Altina the Sword Princess Book 9: Chapter 2

The Delivered Letter

You know that to work with steel, it needs to be heated through a furnace right? That can be done by burning wood, but the temperature wont be high enough. It is possible to raise the temperature by using coke.

Its different from coal?

Ahh, coal wont do. It can achieve the required temperature, but sulfur will seep out. That would make steel brittle.

... Is such fuel used often?

Only so of the blacksmith in Belgaria uses them. I heard that their use is widespread in High Britannia. New Steel couldnt be forged if you dont burn coke in a furnace.

What!? You an its possible to craft New Steel by using this as fuel!?

Yeah But the furnace in this Fort is not good enough. There are only manpowered bellows here. To forge New Steel, a watermill powered bellows would be needed. In that case, I can only do so in a place where one has already been built.

sen.wikipedia/wiki/Bellows >

... I think that High Britannias technology is improving by leaps and bounds But Belgaria is amazing too. Only the Germanian Federation is behind the tis.

Gilbert sighed.

Renard Pendu worked for High Britannia not just for their high amount of alluring remuneration providing them with New Steel weapons was also a major factor.

The quality of the weapons was directly related to performance on the battlefield. Weapons that were behind the tis would only shorten ones life.

If the Germanian Federation could forge their own New Steel, they wouldnt need to aid High Britannia.

Enzo tilted his head.

Is that so? The Germanian Federation might not have New Steel or the new modeled rifles, but they are the first ones to create a furnace. It wasnt a Federation then though They are also the ones who invented clothing and buttons.

Isnt that a really long ti ago?

Enzo shrugged in response.

In the past, the people of the north might have invented advanced items.

However, their industrial and agricultural developnt was now lagging behind others due to a series of minor civil battles.

If the civil battles continued, then the overall strength of the Germanian Federation would continue to plumt. Although that would be heavenly for rcenaries

If the military superior Belgarian Empire was equipped with the New Steel and rifles of High Britannia, the Federation would fall imdiately.

In recent years, the head of the federation, Saint Prussia Kingdom was growing in influence. Their reigning king was the ultimate spendthrift, and was excellent in military affairs.

Talks about how they would beco an empire if they kept absorbing neighbouring nations were spreading. It was one of the ans to survival.

But the other mber country of the Federation wont sit by idly and wait for their destruction.

Would unification co first, or would destruction consu them before that?

Im just a rcenary, so the future of the Federation doesnt concern No, I am not even a rcenary anymore, Im just a labourer now.

Gilbert sighed.

Enzo gestured at him in front of the furnace.

Alright, bring the coke here.

Okay

Looking up, he could see a mass produced sword used by the soldiers of Belgaria. However, it has a luster as if it was forged from silver. The leather grip was also a polished work which he had never seen.

Gilbert picked up the sword without a second thought.

It felt perfect.

As if his it was sucked into his hand.

It was a bit light for him, but even though he was holding it for the first ti, it put him at ease, as if he had gotten used to using it.

Hey! What are you doing!

For an instant, he neglected the looks around him as he was engrossed in the well made sword.

When he realized it, the soldier on sentry had always raised his spear.

Gilbert felt his heart beating fast.

He knew that the guards were wary of him. And he understood what a prisoner holding a sword ant.

Stupid! I was so engrossed that I picked it up unwittingly.

Hearing the shout of the soldier on sentry, the other guards started gathering, wondering what happened.

What should he do?

There was just one soldier before him. About five paces away. This was a workshop, the space was cramped because of the work table and tools, fighting here would be constricted.

There were two other guards. They were just looking this way, and not very wary.

But the problem was the shackles on his legs.

There wasnt any problem with pulling a cart, but it would be a hindrance in wielding a sword. Closing the distance fast was important in using a sword to fight a spear, but the shackles would get in the way.

Let him thrust this way, and hijack his spear?

It was easy for him to grab the spear thrust of a common soldier.

Sweat dripped between his brows.

But what about his subordinates? The n who got injured and were receiving treatnt?

They will probably be executed.

The chance of success if he revolt on a whim was very low.

Gilbert looked at the soldier holding the spear.

The thing breaking the tension was

Enzos voice:

What are you doing? Get over here and help .

Eh!?

Gilbert let out a baffled sound unconsciously.

But Enzo didnt seem to mind as he waved his hand.

The sentry shouted:

That man is a prisoner with the title of rcenary king that need require additional attention! I saw him picking up a sword without permission! That is a revolt!

Enzo shrugged.

Ah, yes I asked him to do that. Hey, bring that sword here, and the coke too.

The sentry kept his guard up.

Mister Blacksmith, get away from him! He is dangerous!

No matter how strong he is, this fort has an army of 10,000. What can he do with just a sword? The sentries on duty are gathering too. Dont need to worry, right?

Hmmm

Indeed, it was impossible to revolt and escape the fort with just a sword. Going by common sense, that was to be expected.

Gilbert obeyed the commands, putting the sword on the crate of coke and then pushed the cart.

The sword and coke were brought to the furnace.

Seeing Gilbert put down the sword, the sentry also lower his spear.

The gathered soldiers also returned to their posts as if nothing happened.

Im saved?

There was no reason to bring a finished sword to the furnace. Gilbert, who was misunderstood by the sentry, was saved by the blacksmith.

As he put the coke into the furnace as instructed, he asked quietly:

... Why did you help ?

Well, I understand after seeing your eyes.

My eyes?

After a man who entrusted his life to a weapon saw the sword I forged, his eye sparkled like a child and was completely engrossed.

It sounded shaful when he was told that But that was the truth.

