1.
Yeomhwa decided to stay at our estate for the time being.
The Duke House had nice air, after all, so she could recuperate there until her equipment was complete.
I would also need to ask her about her needs from time to time.
There was just one problem….
"Don’t come within ten meters of the workshop."
"Aww."
"…That’s an estate rule."
Apparently, there was such a rule.
"What about bringing him snacks?"
"…I’ll give him whatever he needs myself."
"Aww."
Ever since Yeomhwa had brought up an exclusive contract, Dolores’s guard radar seemed to have shot straight up, and she had begun keeping Yeomhwa in check.
Then.
"Hmm, could it be… Elysia, are you jealous?"
Yeomhwa asked with a finger resting by her lips and a seductive expression.
I nearly fell for it myself for a second, but—
"Thisisnotthetimetotalkaboutjealousy. I’m saying you need to respect Lionel not as a child, but as a professional. Just because you’ve commissioned a blacksmith, do you go in and out of their workshop like it’s your own home? If you need something, Lionel will come see you himself."
"I’m sorry."
"Call me Dolores."
"Yes, Dolores."
After getting thoroughly put in her place, Yeomhwa quickly apologized.
Yeah, that snapped me out of it too. Dolores was the best.
Well, Yeomhwa seemed extremely satisfied with the Ether Circle’s performance, which was probably why she was acting that way, so I did not particularly feel bad about it.
Still… I supposed it was a good thing she liked it.
Dolores had also shuddered when she saw Recursive Chant with her own eyes.
After seeing the two of them off, I was about to return to the workshop….
Dolores followed me.
"Keep up the good work today, Lionel. Tell me if you need anything, and tell me if there’s a snack you want, too."
"I don’t need anything else. I’m just happy you’re home, Dolores."
Flinch.
Dolores flinched at my words.
She was scheduled to resume climbing the Tower next week. This week was a time for her to rest, for several reasons.
"…Should I not go, Lionel?"
Dolores asked cautiously.
"You have to go when it’s time to go."
My answer was nope.
"Okay……."
Of course, I liked having her here. But business still had to be done.
Keep going, Dolores.
Click.
Dolores slowly walked a lap around my workshop.
It seemed she was reluctant to leave right away.
Then.
Creak.
She suddenly opened the wardrobe….
"Oh."
"……?"
Dolores froze.
There were originally supposed to be four pairs of underwear hanging there.
But now, around two of them had been handed over to the Queen of the Distant Wind Spirits.
"…………………"
"S-Someone asked for them, so I gave them away."
"…Who?"
"There’s a Spirit Queen, but, ah, how am I supposed to explain this…."
I had entered the Spirit Realm while spinning the staff around, and gave them to her while I was there?
"No, Lionel. You made them, so I don’t need to know… I don’t."
Creak.
Dolores quietly shut the wardrobe door, then smiled at me as though nothing was wrong.
"W-Work hard, all right? Though don’t work too hard."
She said that and left, but….
Stagger.
She staggered once before leaving.
For a moment, she nearly bumped her shoulder into the door, but she disappeared from the workshop without any issue.
Maybe they had been favorites of hers.
I had not noticed, since she had not shown any sign of it.
Since she could not wear them, it seemed she had at least been content to admire them with her eyes… but the underwear was already gone.
What was given was given.
I sat down in front of the workbench and began planning equipment for Yeomhwa.
"Something that helps restore her mana circuits, while also…"
Something that could naturally blend into Yeomhwa’s fighting style.
What could it be?
Both in the video I saw before and just now… Yeomhwa materialized guns with magic and used them.
Honestly, I knew nothing about magic, so I had no clue exactly how it worked….
"How about an off-hand weapon?"
From what I had seen, there were three gear slots that accounted for the largest percentages.
Weapon, off-hand weapon, and insignia.
The concept of an insignia was kind of fascinating… but in any case, it was clearly equipment too.
I had heard that before outfitting yourself, you should invest ninety percent of your capital into those three.
So it seemed best to take that direction this time as well.
"I should talk this over with Yeomhwa."
Strip her down completely and check her weapon, insignia, and off-hand weapon. Then replace whichever one was the worst.
[Um… but, big brother.]
That was when it happened.
"Yeah."
[Take a look at this.]
A blue window appeared before my eyes.
Well, it was somewhere I saw all the time. The My Tower community.
[I found something pretty interesting.]
Since Yuna crawled the web every day, she would let me know whenever new information like this came up.
"What is it?"
The place Yuna showed me this time was….
"A community for promising climbers?"
