The quiet village of Nikaras was once again in an uproar. Thick smoke billowed, sparks scattered across the area, and onlookers—once they realized it wasn't a fire—settled in to watch the work unfold.
At the center stood Wolf.
A crucible sat atop a furnace lined with charcoal. Inside, metal glowed, melted to a golden yellow. Wolf worked the bellows, then paused, carefully lifting the crucible with iron tongs and pouring its contents into the prepared sand mold.
"Whew."
He took a moment to catch his breath. When he pulled down the cloth that had covered his mouth, it was black with soot.
"Wolf-ojisan, what're you doing?"
A village child approached, eyes half curious, half nervous. Wolf wiped the sweat from his face with a towel, smearing more soot across his features until he looked like a man from another world.
"I'm making a new sword," he said, patting the blade.
"You can do that?"
At the child's question, Wolf gave a big nod.
He'd been reforging the copper sword that broke in the Beywulf fight ever since that morning. The work was second nature to him. Back when he lived in the capital, during winter—when herb-gathering quests dried up—he'd taken odd jobs at a smithy. It had only been for the winters, but the master smith had tried to recruit him time and time again, praising his talent. Wolf had always declined. At the time, he just hadn't felt like starting something new.
Still, his [Smithing] skill was Level 2.
Reforging a broken sword was no trouble at all. He occasionally fixed the village's plows and hoes, too. He'd built his workshop for exactly that purpose.
Once the metal had cooled sufficiently, he removed the mold. The blade emerged, still pale and rough. After sharpening, it would take on the vivid, characteristic color of copper.
"Say, Wolf-san, if you're going to all that trouble, why not just use the steel sword you got from the peddler?"
A villager pointed out. Wolf scratched his curly hair.
Truth was, the peddler had practically forced a steel sword on him after that fight—as thanks for saving him. But Wolf couldn't accept something so valuable for nothing. He'd decided to keep it stowed in the corner of his house until he'd saved enough to at least buy it properly.
Still, if it came down to it, the steel sword might see action sooner rather than later.
Reforged metal was inherently less tough—more brittle, really. This blade had already been reforged twice now. Maybe he'd have to break out the steel sword sooner than he'd hoped.
With the sharpening complete, Wolf promptly strapped the freshly polished copper blade to his waist and headed for the forest where he'd found Beywulf.
Along the way, he gathered herbs while making his way toward the forest's edge. When he spotted a collapsed mound, he clicked his tongue.
"Just as I thought... The ward's broken."
He'd suspected as much ever since Beywulf appeared. The entire area was protected by a barrier that kept outside monsters from entering. There were still creatures within, but they were relatively weak, mostly harmless. A C-class beast like Beywulf could only have come from beyond the boundary.
"Troublesome. This isn't something even I can fix."
He could mend swords, but magic was another matter entirely. He could use basic-tier spells to some extent, but Level 1 was the kind of magic any housewife could manage—a candle-flame's worth of power, nothing like the protective ward that shielded the entire region. Even the retired mage living in the village would likely struggle with it. After all, the one who'd laid this ward was Reminia—holder of the [Great Hero (Legend)] title.
"Can't really ask Reminia, though..."
If he sent her a letter, she'd come flying back without a second thought. But relying on his daughter, who'd only just left for the capital a few days ago, didn't sit right with him. He decided to quietly put in a request at the guild instead.
"Reminia must have reached the capital by now," he mused, gazing up at the blue sky glimpsed through the gaps in the undergrowth.
"That won't make the village visible, you know."
Hashiry turned a page in the documents she'd brought. Seated beside her, the fifteen-year-old girl knelt up on the seat, peering through the rear window toward the village. Her secretary thought it understandable—the carriage was already on the main road, two days' journey from their hometown. Nikaras was long out of sight.
"But I'm worried about Papa," Reminia whined.
"You're not a child anymore. Wolf-dono is a grown man. He'll be fine."
"Is he eating properly, I wonder? And changing his underwear every day?"
"Is that what you're worried about? At present, Straval is struggling to handle unknown creatures called magical beasts. It wouldn't be surprising if any of us lost our lives tomorrow."
Hashiry clapped a hand over her mouth—that had slipped out. Definitely too far. She might have only made Reminia more anxious.
Contrary to expectations, Reminia's reaction was dry. She turned from the window and sat properly beside her.
