<h4>Chapter 312 – A Showdown Called for a Festival</h4>


    Vige Five, big ground in front of Youko’s mansion.


    A lot of people have gathered.


    It is very lively.


    They are smiling too.


    I’m sitting in a chair at the corner of the ground.


    It isfortable because there’s a roof that can block sunlight…..


    But what’s with the height of this chair?


    Is this for guardsmen?


    I can even see something far away.


    Next to me, Youko made a grand deration.


    「Everyone, I have kept you waiting. From this moment, I dere the start of the cksmith showdown! Participating teamse forward!」


    ording to Youko’s deration, people moved to free the space at the center of the ground.


    And there, the participants appear.


    This showdown is a team battle.


    It seems like it is not realistic to perform cksmithing work alone.


    Gutt and his two disciples showed up along with two unfamiliar beastkins as they formed the beastkin team.


    Those two unfamiliar beastkins are helpers that Gutt called from Howling Vige.


    It seems like they’ll take on the challenge with the five of them.


    On the other team is the group of dwarves that gave Youko an ax. They are the trigger of this event.


    Their number is….6 people.


    Without asking anyone, I named them ax dwarf team.


    There are also three more dwarves only team aside from the team of dwarves that are supposed to pick up the imprisoned dwarves.


    It seems like the imprisoned dwarves split into three teams and participate.


    Let’s call them prison dwarf A, prison dwarf B, and prison dwarf C teams.


    Another team is a team with dwarf participants but there are demons too.


    It seems like a team led by the dwarves of Vige Five.


    Let’s call them the Vige Five team.


    As I mentioned above, this will be a showdown of six teams.


    After taking time to look around, Youko nods solemnly.


    「Each team, dere your wishes.」


    This is a cksmith showdown.


    The winning team will have their wish granted.


    Of course, only if their wish is feasible.


    In order to not ask for anything impossible, they will need to dere their wishes before the showdown begins.


    The first one to dere is Gutt from the beastkin team.


    「We have no wish. However, that dwarf over there, if we win, you can’t say that we’re not skillful enough.」


    Gutt res at the ax dwarf team.


    On the other hand, the ax dwarf team


    「We wish to buy magic iron powder at a low price. We can make better weapons than those beastkin cksmiths over there.」


    The beastkin team and the ax dwarf team re at each other.


    Let’s ignore them, prison dwarf A, B, and C.


    「「「Amnesty!」」」


    Vige Five team.


    「Free eat-all-you-can-eat at the vige council hall’s canteen.」


    Youko nodded and confirmed that there was no problem.


    At the same time, Loch, who was next to her, records them on a paper.


    「All right, then….」


    Youko came to me.


    Though I have been instructed to say things in advance, I’m still nervous.


    「In this showdown, I want you to forge a sword hatchet. You are free to decide the de length. Now, let the game begins!」


    There was a loud cheer.


    Then, each team heads towards the cksmith workshop at the foot of Vige Five.


    For this match, that cksmith workshop has been constructed.


    One location for each team so six workshops.


    Each of those ces has the same thing.


    Arge amount of material is also prepared in the material storage area.


    It is said that a craftsman has to think about everything else himself.


    Good luck to all of you.


    Now.


    While sitting on the chair, I watch each team leave the ground.


    The crowd stays where they are.


    Their line of sight is concentrated to me.


    I know.


    「Then, let’s start the Vige Five Festival.」


    After my deration, there was a louder cheer than before.


    Vige Five festival.


    The festival in Vige Five that Youko and the holy maiden Celes had nned for a long time.


    They prepared for it while preparing the ce for Gutt and the dwarves topete.


    The residents of Vige Five are more interested in festivals rather than the cksmith showdown.


    There are smells of various foods flowing from stall to stall around the ground and the main street.


    Though it took ten days to prepare for the cksmith showdown, everyone is also preparing for the festival at the same time.


    In those ten days, peoplee from neighboring towns and viges.


    Not only customers but also merchants.


    Michael-san from Goroun Company was particrly enthusiastic.


    There are a lot of stalls.


    From Big Tree Vige, several oni maids also participated.


    Unlike the usual, they take a little more time to serve since they have to take payment but they are really popr.


    I wonder if the camping coach I brought is conspicuous.


    This festival is great since it is not limited to food, there are also entertainments like music and simplepetitions.


    It willst for one week.


    Though you might think that a week-long festival is too long, the cksmithing showdown takes ce in over a week.


    Youko said that she already adjusted things for it which means she has already assumed things will be like this from the beginning.


    My participation is only at the beginning and at the end which is so simple…..


    Maa, I already left everything about Vige Five to Youko.


    I’ll get off this chair and enjoy the festival…..ah, I have to go around with guards?


    I enjoyed the festival.


    Three dayster.


    One of the ax dwarves requested an audience to Youko.


    「Acting vige chief-dono, I wish to express our gratitude for preparing the location of the showdown….」


    「Is there a problem?」


    「There is, I’m losing focus on the showdown.」


    「Did something pick your interest? You are being served with food and alcohol, are you?」


    「We are grateful for that too but….there’s really something that caught my attention.」


    「If it is difficult for you to say, I won’t force you. Is it alright if I send spectators to the forge?」


    「It’s dangerous so don’t.」


    「If you really want to, then do it but it is still too early. They won’t appreciate the current status of our work.」


    「Right. The cksmith showdown is not really something that can attract guests. Don’t be angry.」


    「But that’s not…..」


    「What is your request?」


    「Hnn?」


    「Don’t you have something to ask me?」


    「…..regardless of the result of the match, I want to know the mechanism of that transforming wagon. It is wonderful.」


    「Is that all?」


    「The food and the alcohol they offer, the line is too long. We’re in the middle of apetition so we can’t line up.」


    「I understand. I’ll arrange it. By the way, that alcohol over there came from there….do you want to give it a try?」


    「Please, by all means.」