Chapter 307
Chapter 307
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 307
Chapter Title: The Artisan's Resolve
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"Please execute this insolent wretch!"
Shim Hyo pressed his forehead to the ground as if he were a heinous traitor guilty of high treason, unable to lift his head.
Hyeok Mulin, watching him, finally spoke.
"Rise."
Shim Hyo staggered to his feet, but his complexion was still poor.
No, looking closely now, dark shadows hung under his eyes, his lips were cracked and dry, and his face was deathly pale—as if profound fatigue had built up over a long time.
Hyeok Mulin could guess the reason for his distressed expression and why he had immediately begged for punishment upon seeing him.
Even so, he asked in a deliberately calm voice.
"What is the matter?"
"Well..."
Shim Hyo lowered his gaze as if ashamed, replying in a voice thick with guilt.
"I failed to complete the work by the appointed deadline. Please take the life of this insolent sinner."
It was exactly what Hyeok Mulin had expected.
In truth, he didn't think much of it.
What he was crafting was none other than a ceremonial robe for Hyeok Mulin, the Cult Leader.
It wasn't some urgently needed weapon, so a slight delay made no real difference.
But.
'I can't just let it slide like that.'
He had pledged to finish it on time, and in the end, he had broken his promise to the Cult Leader.
So even if Hyeok Mulin himself didn't mind the extension, he couldn't simply overlook it.
However, before deciding on a punishment, there was something he needed to ask.
"What prevented you from meeting the deadline?"
Shim Hyo's skill and potential as a blacksmith were outstanding enough to be recognized not just by himself but by the Iron Gate Forge as well.
When he had seen the scabbard Shim Hyo made for the Heaven-Splitting Demon Sword, hadn't he been thoroughly satisfied?
So when Shim Hyo had given his estimate of half a year, it must have been because he truly believed it feasible.
Thus, Hyeok Mulin suspected there must be some specific reason for the delay.
It couldn't just be slow craftsmanship.
"Well..."
Shim Hyo cautiously parted his lips and soon gave his answer.
"We were nearly finished when we ran short of one material. I scoured every corner of the New Frontier but couldn't find it anywhere."
There had been no issue with the crafting speed.
But right before completion, they had identified the final material needed—yet failed to obtain it, forcing a temporary halt.
Hyeok Mulin let out a hollow chuckle at those words.
What an absurdly honest blacksmith.
He must have known that missing the deadline would bring severe punishment.
Looking into his eyes now, Hyeok Mulin could tell he had come here fully resigned to offering his life.
Even in such dire straits, he hadn't compromised.
Hadn't he easily could have finished it by using easier-to-find or more ordinary materials?
Yet he hadn't taken the easy path.
He had stuck to the finest materials befitting the Cult Leader's status right up until the end, resulting in the missed deadline.
'No wonder it was hard to find the materials.'
He was a blacksmith, not a merchant, so he naturally wasn't skilled at procuring them himself.
Moreover, since the item was a robe, the materials weren't the usual iron ingots he handled but something entirely different.
It was fully understandable that he couldn't meet the timeline.
"What is that material?"
"It is..."
Shim Hyo briefly lowered his gaze before spitting out the answer.
"Golden Silkworm Silk."
"Golden Silkworm Silk."
"Yes. Heavenly Silkworm Silk, Black Silkworm Silk, and Golden Silkworm Silk were all essential for crafting the robe. I managed to obtain the first two somehow, but Golden Silkworm Silk was nowhere to be found, no matter where I looked."
But Hyeok Mulin tilted his head at the response.
"Hold on. You obtained the Heavenly Silkworm Silk and Black Silkworm Silk?"
"Yes, that's right."
"How on earth did you get those rare items?"
How could he have possibly acquired such precious things?
They were hard to find even for seasoned merchants, and their price would be exorbitant.
Yet Shim Hyo was merely a disciple of the Iron Gate Forge's master—how had he afforded them?
"Actually, that's..."
He scratched his cheek with one finger, looking embarrassed, and said,
"...I raided the sect's treasure vault."
Cough.
Hyeok Mulin nearly burst out laughing at that.
Raiding the Iron Gate Forge's treasure vault, of all things.
He had thought him a pure-souled artisan, yet here was someone bold enough to pull off such a stunt.
And it made sense—the Iron Gate Forge's vault would surely have such items.
They mostly took commissions in gold, but occasionally accepted rare treasures in lieu of payment.
Thus, their vault was stocked with a wide array of exotic goods.
'Heavenly Silkworm Silk and Black Silkworm Silk are rare, but the famed swords they forge are worth just as much.'
It wouldn't be strange if they were there.
And since he said he "raided" it, he had likely taken them without permission.
He seemed the type whose eyes lit up when pursuing his goal.
'I've learned something new about him.'
With a smirk, Hyeok Mulin asked,
"Is that the only thing you're short?"
