Reincarnated as a Dragon and Raised by a Demon

Upon returning to Harfen, I couldn’t keep my plan to go weapon shopping with Jema.

I received military reports on behalf of the executives who had not yet returned.

The news of the battlefield coming from various places was mostly victorious reports.

While it didn’t seem like anything would happen in the immediate future, I had to stay alert just in case.

“Please don’t report every victory.”

“Yes. But this one I will report.”

The report conveyed by the executive was that Python’s group had reclaimed a certain castle.

It was good news that they had also defeated several leaders of the Undead army.

I heard that this ensured the security in the south.

“Why are you so confident already?”

“They say there was a mercenary group’s base that had been holding on in the reclaimed territory.”

It seemed that cases similar to Emerald Bay occurred in other cities as well.

When I asked about the number of mercenaries, an enormous number sprang from the executive’s mouth.

“Overall, that’s what they say. Approximately a hundred survived within the city.”

I was curious about how around a hundred people managed to secure food in an isolated situation, but it seemed the executive didn’t know the details either.

“In any case, the Empire’s mercenaries will begin to move now.”

In Latnia, it was common for armies to be stationed in each city.

On the other hand, Roran seldom had armies stationed.

The inhabitants generally possessed a considerable level of combat ability, and mercenaries specializing in that were developed.

Thanks to the mercenaries, the military of the Roran Empire rarely moved unless it was a significant matter.

“It seems like Leon and his group have returned.”

“Then, that’s it for me. I’d rather not burden the interim too much.”

“Please don’t say that. Just having you, Sir Knight, is reassuring.”

The military executive gave me a light salute and left.

I immediately headed toward the harbor.

Since it was right after the war, there weren’t many people at the harbor.

Unless one was a serious drunk, everyone had rushed out with weapons.

Currently, the harbor in Harfen was the only area where commerce was still maintained.

If I were to buy a new sword, there would be no other place to look.

I had visited the harbor several times but had never seen a place selling weapons or armor.

First, I decided to stop by one of the many nearby taverns to ask.

Not wanting to go far, I entered the nearest tavern.

A man who appeared to be the owner was sitting in front of the bar.

“Since you’re leisurely drinking during a war, you must be an executive?”

“One thing is wrong.”

The tavern owner, showing little surprise, poured himself a drink and downed it.

“Is there a place around here that deals in weapons or armor?”

“There are no armors, but if it’s weapons, you should check the ship docked at Pier 7.”

Leaving the tavern, I quickly scanned the nearby pier.

At present, not many ships were docked.

As I approached the pier marked with a 7 not far from where I was, I could hear the sound of metal being struck from outside.

Getting closer, I saw a bridge leading to the interior of the ship, and the sound of metal hitting continued from within.

As I entered, several blacksmiths were hammering metal, crafting swords and spears.

It felt as if I were looking at a factory, with each creating indistinguishable, uniform weapons.

Inside I spotted a familiar silhouette talking to one of the blacksmiths.

As I got closer, I could hear their conversation.

“A light and sturdy sword? If there’s such material, I could make it.”

“Can’t you make one right now?”

“Listen, we’re supplying weapons to the military, so we don’t take personal orders. If you need a weapon, just pick one from over there and buy it.”

After finishing his conversation, Jema turned around and met my gaze.

“Are you finished with your business?”

“Yeah. I’m here to get a sword.”

“Let’s head outside for now.”

Jema and I stepped off the ship and found a spot a little away from the pier.

As we were hit by the salty sea breeze coming from the ocean.

“The swords over there are terrible. The weights are all different, and the spears look somewhat usable, but I can’t wield spears.”

The soldiers of the army primarily used spears over swords.

When defending the city of Latnia, soldiers would use spears instead of swords, even when just two of them were together.

Swords were merely carried as auxiliary weapons and weren’t used much.

“All I need is something light and sturdy, but they say there’s no such material here.”

If it weren’t wartime, I might have been able to find it easily.

I had once seen a sword precisely matching what Jema was describing.

The problem was I couldn’t contact the person who currently owned that sword.

To be precise, it was correct to say I couldn’t get in touch.

Since I was in a situation where I couldn’t go without a weapon, I attempted to contact right away.

“Who are you talking to now?”

“They’ll be here soon.”

Splash!

“Ah! It’s cold! You didn’t say it was the sea!”

The Demon King, who had moved through space, seemed to have miscalculated and fell from mid-air into the water.

The Demon King, who crawled out of the sea, wrung out the water from his wet clothes.

“You need a sword?”

“Yes, just bring one of the swords Aila has.”

“Let’s go somewhere quieter to talk.”

I brought the Demon King to the inn where we were staying.

Jema took the Demon King to her room to give him some clothes to change into.

A short while later, the Demon King returned, appearing as a blend between an adult and a child.

Other than the face and hair color, he had the exact same physique as Jema.

“It’s nice that the body can grow and shrink.”

“It’s just that the clothes fit the body.”

