Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?, Vol. 4 (16 page)

Mr. Welf pulls up a chair for me and motions for me to sit down.

“For starters, I’m going to need your measurements. I can handle everything else on my own after that.”

“You need my measurements?”

“Yeah, I’ll be customizing the armor for you. Would be a shame if it didn’t fit just right, now wouldn’t it?”

The armor sold in shops has to accommodate a wide range of body shapes and sizes, so there are always spots that aren’t snug or that stick out a little bit. Adventurers can make little adjustments themselves, but the ideal is to have armor and weapons made to fit perfectly.

“I’m thinking ’bout making some greave-style shin guards. Any requests, Bell?”

“Hmm, ummm…?”

“If there’s a piece of equipment you’d like me to make, just say the word. Like maybe you feel naked without a shield, things like that…So yeah, if there’s an item you want, speak up. I’ll make anything for you.”

Mr. Welf has his back to me, collecting various tools from the wall.

Clink, clank.
I hear him set tools on his workbench while I’m sitting in my chair, racking my brain.

I suppose my preferences would be short blades and light armor? I don’t want to be pushy, but I can’t think of anything else I’d want, no matter how hard I try.

Well…it wasn’t a shield, but having a protector was nice. Maybe I should ask for another one?

Wow, that’s a huge blade…

I catch a glint of light out of the corner of my eye. I look over there and see a series of shelves in the opposite corner of the room.

Several weapons are lined up on them. Probably some of Mr. Welf’s past work.

In the middle of all of them, I spot a broadsword that reminds me of the cleaver I used in my fight against the Minotaur.

“…Mr. Welf, would it be asking too much to try this out?”

He suddenly appears next to me as if he’d been yanked over by a rope. His eyes follow mine to the massive sword on the shelf.

It’s not here as decoration, but its silver blade and proportionate balance as a weapon are absolutely stunning nevertheless.

I could say this about the armor I wear into the Dungeon, but it was very clearly made by Mr. Welf.

“It’s not ‘too much,’ no…The shop sent that one back to me ’cause it wouldn’t sell.”

“But I-I’d like to use it.”

I ask him if I can take a few practice swings. The confusion in his eyes is as plain as day, but he gives me permission to try.

Shung.
I grab the hilt and lift it off the shelf. I swing the blade from the floor up to the ceiling, carving a silver arc in the air. I can’t help but smile.

I try a few side swings next. It’s so much heavier than my knife, and it won’t move the way I want it to.

“…”

“…? Is something wrong?”

After swinging the blade a few times, I notice that Mr. Welf is frozen in place.

When he finally responds, Mr. Welf’s lips hardly move as he speaks.

“You really…weren’t after a magic sword.”

Wha? I tilt my head again, wondering if I heard that right. “Huh?”

“How was I supposed to know you’d be more interested in a shop reject than a magic sword after coming all the way here?”

He looks happier and happier with each passing second. “Ummm,” is all I can say.

That’s right! Crozzo’s magic swords…I was so excited about seeing the workshop and all these weapons that I completely forgot. Everything comes flooding back in.

I don’t know how to respond to that, but Mr. Welf suddenly has a mean smile on his face.

“So, what did she tell you? Your goddess…What did Lady Hestia tell you about me?”

“?!”

“One of the guys working in Babel told me. A young-looking goddess was asking around about me.”

The blood drains from my head as Mr. Welf calmly explains the situation.

He knows that I’ve been talking about him behind his back?!

“I-I’m so sorry! My goddess didn’t mean anything bad by it, she’s just…well, worried about me…It’s all my fault!”

“I couldn’t care less. Someone from another
Familia
has started working with one of her own. She’s gotta stay on top of things.”

“That’s a good thing, isn’t it?”

Mr. Welf responds with a lighthearted smile. It looks like he really doesn’t care.

I breathe a deep sigh of relief.

“I was worried you’d look at me differently…once you found out. Sorry to test you like that, but I had to know.”

He genuinely looks sorry with that grimace on his face.

…So that means he was trying to see if I would ask for a magic sword, if given a chance. If I would use a descendant of the magic swordsmiths to get one for myself.

Having a famous family name like Crozzo must’ve made him really sensitive to those words.

