“No, wait, what the….”

The blacksmith looked at the sword I handed him and couldn’t hide his astonishment.

“…What on earth did you do to this sword to make it end up like this?”

Unable to hold back, he finally spoke.

Hmm, so this is what people mean by “cursing with their eyes.” It felt fresh since I’d only ever heard people curse out loud before.

“I’ve been slaying monsters, dealing with demons….”

“Hm, a mercenary, I see.”

“I’ve also been catching thieves, rats… Lately, I’ve been focusing on pest extermination?”

“…Pests? What exactly is your job?”

Faced with his bewildered question, I just shrugged my shoulders.

“Well, whatever you do with it isn’t my business.”

“You’re not angry?”

“What’s there to be angry about? A tool is made to be convenient for its user. If it served you well, then that’s enough for me.”

“Heh.”

His reaction was much calmer than I expected.

“Aren’t craftsmen usually full of pride in their work?”

“Of course, I have pride. I’d love for the greatest swordsman to use my sword. But what’s truly important to me is that the sword I made helps someone.”

“Oh, that’s pretty cool.”

*Clap, clap.*

“What’s so cool about that?”

As I clapped, the blacksmith quickly turned his head away. Through the strands of his hair, I could faintly see his ears turning red.

“You can use it however you want, but at least take care of it. Or bring it to me if it’s in bad shape. Wouldn’t it be tragic if your sword broke at a critical moment and you died?”

“If I die, I wouldn’t feel any regret… would I?”

“Maybe not you, but the people around you would.”

“Hm.”

People around me… I don’t have any of those.

Still, I understood what he meant, so I nodded in agreement.

“I’ll try to take better care of it.”

“Good. You seem to be quite skilled for someone so young. You should live a long life.”

“A skilled swordsman?”

I tilted my head at his comment. Sure, he could tell I was young from my voice, but why did he think I was skilled?

“If you weren’t skilled, the sword wouldn’t have lasted this long. It would’ve broken already.”

“Ah.”

“You must know how to wield a sword properly to avoid overburdening it. That’s a mark of a talented swordsman.”

Even though he acted indifferent, I could tell he cared about the sword. The way he said “talent” carried a hint of emotion.

“Can you fix it?”

I had enough money to buy a new sword, but I’d grown attached to this one.

“Can I fix it?”

The blacksmith let out a small laugh.

“Of course, I can fix it.”

“Oh, then—”

“I’ll melt it down, filter out the impurities, add more iron to fill in the gaps… and hammer it back into shape. It’s a simple process.”

“…That’s basically making a new sword, isn’t it?”

“You catch on quick.”

So, he can’t fix it.

I puffed up my cheeks in frustration.

“Forget it. I’ll just buy a new sword.”

“Pick whatever you like. I can dispose of the old one for you.”

“No, thanks.”

I shook my head and tucked the sword away again.

“I’ll use it until it’s completely broken.”

“As you wish.”

Since things had come this far, I might as well see how long it lasts. And when it finally breaks, I’ll tell my new sword, *“You’d better be as sturdy as your predecessor.”*

As I slowly browsed through the blacksmith's inventory, looking for my next companion, he spoke up.

“If I may be frank, that one is mediocre.”

“This one’s similar to your old sword, so you’ll get used to it quickly.”

“That one’s quite heavy; it might be a bit much for you… Ah, I didn’t mean to offend.”

The blacksmith folded his arms and watched as I selected a weapon. Whenever I paused to inspect a sword, he would chime in with a gruff explanation from behind.

It reminded me of my previous life, when enthusiastic shop clerks would stick to me, offering detailed explanations. I couldn’t even muster the courage to tell them I wanted to browse alone, which always left me flustered.

“Hm.”

But now, I didn’t find it as bothersome as I used to. Maybe I’ve changed.

“I’ll take this one.”

I picked up a sword that felt just right in my hand. The grip was comfortable, the balance was stable, and the blade was sharp. It was similar to my old sword, and overall, I was satisfied.

