The Spearmaster and the Black Cat

“However, to carry such a heavy carapace…you have incredible strength.”

Receptionist-san said so too.

“Yeah,”

I answer safely.

Quiche is guiding me to the Dwarf shop while being amazed by my herculean strength.

Anyhow, we are passing many side roads and Small alleys.

While we walk I memorize the way and houses.

Before long, the blacksmith district comes into view.

A new long sword and spear shaft are leaning against a rack.

A mannequin is set up with steel armor attached.

This store probably serves as both a blacksmith and a shop.

A full-scale black smith is next door.

A worker with a strong physique is stepping on a bellows, dripping with sweat as he works.

The heat is so strong that it is making us feel hot.

Of course, there is an anvil near the furnace too. With a human and dwarf craftsmen wielding a hammer, the ringing sound of beaten steel sounds out.

Rather than a smith, on the other side a brick making workshop spreads out.

With approximately five buildings lined up, multiple workers are using straw, water, and clay to make bricks from scratch. There are also dried bricks to be collected in the area.

This area has various craftsman including blacksmiths.

Quiche stops in front of a shop before a corner on the street.

“Here is Zaga-san’s workshop. You can see the quality of the equipment of【Zaga and Bon’s Blacksmith Workshop】. They are considerably famous blacksmiths in this area.”

The beautiful Quiche directs her green eyes to the workshop, and as she talks a dwarf appears from within the workshop she is explaining.

The dwarf has a /kappa/ head. (TL:Kappa)

He has a smile on his perfectly round face.

The smiling dwarf runs up to us.

“Enchanting? Enchanting?”

“Eh? Enchanting?” Unintentionally, I parrot him.

“Enchanting.”

“Nya?”

Rollo reacts to the strange dwarf from my shoulder.

“Enchanting?”

“Nya nya, Nyyaaa” ƒ𝔯𝗲𝗲𝙬𝒆𝚋𝐧oѵℯl.𝒄𝑜m

Rollo gets hops down from my shoulder and approaches this strange Dwarf seeming to be curious, while crying out.

“Enchan, Enchantiiing.”

“Nn, Nyanya, Nyaa.”

The kappa headed dwarf calls out enchanting repeatedly to Rollo.

A strange conversation is started with Rollo.

I turn to Quiche to ask for help, but she is turning her beautiful and peaceful feminine smile to the kappa dwarf.

“Bon-kun. We don’t need to worry about enchanting, so would you go get Zaga-san?”

The kappa headed dwarf seems to be named Bon.

Probably because of the poncho he is wearing covers him completely from head to toe he looks even more round.

“Enchanting.”

Bon-kun leaves with the strange word “enchanting” and runs back to the shop.

“Eeeto, Bon-kun is…”

“Aah, that child can only say the word enchanting. You should hear the specifics from Zaga.”

Is there a disability like autism? (TL: What he has is actually calledaphasia.)

Meanwhile, the kappa headed Bon-kun returns. They brought with them a stern faced dwarf who seems to be the store owner.

The Dwarf shopkeeper has a height like that of a dwarf. (TL: Thanks for tell us he is normal.)

He has shaggy brown hair, and he has an excellent mustache that grows into his sideburns. [ED: WHERE IS MY BEARD?!]

The is a large wrinkle in the outer corner of his eye that connects to his plump cheeks.

His eyes convey a peculiar sternness.

His eyes are blue like Bon-kun’s…

Unlike Bon, the ruddy bridge of his nose is thick and his nostrils are large.

It could be said it was contrasting since their clothes and hair styles are so different.

“Oh, it’s Quiche.”

“Yeah, Zaga. I brought a customer to introduce with me today.”

As I though, this hard-faced looking dwarf-san has the same name as the shop, Zaga-san.

A tunic is wrapped around his stern shoulders. He also wears a leather belt spotted with silver that is wound around his waist and smithing tools like hammers hang from the belt.

He gives of the aura of a craftsman.

Having been introduce by Quiche, I bow slightly to Zaga.

“…Thanks, I am called Shuya Kagari. I was told you could work with this carapace, so I requested Quiche to guide me here.”

I show the dwarf Zaga-san to carapace.

“Hou. This is the complete carapace of an officer. You’re able to carry it despite its weight? You look like a human, but do you actually have dwarf blood?” 𝑓𝐫𝑒e𝒘𝚎𝘣𝚗𝘰𝘷𝐞𝑙.co𝑚

Joking? But Zaga-san has a straight face.

