Chapter 175: The Situation While He Was Busy
Aldrian tilted his head, looking at King Douwin.
"Are you sure, Your Majesty? You’re asking me to name this sword?"
"Yes. Although this sword has been a long-standing project of our kingdom, seeing how you completed it made me realize something: we could never have finished it without you. The technique you used is too extreme, impossible for anyone else to replicate. Your golden energy, the sheer amount you can release, feels infinite. After pondering this for a long time, I’ve come to believe it was fate that brought you here to complete this sword," King Douwin said.
"You are a powerful swordsman, a talented blacksmith, and the one who gave this sword its finishing touch. There is no one more worthy than you to wield it," he added.
Aldrian’s eyes widened. "Your Majesty, do you mean...?"
King Douwin nodded. "I will entrust this sword to you. I’ve already gathered all the nobles who were aware of this project—except for those traitorous dukes. When they saw how your work, their dwarven instincts took over, they were mesmerized by your technique and shared my sentiment. Without you, completing this sword would have been impossible. After a discussion, we decided to give you the honor of naming it, and we agreed that you are the most worthy one to wield it."
Aldrian hadn’t expected things to turn out this way. He had assumed that King Douwin and the nobles would never be willing to give him the sword, which was why he had asked the king to lend it to him to face the impending catastrophe. Truthfully, he had wanted to make the sword his own and had been prepared to offer the dwarves a deal they’d find hard to refuse.
"However, I had to tell them that you are the mysterious swordsman. Otherwise, a few stubborn nobles would still feel reluctant, and such doubts could be dangerous in the long run. I made sure they understood that no one is more worthy than you. If this sword can aid you in your journey and help protect our land from the catastrophe you spoke of, then please, use it. It would be the Forgeheart Kingdom’s honor for this sword, forged over millennia, to become the blade that saves this continent," King Douwin said.
Aldrian looked at the sword, recalling the words of the figure.