Author’s Note:

This is a private matter, but I’ve finally completed my graduation thesis!!!! This is not something that you leave until the last minute, just like with anything else.

I would like to continue writing the novel from now on!

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「Choose. Either turn it into a decorative sword, or use it in battle even if it’s difficult to do so.」

I said this to Zeal boy who came over with his head down while carrying his sword that had been broken in half in his arms.

I was a blacksmith, not a mage. Once in a while, there would also be idiots who wanted their swords, that had been broken in half, to be restored to the point where they could be used in combat just like before, but no matter how attached they were to it, I could only forge it into something else, or just piece it back together.

Once I melt the entire thing and reforge it, I could make something similar, but it would be a sword that I created. Most people would think that that would be meaningless. 

It didn’t matter how much you maintained and handled it with care; those who engaged in battles understood that if they were going to use it in battle, then the sword would be a consumable good.

If it were other people, then I would, without saying anything, emotionlessly send it back, but the other person was Zeal boy who was that emotionally attached to it.

Seeing Zeal boy not saying anything and giving no reply, I spat out a heavy sigh.

「I got it. If you still don’t have an answer after thinking about it for several days, come back to my place again.」

Zeal boy nodded, and that day, he returned to his room just like that.

Zeal boy, who still did not have an answer even after pondering over it for a few days, came over just as I told him to, and I gave him another choice.

「Follow me.」

The aircraft was completed and leaving the preparations of the necessities and loading the goods to the young people, the hero and the others, I brought Zeal boy with me into the building  that I knew like the back of my hand and into a certain room.

 In that corner room, if you looked closely, there was an empty space the size of a small room alongside the wall. By pushing the book that couldn’t be taken out of the bookshelf in the room inward, the bookshelf would move to the side and a hidden door would appear. It’s a popular mechanism. 

「This is…?」

I glanced back at Zeal boy, who took half a step back in surprise when the room suddenly appeared, and fumbled around to turn on the electricity in the hidden room.

Before anyone became aware of it, my mother had settled down in this building, which we, the previous generation’s hero party, had originally been using as a safe house, and renovated it here and there, but the truly important places had been left untouched. I wouldn’t admit to it, but that person was considerate.

This room, which could only be entered through the hidden door of the empty room, was still covered with dust. 

When I pushed the button of the nearby device, the dust disappeared instantly, and the swords, daggers, bows and arrows, wands, etc. that were in great condition appeared.

「This is, the previous generation’s hero party’s armory. I had forged all of these for those guys and myself. And, this room was created by the previous hero in case of an attack and for the juniors who may fight with the demon king in the future.」

I stroked the sheath of the nearby daggers that were used for self-defense. I remembered all the weapons in this room.

The human princess of Yamato, Aoi Miyako, used a single-edged sword that specialized in slashing, just like the ones that Akira and Kyousuke were currently using. That’s why, I created a sword whose blade oscillated at a high frequency so that you would be able to kill your opponent, no matter how sturdy they were. 

I created ten arrows that could penetrate into the enemy without fail and return automatically to the quiver for the greatest elven archer at the time, Luke Lapis Lazuli. Of course, even if they broke, with a bit of magic consumption, they would be repaired.

My childhood friend, the beastman Litta Ganadour, already had the holy sword, so I made him a dagger that would protect him from a fatal injury once.

I could use all weapons. That’s why, I made every single weapon that existed. Not just swords and daggers, even obscure weapons like the iron-ribbed fans, battleaxes, morning stars, etc. as well.

It’s unfortunate that more than half of them had been forgotten with time by their original owner and were left untouched.

If I had these weapons in this room at that time, those guys would definitely survive and return alive. However, not only was that wish unfulfilled, I was the only one living awkwardly. Honestly, it’s mortifying.

When I said that while smiling with self-deprecation, Zeal boy could be seen detachedly moving his lips. I didn’t know what he was trying to say, but it did not turn into words and had disappeared.

「You need to live. From here onwards, it wouldn’t be a strange thing for people to die in the demon territory. That’s why, only you, I want you to live. That is my wish. This time, I don’t want to make a mistake.」

When my younger sister was in danger, I could not be by her side. Including Zeal boy’s mother, I had sacrificed many disciples. I had used the young man Akira in order to take revenge on my own sister’s enemy. Even the true feelings of my biological mother would not be known without the help of a third party. I didn’t even know about the death of my friend, even though I was someone who was considered to be well-informed. In addition, I felt like I was always making mistakes and had many regrets.

I heard that Zeal boy had lost his fighting spirit after his sword broke. If, at that place, Akira was not there, if Kyousuke Asahina was not there, even my disciple’s orphan would no longer be in this world at this time.

In my long life, I have made many mistakes. Really, it’s a lot.