“What the, huh… what is this…?”
The Dwarf was busy inspecting a ring with wide eyes.
He knew it shouldn’t be, yet his gaze was so intense it almost seemed he was worried the ring might wear out.
Gone was the concern for the lost Dragon Orb, replaced only by his excitement.
‘Dwarves are something else.’
Except for the occasional oddball, almost every Dwarf pours their heart and soul into creating good items.
While they take great pride in what they build, they’re not the arrogant type that can’t recognize something amazing.
There’s talk that it used to be like that, but I don’t know the details.
It stands to reason that items that would satisfy their discerning eyes aren’t common.
Even something made haphazardly would likely be superior to what an average Blacksmith could make, so how could they even notice an average object?
So, the reaction from this Dwarf was proof that the ring I was wearing was anything but ordinary.
“Can’t you just take it off and show me? …You know?”
“Nope.”
I dismissed the Dwarf’s request.
“For something like this, it’s understandable to treasure it.”
The Dwarf reluctantly accepted my words despite showing signs of disappointment.
The actual question arose elsewhere.
“Why not just take it off for a moment to show? You can’t steal it anyway, so it wouldn’t hurt, right? Just standing there must be uncomfortable.”
Da-eun’s query made sense.
Holding out my right hand for several minutes surely felt less convenient than simply handing over the ring for inspection.
It wasn’t just casual inspecting, as his excited breath occasionally tickled my hand.
“Is it really that precious?”
“Precious… I wouldn’t say that. But it is valuable.”
After all, it was made by a dragon, a national treasure of a country.
No, since Gracis is already gone, it should be ‘was a national treasure.’
“Hyieeek….”
Da-eun, who had previously regarded it just as a pretty accessory, gasped and made a strange sound upon hearing my explanation.
“T-This is the national treasure?”
“Yep. Didn’t I mention it?”
“You didn’t! I thought it was just a pretty ring…”
She muttered, surprised it could be such an extraordinary item.
“No wonder it was amazing that Kana was wearing a ring. It’s only natural she wouldn’t take off something so precious.”
“She can’t take it off, not won’t.”
Because something weird might come if she did.
Darn reptiles are a problem.
“Is it made from a Dragon Orb? But it feels different somehow…”
“Stop looking at it.”
“Huh…! Just wait a sec! Just a little more…!”
I ignored the Dwarf’s anxious reaching hands.
If I left him to it, I knew he’d be staring at it for days.
“That’s enough looking. Let’s talk business now.”
Showing him the ring was to spark his interest and facilitate conversation, not to cultivate his discerning taste.
Haven’t you heard the saying about penny pinching for free goodies?
The Dwarf flinched and brushed his hair.
Even for a Dwarf who values his beard, the thought of going bald seems frightening to him.
*
“…So that’s what happened.”
Hmm… To summarize.
“Yesterday, I told my student to fetch something, didn’t mention it to anyone else, and when I woke up today, the Dragon Orb was gone… is that it?”
“Yeah. That seems to be the case.”
“Where is this student now?”
“He went up to the Mountain to fetch tools for work. After sending the student, I opened the box for inspiration, only to find it empty.”
“Hmm….”
That was the gist of what the Dwarf told us.
On the surface, there didn’t seem to be any clues to go off.
As I pondered with my head tilted, Da-eun whispered softly.
“Hey, doesn’t that student seem suspicious? You said the student is the only one who knows about the Dragon Orb, right? Plus, the disappearance was found right after the student left.”
“It does seem suspicious…”
But could the student really be the culprit?
If he were greedy, he wouldn’t have brought it to his master in the first place.
Even if he didn’t know he was getting a Dragon Orb, it’s unlikely someone wouldn’t open the box.
It was true the student was the most likely suspect, but there wasn’t enough evidence to jump to conclusions.
Above all, it seemed odd for us outsiders to be suspicious when the master, who would know the student better, wasn’t.
“Ah… you have a point. So, what do we do now?”
“For now, let’s wait until that student returns.”
Even if he isn’t the culprit, he could have noticed something unusual being so close to the victim.
Since we didn’t have any other information, we had no choice.
“When will he be back?”
“He left early in the morning, so he should return within a few hours.”
We chatted about insignificant matters while waiting for the student.
Like, say, each other’s names.
Through this, I learned that the Dwarf’s name was ‘Brondin.’
“What’s the reason you’re helping us?”
“Seeing you all in a tizzy over that expensive Dragon Orb piqued my curiosity. If I help, who knows, there might be crumbs for me?”
“…While it’s true Dwarves like to be forthright, isn’t that a bit too much honesty? If I do find it, I won’t be stingy with rewards, but… unfortunately, I’m currently broke.”
We had conversations like that.
“Me? I forge weapons, armor, tools, instruments, magical items… all sorts of things.”
“Wow… so you can make all those things? That’s amazing!”
“Cough cough! It’s, it’s not that great. …This is something I made last year. How about it, interested?”
“Oh wow…! That’s cool!”
Whenever Da-eun exclaimed over his creations, a smile bloomed across the Dwarf’s rugged face.
For a Dwarf overflowing with pride in his abilities, Da-eun’s genuine admiration was probably the best compliment.
Thanks to this, Brondin’s mood lightened, so I had no complaints.
Luckily, the wait wasn’t too long.
“….”
“Kana?”
