OMS Chapter 23

We tried negotiating persistently, with Viirant even offering a large sum, but the shopkeeper wouldn’t budge. In the end, he even said he’d rather close the shop than sell a failed product, leaving us with no hope. When I glanced at Viirant in desperation, he just frowned and shook his head. It was clear—he was telling me to give up.

Maybe he’s right, maybe that’s all we can do. The enemies are getting stronger, but my blessing has also grown significantly. Even just switching from the standard issued swords to a more renowned blade would make a big difference. Even if I can’t infuse it with holy power, I can compensate for that. If I use not just arrows but holy magic in battle, it should ease Viirant’s burden.

I wouldn’t be able to conserve holy power for purification, but if we defeat the monsters first and then purify, it shouldn’t be a problem. Shouldn’t be… but…

––…I just have a really bad feeling about this.

There are three places left to purify. They’re scattered deep in the forest beyond a fortress about a week’s journey from here by carriage.

This place is known as the “Forest of Calamity.” It’s the farthest place from the royal capital and the most tainted by corruption. It was once a battlefield where countless lives were lost in the war against the Demon King’s army, and even now, it remains the frontline in the battle against the monsters. The knights stationed at the fortress constantly fight to keep the monsters from spilling out of the forest and to prevent the fortress from being consumed by the forest’s corruption.

Something is definitely going to happen there. I’m almost certain of it. The Demon King hasn’t shown up yet, but there’s no way he’s just sitting idly by. He’ll come at me with everything he’s got to turn this country into a realm of darkness.

I’ve made preparations as best I can, but I’m not sure if it’s enough… Honestly, I’m not confident. I want to get my hands on that sword, no matter what.

“…What if I said I could turn this sword into a success?”

“Zeph!”

“Oh…?”

Viirant immediately realized what I intended to do, and he raised his voice in alarm, but I silenced him with a gesture and glared at the shopkeeper. His eyes, peering out from under bushy brows, narrowed as if he were watching something amusing. He probably thought, “What could a mere knight do?” But this is my only chance. If he won’t sell me the failed sword, I’ll just have to turn it into a successful one myself.

The question was simple—whether to infuse it before or after buying it. I decided to deal with the risk of revealing my identity to the shopkeeper later. Besides, he didn’t seem like the type to go spreading rumors.

“Fine. If you can infuse it with magic, I’ll sell it to you for a high price.”

…Isn’t this the part where he should be offering a discount? Oh well, it’s temple money anyway. I’ve heard that donations have increased considerably thanks to Emilia, so it shouldn’t be an issue. Though, it would be an impossible amount for me to pay on my own, so hopefully, they’ll consider it a necessary expense.

✢

Since I couldn’t do the work in the shop where someone could walk in at any moment, the three of us moved to the workshop. Of course, I made sure to let the two knights outside know. I also told them to make sure no one noticed me using holy power, so the only person I had to worry about was the shopkeeper.

“Please, don’t mention this to anyone.”

“You’ve made that point clear already,” the shopkeeper grumbled, irritated by Viirant’s repeated insistence.

Without further delay, I pulled the sword from its scabbard and held it horizontally. The sword blade shone with a faint white gleam, contrasting sharply with the plain, rugged hilt and guard. The only decorative feature was the purple magic stone embedded in the blade, which added a refined beauty to the weapon. I brushed my fingers over the stone, which was the same color as Viirant’s eyes, and let my fingers slide along the blade to the tip.

Closing my eyes, I focused my holy power. The noise around me faded instantly as I drew holy power up from the depths of my being and channeled it into the magic stone. The stone had a considerable capacity, but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle. The infusion went smoothly, and the stone began to glow brightly.

So far, so good. The real challenge was next.

I poured more holy power into the stone, then forced the overflowing energy into the blade itself. The blade was made from magic iron ore, a material that’s incredibly difficult to imbue with magic or holy power, but once it’s infused, it holds the power firmly and enhances the effects of magic.

…But, honestly, “incredibly difficult” doesn’t even begin to describe it. It’s hard enough to infuse a solid object with holy power, but magic iron ore is on a whole different level. I had to force the holy power into the tiniest of spaces, twisting and weaving it into the blade like binding it in place, and it was draining my energy faster than I expected.