A place mainly covering people who had not formally started climbing the Tower yet, but had finished training with a climbing party and would soon begin…
Or promising youngsters from various houses who were about to enroll in an academy.
So it was sort of like a place where people watched high school baseball or youth league players in advance and became fans.
There would be talk about how some house had produced a once-in-a-generation talent, who had good equipment, and who was already famous before enrollment.
There were communities like this everywhere.
And the post at the very top right now was….
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[✪][The equipment brought to today’s social gathering by the child of the Dolores Grand Duke House]
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The child of the Dolores Grand Duke House….
Hmm….
"Fuck, it’s Ruby."
I quickly clicked the community post.
The post even had photos uploaded.
It was an academy social gathering supposedly hosted by the Imperial Family… and in the center of it all, Ruby stood there holding her weapon, looking utterly majestic.
"She looks cool."
Mm-hm. I was proud. She was adorable too, since she photographed so well.
But what was the problem?
When I scrolled down a little further….
There were several more pictures: group shots, and scattered photos taken from a distance here and there.
Other promising climbers were visible too, and every single one of them wore cool-looking equipment.
Of course, it made me want to puke. It looked terrible.
But their gazes were all fixed on Ruby’s Totality.
As if enjoying those looks, Ruby had slung the staff across both shoulders, hooked her arms over it, and proudly ate chocolate….
"…Is she Son Goku?"
If Dolores had seen that pose, she probably would have fainted.
Fortunately, Sebas had gone with her… and since Sebas could not win against Ruby, he merely watched from behind.
Wiping sweat with a handkerchief.
"Heh heh."
But what was I supposed to do with this?
The body of the post appeared after I scrolled down further.
─────────────────
This is the best-looking equipment I’ve seen while stanning promising climbers.
And usually nobles don’t answer when you ask them about their equipment, right?
But apparently she said it’s four-star equipment, holy shit lol.
So even though Dolores must be having a hard time gearing herself up for her return, she bought that kind of equipment for her.
She’s definitely the star of this generation’s social gathering lol.
Apparently they’re raising a boy too. Can’t wait.
─────────────────
Not bad.
Ruby was not the sort to shy away from showing off, either.
The comments were the real point, so I checked them.
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[SproutMan]: Four-star unique equipment? Did the young lady say that herself?
└ [Yeah1]: Someone asked, and apparently that’s what she answered.
└ [SproutMan]: A duke wouldn’t lie, so it’s legit.
[Yeah2]: Some baron’s heir was acting cocky because he had a full equipment set. He’ll shut right up now lol.
└ [Yeah3]: Why do idiots like you even live? He lives better than you do.
└ [Yeah2]: ……Why are you mad…?
└ [SproutMan]: Are you a baron?
[Yeah5]: The young lady apparently didn’t say much else, just that Blacksmith L made it for her…?
└ [Yeah3]: Do you know who Blacksmith L is? DM me if you do.
└ [Yeah5]: I don’t know either lol.
└ [Yeah3]: Then get lost.
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"Blacksmith L."
Yeah, that was precisely the extent that Dolores and I had allowed.
She could talk about it and show it off, but only up to that point.
Ruby really did listen well.
[That was just to show you the general atmosphere….]
[The important post is this one, big brother.]
"Yeah."
Yuna showed me the next post.
─────────────────
[✪][I think the Dolores Grand Duke House really did recruit an absurd blacksmith.]
─────────────────
A rather sharp title.
"Ooh…"
I immediately read the post.
─────────────────
The weapon the young lady brought today has been confirmed as four-star unique equipment, and she said the maker was Blacksmith L…
I don’t think this is the first time.
Rumor has it that a princess of the Imperial Family wore new jewelry last year, and people are speculating that Blacksmith L made that too.
And this gallery doesn’t say much, but the climber gallery seriously talks about nothing except Dolores, you know?
Since Dolores returned recently, she’s started using something like Flash Step. There’s a lot of talk that it’s too ridiculous to be a technique she learned, and that it’s actually an equipment effect.
Until now, I thought all these were separate rumors, but with that weapon being revealed today, the picture more or less comes together.
It looks like the Dolores Grand Duke House recruited a blacksmith without letting the outside world know.
They supply the Imperial Family.
They make new equipment for Dolores.
They made four-star equipment for the young lady as well.
Blacksmith L is the person behind all three.
─────────────────
"Wow, this is good."
Their guesses quietly fit together perfectly.
Of course, I had not made Silver Palace—it was an enchantment—but with limited information, this was still impressive.
