I enjoyed the magic tool shop. There is nothing else to see, so I wander the streets aimlessly. It’s the same kind of stroll I took in the Balshine.
Usually, I would wander through places that give off a dangerous vibe but I don’t want to cause a commotion here. Instead of going into strange back alleys, I looked for something interesting.
Suddenly, I noticed a blacksmith shop. The shop appeared to handle mainly weapons rather than daily necessities from the outside.
When arriving in a new town, the first thing to do is to go to the weapon shop. I almost forgot the basics. I want to lead a ‘respectful life,’ valuing the little things that accumulate.
Push the heavy wooden door while musing on the mystery weapon shop, which becomes increasingly well-stocked the closer you get to the boss.
I haven’t been in a weapon shop in a long time. Due to various reasons, I’ve been banned from all the weapon shops in Balshine.
“Hello—.”
I slipped through the thick door and entered the shop. No one is around but me, not even the shopkeeper.
When looking around the shop, it wasn’t looking good. There were swords, spears, and protective gear, but the entire shop was covered in dust.
The product assortment seems small. The shelves and walls are noticeably blank.
While I was thinking rudely that the shop was lacking, the shopkeeper came out from behind the shop.
He is a large man with trimmed hair and looks like a master in his craft when I look at him.
He took one look at me and with a hint of displeasure said,
“What the heck?! This ain’t no place for women and children!”
“Were you talking to me… ?”
“Who else could it be?”
It reminded me of when I first visited the weapon shop; a similar reaction was probably given to me.
I’ve heard, “Please leave!” or “Don’t ever come back, you rascal!”. It’s pretty refreshing.
“You talk to me.”
“Of course I did! Get the hell back home and do your sewing!”
Usually, I would instigate, “I can’t even sew with such fragile swords.” The blacksmith would get angry and say, “How dare you say the sword I forged is fragile?!” And we would continue with, “If I were to swing it, it would break,” and he would reply, “If you can do it, do it.” and so on. In the end, I would be kicked out by the blacksmith in tears.
It would become messy if I reacted the way I did. A young woman with black hair… alone is dangerous, and when you add the unusual strength, it must be Yumiela.
There’s nothing to see here. Let’s get out of here.
“Excuse me, I just came here out of curiosity. I shouldn’t be here.”
When I slightly bowed my head, he looked surprised.
“You are a strange one, Missy.”
“Eh? Is it weird?”
“When I yell at someone like you to get out, they either freak out and flee or get angry at me for how I treat them. I’ve never seen someone so calm like you.”
I didn’t expect the courteous young lady’s act to backfire.
What should I say? He pointed to a sword with his chin as I struggled to find words.
“If you have such composure, you must be qualified to handle weapons. Here, swing it.”
“Alright….”
It would be unreasonable for me to refuse, so I nodded.
Following his instructions, I picked up the sword on the stand and lifted the sword with both hands.
It was a double-edged orthodox one-handed sword that was supposed to be used with a shield and looked very light and fragile.
He looked at me seriously as I casually turned my attention to him.
I knew I had to swing the sword. It would expose my skill with a sword if I did a practice swing. Thinking about how to excuse myself, the master burst out laughing.
“Ahahaha! I thought you knew how to use a sword, but you’re an amateur. Your movements were like beating a club into the ground. You can’t cut anything with that.”
Be patient. Control yourself. When it came to swordsmanship, I was an amateur.
You are strong when you can hit with a heavy, hard iron rod. The sword looks like a club. I’m not mad at his comment.
But it annoyed me, and I gripped the sword slightly stronger.
“Ah.”
The hilt was cracked and snapped off.
The blade falls to the floor, making a loud clatter.
“Oh?! Are you okay? Did you get hurt?”
“Yeah, I’m okay. But the sword is….”
“Sorry! Despite being a mass-produced product with limited numbers, it seems to be a defective product. But how did it break….”
Safe. I thought I was going to be found out.
He holds out his hand and I hand him the metal piece. And he twists his head around to look at it.
“Was the iron I forged weak? No, it can’t be. The force was applied to a single weak spot… it’s different.”
He doesn’t seem to consider that I was strong. I apologize for that.
Despite the lackluster goods in the shop, the owner seemed enthusiastic. It was surprising.
While examining the broken swords, he noticed I was standing there with nothing to do.
“Forgive me. You must be surprised. I’ve never seen anything like this, and the sword I forged isn’t fragile. Have I lost my skill by being forced to make mass-produced products? But I made this one long ago….”
“Please don’t worry about it. But what do you mean by that?”
