บท 5: Dwarven Blacksmith, Kaijin!
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******
A day had passed since Rimuru had successfully subdued Testarossa, the White Primordial Demon, and gained her allegiance. That's why, today, Rimuru was preparing to visit the Armed Nation of Dwargon, along with Testarossa, to hire craftsmen to further develop his village. So, without wasting any time, he called Rigurd, the hobgoblin in charge of overseeing the village, to his hut.
******
If you had told Testarossa that she would one day be utterly humiliated and brought to her knees by someone, only to find herself willingly serving that very same person the next day, she would have laughed in your face and then would have subjected you to an unimaginable amount of torture before giving you a painful death. But as they say, reality is often stranger than fiction because that was the exact situation Testarossa found herself in right now.
But Testarossa wasn't dissatisfied. On the contrary, she was quite delighted that she got a chance to serve a powerful master like Rimuru. What fascinated her more was how seamlessly he could transition from a commanding leader who held the utmost loyalty of the monsters under his command to a friendly, approachable man who made her feel at ease and was remarkably comforting and intriguing to converse with.
Anyway, today was going to be an exciting day for Testarossa, as she was set to accompany her master, Rimuru, on a trip to Dwargon. It appeared that Rimuru intended to appoint some Dwarven craftsmen to assist in the development of the village. When Rimuru asked her to accompany him as his secretary, Testarossa felt a rush of exhilaration akin to a garden of black roses blossoming within her heart. Without delay, she transformed her attire into an elegant, long black dress and adorned herself with black accessories that strikingly contrasted with her otherwise pristine white aesthetics, while a single silver pendant hung in her neck. Once she thought she was presentable enough to walk alongside her master, she promptly informed Rimuru that she was prepared to depart whenever he was ready.
Upon receiving her confirmation, Rimuru immediately called Rigurd, the hobgoblin whom he had appointed in charge of the village, and informed him that they would be leaving for Dwargon now.
Rigurd acknowledged Rimuru's words and offered to arrange for escorts, but her master stopped him. "Don't worry, Rigurd. I'll be fine as long as I have Testa at my side," Rimuru reassured, briefly glancing at her with a warm smile, which made Testarossa's heart flutter with warmth. "I'll also have Ranga accompany me, concealed within my shadow," Rimuru continued, noticing the unconvinced expression on Rigurd's face. "Besides, if there's someone I can't beat, what are your odds of defeating such a person?" he remarked, letting a fraction of his intimidating aura emanate, sending shivers down the spines of both Testarossa and Rigurd.
With that display, Rigurd reluctantly departed, his reservations quelled by Rimuru's words and presence.
Thinking that preparations were complete and it was time to depart, Testarossa inquired, "Are we setting off, Rimuru sama?"
"Not yet; there's just one more thing I need to take care of," Rimuru replied, and in the next moment, a blond-haired man materialized before them.
The blond-haired man appeared taken aback for a moment, but upon noticing Rimuru, he inquired, "Hey, Rimuru, do you need something?"
"Yeah, I'm headed to Dwargon for some business and should return by tomorrow," Rimuru explained. "That's why I'd like you to protect the village during my absence."
"Hold on a second! If you're going somewhere, take me with you too!" the blond-haired man insisted, gripping Rimuru's collar.
Meanwhile, Testarossa, who was standing behind Rimuru, felt irritated by the blonde-haired man's behavior toward her master, but her instincts told her to stay put and not interfere between the two individuals in front of her.
"I'm sorry, Veldora, but I can't take you with me. One of us has to stay here to protect the village," Rimuru explained. "Besides, poor Gazel would probably have a heart attack if he saw The Storm Dragon was roaming in his city."
On the other hand, Testarossa commended her instincts upon realizing that the blonde man in front of her was none other than Storm Dragon Veldora. While she would defend her master against even a True Dragon if necessary, judging from Veldora's interaction with her master, it was evident they were on good terms. So, once again, she decided to stay quiet and act as a silent observer, witnessing her master and the Storm Dragon's intriguing banter.
"Rimuru, why are you being so cruel?" Veldora said, shedding crocodile tears. "Take me with you as well!"
"Oye, stop being so dramatic. Here, I have something for you," Rimuru said and produced a stack of books in front of him.
"What are these?" Veldora asked, his curiosity piqued as he examined the books before him.
"These are books from my old world; they're called Manga," Rimuru explained. Meanwhile, Veldora was already engrossed in picking up and perusing one of the books from the pile. "These should keep you occupied for a while."
Rimuru narrowed his eyes at Veldora. "However, just because you have something to entertain you doesn't mean you're allowed to slack off when it comes to protecting the village." He noticed that Veldora was deeply engrossed in the manga in his hand, hardly paying attention to his words. With a tired sigh at Veldora's behavior, he added, "If you do a good job protecting the village, I'll bring back something delicious for you from Dwargon."
