The Book Of Flowers

Best Forging Bargalos

-- A few hours later, Bargalos ---

"You said you wanted to make a forged weapon for the little prince and an aspiring Elf official?" uncle Zer rubbed his beard

We hadn't seen him for a long time, but the first thing he did was look at us with that doubtful look...

"Come on, uncle Zer. I know you must know of one or two people who can make magic weapons" I negotiated again, to which Veskal nodded to add

I thought so for Verdea's weapon design, but I didn't expect Remina to want a magic weapon either. Merely, forging such weapons was already extremely rare right now, so they felt more valuable than any weapon they made

Uncle Zero was one of those Dwarves. But I knew he would refuse. He had not forged any more weapons and had ventured out of Bargalos for a reason. I don't know why or what that is

After all, everyone in Bargalos seemed to be very busy making weapons. Isn't this a good enough time to find a gun?

"I know one man" uncle Zer said, making our eyes sparkle. "But, he's very old, and you have to give him a good reason to give you that weapon"

Strong reason...?

"What-like?"

"Eitherway. Too subjective for my view. The reasons needed are highly variable depending on the individual"

Hm... Sounds like a difficult person

"It's okay. Just take us to him and we'll find out" I said, before looking at Veskal

"That's fine" he agreed, although he seemed hesitant

He allowed us to follow him, as he led us around to our destination

...

"Who... This new high-ranking?" uncle Zer opened the question

"Remina Stagnia's. Girl from the Undine clan, and she's talented in swordsmanship"

"Swives and Elves? I don't think it will be there until the end of time"

...

If I think back, Uncle Zer is not wrong. I have never seen a single Elf, in my entire life, wielding a sword as their weapon. Just Remina

I don't understand why, but it must have something to do with the past. Zaphir must have known about a thing or two in this matter

"Whatever it is, Uncle Zer. Remina Stagnia personally wanted a new sword for her to use in her coronation. While Verdea, the little prince of all of us, wants a steel glove-shaped weapon" I continued

"A very good choice. I'm sure the design details are in your heads?"

I can-I can

"Ah, before we go, Vain..." Veskal interrupted, pulling some paper scrolls from under his cloak. "-- I've drawn some of the details" she added

I was quite jolted to hear that, mainly because Veskal had not told me at all what kind of design the two children wanted

"You can add to it if there's still something unsatisfactory, but I've tried to draw at least one or two possible things" he said again, as long as Uncle Zer receives the scroll with the gun plan and opens it

I attached myself to Uncle Zer to come see the contents of Veskal's image. How surprised I was that the design itself was so precise with what was inside my head

A fairly slender steel glove, like a regular protector. However, there was a catalyst stone embedded in his back so that its user was able to use protective magic without chanting. It's suitable for Verdea if he has to fight with someone in a very close range

Then, a sword that looked heavier than what Remina had at this moment. This sword is coated with the best iron in the handle planted by a water magic catalyst stone. It looks very flexible and deadly, has proportions that even explain Remina's height in detail

Veskal has described the two weapons perfectly. I don't need to add anything else, because that alone is enough

But, what bothers me a little is the fact that Veskal can draw better than me

"Catalyst stones are very expensive now" uncle Zer said as he closed each roll of paper. His eyes came back to us as we did not stop walking. "The making of this weapon could even take weeks, because a small mistake in laying the magic stone could have destroyed the weapon as its container"

"The last time someone made a magic wand in this town, I'm sure"

"The magic wand was designed to carry a catalyst, as the whole thing was coated by a special Mana and did have a model where the catalyst stone was placed at the end of their head. These two weapons that you designed are not at all like that" uncle Zer explained, cutting off Veskal's words

"Emblanting a catalyst stone in a weapon that shouldn't require creativity, even for Dwarves" he said

"That explains why the Hortensians consider magic weapons to be precious relics" I interrupted

"It doesn't have to go that far. Even you Elves only have a few 'holy' weapons that were originally only held by the Elf fathers. I'm sure it's broken into dozens now" Uncle Zer grumbled

"You're not wrong. The end of the first Elf is indeed a sign for our people to learn to survive independently. That's why we asked the Dwarves of earlier times to divide the weapons" I said again.

My weapon also includes. This stick that became my weapon was one of the dozens of pieces of weapon belonging to the Father. And it is also the most powerful shard, because every Oberon and Titania that uses it is given the ability to control every element of nature that exists in the world

The split of the father's weapon was not something we wanted, but had to do. The honor of holding all those weapons was only given to the higher-ups of our clans and kings from time to time. We regret doing so, but all those weapons have supported our lives all along

"... I heard that the Dwarves earlier were even overwhelmed in dividing this weapon. But you were willing to help us in those days, even though we were in the age of war"

"That's because we know very well you're innocent in the case of a thousand-year war. The announcement of the war made by men and demons at that time was something of a surprise so that the remaining five races were shaken and dragged into his abomination"

...!

"wait. You know the origin of that war?"

...

...

...

"Sorry, but..."

But...

"Oberon Tibor asked us to keep our mouths shut and to hide the secret of the war from the face of Vitario, even to the point that our people became extinct. I can only tell that much because of the oath we made to him"

...!

Oberon Tibor...? Oberon who took Leshy and introduced him as the first guard of the Elves...? He hid the secrets of our people in that war all this time...?

Our secrets have been buried since the war began...

...

"But why?" Veskal suddenly asked. "Oberon Tibor had no reason to hide the secret of the war from Vitario's face, did he?" he added again

"Sorry, but we can't tell you that either"

"Uncle-!"

"We're ending the discussion of the disaster right now. I don't want the other Dwarves to listen to this"

...

I held Veskal's shoulder so he would stop talking about this. So we can remember what we came here for

Although the secret should never have existed, what happened has already happened. We cannot replace what was in the past...

"... By the way, who's the forger you're going to introduce us to?" I asked Uncle Zer

He was silent not flinching. But suddenly he stopped stepping. He's stopping...

right in front of his house...

...

"I understand"

The forging was none other than... "-- You"

Uncle Zer glanced back at us, a smile implied on his lips. I sighed while shaking my head

Why didn't I expect this? Maybe because Uncle Zer had not forged in this lifetime

"It looks like I'm going to forge again after hundreds of years.." he said.

"Sorry, uncle Zer. But if I may ask, how old are you?" Veskal who looked nervous asked

His smile grew wider as he stared completely at us, along with myself glancing towards Veskal

"I'm the same age as Zaphir. If I could say, I'm one of your holy weapons forges"

Veskal immediately pale to hear that

"Why do you think he's grumbling when it comes to our weapons?"

Well, either way, it was then or now...

Uncle Zero is one of the best forgers of the city of Bargalos. History has proven it