Chapter 29: The Daily Life of an Eight Year Old – Seiran (Blue Indigo)
Chapter 29: The Daily Life of an Eight Year Old – Seiran (Blue Indigo)
"Oh Alter, I'm here!"
A drawn-faced Graham comes into the garden, accompanied by Ragnidig.
He's Dwarves indeed. Even the Mercantile would address his father as such, but he is not concerned about it. They are a great race because they can walk around the world like this.
"You're welcome, Rag."
"Oh. Because you have a strange sake, there's no way I won't come here."
I shake Ragnidig's hand firmly. He must have had a strong arm, but he returned my handshake with exquisite strength. He is indeed a dexterous blacksmith.
Then, Ragnidig looked around at the people gathered with his usual grim face.
"There are so many of them. Who are those people?"
"Let me introduce you."
I introduced Ragnidig to the family and said, "Oh, you are the son of the Lords, aren't you? The son of a nobleman, I see!" He laughed boldly. Don't forget that when you come to the mansion.
"I am Ragnidig, a Dwarf. If you are of the Alter family, you can call me Rag. Oh, and I can't say it strangely. The human language is a pain in the ass. That's the best I can do."
"I am Auburn Viars Reedwald. As you know, I am the Lord. I don't mind your language. My son has invited his friends here."
"Yes, he knows what he's doing."
Implicitly, then father cautions, "You don't want this on an official occasion," and Ragnidig agrees. Just because he is not good at using polite language does not mean he lacks culture or common sense.
My mother and brother also finish their greetings. Then I introduce "Battle Axe of Destruction" and Pavel.
After a brief exchange of words with everyone, Ragnidig turned to Valerie.
"You're the girl who somehow contracted the disease?"
"Ah, yes. Thank you for providing us with your precious alcohol."
"It is good that you are fine now. The sake will be a welcome relief. But you look thin. Are you eating well?"
I've been in bed for about half a month.
"Mmm, then eat. Don't be shy."
"That's my line. More importantly, Rag, did you bring it?"
"Oh, right."
Rag searches for an empty table and lays out some small packages from a leather bag.
Everyone gathers to see what is going on.
There are five packages lined up. Rag opens them with a delicate hand. When he opens the first one, someone exclaims in admiration, and when all the packages are open, everyone is speechless.
I was surprised at how well it turned out, but I tried to keep my composure and opened my mouth.
"I think you know what I mean. These are trinkets that Ragnidig created from the magic stone of the Tremble Cube. Usually, the magic stone should be exchanged for cash and distributed. But it was a condition of receiving the sacrilege liquor. I let him use the magic stones freely. In a time of emergency, I took the liberty of making this decision. If you prefer to pay in cash, please feel free to make an offer. It may be hard to say, but everyone has their circumstances. Don't mind if I do."
"I'm not complaining."
Markant took up the brooch and gave an exclamation.
Following that, each reached for the trinket at hand. The clasps provided were brooches, chain bracelets, rings, necklaces, and a cloak fibula. All of those things have a deep blue magic stone inside. The variety is due to Rag's mood and taste. I said, "Why don't you unify them? I gave my opinion, but he went around making whatever he wanted, saying, "I'll make it the way I like it. That is the result. Incidentally, although it is a deviation from a blacksmith's work, making ornaments is just a hobby, and that seems to be what he meant when he asked me to make something for him.
I asked Ragnidig for an explanation, wondering what I would do if my tastes were shared or everyone rejected me.
"I crush, polish, cut the magic stone, and then load the magic stone into the base. They are different kinds of trinkets. But they have the same abilities. It also increases resistance to water and acid. And three times a day, it can activate the elementary shield magic called "Water Shield". Their defense depends on the user. So if you are not good at magic, don't expect much. Also, the base is all silver. It is harder than ordinary silver due to the influence of the magic stone. However, it is only silver, and although it was made sturdy, it will probably break if handled roughly."
It seems that he made those things as he pleased. None of the items are overlapped not only in type but also in the direction of design. However, all were excellent crafts, and it was easy to imagine that they would fetch a high price even without any special abilities.
Sending a wry smile to the satisfied Ragnidig, I urge everyone.
"Now, pick out the one you like."
At my words, "Battle Axe of Destruction" looked at each other, and Markant pushed Valerie first.
"It's a get-well gift, too. You first."
Valerie refrained, but she already set her eyes on one of the items.
After several urges from everyone. Valerie finally picked up the necklace. The base was elaborately engraved and it has a large magic stone inside it. The silver chain shone in the faintest light, and the clasp was invisibly engraved. It was the most delicate trinket of the five.
Valerie sighed as she lifted it to her eye level.
The men who followed seemed to have chosen something simple, less obtrusive, and more useful than an ornament.
Markant chooses a chain bracelet. It is a trinket consisting of a thick silver chain joined together with three magical stones of various sizes. He wears steel-reinforced leather gloves in battle, so he thought the chain would not get in the way.
