I Can See the Sword’s Memories – Chapter 61

Chapter 61: The Artisans of the Wasteland (4)

The place I was led to was the annex, where guests would usually stay. The furnishings were arranged to fit the physique of an average human adult, which was the dwarves’ way of being considerate. However, it was a consideration I didn’t particularly need.

My body was small. In fact, the furniture made for the dwarves was more convenient for me to use. As a result, I had to be guided to a different room.

Thus, the first day passed.

I wasn’t the only guest staying in the annex. Wealthy merchants, foreign nobles, and skilled adventurers—people with significant status—each occupied a room of their own.

They mingled with one another, using their respective statuses to gain advantages and discuss their futures.

It was like a small political arena. I had no intention of attending such gatherings. Yet, I couldn’t avoid them entirely.

This was because the various topics they brought up proved to be of great help to my mission.

“Sir Saeorin, have you heard the news? They say the Mage Tower brought in a very precious treasure.”

I accompanied them partway through the conversation. It wasn’t hard to guess what kind of treasure the foreign noble was referring to. I nodded in acknowledgment.

“There was quite a commotion over that treasure, I hear. Supposedly, the dwarven artisans’ help is required to deal with it… though I’m not exactly sure what that entails.”

Most of the annex’s guests sought me out at least once to strike up a conversation.

None seemed able to resist the charm of the beautiful young knight. With a flawless background and striking appearance, they tried their luck at making a connection.

I used them. When they mentioned uninteresting subjects, I ended the conversation quickly. But when they brought up matters related to the Mage Tower, I listened with noticeable interest.

Rumors spread quickly—soon, everyone knew the young knight’s focus was on the Mage Tower.

People actively sought me out to talk.

I strolled alone in the garden. Even without moving a finger, information came to me on its own. It was all thanks to this appearance.

‘I know I look beautiful…’

The lecherous gazes directed at my sister’s body were irritating, but for now, I had to take advantage of this appearance.

Lowering my gaze slightly, I brushed my hair back with a light motion. I could hear the sound of someone gasping quietly from their hiding place.

For now, my role was just that of a guest. This limited my range of activities, making information gathering somewhat challenging.

However, that issue had been resolved. Since the people staying here came from various backgrounds, their movements covered a wide range as well.

For now, there was nothing I could actively do. I had to wait for the men entranced by my appearance to bring me the information I needed—like a fisherman casting a line.

So, I decided to go out. Quietly, without informing anyone else, I left the annex. I only gave a brief notice to the guards at the main gate.

It’s often said that the mind follows the body. For some reason, I found it hard to stay focused on my mission.

My attention and thoughts kept wandering outside. Leaving the royal estate, the young girl walked through the streets of the artisans.

This place was fascinating. In the empire’s streets, everything was enormous. For someone with a small frame like mine, most things were out of reach. But here, it was different.

The view felt comfortable. Everything was low and within arm’s reach. Even the chairs of the half-open street food stalls were easy to sit on. In the empire, my feet wouldn’t have touched the ground.

I didn’t even need to crane my neck upward to talk to others. Conversing while meeting others’ eyes was surprisingly comfortable.

I was on the same eye level as the dwarves.

‘They don’t treat me like a child…’

Perhaps it was out of consideration for tourists. The dwarves treated me as an adult, offering me alcohol and even tobacco.

It might have been because they couldn’t accurately guess the age of someone from another species.

Likewise, I found it difficult to gauge the dwarves’ ages.

I seriously considered immigrating here. What should I do once my revenge was complete? If this body didn’t grow any further, living here didn’t seem like a bad option. Of course, the choice would ultimately be up to my sister.

Clang—! Clang—!

Wherever I went, the faint sound of metal being struck echoed through the air.

Along with that, the clinking of hammers and the rasp of saws seemed to fill every corner.

Dwarves were a remarkably skilled race. It’s said they were blessed by the world itself, born with the instincts of master artisans.

“Hmm…”

The air around me felt hot. The clanging sounds grew louder, accompanied by loud, almost shouting conversations from every direction.

Without realizing it, I had wandered into the area where dwarven artisans’ workshops were clustered.

I walked slowly, breathing in the metallic scent.

The atmosphere was bustling. Dwarves who looked like artisans were running around busily. I could faintly hear snippets of conversations mentioning the royal palace and the Mage Tower.

