Chapter 3: you have soft hands buddy

Sharpening my sword, I simply smiled, looking at the man in front of me, who trembled at my expression.

So you're telling me that you want me to kill an entire horde of centaurs all for 15 golden coins? I think you had too much to drink.

"15 golden coins are more than enough. God, you Britannians are so greedy, the man screamed in anger." How the fuck does he know I'm a Britannian? Oh wait, he did not bother to hide his identity; his armor had the symbol of his house: the red dragon being ingrained in his chess and having small emeralds for eyes.

Fuck off, then you have to pay me at least 30 golden coins for the bare minimum, but honestly, I'm not feeling generous, so how about 50 golden coins? I simply said with a smirk, leaning on my chair comfortably.

The man in front of him did not look amused. Are you mad that the price is way too much for the gods? You Britannians are the worst. The man said, storming out as Artorius looked in amusement.

Yeah, his whole trip wasn't going as planned. He learned a lot about the continent, the customs, and small irrelevant things like that, but he has not found that much opportunity on this continent.

That's why, before he decides to leave, he decides to work as a sword for hire to hold his skills and not end up like he ended up fighting those damn apes.

After I finished paying for my drinks, I was preparing to leave when I heard a certain voice that I got used to hearing in the past couple of weeks.

"Hey pretty boy, get your ass over here!" a very large man with dirty ovaries and a fucked-up face screamed at me, making me turn my head to just stare at the man with a slight irritation. "Don't look at me like that, you little shit. I have your order ready," the man said, getting up.

This man was John Stone, a blacksmith he met the first time he traveled around the city. He's currently in the city of Rivergate. The city is around a large river, protecting it from outsiders. Hell, I needed to use a ship to come over here.

This city was located in the empire of Aris, an empire that spanned the entire continent. Rivergate was close to the capital. All in all, Aris was a very peaceful nation, besides the good amount of monsters on the continent, but that's more to his benefit than anything else.

Me and John left to go to his workshop. We walked through the busy streets until they finally managed to head to John's workshop. As both men entered, both of them could smell the smell of fire and dust.

I saw another large man similar-looking to John, but this one is much younger, probably around 14 or 15 around that age. The kid's name was Joe Stone, he is the son of John, the kid just raised his hand to say hello and continue with his work.

What are you working on, Joe? John quickly asked, going to where his son was before scoffing and looking at what his son was doing.

"Joe, you are just wasting metal. You're still not good enough to make something at that level," John said, getting my interest.

Using Observe on it, I want to know what the hell he's making.

[incomplete bastard sword]

This is a bad replica of a B+ rank sword. The sword has a smaller handle than the original, and most of the metal was un purified and the blade was slightly bended.

Well, during this time knowing John and his family, I have picked up a few things about blacksmithing, one of which is that one of the most important things about a sword is its sharpness and how much it can resist.

It doesn't matter if you have a magical sword; if it can break easily, that weapon is suddenly useless.

So by not purifying your metal, it makes your blade worse quality if you did purify it, and it looks like he completely ignored that.

Joe should know this, so why the hell does he want to make a replica of whatever sword he saw so badly that he would make such a shitty sword?

"Anyways, Artorius, here's your order." John simply says he is throwing me a large box and grabbing it. I immediately open the box, seeing a beautiful sword with a white blade. You could see a rune on the thing with a slight glow on the marks, and the handle was completely black.

I quickly decided to use observation on it.

[Unnamed Magical Steel Sword, Rank B+]

This blade was made with the purest metals across the land and crafted by a master blacksmith. The blade is covered with a magic rune that empowers it.

Neat I ordered this mostly because I wanted an upgrade from the sword I have; my original sword wasn't bad. I just simply wanted something stronger, and besides, my current sword is getting old.

Thank you, John. If it's not rude of me to ask, may I ask how you learned how to use runes? This is a branch of magic in which I'm interested, but before I can say anything else, John Quickley interrupted me.

"I only teach people that have an interest in learning blacksmithing to do that first, and then I might teach you how I learned how to use runes." I simply smile. This is actually what I wanted. Runes is a brand of magic I want to learn, but I also wouldn't mind learning blacksmithing or any crafting art in general.

John looked at me before he gave me a shit-eating grid appear in his dumb ass face. "So the little Lord wants to learn a commoner skill." I just rolled my eyes and nodded with my head.

"Then I accept, but I want you to work for me until I'm done teaching you; do you understand?" John said as I nodded, knowing for a fact what he wanted me to do.

- later -

I tried not to throw up as I picked up layers of shit with a shovel, throwing it into a bucket.

