The merchant was momentarily stunned by Frondier's calm statement, then quickly furrowed his brow. Ellen, also surprised, looked back at the sword.
So, does this mean it's a fake?
"Hey, who are you to suddenly show up and cause trouble? Are you saying this is fake?"
"Yes. It's not even close to vipersteel; it's mixed with impurities and hasn't properly become steel—in other words, it's base metal."
"Base metal? Hey, you young brat! Let's see! You got any proof?! Where do you get off spouting such nonsense!"
The merchant was furiously raging, his anger seeming to reach the ceiling. Even as he heard this right beside him, Frondier remained calm.
Indeed, Frondier's composure was respectable.
Proof, Frondier murmured peacefully, then he took the so-called legendary sword in his hand, lifting it horizontally before swiftly slicing through the air above it with his other hand.
Clang!
Somehow, when his hand swept in front of the sword, a loud noise ensued.
And the sword broke in two.
"Wha, what!"
The merchant staggered backward in shock.
More than the fact that the sword had broken, he was astonished that it had been broken by bare hands. To the eyes of an ordinary person, that would indeed be surprising.
Of course, Ellen knew a bit about his true nature, but naturally, she kept her mouth shut here.
"Promoting such a sword as Vipersteel, I don't know about you, but the association 'Smished' won't just let this slide."
"I, I didn't know! I'm just a merchant who receives goods and sells them!"
"I see. Including you, all the manufacturers providing you with these items have committed a crime. We'll have to arrest them all."
"Is, is that even possible?"
"Of course. Sufficient in the name of Roach."
'Roach'. As soon as that name was mentioned, the merchant knelt down, completely hunching over.
"I'm sorry. It was my personal mistake. I've made a decent profit a few times before with similar promotions. It doesn't concern anyone else."
He was confessing to past crimes unasked.
Frondier shrugged his shoulders at this and looked at Ellen.
"So, what should we do?"
"…Um, me?"
"Of course. You were almost scammed, after all."
Ellen didn't know how to react and darted her eyes around.
That's right, I was really about to be scammed.
"Well, should we report it?"
Ellen, though having almost been scammed, was ruthless when it came to crime.
She wasn't weak, just uninformed.
A despairing voice from the merchant was heard.
* * *
"But why are you looking for a sword? What happened to the original?"
"It broke. Because of the golem's falling edge."
After leaving the weapon shop, they walked down a brick road.
The area near Constel, known for its various shops and food, 'Rubanu'.
Frondier was eating 'twin egg bread', a specialty of Rubanu, tilting his head in confusion.
"Falling edge…?"
"Yeah. Seems like the golem didn't perform a proper attack."
Frondier seemed to ponder upon hearing that.
So, an incomplete fall causes the opponent's weapon to break. He murmured to himself.
"What about you? You also lost your weapon to a fall, though you caught it again."
Ellen recalled the last weapon Frondier showed.
Thinking about it, it was strange. That weapon should have been broken by the fall, but Frondier didn't seem to react as if it was.
"Ah... Mine was in bad condition from the start. After that incident, it was more damaged, but I didn't know it was because of that."
It took some time, but Frondier gave a plausible answer.
Ellen thought about the appearance of that sword.
Indeed, its design and casting method seemed outdated.
...The more she thought about it, the more it seemed like a sword she had seen somewhere before.
"But it's better to entrust your sword to a trustworthy blacksmith rather than a weapon shop."
"I used to do that, but I haven't had such connections since coming to Constel."
Ellen spoke calmly, but realizing the severity of her situation, she knew she was in a difficult position.
If she was in this situation, her brother Aster must be in a similar one.
They needed to find a solution.
"Then, shall I introduce you?"
That's when Frondier spoke up.
"You know a blacksmith?"
"Yes. Oh, not an introduction, since I don't have a close relationship."
Frondier made an odd remark.
"There's a blacksmith you know, but you're saying you're not close with the person?"
"Um, it's a bit too complicated to explain. But he really is someone you can trust."
Ellen pondered for a moment. But her hesitation didn't last long. She decided to trust Frondier.
After all, if she didn't, she might get scammed again. Better to stick with Frondier, who had just caught someone attempting to scam her.
"Then, I'll shamelessly ask for your help."
"What for."
Frondier replied curtly, as if it was nothing.
Ellen glanced at Frondier's profile for a moment.
His face definitely looked languid. He seemed sleepy.
I wonder if this is the expression I would see if I could watch myself sleep. Ellen thought suddenly.
"…Frondier."
"Yes."
"Why are you helping me?"
"…"
"Why, both before and now."
Ellen had asked before. Why did you save me? Right before collapsing, Frondier had looked at Ellen and said she was "someone who shouldn't die."
She didn't quite understand what that meant.
If she thought about it in a simplistic way, it would end up being quite childish.
The favor Frondier was showing her might-
"…Ellen senior,"
Frondier opened his mouth. He quietly looked at Ellen, as if he was pondering what to say.
Even the gap in his contemplation, as if, Frondier saw Ellen,
"You look like a child lost in the market."
"…What?"
"You know, you have somnambulism."
"…No, that's not somnambulism, it's a sleep method developed to conserve energy for emergencies,"
"And you almost got scammed just now."
"I have nothing to say about that."
Ellen admitted honestly, and Frondier laughed.
"There aren't many people I worry about. Everyone just worries about me."
Come to think of it, am I being worried about by that human sloth Frondier?
Me, who is called the best swordsman in Constel?
…That's somewhat humiliating.
"That worry is a misunderstanding. Earlier, it was because such things rarely happen to me, but I'll adapt quickly, and even if I'm walking around asleep, I'll wake up on my own if something dangerous happens, I'm more flawless than you think."
"So, this is when you use the phrase 'you're right'."
Frondier replied playfully.
It was clearly a response that Ellen had given to the merchant a while ago.
…Wait, then?
"…How long have you been watching? Me talking to that merchant."
"From when the merchant said, ‘Customer, this sword is good, but how about this one here?’"
Almost from the beginning.
"So you were watching me get involved with that person the whole time?"
"Ah- regarding the blacksmith, I'll contact them separately,"
"Aren't you going to answer properly?"
