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When the Manas eroded and became damaged, the connection between the physical body and the etheric body weakened and eventually severed, leading to the physical body’s death. It was said that there existed a Resurrection Spell capable of restoring the connection between the physical and etheric bodies. However, its success rate was extremely low, rendering it meaningless as long as the one who’d eroded the Manas remained.

I felt chills running down my back. These were the ones who’d made Mama Sonia so sad! If everything was as Mr. Henry had just explained, this meant that Lavi still couldn’t be saved! In my mind, those people became my top priority for eradication.

But… this was bad. It felt a little too lively in this dark atmosphere. It would be bad if I allowed myself that. If I suddenly smiled here, people would definitely think I was a strange girl. What should I do…? Just as I worried about it—

“Miss Susie, Daisy gave me something to take with me on the road. Please open the basket in the back.” As instructed by Mr. Henry, I reached for the basket, picked it up, and placed it on my lap before opening it. Then, to my surprise, from inside emerged an apple pie shaped like a rose!

“Whoa!!!”

I couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

The apples had been sliced thinly, rolled up like delicate rose petals, and baked in small, cup-shaped dough. It was extremely cute and beautiful!

“Daisy baked it this morning for you, Miss Susie.” Mr. Henry said with a smile.

(Miss Daily! You’re too nice!!!)

All at once, the heavy atmosphere from earlier vanished. We spent the rest of the road trip happily, indulging in the luscious apple pie.

(Thank you, Miss Daisy!)

◇◇◇

Cope Town was a city laid out in a grid pattern, with the carriage stop at its center and the road leading to Dekenbel serving as the main street. The workshop I was heading to was located two streets back from the main road.

The temple where Mr. Henry was going was on the opposite side of the main street. He told me to wait for him at the workshop, as his business would take about an hour. After dropping me off on the main street, we parted ways and headed to our respective destinations.

The workshop was a brick building with an openwork design of an anvil and hammer mounted above the entrance.

(Now that’s a proper blacksmith’s banner!)

I opened the door and stepped inside. Immediately, I saw a counter with a desk lined up behind it. And there was a lady, or rather a young woman, busy with office work. The setup reminded me of a post office or a bank counter.

She noticed me and asked what I needed. I gave her my and Sir Howard’s names and explained my reason for visiting. “Please wait a moment,” she said before disappearing through the door at the back of the room.

The moment she opened it, the scent of iron dust and burning steel hit me, accompanied by the sounds of metal being hammered and ground by a grinder.

(Although the counter looks like a bank, the back is definitely a blacksmith’s workshop.)

Soon, the young woman who had left earlier returned and said, “Thank you for waiting.” Shortly after, a red-faced, muscular old man with a stocky build and a long beard covering most of his face stepped into the office.

“This is Marsh Causburt, this workshop’s owner,” the girl introduced, gesturing toward him.

As the old man stepped out from behind the counter, I greeted him. “I’m Susie Cloud. Pleased to meet you.” I extended my hand for a handshake.

“Hm.” He responded with a short grunt, shaking my hand briefly. However, even as he looked me up and down with a scrutinizing gaze, he avoided making eye contact.

(Could he be one of those hard-to-please craftsmen? …Wait. Could this person be…?)

“A-Are you a dwarf?”

At my question, Marsh’s eyebrows shot up.

“What’s the matter? Is this your first time seeing a dwarf, young lady?”

From behind the counter, the young woman propped herself up on her elbow and looked at me with amusement.

“S-So you really are a dwarf! It’s my first time seeing one.”
“You’re from Amukham Village, right? I suppose it makes sense since there are no dwarves living in Amukham now,” the young woman remarked.

According to her, no dwarves had lived in Amukham for years.

(Do they see me as some clueless country bumpkin now?)

“Actually, I’m a dwarf myself. Could you tell?”
“WHAAT?!”

I felt like I’d suddenly suffered a surprise attack. The girl looked to be about 15 or 16 years old. If I had considered this young girl and the old dwarf as a set of two, maybe I would have recognized the connection sooner… But something about them felt different from the dwarves I knew.

Marsh then said, “Wait here for a bit.” before heading back behind the counter. As he left, the young woman behind the counter walked over and started chatting with me. Through our conversation, I learned that she was actually 28 years old and that her name was Marybell—Marsh’s daughter. So she wasn’t actually a young girl but rather a lady.

Dwarves were said to have a lifespan of over 130 to 150 years, and Marsh, now 90, was apparently in his prime years for work. At 28, Marybell was still considered a child by dwarf standards. She explained that dwarf women started growing beards around the age of 50. By the time they reached 60, their beards were as thick as the men’s, marking them as full-fledged adults. Only then were they considered of marriageable age…

(Ah… I feel kind of sorry now… This is way too much for me. I’m being bombarded with surprises. This is different! This is completely different from the world I know of!!! I’m so glad I didn’t wind up in a female dwarf’s body! After all, I’m at the so-called ‘marriageable age’ right about now.)

As we talked, Marsh retrieved several items from the safe-like shelves in the office and laid them out on the counter one by one. The objects laid before me were two swords in their sheaths and a sword belt.

“I didn’t expect these to be meant for such a petite girl… Just one of them is quite hefty. I find it hard to believe you’ll be able to handle both…” he muttered, furrowing his brow as he walked around the counter.

As he moved, he mumbled something under his breath.

“Howard’s too greedy…”

Then, stepping out from behind the counter, he approached me, picked up one of the sheathed swords, and held it out.

When I accepted it with ease, Marsh’s eyes widened in surprise, as if he hadn’t expected me to hold it so effortlessly.

Without hesitation, I swiftly drew the sword to check its balance. It was somewhat light, but its overall feel was good.

I then tried doing some light swings with it. Cutting through the air with it didn’t feel
bad at all. Sliding it back into its sheath with a smooth motion, I felt how perfectly it fit. The scabbard was well-crafted.

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