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“According to the legends, dwarves are supposed to be skilled blacksmiths… Surely Mappa means…”

“It’s not about appearances…I think that’s what he’s saying.”

Even if they couldn’t return to their original forms, they were still dwarves.

He was telling them that they could still be blacksmiths.

The gray slimes stood frozen in front of the hammers.

…They would surely need more time to be convinced.

All the while, Mappa and his monster apprentices were making armor and weapons.

Mappa made a golden axe with unfamiliar runes on it. Then he stood up and raised it towards the sky.

And then, lightning fell…

While it was just for a split-second, Mappa had been struck by lightning.

It had flashed so quickly that not only could I not protect him with magic, I couldn’t even cry out.

“Mappa…hey, Mappa!”

The sound of thunder boomed a moment later as I shouted.

Mappa still had his right arm raised. He was like a statue.

His usually messy hair was now standing on its ends. And it was golden.

The area around his body was glowing, as if he himself was lightning.

He must surely be dead…that’s what we all thought.

However, the gray slimes were now moving towards Mappa.

And Mappa’s glowing eyes were directed towards them.

Then the slimes bent their bodies at Mappa, as if in reverence.

“Ma-Mappa?”

As I wondered what was happening, Shiel began to question the gray slimes.

After a moment, Shiel picked up a piece of limestone and began to write on the ground.

“There is no doubt about it. It is the axe that only those of the royal family can make… The axe of the High King who can store thunder… They are very surprised.”

Rienna read it out loud.

“So then, Mappa really is…”

We were right. He was special even among dwarves.

The gray slime that had been wielding a pickaxe was now jumping up wildly.

He then took one of the hammers and headed to the smithy.

The other gray slimes saw this, and they too began to pick up the hammers and head to the smithy.

Immediately, they began to help the other monsters.

And in spite of no instructions being given, they were quick and efficient.

It was hard to believe they had been so sluggish a moment ago.

“It looks like they will help us…”

I said, and Rienna nodded.

“Yes. Still, Mister Mappa…he really was important then… Oh…”

Mappa had suddenly collapsed.

I was able to heal him with magic, but Mappa later explained to us that he didn’t have enough materials to make the axe. And this meant that he had trouble controlling the thunder.

In any case, we now had new friends on the island.

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