Young Goro (1)
Even at this moment when everything was falling apart, my heart was beating.
Although I was born cold, my heart contains the hottest heat in the world.
Inside the red-hot heart, a huge lizard that seemed to be made of fire was looking down at Quijano.
“…This is the great blast furnace.”
The eternal breath that dwells within the great furnace.
Facing the eyes of the spirit that was hotter and purer than any other flame, Quijano took off the hood he was wearing.
The sound of the city collapsing was loud outside, but as I made eye contact with the old and gigantic being, it seemed as if time had stopped.
Kang-! Kyaang-!
Stone dust was falling from the ceiling and the hanging blacksmith equipment was creaking precariously due to the loud vibration that shook the ground.
However, the old dwarf’s hand as he struck down his life’s last work was only straight and precise.
“…Almost done.”
An old dwarf slamming a hammer down on an anvil with his teeth clenched.
He was throwing his entire body and hitting the red-hot metal to the point that even his posture was broken.
It may not be just an illusion that his face becomes dry every time he hits the hammer.
Kaaaaaa-!
“Master! “There is no time anymore!”
Amidst the constant sound of hammers, the roar of a dragon that was now getting closer could be heard.
Kihano, who sensed a threat approaching, called out to the old dwarf in an urgent voice, but he only cautiously finished the final quenching.
“okay. “This is what you looked like.”
From a meaningless chest to a sword with shape.
The old dwarf smiled with satisfaction as he looked at the sword, which had been polished to a smooth appearance, as if he had wanted to be born in this shape.
“…It’s done. “A young prosecutor.”
The highest point of the blacksmith shop, where only the best masters can climb.
The old dwarf standing there placed a silver sword in the molten metal flowing along the pipe.
It was too far away to tell it directly, and my old body didn’t have a single drop of energy left.
The slowly cooling molten iron began to carry the last piece of work created by the old dwarf.
“This is the final work of this forge!”
The forge was collapsing.
The stone dust that had fallen occasionally now began to collapse in the form of fragments.
“Master! “You need to come out quickly!”
“no!”
At Kihano’s shout, the old dwarf just shook his head.
The spiritual lizard that was living inside the furnace placed its snout on the dwarf who had completed his last mission, as if thanking him for his hard work.
“If you don’t mind, please name it like this. Quijano Frausen!”
From high to low along a vein made of iron.
The silver sword that took shape through the hands of an old dwarf stopped in front of Quihano along with the red molten metal.
“It’s called the ‘Silver Knight’ created by the last Goro.”
“……Fire manager!”
Kwakagagagang-!
With the old dwarf’s last words, a huge shadow appeared from the collapsing ceiling.
However, the old dwarf was only smiling as if he was satisfied until the last moment of his life.
“……All right.”
Cold, blue eyes that pierced through the ceiling.
Quihano met the most perfect dragon’s gaze and raised his eyes fiercely.
“The silver knight you sent me. “I definitely received it.”
In the crackling furnace, the last breath of the divine spirit began to spread.
Feeling the fleeting breath, Quihano picked up the silver article.
The molten iron that started in the blast furnace had cooled down, but it felt like I could still feel the bright red heartbeat of the silver knight I was holding.
※※※※
“Hmmmm….”
On the deck where the sailors are busy moving around.
Vlad, who was sitting in a corner so as not to disturb them, was examining his sword with one eye squinted.
“…No matter when I see this guy, I don’t know if it’s polished or not.”
Although it was his precious sword, Vlad’s expression showed a slight dissatisfaction.
This is because I did not like the balance of the blade, which had become slightly distorted due to the battle so far.
[This is something that cannot be helped. It’s something that can’t be corrected with just a whetstone.]
“For something like that, it’s strangely soft.”
[That’s something that can’t be helped. Because it wasn’t completed.]
Vlad let out a small sigh at Quihano’s words that there was nothing he could do.
As he said, Vlad’s current sword was an unfinished sword that had not yet reached completion.
‘Grandpa said… he sharpened the blade but didn’t temper it properly… I’m sorry.’
