Chapter 49
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Honorable Hyeji (2)
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"Th-this can't be happening..."
Right now, he'd invested one of the only six A-grade pieces of equipment they had into Hyeji.
Thanks to that, the guild would gain an A-grade awakener, so he didn't feel too bad about it.
Sure, she was a total washout who'd devoured a B-grade item in just a week, then chucked the wreckage and bolted, but wouldn't things be different once she hit A-grade?
He couldn't drag her around as a lifelong C-grader just because he worried about her smashing gear.
It was an unavoidable investment.
Anyway, all she had to do was become A-grade—just use his ability once. Super simple.
Even that easy task wasn't going his way...
"S-sorry... J-just one more B-grade and it'll work, p-probably..."
"None left."
"Ah... R-right... N-no way you'd have a B-grade for a dumb idiot like me..."
"Haa..."
To turn Hyeji into the planned A-grade awakener, they needed a B-grade item as the bridge.
'How did I not realize this sooner?'
He recalled the process of Kim Hyeji's rank-ups so far.
"Yeah, she's definitely climbed one rank at a time up to now."
"Ughhh... Y-yeah..."
Upon awakening, she'd started at the bottom with E-grade.
Then, right after leaving the orphanage, she'd used her subsidy to buy D-grade gear. For C-grade, he'd gifted her a dagger.
He'd even supported her with B-grade, but she'd hurled the remains at that orc.
"She's gotten lucky and climbed one step at a time so far."
No one had even told her to, but she'd managed it on her own somehow.
He did feel a twinge of regret—maybe he should've given her an A-grade sooner—but if he had, the ten-in-a-row synthesis would've been delayed. That tiny shift might've cost him the Eye of the Storm, so his call wasn't wrong.
"Yujun, just give her one B-grade..."
"Y-yeah, Yena..."
As he pondered what to do, Yena suggested handing over a B-grade item, and Hyeji got all emotional about it.
"She'll smash the C-grade next and drop back to D..."
"Hoo... Fine."
He had to give her a B-grade.
After all, he'd brought in this no-pay slave—er, honorary guild member. If she didn't pull her weight, he'd be in trouble.
"R-really...? You're really giving me another B-grade...?"
"Yeah. But I have to make it first. Nothing left."
"Ah... Th-that'll take forever, right...?"
The problem was he'd sold every last B-grade.
He considered grabbing something random from auction, but making it himself from now on seemed better.
"Hang on a sec."
He headed straight to the room with the computer, paused the macro, and returned to the living room.
"Haa..."
Better this way, actually.
He had to craft a B-grade soon anyway for the distribution event.
He reverently unfolded his Galaxy Z Flip and launched the forge.
[B-Grade Armaments - 12%]
'It's been a while.'
After battling 6% odds on daily A-grade crafts and 5% on A-grade synths, seeing a solid 12% success rate made it feel like a breeze.
Lucky, huh.
Tickets would fill up in just 15 minutes, so maybe he'd crank out two at once.
"Hoo... Hyeji. Just to be sure—you know B-grades are super expensive and rare too, right?"
"Yeah..."
"Especially the ones I make. You know how much they go for at auction?"
"...F-five hundred billion..."
Hyeji, who'd been hyped about scoring another B-grade, deflated again and answered his questions meekly.
Of course, 500 billion was for the pricier ones—most averaged 300 to 400.
Since she figured 500, she'd feel the debt heavy.
"You already owe honor equal to two B-grades and one A-grade."
"...I'll work hard."
"Not 'hard'—do it well. Well."
"Yeah... I'll do well..."
"Answer with more confidence. You're an A-grade awakener now."
"...Yeah! I'll do really well!!!"
Ten lashes, one carrot.
Perfect ratio for Hyeji.
"Good, good. Now, let's start the ritual."
[Equipment Summon]
He immediately pulled all five remaining A-grade items from his inventory.
Then he set the forge-linked phone on the central living room table and knelt on the sofa.
"Wh-what are you doing...?"
"Everyone kneel like me and pray piously."
"Ah~ hehe..."
Yena grinned like she got it and took position.
Woooong—
"Oh, nice one, Yena. Perfect."
Yena's wind magic lifted the A-grade gear into the air, where it began spinning in a circle.
She'd heard how he crafted beforehand, so she jumped right in.
