The Simple Job of Only Perishing to the Hero

Book 4: Chapter 19

Margaret is the number one blacksmith in the Zadark Kingdom, and currently, she is the Northern Armys exclusive blacksmithor so it would look like, but she was actually appointed the role of performing research and development on the arms for people at the rank of general or higher.

In that case, in regards to who was preparing the Northern Armys arms, exclusive blacksmith workshops were set up in a separate building, and it is there that the other blacksmiths go to work.

Margarets special treatment might seem like it is Altejio running wildly at first glance, but there was actually a proper reason for it.

With Margaret being treated as a legendary blacksmith, there was the fear that people hoping to become her apprentice or requesting the creation of arms from her would barge in one after another.

Altejio was protecting Margaret from those kinds of people.

Incidentally, Vermudol also proactively approved of the establishment of the role of specially appointed blacksmith.

As for the reason, it was because one of the Four Cardinal Generalsthe Western General Sancreed had a problem with his weapon.

Sancreed, the Mazoku Hero, handled magical power extraordinarily well.

Naturally, he could use Magic Sword which made magical power pass through the sword, but average blacksmiths were unable to create swords that could endure Sancreeds magical power.

The idea of creating that Sancreeds sword also complied with Margarets desires of wanting to create even better weapons and continuing to devote every day to it.

Sancreed would occasionally visit this workshop, and whenever he would wield and break several prototype weapons, it seemed to continue stimulate Margarets creative urge.

In Sancreed-samas case, his handling of magical power is too good. Since he can understand a weapons special characteristics through feeling, he would pass magical power through it with maximum efficiency, and that makes average swords reach their limit right away.

While saying although thats a satisfactory way of using it as a blacksmith, its probably troublesome as a swordsman, Margaret gazed at the swords set against the wall.

What was lined up there were prototype swords for Sancreeds use, but they were rejected as they had not reached the standard that Margaret herself had sought.

Even so, since they were nothing but swords that boasted performance much higher than the swords circulated to the general public.

Incidentally, the arms that were rejected like that would be distributed to the soldiers of every army in the future, or flow into the market through the arms stores of the royal capital.

That is why I had hypothesized that there would be a similar problem in your case, Demon King-sama, since you possess a colossal amount of magical powerBut as I examined the Holy Silver Staff that I borrowed from you before, I discovered something that seemed say that it was quite different.

Different?

Hearing Vermudol reflexively ask a question in return, Margaret came to a complete stop and turned around to him.

Yes, thats right. At first, I simply thought that the problem that Sancreed-sama had but was made even bigger was applied to you, Demon King-sama, but that was wrong.

After saying it surprised me and showing clenched fists, Margaret once again turned around and continued on into the workshop.

The degree of wear and tear of the Holy Silver Staff that I borrowed from you, Demon King-sama, only stopped within the standard and commonplace range. Normally, this would be something impossible.

There were two patterns to using magical power with a weapon.

First was the Magic Sword.

This was invoked by having magical power pass through the blade of the sword.

For that reason, what was sought in a sword was affinity with magical power. For example, with a simple iron sword that had low affinity, the magical power would scatter about and a Magic Sword wouldnt be invoked, and if the magical power efficiency was really bad, the sword itself would be damaged.

That is why metals with high affinity with magical power, such as Holy Silver in mankinds territory and Blood Metal in the Dark Continent, were preferred as sword materials.

The other pattern was in the case of invoking magic with a staff.

In magic staves, various materials were used with no relation to affinity with magical power.

As for why that was the case, it was because Magic Gems existed in the staves.

Whether it be a wooden staff or an iron staff, something called a Magic Gem would be attached to the staff somewhere.

Magic Gems are generally some sort of gemstone, and in case of a staff, this is where magical power is accumulated and amplified.

To begin with, in the case of a Magicians staff, rather than the accumulation of magical power itself, the point of how much it could be amplified was emphasized.

In other words, what was important was the performance of the Magic Gem, and since it was thought that it would be fine as long as the other parts have the minimum amount of magical power pass through it, cheap staves would use materials with low affinity with magical power for the body, and that would curb the cost price.

Of course, it was better to use metals with a high affinity with magical power even the the parts other than the Magic Gem, but the price of that sort of staff would be extraordinarily high. Incidentally, the staff that Sharon of the St. Altlis Kingdom uses is an extraordinarily expensive staff that uses Holy Silver.

Certainly, the performance of the Holy Silver Staff that Vermudol used in mankinds territory should have been good, but even so, if he were to use powerful magic, it probably wouldnt escape being damaged.

To begin with, being the Demon King, Vermudols magical power was colossal, so the power of his magic was also extraordinarily huge.

This was related to how Vermudol could use magic chantlessly.

Since everything from a magics composition to the amount of magical power used is properly included in a chant, as long as a special method such as an Amplification magic formation isnt used, magic will come to a stop at a certain fixed amount of power.

On the other hand, the case of when done chantlessly, since everything from the composition and amount of magical power is determined on ones own when using magic, if the amount of magical power used is increased, it is also possible to fire magic with tremendous power that surpasses the normal range of power.

Since a staff will be worn out depending on the amount of magical power that passes through it, if someone around as strong as Vermudol were to use magic chantlessly, naturally, the degree of wear and tear on the staff should be substantial.

At the very least, it should be impossible to stop at the standard and commonplace range of wear and tear every time.

However, for it to actually stop there, what did this mean?

The upper and lower limit to how much magical power someone can pour into magic will change depending on the overall amount of magical power that person possesses, but for people with a lot of magical power, their lower limit will be much higher than the upper limit of normal people. But, Demon King-sama, in your case, it looks like that doesnt apply, and your lower limit is very low, while the upper limit is earth-shatteringly highI think that your range is considerably wide. I think that you adjusted your amount of magical power so that it would suit the Holy Silver Staff butwere you doing that sort of thing consciously?

Being told that by Margaret, Vermudol placed a hand on his chin and thought about it.

In mankinds territory, I tried not to stand out more than necessary is what he thought, but that was it.

He had no particular recollection of trying to minutely adjust his magical power amounts.

NoI think I tried to hold it down a bit, but I dont think it was to the level you talked about.

Is that soIn that case, it looks like it would be better to think that you subconsciously matched your weapon. Un, this might be more troublesome than Sancreed-sama.

Not understanding the meaning of the words Margaret muttered, Vermudol turned his gaze towards Ichika.

In other words, Sancreed always uses attacks with power that goes to the weapons extreme limits of durability or above that, but Demon King-sama, you wield your strength with a reasonable amount that responds to the weapons durabilitythat is what this means. Of course, if you were consciously putting in the power, this would be a different story though.

I see.

It was hard to tell which one was better, but in the end, it didnt change the fact that both ways would have an increase in offensive power the better the weapon that is used.

Un. In Sancreed-samas case, the durability of the arms would take maximum priority, but in Demon King-samas case, even if there was a bit of a fault with the weapons durability, arms with a large amplification ratio of magical power and can allow a large amount of magical power to pass through might be betterI think that is the difference. Its just that, when I think of the critical moment, in the end, I still think that durability is the most important factor.

This is quite difficult isnt it.

Yes, and that is why it is something worth doing.

After saying that, Margaret turned around one more time and smiled looking like she was having fun.

It was innocenthowever, it was the smile characteristic of a artisan.

The sword that Sancreed-sama is currently using is also a work I am proud ofbut Demon King-sama, the ones that you are about to see are all works that Im proud of that use all of the techniques that have been driven into me. Please look forward to them, okay?