My Childhood Friend Told Me to Go Marry the Most Beautiful Woman in the Kingdom, So I Seriously Started Improving Myself—and Somehow Ended Up Making Women Fall Hard - Chapter 75 & 76

Chapter 75: New Equipment

My stunned brain managed to form exactly one sentence.

“Captain Brigitte… are you an idiot?”

“Wha—!? What did you just say!?”

“I appreciate you telling me the truth and trusting me as an ally. …But I don’t like the idea of deciding your daughter’s marriage without even asking how she feels.”

“…Mu!”

Her eyebrows twitched. She was definitely angry.

But my anger had come first.

I couldn’t stand the idea of ignoring someone’s feelings.

“This isn’t about Fururu being bad or anything like that. I just don’t like the idea of giving her away without asking what she wants.”

“…Muu…”

Captain Brigitte let out a low growl.

“And more than anything, I don’t want to be chosen. I want to choose the woman I stand beside.”

The moment I said it out loud, I felt my face heat up.

Why was I talking about my views on marriage right after signing an underwear contract?

Captain Brigitte crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes.

“…So if Fururu herself was interested, you’d consider it?”

“Don’t twist it like that! That’s not what I’m angry about!”

“Muu… what a troublesome man…”

The troublesome one was clearly her.

But then, just as suddenly, Captain Brigitte snorted and returned to her usual expression.

“Very well. I understand. What you’re saying is correct. Fururu will decide for herself.”

“…You understand that?”

“I’m a master craftsman, you know. I can at least smell what’s right.”

She laughed loudly and smacked my shoulder. 

It hurt. She was seriously strong.

“Anyway, enough about marriage. Let’s return to weapons.”

“Weapons…?”

The moment she said that, something inside me shifted.

Right. She had mentioned something about debt earlier.

Captain Brigitte jerked her chin toward the back.

“Come along, Hort. I’ll show you your real reward.”

Deeper into the forge. Past the tool shelves. To a place I normally wouldn’t enter.

There stood a weapon rack covered with cloth.

She pulled the cloth away in one sharp motion.

There, resting in its sheath, was a massive greatsword.

“…A buster sword?”

I lost my words.

No, of course I did. My sword had been a longsword—one that could be handled with one hand. The blade my sister gave me.

A sword filled with her feelings.

“My sword… was supposed to be a longsword.”

“Yes. It was.”

Captain Brigitte wasn’t joking anymore. Her eyes held the seriousness of a true craftsman.

“Your longsword. Its core was made of mithril.”

“Mithril?”

A rare metal known for its high affinity with magic.

I had heard of it.

But I had almost never seen the real thing.

“But the surface was covered in iron. Probably to hide it. So it wouldn’t draw danger to you. The one who gave it poured their feelings into it.”

“…Sis… went that far…”

Something warm slowly spread through my chest.

It wasn’t just a gift.

My sister—and my brother-in-law—had prepared the best possible weapon to help me survive.

But Captain Brigitte continued.

“However, the iron exterior had reached its limit. The edge couldn’t hold. The balance had dulled. In short, it no longer matched your swordsmanship.”

When she said it, I realized she was right.

The blade had been chipping more often during clashes.

My swings had felt just slightly slower.

It wasn’t that I had grown weaker.

The sword had reached its limit.

Captain Brigitte tapped the sheath lightly.

“So. I reforged it. I reshaped the mithril core and rebuilt the blade. I also carved new channels for your magic to flow through.”

“…That’s why it’s a greatsword?”

“Yes. A longsword couldn’t endure it anymore. And with the mithril’s expanded capacity, a thin blade wouldn’t be able to contain it. I added reinforcing ore to stabilize the magic flow. That’s why it became a buster sword.”

I swallowed and placed my hand on the hilt.

“Draw it. You’ll understand once you see.”

“…Alright.”

The blade slid free with a clear metallic sound that rang sharply through the heat of the forge.

