Chapter 17

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 17

Chapter Title: Boastful Blacksmith's Expedition (2)

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Things seem to be blowing up bigger than I expected. What now...

"Kuh... Puhahahahaha!!"

This is getting way too fun. What do I do?

Ding-dong—

"Ah..."

Who is it? Right in the middle of the best timing.

A flash of annoyance hit me, but then I remembered Kim Hyeji was supposed to come over, so I got up from the bed and headed to the door.

Click—

"You're here?"

"Yeah... Sorry I'm so late..."

"You're killing my buzz..."

"Huh???"

"Nothing. Come in."

I hadn't even realized how late it was.

Checking the time, it was 11:15.

I'd been so deep in the gallery that time flew by without me noticing. For real.

"Ah, just come sit here."

"Yeah..."

In this brand-new place—a tiny studio—there was no way I'd have fancy chairs or a sofa.

Still, the bed would be comfier, so I sat in the desk chair while she took the bed.

"Lean back against the wall, make yourself comfy."

"Yeah, thanks."

"You were at a gate until this hour?"

"Yeah, gate run, then shower, straight here."

"Gotcha~"

...

After that short exchange, the conversation just... died.

"Um..."

"Uh..."

"Ah, you first..."

"Yeah, sure. You had something bothering you?"

"Yeah..."

"It's pretty late, so maybe spill it quick?"

"Ah... Yeah..."

If it was some huge, massive issue too big to talk about, she wouldn't have come to me, someone she just met.

Plus, I had a pretty good guess what it was about anyway.

"It's just..."

And so Kim Hyeji slowly, very thoroughly laid out her situation and worries.

Just as I'd guessed: our gallery chat, and issues with her abilities.

"So, your ability is something super special that you absolutely can't let get out."

"Yeah, yeah."

"And that Boastful Blacksmith guy said he'd only give you the gear if you told him what it is?"

"Yeah! That's it."

That Boastful Blacksmith is me...

But I'd never said I'd give her gear just for spilling her ability.

How did "I'll consider it if your story really tugs at my heartstrings" turn into "I'll definitely give it to you"?

"How amazing is this ability that you can't even reveal it?"

"Insanely... I can never tell anyone..."

"Your nickname's Solo Level Up, right?"

"Yeah, that's me."

"I saw somewhere you said you're a D-rank Thief?"

"Ah... Yeah..."

It'd be kinda rude to say right to her face that D-rank Thief classes don't have anything that special.

And no matter how lame or dumb Kim Hyeji seemed, she wouldn't call something like "throwing daggers" some game-changing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ability she couldn't reveal.

"Hmm..."

In the end, Kim Hyeji wasn't willing to reveal her ability to me either.

Which meant I had zero advice to give.

'Kinda curious though...'

Separate from solving her problem, I was dying to know just how busted this ability was that she hid it so tight.

'Solo Level Up...'

Her nickname...

In Hunter Gallery, people often guess abilities from nicknames.

Me included—Boastful Blacksmith and all.

'No way...'

"By any chance... can you level up your rank? Like your nickname?"

"..."

Yeah, probably not.

No such thing existed so far, and even if it did, she wouldn't tell me.

"Gulp!"

"...Water. I'll grab some."

"Gulp! Yeah..."

Scratch that—she would tell me.

Beyond telling or not, there was no way lame ol' Kim Hyeji could hide it without getting caught.

"Haaah..."

She chugged the water, then started glancing at me nervously.

It felt like everything was already out, but she was still agonizing over whether to spill it all.

"It's out anyway, so why not just be straight?"

"Yeah... That'd make me feel better too."

"Good. It's not like I'd go blabbing, and no one would believe me anyway. Let it all out."

Once she decided to come clean, it all poured out of Kim Hyeji like a flood.

After enduring ten minutes of her rambling info-dump, I sorted it and asked back.

"So... if there's S-rank gear, you could hit S-rank?"

"Yeah... But there's only two S-rank items in the whole world, so... probably impossible in my lifetime?"

"Fair..."

S-rank crafting was still locked for me too, so yeah, instant S-rank was a no-go.

Still, what an absurd ability.

A Thief who could steal gear ranks.

And she'd awakened right when the world's first Blacksmith did? Lucky break.

Once I started mass-producing, C-rank weapons would go mainstream soon enough.

And that Blacksmith just happened to live next door...

Wonder if Kim Hyeji had some hidden Luck stat.

Anyway, now I knew her ability and how badly she needed gear.

Problem was, the one she confided in wasn't Boastful Blacksmith, but her ordinary neighbor Shin Yujun.

I couldn't fully trust her yet, so no revealing I was the Blacksmith.

For all I knew, she'd shown her nice, pathetic side so far, but the second she knew, she might lock me up and force me to craft.

Sure, I planned to hole up crafting anyway, but doing it willingly versus being forced? Big difference.

"How about being honest with that Boastful Blacksmith guy?"

"Then... he'd know how desperately I need gear..."

"Exactly."

She got it.

That's how you'd melt the Blacksmith's heart.

"He'd jack up the price on me. To him, it's worth more than just gear."

"Ah..."

'Shit, she's right?'

I knew her IRL, felt bad for her as a fellow orphan, so I figured C-rank was fine to just give—but if not, squeezing her dry made sense.

'Why'd she suddenly get smart?'

Why at this moment did she have to wise up...

If she'd just blabbed lamely like usual, I'd have hooked her up. Now it's tricky.

"No way around it."

I couldn't think of a solution without revealing I was Boastful Blacksmith.

"Right...?"

"Reveal your ability, you get scammed. Hell, revealing it at all is a loss."

"Yeah... I know there's no fix, but I was hoping..."

So she hadn't really expected me to solve it.

Logical, but kinda pissed me off.

"Still, glad I have someone to be honest with now..."

"Happy to help."

"Yeah. You'll keep it secret, right, Yujun?"

"Of course."

Shocking she'd share such a huge secret, but what could I do? Keep it.

The only person I'd even consider telling was Yena.

But I wouldn't see her for a month.

No clue why she told me, but Kim Hyeji succeeded in making a secret-keeping friend, at least.

With topics exhausted, awkward silence returned.

"W-well, I should head out!..."

"Yeah, it's late."

She got up from the bed, slipped on her shoes at the door, and turned back.

"Can I come talk again sometime...?"

"Obviously. Just text first."

"...Got it. I will!"

She fished out her phone from her pocket, checked it, then opened the door and left.

"Night!"

I poked my head out to confirm she got into the next-door place safely. Right before going in, she waved wildly.

Back to solo time.

Phone said past midnight.

Only three hours left till next gear craft.

'Nap a bit?'

Blacksmithing: tough job hammering ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and quenching away in harsh conditions.

Wake every five hours, but needs regular rhythm and solid sleep.

Don't think "only three hours"—that's time for three gear crafts in theory. Be grateful and crash.

——

Ring ring ring—

Ring ring ring—

"Ugh..."

Unfamiliar ceiling... or not, too dark to see anything.

Felt like I just closed my eyes, but three hours gone already.

Wanna sleep more, but losing a gear ticket? No way.

Target still B-rank.

Top priority: Light, Fire, Wind Staff.

Actually, sorry Yena, but Light/Fire would be even better.

With B-rank crafting public now...

Holy Piss would tremble, Fire Stick beg from Boastful Blacksmith.

"Let's go!!!!!"

"Oh, still some time left."

Forgot I had to wait about ten minutes past the hour.

Gallery time till then.

"Did that Reincarnation of Hephaestus asshole post an apology yet?"