Overpowered Sword Chapter 116

Level up with swords (116)

The scale of logistics circulating within the Kingdom of Jugend was enormous. The ores mined in the mining area are transported to areas where smelters are concentrated, and the metals extracted there flow back into the blacksmith shop and become materials for all kinds of weapons.

Also, in places like Area 1, where handcrafting is consistent, the production of weapons in areas with an established division of labor system was at least ten times higher than before.

300 years ago, a mountain of dwarven weapons that would have gone viral even if only one were sold.

Accordingly, a distribution system was developed to handle that production, and it eventually reached its peak with the completion of iron horses that could travel throughout the kingdom and airships for cargo.

Since the logistics that moved in a single day were equivalent to several months’ worth of a small or medium-sized kingdom, an organization that specialized in recording and processing only the movement of logistics was inevitable.

“Heung, it’s here.”

Pedro said after barely swallowing the snot that was flowing out.

Records reading room.

A place that oversees logistics movement throughout the kingdom. It was a second-class important facility that would have been impossible to enter without Pedro, and cooperation was essential in order to reveal the source of the minerals.

Unusually for Jugend, it had a strong smell of paper instead of iron, and it was also an organization where humans rather than dwarves were in charge of work.

“No matter how necessary it may be, what dwarf would want to have a seal in his hand instead of a hammer?”

“indeed.”

Garlond nodded as if he agreed with those words.

“There is nothing more painful than a position that is not suitable for you. “That’s why I chose the life of a mercenary.”

“Hmm.”

Then Karen looked back at him with a sullen expression.

“For some reason, his tone was a bit harsh for a mercenary. He must have been a nobleman, right?”

“The things I learned in childhood are hard to change. “Even though it’s already been more than 20 years.”

Although adventurers and mercenaries from noble families were not that rare, there were only a few who rose to A rank.

Those with the gold medal and ability to be treated well anywhere in the world were A-rank. Since they had the talent to stand out from a young age, the family would not want to miss them.

Garlond laughed bitterly and played with his mustache.

“… this.”

Afterwards, he received Hamel’s explosive arrow in the face and was embarrassed when he realized that he had become as short as a rat’s fur.

El Cid chuckled at that and then said.

[Besides, the thick fingers of dwarves are not suited to paperwork. His grip was so strong that it was easy for him to tear the paper, and he had a bad temper other than when he was working as a blacksmith, so he often grabbed civil servants by the collar and fought with them.]

‘Ah, is that why you started hanging out with humans?’

[This is why Jugend became a heterogeneous alliance. I don’t know what the history books would have written.]

That was the limitation of the dwarf race.

The work that could only be done with field work was small-scale.

It may be enough to run one or two blacksmith shops, but when the kingdom grows, clerical and administrative positions are essential. In tasks other than mining minerals, operating a smelter, and making weapons, the humans were several times superior to the dwarves.

The person dealing with the four of you right now was also a human.

“Welcome, Meister Pedro. “It’s been a while.”

A middle-aged woman sitting across from the window bowed her head with a kind smile.

Pedro took a step forward and sat down opposite her.

“It’s been a while, Kate. How have you been?”

“I’m fine. “Meister Pedro, you are looking for this reading room. Do you have any special business?”

“Well, it’s not a pleasant thing to do.”

Pulling at his eight-stranded beard, Pedro managed to spit out the words that had been stuck in his throat.

“The Lombard I called to my blacksmith shop last week, his workshop is in Area 13, right? “I want to find out which mining area the three types of minerals that went there came from.”

“What if you say there are three types?”

“Hyeoncheol, Mithril, and Adamantium.”

“Please wait a moment.”

Kate, who had been looking through the mountain of documents for a few minutes, soon found something. She looked at the red envelope in her hand with a puzzled expression, then looked back at the four people with an embarrassed expression.

It did not seem like a positive expression.

“Meister Pedro, I am truly sorry.”

“what? “Are you saying it can’t be done?”

“I don’t know why, but there is a level 1 access restriction to that mining area. “Not only mining but also access to information on the mining area must be reviewed.”

“1st grade?!”

Pedro opened his mouth, shocked by the absurd statement.