The exposed blade shimmered with a pale blue light.

Beautiful.

Cold—yet somehow warm.

It felt as if my sister’s feelings were still within it.

“…It’s incredibly beautiful.”

“Of course it is. I made it.”

Captain Brigitte puffed out her chest, then casually dropped the next line.

“That sword is a magic sword.”

“A magic sword…?”

When I looked up, she gave me a crooked grin.

That face. That was her dangerous face.

“It can absorb magic.”

“…Absorb magic?”

“Yes. The moment you block an opponent’s spell, the blade swallows part of it. Not all of it—but it can absorb a portion.”

A chill ran down my spine.

Not just defending.

Stealing.

That would completely change how I fought.

“And then there’s the sheath.”

“The sheath?”

“If you store the blade while it’s holding absorbed magic, the sheath amplifies that magic.”

Captain Brigitte raised one finger.

“Beginner-level magic becomes intermediate.”

Another finger.

“Intermediate becomes advanced.”

A third.

“Advanced becomes top-tier.”

I stared silently between the sword and its sheath.

It sounded like a joke.

But the look in her eyes said it wasn’t.

“…How is that even possible?”

“Mithril. It stores magic, channels it, reshapes it. I carved amplification formulas into the inside of the sheath.”

“Formulas…”

I swallowed.

“Then… could it amplify endlessly?”

“Idiot. No such ore exists.”

She shot that down immediately and began counting on her fingers as she explained.

“Amplification requires time. Turning beginner-level into intermediate is quick. Intermediate to advanced takes several hours. Advanced to top-tier takes several days.”

“…So it strengthens over time.”

“Exactly. If you could fire off top-tier spells instantly, there’d be no need for mages.”

It sounded like a cheat item—but there were limits. That made sense.

“And there’s one more thing.”

“…There’s more?”

“Yes. The sheath can store up to five spells. If you try to add a sixth, one disappears.”

“Disappears…”

I tightened my grip on the sword.

It was light. Even though it looked like a massive greatsword, the weight settled naturally in my hands. The balance matched my swing perfectly.

“…My sister’s sword… became this…”

“The feelings of the one who gave it remain in the core. I only reforged it so those feelings wouldn’t break.”

Captain Brigitte’s voice was unusually calm.

I looked at the pale blue blade.

In its glow, I felt like I could see my sister’s smile.

She had always taught me so many things. Her kindness. Her wishes.

All of that had become this sword.

Slowly, I slid the blade back into the sheath.

Click.

The sound echoed softly.

At that moment, I could feel magic resting quietly inside the sheath.

“…With this, can I become stronger?”

“Whether you become stronger depends on you. But I’ve prepared the tools. So? If you join me, you’ll get weapons and armor anytime you like!”

I was grateful that Captain Brigitte respected the feelings behind my weapon.

But I still hadn’t decided which path I would take.

Seeing my hesitation, she puffed out her chest and returned to her usual loud self.

“Alright, Hort! Next, test it in real combat! And when you come back, bring me ideas for a new bra design!”

“Don’t drag it back to that!!”

I couldn’t help shouting.

Captain Brigitte burst out laughing, clutching her stomach.

…Even so, I had to admit.

She was incredible.

This sword was real.

I adjusted my grip, holding both blade and sheath firmly, and took a deep breath.

“Captain Brigitte. I’ll test it during the investigation of Vice-Commander Daitaros.”

“Good. Take that weapon and go meet Falcon. She should be able to tell you more about Daitaros.”

“Thank you!”

I bowed deeply to her—and left the forge.

Chapter 76: The One Who Solved My Worries

Side: Fururu

On the other side of the door… Big Brother Hort was talking with Mom.

I pressed my back against the wall and held my breath.

“…I don’t like the idea of deciding your daughter’s marriage without asking how she feels.”

His voice was steady. His words pierced straight into my chest.

