“…It’s way bigger than the last time I saw it.”
Well, 180 years would do that… But still, this was unexpected. Was this even allowed, aesthetically?
“Nifl, this tree—”
“It’s celebrated as Gagiur’s Great Tree—a cultural landmark. A tourist attraction, if you will.”
“Oh. Good.”
Garm tugged at my sleeve, staring up in awe.
“King! King! Isn’t this the tree you planted?!”
“Well, ‘planted’ is a strong word… More like ‘dumped.'”
Long ago, I had buried a seedling of a sacred, magic-infused tree—once worshipped by demons—in Gagiur, then a demon stronghold.
I turned a blind eye as it grew… and now, this was the result.
Feeling the weight of time, I noticed a crowd gathering around the tree’s base—
merchants, adventurers, and onlookers, numbering in the dozens.
“What’s… that?”
“Wanna check it out?”
“……Yeah, I’m curious.”
As I raise my hand, Nifl and Garm vanish from my side without a trace.
Blending into the crowd, I sense the faintest presence trailing behind me as I head toward the massive Gagiur tree.
Drawn by idle curiosity, I approach its roots—only for a man seated on a merchant’s wagon to spot me and shout, “Hey!”
“You there, hooded guy! You another challenger?”
“Challenger?”
“……Huh? You don’t know?”
“Guess not.”
The merchant tilts his head at my reply but shrugs. “Well, whatever.” He points at the Gagiur’s trunk, where a crowd has gathered.
Following his gesture, my eyes land on a single one-handed sword—its gleaming silver blade buried deep in the tree.
“A… sword?”
“Yep! That’s the blade the Forge God, Gurba, stabbed into it!”
“……Huh!?”
“Whoa! What’s with the reaction, man?”
The merchant stares at me, startled, but I’m too busy panicking.
He stabbed a sword… into a tourist attraction!?
“N-no way…”
Wait, isn’t that bad? Wouldn’t the fine be insane? If they find out Gurba and I are connected, will I get billed for this?
This is bad…
“Wh-what do I do, Nid?”
“Hmm… Knowing that grumpy old iron-obsessed geezer, it’s plausible he’d rage-quit after the King vanished and stab his own sword into the King’s tree… maybe?”
You’re saying this is MY fault!?
Sweating buckets internally, I force calm into my voice and ask the merchant:
“S-so… what’s this ‘challenger’ thing about?”
“Whether anyone can pull the sword out. Lots have tried, but it won’t budge.”
“I see. That’s why there are so many adventurers here.”
Plenty of strong folks around, after all.
“Notice how many merchants there are? We’re all hoping to buy it if someone pulls it out—myself included. It is a masterpiece by the Forge God, Gurba.”
“Huh…”
“Rumor says a group from the Griffil Holy Kingdom’s on their way here… and that they might manage it. So this is our last chance!”
Wait…
“My King, I hath a brilliant idea!”
“Yeah, I think I know what you’re thinking.”
“Oho!”
Nid flaps his tiny wings excitedly, nudging my hood from inside.
If I pull the sword and sell it to a merchant, it’s a win-win, right? That’s probably what Nid’s thinking too.
The Gagiur tree loses its sword, I get money, and cover Gurba’s fine.
Three birds with one stone.
The only question is… can I pull it out?
“Gurba’s ‘greatest masterpiece,’ huh…”
It… doesn’t look like one.
Even if it were, Gurba would never stab his best work into a tree. He lived for his creations being used.
So this blade? Probably not something he valued much.
Meaning… if I can wield the 64th Flame Sword, Sword-of-Flauros, I can probably do this.
“Alright…!”
“Whoa, going for it, huh? If you pull it, I’ll buy it at your price! Hahaha!”
“Seriously!? Deal!”
“Hah—… Wait, what?”
Leaving the stunned man behind, I push through the crowd toward the tree.
“Dammit! No good…”
A dejected boy passes me as an official—likely the tree’s caretaker—eyes me.
“You next?”
“Gonna try, yeah.”
“Fine. But if you damage the tree, you’re banned from the city. Be careful.”
“Got it.”
Amid the noisy spectators, I grip the sword’s hilt—
Instantly, a draining force surges through me.
…Hah. Gurba really went all out, huh?
