Chapter 80:Monster of Spitzenberg (7)

The more iron is hammered, the stronger it gets.

But that wasn’t the case for people.  

Keldric needed armor that could withstand a monster’s attack at the very least, something that wouldn’t be shredded apart by claws.  

Wearing flimsy armor and taking those kinds of hits would turn him into a bloodbath.  

If it were just bleeding, that’d be lucky. Those vicious claws looked more than capable of giving his internal organs a glimpse of the outside world.  

Dodging or blocking were options, of course, but Keldric always believed that choosing the best option was the wisest course of action.  

Fighting while wearing armor and wielding a weapon was no child’s play.  

With his vision already limited by his helmet, going up against a monster that could wipe out a handful of people in the dead of night was a risk not to be taken lightly.  

No one in their right mind enjoyed pain. Keldric was no exception.  

“The quality is quite good.”  

“Oh, thank you kindly.”  

In that regard, the craftsmanship of the artisans from Spitzenberg was top-tier across the board.  

Even the way the metal resonated when struck was different. Keldric had personally come to appreciate the quality of Spitzenberg steel.  

“Is there a special method used to forge steel this strong?”  

“We mostly use materials from the ironworks. The wind blows strong around here, so maybe that helps maintain the heat better, but….”  

The dwarven blacksmith’s answer didn’t offer much insight.  

Truth be told, Keldric knew next to nothing about the process of refining iron and steel.  

All he knew was that you put metal into the fire until it glowed red, hammered it, let the outer layer crack and peel off, then shoved it back into the flames.  

He was aware that the key difference between iron and steel especially high-quality steel lay in its carbon content, but that was the extent of his knowledge.  

“It’s curious that the ironworks are built in the mountains.”  

“Well, it’s only a small-scale operation. The land is limited, and as long as we produce enough to supply the local forges, that’s all that matters. Any excess minerals get sold off.”  

The iron mined in Spitzenberg was considered high-grade even in its raw form. Because of that, demand was always high.  

Keldric continued asking about various things, making an effort to engage the dwarven blacksmith in a friendly conversation.  

‘Maybe I can get a discount.’  

Just like how people haggled over the price of an apple at the market, he figured that if he kept the conversation going, he might be able to negotiate with the stubborn dwarf.  

He didn’t know much about metallurgy, but his persistent questioning had its own purpose.  

“I’ll take this one.”  

“An excellent choice. This is the finest among the ones I’ve made.”  

Keldric lifted the steel plate cuirass with both hands.  

It was secured with sturdy leather straps and extended from the chest down to the waist, with a segmented design resembling joints.  

Even when he pressed down on it, the armor showed no sign of giving in. It was solid.  

However, one thing stood out to him it only protected his chest, abdomen, and back.  

Even with pauldrons and gauntlets, his underarms would remain exposed.  

Wearing chainmail underneath would help, but the vulnerability still made him uneasy.  

The same went for the leg harness, which covered the entire lower body with plate armor.  

In the chaos of battle, if someone crawled up and stabbed a dagger into his groin, he couldn’t expect the same level of protection as the plated areas.  

“Do you have anything that offers… broader protection?”  

“Ah… Sir Keldric. There’s nothing beyond this that provides full-body coverage.”  

“Really?”

The full-plate armor Keldric had in mind was the kind that covered the entire body in steel true full plate armor.  

However, that was a misconception. Full plate armor was something only possible at the peak of metallurgy.  

There was no such thing readily available. At least within the Empire, most knights wore armor like this.  

Perhaps if he traveled far south to the Republic, he might find something similar, but for now, the true armor of knights was still considered to be plate armor with some exposed joints for mobility.  

“Ah! Are you talking about a brigandine, by any chance?”  

“No, forget it. Let me take a look at this first.”  

“Understood. But, um…”  

Even if he could overlook the design of the plate armor, there was another issue.  

“Isn’t this a bit small?”  

“Uh… is custom fitting an option?”  

Plate armor was usually custom-made.  

Since it was primarily worn by knights, having it tailored precisely to one’s body measurements was crucial for combat effectiveness.  

