"Wha... What did you say...? The sword you're wearing at your waist... surpasses mine...?"

Volga asked in a voice that trembled slightly, but with clear surprise.

"Yes. For me... that is the case."

The audience chamber was in an uproar. The unexpected situation caused murmurs of confusion to erupt from everyone.

Volga didn't show it on his face, but there was a dissatisfied air about him. Or perhaps he was thinking about the other masters, considered among the top five in the world.

The King looked a little troubled before speaking softly.

"You say it surpasses even the sword of Volga? Aria, you are before the King; you may draw that sword. And, may I see what kind of sword it is? ...If you say it's that good, Volga will surely be convinced once he sees it."

"Haa. I am grateful to be in Your Majesty's presence. Please, take a look."

Aria bowed respectfully and then quietly drew the sword from her waist. What emerged from the scabbard was a simple longsword with no decoration whatsoever.

However, the blade, polished like a mirror, dimly reflects the light of the surrounding chandeliers, exuding an unusual aura and a unique sense of awe.

"This is my beloved sword, 'Altair'."

The hall was enveloped in silence. Everyone had fallen silent, simply gazing in awe at the exquisite beauty of Aria's drawn sword.

It doesn't have an elaborate design. However, the sword has gained strength precisely because of its simplicity, which has simply honed its pure beauty.

Many were simply mesmerized, but Volga stared intently, as if his soul had been captivated by a beautiful work of art. He likely understood the value of this sword.

Aria took a quiet breath and then gracefully shook Altair a few times.

The sound of the sword cutting through the air was clear and pure, like a song, yet also held a hidden sharpness.

Since this is the audience chamber, she wouldn't slash at anything. However, the luminous trail her sword leaves is as beautiful as the tail of a comet streaking across the night sky, captivating all who see it. The sword's trajectory mesmerized everyone in the hall.

That's how incredibly sharp Altair's blade was, and how immense the power emanating from it was.

At first, the nobles were skeptical, but as they witnessed her extraordinary swordplay and the overwhelming pressure she exuded just by being there, they gradually fell silent.

Especially those knowledgeable about weaponry could only be awestruck by the fact that such power was emanating from a sword of such a simple shape.

"What a... beautiful... and powerful sword..."

"That sword... was it forged by a human...?"

They were tinged with pure awe and reverence.

It was no longer just a weapon, but something that could be called a living work of art, as if it possessed a soul of its own. A sword that captivated and terrified people, 'Altair'. Its presence was no longer in doubt.

It seemed the King still didn't fully grasp the value of the sword Aria wielded.

In fact, even if they understand that it's a great sword, unless they're a top-class swordsman or someone with an eye for it, they can only give it a rating of "both are great items."

The King asked Volga, who was so shocked he could barely stand and was speechless.

"Volga. For someone of your caliber to be this surprised... it seems Aria's sword is truly extraordinary, isn't it?"

At the King's question, Volga snapped back to reality and answered in a trembling voice.

"Oh, with all due respect, Your Majesty... that... that is no longer a sword that can be wielded by us humans...! That refined blade with absolutely no waste...! Oh, Aria-sama...! I am truly sorry to ask, but... but whose hand forged that sword!? Could it possibly be the work of the Elven Master Craftsman, Lucius Silveran!? Or perhaps a strike from Glen-sama, who is said to still be forging supreme masterpieces in the Dwarven Underground Kingdom!? Or could it be the creation of Shindo-sama, who is said to have come from a distant island nation in the east...!?"

Volga rattled off the names of some of the continent's top magical blacksmiths as far as he knew in his excitement. For him, if there was anyone who could forge a sword like this, it could only be those with extraordinary skills.

Even those unfamiliar with blacksmithing would have heard the names of these famous figures, and the audience chamber was once again filled with excitement.

Who forged Aria's sword?

And expectations for that are definitely rising.

However, Aria quietly shook her head at each of those names.

And then, as if hesitating for just a moment, she lowers her gaze.

(For someone as skilled as Volga-san to acknowledge the sensei's sword this much... isn't this a golden opportunity? Sensei! Maybe we finally have a chance to live together in the royal capital...!)

Besides their individual dreams, the three Aria sisters had a common goal. It was to one day provide their foster father, Darius, with an environment in the royal capital where he could devote himself to blacksmithing to his heart's content, without being disturbed by anyone. To achieve this, they needed to gain recognition for Darius from the royal capital's magic blacksmith guild, and ultimately, from the entire kingdom.

And now, right before her, stands the master craftsman Volga, who holds immense influence within that guild. If he acknowledges her, the path might open up significantly―.

With a determined look, Aria proudly raised her face. Her eyes held absolute trust in her foster parent and a strong will to make his name known to the world.

"The maker of this sword is a magical blacksmith named Darius, who is also my foster parent."

The moment he heard the name, Volga froze, looking as if a pigeon had been startled by a gunshot.

"Darius...? Wh-which... magical blacksmith is this...? I have never heard of that name at all..."

The names of master craftsmen from across the continent should have been etched into his mind along with their works. However, the name "Darius" couldn't be found, no matter where he searched within his vast repository of knowledge.

Aria smiled a little mischievously and then revealed a shocking fact.

"Darius-sensei... he runs his workshop all alone in a remote forest called 'Outside the Barrier,' far from the royal capital."

"O-outside the barrier...?!"

"B-B-But... that's impossible...!? That's not a place where humans could live... is it?!"

Those words struck everyone in the hall. "Outside the Barrier." That meant a dangerous zone where monsters roamed and the light of civilization didn't reach. Who could have imagined that there would be a magic blacksmith who could forge such a sword in such a place?

Darius is an unknown magical blacksmith who lives in a remote forest.

Through the words of "Master Swordswoman" Aria, his name slowly but surely spread throughout the royal capital.

Chapter 6