WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Dionysus
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Chapter 287: Countless (1)
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"Let's go to the Holy Kingdom together."
"..."
"What, do you object?"
"No. It's not that, it's just..."
Airen Farreira trailed off after hearing Vulcanus's words.
Honestly, it was unexpected.
Vulcanus was not a particularly active Dwarf. Unless there was something absolutely necessary to do, he spent all day in his smithy. After what had happened two years ago, that tendency had only grown stronger.
So it was only natural for Airen to wonder why Vulcanus wanted to accompany him on the journey to Abilius.
'Dozens of Sword Masters will be gathering there. Is he hoping to see them and find some inspiration?'
The thought crossed his mind briefly, but he soon shook his head.
If that were the case, there would be no need for Vulcanus to travel with him. Airen intended to travel leisurely on foot, seeing the world for the first time in a while.
Rather than putting up with such a hassle, it would be far more comfortable to travel later with Kiril on a Griffin.
Could something Airen had said about growing through the world have influenced him?
Airen shook his head again.
Vulcanus was single-minded and impossibly stubborn. Airen couldn't imagine him doing something like that.
Yet, unexpectedly, that was exactly the reason.
"I'm planning to follow you, experience the world, meet all sorts of people, and reflect on myself."
"..."
"It's true that I was influenced by you. You're much younger than me, but you're someone worth watching and learning from. I thought it might not be so bad to try moving through the world your way for once."
"..."
"You bastard, why aren't you saying anything? And what's with that expression?"
"No, it's just..."
Airen's expression grew even more bewildered.
Vulcanus held not only himself, but everyone else to harsh standards.
For someone like him to set aside his own ways, follow another person's path, and readily admit that person had qualities worth emulating was completely unexpected.
Even an apprentice assisting nearby stared at their master with pure disbelief.
Vulcanus, however, did not waver.
"Well, saying this to anyone else might be embarrassing, but not to you. I sincerely mean it."
He knew it himself. He was not the type to listen to other people's words.
Part of that was his inborn nature, and part of it came from the pride of having reached the pinnacle of his craft.
In truth, no matter how impressive someone was, even if a king of a great power or one of the Continent's Three Great Swordsmen appeared before him, Vulcanus had believed he would never bow his head.
Praising someone else had been just as unimaginable.
That was what made Airen Farreira remarkable.
His gentle and good-natured influence could open the heart of even a strict, foul-tempered Dwarven craftsman.
Many would pay greater attention to Airen's talent with the sword, but the blacksmith Vulcanus believed this was his greatest strength.
"I'll be honest. Thank you. For giving me so much inspiration, and for allowing me to leave my narrow world and experience the wider one. It would've been impossible without you. So, I wouldn't exactly call it repayment, but... I thought I'd make a contribution with my skills."
"Huh?"
"To everyone participating in the Hero's Festival. To every swordsman working to subjugate demons and demonoids... I'll provide weapons on par with Numbering Swords."
"..."
"It won't be done in my name. It will be done in your name, Airen Farreira, carrying on your will. And for the record, I refuse any refusal, so don't say anything foolish."
"Uh, uh..."
The apprentice listening to the conversation looked even more stunned.
They looked as though their soul might leave their body through their open mouth.
That was understandable. Nobody knew better than they did how much pride their master took in his work.
In truth, even Vulcanus himself had thought long and hard before bringing it up.
His skills had improved over the past two years, and with them, his standards for selecting the owners of his swords had become even stricter.
Setting all that aside and providing his work to so many people was something the old Vulcanus would never have considered.
That was right.
All of this was to express his gratitude to Airen.
To support a hero striving toward a dream that others would laugh at as absurd.
To support him so that his will could spread farther and wider across the continent.
Perhaps Airen felt that sincerity.
After being unable to speak for a moment, Airen Farreira finally spoke with a faint smile.
"Thank you. Truly."
"..."
"It feels as though I've received a gift more precious than anything else I have ever received. Thank you once again."
"...You don't look that grateful."
Vulcanus shook his head.
He genuinely liked Airen, and he thought Airen had grown in an even better direction than when they first met, but...
