A lonely wind blew through the ruins.
Amidst the fallen buildings, a man walked.
A straightforward and steadfast stride.
The place where he stopped was the center of the ruins, in front of a small cottage that had not yet collapsed.
“Hm.”
The man cleared his throat, feeling an unexpected lump in his throat.
No one was watching, but he tidied his clothes as if someone would.
Then, awkwardly scratching his bald head, he knelt down on one knee.
“There’s been a lot going on.”
A bouquet hung from his prosthetic arm.
A floral crown rested on the prosthetic.
A large doll was cradled in his arms.
“It wasn’t exactly the kind of scene for Laura to see, but I believe you, Sein, saw it all. So, I guess no further explanation is needed.”
One by one, he set them down.
Heinzel closed his eyes with a rigid expression.
“Was I the husband you desired? Was I the father Laura hoped for?”
In response to the heavy question, no answer came. Still, Heinzel continued to speak.
“I’ve shaved off my prickly beard and unruly hair. I smiled to hide my blunt personality and built the muscles Laura admired. Yet, the children were still afraid of me. My old friend, far away now, said it was because of my face. Sein, he said this face, which you always praised as handsome, was the problem.”
Kekek— Heinzel, recalling those memories, couldn’t suppress a laugh, which turned into a hearty smile instead of the hard expression from before.
“That guy’s face wasn’t so easy on the eyes either, yet he blamed me every day. What do you think, Sein? No matter how I think about it, I don’t believe I’m worse than that friend, do you? My daughter. My beloved Laura. Is my face really that scary?”
Still, no answer returned.
However, Heinzel laughed heartily, as if the silence was an answer.
His voice continued without stopping.
Until the sky was drenched in the glow of sunset, and the stars rose in the night sky, he kept talking.
“Sein. Laura. The Empire of today, no, this world might face difficulties without me. Of course, if that kiddo is around, there’d be no problem at all. But since I’ve leaned on that kiddo for everything, it’s only human to take on all the bothersome tasks, right?”
So.
“I’ll linger a bit longer. I’ll wait a little more before I go. No need to worry. What I love is you, Sein, and my lovely daughter, Laura.”
With those last words, Heinzel’s voice fell silent.
Yet, he didn’t immediately rise.
Heinzel wanted to stay a little longer.
He wanted to get up just a bit later.
Knowing full well that the attachment in his heart was growing stronger, Heinzel found it hard to shake it off.
As the faint dawn began to cast over the land.
“Thank you.”
To the family that kept him here.
To the old friend who helped him move forward.
To the comrade who brought him to this point.
To the kiddo, Noah, who kept him alive.
He expressed his heartfelt gratitude and left.
With his back turned, Heinzel was.
Unlike when he arrived here.
Wearing a very light and hearty smile.
*
“Well… um, ah, hello, hi…?”
“…Right.”
An enigmatic smile from Rubia and Hermila.
A puzzled expression from Ser, as if wondering what was so funny.
Standing in front of them, I exchanged greetings with the blacksmith.
No grand salutations.
Just the simple words I just said.
Awkward, awkward. Shudder, shudder.
Twitch, twitch.
What… what should I say?
Should I ask if they’ve been well…? Or maybe just say it’s been a while…?
I was too scared to say anything for fear of getting a response like, “Who are you?”
What to do… what to do?
I guess I should ask Rubia for help…
Just as I turned my head to seek Rubia’s assistance.
“Your height has shrunk a bit.”
The blacksmith spoke first.
He remembers… me…?
“Uh, um, y-yeah… I guess it just happened…”
“The scars have increased.”
“Y-yeah… um, I just happened to…”
“You seem to be able to see in front of you now.”
“Y-yes… I can see now…”
“That’s good to hear. So you don’t wield your great sword anymore?”
“Uh, well… I still use it sometimes…”
I do have the great sword made by Hephaestus.
But I left it at the lodge.
Now that I can see clearly, there’s no need to carry it around, and in case something happens, I can just draw ‘my great sword’ when needed.
And… when I carry my great sword, Rubia and Hermila keep talking to it…
And that annoys me, so I don’t carry it around except when necessary.
“Is that so?”
As the blacksmith nodded in response to my words, he turned his back and walked away somewhere.
What…?
Umm… what is happening…?
Now, for the first time, I turned to look at Rubia.
She wore a warm smile and patted my head. Hermila matched Rubia’s expression, giggling.
Ser nodded as if finally understanding the situation.
“Is that why you wanted to drink coffee at the blacksmith’s?”
“Fufu… yes. That’s right. When I first met Noah, I thought, what kind of blacksmith is this, but now that I’m here, I get it.”