This record reading room is also only a level 2 important facility, and if a level 1 restriction order was placed, it meant that even a director-level person could not see it.

There were very few people on whom a level 1 restriction could be imposed. Among the king, managers of each area, and Meister-level blacksmiths, there are probably only four or five of them.

“who is this? “Who on earth put that access restriction in place?”

“Oh, that’s… .”

Kate’s eyes widened as she looked at the bottom of the red envelope, as if looking for the name of the person in charge of command.

That reaction proved the subject’s high status.

She was trying to say that name without me knowing,

“――I did it, Uncle Pedro.”

A low-pitched voice came from behind Leon and the others.

Before a single syllable is finished, the three people’s bodies turn over and their hands rest on the hilts of the swords at their waists.

Naturally taking charge of the A-rank unmanned set?

If we had been attacked by surprise, we would have suffered a great loss.

‘strong!’

And when he turned around and faced him, Leon even had to feel a shiver. Even though he did not reveal any of his strength, there was a strength that could be felt in his appearance.

Rugged muscles rise above the dark brown skin, and the physique, which appears to be slightly over 2 meters, is heavy yet strong.

What was more threatening than anything else lay dormant within.

Inside a body as large and powerful as Taishan, the life force (aura) creates a vortex, and the power of the earth and the protection of the flames rising from the ground are added to further amplify the violent vortex.

Lastly, it was a monster blessed with as many as three types of power, including the radiance and holy power surrounding its clothes.

[You’re strong. This guy is probably the current youth powerhouse.]

Leon deeply agreed.

Not only is his strength great, but his martial arts knowledge is also incredibly deep. Since I couldn’t even see a chance to break in half a step, I had the feeling that even if the three of them attacked together, they would be defeated one-sidedly.

master. Unlike Karen, she was a master who had reached maturity and reached the end of her skills.

“Uh, Grand Meister… ?!”

But the three people’s surprise did not end there, and became even louder when they heard Pedro’s screaming voice.

Grand Meister.

The title symbolizing the best blacksmith in Jugend belongs to someone who doesn’t look like that dwarf? As if recognizing the surprise of the three, the man turned and greeted them as well.

“Nice to meet you, everyone. “My name is Irexana, and I am the Grand Meister of Jugend and the Cardinal of the Holy Order.”

“To Grand Meister… !”

“Even the cardinal… !?”

As Garlond and Karen forgot their battle stance and opened their eyes, Leon also became agitated at the name and stopped breathing.

Cardinal Irexana.

This is the name that was listed as the person in charge of 『The Lode Invaders』.

While the three were frozen by the unexpected meeting, Irexana spoke after hearing the circumstances from Pedro.

“Is that sword the weapons Uncle Pedro made? “That’s amazing.”

Judging by the gaze that went to Leon’s waist, it seemed like he had heard the reason why Pedro had come all the way here.

Leon, who saw the reaction, immediately had a hunch.

It seemed that Irexana did not know his identity. I felt like it might be best to use that interest to reveal my identity without others knowing.

“Would you like to try it?”

“yes?”

Irexana asked back with a rare expression of surprise at a suggestion that could not easily come from a prosecutor.

The warrior’s main weapon was like a second life.

“Are you sure it’s okay?”

“Yes, it’s okay.”

However, as a blacksmith, she couldn’t pass up the sword that had broken Meister-level weapons, and when Leon gave her permission once again, Irexana cautiously held out her hand.

The moment when a hand as thick as his body grasped the hilt of the sword.

“omg!”

Irexana’s eyes filled with awe.

Holy sword El Cid.

This was because I realized the divinity itself sleeping inside the Holy Sword, which laymen could not recognize. We could tell because he was a blacksmith and at the same time a cardinal and a person who served the goddess.

Also, there was only one person who owned the holy sword.

“… Please follow me, all four of you.”

If a hero comes, the task will not be light.

Guessing what Leon meant, Irexana didn’t say anything more and moved on to talk more in depth.

As everyone followed him out of the reading room, only Kate blinked as she looked behind them. It returned to a quiet and leisurely atmosphere as always, but I could feel the signs that something was about to happen.

