---

Today’s MVP.

Popcorn.

Not Luna’s haste buff, nor the Iron Horn that provided me with a spectacle, but the ultimate contributor who kept my mouth entertained throughout the long hour of automatic hunting.

The only regret I have is that I couldn’t find any cola, leaving my throat dry, but I just couldn’t bring any carbonated drinks from the Empire.

But I haven’t given up yet. I know somewhere in this world, there’s a carbonated drink waiting for me.

“Luke, what are you thinking so hard about?”

“I’m thirsty.”

“…You thought of bringing popcorn but not water?”

“Popcorn with water?! No way!?”

With popcorn, it’s soda! Cola! If not, then sparkling water would do as a backup.

But water? Never!

It’s not that I have a water phobia, but putting water on popcorn is just not acceptable, no matter how you think about it.

“I didn’t raise you like this. This master is sad.”

“My parents raised me, though…”

A slave… talking back!?

Sending Luna a look that implied such a meaning, she shook her head firmly.

“Anyway… I just wanted to say it seems like we’re almost there.”

“Ah… finally. Freedom from this cart hell.”

I wasn’t feeling motion sickness, but it felt like the wooden seat was hitting my rear.

If I were a woman, that’d be one thing, but being hit in the butt by a cart driven by some unknown uncle is a hard pass.

Right after we arrived in the Empire, I got off the cart and paid the driver.

Then, to loosen up my stiff body from the long journey, I immediately stretched.

“Kyyaaaahhh━━━━━!!!!!!!!!”

“Could you not do that?”

“Not even allowed to stretch?”

Who do you think you are, a dictator? Putting restrictions even on stretching?

“People are looking at us…”

“Let them look.”

“Ugh… Let’s quickly ask Mr. Smith and head out for a meal before it gets late.”

“Smith?”

Luna’s look in response to my question was so obvious, I could easily understand what she wanted to say.

‘That’s impressive…’

It was clear that she meant that.

“I am kind of impressive.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“So who’s Smith? Your ex-boyfriend?”

He sounded like someone who would pound a hammer well, but does her ex-boyfriend really work as a blacksmith?

Why would her ex-boyfriend be brought to me?!

“Don’t you even know the name of the blacksmith you visit?”

“Oh~ that uncle?”

Since I’d only ever called him uncle, I thought his last name was ‘A’ and his first name was ‘Uncle.’

“Of course I wouldn’t know since I didn’t ask.”

There’s really no need to know.

Especially if it’s about that brawny muscle uncle.

“Alright, let’s hurry.”

As if thinking further conversation was pointless, Luna started to push me from behind, and I dragged my feet to move.

As Luna said, we had to move quickly before it got too late.

Since we left after lunch and there’s travel time to consider, it’ll be dark soon after stopping by the blacksmith to place our order.

Even now, dusk was beginning to settle in, and streetlights flickered to life one by one, so I needed to hurry my pace.

*

Ding dong.

The sound announced the arrival of a customer at the empty blacksmith.

“Uncle~ we’re here~”

“Is a weapon breaking every day or what? Why do you come in and out of my blacksmith like it’s your home?”

“Hey now, uncle, is it right to say such hurtful things between us?”

“…So, what brings you here this time?”

“You asked me to bring the materials, remember?”

“Did you actually find them in just a day…?”

A day should have been more than enough. Time must be irrelevant when flies are buzzing around in this shop.

It’s not like I went on a new world expedition. What’s the reason to take days riding in a cart while camping?

“So, where’s that precious material you found in a day?”

“Fufufu… Uncle, don’t be shocked. We brought something amazing!”

Crash!

The sound echoed through the blacksmith like when I pulled out the War Wolf at the reception desk before.

But unlike that time, the difference is that the uncle wasn’t screaming like “Kyaaaahh!!” like Adela did.

“Boring.”

“I don’t know what you expected, but what you wanted isn’t happening.”

I thought it would be funny to see that muscular guy scream like a girl.

“More importantly, what is this?”

“It’s a Rhino Horn. Don’t you know?”

“A Rhino Horn? Isn’t that from a herbivore monster?”

“Tsk tsk. How can a weapons maker not know such basics?”

“A blacksmith isn’t an adventurer, kid.”

Sure enough. Just like a recluse who thinks all the information from the internet is the entirety of the world, the uncle who only makes weapons seems to rely solely on the materials that adventurers bring.