"That's fine, Hashiry," she said with absolute confidence.
Hashiry furrowed her brow. Wolf was a D-rank adventurer. True, the monsters around the village were mostly E or F class, but outside the barrier, that wasn't the case.
And enemies weren't limited to beasts—bandits, fallen adventurers, the list of dangers went on.
"Sure, Papa is a D-rank adventurer. And he's been training harder since retiring, but it's impossible for him to get dramatically stronger. Even a B—no, even another D-class could kill him depending on the fight or compatibility."
"Then where does that 'fine' come from?"
"You don't think the [Great Hero (Legend)] would leave her Papa without any safeguards, do you?"
Reminia smirked, a hint of mischief in her expression.
"Don't tell me you've layered a physical enhancement spell on him?"
Reminia said nothing. But Hashiry's guess was almost certainly correct. A D-class adventurer buffed by a [Great Hero (Legend)] going all out... just thinking about it sent a chill down her spine.
"No matter how much you assist him, a fight isn't determined by raw power alone."
"That's even more fine. Because Papa's strongest point is right here."
Reminia thumped her chest—surprisingly ample for her size.
"You. What are you doing here?"
Wolf turned. A man in a black robe stood behind him. Wolf barely managed to suppress the startled "Wah!" that nearly escaped him, bracing himself to keep from buckling.
He hadn't noticed the man until he spoke. Probably a high-ranking mage—the distinctive shape of his ears marked him as an elf. His face was pallid, his eyes wide, and on his hand glinted a ring.
(That ring... A magic amplifier?)
Wolf narrowed his eyes. Unusual to see jewelry in a place where monsters roamed.
"I could ask you the same thing. What are you doing out here?"
The man didn't answer immediately. He studied Wolf as if appraising him. Finally, he gave a small—almost dismissive—laugh.
"You haven't seen a Beywulf, have you? It wandered into this forest, I believe."
"Was that your quarry, then?"
"I hear it had been terrorizing nearby villages. The guild commissioned me to track it."
"Just the one?"
The man nodded.
So that explained it. That Beywulf must have already been weakened. It made sense that a D-class like Wolf had been able to overpower it and win.
Wolf nodded to himself in understanding.
"I was the one who took it down."
"Took it down? You? You appear to be an adventurer—what class?"
"Former adventurer. Class D—"
"Ha?! A D-class took down a Beywulf? Were you partied up?"
"More importantly, the barrier here is broken. Monsters can't get through it on their own, so it's likely man-made. You know anything about that?"
"That would be me. When I cornered the Beywulf, it dodged my magic. The barrier must have collapsed then."
"An accident is one thing, but at least fix it. That ward is the lifeline for the village up ahead."
"Any mage who lays a ward that breaks so easily was clearly incompetent."
He showed no remorse. In fact, his attitude only grew more insolent. Wolf didn't know how he'd shattered Reminia's barrier, but wondered if the mage's response would differ if he knew a [Great Hero (Legend)]-class mage had placed it.
The man then kicked the collapsed mound—further destroying what Reminia had built when she was eight, out of concern for the villagers.
"Hey, you—"
"What? It's already broken. What's the harm? More to the point—what did you do with the Beywulf's remains? You need to claim the material and collect the bounty."
"Our peddler took them. The village can't process that sort of thing."
"What?! You had no right!"
"You had no right to destroy that barrier!"
Wolf shouted. It was rare for the normally gentle man to lose his temper to this degree. The mage's face, too, had reddened.
"Give me the peddler's name. I'll retrieve the Beywulf."
"Not a chance!"
"You insolent—"
The atmosphere shifted. The anger that had filled the air moments before flipped like a card, replaced by killing intent. Wolf's hand went to his copper sword.
The man struck first. He raised his hand, chanting a spell in a single breath.
"Lightning Lance!"
Countless lightning-charged projectiles shot forth—a fourth-tier thunder spell, fired with the [Chant Abandonment] skill at Level 5, catching Wolf off guard.
The gap between them was mere steps. The magical bullets surrounded him—no room to dodge.
Impact.
A sharp explosion tore through the silent forest.
The mage was certain of his victory. A smirk began to form—only for his expression to twist into shock. Emerging from the thin smoke was Wolf.
For some reason, completely unharmed. His skin bore not a single burn. It was as if a powerful [Attribute Reduction] or [Attribute Absorption] had been in effect.