The vibe screamed skyrocketing craft success rates.
Meanwhile, Hyeji—who knew zilch about his crafting method—stared blankly at the whirling equipment.
"Hyeji, fix your posture."
"Y-yeah..."
"Hands together."
Clap!
"Prayer time."
Not sure what was happening, but Hyeji followed orders perfectly anyway.
'Damn, she actually listens well.'
A-grade gear swirled around the phone on the table.
Not just pure, harmless devotion to crafting—but the synergy of three orphans too.
"Ahh... Hephaestus, Vulcan, Soy Sauce, Dark Night... Look upon us with mercy..."
"P-pleaseee... Hear Yujun's prayer..."
The symphony was complete.
They were as devout and desperate as two B-grade items!
"Yena, wind this way...!"
Whiiiiiing—
"The southeast wind blows!!!"
[Equipment crafting has failed!]
[Equipment crafting has failed!]
[Equipment crafting has failed!]
[Equipment crafting has failed!]
"From the last two...!!!"
[Equipment crafting has failed!]
[Equipment crafting has failed!]
"Ahh..."
"Yujun...?"
Buff the damn craft rates already...
"Hoo... It's fine. We'll try again in five hours. Yena, that wind magic was perfect."
"Hehe~ So this is how you always have fun~?"
"Don't write off my desperate efforts as play."
These prayers and desperation piled up to make success.
Just wait five hours.
He'd craft two B-grades, nice and clean.
"Yujun, does this always fail...?"
"Ah, right. Let me explain now."
It'd be confusing for someone clueless.
He wasn't planning to hide his ability forever from an honorary guild member like Hyeji—not like with regular recruits.
He'd explain before the next craft attempt...
"...I think I left the bathroom light on at home..."
"Huh? It'll work this time—stick around till the end."
"I-I'm atheist. It's fine..."
"Huh? Oh..."
He wondered what was up, but her bolting mid-prayer must've screamed cult to her.
"Hyeji, even after gates, hospital bills always pile up higher. And now you smashed a B-grade too?"
"S-sudden?"
"Yep. No—answer first."
"Yeah..."
"That's your ancestors pissed off. Appease them first, and your life's smooth sailing."
"I-I don't even know my parents...?"
"Hey, you've already scarfed a B-grade and A-grade. Now trying to bail?"
"Ughhh... L-let me gooo..."
Ah, this was Hyeji's charm.
After the brief cult skit, he explained his ability properly.
"So just wait five hours and hit a button... and gear pops out...?"
"Yeah. Probability-based, not guaranteed."
"Eeeek...! Liar! No way! You're tricking me again, right?!"
His power was hard to buy right away, as expected.
Showing even one success would've helped.
"Remember last time you asked how I joined a guild if I'm always cooped up at home?"
"Y-yeah..."
"You were right—I stay home. So how'd I become the real Boastful Blacksmith and craft all that gear?"
"...It's actually true...?"
"What's my motive to lie to you?"
"...You've lied tons."
"Easiest to see for yourself. Come take a look."
She'd seen the linked screens, but he needed to prove it worked for real.
[Inventory]
He went into Inventory, pulling A-grade gear in and out repeatedly.
"R-real..."
"Why lie about this? Five hours from now, it'll succeed for real. Absorb it and awaken to A-grade."
"Yeah... Tickets just generate waiting?"
"Yep. One per hour. Collect all five for an extra shot, so five-hour wait."
Hyeji's eyes sparkled with wonder as she peppered him with questions.
Her reactions were spot-on—made explaining fun.
He even demoed attribute imbuing, scoring electric-attribute shoes.
"What do you think?"
It'd turned into a brag session, but damn right it was brag-worthy.
"Whoa, total free ride...?"
"Uh... Kinda, yeah."
"No gates, no forge—just chill at home and gear duplicates itself! Total cheat skill!"
Pure, innocent awe.
But it stung his fragile heart.
Five hours later.
B-grade crafting attempt.
[Equipment crafting has failed!] x4
[Equipment crafting has failed!]
The gear Hyeji had smashed returned to him.
"Wooooah!! My Kukri!!!"
"Why's it yours."
He hadn't forgotten her calling his ability a freebie one bit.
"Yujun, make Hyeji start on menial chores!"