The royal capital of Asteria was abuzz with the triumphant return of the Master Swordswoman Aria and the talk of the mysterious magical blacksmith "Darius" she had spoken of. At the gatherings of nobles held every night, his name was whispered, sometimes with amusement, sometimes with suspicion.

The fact that he was a magic blacksmith "outside the barrier" was still hard for many people to fully believe.

"They say that Aria-sama's miraculous sword was forged by some unknown magical blacksmith who lives outside the barrier."

"Hahaha, no way! This is a sword they would refuse a masterpiece by Volga-sama, the greatest swordsmith in the kingdom, to use. There must be something behind it. Or perhaps it's a joke in Aria-sama's own style?"

"However, I hear the sword itself was genuine, wasn't it?"

"Aria-sama just said that to enjoy seeing us talking about it like that."

In the open social circles, most of the conversations exchanged over fine wine were filled with irresponsible speculation and disdain for the unknown entities of the frontier.

In the glittering social circles of the royal capital, the name Darius was still nothing more than a piece of unsubstantiated gossip.

Amidst all this, there was an old man who quietly listened to the rumors, a deep furrow etched into his brow. This was Baldus Granger, the former Grand Master of the Royal Knights, renowned as a veteran warrior. He was nearing sixty, but his gaze was still sharp, and his well-trained physique showed no signs of age. He is currently serving as a martial arts instructor and bodyguard for the Langford Count family, one of the most prestigious noble houses in the royal capital. He lived a leisurely life, only occasionally being invited back to the Knights for special lectures.

Today, as usual, he was attending this gathering as a bodyguard for his master, the Langford Count, and his only daughter.

(Darius... a magic blacksmith outside the barrier, huh? Aria-sama sometimes jokes around for fun, but when it comes to swords, she's not one to lie or deceive… That means that magic blacksmith really does exist, doesn't he?)

Baldus knew very well that Aria usually used mass-produced swords for training and regular missions.

That's because it's said that there isn't a sword in this world that can withstand the magic sword Aria uses, and the sword breaks after being used a few times, which is why she usually uses mass-produced swords.

However, Baldus had only experienced once, with his own body, the moment when Aria drew her "serious" sword.

It was still when Baldus himself was the Grand Master. That's when he challenged Aria, who was rapidly rising to prominence and had become one of the most powerful knights at a young age, to a serious match for the position of the next Grand Master.

The people around them thought it was a kind of "educational guidance," where the experienced Baldus was trying to advise the young Aria.

However, only Baldus understood that it would be his retirement match.

Because he could sense Aria's boundless talent and the indomitable fighting spirit that resided deep within her eyes.

And then, the moment the match began. Aria drew a longsword that radiated an otherworldly brilliance, unlike anything Baldus had ever seen before. Unadorned yet exquisitely refined, the sword pulsed with a pale light, as if responding to Aria's magic, and seemed to breathe like a living thing.

The overwhelming power emanating from that sword, the swordplay that could only be described as godspeed, and above all, the sharpness and precision that even Baldus's years of experience and intuition could only barely perceive.

As a result, Baldus was defeated by Aria in that battle and gracefully relinquished his position as Grand Knight Commander.

(That sword is undoubtedly the work of a top-class master craftsman… I didn't ask for details about its origin, and I just assumed it was made by one of the top five magical blacksmiths... but I see.)

Baldus paid no heed to the embellished rumors of the nobles, but instead quietly etched his name and the terrifying gleam of the sword he had once witnessed deeply and vividly into his memory.

(...Darius-dono, huh. I would like to meet him.)

Baldus had a long-held, secret ambition: to defeat the Grim Reaper, his sworn enemy who had once claimed the lives of his subordinates.

With its sturdy body, it was impossible to fight against it with flimsy weapons.

The subjugation of that monster that slumbered deep within a certain dungeon. That was the long-cherished wish Baldus had wanted to fulfill.

(Aria-dono's sword... If it boasts such sharpness and strength, then its maker must be...)

A glimmer of hope faintly flickered in Baldus's chest.

He thought he would ask for more details next time he visited the royal capital as a lecturer.

Chapter 11