That caught Veldora's attention, and his focus turned back to Rimuru with sparkling eyes. "Really! In that case, you can rest assured and leave the protection of this village to the great Veldora!" he boasted, while Rimuru rolled his eyes in response.
"Well, now that's taken care of, let's get going as well," Rimuru said and snapped his fingers, and in the next moment, Testarossa found herself at the outskirts of Dwargon, with Rimuru by her side.
"We're here already..." Testarossa remarked, a slightly dissatisfied frown creasing her brow.
Rimuru couldn't help but tease her. "What's with that frown, Testa? Were you anticipating a longer journey or something?" he asked with a playful smirk.
"N-no, it's not like that, Rimuru-sama," Testarossa stammered a hint of red coloring her cheeks.
"If you say so," Rimuru chuckled to himself, deciding not to further embarrass her, as they both ventured into the gates of the Armed Nation of Dwargon.
******
"All the troubles had to crash at the same time, huh..." Kaijin, a dwarven craftsman with brown skin, a robust, muscular physique, and a luxuriant, bushy beard, sat in a dark room with the only source of illumination being the raging heat of a furnace in front of him. He had a huge frown on his face, and the dark circles under his eyes clearly showed his recent lack of sleep. "What am I going to do now? If only I had a little more time, I could have managed somehow..." he lamented, his voice tinged with exhaustion, as he released a weary sigh.
As Kaijin wallowed in his troubles, a sudden knock broke the silence of his smithy. "Who could be bothering me right now? Especially after that incident..." Kaijin mumbled to himself. Yet, he lacked the energy to concern himself with whoever stood outside his door. With exasperation, he bellowed, "Go away! The shop is closed today!" However, whoever was at the door didn't seem to get the message as they continued knocking.
Enraged by the constant knocking, he stood up, walked toward the door, and opened it with a slam. "What the hell do you... want...?" His words trailed off as he saw the two beautiful people at the door.
The first person had long blue hair and golden eyes, adorned in exquisite black attire, including a fur coat with golden accents in various parts of their clothing.
Behind the first figure stood another, a mesmerizing beauty with hair as white as snow and eyes of fiery red, regarding him with a trace of indifference, draped in a stunning black dress.
"Hello, you must be Kaijin," the blue-haired individual addressed, to which Kaijin nodded, albeit somewhat absentmindedly. "May we come inside?" the person requested.
"A-ah, yes..." Kaijin stammered, hurriedly welcoming them into his shop. "I apologize, but I don't recall seeing you around here..." he admitted, his concern growing as he contemplated the possibility of these visitors being nobles or esteemed guests of the King.
"Ah, my apologies, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Rimuru Tempest, and she is Testarossa, my secretary and one of my most trusted subordinates," he introduced himself and the white-haired woman with him. Kaijin swore he saw a hint of joy in the red eyes of the woman. "And you can relax, I'm neither a noble nor someone important yet."
"I see..." Kaijin responded cautiously. "So... do you have some business with me?"
"Ah, yes, I do have a request for you, but before we get to that," Rimuru's countenance grew solemn. "I was informed by the town guard about an accident in the mines a few days ago."
Kaijin's face tensed, and a frown etched across his features at Rimuru's words. "Yes, it was a terrible accident," he confirmed.
"Did you lose someone dear to you in that incident?" Rimuru inquired.
"Fortunately, no, but..." Kaijin sighed, leading them to a room behind the shop. Inside, three beds were occupied by three grievously injured men, their bodies wrapped in bandages, some missing limbs. "This is the state my brothers are in after the mines collapsed on them that day."
"I'm deeply sorry for what has happened to your brothers, but I sense there's more to this, isn't there?" Rimuru probed. "There's something else troubling you."
Kaijin let out a self-deprecating chuckle. "It appears you have quite the knack for seeing through people, or perhaps I just look that pathetic right now," he remarked. "Well, as you mentioned, there's another sword hanging over my head. You see, my brothers and I are obligated to deliver 20 longswords by tomorrow, but I'm currently lacking the time, motivation, and material to complete the project."
"Couldn't you simply cancel the order or explain your situation to the employer?" Rimuru inquired.
"If only it were that simple," Kaijin shook his head. "The order this time was issued to any and all craftsmen in the nation who were capable of accepting it, directly on behalf of the country itself. Not fulfilling the order issued by the crown could have unintended consequences."
"Forgive me for assuming, but 20 longswords doesn't sound like an order you and your brothers couldn't have completed even before this entire mine accident," Rimuru pointed out.
