I Was Called Incompetent ch.15

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We tried to make the weapon has same language as their origin nationality, if it’s too complicated, we might revert back to normal english.
But, what do you think?

Translator: Raizu
Editor: Shirayuki

Episode 15 : Caduceus

[We have arrived, Rhode-sama. It is in that forest.]

[Two hours walk from town…it’s pretty far.]

We took on a collection request, and are now heading to Yahan forest outside of the town.
The request was for us to collect Yahan grass.
As the name implies, it’s a kind of rare grass that could only be found in Yahan forest.
One can use it to stop severe bleeding by simply crushing the grass and applying it to the wound.

[So, this grass grows inside this forest?]

[Yes, it was written in the materials that comes with the request. However, it was said that it is pretty rare.]

[But the reward is pretty high for a collection request. Then, how about we increase our numbers?]

I opened Balmung’s page on the black notebook.

[I’ll have to impose on you again, Balmung.]

The gold inlaid hilt emerged once more from within the page, and I pulled it out.
Then I tried to cast Materialize on…it.

[Ah… I can’t do this.]

[Mu, is there something wrong?]

[Balmung is…a lot heavier than myself]

[Oh…]

I forgot that I could wield Balmung easily despite its weight due to All Weapons Mastery.
How many kilograms is this sword really?

[Levi, can you appraise Balmung with your magic?]

[Yes, I have already done so. Now, I will read what I saw.]

Truly an excellent maid, she is.
How reliable.

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Balmung the Dragon Slaying Sword

A legendary greatsword forged by God, famous for being wielded by the hero Siegfried.

Siegfried was known as an excellent dragon hunter, but most of his feats were attributed to Balmung.
The reason being the special rune engraved on Balmung that allows its blade to cut through the dragon’s scale with ease.
Therefore, it gained the moniker of “Dragon Slaying Sword”.

However, it does have a weakness which is lightning.

Weapon Rank:【ＳＳ】
Ability Rank:【ＳＳ】

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[And it weighs 140 kilograms… Yet Rhode-sama wielded it single-handedly.]

[So it’s THAT heavy…]

Then it’s impossible for now… Sorry, I’ll materialize you when I get a bit stronger.
When I returned Balmung to the notebook, I swore I heard a snorting noise in my head.
…..I’m truly sorry, okay?

[Then let’s do this instead. Assist me, Caduceus.]

From within the notebook, this time a golden staff with two snakes carvings entwined around it emerged.
The crest was decorated with a pair of white wings with a large jewel at the tip.

[I think I’ve heard of this name before…]

[Ah, should I appraise it as well?]

[Yeah, please do.]

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ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

Caduceus the Causality-Reversing Staff

Crafted by a Goddess, it’s a staff that could bring forth miracles.
Formerly wielded by the goddess Hermes due to a misunderstanding, it was left abandoned in the mortal world.

It is said to bring monetary success to its wielder.

It carries the power to reverse cause and effect and although limited, it can also alter the size of matter.

Weapon Rank:【ＳＳ】
Ability Rank:【ＳＳ】

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[It is very lightweight. Only about 5 kilograms.]

[No, more importantly… This Caduceus was abandoned in this world by its former wielder, a goddess no less…?]

[It appears to be so. Why not try to materialize it?]

[Yosh…]

When I casted Materialize magic on it, Caduceus started to float in the air as it glowed with red light.
It gradually formed a human silhouette just like Excalibur, before finally landing back on the ground.

He was as tall as myself and wearing a robe instead of armor.
Caduceus who appeared before me…was a man.
After opening his eyes, just like Excalibur, he exploded with joy.

[Ooh! Gra, grandioso! Dis boddy ! Dis delisious aire…Ah ‘ave always wissed to be able to speek like dis!]

So high tension…!
On the other hand, Levi had already pulled out a hand mirror.
…..where did she get that from!?

Looking back to Caduceus, the guy was ecstatically enjoying the fragrance of the wood and earth.
I think I could understand him to a certain extent…
A-anyways let’s try talking to him.

[Wellー…..]

[Oh! S, ‘Scuse me. Ah was too excaited… Ah am Caduceus. Piacere to meet you at last. Oh, just laike wit Excalibur, pleese refrain from using honorifics on me. Also, can Ah… shall Ah refair to you as Rhode-sama?]

[Th-thank you, Caduceus. Of course I don’t mind.]

[Si! Please count on me. Pardon me, fer Ah am too happy…oh, you must be Levi, piacere to meet you.]

[Nice to meet you too, Caduceus-sama. Here, please use this.]

[Grazie! Ohh, truly as Ah expaicted.]

From the quick talk, it’s easy to see that he’s still excited.
I guess I would be just as happy if I were in his shoes.

