Chapter 76
Chapter 76
Blacksmith (1)
***
After recuperating for a few days, I was as good as new.
I avoided strenuous movements and stayed in the medical hall, having various conversations with the probationary disciple named Kang-pyeong.
‘Hmm… it’s a relief to have someone to talk to.’
Thud, thud—
I had even removed the bandages that had been wrapped all over my body.
I rotated my head in a circle once and then left the medical hall to start a walk.
“Now, I should probably go see the sect leader.”
Chirp, chirp—
The sound of birds chirping was echoing nearby.
I, who was looking around with my hands leisurely behind my back, suddenly remembered a promise I had forgotten.
“Ah…!”
‘Come to think of it, I had to visit the blacksmith shop run by Dong-il’s father.’
I clapped my hands.
Perhaps it was because I had faced Myeong Ryong-geom and Mu-yeong in succession shortly after returning to Mount Hua.
Even though a few days had passed, I had completely forgotten about that fact.
“Hmm.”
Fortunately, there was still time.
Hyun Mujin-in had told me to recuperate in the sickbed until tomorrow and then come to see him, so it wouldn’t be much of a problem to lightly drop by the lower village, Soyang-hyeon.
In fact, it’s a bit strange to say this, but.
‘To be honest, my seniority is now that of a great disciple in the sect… it’s a bit much to go to the sect leader to ask for permission to go to Soyang-hyeon for a short while.’
Besides, Hyun Mujin-in was not the type to meticulously coordinate such things.
If he had intended to restrict the disciples’ outings, he would have somehow fixed Mu-yeong’s wandering habit from the beginning.
But the reason why Hyun Mujin-in left Mu-yeong’s wandering alone was simple.
‘Mu-yeong’s nature is such that it would not be good to control it. Rather, if he were to be regulated within the sect, there is a high possibility that he would go astray.’
I nodded my head.
As a result of crossing swords with Mu-yeong and getting to know each other’s character, the pressure on him would only make him more rigid.
Feeling that, I took a short breath while strolling through the garden.
The air is cold.
That was the first thought that came to mind.
It was at that moment.
“Ugh… my head is still throbbing. Is the headache still there.”
“……?”
I felt the presence of a person who had appeared from the entrance on the opposite side of the garden and flinched my shoulders.
It was an unexpected being, and I was so surprised by his appearance that I opened my mouth blankly.
As I was looking at the opponent with unfocused eyes, the opponent, who had already noticed that there was a guest named ‘me’, showed a strange light in his eyes.
“Oh, isn’t it Seong-ah?”
“…That’s right.”
“I thought you wouldn’t be able to leave the medical hall yet, but may I ask how you have already recovered?”
“Hmm. How did you, Senior Brother, get up from your sickbed in just a few days?”
As I asked that back, Mu-yeong smiled bitterly.
It seemed that he was also dumbfounded.
Mu-yeong and I, who were amazed by each other’s monster-like recovery power, began to talk.
“Hmm, I heard about you, Senior Brother, from Kang-pyeong. He said that you were also resting in the room across from me in the medical hall…”
“It seems Kang-pyeong talked about me.”
“He is a child with a good memory and a straightforward personality. I realized that while having various conversations with Kang-pyeong.”
“Hmm. That fellow also has excellent intelligence. I believe that he will also come to this position someday.”
“You have a high opinion of him.”
“I think you are more generous. Isn’t this the first time you’ve praised someone?”
“……”
I could only remain silent instead of denying Mu-yeong’s words.
Because he had hit the mark.
I cleared my throat to change the subject and opened my mouth.
“Senior Brother.”
“What is it?”
“I’ll be back after a short trip to the lower village.”
“Huh? What’s the reason?”
Mu-yeong tilted his head.
I nodded my head for a moment at Mu-yeong’s reaction, continued to speak.
“It’s because I have something I left at a blacksmith shop located in Soyang-hyeon.”
“Hmm… it seems you have some items you have commissioned.”
“You guessed it right, Senior Brother.”
“That’s nothing. Anyway, Soyang-hyeon is not that far from the sect, so if you come back within today, the master won’t say anything.”
After hearing Mu-yeong speak as if he was sure, I felt relieved.
‘Then, from now on, Senior Brother will take care of telling the sect leader the reason for my outing and the current situation.’
The situation had coincided well.
At that moment when I was cheering inwardly and was about to move my steps out of the garden.
Swish—
Mu-yeong glanced at me for a moment and then asked.
“Seong-ah.”
“…Yes, Senior Brother.”
“You said you were going to Soyang-hyeon, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Then, can I come with you?”
“…Yes?”