"No—more importantly than that—"
What astonished the mage wasn't the powerful magic nullification skill. It was the fact that Wolf, having taken the spell head-on, was still charging forward without hesitation.
(Is this guy insane?!)
The madman's blade came down, shattering the mage's shoulder.
"GAAAAH!"
The man crumpled.
"Relax. I didn't cut you with the edge."
Wolf showed him the flat of the blade. Clutching his shoulder, the mage cried out in agony.
"Are you trying to show me mercy?!"
"I'm not killing you. That's all." Then, softer: "You have family too, don't you?"
"—!"
A moment later, Wolf remembered. In some regions, couples exchanged rings as a vow when they married. The ring the mage wore was probably a wedding band.
The man hung his head. Sweat beaded on his brow, falling like tears.
"Hey, can you fix this ward?"
"A-ah... it's not particularly difficult."
"Then we'll call it even. I'm at fault too—I sold your quarry without knowing it was yours."
Wolf pulled a potion from his tool kit and gestured for the mage to show him the wound—then actually began treating it. The mage stared at him as if he were some strange phenomenon.
Then he asked:
"Your name?"
"Wolf Midres."
"I see. I'll remember that."
The man bowed his head.
Summary:
Wolf forges a new copper sword while debating whether to use the steel sword gifted by a peddler, then discovers the forest ward has been broken and suspects the Beywulf came from beyond. Reminia reassures her secretary that she has secretly buffed her father with enhancement magic. Wolf confronts an arrogant elven mage who destroyed the ward, survives a Lightning Lance attack thanks to Reminia's hidden protection, defeats him, and spares him after learning the mage wears a wedding ring.
Trivia:
Wolf's [Smithing] skill is only Level 2, but enough to reforge basic weapons and tools.
Wolf worked at a smithy only during winters in the capital, and refused full-time offers.
The copper sword has been reforged twice already, making it brittle.
A steel sword from the peddler is stored in Wolf's house until he can afford to pay for it.
Reminia is the one who originally laid the protective ward around Nikaras village.
Reminia was only eight years old when she created the ward to protect the village.
The ward (barrier) around Nikaras is what prevents outside magical beasts from entering.
Beywulf is a C-class magical beast, which is why it shouldn't have been inside the barrier.
The mage is an elf, identifiable by his distinctive ears.
The mage's ring is likely a wedding band, revealing he has a spouse.
In some regions, couples exchange rings as a vow when they marry.
Hashiry is Reminia's secretary and worries about practical matters.
Wolf is a former adventurer, currently D-rank, but retired.
Reminia has secretly applied a physical enhancement spell to Wolf.
The mage used [Chant Abandonment] at Level 5 to fire a fourth-tier thunder spell instantly.
Wolf survived the Lightning Lance spell due to Reminia's buff, appearing completely unharmed.
Wolf's strongest point, according to Reminia, is not his strength but something else (implied to be his heart/character).
Wolf chose not to kill the mage because he recognized the mage likely had a family.
Straval is the country struggling with unknown magical beasts.
The mage initially claimed the ward was "incompetent" not knowing Reminia, a [Great Hero (Legend)], had created it.
Notes:
• Wolf - A 42-year-old former D-rank adventurer now living a pastoral life in Nicalas Village as a craftsman and farmer. After losing his wife to a Beywulf attack, he has shed his old bulk to raise his daughter, Reminia, alone. With curly hair and soot-stained features, he is a humble, weary, and warm-hearted father who balances his [Smithing] Level 2 and basic magic with deep, quiet paternal devotion.
• Reminia - Fifteen-year-old SS-rank adventurer and Great Hero of Straval, she has striking red hair, fair skin, and a slender, developed figure. Intelligent and skilled in magic, she studies her late mother’s Double World Theory. Though she maintains a playful, tomboyish exterior, she is fiercely protective and deeply devoted to her father, Wolf, whom she affectionately calls "Papa," sharing a strong emotional bond.
• Hashiry - A 24-year-old A-class mage and researcher at the Royal Magical Research Institute, she serves as Reminia’s professional, practical, and concerned secretary and escort. Standing tall and slender with short white hair and narrow pale blue eyes, she maintains a boyish appearance. Despite her professional dedication to her employer, she is often playful and enjoys teasing Reminia.