Thus, if a ready-made suit of armor was being sold, it was either manufactured to a standardized size or had belonged to a deceased knight and made its way back into the hands of a blacksmith.  

“Yes, of course. But it will take time and cost a great deal.”  

“How much exactly?”  

“I’d need to examine the details, but given your physique, the labor costs will be significant.”  

The amount of steel available to the artisans of Spitzenberg was limited, as the ironworks here weren’t particularly large.  

If Keldric wanted a properly tailored suit of armor forged from Spitzenberg steel, it wouldn’t just be expensive it would be outrageously expensive.  

“So, how much are we talking?”  

“I can’t say for certain, but… around this much.”  

“……”  

And with that, Keldric’s jaw nearly dropped.  

He stared blankly at the dwarf’s short fingers as they carefully gestured the price.  

A custom-fit plate armor set made from Spitzenberg steel? The cost was so astronomical that money would bleed out of his pockets faster than he could count.  

“It would also take quite some time. At least a month, if not more…”  

“That’s far too long.”  

“My apologies, but the custom-fitting process is quite intricate.”  

On top of the cost, custom armor also took a long time to make. A month. By then, Lent would be long over.  

And Keldric had no intention of staying here for an entire month.  

His chainmail underneath could be repaired and reused.  

But he still wanted plate armor to wear over it.  

He fiddled with the armor, his expression troubled. He was reluctant to let go, unable to hide his disappointment.  

“For now… I’d at least like to get my chainmail repaired.”  

“Ah, yes. That can be done.”  

He decided to focus on what he could do first.  

As Keldric lifted his heavy chainmail with ease, stripping it off as if it were nothing more than a sheet of paper, the dwarf blacksmith frowned, his expression as if he had just witnessed something unnatural.  

“How long will it take?”  

The damage was severe four deep claw marks, three of which spanned nearly a hand’s width across the chest.  

The last one was shallower, but still about half a hand’s width long.

It was a great relief that the gambeson had only been slightly torn. If it had been any deeper, his body would surely have suffered.  

The dwarven craftsman stared at the damaged chainmail for a while before nodding as if he had finished his assessment.  

“It’ll take a day. I’ll have to call the apprentice.”  

Dwarves weren’t just skilled in craftsmanship they also possessed exceptional dexterity when it came to intricate and delicate work.  

Keldric could never quite understand how such short, stubby fingers could produce such fine precision, but as always, ignorance was bliss.  

“A bit disappointing.”  

The immediate problem had been solved, but the lingering dissatisfaction remained. Keldric awkwardly glanced around the forge.  

Various inexpensive weapons hung on the walls, yet each one was of remarkable quality.  

“Would you like to look at some weapons?”  

After taking Keldric’s measurements and passing the damaged chainmail to his apprentice, the dwarven craftsman approached him with the question.  

Keldric smacked his lips without responding.  

That unsettling sensation from when he had tried to cut through the monster’s fur still lingered in his hands.  

He had swung with the intent to cleave through, yet all he had managed was a shallow wound.  

It wasn’t that he had struck with his full strength if he had, he would have surely cut through, but his sword would likely have shattered in the process.  

Even if he used a mace for this particular hunt, it required getting closer than a longsword, which meant he would inevitably take some hits.  

That was precisely why he was here for armor repairs in the first place.  

Keldric was growing tired of fighting while enduring such inconveniences.  

‘A territory war is bound to happen soon.’  

With that in mind, having reliable equipment was crucial. Compared to other knights, Keldric was actually under-equipped.  

“From the way you’re talking, I assume you have something worthwhile?”  

“Of course. In fact, the moment I saw you, I immediately thought of one particular piece.”  

“Let’s take a look, then.”  

The excited dwarf disappeared into the back of the forge. When he returned, he was carrying a sizable longsword.  

“This here is the one.”  

The scabbard, wrapped in black leather, immediately caught Keldric’s eye. The delicate silver thread crisscrossing the surface added a subtle touch of elegance.  

The craftsmanship of the crossguard, pommel, and grip was impeccable.  

Slowly, Keldric drew the sword from its scabbard. Instead of the gleaming blade he had expected, what emerged was a blade of deep, murky black.  

