The Story Of The Second Son Of The Baron Family [EN]: Chapter 58

Baron’s Family Second Son – Episode 58

The 6th Circle. A realm that all mages aspire to reach, a realistic goal rather than a mere dream. It’s implicitly required to be considered an elder of the Magic Tower in the Empire, and likely in other countries’ Magic Towers as well. The 6th Circle is where one is considered a weapon, not just a human; a realm where a single individual can change the course of a battle.

Yet, even after reaching it, the changes I felt weren’t significant—or perhaps they just *seemed* insignificant. I had been minimizing sleep and barely eating, immersing myself in research, driven by the joy of finally reaching the last leg of a long race.

Besides, my master and JoJo weren’t the type to bring up such things, so I had little interest in what those a few steps ahead of me were thinking or how they were reacting. After all, I had no intention of acting according to their wishes. My focus was internal growth, not external reactions.

In that sense, the various benefits I gained upon reaching the 6th Circle were satisfying, confirming that my goal hadn’t been in vain.

Firstly, I could now create a subspace using my own magic. While I’m still unskilled and can’t create a large space, I can store things and retrieve them at will without physically carrying them. I can’t deny that the presence of a subspace was a significant factor in my reaching the 6th Circle.

Secondly, I could finally experiment with the chain of engravings in earnest. When I was in the 5th Circle, it felt like a lock was blocking the way, but upon crossing that threshold, a key appeared as if by magic. I still haven’t identified the engravings, so the reason for this phenomenon remains a mystery.

Clang- Clang-

Unfortunately, unlike the equipment I used as a motif, it doesn’t automatically fly and attach itself. There were physical and magical limitations to including such a function. No matter how much Mythril [a magical metal] is lauded as the metal of magic, I couldn’t afford to indulge in that right now, unless I had the *yoyu* [余裕, Japanese for ‘余裕’, meaning ‘leeway’ or ‘room to spare’].

Squeak-

Shoes, pants, top, gloves—cold metal began to cover my body piece by piece. After asking the blacksmith to place a fist-sized magic stone in the small space located in the center of my chest, the donning of the equipment was complete.

“Good.”

The idea of receiving assistance from the magic stone was definitely a good one. It was more efficient than simply using my own magic or relying solely on the magic stone’s power. It was the result of one plus one equaling three. Even if the magic stone’s magic runs out, I can replace it with a new one prepared in the subspace, significantly increasing combat sustainability.

Furthermore, the expected functions were performing as intended without any major issues, making it a satisfactory result.

“Now, all that’s left is to sharpen my teeth.”

New teeth and claws lay on the table. But it was still somewhat lacking. To cut off its breath and pierce its heart, I needed to be a little sharper and a little harder.

In fact, I didn’t worry much about the armor. I had a clear idea in my head, and with a clear purpose of defense, the degree of transformation I could envision wasn’t extensive. But weapons were different.

Sword, spear, axe, bow, etc.—several types immediately came to mind, and delving into them in detail would reveal dozens or hundreds more. I had to choose the weapon that suited me best.

“The answer is already set.”

Traditional weapons, so-called cold weapons, don’t suit me. Knights, the primary users of such weapons, wield great power not because the weapons are inherently excellent, but because the knights themselves are highly skilled. There was an unbridgeable gap between those who had been handling a single weapon for years or decades and me, who had to choose a weapon out of necessity.

A weapon with inherent power. Isn’t that representative weapon still hanging around my waist? It’s the same shape, but with different functions. It was made when I was still immature, so even with subsequent improvements, it has many shortcomings in my current view.

Power, range, durability, consumption—now I could make a stronger, longer, harder, and more efficient weapon. And today, I received a call: the item was completed.

#

Clang- Clang- Clang-

This place, where the sound of hammering iron and the emanating heat are unusual, even from nearby, was where the imperial family’s blacksmith was located. Originally, it was a place that produced items needed by the imperial family or was in charge of the equipment of the imperial knights, but if you pulled some strings, this much was simple.

Being affiliated with the imperial family meant that the skills of each blacksmith were, without exaggeration, the best in the empire, and there was no material that wasn’t of the highest quality.

“I heard the item is completed.”

“Please wait a moment.”