In Vlad’s memory, he remembered the young priestess who had an apologetic expression on her face as she handed over the sword she had worked so hard to create.
She said that this happened because she was immature, but that was probably unavoidable.
“It’s fog! “The fog is coming!”
[It seems we have arrived.]
Vlad got up from his seat at the sound of the watchman shouting and was able to see the cloud approaching from far out on the sea.
Indeed, just as the watchman had said, a hazy fog was approaching from the distant sea.
“It’s as white as some kind of mist poured over milk.”
Looking at the fog over the sea, Vlad holstered his sword and hurriedly stood close to the railing.
This is because Otar’s voice as he scolded the sailors on deck was unusual.
“Fold all sails! From now on, it’s the reef area!”
“Those of you who don’t have a mission, stick to the railing from now on and observe! If you see anything, shout right away!”
The waves were calm, but Otar’s voice from the middle of the deck was as loud as thunder.
Even Vlad was momentarily surprised that Otar, who was usually quiet, had such a loud voice.
“We’re entering! “Everyone, take your seats!”
With the loud sound of Haven’s rudder turning, the Zemina was swallowed up by the fog.
Then what you see is a fog that is thicker than expected.
Feeling as if not only his vision but also the sounds he could hear were blacked out, Vlad turned his head back and forth as if curious.
“Joseph, did you come to check on us too?”
“no.”
The fog was so thick that it seemed as if Josef had suddenly popped out.
He walked indifferently and now leaned his arms on the railing, looking out at the sea where nothing was visible.
“But you seem to be in good condition these days. Fortunately, the.”
“okay?”
Maybe it was because of the white fog, but Josef’s normally dark eye shadow was not visible.
Vlad was smiling at the sight of Josef, who had become much healthier these days, but he frowned when he heard the sound that followed.
Wow-
“……Hmm.”
A very explicit sound was heard from Josef, who lowered his head.
In a sight that seemed like he had seen it before somewhere, Vlad just stood at a distance and rubbed Josef’s back.
‘I guess my vulnerability to motion sickness is hereditary.’
Vlad scratched his head sheepishly as he thought about the two brothers, who had different impressions but eventually found similarities.
I felt a bit awkward thinking that perhaps I, too, might have something in common like these people.
“Vlad. “I think we’ve reached the point marked on the map.”
“okay. great job.”
Vlad nodded as he looked at Haven coming down from the helm seat.
Although it was a rough place that most captains would shy away from, and although it was his first time on this journey, Haven eventually succeeded in taking the group safely to their destination.
“What should I do now? “Is it okay to blow this?”
“They say so.”
“Then you have to blow quickly. “Even though we anchored, I’m very uneasy because there are reefs nearby.”
It was a conch trumpet that might be the highlight of this trip.
And if it were to blow it, it would have been right for Josef, the leader of the group, to do it, but right now he was just clinging to the railing and pouring out his anger.
“…Just do it yourself.”
“I guess so, right?”
With the sound of vomiting still audible, Haven quickly handed the conch trumpet to Vlad.
It was impossible to have a trumpet that seemed precious give off a strange smell for no reason.
“Hmm.”
Vlad accepted the conch trumpet from Haven with an awkward hand gesture.
Although it was only a trumpet that sent signals, it was also my first time holding an instrument.
“In this small hole…”
“Oh, that’s right.”
Vlad put his eyes into the trumpet’s pores and turned towards the sea where he could see nothing.
The sailors, who knew that the only thing they could trust in the gray sea where it was difficult to even determine direction was the trumpet he was holding, began to focus on his actions.
Beep-
“What are you doing now?”
“……damn. “I guess it’s my first time.”
The sound of Josef vomiting next to me.
In front, Haven’s pitiful eyes.
Embarrassed by the feeble whistling sound he had made, Vlad took a deep breath, feeling relieved.
Puuuuuu-
“That’s it!”
“oh.”
A sound that was both exciting and refreshing to anyone who heard it began to spread beyond the sea.
I don’t know if it was my mood, but it felt like the trumpet sound I had just made was echoing through the fog.
“It burned, but what do we do now?”
