The next day, Souta and Dina came to Antgar’s workshop at the promised time. They went there after lunch, so it was a bit past noon, but when they arrived at the workshop, they met Antgar who just about to enter the workshop.
「Ohhh, it’s you guys. You come at the right time, I’m just back from the castle.」
「That’s great. So, did you get permission?」
「Ahh, somehow. It’s just, I was given a condition… I’ll talk about it inside.」
Antgar answered Souta’s question with a nod, but his expression was grim. Seeing his expression, Souta and Dina looked at each other, but as Antgar went inside first, they also followed suit with a bit of delay.
When they went to the living room and took a seat, Antgar prepared tea just like yesterday.
「Fuhhh~ I feel a little bit calmer.」
Antgar took a sip of the tea, stretched, and then leaned on the sofa.
「It looks like you’re tired. Is there any problem in the castle?」
Antgar tilted his head and then answered Souta’s question vaguely with a nod.
「A problem… I don’t think it’s big enough to be called that, but it’s more or less correct. Let’s go over it from the top.」
After saying that, Antgar took another sip of his tea.
「First, I went to the mining receptionist counter in the royal castle. There, I applied for permission to enter the mine. I was asked how many people would enter the mine, and I answered three including me.」
Souta nodded, urging him to continue.
「Usually, this is enough to get you the permit, all you need to do then is pay the entrance fee and you will get the permit. That should be it, but… I was called by the king…」
Souta and Dina looked at Antgar with narrowed eyes.
「N-No, even I was surprised. There is no way a small matter like getting a permit to mine needs an audience with the king……. Well, it seems when I applied for the permit, the information was passed to the top. It looks like it was because of the blacksmith license I gave when I tried to apply for the permit.」
Antgar hastily tried to make an excuse that it wasn’t his fault.
「So, what did the king told you?」
This time, it was Dina who asked the question to keep the talk continued.
「A-Ahhh, he was glad that I was motivated, it seemed he cared because I was a descendant of the hero. Then he also asked about my traveling companion. Are you sure about their strength? Are they trustworthy? Who and where you met them? I was asked such questions one after another.」
Antgar’s expression grew weary as he recalled the audience.
「Did you say something there?」
Souta’s eyes remained cold as he asked Antgar that.
「N-No, I only said basic information. A human and an elf adventurer showed up and show their skill with weapons, I judged it was good, and after some talking, I decided to trust them and the reward would be the weapon I created, there shouldn’t be any problem with that, right?」
At first, Antgar panicked, but he gradually calmed down because he was confident in what he told them.
「Well, I guess there is no problem. You don’t lie, and you don’t talk too much about us.」
「But, what is the problem then? I thought there was a problem in the audience, but, there doesn’t seem to be any problem.」
Souta nodded to Antgar’s answer, while Dina asked a question.
「Ahh, I was asked to stop by the castle before going to the mine. They said they want to check my escort’s ability.」
With a twitch, Souta’s eyebrows rose.
「I-It’s alright. I refused. But when entering the mountain, a knight will be dispatched from the castle to measure your power there. I tried to refuse that too, but they sad they wouldn’t give me the permit……」
「Then, I need to fight that person there?…… Hahh~」
Souta let out a sigh despite himself.
「I’m sorry, even though I’m a descendant of a hero, I couldn’t say anything back after they said that much.」
「Ahhh, don’t worry. You’re not at fault. And if they’re really concerned about you, it’s natural for them to want to look at people that will escort you into the mine. It can’t be helped, should I deal with the knight appropriately…」
When Souta said that, seemingly unmotivated, Dina raised her hand.
「Can you possibly leave it to me? I will use Undine as weapon. It’s an excellent weapon and it’s compatible with my magic.」
Dina pumped her fist, her motivation was rising.
「…Let’s do that then. I will hand over Undine to you, Dina. There should be no problem now we already leave Beastkin’s country.」
Souta took out Undine and handed it to Dina. She received it with both hands.
「Undine…… best regard.」
Dina gently smiled as she stroke Undine and said that.
「Did you ask how many knights will come? Will it be a grunt, decently skilled one, or general class knight that will come?」
「No, I haven’t heard anything, but considering it’s to measure the ability of those who want to challenge that mine, the one that will come should be a decently skilled knight…… I think there is a possibility of a general class knight to come too.」
Antgar anxiously said that. He didn’t see Dina’s ability, moreover, her appearance that was a lovely young lady further fueled his anxiety.
「Antgar…… I will tell you now, Dina is strong. Her big brother was a pretty talented person, but he said that she was even more talented than him.」
Not only Antgar, but Dina also surprised by Souta’s remark.
「Brother said that……」
Hearing unexpected words from her brother, she looked sad.
「Well, if you say that much then I will trust you……」
Still, Antgar’s expression was somewhat skeptical.
「You will understand tomorrow. I think you will regret the words you just said then. Also, the knight that will be dispatched by the king will too.」
Seeing the look of confidence on Souta as he said that, Antgar caught his breath.