Caduceus’ eyes and hair were similarly golden colored, while his robe was red with golden embroidery.
The staff Caduceus was held in his hand.
He seems like a kind and good looking young man with his refreshing smile.
Unlike Excalibur, he spoke in an easier to understand style of speech.

[Then let’s head deeper into the forest. I want you to help us gather Yahan grass.]

[Come vuoi. But before dat, Ah ‘ave one advise for Rhode-sama. Saying dat a woman is 【‘eavy】 is, ‘ow do you say it, rude. Please apolojaise to Balmung next taime… De poor girl cried.]

Eee! So Balmung was a woman!?
I, I have said something bad to her…

[I-I’ll apologize now!]

[Ah, no no no! Save it for when Rhode-sama can Materialize ‘er. Per favore, leave ‘er be for now…]

[I, I see… I’m sorry, Balmung… I’ll certainly apologize to you properly when I can Materialize you…]

[Hoho, truly a, ‘ow do you say it, a gentileman you are. And someone who is actually in need of my power. Compair to my creator… haa…]

I guess he’s been through a lot…
I had a feeling that it’s a long story.

[Th-thank you for the compliment. Then, let’s go.]

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None here.
Couldn’t find it at all.
I started to doubt that the grass really exists.
It’s been three hours… The sun will set shortly.
Night will come soon. At this rate, it’ll be harder to look.

[Moreover, it is strange…]

Levi muttered as she scraped through the wild grasses.

[Yeah, there’s no way we can fulfill the quota.]

[No, we will not. But even stranger, we have not encountered any monsters at all.]

[Now that you mention it…]

My hometown, Isto, was situated in one of the five major countries, Nibelugh.
Nibelugh is on the eastern part of Valhalla continent, making it in close proximity to Inhelm, the land of demons in the south east.
Therefore, there were a few dragons, but a lot of demonic monsters in Nibelugh.
Isto is fortunately located in the northern part of Nibelugh so the chance of monsters appearing here is actually pretty low.

Even so, people here are no stranger to encountering monsters in a forest like this.
In the first place, the request was posted due to the likeliness of monsters to appear.
The clients tend to be either non-combatants or old people after all.

[Fufu, ‘ow strange it is. Dis should ‘ave been eesy for my mastair.]

[Is that so? Uーn, I should try to finish up before night time arrives.]

[……Rhode-sama. I think Caduceus-sama is referring to that.]

After hearing Levi said that, I turned my sight to where she’s pointing at…oh.
It was still some distance away, but a huge monster is lumbering its way toward us.

[Ah, mystery solved. That’s a Green Giant Crab. The male has this penchant to decorate its shell with grasses when it wants to court the female. They are also pretty aggressive during the mating season. That’s probably why there’s no other monsters nearby. As for why we haven’t found any Yahan grass…]

[They like it because the grass is beautiful. I saw an illustration of it in the material.]

Yahan grass partially changes color several times during its lifetime. By the time it reaches its optimal efficacy, the grass would be rainbow colored.
The colors are certainly beautiful enough for courtship.

[Caduceus, can you…]

[Oh, Ah cannot faite, for Ah am more of a thinker type.]

Is that so?
Apparently the legendary arms also have their own pros and cons.

[Understood. Then I need you to stay back for now.]

[Come vuoi, Rhode-sama! Please invoke me again next taime.]

[Yeah, I’ll be imposing on you again later.]

[Si! Until latair…]

Caduceus reverted back into his staff form, and I returned him to the notebook.
Then, next… Maybe I should try to use this one.

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Caduceus’s Lore (taken from Wikipedia and ext.source):

The caduceus is the staff carried by Hermes in Greek mythology and consequently by Hermes Trismegistus in Greco-Egyptian mythology. The same staff was also borne by heralds in general, for example by Iris, the messenger of Hera. It is a short staff entwined by two serpents, sometimes surmounted by wings. In Roman iconography, it was often depicted being carried in the left hand of Mercury, the messenger of the gods, guide of the dead, and protector of merchants, shepherds, gamblers, liars, and thieves.

Some accounts suggest that the oldest known imagery of the caduceus has its roots in a Mesopotamian origin with the Sumerian god Ningishzida; whose symbol, a staff with two snakes intertwined around it, dates back to 4000 BC to 3000 BC.

As a symbolic object, it represents Hermes (or the Roman Mercury), and by extension trades, occupations, or undertakings associated with the God. In later Antiquity, the caduceus provided the basis for the astrological symbol representing the planet Mercury. Thus, through its use in astrology, alchemy, and astronomy it has come to denote the planet and elemental metal of the same name. It is said the wand would wake the sleeping and send the awake to sleep. If applied to the dying, their death was gentle; if applied to the dead, they returned to life.