…Mom said she would give me to him as a bride. I was surprised. But I knew she said it because she was thinking about me.

Ever since I was little, my chest had been big. Even though I’m short, that part of me stood out the most.

Boys my age teased me. When I started helping at work, the male craftsmen’s eyes lingered on me. Customers stared. Even men passing by stared.

I hated it. It made me afraid of men.

“Hey, Fururu. Your chest is working harder than you are.”

“If you’re going to train something, train that chest of yours instead of your hammer.”

The older dwarf men always teased me like that. Every time I swung the hammer, it hurt. And somehow, it was treated like it was my fault.

Even so, I loved blacksmithing.

Watching Mom stand before the furnace, swinging her hammer—it was so cool. The way red-hot iron changed shape in her hands felt like magic. I wanted to become like her.

But my body wouldn’t cooperate. Every time I moved, my chest pulled and hurt. And if I showed even the slightest expression of pain, they said I lacked toughness.

It got in the way. Just having a chest made my work slower.

In the forge, there were so many times I almost cried. I bit my lips hard, hiding the pain in my chest while I kept swinging the hammer.

Seeing that, Mom made a chest guard for me.

It was hard—like armor. When I wore it, the pain lessened.

I could work properly again.

But my heart didn’t feel any lighter.

It felt like I was hiding my chest, pressing it down with iron, as if someone was telling me, “Just endure it.” On the days I wore that chest guard, I always felt gloomy.

I could work.

But I was still a girl.

It felt like I was being punished just for having a chest.

Then one day, Mom suddenly declared—

“Let’s turn the chest guard into a bra!”

For a moment, I just blinked in confusion.

…Here we go again.

Mom sometimes came up with strange ideas.

Like putting a flower vase in the forge.

Or singing in front of the furnace.

But this time, it was about my chest.

So I couldn’t laugh.

Maybe Mom wanted to laugh away my sadness.

But I didn’t want my chest to be laughed at.

At first, I wanted her to stop.

…But Mom was serious.

And so was Azet—my friend the same age as me, a smallfolk merchant.

Her eyes were always sparkling. The moment she found something she liked, she chased after it without hesitation.

The instant she saw the finished bra, Azet shouted.

“This will sell!!”

Mom laughed too.

“Fufufu! We’re going to save Fururu’s chest!”

…Save my chest.

Those words stayed in my mind.

And the finished bra was cute.

Soft fabric.

It didn’t hurt when I wore it.

It didn’t rub.

My chest was properly supported, but it wasn’t tight like the old chest guard.

Most of all, when I stood in front of the mirror, I didn’t look strange.

I was there—with my chest—and I didn’t look wrong.

Whoever made this had truly thought about women. He was kind.

“Fururu, you look cute!”

“Yes. With that bra, you’re very cute.”

The supportive bra Big Brother Hort made felt so gentle.

And when I wore it, both of them praised me.

When Mom told him she would give me as his bride, my chest tightened.

I didn’t think I hated the idea.

From beyond the door, Big Brother got angry at Mom.

He said it wasn’t right to ignore my feelings.

He said she should ask me first.

…No one had ever said something like that for me before.

The older dwarf men had always been careless. I had never been treated that way.

My chest felt hot.

Not painful—just warm.

After Big Brother left, I tried to calm myself down.

Then the door opened, and Mom peeked her head out.

“Oii, Fururu. Come here.”

I jumped a little.

“Y-Yes…”

When I stepped into the back of the forge, she and Azet were both grinning.

Mom crossed her arms and asked,

“So? What do you think of Hort?”

“…Big Brother is a wonderful person.”

I said it.

And the moment I did, I felt my face burn with embarrassment.

Azet nodded like, “See? See?”

Mom smiled in satisfaction.

“Fufufu, of course he is! Hort is a genius!”

Then Mom suddenly grew serious.

“Fururu. How about you try clothing work instead of blacksmithing from now on?”

“Clothing…?”