He quickly responded, which might have to do with the lackluster display.
“Lately I’ve been making all the official stuff for the Royal Army. Swords, spears, armor, everything. What are we going to do with all those soldiers?”
“I think it’s good that the government is keeping the local business alive.”
“Isn’t it boring to make standardized items? This is why my shop is in such a mess.”
He looked around the shop, covered in a thin layer of dust.
That makes sense; I didn’t know there was such a circumstance. Despite being mass-produced items, they are handmade by crafters and it takes a lot of time to make a few sets.
“I didn’t realize that was happening. Sorry for barging in on you when you were tired.”
“Be careful on your way home.”
The blacksmith said distractedly, returning his gaze to the broken sword.
This makes me uncomfortable to leave like this. Ojisan, who looks old but quite friendly, will doubt his skill because of me. The sword is strong enough that it won’t break when used by ordinary people.
But I can’t reveal my true identity….
After some hesitation, I asked.
“What are you going to do after this?”
“This? I’m going to do thorough research. Blacksmiths are entrusted with the swordsmen’s lives. This must never happen again.”
“There is no need for research. It’s a normal, sturdy sword. It’s just too fragile for me to use.”
“That’s dangerous.
The sword has separated front the hilt and the blade. He is startled when I grab the blade on the floor.
I didn’t want him to get hurt when I tried to snatch it away from him.
My immediate reaction was to squish it and crack it even more. In other words, I shattered the steel blade with my bare hands.
“This is how it is. It should be possible to slay medium-level monsters just fine.”
While the weapon shop owner was stunned, I left the shop as if I was fleeing.
The legend of a woman destroying weapon shop goods has crossed the border. It may sound nice to say that people shouldn’t think any borders can bind me, but I’m a rambunctious girl who doesn’t just stay within my kingdom.
Ah, I wasn’t supposed to leave any trace of Yumiela. Will it be okay since I didn’t show my hair?
After walking some distance away, I think I’ll be okay. Putting my hat back on, I resumed my sightseeing again.
“…What a normal town.”
Really normal. We are now approaching the food market. Street vendors selling grains and vegetables line both sides of the street.
It is peaceful. Remrest Kingdom was a bit of a letdown since I had the strong impression that they had attacked Patrick’s hometown. It’s a good thing, though.
Although they live in different nations, the people are the same. I feel I can have a peaceful life here rather than in the Balshine Kingdom. The prejudice against dark-haired people doesn’t seem to be as strong.
I might have fled the kingdom if I hadn’t met Patrick at the academy. Maybe this could have been my home in the future—
“Blablablah! Buy me, I want it!”
It sounded just like me the other day. A boy was throwing a tantrum in front of a food stall.
The stall seems to be selling some syrup. The mother is dragging the boy along.
“I’m not buying you snacks. Let’s go!”
“Nooo—!”
As always, the mother pulls the child’s hand with a frown. The boy resisted with all his might but was dragged sloppily along the ground.
I observed with a sideways glance. Eventually, the mother got numb and let go of the hand she was holding.
“I’m leaving you!”
Then, the mother walks away. The boy remains where he stood, gritting his teeth with weeping eyes.
Oh, he has guts. If I were the child, I would have rushed to catch up with my mother. Well, I wasn’t a spoiled child like that. I did it for the first time in front of Patrick a few months ago.
Am I becoming more childish? No way?!
I watched the mother and child in suspense, and the mother looked back. There was no way she would leave her child.
Would she bend her will and buy him candy? Or would she drag him away again?
What is the right thing to do from an educational perspective? Someday I might be in a similar situation… ah, I will be in the mother’s position. How do experienced mothers deal with this situation?
“Stop being naughty or Yumiela will come.”
“Noooo, not Yumiela!”
The boy wails, his voice even louder than before. Where was his unmoving attitude from earlier? He runs as fast as he can to his mother.
“Yumiela isn’t coming. Yumiela won’t come, right?”
“If you play nice, Yumiela won’t come.”
The boy wails and buries his face in his mother’s skirt.
Yumiela is already here.
Watching the mother and child walking hand in hand, I realized that my idea that I could live peacefully here was shallow.
My name is Yumiela Dolknes! And I’m being treated like a boogieman in a neighboring kingdom!
…Haaah, we are back to zero.
I was disheartened and returned to my lodgings for the next few days.
Poor Yumiela. She is who parents use now to discipline/scare kids.
I hope she embraces her status as a boogeyman
thank u for the translating this story
please keep going your wonderfull work