Book 1 Chapter 659
659.
Gerwin, the principal of Demian, was sipping tea.
In front of him, a beast-man and a dwarf sat, convers conversing.
Knock-knock-
After a moment, the door opened with a small knock.
A professor from Demian opened the door, entered, and greeted Gerwin.
“Principal. The people from Lumerin have arrived.”
“Tell them to come in.”
At Gerwin's words, as he set down his teacup, the door opened and seven people arrived.
A small woman leading the group greeted him.
“Hello, Lord Gerwin. I am Artian Nier, a professor from Lumerin’s Department of Summoning.”
“Welcome, Professor Artian.”
Gerwin rose from his seat, laughing heartily, and warmly welcomed Artian.
After exchanging greetings, Gerwin's gaze naturally turned to those behind Artian.
“Welcome. Leo Plov. And…”
Gerwin’s gaze lingered on Kyle.
“The one who prepares for the beginning.”
“Lord Gerwin.”
“Why do you call me, the one who prepares for the beginning?”
Seeing Kyle ask cautiously, Artian smiled faintly.
“Heroes are beings to be respected. The epithet recorded in the Hero Record is literally a symbol of a hero. As such, it is polite to call them by the name recorded in the Hero Record in official settings. In Leo's case, unfortunately, he doesn't have an epithet, so he was called by his name.”
“You didn't even know that?”
When Iliana spoke as if he were pathetic, Kyle clicked his tongue.
“When would I ever have a chance to meet a hero in an official setting?”
“Haha. Indeed, everyone feels awkward at first. But they'll get used to it gradually.”
“Grandpa, Ar doesn't seem awkward at all, though?”
When Driana, who had been watching the situation, interjected, Ar crossed her arms and perked up her tail.
“Hee hee hee! A student of Azonia is always prepared! And the one who inherits the will of the Brave! What a wonderful resonance!”
Ar marveled, repeating her own epithet.
“Doesn’t this epithet really suit me?!”
“I sometimes envy your endless confidence.”
Becoming the successor of someone who has accomplished a great feat is usually very burdensome.
No matter what one does, one's predecessor naturally becomes the standard for comparison.
Furthermore, Ar is the successor of none other than the Great Hero, the Brave Arion.
Even in Driana's case, although she hasn't been officially recognized as Dweno's successor like Ar, she felt a great deal of pressure.
Of course, she wasn't crushed by that pressure, but she often felt Ar was amazing when she saw her so full of confidence.
“Is her mental strength just incredible?”
“Driana, is your mental strength weak? Watch and learn from your big sister here.”
Ahahaha! Seeing Ar pat her head and laugh, Driana muttered seriously.
“Hmm. Is she just thoughtless because she’s a beast?”
“What?!”
Ar's eyes shot up, but Driana didn't pay her any mind.
“Even the Black Rabbit is Kyle-nim’s successor, but he’s not intimidated at all! So your mental strength is weak!”
Ar pointed at Leo and said.
At those words, Kyle and Chelsea muttered to themselves.
‘Of course, Leo Oppa is—’
‘—Kyle himself.’
“It’s good to have such a lively atmosphere.”
Gerwin laughed heartily and offered seats to the Lumerin students.
Leo and his group sat together on the sofa where Ar and Driana were already sitting.
And seeing the object in the middle of the table, they paused.
“This is… isn't this Brave?”
Duran, recognizing the broken sword, exclaimed in admiration.
Gerwin nodded in response.
“Yes, it's the sword inherited by the one who inherits the will of the Brave from Lord Arion.”
Gerwin spoke with a slightly serious expression.
At Gerwin’s reaction, Leo, who had examined the sword closely, said.
“It’s breaking down.”
At his words, Ar’s ears drooped.
“That’s right, Black Rabbit.”
The current state of Brave was immediately after the battle with Erebus.
It was in the state it was in right before Arion passed away.
Since Arion had returned to the present world just before his death, it was unavoidable.
Even after receiving the sword, Ar used Brave in several battles.
A sword whose lifespan was already over.
Therefore, even though it was one of Dweno's masterpieces, it was unavoidable that it would gradually break down.
“We were discussing if this sword could be repaired.”
Gerwin is the one who boasts the greatest ability among existing artifact artisans.
As such, Ar had asked Gerwin to repair Brave.
To cut to the chase…
“It’s impossible.”
“That’s right.”
Gerwin sighed deeply.
“Restoring a weapon requires the exact same materials used to make that artifact. Most of the artifacts made by Lord Dweno contain metals specially manufactured by Lord Dweno. Repair is impossible unless that metal is created. Even if it were repaired, it would only resemble the original. It couldn’t be called Brave.”
Eliza said, looking at Gerwin, who had a regretful expression.
“Kyle, isn’t there a metal alchemy method for artifacts in Lord Dweno’s alchemy book that you inherited?”
At her words, everyone’s expectant gazes instantly turned to Kyle.
“Come to think of it, I was going to inquire about that myself. The one who prepares for the beginning.”
Gerwin's eyes sparkled.
“Student Kyle. Does Lord Dweno’s alchemy book perhaps contain metal manufacturing techniques?”
Artian also asked with an expectant voice.
“Unfortunately, the only metals recorded in Lord Dweno’s alchemy book were those needed for making statues.”
“Metals needed for statues, you say…”
“Then it wouldn't be it.”
“That's right. The metals used for statues and those used for artifacts would be different.”
Gerwin and Artian wore disappointed expressions.
“…What metal did you say?”
But Driana's eyes lit up.