"Yes. After that, I searched the entire New Frontier for Golden Silkworm Silk but found none anywhere."
Hearing this, Hyeok Mulin raised one hand and called for Jang Wi.
"Left Protector."
"Yes, Cult Leader."
"Fetch Golden Silkworm Silk from the Myriad Miles Merchant Association."
"Understood."
Soon after, Jang Wi's presence vanished from beyond the door, and Shim Hyo wore a regretful expression.
The Myriad Miles Merchant Association was one of the top trading firms in the New Frontier, a place he had naturally visited himself.
But he had returned empty-handed.
So he assumed Jang Wi would waste his time and come back the same way.
However.
"H-How in the world...?!"
Not long after, Jang Wi returned, his hands piled high with layers of the finest woven Golden Silkworm Silk.
"They definitely said there was none...!"
As Shim Hyo stared in shock, eyes wide as saucers and speechless, Hyeok Mulin spoke softly.
"Large merchant associations like them sometimes offer different wares depending on the customer when dealing in valuables like Golden Silkworm Silk."
Within the Iron Gate Forge, Shim Hyo was provisionally the heir, but to outsiders, he was just one of the master's disciples.
There was a world of difference between him making a request and the Cult Leader issuing an order.
And most decisively.
"The Myriad Miles Merchant Association is one I own. If you'd told me beforehand what you needed, I could have had it sent over in advance. What a shame."
"Ah..."
Hyeok Mulin delivered the final blow to the stunned Shim Hyo.
He froze like a statue on the spot.
But only for a moment.
As he took hold of the Golden Silkworm Silk, a craftsman's fervor ignited in his eyes.
He must have felt a hollow regret for his wasted efforts.
But his gaze overflowed with uncontainable joy and excitement at being able to resume crafting.
"If we start now, how long until completion?"
"I believe I can finish it within a fortnight."
"A fortnight."
Hyeok Mulin, hands clasped behind his back, closed his eyes thoughtfully.
Then he continued toward him.
"Your dedication is admirable, but I cannot overlook your failure to uphold the promise."
"Yes. I will gladly accept any punishment you deem fit."
Here it comes.
Shim Hyo squeezed his eyes shut and steeled himself.
No matter his intentions or goals, he had failed to meet the deadline he promised the Cult Leader.
He had come here today prepared to lose his head.
"Hear ye, sinner Shim Hyo."
As he awaited Hyeok Mulin's judgment, the man's lips slowly parted.
"I sentence you to a fortnight of confinement to my palace quarters."
"...!"
Shim Hyo's eyes snapped open.
A fortnight—and confinement to the quarters?
'Isn't that just telling him to focus on finishing the robe here?'
It was practically no punishment at all.
As Shim Hyo blinked in confusion, Hyeok Mulin turned impassively and headed for the door.
Just before crossing the threshold, he left final words for him.
"Shim Hyo. I trust you."
Overwhelmed, Shim Hyo bowed deeply, tears streaming silently from his eyes.
He had committed a sin, yet.
The Cult Leader had not punished him but repaid it with trust.
If he failed to repay this trust now.
'I would not deserve to be called an artisan.'
Wiping his eyes roughly with his forearm, Shim Hyo reached for the Golden Silkworm Silk with eyes burning with resolve.
"This should suffice."
Hyeok Mulin exited Shim Hyo's quarters at a leisurely pace.
The more he heard his story, the less inclined he was to punish him.
He could feel the man's total devotion to crafting his robe thus far.
His only mistake had been failing to secure materials smoothly.
In the end, he probably hadn't wanted to burden Hyeok Mulin, so he hadn't asked for help with that.
And there was one more thing—a conviction Hyeok Mulin firmly held.
When someone showed true sincerity.
To claim that sincerity as his own, he too must show trust in return.
Having dealt with Shim Hyo, Hyeok Mulin headed to the Pure Heaven Pavilion.
As he entered, Sima Jin spotted him and spoke up immediately.
"Cult Leader, perfect timing. Had you come any later, I was about to go searching for you."
"Is there a problem?"
"Not a problem, per se. Rather..."
Sima Jin's gaze shifted to Hyeok Mulin's desk.
Following his eyes, Hyeok Mulin soon noticed an elegant letter placed there.
"A letter has arrived from the Blood Heaven Divine Palace. I thought you should see it first, so I haven't opened it yet."
Blood Heaven Divine Palace.
Hyeok Mulin walked over steadily.
He picked up the letter, untied the golden thread binding it, and unfolded it fully.
Thus, Hyeok Mulin read its contents.
And.
Thud.
As he closed the letter, Sima Jin focused on his expression.
Soon enough, as expected, Hyeok Mulin spoke.
"It seems we need to prepare to receive guests."
"You mean...!"
"Yes."
A faint smile curved Hyeok Mulin's lips as he gazed out the window.
"An emissary delegation from the Blood Heaven Divine Palace will arrive at the palace soon."