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

by Fujino Omori

  “Rakia’s soldiers spread devastation as if it was a game. For those on the receiving end of magic swords, hating the Crozzo family might be a case of misplaced anger…However, there are still many elves who haven’t gotten over the past.”

  “…”

  “So that is why the name Crozzo is impossible for elves to ignore.”

  “…What about you, Lyu?”

  “No, I harbor no ill will.”

  Her quick denial surprises me.

  I’ve heard that elves consider their entire race to be a family, filled with pride in themselves and one another.

  Lyu says that’s an exaggeration, and that her own homeland was not directly affected…I’m absolutely stunned.

  Of course, Syr—and the others as well—cares for me, but to think Lyu hasn’t known me very long at all, yet shares something like this and worries about me so much…She’s very important to me.

  “Be-ll! Sorry to keep you waiting!”

  “…It’s time. Mr. Cranell, please be careful in the Dungeon today.”

  “Ah, yes…”

  Lyu gives me a slight bow as Syr comes through the door.

  She goes back inside the bar without another word. I watch in silence as the door closes behind her.

  “I’m a little late…”

  I’m speed-walking my way through West Main. Morning bells ring out from the east as I make my way through an ever-growing crowd of people. Lilly and Mr. Welf are waiting for me at the base of Babel Tower. I have to get there as soon as possible.

  My feet are moving, but my thoughts are somewhere else entirely. I’m so wrapped up in what I just heard from Lyu that I don’t even notice a person walking right up to me.

  “Oh, this really is your route.”

  “Ah,” I say as everything comes into focus. It’s Mr. Welf, and he’s waving at me.

  Isn’t this strange? I told him we were meeting at the same place as yesterday…Did he want to meet me halfway?

  “Hey, Bell. Mornin’.”

  “Good morning. Umm…Mr. Welf, what are you doing out here?”

  “Got a message for you from Li’l E. She can’t join us for dungeon crawling today.”

  “Eh?”

  He explains that he was waiting at the base of Babel when a very animated Lilly rushed up to him. She said that on top of being busier than usual recently, the gnome she works for collapsed. She’s the only one around who can take care of him. Apparently she bowed enough times to make Mr. Welf dizzy watching her.

  Hearing that I always arrive from West Main, he decided to come out and meet me.

  “So, what do we do? Hit the Dungeon as a two-man cell?”

  “W-well, ummm…”

  We won’t be able to collect as many magic stones and drop items without Lilly with us. But if we don’t go into the Dungeon, I won’t have anything to do all day…I’d like to avoid that.

  Should I go grab my old backpack and gather stones and drop items, like I did back in my solo days?

  “…Bell. If you’ve got nothing else going on, can I have some of your time today?”

  “What?”

  I tilt my head to the side at his suggestion.

  The corner of his mouth rises in a grin; his hands wave from side to side.

  “I made you a promise, didn’t I? A full set of new equipment.”

  “Y-you know, Mr. Welf, I’m fine with just the light armor…”

  “No need for modesty. A smith never goes back on his word.”

  Mr. Welf is heading somewhere at a brisk pace and I’m doing my best to keep up.

  I know I already agreed to it, but the thought of receiving brand-new equipment for free makes me feel like I’m taking advantage of him…I feel kind of guilty.

  I try a few more times to decline the offer, but he just waves me off, saying, “Leave it to me.” I watch his black coat swish back and forth as we make our way up the street.

  “Bell, I don’t pretend to know everything, but you should go after the best stuff you can get. Adventurers never know if there’s a tomorrow. Because you don’t know what’s coming, you should always have the best weapons and armor on you at all times—right?”

  “Yeah…”

  He makes a very good point. I can’t help but agree.

  Everything is pointless if you die. I don’t know how many times Eina has said that.

  And I promised the goddess that I wouldn’t leave her alone. All things in moderation, but…the most important thing is not to make the big mistake, I guess.

  I think about it for a while, but in the end I decide to take Mr. Welf’s offer.