After waiting in the prepared room for a few minutes, the blacksmith I had commissioned appeared with a huge wooden box. Perhaps the weapon that would become my new claws was inside.

“Is it completed?”

“Open it.”

Click-

I carefully opened the lid of the wooden box. White cotton filled the box, with two weapons wrapped on top.

“I made it based on the samples you sent, but I’ve never seen a weapon like this in decades of hammering. No, is it even a weapon? It’s not sharp, and it’s not suitable for striking because it’s hollow.”

The blacksmith voiced his curiosity, but I slowly examined the weapons in the box.

The first gun, boasting a length that reached close to my shoulder when placed on the floor. And the second gun, shorter but featuring two huge barrels.

I’ll have to see the inside to know for sure, but the appearance is identical to the wooden model I made. Of course, the internal mechanisms aren’t as complicated as a real gun, so if it was made based on the model, there shouldn’t be any major problems.

“It’s not finished yet. I’ll have to complete it from now on. Besides, have you ever seen a mage looking for ordinary things?”

“…That’s true, but if it’s completed, I’d like you to show it to me. I’m curious to see what it will look like.”

A lot was invested: money, time, people, etc. It was the culmination of spending most of the gifts I had received from the nobles to prepare for this.

“You can look forward to it. You’ll hear surprising news soon. And at that time, you’ll be able to boast to those around you that the weapon you made played an important role.”

I returned to the lab and took out the wooden box that I had put in the subspace. In this state, it’s just a half-finished product that can’t do anything, as the blacksmith said. It’s blunt and not hard enough, so it won’t be able to pierce or cut anything. So I’ll have to sharpen it until it becomes a sharper and harder weapon than any other.

#

“You’re going to the Terra Barrier?”

“Yes.”

“No, why are you making that choice now?!”

That year, in the fall, support was scheduled to depart for the Terra Barrier as usual. And at the top of the list was the name ‘Lenil Dragnil’.

“Because there’s something I have to do.”

“Isn’t that enough! The losses at the Terra Barrier have decreased a lot compared to when your brother was there. Thanks to your brother’s actions, countless people have been saved.”

“That’s just one of the things I have to do. There’s still something only I can do there, or rather, something I *have* to do.”

Willand came to me after hearing the news. But it was something I had decided on six years ago. No matter what anyone said now, it wouldn’t change. Willand, who had tried to persuade me several times, eventually realized that it would be difficult to change my firm attitude, and he stopped coming.

Whisper- Whisper-

I can hear them talking about me. They’re trying to be discreet, but I can hear every word clearly. I guess that means I’ve grown.

“Can I help you?”

“It’s not your business.”

“Don’t you think it’s strange that someone who reached out to something that had nothing to do with them would say that?”

“That’s because I wanted to hear the secret of . But this time, you have nothing to gain.”

“You were the one who said that friends don’t care about that kind of thing.”

A few days before the departure of support troops and supplies, I had a brief conversation with JoJo. I was grateful for his offer to help, bringing up the story from a year ago, but I calmly refused. The path I’m about to take is one where I can’t guarantee my survival.

I’ve made a lot of preparations. I’ve also prepared myself accordingly. Thanks to the existence of the subspace, I was able to overcome the limitations of space, so the preparation itself was on a different level than when I first left for the Terra Barrier.

“I don’t know what you’re doing this for. I’m your teacher, but you’ve never told me what your goal is. But I hope you can achieve it.”

After cleaning up my room in the Magic Tower, which I had grown fond of, I said goodbye to my teacher for the last time and joined the support unit. The scale was smaller than when I had just come of age and headed to the Terra Barrier in place of my brother. It was right to accept that the support had decreased not because the empire had no resources, but because the damage at the Terra Barrier had decreased that much, so it could be said to be a pleasant change.

“It’s an honor to serve you, Great Disciple!”

“Please take care of me.”

A lot has changed since then. The mage, who had to exert all his strength to catch one orc and trembled in the carriage like everyone else, boarded a carriage that no one else was riding, with the firm purpose of killing an unidentified creature called a dragon.

“We’ve arrived!”

And a familiar, even somewhat welcoming sight came into my eyes.

Baron’s Family Second Son – Episode 58 – End