Episode 1 – The Kukri Knife
The Larva Academy is the only training institution in the country dedicated to adventurers.
Because of that, the academy has developed over a hundred years’ worth of its own unique curriculum. Combat training, classes on Gifts, and Abilities also exist in Purgatorio—the royal capital’s academy reserved for nobles.
If you were to ask what makes the Larva Academy’s classes unique, the public relations corps would probably say:
— Adventurer know-how.
They claim that in this alone, they’re second to none.
The academy itself has only a short history of around a hundred years, but Inferno, the city where the academy stands, has been a dungeon city since ancient times, since the age of Adamas, the hero of the past.
The techniques cultivated since then extend not only to adventurers, but also to Calvaon traders, weapon craftsmen, weapon merchants, and even medicine, which is said to be the most advanced in the country. Given such an environment in which one can learn the skills required to become an adventurer, it’s no surprise that many who became adventurers without attending Larva Academy envy those who did.
“Alright—today we’ll continue from last time and go over weapons again.”
Nada was listening absentmindedly, propping his elbow on the desk.
The man teaching up front was named Shunbo.
Calling him a teacher didn’t quite feel right—he resembled more a common blacksmith. Compared to the average person, he was a bit short, but even past fifty, the arm that still gripped the hammer was as solid as an ancient tree. His chin was covered in a beard mixed with white and black; his head was bald, but the glint in his eyes was as sharp as that of a first-rate adventurer.
The craftsman lecturing at the front seemed to be a member of the famed Ventus family of master smiths, and many students wanted him to forge a weapon for them.
Naturally, Nada was not one of them.
Asking him to forge something cost a ridiculous amount of money—a sum Nada didn’t have. And even if he did, the weapons Shunbo crafted didn’t suit him.
Shunbo prioritized making weapons as light as possible, with excellent sharpness and durability. Modern adventurer trends also aligned with Shunbo’s philosophy, so his works were said to sell like hotcakes. And since he didn’t hide his techniques, teaching them to many apprentices, he was often described as a man of great character.
But Shunbo’s ideals didn’t match Nada’s.
Nada didn’t care about the weight of a weapon. What he wanted was length and sharpness—something capable of felling even large monsters without relying on a Gift or Ability. In short, he wanted what could be called a weapon of war rather than a typical weapon.
In that sense, the Green Dragon Crescent Blade he used to defeat the gargoyle suited him well—but in Inferno and at the academy, it was apparently considered unsightly.
“And for orichalcum—if you’re forging something simple like a rapier, it’s said to be best to mix in five grams of Hihiirokane per kilogram—”
Because of that, no matter how passionately Shunbo lectured about Hihiirokane or orichalcum—rare metals—and the various formulas used when mixing them into different weapons, nothing resonated in Nada’s heart.
If that was the case, one might think Nada should just skip the class—but his grades wouldn’t allow it.
Nada’s grades were extremely poor within the academy.
Most students earned credits in either the Gift or Ability curriculum, then completed the academy’s required courses and naturally advanced to the next year, eventually graduating. But Nada earned neither type of credit.
That was why he ended up in lectures like this—classes only attended by people who were genuinely interested in weapon theory.
After a few more hours of this class, Shunbo would teach which weapons were recommended for which dungeons and monsters, and also the kinds of metals and materials suited for those environments. Since Nada always brought at least two weapons when entering a dungeon, he wanted desperately for the class to move on to that section.
But Shunbo continued lecturing passionately.
Adventurers seriously struggling to choose the right weapon listened intently as well, and in the end, his class continued well past the scheduled time.
Nada couldn’t sleep during class because there would eventually be a test, so simply sitting there listening was painful, and he nearly dozed off several times.
“—Alright, that’s it for today’s class. If anyone’s got more questions, come to meee!”
Shunbo’s class ran a full thirty minutes past the scheduled time, and only when he said those words did his lecture finally end.
At the same time, a crowd of students swarmed around him. It looked like they wanted to consult Shunbo about the weapons they planned to use next. With his many years of experience, he could tell what kind of adventurer should craft what kind of weapon, and what sort of weapon would suit that person.
In fact, among those whose weapons he had chosen was Mana the Sword Saint, and even now the weapon Mana carried was said to be one of Shunbo’s works. It was one of his greatest masterpieces, and one of the reasons for his fame.
Despite how great a figure he was, Nada had no intention of asking Shunbo which weapon suited him. In the first place, adventurers weren’t supposed to use a weapon someone else recommended—they were supposed to dive into the dungeon again and again, and through experience, choose the weapon they felt they needed.
Well, that line of thinking was something he’d borrowed from Iris, his brilliant senior.
