Chapter 100 : The Witch Blacksmith (1)
Chapter 100: The Witch Blacksmith (1)
“You'll forge a sword for me?”
At Circe's words, Leon's eyes lit up.
“So the power of Witches isn't limited to observing the future.”
“If all we could do was know the future, we'd accomplish nothing.”
“Our true strength lies in our knowledge.”
Circe replied with a cheerful laugh.
A trace of pride could be seen on her deeply wrinkled face.
“In any case, if you're looking for a sword, leave it to me.”
“After all, it was we Witches who taught the Dwarves the art of metallurgy.”
“Is that truly so?”
“What would I gain by lying?”
“If you can trust me, wait three days.”
“That'll be enough to forge a sword worthy of you.”
“……”
Leon furrowed his brow deeply.
He found himself hesitating.
A sword forged by the one who had taught metallurgy to the Dwarves.
Just imagining it filled him with excitement.
'Of course, Circe's words could be false.'
But either way, Leon had nothing to lose.
Even if she were lying, he had planned to visit Elphrel regardless.
At that point, he could simply have Zeke's recommended blacksmith examine the sword.
If Circe had spoken the truth, then all the better.
If not, he could simply have another sword forged afterward.
More importantly—
Leon couldn't bring himself to believe Circe was lying.
The ability to observe countless futures.
The mysterious techniques she wielded with talismans.
Every one of them was extraordinary.
It wouldn't be strange if metallurgy were simply another of her talents.
Unable to hide his excitement, Leon said,
“The Witch race is truly remarkable.”
“Surely you don't have even more hidden arts besides the ones you've shown me?”
“Ah, we're also well-versed in pharmacology.”
“Most of the medicinal remedies circulating throughout the world today were originally taught by us Witches.”
“……”
Leon stared at Circe with visibly shaken eyes.
Seeing his reaction, Circe laughed heartily.
“I take quite a bit of pride in my race.”
“These days we're merely rotting away in a place like this.”
“But once upon a time...”
“We often shook the world itself.”
“Come to think of it...”
“Why do you remain in a place like this?”
“Even setting aside your power to observe the future, your abilities alone are already extraordinary.”
“There seems to be no reason for you to hide here.”
“…We have our own circumstances.”
“You mentioned earlier that you're paying the price for observing the future.”
“Is that the reason?”
“What a curious young man.”
“I can't answer any more than that.”
“If you truly wish to know...”
“Find the answer yourself.”
At those words, Leon simply nodded without pressing further.
Everyone had boundaries they wished to keep.
More importantly, Circe was about to forge his sword.
There was no reason to cross that line.
After staring at Leon for a moment, Circe spoke.
“We've finished talking.”
“Let's return to reality.”
With those words, she clapped her hands.
Clap!
At that instant, Leon felt his body rising toward the surface as though emerging from deep water.
FWAAASH—!!
His vision spun before quickly stabilizing.
After focusing his eyes, Leon looked around.
“We're back.”
“Didn't I tell you?”
“I merely invited you into the world of dreams for a short while.”
“This is the first time I've encountered such a power.”
“It's fascinating.”
“Hohoho.”
“It's been a long time since I've seen such a fresh reaction.”
“But enough of that.”
“We'd better get ready.”
“Bestie.”
“Let's head to the workshop for the first time in ages.”
“Huh?”
“Really?”
Bestie blinked in surprise.
Then she glanced toward Leon.
“Is it because you want to make a gift for our benefactor?”
“You could say that.”
“It seems it's finally time for me to display my skills again.”
“Prepare everything thoroughly.”
“Mmm... alright.”
Bestie hadn't existed within the dream world.
Even so, she had noticed that Circe had taken quite a liking to Leon.
After all—
It had been several centuries since Circe last entered her workshop.
No matter how much Bestie had begged over the years, Circe had never once stepped inside.
Yet now—
She was opening it for someone she had only just met.
What change of heart could have caused that?
Bestie wondered, but chose not to ask.
She had no idea what Leon and Circe had discussed inside the dream world.
She merely assumed, judging by the atmosphere between them, that their conversation had gone well.
'Whatever the reason...'
'This is good news for me too.'
Not once since her birth had she ever witnessed Circe's metallurgy.
This was an opportunity for Bestie as well.
A chance to improve her own skills in metallurgy as a Witch.
'Grandmother was once called the Great Witch among our people.'
'Her metallurgy must have reached an incredible level too.'
Excited, Bestie jumped to her feet.
She hurried to a corner of the cabin and rolled up the carpet covering the floor.
Beneath it—
A hidden passage appeared.
“That is...?”
“The entrance to the workshop.”
“We built it underground.”
Leon smiled with genuine interest.
“An underground workshop...”
He already liked the secretive atmosphere.
Even back in the Martial Alliance of his previous life, he had heard that the master craftsmen capable of forging divine weapons all possessed peculiar obsessions.
Some were particularly obsessed with their surroundings.
One eccentric had even built his workshop beneath a lake.
'Compared to that...'
'Circe isn't strange at all.'
'She merely built her workshop underground.'
It wasn't an unreasonable quirk.
Rather, it only heightened Leon's anticipation.
As he descended below ground, he couldn't help but let out a gasp.
He had assumed the underground workshop would be rather small.
Instead—
Circe's workshop was far larger than he had imagined.
'A space for smelting iron.'
'A space for shaping it.'
'Everything a workshop needs is here.'
Most striking of all were the enormous mechanisms lining the walls.
'Is that a device for melting iron?'
