Overlord (LN)

“Thank you. Then, I shall pick up from where I left off. My question still stands — is a sword with 20 runes carved upon it within your abilities?”

Everyone looked to the oldest and most experienced of the smiths. He shook his head powerlessly and replied:

“It is not. To the best of my knowledge, I have only ever heard of six.”

A torrent of questions erupted.

“What? Six? I’ve only ever heard of five!”

“...Is that so. It seems few know of this, but 200 years ago, the hammer which the king bore had six runes carved upon it. That was the secret treasure of the runesmith’s art.”

Gondo recalled his grandfather.

He thought of the face of a runesmith from 200 years ago, a man who was a veteran of weapon-forging.

“Ohhhh! Is that the warhammer which could shake the earth? I think I heard of it in a song once...”

“Correct. Even the runesmiths — hailed as geniuses and prodigies — of that time could not produce a weapon with 20 runes on it...”

“I see. So this must be a weapon made with lost techniques, then.”

“Hm? Do you not know either, Your Majesty?”

“I am not sure how this sword was made. In all honesty, it is merely my possession. And... its creators are no longer in this world.”

“By that you mean... More valuable techniques were lost, then?”

Pain filled the faces of the smiths. Gondo felt the same way as well.

“Because of that—”

Everyone looked up at the Sorcerer King’s words.

“Because of that, I want to revive those techniques. Thus, I need your strength. I want you to make something like this sword, no matter the cost.”

Silence descended.

Needless to say, it was because they were all aware of how close to impossible this task was.

Even the most skilled of the runesmiths present had strained themselves to carve four runes at once. The Sorcerer King was asking for five times that amount. However, none of them said “it’s impossible”. They had their pride as craftsmen, and after seeing the masterpieces of a prior artisan, they could not bring themselves to deny it.

That sword is like a challenge from the smiths of old to the smiths of today, Gondo thought.

“I want to make it.”

Someone whispered those words.

Soon, that voice was not alone.

“Me too.”

“I want to try it.”

“Mm, I want to show the world what a real legend looks like.”

“No, I’ll be the one who’ll be hailed as a legend.”

“What nonsense is that. I’m the one who will bear that heavy burden.”

The sound of a applause rang through the air. Its source was the Sorcerer King upon his stage. Although they did not know how he had done it with his bony hands, it was said that all things were possible for a magic caster.

“Marvellous. However, can you do so by yourselves? Can you raise your voices and speak your challenge to a legend? It might be possible. It might not. Thus, I hope you will come to my country and devote your lives to creating new techniques.”

Silence descended once more.

Gondo was very aware of their feelings.

The Sorcerer King was offering these people — who were keenly aware that their art was practically extinct in the Dwarven nation — a shining opportunity within the palm of his outstretched hand.

Should they not bet their lives on this challenge?

“All right then, I will entrust this sword to you.”

The Sorcerer King stepped off the stage, presenting its hilt to one of the aged smiths. Perhaps it was coincidence, or perhaps he had researched it beforehand, but the man to whom he presented it was considered a genius second only to Gondo’s own late father, and his voice carried much weight among the runesmiths.

He did not reach out for it.

It was only natural to be confused when presented with such a mighty blade.

“Is, is it alright? Is it alright to hand such a powerful — a weapon which I may never see again in all my life to someone like me?”

“Right now, you are not Dwarves tempted by wine, but runesmiths who wish to take up a challenge. I can place my trust in that. In addition, I will be leaving this city for a while. Thus, I am simply lending it to you.”

The Dwarf straightened himself up.

“...I see. Then, please permit me to borrow it, Your Majesty.”

He bowed deeply, and received the sword with the utmost respect.

“Still, I have to say that I do not quite understand the techniques of runecraft. Is it possible to carve runes upon a blade and then further enchant it with magic?”

“It doesn’t work that way, Your Majesty. Runes are characters imbued with mana. Thus, carved runes and enchantments are mutually repulsive. If a powerful magic caster tries an enchantment, the runes will distort.”

“Is that so...”