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Beast Tamer Who Got Kicked Out From the Hero’s Party Chapter 38 Part 2

CHAPTER 38: LET’S MAKE OURSELVES A WEAPON! PART 2

「It’s also extremely durable. Even if you treat it roughly, it won’t get damaged that easily. This one should satisfy you, don’t you think?」

「Okay, I love it!　I’ll take this one, old man!」

「…… Thanks for your patronage.」

The big man was in a good mood and walked out of the store with a smile on his face.

Seeing that, Kanade softly whispered into my ear.

「Nyah…… That old man, is he by any chance a good-natured person?　If I ask him straight out, will he actually give you a good answer and advice?」

「I don’t know about that…… But more importantly, that was kind of weird, don’t you think?」

「Nyah? What do you mean?」

I walked up to the Owner and called out to him.

「I’m sorry. I’d like to ask you something about the sword you just sold to that man.」

「…… Hm? What is it?」

「I don’t mean to be rude but……. Could it be that the products that you have here on display…… they wouldn’t all be fakes, would they?」

I could see the surprise on everyone’s faces at the sudden statement that left my mouth just now.

However……

The Owner looked somewhat amused, as if he suddenly became more interested in our group.

「Hoo…… So, you think I sold my customers a fake? Is that what you’re saying?」

「No. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a fake, but I’m sure this store could have had something that would suit that man a whole lot better.」

「And what makes you think that?」

「I know that it’s just a hunch but I feel like the weapons that you have here in this store are all very well-polished and shiny, but that’s all they have going on for them. They’re perfect for ornamental purposes, but when it comes to using them in actual combat, I feel that they are severely lacking.」

「Well, well…… You have pretty good judgment in your eyes, kid. And you know what? You’re basically right.」

「Does that mean that……?」

「The one I sold to that man is simply one of many mass-produced swords that can be made with very little skill by almost anyone. It’s moderately good at slashing and pretty sturdy, but that’s all it has going on for itself. It’s something of its own, but it’s not something you put your soul into. It’s a far cry from being a work of art that a blacksmith worth its salt would be able to produce.」

「Why would you even sell such a product if you know that its quality is not the best?」

「Think about it, kid. That man did not pay all that much money for the sword, didn’t he? So I don’t think that it was all that fraudulent of me to just give him the right product fit to the price he paid.」

As if to answer my question, the Owner chuckled like a small child playing a prank on someone.

「…… Oh well, don’t be mad about it. It’s just a way for this old man here to have his share of fun, pulling a little prank like that.」

「A little prank?」

「These days, it’s all about money, don’t you think? People just come and flash their money about, thinking that they are going to get the most awesome weapons, even though they might not be up to those weapons’ level. The last customer said he had money, surely you’ve heard him? And the more I have to deal with customers like that, the duller I’m beginning to feel. I am a blacksmith. All the pieces that I create are like children to me. Isn’t it selfish of me to want them to be handled by the right owners? Is it so wrong for me to want them to be happy in the right hands?」

「I get it! I totally get that feeling! I can guarantee you that what you say is right and not wrong!」

Unexpectedly, Tanya of all people agreed with the shopkeeper, her eyes shining bright.

Did they have a common ground between themselves? With their pride being the conduit here?

「Hoo, hoo~. Won’t you look at that, Missy. You seem to know your stuff!」

「And for a mere Earthling Tribe, you surely have guts, don’t you?」

「Hmm? Oh, now that I take a closer look at you…… Why, Missy, you are of the Dragon Tribe!」

「Oh my, you don’t look surprised by that fact at all.」

「At my age, you would get to be the same way. This isn’t the first time I’ve encountered a member of the Ultimate Species.」

「Hmm, you’ve got some nerve, I’ll give you that. But that’s good. I like you even more now.」

I got a feeling that a strange kind of familiarity was starting to develop between those two.

「Whoa there…… I guess we were getting way off track.」

The Owner looked from Tanya back to me.

「And that is why I sell replicas and fakes to the ones who do not have their eyes keen enough to know a fake when they see one.」

「You certainly do love your pranks, don’t you?」

「Are you mad at me because of that?」

「No, not at all. As long as you are happy with it. It’s not like I’m going to criticize you because of that or anything like that.」

「Hm. You seem like a pretty mean person yourself, you know that?」

「But Rein is actually a very nice person.」

「But you would have to witness how naughty he can get at night! Like, wow!」

「A-At night!?」

「Hmm? Oho, what’s this, my dear sister? Just what kind of a thing could you possibly imagine just now? I knew it, you ARE pretty lewd, aren’t you!?」

「Oh, gosh! I am SO DONE with this joking around of yours!!!」

Once again, we seemed to have gone off-topic.

「By the way, how did you realize that what I have here on display were fakes? If I may say so, I am really proud of my handiwork, so I am sure that spotting the differences is by no means an easy task.」

「…… I guess it was just a hunch?」

「Well, that’s a rather vague answer, wouldn’t you agree?」

「Really, it was just a hunch on my end. If I had to guess, it might have something to do with the fact that I’m a Beast Tamer.」

「Oh? So, you’re a Beast Tamer, aren’t you? What a rare thing to find in a profession filled with so many generic roles.」

「Some might find it to be boring, but I like it very much. But as it turns out…… When you want to tame a beast, you first need to observe it carefully. If it is someone I am already familiar with or used to, there is no problem. But with new opponents and potential partners, observation is key to creat a link by which our souls can connect. Without that, no amount of Magic Power or raw physical strength would be of any use. That’s the kind of training that I underwent. Maybe that’s why I naturally developed my eyes to see things that are actually hard to spot, like details and such.」
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「Hmmm… Hahaha, interesting! Interesting!」

The Owner laughed vigorously and slapped his knees.

「I like you, kid! You’re the very first customer in a long time to whom I said that!　What kind of equipment are you looking for?　A sword?　A spear?　Maybe an axe?」

「You mean……?」

「Anyone who passes the test without fail will be sold a real weapon. A real one that I’ll make you myself. That’s my policy.」

「Oh, I see. Then I would like a dagger, please.」

「Oh course, just leave it to me…… Or that’s what I would like to say here.」

「Nyah?」

「What’s wrong? You’re not going to say that you won’t do it after hyping your services so much until just now, are you?」

「Tanya, I don’t think it’s about that. It’s too early to draw any conclusions like that.」

The Owner of the store stammered with some kind of troubled look on his face.

Maybe there’s some sort of trouble that he is having regarding his craft.

　Luna seems to have arrived at the same conclusion as I have and tilted her head slightly.

「What’s the matter, Mister Owner? Is there some sort of a problem here?」

「Well, this is……」

「Would you like to talk about it? Maybe we can help you with whatever it is that’s bothering you.」

「Hmm…..that’s right. Sooner or later, everyone in town would know that I no longer have the materials to make my weapons, even if I wanted to prevent that from leaking out.」

　The shopkeeper let out a loud sigh, as if deeply troubled for some reason.