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Chapter 142: Delivery Accomplished
「I made yours plain and simple as agreed on, Retze. 」
「Really? 」
「Really, really. 」
His sword is a thick-walled machete. It has a dark gray blade, while the back part is tawny brown, almost black, setting off the deep green vine pattern — which is also almost black — nicely. Well, I don’t remember engraving that design!
「Oh, it’s plain… Eh, wait a sec. Aren’t Dinosso and Noth drawing back? 」
Retze’s tone changed when he took the sword.
Those two can see spirits, so does that mean they are also sensitive to things that are possessed? Dunno, not really sure ‘bout that.
「This blade here is a sword that will be activated by sucking up your opponent’s mana if you wish for it. You can wield it even if you’re not a mana user yourself. 」
「Can I ask if being ‘activated’ is a good thing? Am I gonna be fine if I touch this? 」
「Yes, rest assured that it is alright, it is not harmful to the body in any way. 」
It’ll just release tentacles, much like those pervert villains. Oh, and it also comes with [Paralysis] and [Energy Drain].
「You, you get all respectful every time you’re guilty! 」
「Don’t point it at me! Argh, point it to a female knight or lady you fancy, will you! 」
「Just what the heck did you put in here, huh!? Spit it out!! 」
Some people find it romantic, you know. Well, probably. Ack, don’t point it at me, I said!
「Ack, hey! Don’t drag me into this! Don’t use me as your shield! 」
I hid behind Dinosso and pushed him out. The sword is pointed at him, so he whipped out his golden shield. Goodluck, Gold-rank!!
「Hoho, let’s have another cup of coffee. 」
Butler put the coffee in the siphon while the three of us were making ruckus. He’s really pointlessly elegant.
「I already said it’s fine, it’s just a little vine that stretches out and sucks the life out of your target. 」
It’s not something slippery, I tell you, it’s just a vine, so it’s safe. I was just kidding about the tentacles.
「Plus, if you get along well, it will return some of the energy it sucked. 」
「Just what the heck do you mean by ‘get along’, huh!? 」
Retze yelled, and a thin tendril stretched out of the sword. The leaf touched his hand.
「ck…!? 」
「Please don’t forget to give it sunlight from time to time, okay. Please water it too. 」
I taught the stupefied Retze how to take care of his blade.
「So its maintenance isn’t like those ordinary swords, huh. Well, good luck with that. 」
「Based on what has been said so far, I believe that it will come in handy for the hindrance of your enemies. 」
Dinosso casually threw that jab with a disgusted expression, while Butler also commented with the usual smile.
「Last one will be Ash’s sword. Here it is. 」
It’s a bluish double-edged broadsword.
Well, I did say broadsword, but it’s not like Dinosso and Dean’s thick and heavy ones that packed quite a punch; it’s shapely and long. The guys’ swords can cut, but Ash’s sword is the type that can sever completely.
The blade is constantly covered in a thin sheet of water, and if you pour mana into the sword while swinging it, that sheet of water will turn into a sharp blade blown by wind.
「What a beautiful and pure sword it is. 」
Butler looked satisfied as he stared at the sword.
「Here, there’s paralyzing poison mixed in the water. 」
Oh, he froze.
「Don’t spout terrible stuff so brazenly! 」
Retze.
「Goodness, what the heck happened for things to turn out like this? 」
Dinosso.
「I already forbid the spirits from entering whilst creating the children’s weapons; however, it was extremely difficult to do so for the spirits that are born on the spot. When I lifted the ban, the spirits seemed to be in high spirits… Believe me, I never, in any way, sought to have this outcome, you know? 」
I already did my best, so I can only say I’m innocent, you guys.
— Dinosso landed a punch on the top of my head, then he grinded his knuckles on it. Stop, I’ll go bald!
「You’re fine with me selling that first sword you made that I confiscated for you, right? That Amadeo guy’s been sticking around for ages and he’s a major pain in the neck, so I want to pass it to somebody else. 」
Dinosso has jerky on one hand while drinking beer with the other.
「Why don’t you just sell it to Amadeo? Demand for an exorbitant price. After that, if somebody pesters you for the spirit sword, you can just point Amadeo, say he got the extra and be done with it, right? 」
Got the guys some decent beer while I have some soda.
「But isn’t Amadeo’s group the most persistently pesky ones already? — Whoa, this wine’s amazing. Tastes great, makes me feel refreshed. 」
「Eh, I just think the heroes’ lackeys might come waltzing in by then. 」
I don’t think those guys will come in person since they probably don’t like long trips.
Back when the empire was still at its peak and not yet divided unlike today’s current situation, the roads had been organized so that travelers could stay in inns every three days in the course of their trip. Unfortunately, many inns had gone out of business, so folks can’t expect that anymore nowadays.
Even if they gathered a huge number of people and had them carry tents and bathtubs, Sis would definitely give up in less than a week, at the very least. Well, I had a difficult time at first, but I’m now used to it.
「Will they come? 」
Butler asked.
「Not sure, but there’s someone over there who loves rare and unique, only-one-in-the-whole-wide-world stuff. 」
「So you’re gonna throw the two pain-in-the-neck groups at each other. 」
Dinosso thought about it.
「Anyway, you didn’t show the other spirit swords to anyone else, right? 」
I asked Dinosso.
「Mine and Shiva’s spirit swords are the type powered by contracted spirits. The blades themselves may be sharp, but they’re just ordinary swords. Well, we’ve been using it for all those years, so they’ve become attribute swords or so, I guess. 」
「Well, I’ll just leave that sword to you to handle. Oh, the doria is ready. 」
「Is it baked cheese? 」
I was thinking of making creamy oyster doria at first, but I just decided to put plenty of cheese with bacon and some spinach in it. I got the feeling that we might want some meat to go with this, so I added one huge weiner over it.
They haven’t tasted rice and oyster before, so I avoid letting them eat two new things at once. They probably don’t have spinach here either, but it’s not like spinach has deep flavor so they probably won’t notice it.
「Oh, yum. 」Dinosso.
「This one is delish too. Is this one the fried potato thing? The saltiness is on point. 」Retze.
「It goes well with this alcoholic beverage. 」Butler.
I scooped the melted cheese and charred crispy bits into my mouth. Yup, warm and delectable. The first bite is tasty, but the flavor is way too rich to eat continuously. That’s where the rice shines, it softens the aftertaste.
I also bit into the hard sausage and washed it down with soda to cool the warmth in my mouth.
「Oh, right. For the folks who don’t have several swords, or have the huge ones, I’m also giving you a knife you can use during dismantling. 」
「They’re not some kind of weird thing again, are they? 」
Dinosso looked at me suspiciously.
They’re normal, I say. Normal.
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T/N: Doria, the rice-based gratin of Japanese! They have lots of flavors – curry, chicken, sea food, kimchi, fish & broccoli, you name it!