265 Return
There was nothing eventful on our way back unlike when we were headed for the mine.
I consulted some things with gramps along the way.
Naturally Minya and gramps were riding on steed beasts while I ran on foot.
We stopped and camped early on our first day on the road, still ahead of schedule.
I used the occasion to ask gramps how he knew about katana.
Apparently there's a country called 'Hinomoto' on a continent separated by an ocean currently under an isolation decree, that and the existence of oceanic magic beasts makes diplomatic relations not possible.
Then how did people even know of that country? That's because there was someone from Hinomoto who drifted ashore here, the same person brought with them the know how on katana forging.
The existence of an unusual weapon from a foreign nation became a sensation at one time, but nowadays few are even aware of it.
I discussed with gramps to see if there were any inconsistencies between the katana I know and gramps's, and found no real difference.
I couldn't hide my surprise here.
"Hmm. This 'Hinomoto' must have been modeled after Japan as its base, no doubt about it. But that's just..."
I tried asking but gramps had no knowledge what kind of country this Hinomoto is, I could only secretly hope to set foot there myself someday.
(Their hair and eyes should be black, no? Would be nice. I won't stand out there.)
The day ended with that talk.
The morning after. The journey was a smooth one with no trouble or anything 'dragging' me into one.
Both gramps and Minya alternated the steed beasts they rode so we maintained a high pace.
Although they kept looking at me weird for keeping up to that pace without so much as losing my breath while being on foot.
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
"The capital is right ahead already. It all went by so fast... Thank you so much."
Minya said her thanks with a bright relieved expression completely unlike when we set out.
Back then her brows were permanently furrowed like she was glaring.
It must be thanks to not only having all her trouble vanish but also her entire life turned around. Her mind must be at peace now.
But Minya kept muttering something seemingly still catching up to that breathing room.
She must be mulling over new things to worry about.
"Once we paid our debt, goods for store... mithril products... no, but, what about selling it whole... no that's a bad idea... wait, maybe selling it to the kingdom would be our safest bet?"
Paying no heed to the troubled looking Minya, gramps spoke to me.
"I'll have yer' katana made for sure. However, first I gotta pay back my debt. Once that's done, I'm gonna need to set up the best environment, best preparations and best state to start the forging process. It'll take four days to make it all ready, and three days to forge the katana. Ya mind waiting till then?"
"Got it. I have no problem waiting for the best result. Looking forward to it."
"Thank ye. Ya done so much for us I cannae' possibly repay ya in this lifetime. Come ask me if ya need something. I'mma prepped to take on anything!"
Gramps beat his chest with his fist as he said that. He's got the looks of a 'proud artisan'.
The first thing we did at the capital was selling off the Grudoses.
The poor things got dragged in all this thanks to Dento and the thugs, I couldn't possibly care for them.
Minya and gramps had no need for steed beasts either, they would just rental one whenever they're in a hurry.
You can't underestimate the cost of taking care of animals. As such we had Minya sell them off at a specialized store.
We left Minya there as gramps and I went back to his store.
His return after one long month of absence.
"Almost let this store go cuz of my worthless hubris. I'm gonna protect this place from now on come what may."
As gramps renewed his resolve, I proceeded to say my temporary good bye.
I didn't forget to leave the mithril in a room in the back of course.
"Okay then, I'm going to leave you be now. I'll take it easy at the inn for seven days. See ya."
"Yeah, I'mma make ya a truly one of a kind katana! Just ya wait!"
Thus I left and retraced the familiar path back to the inn.
(I'll book a room for seven straight days and shut myself in there. If I don't do that...)
I'd definitely get myself dragged into another mess if I were to walk around touring the capital aimlessly.
Therefore, I made the decision to 'take it easy' until the promised day.
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