Huh. So that’s what he was getting at earlier.

“Got a bit sidetracked, but I’ll ask you again. Other than a big sword, is there anything you want?”

“Ah, yes…umm.”

I never did figure that out, so let’s see. Maybe I should ask for a shortsword? Wait a minute, maybe something on Mr. Welf’s shelf will give me an idea.

I turn my back to him and take another look.

“…Hey, Bell. I’ve been wondering this for a while, but is that a drop item strapped to your back?”

“Eh? Oh.”

I look over my shoulder and see that Mr. Welf is pointing at my lower back, where the Divine Knife, my dagger, and the Minotaur Horn are.

“This is…Yes. It’s a Minotaur drop item…but for some reason I just can’t let it go.”

A scorched horn with bits and pieces of red showing through. I don’t really consider it to be a good-luck charm, but I can’t shake the feeling that selling it off is wrong somehow.

…I can’t turn my back on everything that I went through with that Minotaur.

At the very least, I should leave it as it is.

Although it is kind of useless, carrying it around like this…

“…How about making something out of that?”

“Eh?”

“Using that horn to make a piece of equipment. I could make one hell of a weapon from the Minotaur Horn.”

My eyes go wide.

Of course! The direct contract—I bring him drop items from the Dungeon, and he’ll make weapons for me!

Mr. Welf’s suggestion is like an angel’s song to my ears. This way I can always keep it with me, and the drop item won’t go to waste. I nod my head as fast as I can.

“Yes, please!”

“That settles it, then.”

I hand the Minotaur Horn to Mr. Welf.

He holds it in his hands for a moment, looking over every inch of the item.

“…Were Minotaur Horns always red?”

“What do you mean?”

“Never mind, not important…It’s in pretty good shape, and quite a bit denser than usual. Little bit of shaping, some elbow grease, and it should become one fine blade…”

Mr. Welf is getting more and more excited as he looks at the Minotaur Horn.

Talking under his breath and scrunching up his brow, he takes his eyes off the horn for a moment and looks up at me.

“Bell. Can you let me do my own thing? I want to take my time making this.”

“S-sure. I’m not a smith, so I wouldn’t be able to tell you what to do, anyway…”

“Thanks, that helps. Since we’re only using this horn, your options for a new weapon are kind of limited…”

One shortsword or two daggers.

That’s the Minotaur Horn “menu” that Mr. Welf presents for me.

He says that trying to stretch it out into a shortsword would make the blade very thin, so he recommends the latter option.

The Divine Knife is one thing, but my dagger was provided by the Guild…It might be time for an upgrade. I don’t think that a weapon of the lowest rank would be much use against the monsters I’ll face in the middle levels.

This might be a good opportunity for an upgrade. I’ve used my dagger for about two months already, so I decide to hang it up for good.

I ask Mr. Welf to make the daggers.

“All right, that’s what I’m talking about. I’ll just make one for now and use the leftovers to make another once I learn Forge. Wait and see what I come up with then!”

“Ah-ha-ha-ha…”

Mr. Welf has a very excited glint in his eyes, and I can’t help but chuckle at his enthusiasm.

He doesn’t waste any time in getting my measurements after that. Grabbing measuring tapes and different tools from a metal bucket, Mr. Welf works his way around me, measuring as he goes.

He asks me to take off my boots and spends a great deal of time recording the shape of my feet.

“You can head home once I’m finished here.”

“Um, Mr. Welf, about that…”

“Yeah?”

“Would it be okay with you if I watched…?” I manage to ask as he looks over the palm of my hand, specifically where the hilt of the blade would sit.

I really want to see what a smith does and how weapons are forged. Coming all the way out here has piqued my curiosity. Mr. Welf works his way up my shoulder as I’m trying to picture what’s about to happen in this place.

Mr. Welf doesn’t know how to respond to my honesty. “You’re a strange one,” he says while tilting his head to the side. But he agrees to let me stay.

I promise over and over not to get in his way. I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting excited, but my cheeks are suddenly very hot.

“It gets pretty damn hot in here; it’d be a good idea to take off your armor.”

“Eh, ah, yes.”