"You are right, but it was my big mouth that boasted and accepted this order right in front of the King, despite knowing that there was a shortage of Magisteel on the market and I had barely anything in my reserves," Kaijin said in a frustrated voice. "On top of that, it's that Minister Vesta overseeing the completion of this order, and I know that all he needs is one mistake on my part to make me lose face in front of the king."
"I see, I understand your situation now," Rimuru remarked as he settled into a nearby chair, tilting his head slightly to the right while resting it on his right hand. Testarossa promptly positioned herself behind him. "You really have a lot of troublesome things piling up on you at the same time. Fortunately for you, I am here, and I can help in resolving both of your dilemmas."
Kaijin's eyes widened upon hearing Rimuru's words, and he anxiously inquired, "Can you truly help my brothers?"
"Why don't you see for yourself," Rimuru said and produced a ball filled with some kind of blue liquid. Then he lazily tossed the ball at one of Kaijin's brothers, which burst open upon contact, spilling the liquid onto Kaijin's brother.
Kaijin was initially enraged and about to yell at Rimuru, until Kaijin witnessed a miracle unfolding before his eyes. Not only did his brother's wounds swiftly begin to heal, but the hand he had lost also regrew before their very eyes.
"What is going on!? What was that liquid just now?" Kaijin asked as he surveyed his brother's body, which was now completely devoid of any injuries.
"It was a full potion, created from Hipokute herbs using a method that achieves a 99% rate of extraction," Rimuru casually elucidated, leaving Kaijin astounded and at a loss for words.
"99%!" Kaijin exclaimed. "How is that even possible!? Even with all our scientific advancements, the Dwargon scientists couldn't create a potion of such potency!"
"But I can," Rimuru responded with a shrug. "As for your other issue, I assume you have a prototype sword to serve as a model, correct? Bring it to me."
Upon hearing Rimuru's request, Kaijin swiftly returned to his workshop and soon reappeared with a longsword that bore a faint blue glow on the blade's edge, indicative of the Magisteel ore used in its crafting. He handed the longsword to Rimuru, curiously observing what would happen next.
Rimuru carefully examined the longsword, murmuring to himself, "This is a fine sword." He then extended his hand, from which black smoke emerged. In the blink of an eye, 20 similar longswords materialized, each bearing the same luminous glow as the prototype piece, neatly arranged in front of him on the ground.
While Kaijin was reeling from the shock of seeing Rimuru casually create 20 longswords, Rimuru produced two flasks of full potions and placed them next to the swords.
"Now, as I mentioned, I can resolve both of your dilemmas," Rimuru articulated, indicating towards the healed brother and the longswords on the ground. "However, everything comes at a cost, and I trust you understand that," he added while maintaining his gaze on the Dwarf.
"I do understand, but I'm at a loss regarding what I can offer to someone like you," Kaijin acknowledged, fully aware that money wasn't what Rimuru was seeking. The stark difference in their statuses was evident from Rimuru's entire demeanor.
"The thing I want from you in exchange is related to my reason for visiting you in the first place," Rimuru explained. "You see, I am building a town in the middle of the Jura Forest and initially wanted to hire you to construct various structures in my town, as well as teach certain skills to the monsters under my command. However, I now propose that you and your brothers relocate to my town, in return for the healing of your other two brothers and these longswords."
"I see..." Kaijin said as he carefully weighed the pros and cons of agreeing with Rimuru's request. Then, summoning whatever courage he had left, he asked, "And what happens if I decline your offer?"
"In that case, I'll just walk out of this shop and forget this conversation ever happened in the first place," Rimuru said and made a swift gesture with his hand, causing the swords and potion to disappear into thin air. "After that, I'll most probably go and hire some other craftsman from this city to help my people. Although I agree that they won't be as skilled as you, I can't force you to move to my village against your will. That said..." Rimuru glanced at Kaijin's injured brothers, "... I'll feel sad for you. By this time tomorrow, you'll not only lose face in front of the King, but your reputation will also sustain a significant blow. I'm certain the Minister you mentioned earlier will eagerly help disseminate this information far and wide."
Kaijin lowered his head and clenched his fist, fully aware that even though Rimuru was emphasizing how dire his situation would become, he couldn't deny that Rimuru was right. What frustrated him, even more, was what was left unsaid, the unspoken burden of guilt that would weigh on him for a lifetime if he let this opportunity to heal his other two brothers slip away.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Kaijin looked at Rimuru and affirmed, "I accept your offer, Rimuru-sama," offering a respectful bow.
"Fantastic!" Rimuru beamed and snapped his fingers, conjuring the 20 longswords and 2 full potions once more. "Now, let's heal your brothers so you can share this good news with them."
Kaijin used the two full potions provided by Rimuru to heal his other two brothers. Approximately an hour later, Kaijin's three brothers woke up with bewildered expressions on their faces, seeing their lost limbs restored.