So, I will also respond with a straight face.

“No, no, nothing like that. So, will you process it?”

“Fun, I’m joking, let’s have a look. …This carapace is famous for being a hard material. Using it is difficult, it is impossible for a common black smith.”

A joke. Zaga easily lifts the carapace with a brawny arm.

He begins to look over it, staring.

He traces a thick finger across the carapace to determine the quality of the material, and taps the surface with a *kon-kon*

“Enachantiinngg.”

Bon exclaims.

Since he is smiling he seems to be pleased.

“Kora, Bon. Don’t shout so close to me, I need to look over this more, it’s still not your turn with it.”

“Enchanting…”

Being chastised by Zaga, Bon looks down.

Muttering weakly. He then shrinks back to his round form.

Bon-kun seems disappointed and looks to be even smaller because he is hunched over.

Thereupon, Zaga seems to notice the curios gaze I am directing at Bon…

“…Most people normally react the same way when they see this the first time. Do you think it strange?”

Zaga talks about Bon with a calming voice as he looks at him with tender eyes.

“Ya.”

I nod naturally.

“Bon is my younger brother by a year. He has been reticent since he was young, never speaking at all. He is my strange little brother. Our relatives worried about my younger brother and tried to cure him… They had a lot of money taken to the church priests as medical fees, but it was pointless in the end. Neither recovery magic nor potions worked. Thus, our father and mother also thought Bon was too weird and the poor child was chastised by the entire clan…”

Zaga then looks at Bon proudly.

“As a matter of fact, it was not so. Bon is amazing.”

“Amazing?”

I look a Bon-kun.

He does not seem so amazing…

“Aah, amazing. His smithing ability still has a way to go, but he is a magic enchanting specialist far beyond myself. Nobody actually knows Bon’s battle occupation; however, it can be conjectured.”

There are magic enchanting specialists too?

The person himself does not seem to understand.

However, Bon is amazing,

“He is better than Zaga-san?”

“Aah, as soon as I gave him a blacksmithing magic scroll loaded with a familiar stone, he leaned his body forward and showed an interest in magic. …I am an enchanter. If it’s explained- he suddenly began to exclaim ‘enchanting.’ Since then this ‘odd fellow’ has continued repeatedly calling that word. At first he was looked down on…then, one day, although I don’t know how, Bon was playing with the magic jewel but there was no scroll there. Using his own mana to grant an enchantment, he created amazing magic jewels.”

Enchanting.

“…Magic enchanting. He is a sage enchanting engineer beyond to scale of a ‘magic engineer’ or a ‘magic goldsmith.’ He is a so called enchanting prodigy. So, since then, I have left the enchanting to Bon, and we have worked together in the shop.”

“Enchanting!”

Bon-kuns mood immediately recovers.

He is smiling, seeming to enjoy being praised by Zaga.

…He looks at happy Bon-kun again.

The long eyelashes of his large blue eyes have a hint of gray.

With the plump frame, unique to a dwarf, I am reminded of a cute /bear-san/ doll by the rotund face.

However, he possesses an amazing talent. The bear cub’s gift is some concealed magic.

“Enchanting.”

Noticing my gaze, Bon-kun extends his arms out in a two-fisted victory pose. I return a smile.

Disregarding that, Zaga begins to talk.

“We talked for a while, so, what do you want to be made from this?”

“Yes. Some personal armor. If possible, it should be easy to move in.”

“Personal armor…maa. Rather than talking in front of the shop, you should come inside. Bon too.”

Zaga places the heavy carapace over the tunic on his shoulder and begins to walk.

“Enchant.”

“May I come too?”

Quiche asks me from the side.

“Aah, I don’t mind. Quiche is the one who showed me the way.”

The dwarf Zaga goes into the shop with the heavy carapace over his shoulder.

Bon follows behind Zaga and Quiche follows me as well.

Inside the dwarf’s shop there is a large desk, furnace, bellows and an anvil.

It reminds me of Achille-shisho’s workshop.

As I look at the workshop, Zaga places the armored commander ant’s carapace on top of the wide oak desk and removes a black cloth.

He removes a quill pen from his chest and holds it in one hand.

He seems to be taking notes on the cloth.

“You, can I call you Shuya?”

“I don’t mind.”

He writes on the cloth by scratching with the quill pen.

