Chapter 178 - Episode Five

I was called by Rinoa to the blacksmith’s shop to say that what she was told to make was ready.

Of course, I’m talking about the sword made of magic metal generated from the magical ores of the Lapidestatoa and Zeshum Ruins.

I was heading to the blacksmith shop with a somewhat buoyant feeling.

“That …… the thing that Abel asked for is a sword, right?”

Mea, who was following me on the road, opened her mouth.

“Hmm? Yeah, I figured, after the last riot, I should learn to be able to handle a surprise attack now.”

Inevitably, due to the nature of magic, you’ll be on the back foot because of the deployment and chanting of the magic circle.

If you are targeted from afar with a bow and arrow, it is the end if you are not careful.

That said, it would be enough to build in a corresponding action into Ortem to escort me, but it’s also somewhat awkward to always have Ortem walking beside you.

I designed a sword that can be easily carried around with me, using what I could get my hands on at the moment.

To be frank, the awareness that I simply wanted to make it is what preceded me.

It may not be a bad idea to try to make a robe that incorporates a protection technique, but if I’m going to make it, I want to make a real one.

I don’t have enough materials right now.

“You mean…… the last time you fought Marias-san. Was Abel at a close call?”

Mea’s eyes widen, a little surprised.

“No, no. The day before the duel with the old man Icarus, didn’t the spirit beast from Marias get turned on to my room? Because it might have been dangerous if Mea hadn’t checked me out with a bow and arrow at that time.”

“Mea hopes she’s helpful!”

Mea raises her voice slightly higher and waves her arms, flapping in delight.

Just then, as if she suddenly remembered, she stops moving and hides her voice.

“…… Well, how is Marias-san herself?”

“…… Well, isn’t she just a little good?”

“A little……”

She was probably about the same grade as the old dwarf male knight I fought before, I guess.

Summoning masses of demons seemed to be the selling point, though, so if she could scatter them well and fight with them, she might be able to do well on a wide scale.

It’s not as if she wasn’t suited to fight on the surface in the first place.

It’s true that she’s probably more responsive because she can give instructions and summon demons depending on the situation, but if the demon doesn’t have the power to protect the main body, Marias, it probably shouldn’t have done so.

After a few moments of silence, Mea showed some signs of hesitation before asking me.

“…… Well, can you swing it, sword?”

“Hmm?”

“N-, nothing…… well…… I just thought that kind of thing is kinda heavy……”

“Yeah, they’re supposed to float with magic, after all.”

Rather than a sword, it might be quicker to call it a high-performance magic tool.

It’s designed to fly away on its own to stab opponents and protect me.

“What…… then it’s safe.”

Mea laughs in relief.

…… I feel like my self-esteem is a little bruised now.

I bend my arm, make a forceful hump, and touch it with my hand.

Huh…… isn’t there actually something?

I’ve been walking a lot more since I left the village.

Although I suffer from muscle aches and pains on a daily basis, but that is the proof that my body is being strengthened.

“W, well…… I could swing it with my arm if I want……”

I whispered and demurely objected.

At the blacksmith’s shop, a disheveled looking shopkeeper and Rinoa were waiting for me.

“…… Here’s the ‘hilt’ of the sword I made from the metal, just as I was told.”

I receive a lead-colored sword hilt from Rinoa.

The hilt is lined with a vertical pattern of three eyeball figures on the front and back.

It’s a bit of a bad taste, but it was designed with the intention of making it easier for the lapidestatoa to take hold.

“Huh…… there isn’t the blade part?”

Mea asks, poking at the eyeballs on the handle with her fingertips in fear.

“Lapidestatoa has the property of creating its own stone statue body and possessing it. So it uses that property to generate a blade in response to the magic flowing through it.”

With this, since it’s only the handle, it’s easy to carry around.

To begin with, though, since it’s a spirit body and a lump of metal with high magic conduction, I can call it to my hand with relatively little magic power, even with teleportation magic.

“As long as the blade is out, it will follow our orders to float and automatically cut the opponent. It will also guard you, so if you need to be careful, just leave the blade out the whole time.”

The lump of metal that I gave to Rinoa this time is a metal made based on the fragments of parts from the Zeshum Ruins …… that was in that floating fortress, and after adjusting the spirit body, which is the remnants of the Lapidestatoa, I forcibly possessed it.

It was able to float in the air and move around freely by diverting the elven technology.

It will almost automatically attack and guard the enemy according to the corresponding movements controlled by the magic formula while it is loaded with magic power.

Zeshum is amazing, thank you Ebelheid-san.

“Thank you very much, Rinoa-san, shopkeeper.”

“Haha, I learned a lesson, too. I didn’t know there is this kind of material. If you ever want to do something different again, just give us a call!”

The shopkeeper smiled back at me with vigor, but the dark circles under his eyes looked terrible.

…… Next time, let’s not be too hasty.

After I finished thanking Rinoa and the owner of the blacksmith shop, I quickly put my magic power into the hilt of my sword.

Particles of light gathered at the end of the hilt, and in no time at all, a long blade took shape.

One of the strengths of this sword is that its shape can be changed as you wish.

It can be longer or sickle-shaped, and can be shaped as desired.

When I let go of it, the sword spun around in the air and tilted its blade at an angle in front of me, resting in a poised position.

Hmm, it’s a bit cheesy, but I’ll call it the Lapides Sword.

“To try it out, I’d like to cut something……”

I’m getting a little fidgety.

I wonder if there will be another Nalgarn or something.

“…… I’m glad to hear that the Commander liked it. I’ll start showing up at the Alchemy Division the day after tomorrow……”

Rinoa seems to be very tired.

She’s planning to rest tomorrow.

“I understand. I’m going to be teaching the afternoon session of Ortem carving, so……”

With that, I looked back towards the exit to leave the blacksmith shop, when the door was opened vigorously.

As I wondered what was going on, a pale-faced Euris appeared.

“Abel-dono! Lark-sama has asked me to call Abel-dono as soon as possible……”

“What happened this time!?”

“…… Huh? No, um, that’s not what I’m talking about……”

Euris looks puzzled for a change, as if her momentum has been thwarted.

It’s a good opportunity.

I want to conduct a performance test…… test slash of the Lapides Sword as soon as possible.

I hope it’s as big and sturdy as possible, and that it’s an opponent that looks worth cutting.