'It's by far the most intricate mechanism I've ever seen.'
'So this is a Witch's workshop...'
Ignoring Leon's astonishment, Circe walked around inspecting the machinery with her hands.
Satisfied, she leaned her staff against a wall.
“Hm...”
“Everything is still in good condition.”
“I assumed Bestie had been too lazy to maintain the place.”
“But it's ready to use immediately.”
“Grandmother.”
“I'm already a hundred years old.”
“I'm past the age where I need someone looking after me.”
“You've only just turned a hundred.”
“Wait.”
“A hundred years old?”
Leon asked in disbelief.
Naturally, he had assumed Bestie was around his own age.
But a hundred years old?
By human standards, she'd be old enough to be someone's grandmother.
'No...'
'When I think about it, that's not strange.'
'The lifespans of the Long-Lived Races are vastly different from humans.'
'Perhaps a hundred years old is still considered young among Witches.'
As Leon thought that, Circe chuckled.
“Hohoho.”
“To a Witch, one hundred years is roughly equivalent to someone who has only just reached adulthood among humans.”
“Mentally speaking...”
“She isn't much different from you.”
“I see.”
Leon calmly nodded.
It was exactly the answer he had expected.
“More importantly...”
“Show me the sword you've been using.”
“If possible, I'd like to see your swordsmanship as well.”
“My swordsmanship?”
“I'm not coveting your techniques.”
“When we Witches forge swords, we create the form most suitable for the wielder.”
“That's why I wish to see your swordsmanship.”
“In that case.”
Since it wasn't a difficult request, Leon immediately demonstrated his swordsmanship.
To begin with, for a sword technique to display its true power, it required the corresponding cultivation art and circulation method.
Simply watching the sword movements alone would never reveal the entirety of the Twelve Celestial Sword Styles.
It was then—
“You...”
“Where did you learn that swordsmanship?”
Circe asked with a face full of shock.
She had turned deathly pale, as though she had seen a ghost.
“I could overlook the fact that you use the same name as Grand Warrior Leon.”
“People sharing the same name isn't impossible.”
“But that swordsmanship...”
“That's another matter entirely.”
Leon looked puzzled.
“What do you mean?”
“Don't tell me...”
“You know this swordsmanship?”
“Know it?”
“Of course I do.”
“That swordsmanship...”
“Isn't it the sword art known as the Twelve Celestial Sword Styles?”
“Yes.”
“So you really do know it.”
“Where did you learn this swordsmanship?”
“Your ancestor taught it to me personally.”
Circe replied with a nostalgic smile.
It was the smile of someone recalling precious memories.
“Grand Warrior Leon.”
“A thousand years ago...”
“I fought alongside him in the campaign to subjugate the Evil God.”
“…!!!”
“Is that truly so?”
“Do I look like an old woman who tells lies?”
“……”
Leon silently shook his head.
It was difficult to believe she was lying when she even knew the exact name of the sword art.
Besides—
What reason did Circe have to deceive him?
Still—
He couldn't suppress his doubts.
'My ancestor used the Twelve Celestial Sword Styles?'
Leon frowned deeply.
'The Twelve Celestial Sword Styles is the Martial God's martial art.'
'Someone who wasn't from the Martial Alliance shouldn't have been able to use it.'
Yet Circe knew its name precisely.
Which meant she wasn't mistaken about the swordsmanship.
Just then—
“So you truly inherited my dear friend's swordsmanship!”
Circe clasped her hands together as tears welled in her eyes.
Overcome with emotion, she cried out,
“Ah...”
“I had believed that no successor would ever appear to inherit his swordsmanship before I died.”
“Thank goodness.”
“Truly... thank goodness.”
It seemed Circe had mistaken Leon for someone who had inherited the martial arts of his ancestor.
In truth, it was only natural.
The Twelve Celestial Sword Styles existed on an entirely different level from ordinary swordsmanship.
The Sword Intent contained within it transcended every sword art in this world.
Even though Leon hadn't infused it with Internal Energy, someone who knew the Twelve Celestial Sword Styles could still perceive the Sword Intent contained within every movement.
Wiping away her tears with her sleeve, Circe continued,
“To master the Twelve Celestial Sword Styles, one must first form a Mana Heart within the body.”
“You too must possess the same unusual constitution as your ancestor.”
“…!!”
“Grand Warrior also possessed a Mana Heart?”
“He did.”
“Warriors normally cannot create Mana Hearts.”
“Their mana has already fused into their very bodies.”
“Even if someone miraculously managed to create one...”
“It should be impossible to contain both powers within a single body.”
“My friend suffered greatly because of that.”
“So I'm truly relieved someone as irregular as you has appeared.”
Despite Circe's sincere joy—
Leon couldn't suppress the turmoil within himself.
Seeing his expression, Circe tilted her head.
“Why such a stiff expression?”
“Is something the matter?”
“…May I ask...”
“Was Grand Warrior's Mana Heart located around his navel?”
Leon asked in a faintly trembling voice.
It was a tremor even he hadn't noticed.
He couldn't suppress the agitation caused by emotions he himself couldn't define.
'I tried not to reveal it...'
'But could it be because there's a possibility he came from the same place as I did?'
'My heart just won't stop wavering.'
Then—
With Circe's next words—
Leon became convinced of his suspicions.
“Ha!”
“You're exactly like my old friend!”
“Just as you said.”
“My friend stored his mana in an unusual place.”
“Not in his heart...”
“But in his lower abdomen.”