"Are you going to the Dwarf Kingdom, Master Flitz?"
"Yeah, that's right."
Princess Adelia asked me.
The six people from another world, along with Anna and Princess Adelia, gathered to talk about some things.
"The Dwarf Kingdom, huh... Are you going to use the warp gate?"
Fujita, who set down his teacup, asked me and Renaldi.
"No, we won't be using the warp gate."
Renaldi and I had decided to go together. Renaldi's destination was the Beastman Kingdom, and since he had to pass through the Dwarf Kingdom, we would be traveling together.
It seemed Renaldi had long planned to go to the Beastman Kingdom. Back when we were first gathering information about this world in the library, the books he often read were about the races of this world, and he focused particularly on the beastmen.
We had all already decided on our destinations and had informed King Cyrus.
Unlike Renaldi and me, who refused sponsorship from anywhere, Fujita would be under the Kingdom of Jatumheim, Kushida and Haru had joined the church, while Agatha would follow Magnus.
Next week, Renaldi and I would leave this place.
"So... how about your work?"
I asked Renaldi and Agatha about what they had made at the blacksmith's shop earlier.
Renaldi had once told me he would let us know about it a week before our departure.
Seeing Agatha still chewing, Renaldi answered my question with a confident smile.
"That thing is still at Master Grim's shop. I'll go pick it up and show it to you all tomorrow."
After our meeting dispersed, Renaldi and I headed to the blacksmith's shop again. Renaldi would pick up the item he had made, while I would pick up the item Grim wanted to give me.
"FLITZ-SAN! WAIT FOR ME!"
As we were about to leave the castle, we heard a voice calling my name. When we turned to see the source, it was Haru, with Anna following behind her.
"Flitz-san! Renaldi-san! Can we come with you to the blacksmith's shop?"
"Do you want something from that shop?"
"Eh! It's not that, I just want to look around!"
Haru answered my question with an expression like she was hiding something.
I narrowed my eyes and looked at her suspiciously. Feeling my gaze, Haru turned her head away as if to avoid it.
"Pfff—"
Anna, standing behind Haru, giggled and revealed Haru's reason for following us.
"She heard from Agatha that there's someone beautiful named Kyrie at that shop, so Haru wants to see her and teach her a few lessons."
"Arghh, why did Miss Anna tell her???"
Now that her reason had been exposed, Haru shook Anna in frustration, while Anna just laughed.
Agatha, huh... she was always teasing Haru. Kyrie was the pink-haired shop attendant at the blacksmith's, and it was Agatha who had told me his name (a man).
Yep, not "her", but "him" . It was Renaldi who told me the truth. I could see the dead look in his eyes when he told me. Who knows what had happened to him.
"Just so you know, Kyrie is a man."
"Eh, but Agatha-san didn't say that!"
"Haaa... of course she didn't. She was trying to mess with you."
"....."
I knew Haru had an interest and obsession with me. This always happened—if a woman got close to me, she would cause trouble for that woman.
I had no idea why she was interested in me. Thankfully, she had never confessed her feelings. If she did, I wouldn't know what to say, and it seemed she knew that.
"Alright then, we'll be going."
"Ahhh! Let us come too!"
Even after Renaldi and I tried to hurry away, Haru and Anna followed us. I figured they would follow us no matter what. Hopefully, they wouldn't make Grim angry.
Leaving the castle through a hidden door, we made our way to the blacksmith's shop.
**********
"Excuse me!"
When we entered the shop, no one was at the counter. We tried going inside, and Renaldi knocked on Grim's workshop door. I could hear the sound of a hammer from within.
"Master Grim! We're here! Are you there? Master Grim! Master Grim!"
The sound inside suddenly stopped, and moments later the door finally opened.
"Could you not shout my name like that?"
"Hehehe, sorry, sorry, I thought you didn't hear me."
"....."
Grim shifted his gaze toward the two girls behind us.
"Who are they? Friends of yours? And why is that girl looking around like a thief?"