This is the demon’s resistance. Weapons forged by Gurba—who mastered the art of preserving demons in his craft—carry this trait.
That’s why he followed me, the only one who could wield his full-power creations.
And this effect’s root cause? Fear. Anyone harboring even a shred of fear toward demons can’t wield Gurba’s true works.
I’m the exception—thanks to my “Authority of Fear imunity.” And just as proof, the resistance fades.
Without fanfare, the deeply embedded sword shifts with a sound.
The crowd’s uproar dies instantly, silence falling like a dropped curtain.
Screech… With the groan of heavy metal dragging free—
“Hmph. As expected of my King.”
────The sword is pulled.
“—Wait!”
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—
A beat of utter stillness. Then, a girl’s voice rings out.
“Hand over that sword. And the credit for pulling it, of course.”
Her stance is poised, regal. Dull silver hair, sharp silver eyes. Her refined looks and attire scream nobility.
But…
“You’re real bold, huh?”
“…Fully aware. I’ll buy it—at a fair price.”
I glance away. The crowd of dozens stands frozen, jaws slack at the sight of the freed sword.
One word from anyone, and chaos will erupt.
I briefly turn to the merchant who promised to buy it—
only for him to frantically shake his head and wave his hands in refusal.
…Huh? But you said—
Oh. Guess that was just a joke. Cool.
Just as I slump my shoulders, a boy at the front inhales to shout—
“The sword’s—”
“Nid.”
“『Accelerate』.”
Nifl casts without hesitation at my cue.
Then—
“Eh…?”
Ambient noise distorts, the world’s speed grinding to a crawl. The girl gashes at the eerie phenomenon, but no one answers.
Space-Time Magic Lv. 7: Accelerate.
Normally a potent buff spell, but in the hands of a monster like Nifl, its effects warp.
Right now, the girl and I are severed from the world’s flow—super accelerated, in simpler terms.
See that leaf falling from the tree? It’s moving so slowly you’d barely notice. Not because the world slowed… but because we sped up.
This spell’s more efficient than Lv. 9 Decelerate for two targets.
God, Nifl’s good. I’ll praise her later.
“Wh-what’s happening!?”
“Relax. Just avoiding a scene.”
“R-relax? This?”
“You wanted to talk, right? We’ve got five minutes max like this, so hurry up.”
I plant the sword into the ground. Despite years embedded in the tree, its edge remains flawless. Classic Gurba.
The girl tears her gaze from the blade to glare at me—sharp, calculated.
…Damn. She’s got nerve. Maybe I’ll test her.
“Like I said—I want to buy that sword and the achievement.”
“Why?”
“No reason.”
“Sure, whatever.”
Not like I care. Right now, I just want cash.
Eyeing her as I tap the hilt:
“Fine. How much? Word is, this is Gurba’s greatest masterpiece.”
“……How much do you want?”
“…I see.”
“Are you saying you’ll buy it at the asking price? Must be some noble-looking young lady with more money than sense.”
“Tch… How ridiculous.”
“Alright then… 300 gold coins.”
“…!”
The moment I said the price, the girl’s eyes widened in shock.
The economy in this world runs on coins:
Stone, Iron, Copper, Silver, Gold, and Divine Silver. Six types in total.
In Japanese yen, that roughly translates to: Stone coin = ¥10
Iron coin = ¥100
Copper coin = ¥1,000
Silver coin = ¥10,000
Gold coin = ¥100,000
Divine Silver coin = ¥1,000,000
So basically, the price I just slapped on her was 30 million yen (around 20000 USD).
This is the masterpiece of the Forge God Gurba.A standard sword sold in town usually goes for one gold coin or ten silver coins—so starting at about ¥100,000.
Considering the sword’s title and the reputation it carries, my price isn’t all that unreasonable.
The girl stared at the sword for a moment, then glared at me with a fiery, boiling intensity in her eyes.
And then, the next moment—
“Haaah…”
She let out a long, disappointed sigh, like all her tension had evaporated. The only thing left in her eyes now was pure condescension.
“You’re just like the rest.”
“‘Just like’? What do you mean?”
“300 gold coins. Everyone quotes around the same number for that sword. Every last one of them. Bunch of idiots… That sword isn’t worth anything close to that.”
…Wait, what?
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