Danil chooses a cloak fibula. Since it is a clasp for his cloak, it is the most conspicuous trinket. There is a button-like magic stone in the center, from which three magic stones of different sizes are lined up toward the left arm. The design is reminiscent of shooting stars in a silver night sky. The large size of the stone made it a metalworking piece. But for some reason, the ornamentation was modest. Danil, who often played the role of a negotiator, was attracted by the exquisite presence of the piece. Something that would not be too much or too little when dealing with merchants and others.
And Ose chooses a brooch. Although small in size, it had a magic stone set in the center, top, bottom, left, and right, and in the shape of a cross. The outer circumference is decorated in the shape of a chain. He chose this brooch because he could wear it on the back of his clothes.
Now the ring remained.
I turned to Roland and patted his arm.
"This is yours."
"Huh? No, isn't that Alter-sama's?"
"I order separately. It's a somewhat cumbersome item. So I couldn't make it this time."
"No, no, no, wait. There's no way I'd look good in such a stylish ring. It wouldn't fit on my finger, to begin with."
The ring is also made of silver, and no large magic stone is used due to size issues. Instead, small magic stones are scattered throughout the ring, which was about 5 mm wide. It is like a river of magic stones flowing through the silver earth. The outer circumference is not decorated for durability, but the inside was precisely engraved and watermarked in some places. It was a gorgeous finish for its weight. Indeed, it might not be suitable for a middle-aged man. Okay, let's push it. With this, I'll make up for my earlier gaffe.
"Roland has a right to his share, don't be shy. Or would you have preferred gold coins? I don't know why you would prefer gold coins, but it is what it is. You can exchange it for cash somewhere. It was Lug's effort, but he must have had his reasons. I won't force you."
Roland's gaze swam and met Ragnidig's.
He wandered over to the brooch in Ose's hand. Ose was about to open his mouth to say something, but Roland held it back with his eyes. I won't let you exchange it.
Finally, he let out a sigh of resignation.
"I understand. I'll take it."
I felt a little sorry for him as his shoulders slumped.
Was he indeed mean?
"Rag, can you smoke it?"
"Oh, that's easy."
"That's it, please!"
"Leave it to me. If you want, I can chain it around your neck. I've got some affordable ones."
Rag pulled a steel chain from his pocket. That ring is sensitive to size. So he probably prepared for that eventuality.
Roland looked pleased to see the ring through the chain.
"If I smoke it, it will settle nicely, but it's not going to fit on my finger. Always hang it as a pendant."
"Hmm, does the grimoire still work?"
"This time. You don't have to have it close to your skin to trigger it."
Some of them don't trigger if they are not in close contact. There doesn't seem to be an automatic size change for most magical tools, and they seem to be harder to handle than I thought.
While I was thinking about this, Marchant blurted out something while stroking his bracelet.
"Well, I wonder if it has a name or something."
It wasn't something I would say to anyone, but I knew it was directed at me.
I wonder if the alcohol has made them less cautious, or if they think everyone here knows about "Appraisal". Magic tools are the same as ordinary tools, and the name is usually the effect or material. In this case, it's a water-resistant brooch or a water flow brooch. And superior magical tools are given special names, like master craftsmen's masterpieces.
Naturally, I know the name of the trinket, but I can't be the one to announce it. I turned to the only one of these men who could use appraising magic.
"Seiran (Blue Indigo)."
It was Ragnidig who responded to Markant's question.
"Every trinket bears the name ‘Seiran'. The original is a single magic stone, and the silver of the base is of the same origin. They are, like brothers and sisters in magic."
"Seiran Bracelet …… ain't bad."
Everyone looked at the trinkets in their hands as they thought about them.
In the midst of it all, Valerie suddenly looked up.
"Speaking of which, what did you order, Alter-sama?"
"Oh, I'm curious too. What's a troublesome item?"
"It's not a waste of money. It's just a cloak."
Danil tilted his head.
"It's not a clasp – it's not. A cloak fibula would be the same as mine. It shouldn't be a hassle. Other than that, I'd use it on a cloak……"
I can't think of anything. So they ask Ragnidig for an answer. Then we all notice that one of them, an eccentric dwarf, is wearing a Buddha's face.
I chuckle.
"I figured I could make a magic stone thread. Threads soaked with melted magic stone, or threads covered with a softened magic stone. I discussed the possibility of a cloak woven from it."
"That's so unprofessional."
"So it has been taken out of the Rag's hands. The seamstress and fabric makers can manage, but they can't make the thread. I'm trying to find a way now."
Large magic stones were out of stock. Ragnidig had smashed them all up like a parent's revenge, so there were only grains of sand or shards from the molding process left. Ragnidig assured him that he could still make something if he could scrape it up, but it would inevitably be inferior to other trinkets. Then it hit him: thread.
"That's enough. It's time to get the drinks out."
Perhaps it was an uninteresting topic, or perhaps Ragnidig broke off the conversation.
I didn't want to put him in a bad mood any longer, so I said no to everyone and headed back to my room to get some more drinks.
On the way there, I casually looked back and saw that the "Battle Axe of Destruction" was showing each other their trinkets, and my mother Henriette was joining him in examining them one by one. My father is talking with Ragnidig, pointing them out. What are you going to order?