“……I know.”
However, after blowing the trumpet, all you can feel is the silence conveyed by the gentle waves.
Josef, who was wiping his mouth under the gaze of Haven and Vlad, just shrugged his shoulders.
“I have to keep blowing. Until you come.”
“…….”
How long does it mean to keep blowing it?
Looking at Josef, who was leaning against the railing with a helpless look on his face, Vlad put his mouth to the conch horn once again.
“huh?”
However, just as he was about to blow the trumpet, Vlad was able to spot a long stick floating on the sea.
I don’t know why, but Vlad noticed a strange gaze and hurriedly grabbed Haven’s shoulder.
“Haven what is that? “Is that a sea creature too?”
“huh? where?”
Haven tilted his head, looking in the direction Vlad pointed.
However, where Haven looked, there was only a calm sea.
The long stick that Vlad had just seen was not even visible.
“What are you talking about?”
“I just got in.”
“what?”
“…Something just happened.”
Seeing Vlad with a frozen expression on his face as if he had seen a ghost, Haven swallowed his saliva without realizing it.
Because I knew very well that Vlad never exaggerates nonsense.
“There is something.”
Vlad, looking at the sea with narrowed eyes, was able to spot bubbles bubbling up from below.
It was a strange sign that did not suit the previously calm sea.
“…Nibelun. “Do you feel anything?”
“What do you mean?”
“That mysterious thing you’re talking about. “It’s something that’s hard to explain in words.”
Nibelun perked up his ears at Vlad’s sudden question.
A world of mystery pursued by the instinct of curiosity.
However, Nibelun could not find any sign of this anywhere in the wide sea.
“well. “There is no real mystery other than the sudden fog.”
“okay?”
After hearing Nibelun’s answer, Vlad slowly drew his sword.
The group around them began to panic as they watched him move cautiously, fearing that someone would notice.
“…Then I guess he’s someone I can deal with.”
The bubbles that had been rising on the calm surface of the water were now clearly visible.
So much so that even the sailors watching the surroundings from the railing could recognize it.
Xayar, noticing Vlad’s gaze, stroked his eye patch and pulled out his sword.
“everyone……!”
The Gemina was rocking.
Like when you hit a storm.
As the sea surface became increasingly rough, even the sailors had no choice but to notice that there was something beneath the surface.
“Go to your respective positions!”
Fuaaaaaaaaaa!
With Haven’s shout, the ship began to roll loudly.
It was due to waves created by an unknown entity that jumped out from right next to the ship.
“A coffin popped out of the sea!”
“It’s a coffin from hell! “They’re going to catch us there!”
The calm sea began to become noisy along with the screams of the sailors.
Some superstitious sailors even fell down on the deck and prayed for their lives.
“…What the hell is this?”
[This is my first time seeing him too.]
Sailors who have been wandering the seas their whole lives are unfamiliar with him, and even wizards who deal with mysteries have not noticed him.
And as he looked at the strange guy whose identity even the experienced Quihano didn’t know, Vlad gripped his sword tightly.
The creature that finally rose to the surface had the strange stick-shaped antennae we saw earlier on its forehead.
※※※※
“This guy, this guy. “Why are you so excited today?”
The old dwarf’s smile spread between his long eyebrows.
That’s because the young lizard swimming on the red-hot molten iron was moving actively today.
“Why am I in such a good mood? Is it because the customer I was waiting for has arrived?”
The lizard that was swimming inside the old blast furnace kept nodding its head as if it understood what the manager was saying.
Puuuuu –
A young lizard that spits out a fountain of red molten metal from its small mouth as if it is happy.
It was a strange and absurd sight, but the old field manager just kept nodding his head as if he was watching his grandson’s tricks.
An old dwarf straightening his bent back at the young lizard’s antics.
He lifted his head high and looked out into the distant sea through the window.
“Anyway, do you think they are doing a good job guiding guests?”
An old man who is the only craftsman that Nidavellir possesses in the current era.
His frowning eyes were filled with white fog filling the island.
It was such a fog that it seemed like no one could easily escape without a guide.