“Fumu. Is there any order other for the complete set of armor?”

Zaga causes me to remember the mark on my left hand.

“Ah, if possible…please leave an empty space on this part of the left hand. And then, the forearm on the right side- I don’t need any small accessories up to the wrist.”

I explain with gestures.

“…Wrist section. With the portion of the right hand…maa, this upper right part of the arm seems to fit the forearm? Since you want it to be mobile, is it okay if the defense is reduced?”

Zaga draws a rough picture and puts the sketch down.

The drawing is surprisingly good; he could even pass for an artist.

“Ya, I don’t mind it being the bare minimum. I would like the soft joint section to have a wide range of motion. At any rate, my wish is for it to be mobile. Later, is should be fine even if it is heavy. I am confident in my physical ability. I will be happy if it is like the partial sleeves of this black leather jacket.”

“Fumu-fumu. I’ll take your measurements.”

Zaga brings out a small chair for me to stand on as he measures my body and takes notes.

“Zaga-san. Would you buy the left-over materials of the carapace?”

I ask while I am being measured.

“Nu? Zaga does not mind.”

“Yes, I will make an effort.” (TL: Not sure who’s talk in this exchange, it’s weird.)[ED: I think Zaga is talking twice]

Zaga’s face looks tense with all its wrinkles, so I am very conscious and I’m sure to use honorifics.

“…The carapace can be bought.”

“In that case, I will give you all of the carapace aside from what is used for the armor.”

“Oh, you’re generous. This is good. Honestly, I am grateful. I’ll give you a discount on the armor. Ah, iya, wait…that’s right. Instead of a discount, I include other metals and leathers to create a better armor, how’s that?”

Hearing Zaga’s words, I remember the blue and white tiger hide.

“That’s good. If that’s the case…can you use this tiger leather?”

I take out the bluish-white fur.

“Oh, galbaunt tiger. Its use is very popular because of that hue.”

“Then, since I am giving this to you, consider it in the price of the armor.”

I hand Zaga the pelt.

“Ooh, you’re generous. -This is good for Bon. Your turns seem to be increasing.”

Zaga shows the fur I handed him and gave it to Bon.

“Encha? Enchantiing.”

Bon looks happy.

Zaga’s face become gentle when he sees Bon’s smile.

I have a frightening impression of Zaga because of his severe expression, but he loves his younger brother.

Zaga returns his eyes to me.

His expression has returned to being stern.

“Six gold coins will be enough for the price. How is seven days until it is completed sound?”

I have no understand of the market price, but I can trust this Zaga.

It is strange, but I feel like this in not my first time meeting him.

This guy and I may have an uncanny relationship.

“…Understood. Then, I will be relying on you.”

Zaga has already begun meddling with the carapace.

He is absorbed in the material and just says “Ou” to me without looking.

A craftsman’s eye. Earnest.

“Nyaa.”

“Enchanting.”

Rollo says goodbye to Bon-kun.

With a smile covering his whole face, Bon-kun begins a strange conversation with Rollo.

If we keep making noise here we will probably interfere with the work.

We should leave.

“Let’s go, Rollo. Will Bon and Quiche go too?”

Called by me, Rollo jumps onto my shoulder.

“Understood.”

Quiche has been quiet this whole time.

“Enchantiiinng.”

Bon puts on a lonely face and shakes his hands side to side.

I think it is mostly for Rollo, but he is seeing us off.

Quiche and I leave the shop of the dwarf brothers and walk into the street.

“Quiche, thanks for introducing me to this shop.”

“Aah, I’m glad I could be of use.”

I walk next to the beautiful elf, Quiche. Her smiling face is beautiful.

Despite that, her disposition is handsome.

“…Very useful.”

I briefly give her my thanks.

“Is that so?”

Quiche’s expression hints at happiness, before returning to an attentive appearance.

“Nn, nya.”

“See, Rollo is replying adequately too.”

Rollo cries out with her rumbling throat voice.

She moves her tail flutteringly as she earnestly sends a signal to Quiche.

“Haha, this cat is clever. Rollo-dono participated amazingly that time.”

“Nyao.”

Rollo seems happy about Quiche’s praises, ahem. She raises her face and arches her back to display her fluffy neck, lifts one leg to show a paw pad and lightly claps my shoulder.

As we walk while having such a pleasant conversation I sense a magic essence following behind us at fixed distance.

Are we being followed?