It seemed to absorb all the light around it, leaving Keldric with an odd expression.  

Surely, the dwarf wasn’t trying to sell him something mixed with scrap metal… was he?  

“What is this?”  

“This is… sky iron.”  

Alyssa, who had been idly observing the forge, widened her eyes and stepped forward.  

Keldric blankly stared at her. Alyssa, who had shown a rare excitement at the mention of sky iron, quickly met his bemused gaze, coughed awkwardly, and took a step back.  

“Sky iron? As in iron from a meteorite?”  

“Yes. Weapons made from sky iron tend to be a bit heavy, but they’re incredibly durable and strong.”  

“Oh…”  

Sky iron metal harvested from fallen meteors.

Its value was undeniable. A well-forged sky iron weapon was tougher than steel.  

Moreover, since it fell from the heavens like a blazing fireball, some even regarded it as a divine gift.  

That didn’t mean it was always valuable, though.  

Meteorites were rare to begin with, and finding one that was composed of pure iron was largely a matter of luck. Even then, if the iron extracted was of poor quality, it would be inferior to steel.  

However, if a dwarven craftsman presented it with such confidence, it could only mean one thing it was of the highest grade.  

“I’ll give it a try.”  

“Of course. Take your time.”  

Keldric carefully examined the longsword with its jet-black blade.  

The dull, somber hue of sky iron could seem ominous at first glance, but when paired with the expertly crafted fittings, it exuded an air of authority.  

While it was said to be heavier than ordinary iron weapons, that only played to Keldric’s advantage.  

In short, it was exactly the kind of weapon that suited him.  

“How much is it?”  

“Well… actually, this one was rejected once before.”  

“Rejected?”  

According to the dwarven craftsman, some foolish noble had commissioned a sky iron longsword, only to demand a refund after barely swinging it a few times.  

Unfortunately, that noble happened to be on good terms with Baron Spitzenberg, forcing the craftsman to reluctantly accept the return.  

Keldric’s eyes gleamed. Opportunities like this didn’t come often.  

“Now that I look closely, it seems there are a few imperfections.”  

“Wh-what?! That can’t be…”  

“There’s one here, and another here. Did someone bash something with the pommel? It’s got a slight dent.”  

The dwarven craftsman, startled, examined the sword and to his dismay, Keldric wasn’t lying.  

“Urgh…”  

“I don’t lie.”  

“Fine. I’ll knock off five ducats and sell it to you for twenty-five ducat gold coins.”  

“Twenty-four.”  

“…Twenty-four and a half. No less.”  

“Deal.”  

A hefty sum of gold coins left Keldric’s pouch, but he had no regrets.  

Securing such a fine weapon so unexpectedly filled him with confidence. With this, he felt he could truly cut through a monster.  

“Did you really need to bring that up?”  

“Bring what up?”  

“The fact that it was rejected. If you hadn’t mentioned it, I would’ve paid full price.”  

The dwarven craftsman flared his nostrils slightly, his pride evident.  

“We dwarves, blessed by the mountains, do not lie, my lord.”  

“I’ll be sure to remember that.”  

After entrusting the sky iron longsword to Arno, Keldric purchased a few additional items.  

In the end, he left his damaged chainmail for repairs and only managed to acquire a breastplate instead of a full plate set.  

It was slightly small for him, but with a few modifications and extra fittings, it would do.  

“I’ll send someone to the castle once it’s ready tomorrow.”  

“Understood.”  

Ignoring the fact that his purse was considerably lighter, Keldric stepped out of the forge, feeling lighter at heart.  

With his armor still being repaired, he intended to rest for the evening.  

‘Not that it mattered monsters needed time to recover, too.’

*   *   *   *   *

“Sir Keldric. We’ve found where the creature is hiding.”  

So much for rest. Keldric cast a sidelong glance at the soldier before him, his expression sour.  

“Where?”  

“Well… behind the church.”  

“…What?”  

The lair of the murderous beast that appeared in the dead of night—behind the church, of all places.  

Keldric’s face twisted slightly.  

If this was true, then this was no ordinary matter.