Grim pointed at Haru, who was glancing around warily, while Anna beside her ignored him and stared at Grim with curiosity.
"They're our friends. They insisted on coming. Ah, they're also from the Kingdom."
I explained so Grim wouldn't kick them out.
"Hmph, whatever. Come in."
Renaldi and I followed Grim into the workshop, while the two girls stayed in the main area.
"Hey, Miss Anna! What are you thinking about? You've been daydreaming."
"Ah, no, I was just thinking... that tattoo on the dwarf's neck—I feel like I've seen it before."
"Is that tattoo a criminal mark?"
"I don't know? I'm not sure."
Hey, I can hear you two, you know! Look! Even Grim is frowning.
As before, entering the workshop greeted me with hot air.
"Master Grim, so where's the thing?"
Renaldi asked about the item he had made, and Grim said it was stored in a cabinet.
A moment later, after Renaldi retrieved his creation, I saw him carrying a small chest in his hand.
"Grim, next week my journey to the Dwarf Kingdom begins, so what is it you want to give me?"
"Is that so? Good! Wait here, I'll get it."
Grim rushed into a certain room. When he returned, he held a small cloth pouch.
"Here, take this!"
I took the pouch and opened it to see what was inside—it was a transparent yellow stone.
"I want you to bring this and give it to someone in the Dwarf Kingdom."
"You want me to deliver it?"
"Yes, but it's not without reward... take this too."
Grim pulled a coin from his pocket and handed it to me.
"If you bring this coin and show it to the dwarves, they'll treat you well."
With just this, someone could gain the dwarves' help? This coin was extremely valuable. Grim clearly wasn't an ordinary person.
"Are you sure about giving me this coin?"
"I already said, this coin is your reward for taking on this task. So? Will you accept it?"
Just delivering this pouch to someone and I'd get something this valuable? It was an incredibly good deal.
"Alright, I'll accept your request. So what kind of person will receive this pouch?"
"I don't know who the recipient is."
"Huh?"
I made a stupid sound at Grim's reply.
"Then how am I supposed to deliver it if you don't know who it's for?"
Grim shrugged lightly and spoke with confidence.
"I don't know how you'll find the recipient, but I'm sure you will. If you don't, you can do whatever you want with the item—I won't ask for the coin back either. So? Will you still accept it?"
I didn't know where his confidence came from, but if his words were true, there was no harm in accepting.
"Fine, I'll take your request. If I don't find the recipient, I'll return the item to you—of course, not the coin!"
"Good."
Grim nodded in satisfaction at my answer.
When we left the workshop, we found Haru and Anna looking over the items on display.
I didn't see Kyrie anywhere, so I asked Grim.
"Grim, I don't see Kyrie. Is he busy?"
"Oh, him? Who knows. I don't know where he went."
You're not worried about your employee?
Sensing my stare, Grim seemed to guess my thoughts and explained.
"For your information, Kyrie doesn't work here. I run this shop alone. He only comes here because he's bored."
What?? I thought he was an employee here.
After saying that, Grim approached Haru and Anna.
"Do you like anything?"
"No, we're just looking around."
"Is that so? If you see something you like, just tell me. I'll give it to you for free. Of course, only one each."
It seemed Grim was in a good mood. At first, Haru and Anna refused, but he kept pressing until they finally gave in and chose something.
I saw Renaldi sulking when he asked for a greatsword, but Grim told him he was only giving free items to the girls.
**********
"Grim! I came to hang out!"
Kyrie suddenly burst into the shop, slamming the door open and shouting.
"Kyrie! You're really late."
Seeing Kyrie arrive, Grim couldn't hide his joy and spoke proudly to him.
"I just met her."
"Her?"
At first, Kyrie didn't understand, but after a moment he finally realized.
"Aaaa, the destined girl? You just met that kid?"
"Hahaha, I just met her and talked to her."
"Ugh, you're making me jealous."
Grim's face softened with affection as he recalled their meeting earlier.
He hoped that girl could protect this world together with her friends.