I had barely infused an area the size of my palm, and I was already feeling exhausted. This material definitely wasn’t meant to be used for something as large as a sword. Even a skilled magician would struggle with a piece the size of a fingertip. I started to wonder if the shopkeeper ever really intended for this sword to hold magic power—it was absurdly difficult.

As I painstakingly continued the process, sweat began to bead on my forehead. I had managed to infuse about eighty percent of the sword, but my holy power was almost depleted. I didn’t think I’d run out, but there was a good chance I might pass out.

The dizziness and ringing in my ears, signs of draining my power, had already started. I unknowingly bit my lip, and the taste of blood filled my mouth. Just a little more. I carefully tied off the holy power at the tip of the sword, making sure none would leak out. It was done.

Barely.

My vision was blurry, and I could hardly stand. Just as I was about to collapse, Viirant gently caught me, taking the sword from my hand and placing it on the workbench.

“…Sorry, I’m just… gonna rest for a bit…”

Before I could finish saying, “I’m counting on you,” my vision went black.

It had been a long time since I last passed out.

✢

Luckily, I hadn’t been unconscious for very long. I was in a different room now, but it seemed I was still inside the workshop. I had been laid down on a rough bed in a windowless room, and from the next room over, I could hear Viirant and the shopkeeper talking.

I still felt dizzy, so I couldn’t sit up just yet. Resigning myself to listen in on their conversation, I realized they were arguing about the payment. Viirant was trying to pay, but the shopkeeper was refusing.

…Didn’t he say he’d sell it for a high price? What changed?

Their back-and-forth seemed like it would go on forever, but in the end, the shopkeeper won. He said something along the lines of, “Having my sword turned into a holy sword is the greatest honor for a blacksmith. If I took any more than that, I’d be struck by divine punishment.” With a statement like that, it wasn’t surprising that Viirant couldn’t force him to take the money.

––So, a holy sword, huh?

Since it’s a sword infused with holy power, it’s technically a holy sword. It’s a simple conclusion, but it never even crossed my mind. I didn’t think it was possible to create something like that by just enchanting a regular sword. Honestly, I had almost given up. If I had been able to create even a mock holy sword with just a hint of holy power, I would’ve been more than satisfied.

In fact, if it hadn’t been for the shopkeeper’s so-called “failure,” I probably wouldn’t have been able to make a holy sword at all. What a strange turn of fate.

––So that means, Viirant’s going to be a hero.

A warrior blessed by the saint and wielding a holy sword to slay monsters—Viirant, the Hero of Humanity. It fits him strangely well, and I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself.

Still grinning, I sat up. The dizziness had mostly subsided. The slight rustling of my clothes must have alerted Viirant because he immediately entered the room. He must’ve left the door slightly open so he could hear when I woke up. His usually composed face was clouded with worry, and I gave him a weak, evasive smile.

I’ll take the scolding later.

“What about the sword?”

“It’s right here.”

“…Wow, this is… intense…”

The blade, which was already white, now shone even brighter. The purple magic stone glowed brilliantly, exuding a powerful presence. The hilt and scabbard were still plain and rugged, but no one would mistake this for an ordinary sword. If Viirant carried this around, it would be obvious at a glance that it was a holy sword. I’d bet everything I own on that.

“So, um… what’s the cover story?”

“The official story is that the temple commissioned the shopkeeper to make a special sword, which Emilia then imbued with holy power. A hero received it at the local church, and we came here for some adjustments to the grip. How does that sound?”

It should all fit together nicely. Of course, we’ll need to make sure everyone’s on the same page, but Viirant’s good at handling things like this. It’d be impossible to claim this isn’t a holy sword at this point. This story also allows the shopkeeper to proudly take credit for making the sword, which he should be able to wear as “the greatest honor for a blacksmith.” It was his sword, after all, so he deserves that recognition.

“…A hero?”

“Hm? Yeah, if you’re blessed by a saint and wield a holy sword, you’re a hero, right? I’m looking forward to your success, Hero-sama.”

I lightly patted the dumbfounded Viirant on the shoulder and gave him a mischievous grin.

Don’t worry. Compared to the fact that an old man like me is a saint, a handsome knight becoming a hero is no big deal. You worked hard, so now that you have the holy sword, make the most of it.