The next day, Souta and Dina came to Antgar’s workshop at the promised time. They went there after lunch, so it was a bit past noon, but when they arrived at the workshop, they met Antgar who just about to enter the workshop.
「Ohhh, it’s you guys. You come at the right time, I’m just back from the castle.」
「That’s great. So, did you get permission?」
「Ahh, somehow. It’s just, I was given a condition… I’ll talk about it inside.」
Antgar answered Souta’s question with a nod, but his expression was grim. Seeing his expression, Souta and Dina looked at each other, but as Antgar went inside first, they also followed suit with a bit of delay.
When they went to the living room and took a seat, Antgar prepared tea just like yesterday.
「Fuhhh~ I feel a little bit calmer.」
Antgar took a sip of the tea, stretched, and then leaned on the sofa.
「It looks like you’re tired. Is there any problem in the castle?」
Antgar tilted his head and then answered Souta’s question vaguely with a nod.
「A problem… I don’t think it’s big enough to be called that, but it’s more or less correct. Let’s go over it from the top.」
After saying that, Antgar took another sip of his tea.
「First, I went to the mining receptionist counter in the royal castle. There, I applied for permission to enter the mine. I was asked how many people would enter the mine, and I answered three including me.」
Souta nodded, urging him to continue.
「Usually, this is enough to get you the permit, all you need to do then is pay the entrance fee and you will get the permit. That should be it, but… I was called by the king…」
Souta and Dina looked at Antgar with narrowed eyes.
「N-No, even I was surprised. There is no way a small matter like getting a permit to mine needs an audience with the king……. Well, it seems when I applied for the permit, the information was passed to the top. It looks like it was because of the blacksmith license I gave when I tried to apply for the permit.」
Antgar hastily tried to make an excuse that it wasn’t his fault.
「So, what did the king told you?」
This time, it was Dina who asked the question to keep the talk continued.
「A-Ahhh, he was glad that I was motivated, it seemed he cared because I was a descendant of the hero. Then he also asked about my traveling companion. Are you sure about their strength? Are they trustworthy? Who and where you met them? I was asked such questions one after another.」
Antgar’s expression grew weary as he recalled the audience.
「Did you say something there?」
Souta’s eyes remained cold as he asked Antgar that.
「N-No, I only said basic information. A human and an elf adventurer showed up and show their skill with weapons, I judged it was good, and after some talking, I decided to trust them and the reward would be the weapon I created, there shouldn’t be any problem with that, right?」
At first, Antgar panicked, but he gradually calmed down because he was confident in what he told them.
「Well, I guess there is no problem. You don’t lie, and you don’t talk too much about us.」
「But, what is the problem then? I thought there was a problem in the audience, but, there doesn’t seem to be any problem.」
Souta nodded to Antgar’s answer, while Dina asked a question.
「Ahh, I was asked to stop by the castle before going to the mine. They said they want to check my escort’s ability.」
With a twitch, Souta’s eyebrows rose.
「I-It’s alright. I refused. But when entering the mountain, a knight will be dispatched from the castle to measure your power there. I tried to refuse that too, but they sad they wouldn’t give me the permit……」
「Then, I need to fight that person there?…… Hahh~」
Souta let out a sigh despite himself.
「I’m sorry, even though I’m a descendant of a hero, I couldn’t say anything back after they said that much.」
「Ahhh, don’t worry. You’re not at fault. And if they’re really concerned about you, it’s natural for them to want to look at people that will escort you into the mine. It can’t be helped, should I deal with the knight appropriately…」
When Souta said that, seemingly unmotivated, Dina raised her hand.
「Can you possibly leave it to me? I will use Undine as weapon. It’s an excellent weapon and it’s compatible with my magic.」
Dina pumped her fist, her motivation was rising.
「…Let’s do that then. I will hand over Undine to you, Dina. There should be no problem now we already leave Beastkin’s country.」
Souta took out Undine and handed it to Dina. She received it with both hands.
「Undine…… best regard.」
Dina gently smiled as she stroke Undine and said that.
「Did you ask how many knights will come? Will it be a grunt, decently skilled one, or general class knight that will come?」
「No, I haven’t heard anything, but considering it’s to measure the ability of those who want to challenge that mine, the one that will come should be a decently skilled knight…… I think there is a possibility of a general class knight to come too.」
Antgar anxiously said that. He didn’t see Dina’s ability, moreover, her appearance that was a lovely young lady further fueled his anxiety.
「Antgar…… I will tell you now, Dina is strong. Her big brother was a pretty talented person, but he said that she was even more talented than him.」
Not only Antgar, but Dina also surprised by Souta’s remark.
「Brother said that……」
Hearing unexpected words from her brother, she looked sad.
「Well, if you say that much then I will trust you……」
Still, Antgar’s expression was somewhat skeptical.
「You will understand tomorrow. I think you will regret the words you just said then. Also, the knight that will be dispatched by the king will too.」
Seeing the look of confidence on Souta as he said that, Antgar caught his breath.