I guided the Demon King and Jema into my room.

“Isn’t it a bit too empty in here, even for a temporary commander?”

After the Demon King took a look around my living space, he sat on the bed and spoke.

“It’s not uncomfortable for living.”

“Well, that’s good. You said to bring the sword Aila uses?”

“Yes.”

“I just put it in the magic training room, and it can’t come out until it reaches a certain level.”

Now I understood why I couldn’t reach out; it had been confined by the Demon King.

Though I didn’t know what level the Demon King considered sufficient, given the time it had been enclosed, it must have been quite a while.

“Alternatively, perhaps the sword that Isabel has….”

“Why don’t you just ask her directly?”

Isabel would likely never willingly part with her sword.

“That training sword was really useful.”

“What?”

“It was convenient to use since I’ve had it since Tolris.”

“No way, that was a training sword?”

It was astonishing to learn that the countless Undead I had slain had been taken down with a training sword that didn’t even have a proper edge.

“You’ve defeated quite a few enemies with that, haven’t you?”

“As long as I can take down the enemy, it doesn’t matter.”

The surprise was beyond astonishment; it bordered on horror.

It was a mystery how one could confront opponents with a dull blade.

“Anyway, I really need a sword right now.”

“How about this one?”

The Demon King reached into the air and pulled out a sword.

A jet-black blade that shimmered like a jewel.

“That’s a pretty sword.”

“Try swinging it once.”

Jema received the sword from the Demon King and lightly swung it in my room.

Swish!

The sound of a sharp blade cutting through the air filled the room.

“Hmm.”

After swinging it a few times, Jema wore a somewhat dissatisfied expression.

“Give it to me. You look like you’re not particularly satisfied with it.”

“Yes, the sword is too light.”

“Isn’t it good for it to be light?”

“If it’s too light, then when you cut, there’s no feel….”

Afterward, the Demon King showed several more swords, but Jema remained completely unsatisfied.

“All these swords are too light? Are they really made by a craftsman?”

“You’ve got a good sense. I made them all myself. I don’t like heavy things.”

All the swords Jema had swung until now were made by the Demon King himself.

Having made them according to his preference without professional knowledge, they likely did not meet Jema’s expectations.

We brainstormed individually, but a good idea didn’t seem to come up.

“There’s no choice. Let’s call that guy.”

“Who?”

“Not here. Let’s go outside.”

I led the Demon King to a small clearing set up behind the inn.

The Demon King took his sword out of thin air and began to draw something on the ground.

A magic circle was completed, and the Demon King lightly snapped his fingers.

From the glowing magic circle, the handle of a sword slowly began to show itself.

As the Demon King placed his hand on the scabbard bound with iron chains, the chains loosened, and the sword was drawn from the scabbard.

“Thank you for calling me. Is it a contract?”

Holding the sword in his hand, the Demon King began to exert strength.

Bang!

The clear sound of metal clashing and a scream echoed simultaneously.

“Gah! Why, why is this happening?! Let’s talk things over!”

As the broken sword returned to its original form, the Demon King broke it again.

After this action repeated three or four times, he silently handed it to Jema.

“Break it.”

“Please! Let’s talk it over!”

Jema grasped the sword given by the Demon King and started to exert strength.

“I’ll do whatever you ask! Just stop breaking….”

Bang!

Ignoring the sword’s protests, Jema slammed the sword onto the ground several times.

“How did you break it?”

“Just hold it and bend it.”

But no matter how hard Jema tried, the sword showed no sign of breaking.

“You cannot break me. You are not a monster like that one.”

“Give me that sword back.”

“No, wait!”

The sword returned to the Demon King’s hand trembled in fear of breaking, visibly shaking.

“Let’s talk, please. Do you know how painful it is when I break?”

“Painful? The sword?”

“It hurts.”

“Then, you’ll listen to whatever I say?”

At the Demon King’s question, the sword shook its entire body vigorously in an affirmative manner.

The Demon King extended the sword toward Jema.

“Talk to it. But don’t think about any contracts.”

“What do you mean…?”

The sword, realizing what the Demon King was thinking, opened its previously closed eyes.

As the eye on the very top of the sword’s hilt opened, a dark red mana began to flow around it.

“My name is Duke. And you are?”

“I am Jema. You’re that sword from before, right?”

The sword summoned by the magic known as the famous sword summoning in Sarita Park.

“That’s correct. I wish to form a contract this time; no, I wish to establish a master-servant relationship.”

“Does that mean I become your master?”

“Indeed.”

Duke replied while glancing at the Demon King.

If he were to refuse or suggest another intention, he would have to brace himself for being broken a dozen times a day.

Duke had barely managed to keep his life thanks to the Demon King’s mana, which had forced him to endure despite being at the brink of extinction.

Even if he wanted to dissipate, it was a situation where he couldn’t do so as long as the Demon King forcibly fed him mana.

“Can you tell me your name, my master?”

“Jema.”

“I, the weapon Duke, will serve Jema as my master!”

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