Iron Forging and Testing

Master Tobu, who had been speaking eloquently just moments before, immediately lowered his head.

"Your Highness, what do you mean by this?"

"Are you suggesting I have a full suit of armor made now because you've concluded that my body will stop growing?" Joffrey shouted, seemingly very angry.

"Or is it that if a garment fits well in the future, I can always ask you to alter it?"

A few large beads of sweat dripped to the ground. Master Tob, somewhat nervously, said, "This...this is something I didn't expect. Please forgive me, Your Highness!"

He glanced up a few times, only to see Joffrey's expression shifting between light and dark, as if he were lost in thought.

It's really nothing.

Joffrey wondered when he would be able to gain three experience points.

[Heavenly Will Value +1]

This is probably the least common type; most people only manage to jump a little bit because of the accumulation of small amounts over time.

So Joffrey was also trying to figure out what would make him fit the new role he was supposed to play.

Master Tob was still bent over, waiting for his answer.

Joffrey stopped trying to scare him and spoke up.

"I'm here to order a sword."

The air in the blacksmith's shop became fresh and airy again after those words.

Master Tob raised his head, and the smile from before returned to his face.

"It would be my greatest honor to forge a sword for Your Highness." He bowed deeply, his tone becoming increasingly respectful.

"Does Your Highness have any specific requirements regarding the sword's shape, weight, and decoration?"

"Those details are naturally handled by the master craftsman. I trust your skills," Joffrey said casually. "Besides, this isn't for my own use; it's a gift."

"Oh~~" Master Tobu said with some disappointment, drawing out his tone.

"Given to the son of a duke."

"……oh!"

"Is the gift Your Highness intended to send to Sir Loras of Highting?"

Joffrey shook his head: "No."

He glanced around the spacious front hall and gave Master Tob a wink.

"Oh, please come in."

After sitting down in the inner room, Joffrey began to gesture.

"It's for a boy, about fourteen years old, so his body type can be based on mine."

"It doesn't need to be too fancy, you know, they don't like that kind of thing over there, and... sigh!"

How would you describe it?

Joffrey looked around, then finally turned to the hunting dog beside him: "Dog, bark a few times!"

Sandor didn't understand and gave him a look that said, "What are you talking about?"

But Master Tob seemed to realize something.

He pressed his fingers together to form a hollow, pointed shape, and then placed it near his mouth.

"Woo-woo?" he imitated twice.

Joffrey immediately gave him a thumbs up.

"Ah!" Master Tob's expression relaxed a bit. "This is indeed a fine gift. The Shi family has always valued practicality."

"How about forging a hand-and-a-half sword out of fine steel? I can make it smaller, but still maintain its toughness and sharpness."

"You can do whatever you want. Just remember to put a wolf's head on the end of the hilt and paint it gray."

Sandor wiped his face as he watched the two people discussing.

What's going on? How can you understand without me saying anything?

These people are so annoying!

After a brief discussion, Joffrey stood up and stretched: "Approximately how long will it take to build?"

"Two months, Your Highness." Master Tob tapped the table in front of him lightly, seemingly sketching out the design of the sword.

"Twenty days, no more than that."

The craftsman's face fell: "This is a bit difficult. Just finding the materials and carving will take..."

"I'll give you thirty golden dragons."

"Oh, Your Highness, what are you saying? Just stay in the palace and wait for news. I'll work overtime and make sure to send over a top-quality sword." Master Tob said with great enthusiasm.

Here in Tobu, a short sword only sells for a little over a hundred silver deer, less than a gold dragon.

As for the fine steel longswords forged for nobles, even those adorned with carvings and gemstones, the average price was around ten gold dragons.

Besides, Joffrey was just someone to fool kids, and his demands weren't that high.

Plus, since it's a smaller version, the cost is even lower, so the price is practically free.

After the deal was struck, Master Tob opened the door to the house with great enthusiasm.

"Remember, don't spread rumors around lately. The King hasn't announced this yet," Joffrey warned him.

Tob nodded vigorously, indicating that he was determined to keep quiet.

"Besides forging swords, do you have any other requests, such as gilding or coloring? I can do all of that..."

Joffrey smiled.

"I do have it."

"Since you're here, let me see where you work."

"My father often praises you as the best craftsman in King's Landing. I'd like to see for myself how steel is made."

Joffrey wouldn't let others take advantage of him for no reason.

This request was both reasonable and driven by the curiosity of a young person.

It's a major client who just placed an order.

Master Tobu thought about it for a moment and did not refuse.

"Your Highness, please follow me. It's noisy and smoky in the back, so please bear with me."

After exiting through the back door, Joffrey and his two companions crossed a long, narrow courtyard and entered a spacious barn.

As soon as the door opened, a wave of heat mixed with the smell of sweat hit their faces.

"Your Highness, there's really nothing to see here. Don't let the smoke upset your health," Tob shouted from the side, trying to suppress the hammering and the blasting of the furnace.

Joffrey merely snorted twice and endured the stench of sulfur as he went inside.

The hounds and Tob had no choice but to follow.

"What's this?" "A furnace." "And what's that?" "A quenching barrel."...

Whenever Joffrey sees something unusual, he asks what it is.

After passing through several forges, he finally found his goal.

"What is this? A bull's head?"

Joffrey picked up a helmet from a bench and played with it in his hands.

Upon seeing this item, Master Tobu's expression changed.

"Your Highness, this is just a stupid thing made by an apprentice, nothing to see."

"It's too hot in here, let's go outside."

Joffrey nodded, but deliberately held the helmet high and turned it around to look at it again.

Then, pinching one of the cow horns, he tapped it twice with his knuckles, making it produce a dull "clang" sound.

A tall, shirtless boy suddenly rushed over.

"That's my helmet!" he yelled.

The hound pressed its hand to the hilt of the sword.

Master Tob quickly stepped in front of the boy, shouting, "Gendley! What are you doing here? Get back home right now!"

The boy brushed a handful of his thick, sweat-soaked black hair and twirled it around.

He stubbornly insisted, "That's my helmet."

Joffrey walked up to him and examined him carefully.

Then he handed over the helmet.

"Did you type this? It looks interesting."

After receiving the helmet, the boy hugged it to his chest and nodded cautiously.

Master Tob, trying to smooth things over, said, "Hurry up and thank him for the compliment; this is His Highness the Prince!"

Then, she pressed down hard on the boy's waist, helped him bow, and quickly kicked him away.

"Sigh, that kid's so stubborn, like a block of iron. I'll give him a good talking to later. Did he offend you, Your Highness?"

"What's there to offend or not offend?" Joffrey acted very magnanimously.

After wandering around casually for a while, he left the blacksmith shop with Tob seeing him off.

As he took the reins from his attendant, Joffrey was filled with thoughts.

This half-brother does indeed look much more like Robert.

Can he stay in King's Landing?

Obviously not.