◇◇◇◇
When I returned, I found that the fathers, who had only come to greet me, had joined the conversation in their chairs.
Before I knew it, there were more table settings. Well, "Battle Axe of Destruction" or Markant has relaxed and is conversing naturally, and there seems to be no problem.
Ragnidig spotted me with his eyes wide open with two bottles down, and ran up to me, shaking his barrel-like body.
"So that's the drink you were talking about!"
"Yes, but don't expect too much. You can't taste it properly."
Ragnidig picked up the liquor bottle and returned to the table with a smug look.
You don't drink from a trumpet, do you? Is it a courtesy to drink?
He quickly took out a tumbler he had brought with him and poured it into it.
The mellow aroma spread throughout the garden, attracting everyone's attention. The liquor was a dark brown color, and the more he poured, the darker it became. Ragnidig stared at it, his nose twitching.
The aroma is similar to Sacrio," he said. No, is the originally Sacrio?"
"Correct. I distilled it and tweaked it a bit."
Hm, I nodded and took a sip.
As soon as he did, he chuckled.
"It tastes bad!"
"Oh …… that, sorry."
No. I tasted it, in case you were wondering.
You can't tell the exact taste with the alcohol skimmed off, can you? I thought I could handle it with my taste buds that have lived through the age of satiation, but I guess I was too naive.
I had a somewhat unpleasant feeling, I also brought some regular Sacrio sake. I'll have this to cleanse my palate.
But Ragnidig didn't pay any attention to the Sacrio I offered him, and he tipped the tumbler again.
"But it's interesting. Did you imitate Sap Dussil?"
"Sap–what?"
"Sap Dussil. It's a liquor produced in the northern part of the united kingdom of Hazel. It's a harsher douche than Sacrio, soaked in Kut Pirap."
"Kut Pilap, huh? Then you've included it. I found it at the store and thought it was interesting."
I remember the powder that collected dust in the grocery store before. Pilap is what we call chili peppers in this world. And Kut Pilap was a subspecies of it, with an even stronger pungency. They have it in the grocery store so people can throw Pilap at monsters.
"You don't know about it? You usually put it in there. But with its taste, it can't be just distilled Sacrio. Invas, huh?"
"You're right. You know what I'm talking about. It's weak in spirit, so it's distilled as well."
"A sweet Sacrio and a numbing Invas. Putting it all together is Kut Pilap? It has a lot of miscellaneous flavors, but the taste is complex. The idea is interesting."
"I'm glad to hear you say so. I've also brought some Sacrio sake to refresh your palate. Please drink that."
"Mmm. But I'll take this one first. That's how new drinks are born."
Ragnidig drinks the tumbler in one gulp.
Then he poured out a second glass, saying it was "bad" and "spicy. I wonder if it tastes anything undrinkable. This drink was a reward for having a trinket made in a great hurry. The Potion of Sharpe, the Grass King's Liquor Potion had become more than sacrilege by distillation. On the first day, Keseles' magic made him less conscious, but after the second day, Valerie had a lot of trouble finishing the drink. When she asks Ragnidig for a trinket. She remembered this and casually muttered to herself, "I wonder if dwarves can drink up even the strongest liquor without a care in the world." It may or may not have been in my voice, but a professional drinker would not miss it.
As if half-intimidated, he decided to make a new bottle of sake, and thanks to that, he gladly agreed to make the trinket.
Ragnidig emptied his cup one after another.
The drink looked so tasty. Markant, shrugging off my attempts to restrain him, took up the challenge. After one bite, he screamed and rolled out of the garden. Ragnidig, who couldn't bear to look at him, offered him a Sacrio to cleanse his palate. That's no good. Markant swallowed it in one gulp and fainted again. Then he stopped moving.
Everyone laughed at his appearance, and only Valerie gave him a cold stare, saying, "I used to drink that every day.
Ragnidig, who had also drunk his share of sacrio, even became interested in the potion of the grass king. He was so pleased with the drink that he started screaming, "Give me more!" That's not just a drink, it's a kind of antiseptic. I did my best to persuade him because it was seriously life-threatening. I shouldn't have let him drink it.
The extra Sacrio somehow calmed him down, so I took a breath and went back to the table. I looked over and saw that Pavel had switched to tea. Well, he hardly sipped his drink. Perhaps he was preparing for an emergency. I took the opportunity to serve him the reborn Shogun's Tea Hand Rubbing Formula 2. It has a deep flavor and a moderate bitterness. For me, this is a masterpiece. And Pavel praised it highly as if it suited his taste buds. I was so happy to have someone who understands me after a long time.
I pulled out my inventory, and Pavel, his brother Lachius, and I formed a "Shogun-loving group. We occupied a corner of the table and enjoyed the noble aroma and taste with those who were making a fool of themselves. It is a secret that I had forgotten about my brother's existence until that moment. With such a strong group of characters. My beloved brother could never compete with them.
The party continued after the sun went down.
It was the most intense and life-threatening month in my eight years of life.
I learned a lot and formed many bonds.
The events of this summer will become an irreplaceable experience and memory.
As I watched the party in the evening twilight, I envisioned the future.
It seemed somewhat clearer than before.