* * *

“You came as an investigator for the guild.”

After sending Pedro back to the blacksmith shop, Irexana spoke as he faced the three visitors. There were plenty of rooms available for rent under his authority.

We had a lot to talk about with each other.

Leon stopped Garlond, who was possessed by the magic sword.

I followed the source and came from Area 13 to Area 1.

He obtained the rights through <Rodrik’s Tradition> and visited the records reading room with Meister Pedro.

“Oh, come to think of it.”

Leon, who had said that, raised a question.

“Cardinal Irexana, why did you restrict access to the place we were trying to find out?”

When the other two people also looked at Irexana with curiosity, he took a sip from his teacup and then spoke.

“I felt an ominous presence.”

“Ominous presence… “This?”

“yes.”

Irexana answered firmly and rolled up the sleeve of her left arm, revealing the tattoo engraved on her thick forearm.

Stigmata.

A grace and blessing that can reproduce some of the goddess’s power.

“What I received as a cardinal is the ‘Stigmata of the Leader.’ When something wrong or evil is detected, the stigmata on the left arm glows. “It was my daily routine to look around the Kingdom of Jugend with this stigmata every day, and the stigmata reacted in that mining area.”

“There is something there.”

“Yes, so I immediately restricted access, but… .”

Irexana took one look at Garlond and sighed deeply.

“I guess it’s a little late. By reaching Area 13, enough quantity would have been leaked to produce hundreds of pieces from blacksmith shops across the kingdom.”

“Can’t we retrieve it all?”

“I wish I knew how to pick out the magic sword… .”

At that time, Karen, who was listening to the two people’s story, spoke.

“blood.”

As everyone’s eyes turned to her, Karen explained as she pulled out a dagger hanging from her thigh.

“Galonde said that earlier. “The demon sword only revealed its true colors after seeing his blood.”

“It did.”

“It is said that a magic sword that has seen blood gives the user an inexplicable satisfaction. If you make a sword and then dip it in blood once in a while, wouldn’t you be able to pick out the magic sword?”

As I press the tip of the dagger with my finger, a drop of blood flows out and wets the body of the dark-colored sword.

People who saw that were silent for a moment.

It’s not bad.

No, if you follow it carefully, there is no more efficient method than this.

Even though the dwarves were full of idiots, there was someone here who could give them ‘instructions’.

“… “That’s a good opinion.”

Irexana said with a slight smile.

“I will deliver it to smithies throughout the kingdom. Ask me to test all the weapons I’ve made recently by putting a few drops of blood on them. If you mention ‘contaminated minerals’ as the reason, everyone will agree. “We must strictly adhere to this until it is fundamentally resolved.”

“If it is a fundamental solution… .”

“yes.”

Irexana responded, affirming Leon’s words.

“The goal is to eliminate the unidentified entity, the source of contamination hidden within the Great Mine, as quickly as possible. But it seemed like it would be difficult for me to go out and look at the entire area on my own.”

The Great Lode was the world’s largest mine.

The area where mining is currently taking place is larger than most territories, and unlike flat land, it has to be thought of as a three-dimensional area because it involves digging in all directions.

Moreover, more than half of the mining area was a habitat for monsters.

“We need a lot of elites.”

A small number of elite craftsmen are not enough.

We needed a force that could explore a vast area and at the same time wipe out all the monsters in the area.

At least A rank.

It is fortunate that one or two skilled people stay in one territory.

“Master Garlond.”

“Please speak.”

“I will submit a request for cooperation to the guild in my name. Please call everyone, even if they are A rank or higher or lower, if their abilities are outstanding. “The entire guild established in Jugend is the subject of my request.”

“ah! “I understand what Grand Meister means.”

It is a kind of general mobilization order.

Although the guild was operated without being biased towards one country, if it simply backed out of a situation of this magnitude, it would become hostile to the country called Jugend.

In emergency situations, flexibility to the extent that it was not profitable was necessary.

“And Leon.”

Irexana took her eyes off Garlond and turned her head to meet Leon’s golden eyes.

It was clear what that gaze meant.

“I would like to request to be alone for a moment.”

That was exactly what Leon was hoping for.