Chapter 291 Reward (1/2)

“Minister! Why did someone like you make such a request?!”

The owner of that voice was a sturdy, middle-aged man.

“Bolton, you’re being noisy.”

The minister rebuked but the man wouldn’t listen.

“Arms are only to be forged! The swords made by striking steel are harder to break and the shields made with multiple layers of iron are far more tougher. I am sure you know these swords made with cast metal will break in no time at all and be of no use. It is the same for the arms made by a magi craftsman. Have you forgotten what happened the year before the last?! Even if they do not break, they bend quickly! They can’t cut. Telling the soldiers to use such arms is the same as telling them to die! It is insane! I am strongly opposed to this!”

He finished saying all that in one breath. Just when they were feeling a sort of déjà vu,

“…Father…”

Gloria muttered with a tired face. Seems like this man called Bolton is Gloria’s father. She resembles him quite a lot… Unfortunately.

Hearing her daughter’s voice, he realized she was there as well.

“Ohh, Gloria. You are here and still this is happening?! Even princess Leishcen! No matter how good he fixes automatas or makes golems, I cannot accept entrusting arms to a magi craftsman!”

He said with a loud voice. Hanna blocked off her ears.

“Father…”

“What, Gloria? I am trying to hear the minister’s opinion on…”

Bolton was going to say something but Gloria interrupted him and just silently handed over her short sword.

“Hm? Didn’t you say you broke your sword the other day? Then is this a new one you got? Hmm….. Wh-what?!”

Taking Gloria’s short sword in his hand, Bolton’s eyes sparkled.

“Ohhh, wonderful flow of steel! The blade is hard and the wick is tender. Such a tough sword! You got yourself quite a wonderful sword! I am sure it must be a very well-named blacksmith?”

“Yes, Jin-dono over there made it.”

“Hmm, Jin-dono, eh… That reminds me of the Honorary Magi craftsman of Egelia kingdom but…. d-don’t tell me?!”

“It is exactly what you are thinking.”

And finally, Bolton got to know that Gloria’s short sword was created by the magi craftsman named Jin.

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Bolton is a baron and the administrator of arms products in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication. He was a knight himself when he was young.

That Bolton was now apologizing with his head on the floor.

“I am extremely sorry! This Bolton has made the blunder of his life! Who knew there was a magi craftsman who could make such an excellent sword!”

“It’s fine, I don’t really mind.”

And Jin really didn’t mind. He was just dumbfounded by it all.

The princess and minister both looked like they were used to this.

Elsa thought he was just an extreme version of Reinhart but didn’t show it on her face and Hanna just thought he was an interesting, old man.

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“And then, there is a boundary inside the metal and it starts breaking from that boundary. If the parts surrounded by that boundary is big, the metal becomes fragile.”

After having calmed down, they all shifted to the resting space at a corner of the workshop and were conversing.

“Same as me, Bolton also possesses the magic eye. A microscopic magic eye at that too.”

“Princess!”

Looks like the princess went and leaked something she shouldn’t have again. She is even more honest than Jin.

“Microscopic, so that means you can see really small things as well, right?”

As Jin said that, Bolton was taken aback.

“Wh-what?! To be able to know what it is just by hearing the name! What exactly are you…”

“Like you said, I am the honorary magi craftsman of Egelia kingdom.”

Stating that, Jin insisted him to continue the interrupted talk.

“Hmm, I did hear that magi craft is prosperous in Egelia kingdom but to think it has come to this extent….”

And with that, Bolton started explaining.

From the contents of the discussion, Jin could tell he was talking about metal particles and fiber flow.

Metal is made from minute crystals and the finer these crystals are, the harder the metal will be.

He knew quite a bit about it as he trained in a metal-related company.

“These boundaries in the swords made with magic are very disordered and as such I had deemed them to be of no use at all. However, the sword you have made…”

“We get it, we get it. That’s enough. In short, what you mean to say is the sword Jin-dono made is very good for practical use, right?”

Seems like prime minister Powell got fed up with it and so brought out the conclusion.

In reply to that, Bolton said,

“No, it is far higher than that. It won’t be an exaggeration to call it an excellent sword.”