Chapter 152 – Journal Entry 2: Meeting a Smith

I wondered about this city for a while. I realized that despite the words they speak I could understand them. It was the same at when I looked at that monolith. It seems that I could comprehend the people here and their language of the land for some unknown reason. I also tried speaking the language engraved within me but as per expected, it is all gibberish to me and them.

This is only my own reasoning but the language they have here seems to have been embedded into mine. I probably need to learn my mother tongue again but at the moment without any memories of that, I can only sigh. This language is used here so I will have to deal with it at the moment.

The City is called Soren. It is a grand city located in the nation of Gann. There are other continents other than this place but according to the man that I chatted with. The other places are embroiled in constant battle. I asked what battle but the man looked at me like I was living in a rock. The world apparently is cursed. Many heroes have already tried to rid of the curse and in the battle fifty years ago the continent they call as Hillines almost got turned into ashes.

Ashlanders are what they call those who live in the center of that continent. There is only a few kingdom that survived while the Western Nation of the continent turned into a powerhouse the moment some guy bearing a mechanical sword which the current generation of swords is based on having acquired knowledge that allowed them to turn the world this steam punk-like world.

I noticed that most of their guns are buck shot and that they focus more on blasting something apart.

The man that I talked to was quite amused how I was wielding what he calls as a ‘flimsy’ gun. But seeing the interesting design of my revolvers made him want to inspect it. He inspected it and tried to buy it for me. He seems to be a Smith taking a break from his work. And since I was kind of out of money and I have two revolvers anyway. I let him buy it while coaxing him to give me some ‘job’ that could earn me money. Luckily the guy needed to send someone to this island called Fernery.

This island has famous blacksmiths and golem makers that supply the people of Gann from the threat that is the monsters they only call as grim. He needed someone to assist a golem maker in this island. The island is supposedly relatively peaceful compared to the other continents. According to the smith, the island is protected by Colossus golems they call as Ymir’s. At first, there was only one colossus Golem but as time passes and the golem enthusiast friend of the one that owns the Golem studied the Ymir’s. The golem genius maker created a replica of them.

Now the island can be barely penetrated. Not with the golems and the earthen mates that guard the islands. The earthen mates are what they call as guardians but mostly they are a jack of all trades that acts as farmers while at the same time as warriors who can wield every kind of weapon. Honestly, at first I thought this man was bullshitting me with this overly good deal but after following the man to his smithery I can say I believe him.

...

I sat on a wooden seat in the smithery’s lobby. I could hear the sounds of hammers being swung down at the metal, while the smell of the forge located probably a few steps away from me enters my nose. The smith that I talked to disappeared inside and when he came back. I saw a midget with him walking towards me.

“Are you the one that brought this piece of work?”

“I am?”

I replied which made the midget man raise his brow. He inspected me for some reason before saying.

“You just bought this from someone or did you find it?”

“Found it.”

Perhaps I couldn’t tell them that I was someone who had no name. I am merely borrowing some guy’s name written in a monolith. So I just said that while telling my borrowed name. Hearing my name the Smith and the midget nodded their heads. They took some bag of gold and handed it to me.

“You got your gold, now how about that job that he told you?”

“I will have it. I am broke, though it looks like there are other requirements?”

“Indeed, we need to be assured that you can be quite useful.”

“I understand the sentiments. So what should I need to do?”

“First we are going to do some tasks. At the moment we have absolutely zero trusts towards you.”

That was quite blunt for them to say but I can understand. The midget man looked like he has been in this smithy business for quite long. He probably has some experiences in trusting random strangers then messing up badly. So I could understand this.

“Fine, so what should I do?”

The midget man then told me what he needs me to do. He wanted me to roam around the various Smithies in the city delivering parcels. According to the midget man who refuses to name himself. All of his couriers died lately in delivering parcels. He doesn’t know what the reason is, so he intends to send me out there.

“So what if I fail and die like all your parcel carriers?”

“Then that’s that.”

The midget man shrugged his shoulders as he said that. He has zero confidence indeed towards me and he expects me to prove myself from by going out there being targeted by whatever that kills his couriers. This quite a hard job, anyone who hears this would frown and get far away from this place.

“I accept then.”

“Not afraid?”

“I forgot how to be afraid.”

I am not kidding at all.

I have no idea how to be afraid. It is like I somehow got those ‘memories’ forgotten too. It makes me wonder what really happened to me that I became numb like this. But even so, I could tell that the danger really doesn’t scare me. I have a gun, a sword, and a few bullets in me that I could use. I will save one for myself just in case.

“So can you lend me some tools?”

“Tools?”

“To defend myself that’s all.”

“A gun huh, and you expect a free one?”

“And you expect someone to go out there, unarmed without any way to defend themselves or any assurance? I know that you have zero trusts in me, but come on now.”

“You make a point.”

The midget man gestured the smith that I met on the street to take out something. He came back with a double barreled shotgun, or at least what it looked like to me. The gun is quite eccentric looking as it’s dyed in bronze, embroidered with silver linings.

It is about sixty centimeters and weighs about five kilograms to me. And along with the gun was a leather pouch filled with buckshot ammunition. They are made with rather rough iron and inside according to the Smith are enough to punch through thin metal or through what they call as Grim’s hide.

From what I can tell by that I say that these grim monsters they are talking about have metal skin. Well, no wonder they have these kinds of weapons.

“Thank you for this.”

“You better do your job; do not even think of escaping the city or somehow selling off that gun. That is a property of this smithery and you don’t want to commit a crime in this day and age.”

“Understood that.”

I said while carrying the gun on my shoulder. They already handed me the parcels so I intend to go now.