At Mu-yeong’s casual suggestion, I stared at him blankly and froze.
As I was standing still like that, Senior Brother grinned and opened his mouth.
“After lying in bed for a few days, I can’t control my desire to go out and get some fresh air.”
“……”
“You’ve made a good excuse and pretext for this, so it would be enough to follow you and watch over you.”
“Uh… Senior Brother?”
Without even looking at my reaction, Mu-yeong immediately kicked off the ground and jumped up.
Taat—!
At his action, I, who was watching the scene in disbelief, muttered.
“He’s truly a wild horse…”
At that moment when I was lamenting like that, Mu-yeong, who was already standing far past the plaque hanging at the entrance of the garden, shouted at me.
“Let’s go quickly. If we want to go to Soyang-hyeon and come back within today, we have to move right now.”
“…I understand.”
I, who had answered reluctantly, smiled bitterly and kicked off the ground following Mu-yeong.
Huuung—
A gentle breeze brushed past my ears.
***
The blacksmith shop where Dong-il lived.
I looked at the miserable appearance of the blacksmith shop, which looked like a shabby old shop, and let out a sigh.
“They only wiped off the blood, and they didn’t even fix the broken sign or the destroyed door…”
As I was muttering like that in lament, Mu-yeong, who was standing next to me, asked.
“…Is this the blacksmith shop where you commissioned the work?”
“Yes, to be precise, it’s not a commission. It’s a place where I had planned to get a sword by offering a special iron ingot.”
“Hmm… with this appearance, it’s worse than a tent in a slum, let alone a blacksmith shop.”
I could feel Mu-yeong clicking his tongue next to me.
Feeling that, I shook my head and stepped towards the half-destroyed entrance.
Swish—
As I entered the blacksmith shop through the entrance, which was as good as non-existent, surprisingly, I began to feel the unique heat of a blacksmith shop.
“……!”
“Oh, is it a more proper place than I thought…?”
As I was frowning and then opened my eyes wide, Mu-yeong looked around and then at Dong-il, who was diligently working the bellows.
“Huk, huk…!”
It was Dong-il, who was diligently working the bellows on the furnace, not far from the entrance.
Huuung— Huuung—
The sound of the bellows was echoing nearby.
“……”
I tilted my head.
I wondered where his father had gone and why his son was working the bellows alone in the blacksmith shop.
Dong-il, who still hadn’t noticed that Mu-yeong and I had entered the blacksmith shop, was still sweating profusely and lighting the furnace.
I finally opened my mouth.
“…Dong-il?”
“Huuk… huk?! A noble guest has come…!”
“Where is your father, the blacksmith, and why are you, who can’t even do proper forging, working the bellows here?”
“Ah, my father has gone to the market for a while. The soldering tools were all broken, so he went to get some…”
“Then that’s a relief.”
Pulsseok—
I sat down on the threshold in front of the single room, asked Dong-il, who was still diligently lighting the fire.
“So, you have decided to accept my request?”
“Yes! As a result of my hard work heating the furnace, my father also made up his mind. He started to meddle in my work here and there.”
“Hmm. It’s a relief that he has come to his senses now.”
I nodded my head.
Since it had come to this, I could entrust the Cold Iron to a skilled blacksmith.
Noticing that fact, I smiled with satisfaction.
At that, Mu-yeong, who was just watching, said.
“But, Seong-ah.”
“Yes, Senior Brother.”
“…Did you bring an iron ingot of a level worth commissioning? I didn’t know you were interested in this kind of thing.”
“Senior Brother, I am also a martial artist who is interested in the weapons used by ordinary masters. It’s natural to have a desire for at least the straight sword or the curved sword that one uses.”
“Hmm. Is that so?”
Mu-yeong tilted his head.
At Senior Brother’s question, I let out a short sigh and took out the three iron ingots made of Cold Iron that were waiting in my bosom.
Teong—!
The heavy iron ingot that fell to the floor made a metallic sound.
“Oh… this is…?!”
“It’s not at the level of Myriad Year Cold Iron, but I brought a solid Cold Iron that can be said to be the next level down.”
“……!”
Only then did Mu-yeong look at me in surprise.
It seemed that Dong-il was the same, as he turned his head after feeling the commotion from my side.
Dong-il, who did not know the situation here in detail, asked as it was.
“Excuse me, what’s with all the commotion?”
“Uh… that’s.”
Mu-yeong smiled faintly at that question.
Finally, Dong-il, who had witnessed the three iron ingots made of Cold Iron that I had taken out on the floor,
“Huk…! This is…!”
His eyes widened like lanterns.
It was a look of disbelief.