I tilted my head.

Fabric.

Needles.

Thread.

A world completely different from the forge.

But Mom said it confidently.

“Yes. It’s still craftsmanship. You’ll make women’s undergarments and work with women.”

“…Is that okay?”

I loved blacksmithing. I admired Mom.

But because of my chest, every day had been painful and heavy. I had often thought, Maybe I’m not suited for this.

But when I saw the bra Big Brother made, I wanted to try making something like that too.

“It’s fine. Choose the kind of work that lets you smile.”

From the side, Azet raised her hand energetically.

“I’ll help too! Leave the selling to me!”

…Both of them were thinking about me.

Just that made my chest feel warm again.

Mom gave me a sly smile.

“For that, you must seduce Hort!”

“Eh?”

My heart jumped.

Even Azet joined in.

“Mr. Hort is amazing! You can’t come up with ideas like that unless you understand a woman’s body!”

“Is… is that a compliment?”

“It is! It means Mr. Hort understands women! He must be very experienced!”

Mom clenched her fist.

“Alright! Fururu, aim for Hort!”

“W-Wait…!”

I waved both hands wildly.

That’s impossible.

All my life, people laughed at me because of my chest.

It made my work harder.

It caused me pain.

It brought me more bad experiences than good.

And yet… when I imagined Big Brother as my husband, I felt happy.

“…I-I’ll try.”

“Fufufu! In that case, I’ll help too! With this nice body of mine, men are easy to defeat!”

“No, no! That’s not the plan! Fururu and I, the cute little sister duo, will handle it!”

The two of them started getting excited in a strange direction.

…But seeing Mom and Azet laughing like that made me happy.

The days that had been dark because of my chest—

They felt like they were slowly growing brighter.

Ever since Big Brother Hort came, everyone seemed more cheerful.

“Excuse me.”

At that moment, a beautiful woman in a maid outfit stepped inside.

“W-What!? Who are you!?”

“You are Captain Brigitte Bram of the Third Knight Order’s Ninth Unit, correct? I am a maid serving a certain household. My name is Gina. I have come today to speak about the bra developed by Sir Hort Rubel.”

The beautiful woman immediately noticed the contract on the desk.

She was intimidating. That was my first impression.

But then—

“It is a wonderful contract. In fact, my master wishes to invest in the production of these bras.”

“You! How do you know about the bras!?”

In response to Mom’s sharp question, the woman calmly revealed the black lace bra she was wearing beneath her maid uniform.

“Ah!”

“You! That’s from Hort, isn’t it!? So you’re the woman mentioned in the report!”

The woman nodded, and Mom quickly accepted it.

“I believe everyone here is on Sir Hort’s side, so I would like to speak openly. In truth, I wish to offer my support to raise Sir Hort’s reputation.”

“Reputation?”

“Yes. I want to guide Sir Hort toward becoming a Crown Knight. That is my wish.”

Her beautiful eyes were serious.

I could clearly see that she truly cared about Big Brother Hort.

…There was no way I could compete with someone like her.

“Please don’t misunderstand.”

“Eh?”

“If you care about Sir Hort, I will support those feelings as well.”

“What exactly are you implying?”

“As for that… Sir Hort’s rise in status will absolutely require a blacksmith.”

After that, the maid spoke at length about Big Brother Hort.

We were surprised.

And then… we understood.

“Kukuku… he really is interesting to the very end, that Hort.”

“Have I convinced you?”

“Aye. But if that’s the case, then we absolutely cannot let go of our connection to Hort. Fururu, it depends on your feelings.”

“I-I’ll do my best!”

Big Brother was an amazing person.

But now, I had a reason to want to stand by his side too.

“I-I’ll prepare Big Brother Hort’s equipment and protect him!”

“Good. Then Fururu shall be Hort’s personal blacksmith.”

“Yes!”

Big Brother was going to rise higher.

And when that happened, I wanted my skills to support him.