  The moment I say, “I’m looking forward to your work,” Mr. Welf grins from ear to ear and says, “Coming right up.”

  “Mr. Welf. Can I ask you where we’re going?”

  “My workshop.”

  Workshop? He must’ve looked over his shoulder and seen the confusion on my face, because Mr. Welf starts to explain.

  A workshop is where a smith creates armor and weapons. He says everything he needs to create my new equipment is already there: a forge, various metals and tools, etc.

  Apparently his Familia assigned him his own workshop…and that’s something special about being a member of Hephaistos Familia.

  “You mean everyone having their own workshop isn’t normal?”

  “Doubt it. It’d be much cheaper to have everyone use the same space; be more efficient, too.”

  “Then, why?”

  “So that other smiths don’t see your techniques. My way is only my way, yeah?”

  Must be an artisan thing…Or maybe it’s his pride as a smith?

  Members of his Familia are also his competition. That’s got to be one stressful working environment.

  “Don’t be thinking I’m doing something shady, now. Lady Hephaistos wanted it this way.”

  Laughing at his own joke, Mr. Welf starts to pick up speed.

  We’re moving along Northeast Main Street right now.

  Large and small shops on both sides of the street have awnings over their entrances. Shops selling tools and other items are all over the place, with not a bar to be seen. The people around here are wearing all kinds of different worker’s gear as they get ready to start the day. Only a few of them have Familia symbols on their clothes, so I guess most of them are free workers. I can see large, boxy buildings all over the place…I bet they’re factories.

  If I remember right, all of the magic-stone products that Orario is known for are made along Northeast Main.

  The Industrial District, that’s what it’s called.

  “We’re turning up there.”

  I’m distracted for a moment by a dwarf lumbering along the side of the street while carrying a massive tree trunk over his shoulder, but I follow Mr. Welf.

  Our path suddenly narrows as we turn off the main street. It’s still morning, but the sun’s rays have yet to reach this stone-paved side street. It’s quite cool back here. The brilliant blue stripe of sky above us is absolutely magnificent.

  All the buildings around here are made of stone as well. Just when I think we’re going to go all the way to the city wall, Mr. Welf comes to a stop.

  “Whoa…”

  After winding our way through so many back streets, here it is.

  A compact, one-story building stands in front of us.

  Burn marks and soot cover the stone walls, but this is the real thing! The aura of an actual forge oozes out of every inch of this place. A smokestack juts out of one corner of the roof. The whole building is rather charming.

  “You might already know, but this is the area most workers call home. Can’t walk two steps without seeing another workshop or factory. My Familia’s home is just around the corner.”

  Of course, this is all news to me. “Oh, I see,” I say, my head on a swivel as I take in all the sights.

  Mr. Welf’s workshop is quite a ways away from Main Street. This area reminds me a lot of my home, being a bit dark and out-of-the
-way.

  Echoes of metal on metal ring out from every direction…I can feel the presence of other smiths already hard at work, as well as hear them.

  Above all, it sounds like Hephaistos Familia prepares a workshop for each of its members in this area.

  Each member is in charge of taking care of their own area…but still, it’s really generous.

  “What’re you standin’ around for? Come on in.”

  “Ah, sure.”

  I say a quiet thank-you as I follow Mr. Welf into his workshop.

  The first thing I notice is the strong smell of iron. Mr. Welf opens the shutters, bathing the dark room in the crisp morning light.

  A wide array of tools hanging on the wall starts glistening. Hammers, tongs, random utensils…A lot of them. I’ve never seen anything like any of these before.

  A large fireplace is nestled in the corner, behind a medium-height bench. Isn’t that thing called an anvil?

  There are no dividing walls in here, just one big space devoted to forging armor and weapons.

  Now this is a smith’s workshop.

  “Sorry, bit of a pigsty in here. Can you put up with it for a bit?”

  “Don’t worry about me, I’m fine!”

  Actually, I want to see him in action…Starting to get excited, I take another look around the room.

  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 w
aste. 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.”