─────────────────
And this is information I obtained separately….
First of all, isn’t the very fact that he can make four-star equipment unbelievable?
So, taking his experience, his method of working materials, his crafting methods, and so on into account…
They say Blacksmith L is a master craftsman at least over one hundred years old.
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"?"
I reread the final sentence.
"…A hundred years old?"
[LMAOOOOOO]
They had missed the mark at the most crucial point, but….
That was probably the best guess they could make.
In truth, the only people who knew I was the maker were those from the Imperial Family….
And as Dolores had said, the Imperial Family was absolutely not the sort to spread rumors around.
Everyone else could only look at the finished products and speculate.
Honestly, it was far more reasonable to conclude that some kid was the heir they were newly raising, while a master craftsman over a hundred years old they had recruited separately made the equipment… rather than conclude that the kid himself made it.
"Not bad."
I did not know when it would be, but someday I planned to open a workshop and accept commissions from people there.
My name was becoming known even though I had not opened one yet.
"…It’s basically noise marketing."
I was famous, but nobody knew me.
This was nice.
"Thanks, Yuna. Keep letting me know if anything happens."
[Okay, hehe.]
Thinking about the future of the workshop I would open someday, I closed the community window.
"Then should I go meet Yeomhwa first?"
A full-fledged in-depth interview.
What kind of equipment do you desire?
I rose from my seat and headed for the estate.
2.
"…Still, I’m glad she’s doing better."
A woman’s voice came through the My Tower communication system.
"Yeah."
Dolores informed Camilla of Yeomhwa’s condition.
She was much better now, and it was not the Nine Yin Severed Meridians that they had feared.
The bracelet… had been the problem.
Camilla was… still not quite ready, so Dolores did not tell her about Lionel.
They would have a proper conversation later; telling her the secret was a separate matter.
She only said there had been a problem with the bracelet.
"I’m planning to have her recuperate at my estate for a while."
"Make sure she keeps the seaweed stuck on properly. I packed ten of them for her."
"Okay."
The seaweed Yeomhwa had been sticking to her forehead was Camilla’s unique medical treatment.
It was obvious that Yeomhwa would not put it on because it was bothersome, so Dolores would need to remind her often.
"……Then, goodbye."
"…Dolores."
Flinch.
Dolores, who had been about to end the call, stopped.
"Hm? Y-Yeah?"
Dolores had, in fact… been called out by Camilla once before.
It was nothing else.
It had been about Lionel.
Camilla had said things like to endure for just five years… that time passed more quickly than one thought. There had been all sorts of things….
"…You aren’t, are you?"
"W-What?"
"…You’re taking good care of him, right?"
Taking care of him?
Of course she was taking care of him….
She was protecting him well… from outside forces, but….
For some reason, Dolores did not think that was what Camilla’s question meant, but still.
In the end, Dolores lowered her head and answered in a tiny, fading voice.
"I-I don’t know… what you mean, but… I will take care of him, and I am taking care of him…"
"………… All right. Good work."
Camilla ended the call like that.
Dolores slowly replayed what she herself had just said.
‘…I will take care of him.’
Why? It was not a lie.
Dolores had a duty to protect Lionel from outside forces.
Lionel was too young and too exceptional….
"Haa…"
Eventually, she stopped thinking about it.
Then.
Ding.
A My Tower DM arrived.
Then….
Ding, ding, ding.
"……?"
The notifications rang one after another.
After all, this was an era where even houses and climbing parties used DMs to contact one another.
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[Berheim Marquess House]
........ In conclusion, we would like to provide additional sponsorship to Blacksmith L, whom the Dolores Grand Duke House is sponsoring, and commission the creation of equipment.
─────────────────
[White Night Climbing Party]
........ To put it simply, please arrange a meeting with Blacksmith L.
─────────────────
And so on….
Though they had been formal about it, dozens of messages with essentially the same content began piling up.
This was probably because of Ruby.
After she had taken such unbelievable equipment with her, it was only natural for rumors to spread.
"……"
Already, countless houses and climbing parties were reaching out toward Lionel.
"One hundred years old……? What is this supposed to mean?"
Dolores had been troubled after being pressed by Camilla just moments ago.
"Every last one of you…"
Get lost.
Dolores marked every message as read all at once.
‘Ah, the others? Reject them all for now.’
That was also something she had discussed with Lionel before.
This, too, was merely part of ‘protecting’ him.
…It was absolutely not possessiveness.
Dolores intended to protect Lionel very well, so no one would dare lay a hand on him.
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