John and his family lived on a farm close to the city of Rivergate. He was currently cleaning the stable where the horses were staying, and I swear some of them gave me smirks as some of them started shitting.

These fucking horses are constipated.

As I finished cleaning, I grabbed two buckets slowly. I took the buckets to a certain room where John wanted me to leave them. I did that until I finished taking the buckets there. Once I was done, I prepared myself to go to a nearby lake and take a shower before the notification from my system popped up.

Skill add

[Smell resistance - rank D]

So, that was something.

I was heading to a small cabin, where John was preparing for what I assumed was my first lesson. "Ready for your first lesson, my lord," he said mockingly, making me roll my eyes as I sat down next to him.

Do you wish John Stone to be your master?

[Yes] [No]

Clicking, yes, I'm kind of confused, as I don't feel anything but quickly forget about it as it wasn't important.

John began to explain to me the basics of blacksmithing. The lesson lasted for a couple of hours before anything. John let me borrow a hammer for my lessons, and then he explained that I needed to hit with the hammer a certain amount of force to keep my hits consistent so I could get the most effect out of my hits on the metal I was hitting.

He also explained that I needed to learn the position and know what angle or height I wanted whatever I were working on before I started so I would know how much force I need to use to make the weapon.

Using my math skills from my previous life, it wasn't hard to understand what he was trying to tell me; in fact, it would probably have been easier for me since my original career (before I got killed) had to do a lot with mathematics.

Then he showed me how to melt metal, and then we decided I should start my first practice. We decided that I would make a dagger, and after deciding the right size, we started.

John let me do as I pleased as I worked on my first weapon. Some hours passed by when I removed my dagger from the water. I stared at the weapon I created and immediately decided to use observation.

[Basic dagger: rank E]

This dagger was made by an amateur blacksmith, barely stepping into the steps of becoming a true blacksmith.

Eh, seriously, all that for just this.

Stop complaining

Skill added

[Blacksmith - Rank E]

Whatever I thought, still looking at my new dagger, "at least you didn't burn yourself, but I think we should end it here," John told me as I was getting up and looking outside. I immediately knew why the sky was dark.

He was so focused that he didn't even notice the passing of time.

- later -

After leaving John's home, I decided to quickly return to the place where I was staying. I was renting a room from the bar I was drinking at earlier.

I decided to go to bed tomorrow. He would learn some more with John, and once he got all he could from him, he would grab his shit and leave to go to his next stop.

- Bartra -

So Uther finally decided to accept my offer the king of Liones thought rubbing his beer, when he originally made that proposal, he was referring to his eldest daughter Margaret to marry her off the one of the sons of his friend, so both kingdoms could have a stronger alliance, but....

He couldn't do that to Margaret he knew she already found someone she loved which he only assumed could be young Gilthunder the son of Zaratras but this could be a great opportunity. Uther did control most of the southern territory and he did have great connections with another the kingdom of driftmark.

The current king of that kingdom Corwyn Velaryon the sea snake the ocean dragon and many other fancy titles like it, not like the man didn't deserve those titles.

Even he had heard tails of Corwyn the greatest warrior of house Velaryon who has ever lived.

Having the support of two kingdoms would greatly help him when eventually the holy war restarts.

He knew it was eventual.

Visions of a young silver white hair blue ice eye kid sitting on his throne in his hand, having a black blade at his back having a golden dragon roaring at the sky as the kids simply grin.

He's been having that vision ever since he received a letter from Uther and knowing his… cursed power he knew what was necessary.

Veronica was immediately out in his head his daughter would not like the idea of being engaged with anyone and he had the suspicion that like her older sister, she was also interested in another person.

Leaving him with only one option…

He truly loved Elizabeth like was his blood but this was more important than anything if they were going to survive the next holy war, they needed every ally they could get and besides from what he had heard young Artorius was a good kid may be a little rebellious but from what Uther had told him.

He truly hoped everything went well between them too.

XxX

I haven't written this in a while honestly, I got bored of it so I decided to write other stuff instead.

Also, I graduated now i'm going straight to the workforce.

Yay

Anyways as you can probably tell, I decided to include the Velaryon mostly because I already mentioned them in the last chapter I think and also Corwyn is the father of Corlys I was originally going to add him but decided against it corals already had a personality but I don't know Jack shit about Corwyn so I'm making him practically an oc.

Also, I don't know if Bartra knew about Elizabeth and Meliodas being past lovers and all that shit.

Is Meliodas getting cuckolded?

Technically.

He'll be off the board before he even finds out if it all goes to plan.

If that's too much for you then stop reading because it's only gonna get worse downhill.

Everybody getting looted.

Also, I use an alternative website instead of Grammarly so if the grammar a little fucked up. That's the reason.