Kaijin explained the situation to them, and, as he expected, his brothers agreed to go to Rimuru's village, both to honor their brother's word and to repay the person who saved their lives.
After further deliberation, they settled on departing for Rimuru's village the following evening. Kaijin would submit the swords, while his brothers would tend to their belongings back at the shop. With everything arranged, Rimuru and Testarossa departed from Kaijin's smithy, embarking on an exploration of Dwargon and enjoying the sights the city had to offer.
******
After exiting Kaijin's smithy, Rimuru and Testarossa aimlessly wandered around Dwargon. They visited various shops and street vendors, tried different kinds of foods, and browsed through various items for sale. During this time, Testarossa enjoyed herself, feeling Rimuru's enthusiasm rubbing off on her. However, two annoying things kept bothering her.
The first annoyance came in the form of lecherous stares from onlookers, both men and women, who couldn't seem to stop gawking at her and her master. They made various disgusting remarks that, unfortunately, were audible to her due to her mastery over [Universal Sense]. However, as infuriating as these individuals were, a more substantial nuisance emerged in the form of a woman who had been tailing them since their arrival in the city.
At first, Testarossa had ignored the woman, thinking she could easily handle her if the need arose. However, as time passed, this persistent follower grated on her nerves, forcing her to divide her attention between her master and this woman relentlessly tailing behind them.
"Rimuru-sama, I think there's something I should inform you about," Testarossa remarked, deeming it best to inform her master about the persistent woman tailing them.
"If you're referring to that elf who's been following us for a while, there's no need. I'm well aware of her," Rimuru replied, casting a casual glance toward the lurking elf in the shadows.
'Of course, he knows,' Testarossa thought, feeling somewhat foolish for thinking her master wouldn't notice someone tailing them. "Would you like me to take care of her?" she asked, her eyes showing determination and a dangerous glint.
"Nah, just wait here. I'll handle it myself," Rimuru stated, then proceeded to stride into a nearby alley, vanishing into thin air.
Meanwhile, as Testarossa stood by the roadside, keeping an eye on her surroundings, a man approached her.
"Hello there, miss," the man greeted, while his eyes roamed over her body. "I was passing by and couldn't help but notice a lovely lady like yourself standing here, looking alone and lonely," he shook his head, displaying exaggerated sadness on his face. "Honestly, a gentleman like me couldn't bear to see a beautiful flower like you wither away in sadness. That's why, miss, I am here to generously offer you my company."
"Get lost, insect! I have no desire to talk with a disgusting creature like you!" she retorted with a venomous voice, her mouth forming a disgusted frown, as if she were addressing filth.
The man recoiled at her tone and the disdain evident in her voice. Against his better judgment, he made one last attempt, convinced he still had a chance. "Now, now, I believe there's a misunderstanding," he insisted with a forced smile. "How about we acquaint ourselves over some drinks? I know of an excellent tavern not far from here. Why don't we stroll—"
"Step away, friend," abruptly, Rimuru materialized beside Testarossa, startling the man. "She's with me," Rimuru declared, and, just to solidify the point, he took her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers. For some inexplicable reason, Testarossa felt flustered, though she couldn't quite fathom why.
The man in front of them assessed the situation, then lowered his shoulders and retreated with a disheartened countenance.
"Testa, are you okay? He didn't trouble you too much, did he?" Rimuru inquired.
"I-I'm fine, R-Rimuru-sama," she responded, berating herself for stumbling over her words like a fool.
"That's good," Rimuru smiled at her. "By the way, I apologize for holding your hand without a warning like that."
"N-no, it's alright. I don't mind if it's you, Rimuru-sama," she replied, even though she couldn't understand why her cheeks suddenly felt warm as she uttered those words.
"I'm relieved to hear that. I would have felt terrible if I had unintentionally overstepped," Rimuru exhaled in relief before offering her another warm smile. "Well then, now that's settled, shall we continue our walk?" he suggested, resuming their leisurely stroll while still holding her hand.
As they continued their stroll, Testarossa's cheeks remained tinged with a persistent blush, a testament to her acute awareness of Rimuru's fingers intertwined with hers, as well as the envious glances they attracted from both men and women. While the initial annoyance of the jealousy had bothered her, she found herself oddly enjoying the sight of envy in the eyes of those who observed her and her master.
Thus, Testarossa decided to push her luck. Drawing comfort from the soothing warmth emanating from Rimuru, she leaned into it and gently wrapped her arm around his, allowing them to walk side by side.
Testarossa couldn't quite fathom the whirlwind of emotions stirring within her or the sudden flustered state she found herself in. Nevertheless, she acknowledged that these matters could be addressed by her future self. For the present, she relished the simple joy of the moment shared with her master.
To be continued...
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