I turned at the presence outside.
Among the countless presences moving around outside, one was walking straight to this house.
Before long, the workshop door opened, and a young man entered—
“Master, I’m back—… huh?”
“…!”
He paused, freeze-frame style, as our eyes met.
The sunlight coming through the door hit the young man, shattering into a dazzling array of light.
A muscular body shining under the light and a handsome face.
Seeing a young man, clearly designed to capture the hearts of women, I thought:
‘…Why is he walking around without a shirt though?’
Did he want to flaunt his physique that much?
Objectively speaking, it was a good build, but for me, who didn’t want to see a naked man, it felt like an ocular assault.
I quickly redirected my gaze from the terrifying sight causing progressive eye strain.
“…Why are you here?”
“Well, that sounds like it should be my line…”
Creek.
Thud.
The young man, displaying his surprise plainly, moved into the workshop, ignoring the astonished gazes from me and the other two.
He dropped off the load he was carrying, looking at me and the other two, clearly bewildered.
“Is the ‘student’ Brondin mentioned you?”
“Did the Master say so? Man, I do that small talk with you just to teach you a little, and now you’re calling me ‘Master’? Such a straightforward fellow.”
“More importantly, your tone hasn’t changed.”
“What’s wrong with any of my tones?”
Inexplicably picking on my tone, I frowned slightly.
“By that logic, your tone isn’t any less strange.”
While everyone else was acting all serious, he spoke as if he were addressing a friend, keeping it casual.
It wasn’t odd per se, but it certainly wasn’t fitting for a position.
He smiled broadly, disregarding my comment.
“Anyway, it’s nice to see you again. Canaria. Ah, I remember you didn’t like that name.”
“…I’m not particularly happy to see you.”
“That hurts.”
Well, what can I say.
Seeing his face, which I thought was certainly dead, evoked some nostalgia.
Da-eun slowly approached and hinted,
“…Do you know him?”
“Oh, it’s Granic, the Apostle who can use Gracis. How fascinating! Nice to meet you!”
“Uh, uh… Nice to meet you too?”
The young man jumped in with familiarity, leaving her somewhat flustered.
If we were to measure friendliness, Da-eun would hold her own, but this young man’s charm was just a level higher.
“….”
Or was it something else?
I couldn’t miss how Da-eun’s cheeks flushed and her eyes kept darting toward the young man’s upper body.
“So, you’re into that kind of style.”
“?! No, it’s just unusual to see someone without a shirt that I couldn’t help but glance!”
“It’s okay. That can happen. I support you.”
“It’s not like that!”
Even with a physique like his, I wouldn’t mind getting into a fight with him!
Oh, Da-eun is of the right age for such interests, so I understand.
“…Knowing you’re not interested in that sort of thing, it still stings to hear it from you.”
“…Hmph.”
“…?”
The young man chuckled at Da-eun’s confused expression.
During this awkward exchange, I chose to remain silent until I found a moment to interject.
“That’s quite a statement coming from you.”
“Honestly, I’m pretty numb to that kind of remark by now. So, how about it?”
“What do you mean by how about it?”
“My body, of course. I think it’s a pretty perfect body. What do you think?”
The young man twisted his body this way and that.
Bending his arms, twisting his waist. Each time he moved, his muscles twitched like a living organism.
I couldn’t help but shoot out a remark as I looked at his confident face.
“Disgusting.”
“….”
“I still don’t get why you walk around like that.”
“That….”
“It’s weird. It’s unbecoming. It looks dumb.”
“P-Please stop… I admit I made a mistake, so just stop…”
Under an endless barrage of attacks, the young man staggered, turning into a crumpled mess.
Who told him to roam around without clothes for no reason?
I scoffed at him.
“…I can’t make heads or tails of this situation.”
Brondin, still unable to grasp the situation, mumbled in confusion.
Once things settled down a bit, the young man appeared from somewhere dressed and joined us as we sat on the workshop floor.
He had managed to find some clothes, but they were too small for his frame, and they looked ready to rip at any moment.
Among the four of us exchanging glances, Da-eun was the first to break the ice.
“I’m Joanie, traveling with Kana. As you might have guessed, I’m an Apostle of Edel.”
“…You travel with that guy? That must be some serious hardship…”
“…Stop saying pointless things.”
“Pointless? I bet Joanie here can empathize!”
“Ah, hahah… it hasn’t been that hard.”
That’s totally a lie…
As I said that, I kicked his leg, giving him a look of disbelief.
“Ah! A girl kicks like that with no sense of propriety…!”
“…But I see you’re familiar with Kana for quite a while. So, does that mean you’re from Gracis?”
“Wait, did Kana spill all that? Wow… you’ve really mellowed out.”
“…Do you want another kick?”
“Um, I’ll graciously decline.”
I lifted my foot slightly, and the young man curled up.
Clearing his throat, he spoke up.
“Yeah. As you guessed, I was born and raised in Gracis. I can say that I’m an old friend of Kana.”
“Old friend, huh?”
“Then I suppose it’s time for me to introduce myself.”
He sprang up, bowed deeply, and folded his arms in a somewhat exaggerated but dignified manner.
Da-eun clapped in a daze, overwhelmed by his near-perfect greeting.
He beamed at her with his tall, model-like smile as he spoke.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Ashie of Gracis.”
Once a prince of Gracis.
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