264 Katana
After we had lunch together, I talked about my request.
"I want you to forge me a katana, gramps. Are you familiar with it? If not, I'd give you a lowdown."
By that I mean the rough abstraction.
I had my reservation since I only know surface level knowledge, but my worry was put to rest.
"Mumumu! Oy! How'd you know about 'katana'? Even among us blacksmiths, only a select few are aware. Didn't think anybody from the public woulda know 'bout it."
"Ah, you do know then. Then please make me one. I don't mind handing over all the mithril if you do."
This was when the gramps furrowed his brows with a sour look on his face.
I started to worry after more silence.
(Was this a forbidden topic or something...? Things don't look good.)
The negotiation was going extremely well. I only requested for one katana. A whole lump of mithril in exchange for that. One big enough to make you a billionaire.
I should have the advantage in this negotiation. So much so that it's almost unthinkable for him to deny my request.
And yet the gramps wouldn't give an immediate reply.
"Hey? You've been going on about mithril, what's up with that? Don't tell me you really found a mithril ore inside the mine?"
Reality from lies and all that, but I can't afford to mind Minya right now.
To spare us from having her comment from the sidelines, I decided to take the mithril out of the magic bag and showed it to her.
"Wait! What! Is this! Whaat!? ...Eh? It can't be... this big lump of rock is? Eh? All of this is mithril...!?"
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Minya looked agape like she couldn't believe her eyes.
"Oy, I sure know how to smith a 'katana' yeah. And if ya ask me if I can make one, yeah I can too. But I gotta ask, why'd you want a weapon like that anyway?"
I haven't thought deeply why 'katana' is even known in this world. I just chalked it up to being fantasy.
Cause what I need is not a 'mystery' but the cool factor of a katana, that's all.
But then gramps told me why it's a bad idea.
"I'll be frank with ya, that thing's got way too thin a blade, it's gonna snap right off. Ya better off with a good thick sword don'tcha think. Heck, a knife woulda been better even. I ain't complaining if ya really want it. But I'm a blacksmith. I ain't about forging something that's gonna break just like that, it might even put ya in danger if the thing snapped at the worst time, putting yer life in jeopardy..."
Looks like 'Pride' was the reason why gramps didn't give his ok right away.
That's true, a katana's blade will snap off if you don't use it right.
However, the true quality of a katana is in its 'sharpness'. I remember watching a demonstration of a katana vs a bullet shot from a gun on TV back then.
It ended with the bullet cut in two. Katana's sharpness won over a gun's firepower.
I was so surprised when I saw that. Think it was back in my middle school day?
I got so excited I started researching all about katana.
But there was a continuation to the episode, they tested it against a machine gun and the katana couldn't hold up under constant fire, was sobering to watch.
"Gramps, can you enchant swords with magic?"
I recalled about how magic bags are enchanted with 'Expansion'.
If it's about not snapping, then maybe enhancing the 'unbreakable' trait of metal with magic would do the trick.
Since katana is innately sharp, there's no need to enhance that aspect with magic.
If I want to keep it with me as long as possible, making it 'Unbreakable' is a much better pick.
"Mithril's got a high mana compatibility. So yeah that's a simple matter, but ya know...? It's a tool for cutting ain't it? Sure ya fine with that?"
Gramps seemed to catch on quickly but he threw me more questions. Also, it seems he's gonna use the mithril to smith my katana.
So I gave him my honest answer.
"I'd like to keep the katana you make for as long as I live. Please make it unbreakable with magic."
"...Got it. I ain't backing down if yer' gonna go that far! I'mma make ya my life's magnum opus! Leave the magic enchant ta me. I know the perfect person for it. I'mma source the whetstone from the very best craftsman in the capital 's well. Leave it all ta me! It's gonna be the best weapon ever, just ya wait!"
Gramps's conflicted look turned to a 'Gahahaha' laughter.
Thus our discussion was settled, while Minya still couldn't process it.
"Eh? Eh? You're giving this entire mithril just for one katana gramps forge?! N-n-no way!?"
Apparently Minya finds that 'abnormal', she's so in shock doesn't seem she'll come back to reality yet.
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