Whenever he saw that calm demeanor, Vulcanus couldn't help but think Airen seemed like an old soul.
No, not even an old soul. He looked more like a high priest who had spent several decades cultivating his mind.
Of course, that was not something Vulcanus could do anything about.
'Still, expecting the liveliness and freshness of someone in their twenties from this fellow is asking too much.'
A sigh rose in him, but Vulcanus suppressed it.
Instead, he brought up one more matter he had not mentioned yet.
"Ah, and one more thing. Illia Lindsay's sword is finished..."
"What? Really? Is that true?"
"..."
"C-can I see it? No, would it be wrong for me to see it before Illia does? Ah, but I'm curious. Ugh, should I hold back? What should I do? Um, ah..."
"..."
"By the way, how is the sword's quality? It must be excellent, right? Not that I doubt your skill, Mr. Vulcanus, but, well, um... No, I mean... Why can't I organize my thoughts?"
"...Enough. Stop talking."
Vulcanus shook his head.
The apprentice behind him slowly shook their head as well.
The two exchanged a quiet look and thought at the same time.
'Right, this is what he was like.'
'Yes, this is what he was like.'
In every other respect, Airen was calm and detached, like an ascetic who had spent decades training his mind.
Yet when it came to his lover, he instantly returned to acting his age.
"...I made it far better than you imagine, so don't ask any more questions."
"Um, yes. But..."
"Shut up."
"Yes, sir..."
"Aren't you curious how your own sword is coming along?"
"Not particularly..."
"..."
"..."
"Let's stop talking."
Vulcanus turned away and coldly dismissed him.
* * *
Ten days after visiting the smithy, Airen Farreira set out on his journey to the Holy Kingdom.
Vulcanus was his only companion.
House Farreira had not made any plans for a large-scale departure in the first place, and Kiril had business in Cesar Duchy.
His family would likely travel on a Griffin shortly before the Hero's Festival began.
Furthermore, even Lulu, who had originally planned to go with them, dropped out.
"Sorry! My Sorcery training has been going well lately, so I want to stay in the territory."
"What is there to apologize for? Do whatever is comfortable for you."
"Okay! I'll follow along with Kiril later, so don't miss me too much! Show me something amazing by then!"
Lulu had become quite independent after finishing their two-year journey.
Unlike before, she spoke a little less and often became lost in her own thoughts.
It was only natural for Airen to worry when that continued for so long.
Even when he asked whether something was wrong, she didn't give him a clear answer, which made him worry more.
'She'll be fine.'
Still, it was not a major concern.
He could tell that their feelings for one another had not changed. Not because she was a Sorcerer, but because she was his closest friend.
If that was the case, it was fine. If there was truly a serious problem, she would tell him.
In fact, he had made her promise that if something arose that was too difficult to handle alone, she would turn to him and rely on him.
'Anyway, I hope she feels better soon.'
With those thoughts in mind, Airen Farreira left the territory and headed out into the continent.
"It's been a while."
"It's been a while for me too."
"Tell me if you get tired. I can at least rent a horse."
"Do you take me for an old man? Even if monsters appear, I'll be fine, so don't worry."
Vulcanus bent his arm to show off his biceps. Airen chuckled at the sight.
Then again, with the body he had built through blacksmithing, Vulcanus was surely more capable than most novice mercenaries.
The war hammer on his back was not merely for decoration, either.
The two began their journey on foot, and a week passed.
"The atmosphere feels different from before."
"Does it?"
"Yes, definitely..."
He was not referring to the expressions or atmosphere of the residents in the cities and villages they had passed through.
Of course, they seemed darker than before as well, but that could have simply been his imagination. It was unsuitable evidence for an objective judgment.
However, the monsters appearing far more frequently and at all hours were clear proof.
The world had certainly moved closer to darkness than before.
"At this rate, small merchants must all be holding back."
"Yes. They'll likely need to hire more mercenaries... I've also heard that small traveling groups have decreased considerably. It's dangerous, after all."
Of course, that did not apply to them.
A muscular Dwarf who could fold an ordinary mercenary in half with his bare hands.
