Chapter 55 - Episode 54: The Blacksmith is an Eccentric ③
"Even so, I wonder why your master just left such a wonderful idea for a new weapon alone..."
"That man is stiff-necked and his thinking is outdated. Even when I shoved these blueprints in his face, he wouldn't even look at them properly. And even when he did listen to me, he'd say, 'Bows are meant to be fired by archers with their bodies; what could someone like you, who's never even been a soldier, possibly know?' Despite the fact that he's never fought in his life either..."
When Noein asked, Damian grumbled thus.
"Still, he did let you make a prototype once, right?"
"He certainly let me make it, but... the shape of the parts and the way to attach them were all trial and error. The prototype's arrows didn't fly straight, it lacked power, and it was completely useless."
"I see. But those kinds of problems should be solved if you repeat prototyping and improvement."
"Exactly! That's exactly it! In the first place, isn't development supposed to be about trial and error! And yet, the master saw just one prototype and said, 'See, I told you it's useless. Stop making things like dreams and focus on your training'... that stubborn old geezer."
Seeing Damian openly express his rebellion toward his master, Noein gave a wry smile.
The master of this workshop was a veteran and his skill as a blacksmith was certain, but perhaps because he was steeped in the conservative atmosphere of the northern kingdom, he was a person with the clear aura of a "stubborn craftsman."
His compatibility with someone like Damian, who was young, full of ambition, and possessed flexible thinking, was likely the worst.
The fact that he didn't even glance at Damian's blueprints, which were wonderful as ideas, seemed to be because he was trapped in the pride that "it is arrogant for a young and inexperienced craftsman to engage in development."
"Well, I'm sure your master has a philosophy as a craftsman that he cannot compromise."
"Hmph, such a worthless philosophy wouldn't even make good pig feed."
"Ahaha... but, looking at your blueprints, I felt a great possibility. Moreover, after hearing the detailed explanation from you, I thought there was a prospect of this weapon reaching a practical level."
When Noein evaluated him thus, Damian's eyes instantly sparkled and he leaned forward, pressing toward Noein.
"Eh! T-then..."
"Yes. I would very much like to welcome you to my territory. I shall provide the workshop and the development budget. Of course, you will also be handling work as a blacksmith, such as repairing iron products... but I believe you will still be able to devote sufficient time to development."
"I don't mind! Until now, I wasn't even allowed to develop things themselves. To be allowed to develop and even receive a budget is like a dream! I did it! I did itttt!"
While glancing at Damian, who was rejoicing as if he might jump, Noein asked Matilda to go call the master.
The master's surprise upon hearing that Noein would take Damian in was considerable.
"Do you seriously intend to take this fellow in!? Such a youth... such an ill-mannered fool?"
"However, I have heard that his skill as a blacksmith is sufficient?"
"Well, his ability and experience are certainly far above the average youth... Hah, if this fellow is welcomed into Your Excellency's territory, will the orders to us disappear!?"
Fearing that Damian would take his work, the master spoke in a panicked manner.
"No, I think repairs and such will be entrusted to Damian-san and handled within my territory, but for orders of new farm tools, tools, and weapons, I believe I will continue to request them from you for the time being."
It would be impossible to assign all the blacksmithing work of the Arqvist territory, where the population continued to increase, to Damian alone. Rather than tying Damian up for long hours with such work, it would be a plus for both the territory as a whole and for Noein if he handled development.
When Noein spoke thinking this, the master, realizing that the large-scale work would not disappear, breathed a sigh of relief and patted his chest.
.....
Just one week after the discussion at the Retovik workshop. Damian, who resigned from the workshop immediately, migrated to Noeina, the capital city of the Arqvist territory.
The prototype Crossbow he had previously made, his own tools, and iron he had collected using the immediate development funds received from Noein—his moving luggage was a considerable amount. To the extent that he had gone so far as to hire a horse-drawn carriage and a driver for this migration.
"Noein-sama! Man—sorry for being late. I was held up with handing over the workshop's work and such. It also took some time to gather the development materials."
"No, I think it's plenty fast... anyway, I'm glad you arrived safely. Even so, you have a lot of luggage, don't you?"
"Since I was given the environment and funds to devote myself to development, I ended up buying a huge amount of materials and tools!"
"I see. I'm glad you're enthusiastic."
Toward Damian, who was becoming a resident of the Arqvist territory, Noein also changed his tone and interacted with him as a lord.
"Well then, to the workshop immediately!"
"Wait a moment, first I'll guide you to the room where you'll sleep and stay. Let's go to the mansion."
To Damian, who urged him as if he couldn't wait, Noein answered with a wry smile.
Damian was welcomed for the time being with the treatment of a temporary attendant, and would live having been given a private room in Noein's mansion.
If he succeeded in the development and mass production of the Crossbow, and if there were no problems with his work as a blacksmith, Noein intended to formally welcome him as a technical attendant.
Noein personally guided Damian to a private room in the mansion and explained the locations of the attendants' office, the dining hall, the bath, and so on. Furthermore, he finished introducing the three maids working at the mansion while he was at it.
"And so, when you have some errand, please tell this Mary, Kimberly, or Rosetta. Other than that... I suppose that's all for the explanation for now?"
"And so Noein-sama, where is the workshop I'll be using!?"
"The workshop is built by the riverside to the southwest. There is a small gate built into the wooden fence surrounding this capital city, Noeina, for going back and forth to the riverside, so from there—"
"The southwest, right!? I just need to go out the gate of the wooden fence and proceed, right!? Thank you very much! I'm off!"
"Ah, wait—"
Before Noein could call out, Damian had already leaped out from the mansion's front entrance.
"The new attendant is a more energetic person than I am, Noein-sama!"
"To shake off Noein-sama's call, I wonder if that person's head is alright?"
"Interesting people are increasing, so the mansion will become lively again~"
The bright and energetic Mary, the earnest Kimberly, and the gentle-natured Rosetta. The maids expressed their impressions of the new resident in their respective words.
"He looks like that, but he's probably excellent as a craftsman..."
"Even so, he seems far too lacking in manners, both as a subordinate and as a resident. Shall I teach him his place?"
When Noein felt he was being looked down upon, Matilda would get angry. It seemed she also had thoughts regarding Damian this time.
"No, that behavior of his is an expression of his enthusiasm as a craftsman. Well, he is prone to running wild... but since he's not causing trouble for anyone, he's fine as he is."
Even in the books Noein read as a child, it was written that many people with superior talent or skill had strong quirks in terms of their personality.
If he showed results as a craftsman in exchange for that behavior, Noein had no complaints.
"That said, at this rate, he looks like he'll forget eating and sleeping and immerse himself in development... Mary, Kimberly, Rosetta. Could you keep an eye on whether he's returning at night to eat and sleep properly?"
"Leave it to me!"
"I will watch him closely."
"It would be terrible if he broke his health~"
To Noein's request, the maids again showed responses that each had their own individuality.