Gilbert had indeed been srized by the sword Enzo forged.

... Ugh, yes.

He mumbled unintelligibly, then realized he was thanking Enzo.

Enzo smiled.

But as expected, you are really a famous guy.

I dont rember having such a title

How is the sword I made?

... Its a good sword But too light for .

Well, thats true. You use a spear right?

... You can tell just by looking?

Not really, its because of your muscle distribution.

They talked as they worked, and finally emptied all the coke into the furnace.

Alright, the fire got stronger. Use the bellows.

Gilbert grabbed the handles of the bellows after hearing that, pressing and pulling it to send air into the furnace.

You are pretty good. Much stronger than my apprentice.

... I have never lost in a competition of strength before.

Great, keep it up, Im counting on you.

Although transporting coke and using the bellows were usually the jobs of apprentices, all the blacksmiths had to forge weapons because of the great influx in the number of soldiers.

In the end, laborious jobs such as ferrying goods that only required strength was tasked to others.

Gilbert thought it would be boring and monotonous work, but sending enough air to keep the fire burning at a certain level required more concentration than expected.

And the furnace hot enough to burn steel bright red was right in front of him. He was sweating profusely in no ti.

The blacksmith heated the steel up, then hamred it.

After hamring, it was heated up again.

There were blacksmiths in Renard Pendu too, but the difference in quality could be seen imdiately.

Gilbert assisted Enzo as instructed.

They continued working and seed to neglect the ti.

From that day, Gilbert was called to assist the blacksmiths more often.

After separating from Baltasar, Altina returned to her own chambers.

A mont later, Clarisse ca over with tea and brioche.

Eric arrived too.

He was a youth about Altinas age with blonde hair. He just celebrated his 17th birthday recently.

Eric was Altinas Escort Officer.

However, he was injured in the opening battle of the war earlier, and the symptom from his wounds still lingered.

He couldnt exert strength in his left hand.

It wasnt a problem for his daily life, but he doesnt have the wrist power to lift a large shield or pull the reins of a horse anymore.

Knights would hold a weapon in their right hand and the reins in their left during battles. There were tis they need to switch hands too. If they couldnt use one arm, they would not be able to serve as a knight.

Eric was being treated as a casualty right now.

Altina let him sit in her chair.

It was a high quality white slender chair.

It had been less than half a year since Fort Volks was taken as a base, but the room was becoming extravagant because of the many gifts from nobles and rchants.

There were bright coloured cloth, laces and flower vases decorating the room.

It wasnt adorned with sparkling gems and precious tals like the Imperial Capital, but compared to the ti it was used by Varden Grand Duchy of the Germanian Federation, the difference was staggering.

The people of the Germanian Federation believed that simplicity was beauty, and that unnecessary things should be removed. Decorating the room was shaful to them.

Altina also dislike aningless extravagance.

However, she thinks that adequate decoration could improve ones mood. Humans cant survive on bread alone.

Clarisse placed the tea set on the luxurious round table which was sitting on a tile by the side.

These are new tea leaves from the capital. Maybe the sea trade have resud.

Probably.

The Belgarian Empire had captured the newest model of warship from High Britannia. When words about this spread, the pirates targeting the transport vessels no longer dare to linger near their coast.

Even though they were pirates, their real identity was the Hispania Imperial Navy. They would hang pirate flags in place of their naval colours, and commit piracy as a nation.

Their public stance was that they had nothing to do with pirates, but the vessels and weapons used by the pirates were all made by Hispania, and the crew were mostly Hispanians. So it was impossible for them to be entirely uninvolved.

And of course, relations between the two nations were deteriorating fast.

If High Britannia didnt invade, Belgaria might have launched a punitive force against the Hispania Empire to the southwest.

Altina picked up her white porcelain teacup. The light red liquid emitted a soothing fragrance.

Clarisse and Eric also sat down, the three of them gathered around the round table.

Normally, the maid and Escort Officer cant sit opposite the commander like this. They should be standing at the wall or near the entrance.

However, other soldiers wont see if they are in Altinas room. There wasnt a need to show their hierarchical relationship, so Altina treated the two of them as friends.

Clarisse took out the letter.

Alright, this is the letter that was received today, together with this crate. What do you think?

There was a crate near the door. It was big enough to fit in a large sword.

Hufufu~ Clarisse laughed.

Could it be a present for the Princess~ Maybe it is?

Well, even if thats true, wouldnt it be filled with books?

Altina shrugged.

Eric looked troubled, but didnt refute that.

Clarisse breathed in.

You know Sir Regis that well huh. Well then, I will read the letter.

She broke the wax seal and opened the envelope.

The three of them looked at the letter laid out on the table.

Sir Regis has a way with words as usual Well To Altina. The weather is fine in the capital today

Clarisse wait!? Why are you reading this out loud!?

Ara? I am confident in imitating his voice.

I dont need you to mimic his speaking style, dont do unnecessary things.

Alright To my cute Altina. The days that I couldnt et you is so unbearable.

He didnt write that!

Creativity is necessary.

You dont need creativity to read the letter!

The bickering between Altina and Clarisse made Eric smile.

After knowing about his injuries, he didnt smile much. Thats why I called him here to cheer him up a little Altina thought.

Eric might be an Escort Officer, but he wasnt just protecting Altinas safety, he also supported her when she was down and troubled. Even his injuries was because he protected Regis.

He was an important companion.

In the first letter she wrote to Regis, Altina told him about Erics condition.

Fort Volks was rather far away from the capital, so the letter would take several days to reach. Thats why the letters from Regis was about report about his recent situation.