“The metal used as material for statues.”
“That might be it!”
Driana said in an excited voice.
“You! Don’t you remember what kind of person Lord Dweno was before he was a blacksmith?!”
“Unlike you, he was a great artist.”
“Unlike me! I, too, am clearly a great art—…”
“That’s not it.”
“Don’t blaspheme art.”
Kyle and Ar simultaneously cut off Driana’s words.
At that, Driana pouted her lips.
“It certainly is a possibility, though…”
Kyle crossed his arms and subtly glanced at Leo.
Meeting Kyle’s gaze, Leo nodded slightly.
‘Gah! Is this for real?!’
If so, it was truly something tremendous.
‘Why are you only telling me this now?’
Kyle, who had a horrified expression, soon recalled something and understood.
‘If this fact becomes known to the world, it would be dangerous.’
It was just as Kyle thought.
Leo had looked at Dweno’s alchemy book and realized that the metal in question was the metal Dweno used in artifact production.
The reason he hadn't told Kyle even then was because Kyle could be in danger.
‘Because it’s the foundation of none other than Dweno’s artifact manufacturing method.’
Dweno’s artifacts, called divine artifacts.
Of course, even if one were to make artifacts with that metal, there was no way one could make artifacts like Dweno's.
However, one could still make artifacts more powerful than those currently produced.
‘Moreover, the forces that would target Kyle wouldn't just be those who desire powerful artifacts.’
If they merely tried to kidnap Kyle.
There would also be those who would try to kill Kyle outright.
‘Tartarus.’
It was Dweno’s artifact, of all people.
From Tartarus’s perspective, it was the artifact manufacturing technology that killed a god.
They would undoubtedly try to kill Kyle by any means necessary.
Gerwin also seemed to have realized this, as he wore a serious expression.
“Everyone is to keep this matter secret for the time being.”
At his words, those in the principal’s office nodded.
“So? Since you have the manufacturing method, can you make it?”
At Gerwin’s question, Kyle scratched his cheek.
“Actually, making it isn't easy either.”
“Why?”
“What’s needed to make the metal is Lord Dweno’s flame.”
“Then Leo has that, doesn’t he?”
Driana’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Leo.
To that, Leo said.
“My body probably can’t handle Dweno’s flame.”
While he could emit the same firepower as when Dweno wielded his hammer, he couldn’t withstand that firepower.
“Crucially, I have no talent for hammering.”
Having said that, Leo looked at Driana.
“…? Why are you looking at me?”
“Do you want to try handling Dweno’s flame once?”
“What? Is that possible?!”
Driana’s eyes widened.
“I think I could act as a furnace. Of course, withstanding and handling that flame would entirely be your role, though.”
“I’ll do it! It would be a great honor as a dwarf!”
“So you'll do it?”
“Of course!”
“Good. Then we can start training today.”
“Yep! Sounds good!”
Driana said with a bright smile.
She was so happy that she even forgot to mimic Dweno’s speech pattern and used her original way of speaking.
“Alright, then let’s conclude the discussion about Brave’s restoration here. How about we take a short break and then talk about the mission?”
“Ah, in that case, Student Kyle and I will return to the students.”
Artian and Kyle, who had visited the principal’s office to report their arrival at Demian, no longer had a reason to be there.
“Haha. Have a cup of tea before you go.”
“Ah, then I will have a cup of tea before I leave.”
Artian nodded at Gerwin’s words.
And so, a short tea time began.
“Hey, Leo.”
“What.”
“You’re getting better at scamming, aren’t you?”
Leo chuckled at Kyle’s words.
“I'm still a long way from catching up to that scammer lizard.”
‘Just how good at scamming is Lord Licinas that Leo says something like this?’
Thinking to himself, Kyle looked at Driana with a pitiful expression.
“By the way, the second-year students went somewhere else on a warp gate as soon as they arrived at Demian, didn’t they? Where did they go?”
Chelsea asked with a puzzled expression.
As Chelsea had done the Smith contract at Demian Academy last year, she was curious about the whereabouts of the second-year students who had moved elsewhere immediately upon arrival.
“That?”
Kyle sipped his tea and smiled faintly.
“I sent them to the mine.”
“Huh? The mine.”
“Yep.”
***
“No!”
Thud-!
“Why! On earth!”
Thud! Thud!
“Am I! A wizard! Doing this!”
Thud! Thud! Thud!
“Pickaxing in a mine?!”
Thud-!
“Ooooh! Amazing!”
“Is she really a wizard?”
“Such ignorance!”
“Who was that kid just now! The one who said I’m ignorant! I’ll split your head with this pickaxe!”
Juen glared and wildly swung her pickaxe at the Demian students.
Looking at Juen, Luke said.
“It can’t be helped, Juen. It says you have to procure the materials for the artifacts to be used in this exclusive Smith contract yourself.”
“Even so, still!”
Thud-! Thud-! Thud-!
“Look at Aina!”
“She’s double pickaxing!”
“I can’t lose.”
“Hmph! Even Habidden!”
“Knights’ Department… You guys are having a blast, aren’t you?”
Juen wore an exasperated expression.
“Juen. Don’t play around, work.”
“No! Princess, why are you so excited and working so hard?!”
“I’m realizing the nobility of labor. I think it’s a very important study to experience the lives of the people I will rule!”
“No! Doesn’t it occur to you why we have to do this kind of manual labor?”
“…? Not particularly.”
Juen wore a serious expression looking at Shasha, who tilted her head.
‘…Am I the strange one?’