Plus, it seemed sturdier.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure, go ahead.”

“Wouldn’t it be better for someone of your skill to buy a more exceptional sword? You didn’t have to come to this humble smithy.”

“I’ve used plenty of so-called ‘legendary swords.’ I’m tired of them.”

“Hm, is that so?”

“And….”

Though he couldn’t see it, I tapped the sword lightly and grinned.

“I think any sword that’s endured this much abuse without breaking deserves to be called a ‘legendary sword.’”

“…Ha, ha! Well, thank you for that!”

“Take pride in your work. From where I’m standing, it’s well deserved.”

“And you seem to be a fine swordsman yourself. Ah, you’re quite the charmer for someone so young, but I’m afraid I can’t give you a discount.”

“Oh, too bad. Can I take back what I said earlier?”

“Not a chance.”

We exchanged banter as I paid for the sword. True to his word, he didn’t give me a discount.

It was pricier than I expected for a small village smithy, but considering the quality, it was actually a bargain. I had no complaints.

“Isn’t it hard to make a living selling swords at these prices?”

“I sell to the villagers at lower prices. Outsiders like you help cover the losses.”

“Wow, is that something you should say so openly?”

“Just kidding.”

The blacksmith chuckled heartily.

“The locals don’t usually buy weapons like these. Most of my work is sold to traders.”

“Ah, I see.”

That made sense. No wonder it seemed odd.

I hugged my new sword close.

Sorry, but for now, my old sword will stay on my belt. You’ll have to wait your turn.

After purchasing my new weapon, I was about to head back to Garid when I remembered something.

“By the way, has anything interesting happened lately?”

“The smithy? Not much, really.”

“No, I mean on the continent of Ardina.”

Even though he was skilled, I didn’t expect a blacksmith from a small village to know about the pests bothering me. That was something I’d have to visit the information guild for.

Still, I figured I might pick up a small clue. Maybe something like, *the emperor was assassinated* or *the empire has fallen*—though that last part was just my personal wish.

“Nothing out of the ordinary. The dimensional beasts and monsters are still rampaging, humans are fighting amongst themselves, elves are still hidden away in their forests, and dwarves are probably drinking their beer.”

“Business as usual, then.”

“The only unusual thing…”

The blacksmith stroked his coarse beard before slapping his hand down as if he’d remembered something important.

“Right, *Liberi*! I almost forgot.”

“Liberi? You mean the *Liberi* I know?”

“If the *Liberi* you know is the ‘Free Mercenary City of Liberi,’ then yes.”

“What about Liberi? They’re just money-hungry mercenaries willing to fight in any war if the price is right.”

“I understand why you’d dislike them, but….”

“Ah, sorry.”

I must’ve responded too sharply, as the blacksmith scratched his cheek awkwardly. After I quickly apologized, he waved it off.

“It’s fine. I feel the same way, so no need to apologize. Shall I continue?”

“Yeah, please.”

“Recently, Lord Edel brought people over from across the sea.”

“Across the sea? You mean from Laxia?”

“No, from the eastern sea.”

The east… There’s land over there? And Lord Edel brought people from there personally?

“In the process, Lord Edel bestowed blessings upon them, so they’re called the ‘Apostles of the Divine’ or ‘Divine Envoys.’”

“But what does that have to do with Liberi?”

“Because those Apostles are based in Liberi.”

“…Not in the Holy Kingdom of Sedes? If they’ve received blessings from Edel, wouldn’t they be part of the Edel Church?”

“I don’t know the details. They say they’ve received blessings but don’t follow the church. I assume it’s Edel’s will.”

“That’s convenient.”

Since the god Edel has physically manifested several times, the faith in Edel was absolute in this world. Even other deities or nature-worshipping races regarded their gods as subordinate to Edel.

“So, has Liberi’s influence grown because of these Apostles? Is that all?”

Even though having more people meant more power, could they really stand up to the empire of Lo Arca?

“It’s because of the blessing.”

“The blessing is that significant?”

“There are various effects, but the most impressive is probably this.”