He’s probably hammering iron all day.

“Well, I guess I provided you with information then. Normally I’d charge for that, but I’ll do it for free since it’s you, uncle.”

“Yeah, yeah… thanks a lot.”

In this world, information is worth a fortune, and you’re giving it away for free?

I’d accept even if he cried tears of gratitude while making me weapons for free.

After that, the uncle picked up the unfamiliar material and examined it intently, amazed.

“Hooh… It’s large, and with this weight… the hardness is considerable…”

He started hammering the horn and lifting it with one hand to measure the weight.

With his focus so intense, it felt like I found a good blacksmith.

‘Just as I thought, I’m awesome.’

Nodding internally and praising myself, the uncle finally put the horn down.

“Hmm. With this, I can make a good weapon. The herbivore monster has considerable value as a product too. But kid, why did you bring back so much?”

“With greatswords, the bigger, the better, right? I’m gonna pack it tight and turn it into a compression weapon for actual combat.”

“Well, I’ll admit, this is a material I’ve never seen before, but it’s a little lacking for something you called amazing, isn’t it?”

“Ha ha ha. What do you take me for? I anticipated that, and I have a surprise gift ready.”

I quickly shoved my hand into my inventory and pulled out the big, sturdy, elongated item.

It resembled a Rhino Horn, but it was a little darker gray with a polished shine, similar to iron.

With its stunning appearance, even the uncle looked surprised this time.

“Do you see this beauty?”

“Indeed. As you said, it’s quite impressive…”

That’s right! This beast was fearsome and ferocious.

If that’s not impressive, I’ll have to bring out a Behemoth next time.

“Is this perhaps the named variant of the Rhino Horn…?”

“Fufufu… What do you think of this superb beauty? That’s right! It’s the terrifying creature that single-handedly wrecked all the Rhino Horns! I’m temporarily calling it Iron Horn!”

“Well, would you look at that… A real surprise!”

Oh, come on, uncle. You can’t find such high-quality materials just anywhere. Especially not from a named monster.

“So please hurry and make a greatsword for me.”

“Alright… I guess I’ll try. Come back tomorrow evening.”

“Wait, tomorrow?!”

I’ve never made a sword before, so I wasn’t sure, but does it typically take a day to make a sword?

On YouTube, it seemed like it could be done in just a few hours.

“Kid. This isn’t iron, and I need time to forge unfamiliar materials. You’re asking for a greatsword, not just any sword, and you think I should finish it in a few hours? It’ll take at least an overnight to complete.”

“Well, if you say so, what can I do?”

If that’s how the person making it feels, what can I argue about?

“Then I’ll come tomorrow~”

“Yeah.”

Having secured the materials and placed the weapon order, I’d done everything I needed. Luna and I exited the blacksmith and headed straight for dinner.

*

On a rooftop that could not be illuminated by the streetlights gleaming through the darkness, a man wearing a hood and mask raised his hand to signal another man beside him.

Completely dressed in black, hiding non-visible weapons all over his body, they were clearly declaring, “I’m an assassin!”

They were hunting dogs trained by the Berkeley family, investigating who had ambushed the cart under the command of their lord, Dine Berkeley.

Normally, such investigations would take time without any information, but this time, luck was on their side.

Having spotted a woman with animal ears and blue hair alongside a male academy student roaming around, they matched the description of the escaped slave provided by Dine Berkeley.

Thus, they could immediately discern that the one who ambushed the slave cart was that very man.

The trio, fitting the description of masked rogues, took position on the roof of the inn where the man had entered.

They intended to wait until all the lights went out on the street and they were certain their target had fully fallen asleep.

Just past midnight, as dawn was approaching.

“Quickly and swiftly.”

The man who signaled with his eyes carefully opened the window and stealthily entered the lodging.

And there, he confirmed the sight of the man sleeping soundly under the blankets, completely covered up to his head.

The assassins quietly drew their swords from their waists and simultaneously stabbed into the blanket.

‘…?’

However, they felt a strange sensation that didn’t feel like stabbing a human being and simultaneously expressed confusion.

Yet, they were unaware.

In the dark room where only moonlight barely shone through the window, blood-red eyes were glaring at them, emanating a crimson glow from the corner of the wall.

 

---