Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear Vol. 16 by Kumanano

Author:Kumanano
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: light novel
Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
Published: 2023-10-19T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 421:

The Bear Observes Toya’s Test

“SO, BEFORE I check on Toya, Jade, I have a question for you. Have you already made a contract with

anyone? If you haven’t, want to make one with me?”

“A contract?” Jade repeated what Kusehlo had said. The other members of the party seemed at a loss about what that was too.

“What? You don’t know?”

“We came straight here after staying at the hotel overnight.”

“So, you don’t know about the gate of trials then?”

The gate of trials? What was that? Sounded kind of fun.

“The gate of trials? Oh. That thing…” Jade picked up on what he meant pretty quickly. He nodded slightly. “Right, that was a thing in this town.”

“Oh yeah.”

“I’d forgotten all about it.”

Mel and Senia seemed to know what it was now, and they all nodded. But me, Fina, and Luimin were still in the dark.

“What’s the gate of trials?” I asked outright.

They all started to explain. There was some kind of gate in this town, as the name implied. Once a year, the gate would open so blacksmiths could test their skill for a few days. It was a place to check how much the blacksmiths had improved over the year, and also, a way for apprentices to test their mettle as craftsmen.

“So that’s why there are so many adventurers around.”

“Wait, what do the adventurers have to do with it?”

“Well, that’s obvious. The blacksmiths make swords, but they need adventurers to use them.”

According to Kusehlo, you needed both a blacksmith to make a sword and someone who could use it. I guess that made sense, considering blacksmiths didn’t really go around fighting anything or anybody. That was for fighters.

“So, Jade, how about you join in using one of my own swords? Just think of it as taking a sword out for a test drive.”

“Sure. But you could have chosen one of your favorite adventurer customers over me.”

“Yes, I do have an adventurer I normally contract with each year, and that was the plan this year. But I’ve just heard he was injured a few days ago. The rest of the adventurers I know already have contracts with others or aren’t contactable right now.”

So Jade was a last resort.

“Thought about just not participating at first, but I’d prefer to know my skills haven’t dulled. And then you showed up. Perfect timing. I couldn’t let you go without asking.”

Blacksmiths liked to use the same adventurer year after year whenever possible, since the way someone handled a weapon could differ wildly from person to person. They wanted to make sure it was a direct comparison to the previous year. The blacksmiths were using the gate of trials to check on their own skills, and whether they’d improved or declined. Some would even decide whether or not to retire based on the results. Adventurers could show the same fluctuations in their abilities too, of course, but it was no good to try to control for every variable. He also explained that some blacksmiths would seek out elite adventurers to really show off.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.