Whether You Call Me a Guardian Dragon or Not, I’m Going to Sleep

Chapter 35: Subrace (10)

After handing over the mushrooms and moss to the dwarves, I took out the last gifts I had made for them.

"What is this?"

"These are items I made thinking they might be of help to you. Take them."

I handed a one-handed hammer made of black metal to the representative of the dwarves.

"Is this... a hammer?"

Hmm, recognized at a glance. Well, primitive forms of stone hammers exist even now.

The material is completely different though! This hammer is made of steel, not bronze, which is the most advanced material currently!

Moreover, it's a hammer made of steel that has somehow been altered by my magic!

"Someday, you will discover a new metal. A metal that will barely melt in flames hotter than the ones you handle now. This hammer will be used to work that metal, so I made it in advance for you."

A hammer made of steel altered by magic. It was an item created with the thought of what would happen if steel was altered by recalling the altered silver, but it turned out to be even more solid than expected.

I think it's quite remarkable that it remains intact even when I hold it in its original form. I'm curious how ordinary steel changes like this when magic is applied.

Additionally, it has the added effect of completely repelling magic, and it possesses fire resistance to the extent that it remains intact even at the temperature at which steel melts.

It might be the best item for a blacksmith's hammer.

It feels a bit short to be used as a weapon... But it's not completely unusable either.

Well, it's not without its drawbacks... Since it completely repels magic, no other magic can be applied to it, and it's quite heavy.

But with the strength of a dwarf, it should be well handled.

"When you find that metal, heat it in hot flames and strike it with this hammer. The metal, tempered by the endlessly hot flames and the solid hammer, will be reborn into the item you desire. This will be proof that you are walking a new path."

Upon my words, the dwarf hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Can we... really find that new metal?"

"Of course. But I won't tell you what that metal is or what properties it has. I'll only tell you about its existence. It's up to you guys to find it."

"Of course. Just knowing that is enough. The rest is for us to solve."

The dwarf, his mouth hidden by his beard, grinned and held the hammer.

Dwarves and hammers, of course.

"And this is a bellows made to more easily add wind to the flames."

Originally, I planned to imbue them with an affinity for spirits so they could handle the spirit of flames... But for some reason, the spirits wouldn't easily listen to these guys.

At least the earth spirits followed Sagarmatha, their parent, ensuring the dwarves wouldn't get hurt even if they were crushed by rocks. But neither the spirit of flames nor the spirit of wind would listen to them.

In the end, it was up to the dwarves themselves to light and intensify the flames.

Feeling sorry for the dwarves who had to fan desperately, I ended up making this bellows.

By the way, it's just an accordion-style bellows. A bellows without any magic. Giving them this to understand the principle so they can replicate it, right?

"Grab both sides and expand and contract it like this, and wind will come out from this side. Much more efficient than fanning."

"Ooh... What a fascinating item. And the wind it produces is quite strong too."

"Yes. If you use this to add wind to the flames, you can create even hotter flames. So make the same thing and distribute it to other dwarves. The structure isn't too complicated, so you should be able to imitate it easily."

Simply put, it was a prototype.

"To give us such precious items... Thank you. Truly, thank you!"

"Un. Work hard. I have high expectations for you."

Now that I've laid the foundation for the dwarves I remember... The rest is just to watch how these guys develop.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The rhythmic song of iron and hammer fills the underground city.

Like a skilled trainer taming a wild beast called flames, the dwarves skillfully nurture the flames, heating the iron in the fire.

They pick up the red-hot iron with tongs, place it on the anvil, and strike it with the hammer in their right hand.

Clang!

The exhilarating scream of iron. Normally, even if struck, the iron would only leave a slight mark, but the iron, having been in the mouth of hot flames, begins to change shape due to becoming slightly softened.

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Once. And again. After continuously striking the heated iron with the hammer, it is shaped as desired and then quickly cooled by being placed in a bucket of oil. Thus, the iron gains even greater durability.

This entire process was like a form of art.

"The dwarves' smithing skills are truly artistic."

The hero exclaimed in admiration after seeing the skills of the dwarves. Black iron. Or what is called adamantium, an ore said to be impossible to melt with ordinary skills, yet these people were calmly refining such materials.

T/N: Remember Chapter 30? When our MC appeared as in the warrior's party in 'A record of adventure from a certain warrior party'? Turns out, it's a 'hero,' not a 'warrior.' I'll change that, though. This note is just to inform those who have already read it.

"My father is quite skilled. It was just bad luck that he missed the position of the forge master by a paper-thin margin."

"Don't blame my lack of skill on luck. A defeat is a defeat. And next time, I will not lose."

The young dwarf girl assisting the blacksmith said with a dissatisfied face.

"Honestly, it really was bad luck. How could the forge master have known to find a vein of high-purity mithril ore there? If it weren't for that mithril ore, my father would have won."

"Sagarmatha blessed that hand."

The blacksmith murmured softly and then examined the iron cooled in oil.

A black circular shield. But a shield not yet completed.

The blacksmith silently put the shield back into the fire.

"Due to the high purity of the black iron ore we obtained, it looks like we'll have to divide the work into several stages. Sorry, but it seems it will take a bit more time."

"That's fine. I was planning to stay here for a while anyway. But make sure to craft the item well. It's a shield for a precious companion."

"Don't worry. Dwarves don't speak with two tongues."

The blacksmith once again stoked the forge, intensifying the flames. The blazing flames grew even hotter, attempting to engulf the black shield.

In front of such flames, the blacksmith quietly asked the hero.

"So. Hero. Can that Demon Lord be defeated?"

T/N: Yeah, it seems like our MC is playing in the hero party, hahaha.

The hero did not answer.

The hero himself thought it was a reckless endeavor.

Countless monsters poured out and rampaged, and several countries had already fallen. In a desperate situation where half of the world had fallen into the hands of the Demon Lord.

In such a situation, the Demon Lord tempted humanity with sweet words. He said he didn't need anything else as long as he got what he wanted.

But the Demon Lord's demands could never be met.

Therefore, someone had to defeat the Demon Lord.

Regardless of the risks involved. It was something that had to be done.

Therefore… Even if it meant burning one's own life. It was something that had to be done.

"You're taciturn. Much more reliable than those who are all talk."

The blacksmith seemed to think highly of such a hero, showing a deep smile with his mouth hidden by his beard.

"I'll talk to the Dwarven Trade Guild. Your equipment will be prepared here. There's nothing better than the equipment from here, except for what comes out of legends."

"Thank you."

The hero conveyed his thanks in a low voice.

"Let's see. Your party was all of 5 people, right?"

"Father. You haven't forgotten that I'm included, have you?"

"Hmm. Including my unfortunate daughter, that makes 6. Moreover, each from different races. Even the Church of Life's cherished Dragon Priestess, who appeared after hundreds of years. Quite the splendid lineup."

The hero affirmed quietly to the blacksmith's words.

The elf who is the greatest genius spirit mage and an excellent archer, having contracted with spirits of light and darkness.

A young but strong dwarf warrior and blacksmith assistant.

The always reliable lizardman great warrior who does not retreat even when facing a thousand enemies alone.

The fox beastman who is awkward with others but fully performs her role.

And, the Church of Life's cherished Dragon Priestess who had revived him after he had died... had it not been for her, who brought back to life the hero himself after he had almost lost his life... no, had lost his life to a monster attack... the hero and his companions would not have been able to gather and head towards the Demon Lord like this.

"They are all precious companions."

Speaking softly, the hero steeled his resolve.

- Record of an adventure of a certain hero party.