And a human swordsman who had reached the level of Master, someone who would not even blink if hundreds of such Dwarves charged at him.
What could possibly threaten them?
Only the Jester Demon, which had once been defeated and driven away, would be enough to make them tense.
Thanks to that, even when preparing to camp on the road rather than in a village late at night, neither of them showed any concern.
Of course, not everyone felt the same way.
That was true of the adventuring party that noticed their campfire and approached late at night.
"Wait, sleeping outside with only the two of you in times like these..."
"..."
"Ah, sorry. We're not dangerous. We were just glad to see the light, but seeing such a small group made us a little worried..."
"Ethan, introduce yourself first."
"Ah, right. My apologies. Here... I'm really not suspicious."
"...It doesn't look forged. He's quite an impressive fellow."
Vulcanus muttered quietly after checking the other man's Mercenary Plate.
It was not empty praise. A Gold Plate. It was not solid gold, merely gold plating, but its value lay not in its worth as treasure, but in what it proved about its owner's status and skill.
Only people capable of joining a knight order in any great kingdom could receive a Gold Plate. Naturally, they also needed a record of accomplishments.
That meant the man called Ethan possessed both Expert-level skill and the trustworthiness of a veteran.
Having finally lowered his guard, Vulcanus introduced himself.
"As you can see, I'm a Dwarf. My name is Bulkan."
"Ah, I see. Could you perhaps be a blacksmith..."
"I'd like to say it's wrong to assume every Dwarf is a blacksmith... but in my case, it's true, so I have nothing to say. Still, watch yourself."
"Ah, I apologize. I'll keep that in mind. Hey, the rest of you, introduce yourselves too."
"Um, yeah. It feels awkward since it's been a while. Ha ha..."
Three humans and an elf settled around the campfire with easygoing expressions.
They naturally began introducing themselves while displaying items that could prove their identities. Vulcanus nodded again.
Even with a craftsman's eye, he could not find any signs of forgery, so they were all likely trustworthy people.
Once everyone had finished, their attention naturally turned to Airen. He was the only one who had not introduced himself.
Airen nodded and showed them his Mercenary Plate as well. At the same time, he gave his name.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Airen Farreira..."
Before he could finish, he realized his mistake.
'Right, I was supposed to use an alias.'
Like Vulcanus, Airen Farreira had become extremely famous recently.
Part of it was because he had reached the level of Master in his early twenties, but his relationship with Illia Lindsay had made him even more widely known.
Their relationship had spread far beyond Adan Kingdom. By now, it was known across the entire continent.
On top of that, people learned that he had once been called the lazy young lord and looked down on by many others.
Regardless of age, gender, or social status, countless people had become interested in him.
It had always been that way. People were far more drawn to someone who overcame hardship and adversity to rise from the bottom than to someone who steadily followed an elite path.
The problem was that revealing his identity openly would make it impossible to continue a leisurely journey.
That was why Airen had decided to use the name Aaron, and Vulcanus had introduced himself as Bulkan.
'I should have shown a different Mercenary Plate. I showed them the Silver Plate I got in Alkantrea...'
Airen let out a faint sigh.
He regretted it, but it was already too late.
Sure enough, their eyes widened, and questions poured from their mouths.
"A-are you really Airen Farreira?"
"The one from the rumors... is that right?"
"The one who reached the level of Master at twenty-one?"
"The one who defeated House Lindsay's genius at Proof Land?"
"Uh, um... Yes."
In the end, Airen had no choice but to honestly admit his identity.
He had never been good at lying. For someone like him, pretending not to know in that atmosphere was nearly impossible.
But then...
The atmosphere was strange.
"Pfft, pfft, pwahahahaha!"
"Heh... What is this?"
"Wow... You're really good at acting. You're the best Airen Farreira I have ever met."
"What?"
"Your hair color is the same, and the Mercenary Plate is elaborate too... Wow, you put in quite a bit of effort."
"Huh? Uh..."
Airen Farreira looked bewildered by the adventuring party's unexpected reaction.
Vulcanus quietly watched him and shook his head.
'They don't believe him.'
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