drowning yourself in ale, can you?"
(So he hates work, yet he's completely serious about the craft itself.)
Ren had suspected as much the other day, but this Dwarf named Verrich certainly possessed a powerful personality. Ren’s curiosity began to shift toward the true extent of Verrich’s skills. As if sensing the question, Ulysses spoke up.
"So, will you take the commission? If it is Verrich, the man who forged the Sword King’s blade, I can entrust him with the equipment for my great benefactor, Ren Ashton."
"Wh—Marquis Ulysses!? Did you say he forged the Sword King’s weapon!?"
"Indeed. You know of the powerhouse woman who serves as the Emperor's personal guard, don't you?"
"Of course! She’s legendary... Are you saying Verrich-san was the one who actually made her sword!?"
"Hmph. That was me," Verrich grunted.
The Sword King was one of the five strongest individuals in the world. The fact that he had crafted her weapon meant Verrich was a master far beyond Ren’s initial estimations.
"He has accomplished other noteworthy feats as well," Ulysses added. "But as I said, he despises work. He even rejected honors to prevent his fame from spreading, choosing instead to live in total obscurity."
Hearing the reason why the man remained off the public stage, Ren nodded in understanding.
"But man... I really, really don't want to work..."
Suddenly, Ren recalled the events of the previous summer—specifically, the conversation they had while he was carrying Verrich.
"Didn't you tell me you'd forge something for me?"
"...I might have said something like that."
Perfect. He’d secured a commitment. Ren pumped a fist in silent victory.
"I'm not just making excuses, mind you, but I was honestly pretty hammered at the time. When it comes to a sword that would actually be useful to a swordsman of your caliber, it’s a different story entirely."
"You say 'of my caliber,' but I don't think I've ever shown you my skills, Verrich-san."
"I don't need to see you swing a blade to know. It’s just how things are."
Ren turned a troubled look toward Ulysses.
"You can trust Verrich’s judgment in anything related to smithing," the Marquis said. "His eye for swordsmanship is just as keen. However, do not trust him if he asks to borrow money for a drink. Once he starts drinking, he conveniently forgets he ever borrowed it."
"Hey, hey, hey! You're making me sound like some kind of degenerate!"
"I'm glad the point was taken. —Regardless, Verrich, it isn't a sword we need. He says he has no need for a new blade, so I want you to craft armor instead."
"Doesn't change a thing. If I don't have materials that meet my standards, I've got no interest in making it. I don't care how much gold you pile up. I've got more money than I know what to do with. You've got deep pockets, brat—go find a legendary material or two."
"I hear you, but legendary materials that meet your criteria aren't usually things money can buy. To be honest, I have no interest in something as common as Mithril either."
"Then give it up."
"Don't misunderstand. I have the materials ready."
"Then you should've led with that... Fine, what is it?"
The moment Verrich asked, the door to the cluttered workshop clicked shut. Edgar, having arrived from outside, announced, "There are no eavesdroppers," and Ulysses nodded in satisfaction.
"I know you won't agree to anything less than a true rarity, Verrich."
"Hmph. If you understand that, then be prepared. I won't lift a finger for some half-baked scrap. If that's all you've got, the conversation ends now."
Ulysses turned to Ren, indicating that he should be the one to reveal what they had secured.
Ren took a breath and spoke. "The horn has weathered over time, but I have secured the Red Dragon Asval's Horn."
Verrich’s eyes went wide, and his jaw dropped.
"—Now that's a different story entirely."
Verrich smirked and stomped toward the back of the house. The sound of rapid cleaning soon echoed from the back rooms.
"Tell me everything. Since it's a legendary material, a legendary blacksmith will take the job."
He had officially accepted the commission.
"Brat, since you're here, I assume that horn is the real deal. So, how much did you get? Is it just a large fragment?"
"It's nearly a full horn," Ulysses replied.
"Ho-ho! Now that's a tale worth hearing! All that’s left is to see if the material will swear loyalty to Ren!"
"Verrich-san, what exactly do you mean by a material’s 'loyalty'?"
"I won't say a legendary monster's consciousness actually stays in the material, but they can definitely reject a user and refuse to release their power. It means a priceless material becomes a useless hunk of junk. It’s been a puzzle for researchers for ages, and they're still trying to figure out the exact reason."
"I see... but on that front, I think we'll be fine."
"Eh?"
Ulysses stepped in. He needed to keep the details of the incident secret while providing the context necessary for the forging process.
"Ren Ashton here is the one who defeated Asval and took that horn."
"...H-Huh? Are you telling me Asval was resurrected?"
"A lot happened. I’ll ask you not to pry into the details. For you, Verrich, the only thing that matters is the loyalty of the material, right?"
"Well, that’s true enough. I'll stay out of it. But what’s the plan? I've only heard about it in legends, but Asval's horn is supposed to be massive. Even if I make armor for Ren, you're going to have a ridiculous amount left over."
"I suppose... Personally, I’d like to find a way to use every bit of it," Ulysses said.
"I agree," Ren added.
Both Ren and Ulysses were honestly at a loss for what to do with the excess. They wanted to avoid the material ever coming to light accidentally, so they either needed to process it all or discard it. But discarding such a material was unthinkable. They were determined to find a use for it.
"Would it be a bad idea to make armor or swords for others?" Ren asked.
"I could do it, but I wouldn't recommend it. Even if I did, it likely wouldn't show loyalty to anyone but you. You'd be better off mining some Orichalcum on the Demon Continent and using that instead. The best equipment is the kind you can actually master."
If the man who forged the Sword King’s blade said so, Ren and Ulysses had no room to argue. Still, leaving the remaining material to waste felt wrong.
"How about using it for a Magic Ship or a Magic Train?" Verrich suggested. "If it's something Ren uses, the material might be more cooperative."
"I don't own anything like that," Ren said. "I don't even have the money to buy one."
"Hm? Ren Ashton, a Magic Ship shouldn't be a problem at all, should it?"
Ren wasn't sure if Ulysses was speaking from his perspective as a Marquis or if he was factoring in House Clausel’s wealth. Either way, Ren didn't want to overreach. Ulysses wasn't being reckless, though—he sounded quite serious.
"N-No, as I said, I don't have the money—"
"That's not it. House Clausel governs Erendil, don't they? If so, they should have a ship."
"Um... if they had one, don't you think we would have traveled on it?"
"That would be impossible. The Magic Ship belonging to House Clausel that I know of is broken."
Broken? Ren tilted his head in confusion. Ulysses looked at Verrich; there was no sign that the Marquis was joking.
"I don't believe Baron Clausel would have scrapped it. It should still be in storage in the Sky Garden. So, Verrich, how about using the leftover material to repair that ship?"
Verrich stroked his long beard, his eyes narrowing.
"—I see. The Lemuria, then."
He muttered the name and nodded, a faint smile finally touching his lips.