So, the moment class ended, Nada walked straight out of the academy.
His destination—Astuto Breza.
◆◆◆
“Welcome. Oh—it’s you, Nada. The weapon you wanted is finished.”
Balba, the owner of Astuto Breza, was, as always, seated behind the glass display counter at the back of the shop, working at his bench. And also, as always, he made no attempt to hide his bald, patchy head while staring at a short dagger in his hands. It was small, but its blade shone with a beautiful silver gleam. Watching the blade, he wore a creepy grin that suggested the dagger was quite an impressive piece.
Nada would rather not understand the sentiment.
Balba, who had sold him the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, had known Nada for quite a while now.
Has it been two years? They first met when Nada visited the shop to have the Black Land Dragon’s Fang crafted, and since then, he’d been relying on the place for maintenance and procurement of large weapons that ordinary weapon shops rarely handled.
Nowadays, Nada had almost all his gear maintenance and acquisitions handled here. The shop was far from the academy city and inconvenient to reach, but Balba’s wide network of connections and exceptional craftsmanship made him a reliable negotiator.
“Alright then—hand it over.”
When Nada said that, Balba pulled a short blade from under the counter.
It was fairly long, about seventy centimeters overall, perhaps. The blade curved partway through, so it was hard to judge the exact length.
It was a kukri knife.
Its large inward curve—called inner concavity—and the wide, thick blade made it usable almost like an axe. Nada often brought one into the dungeon, treating it as an all-purpose knife.
His previous kukri knife had been broken by a gargoyle, so he had ordered a new one from Balba.
Up until today, while waiting for the kukri to be finished, Nada had been diving into the dungeon using the Green Dragon Crescent Blade and a cheap short dagger, but the kukri simply suited him better; it made his adventures run more smoothly. Kukris were a bit heavier than ordinary daggers, but their thick blades allowed them to bite into monsters like small axes. They were extremely effective when enemies closed in.
The Green Dragon Crescent Blade was powerful and excellent, but it was hard to handle against small monsters or enemies that came too close. Meanwhile, ordinary knives couldn’t withstand monster bodies. The kukri expanded his options considerably.
Since Nada had no Ability, no Gift, and no companions, he had to take on all the roles that would normally be divided among party members.
Because of that, just having a single kukri on him significantly increased his chances of survival.
Originally, he had started using kukris because of Iris, and the one he previously used had been a hand-me-down from her. This time, however, he had a new one crafted specifically to suit him.
When he actually held it, he noticed the grip was thicker than his last kukri, and the weight felt perfect. Even just holding it while still sheathed, the grip felt excellent in his hand.
“This request was surprisingly easy compared to usual—”
Balba let out a sigh as he watched Nada grin at his new knife.
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. Normally, I’d expect regular knives to be more in demand, but… what was her name, Lady Iris? Seems she uses kukri knives, so there are a few students at the academy who admire her and have started using them too. Made it easy to get the materials.”
“Huh—”
That was news to Nada.
Sure, he occasionally saw people carrying kukris around town, but he had no idea there was such a story behind it. The revelation made his eyes drift upward in surprise.
“Well, that has nothing to do with you, Nada.”
“Probably not.”
Saying that, the two of them shared a laugh, and Nada deftly strapped the knife to the back of his waist with practiced hands.
The familiar weight at his waist—something he hadn’t felt for a while—settled onto him, and for some reason it made him feel a bit at ease.
“Yeah, that look suits you much better.”
Balba complimented him.
Nada answered with a sharp grin.
“I’ll be off, then—”
After quickly taking the weapon, Nada told him he wouldn’t be staying long and headed straight for the door.
He had already paid for the kukri in advance, so legally there was no issue.
“Hey, hey. Where’re you off to?”
It must’ve been unusual for Nada—who normally stuck around for at least some small talk whenever he visited—to leave so abruptly, because Balba stopped him in a hurry.
“A noble called me in. I came to pick up the kukri today as a precaution. If I have this… I can manage if things go south.”
Inside the bag Nada carried were the materials from today’s classes, but also the letter he’d received that morning. When he’d opened it right after receiving it, it said he was to come to the estate at noon.
Naturally, Nada had no intention of doing anything that might earn a noble’s resentment, so he planned to obediently follow the instructions in the letter.
“I see. Makes sense.”
Balba nodded, accepting Nada’s explanation.
Apparently, nobles in this country were a troublesome bunch, and for commoners like Nada and Balba, just meeting one was enough to make anyone nervous.
But Nada didn’t let that bother him. He left the shop and headed straight for the appointed location.
Previous Chapter - TOC - Next Chapter
Comments
Post a Comment