You get it…?
I thought there were just no people around, and the blacksmith didn’t talk much to me… so I just… hung around…
And since I often used the great sword pretty roughly, there were many repairs to be made…
But back then, I had various issues doing it myself.
So, I had no choice but to live at the blacksmith’s…
Wait, does that mean she understood all that?
Umm…
While being absent-minded as I received Rubia’s affectionate pats, the blacksmith approached with something in hand.
“Take this.”
“Huh…?”
“It’s your great sword.”
“M-my great sword…?”
“Right. This is the great sword I meant to give you on the day you returned after completing the request, but I was a bit late.”
Contrary to his warm words, the blacksmith’s expression was rigid, and he finally dropped the great sword into my hands.
Then, with a whoosh, the cloth covering the great sword fell away, revealing its true form.
The black sword with a sharp point glimmered.
I instinctively angled the great sword and swept my small palm along the blade.
Smooth and solid.
With my other hand, I grasped the hilt.
The finish was clean, and the leather was tough.
I lifted it slowly.
A familiar weight. A perfect balance.
“This…”
It was the same great sword I had first used after coming to this world.
The one I said had fallen beside me.
It was exactly like my cherished great sword.
No way.
Did they manage to recreate it this perfectly…?
Slowly, I raised my head to look at the blacksmith.
He still wore a stiff expression.
“I watched that great sword closely while repairing it. Therefore, I tried to make one just like it.”
“It’s… identical…”
“Glad to hear that.”
Another awkward silence fell between us.
In that silence, I pulled a small pouch from the bag at my waist.
The wallet that Rubia had made for me!
I opened the entrance, reached in, and pulled out a handful of gold coins.
Since my hands are so small, it didn’t amount to much, but would this be enough?
“…Um, th-this…”
“The money is unnecessary.”
However, the blacksmith shook his head and turned his back without hesitation.
“You’ve worked hard.”
“Huh…?”
“Take your time and enjoy.”
“Y-yeah…? Uh, okay…?”
With that, he trudged back into the room, still radiating warmth.
What…? A gift…?
Why…? Didn’t I do nothing but cause trouble here…? What’s so charming that they’d give me a gift…?
My head was in a whirl.
A regular customer service… or something…?
While pondering various thoughts, I ran toward the workshop where the blacksmith had entered.
Then, I shouted with all my might into the room where the sound of clang, clang of metal could be heard.
“Th-thank you…!!”
Clang, clang—
“A-ahem… Huff! Thank you…!!”
Clang—
The rhythmic sound stopped.
They must have heard it, right? They surely did!
I swallowed hard and slowly backed away.
Then, again, the clang, clang, clang—
The rhythmic noise returned.
As if it was playing a recording, continuously. Clang, clang, clang—
Soon after, Rubia, who was approaching, gasped in surprise at the great sword in my hands.
“Noah, this great sword…”
“Y-yeah… it’s exactly the same as the one that got completely destroyed in Loholan…”
“Unbelievable…”
Rubia’s lips quivered as she wore an indescribable expression. Hermila approached from behind, also startled by the sight of my great sword and gazing at the workshop where the rhythmic sounds were coming from.
“I thought you wouldn’t be able to even prick a drop of blood…”
Meanwhile, Ser, seemingly unimpressed, arranged teacups neatly on a table in the lobby.
“Noah, where is the coffee?”
“…Uh, that—”
“Oh, right. Coffee. I’ll go get it.”
Finally snapping back to reality, Rubia patted my back and headed toward the kitchen.
But Ser stopped Rubia and looked at me.
“No. This time, the coffee must be made by Noah.”
“Y-yeah…? Me…?”
“Yes. Drinking the coffee made by Noah at the blacksmith’s in Alrva. That was our promise.”
Did we? I think that might have been the case…?
I tilted my head, trying to recall that moment.
…I can’t remember.
“Oh, that’s right. Yeah, we said we would drink coffee made by Noah.”
On the other hand, Rubia smiled widely as if she remembered, patting my head.
Next to her, Hermila immediately placed her order.
“Noah, I’ll take three spoons of sugar.”
“Hm, then I’d like it with about less water than usual. Just fill it to about 70%.”
“Oh, then I’ll take it just how Noah makes it.”
“Uh… three spoons of sugar… less water, and… just do it how I want…”
I nodded with a determined face.
“Got it… I’ll be right back.”
Ser looked uneasy.
Hermila wore an expression full of glee.
Rubia looked at me with trust.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
That day.
The coffee that everyone said was delicious—everyone even had two cups of it—
Tasted like mud.