I stopped one of the hurried dwarves.

“Where are you rushing off to?”

“Hm? Oh, of course, there’s been a summons… Wait a moment, you’re not one of our kin, are you? A human?”

I nodded and looked around. Not only the dwarf before me but others, too, were scurrying about.

Some carried tools out of their workshops, while others loaded various materials onto carts—everyone seemed to be preparing to leave.

I asked, “A summons from the royal palace?”

“That’s right.”

“Everyone here is going?”

“Not everyone. Only those who meet the qualifications.”

“What’s the reason for the summons?”

“That’s a secret. We were instructed not to disclose it.”

While the summons itself wasn’t confidential, the reason behind it was.

‘It must be to repair the power engine…’

Seeing the artisans being summoned like this, it seemed the repair had not been successful.

Even the dwarves selected for the summons didn’t seem to know the exact reason they were being called.

At that moment, a signboard caught my eye.

[Dim Light]

I recalled what Black Light, the dwarf I had met yesterday, had mentioned. He told me to come to Dim Light if anything related to swords came up. It was possible he, too, had been summoned to the royal palace.

Following this faintly connected thread, I made my way to the location.

Dim Light was a small smithy. However, it had everything one would expect—a blazing forge, hammers, tongs, and anvils, all polished and gleaming with oil as though they were well-maintained even recently.

“Oh, it’s you…?”

Black Light was there, too. He appeared to have been summoned as well, given the large bag he was packing.

“Hello, Mr. Black.”

“Ah! What a pleasant surprise! I didn’t expect you to visit so soon!”

He greeted me with more enthusiasm than I had anticipated. Tossing aside the bag he was packing, he hurried inside the smithy to bring out tea and biscuits. I didn’t even have the chance to refuse before I found myself seated at a table.

“So, what brings you here? If it’s about a sword, then you’ve come to the right place!”

“You seem to have received a summons from the royal palace…”

I said this while picking up one of the biscuits. As I took a bite, my eyes widened. The biscuit’s texture crumbled delightfully in my mouth, and the sweet aroma, enriched by a deep buttery flavor, melted on my palate.

‘Delicious…’

My short legs swung back and forth in satisfaction.

“Ah, yes, I was summoned. But it’s not mandatory. If it’s about something for you, the person who saved my life, I could turn down the summons without hesitation.”

I nibbled on the biscuit while gazing at Black Light. His sincerity was evident in his warm eyes—there was no falsehood in his words. He seemed genuinely willing to decline the royal summons for my sake.

All I had done was offer a small kindness, merely a bottle of water. Yet, it had returned to me in a much greater way. This small bond formed yesterday now held the potential to simplify my mission.

“No, you should answer the summons. As an artisan, this is a good opportunity, isn’t it?”

The dwarven artisans I overheard in the streets had said as much. Missing this chance would be a waste. From the perspective of an artisan, the royal summons was an excellent opportunity.

Still, I couldn’t explain my mission to him.

“All I ask is that you share anything you learn about what happens there. I’ve been curious about what’s going on since I heard about the group summons for artisans.”

“Hmm… I probably can’t tell you everything. Would that be all right?”

I nodded. I didn’t need all the details. I just needed to know whether the summoned artisans succeeded or failed in their work.

“That’s enough for me.”

“Well… if you insist. But isn’t that too small a favor, considering what I owe you? Surely, there must be something else you want. Oh, I know! I have a fairly good sword here—what do you think?”

The offer piqued my interest. Glancing at the weapons displayed in the smithy, I asked, “That sword… who used it?”

“No one! All the weapons I handle are brand new. You don’t need to worry about that.”

“Ah…”

I let out a sigh of disappointment. A new sword wouldn’t do. What I needed was an old weapon, one imbued with memories from its previous wielder.

“If it’s new, I’ll pass.”

“Hm…? If you say so, then…”

Black Light tilted his head in confusion. He had been prepared to offer his finest work, yet I refused simply because it was new.

I didn’t seem burdened by the offer, either. A truly peculiar human, he must have thought.

A day passed. By dawn, the dwarven artisans who had been summoned to the royal palace returned to the streets.

Not a single one of them looked pleased. Their somber expressions made it clear, even without asking—the artisans had failed to repair the power engine.

I sat by the annex window, watching the artisans make their way back. My short legs swung cheerfully, a stark contrast to their gloomy mood.