Not really understanding what he meant, I follow his directions.

Down to my undershirt, I set all of my armor in the corner and turn to face Mr. Welf. He’s in the opposite corner, next to the forge…lighting a fire.

“Wh-what are you doing?”

“Heating up the drop item.”

“You’re going to burn the monster’s horn?!”

I yell out in surprise despite promising I wouldn’t interfere just a moment ago.

Animal horns are just like bone, aren’t they? Well, I’m not sure, but…they’ll turn to ash in a fire…?

“There’s something like metal inside a monster’s horns and claws.”

“Metal…?”

“Yeah. Ever heard of adamantite?”

Adamantite…I feel like I’ve heard of it before, but I can’t place it.

All I can think of is that it’s an extremely rare metal…

“Adamantite can only be found in the Dungeon. When it comes to making weapons, it’s the best stuff out there. Very sturdy.”

“People find it in the Dungeon?”

“Yep. Sometimes pieces of it just fall out of the dungeon walls, like the monsters. But that’s once in a blue moon. Every so often I hear of someone finding it in the upper levels, but most adventurers bring it up from much deeper in the lower levels.”

It can only be collected in the Dungeon…That means that it can only be found in Orario.

Apparently, adamantite weapons are a specialty of Orario’s. Since it’s a very difficult material to acquire, its value puts magic stones to shame.

“…So then, it’s possible that monsters born in the Dungeon have adamantite inside them…?”

“Hit the nail right on the head. Exactly. On the other hand, it’s not as pure as the stuff that comes out of the dungeon walls. It’s a bit weaker.”

In that case, it might not be strange that monsters born in the Dungeon are affected by this material.

Mr. Welf tells me that only a few of them have adamantite in their fangs and claws, but they’re perfect for making weapons.

…This horn. This horn broke that thick cleaver during our battle.

“Minotaur Horns also have a metallic element to them. Heat them up just right, and you can shape them at will.”

Okay, now I get it. He’s going to make the Minotaur Horn hot enough to forge, just like a piece of metal…This is just the first step.

An image of the red-hot horn pops into my mind. It kind of looks like a piece of candy.

From there, Mr. Welf is going to take all kinds of tools to it, just as if he were working with metal.

“Sorry to bug you, Bell. Could you open the door and the shutters up all the way?”

“N-no problem.”

Mr. Welf wraps a hand towel around his head at the same time he speaks to me.

I go around the room, opening every window and door.

I turn back around to find Mr. Welf poking and prodding at the fire he just started. There is a rock at the base of the forge, a drop item from a monster known as an Inferno Stone…The flames it can produce are so intense that average people can’t buy one.

“Just like adamantite, this horn ain’t gonna bend unless I heat it just right.”

Mr. Welf keeps his eyes glued to the forge while talking.

In no time at all, a roaring flame erupts from the stone and intense heat swells within the forge. The heat wave reaches me a moment later. I’m a good distance away from it, but I’ve already broken a sweat. I can’t imagine what it would be like if I still had my armor on.

Mr. Welf is completely focused on adjusting the temperature within the forge. I sit back down in my chair and watch from behind.

It’s still only midmorning. I don’t even think an hour has passed since I got my lunch from Syr. I bet Babel Tower is swamped with adventurers making their way into the Dungeon by now.

Yet here I am in a dim room, surrounded by gloomy back streets with only this forge for light.

Looking at the massive furnace, its red mouth wide open, everything feels mysterious.

I can only see part of Mr. Welf’s face, but his intensity matches the flames that dance in front of him.

“You look like you’ve got something on your mind.”

“Huh?!”

“Come on, ask away. We have a direct contract. I don’t want to have any secrets.”

A few moments pass in silence. His preparations complete, Mr. Welf withdraws his face from the forge and looks at me.

I freeze on the spot, stunned by his sudden request…How did he know?

It’s not that I have a specific question to ask him, but there’s something that’s been on my mind for a while. Every time I hear about
Mr. Welf, my curiosity grows and grows to the point that if I’m not careful, the words will spill right out of my mouth. I guess he must’ve caught on.

He has a gentle aura about him. A light smile on his lips. I can see a look of trust in his eyes…At least I think so.