The blacksmith nodded solemnly.

“The power of resurrection. Edel is the only one who holds the authority over life and death.”

“…!”

“They can’t die, and they can bring other Apostles back to

 life. Naturally, their influence has grown.”

Resurrection?

If such a thing was possible, then why—

My breath caught in my throat, and my head grew hot. Memories flashed through my mind, images coming and going in rapid succession. But what squeezed my heart the hardest was—

*Garid…*

I know I don’t deserve the blessing. Even if I were Edel, I wouldn’t grant blessings to someone who didn’t believe in me.

But Garid is different.

What makes the Apostles so special that they get the blessing, but someone like Garid doesn’t? Why is it okay for the people of Ardina who believe in you to die, but not the Apostles?

Why?

*Thud!*

“…Hey! Hey! Are you alright?”

“…Ah.”

My vision slowly cleared.

A heavy weight pressed down on my shoulders. The blacksmith had gripped my shoulders tightly, looking down at me with concern.

Only then did I realize I hadn’t been breathing.

“…I’m fine.”

“That’s a relief. You suddenly went silent and stopped breathing, so I panicked. Do you have some kind of illness?”

“An illness…? No, nothing like that.”

I shook my head.

“I was just… feeling a bit wronged.”

“Wronged?”

“Everyone wants to avoid death, right? So why do only they get special treatment?”

“Hmm.”

“Doesn’t it seem unfair to you?”

Half out of impulse, I poured out my thoughts. Maybe I just wanted to find someone else who hated Edel. Or maybe I just needed to vent my frustration to someone.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure why.

The blacksmith remained silent for a while, the only sound in the forge was the occasional rough scratching of his beard.

After what felt like a long time, he finally lowered his hand from his beard.

“I suppose it does seem a little unfair, but I don’t envy them.”

“…Why?”

“Because I don’t see the blessing as a blessing.”

He must have noticed my questioning gaze because he continued.

“Not all Apostles, but many, wield weapons and go into battle. Sometimes they fight monsters, sometimes dimensional beasts, and sometimes even other humans. Regardless of who they fight, they go from one battlefield to the next, over and over, regardless of the outcome.”

“….”

“I don’t want that life. Even if I resurrect, I’d still feel pain. I’d much rather live a life hammering metal than constantly fighting.”

“But not all Apostles fight, right? You could live a peaceful life with the blessing.”

“If that’s the case, then it’s no different from the life I’m living now, is it? Nothing to envy there.”

“…What if you were in a fatal accident?”

“Well, that would be unfortunate. But I think people are given power like that because they have a grave responsibility.”

“That’s a convenient way of thinking.”

“It’s a good way to think in this world. You should adopt it too.”

He let out a hearty laugh, breaking the serious atmosphere.

“I don’t know what kind of life you’ve lived, but I can guess a bit. If I’d lived like you, I might’ve thought the same way.”

“…So?”

“I’m just saying. I’m not trying to convince you. I was just sharing my thoughts, so don’t mind me.”

“You’re a fool.”

I snapped at him, and he laughed even louder.

It wasn’t that funny, so why was he laughing so much?

Since neither of us had any intention of convincing the other, I turned away with a pout.

“I’m leaving.”

“Take care. Try to treat the sword with care this time.”

Although I was annoyed, I’d gotten a lead.

Apostles who don’t die and the endless swarm of pests.

Even if the pests weren’t Apostles, their sudden appearance made me think they were connected in some way.

*Ding!*

As I opened the door, the clear sound of a bell tickled my ears.

Halfway out the door, I turned to look at the blacksmith.

“By the way.”

“Yes?”

“You said earlier that it’s your dream for the strongest swordsman to use your sword, right?”

“Well, isn’t that every craftsman’s dream? But why?”

“Maybe it’s time to find a new dream.”

“…Huh?”

Leaving the puzzled blacksmith behind, I closed the door.

The pests might return soon, so I should hurry back.

Hugging my sword close, I hurried up the mountain path.