Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: The Lord's Grace
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The Frost Mine (4)
Lee Se-jin, the CEO of Pureum, had only one amusement.
It was watching the user Kang Hyun-soo grow.
On his first day off in a month, Lee Se-jin went to his office.
Sipping a cup of coffee while monitoring Kang Hyun-soo, Lee Se-jin was in constant admiration.
“To think he saved all ninety-six miners. He'll get a good reward from them.”
Then, he stroked his chin.
‘It's a bit of a shame, though.’
Saving the lives of ninety-six miners was a remarkable feat.
But the people Hyun-soo saved were just miners.
Rewards varied depending on who was giving them.
The miners were poor, and it wasn't as if the mine foreman, Rek, could bestow a blessing like the ones Hyun-soo had received before.
‘Maybe he can get a good haul of Cold Iron?’
Well, for a blacksmith, there was nothing better than acquiring minerals.
‘What is user Hyun-soo doing?’
And so, Lee Se-jin watched Hyun-soo, who hadn't left the dungeon even after clearing it.
‘Huh…?’
He smeared the blood he'd shed during the battle all over his body, then walked to the center of the dungeon and leaned against a wall.
‘Why on earth…?’
As the sound of the miners' footsteps approached, Hyun-soo, who had looked perfectly fine, suddenly put on an expression like he was at death's door.
[Thud-]
His arm falling limply to the ground was the final touch.
The mine foreman, Rek, wept as he embraced him tightly, and the miners' eyes grew red.
[Mine Foreman Rek and the 95 miners will not hesitate to risk their lives for him.]
[The rewards he receives will be significantly better.]
“That con artist…?”
Lee Se-jin, who had been looking dumbfounded, burst into laughter.
“Hahahaha!”
User Hyun-soo was an interesting person. He knew how to make a deal and was incredibly smart.
Even now, hadn't he improved his rewards just by investing a mere ten minutes?
Who could blame a user for maximizing their rewards? Besides, Hyun-soo was more than deserving.
Soon, Lee Se-jin was stunned by a flashing message that appeared.
[User Kang Hyun-soo has met the acquisition conditions for Lord's Grace.]
“What?”
Lee Se-jin shot up from his seat.
Lord's Grace was a special title that Lee Se-jin had personally designed and created.
This title was a staggering S-rank, aimed at Monarch-class players, commanders, or guild masters.
‘A blacksmith is getting Lord's Grace?’
Yes, Lord's Grace was meant for leadership classes, not blacksmiths.
And it was a rare, unique title—only one could exist.
Obtaining Lord's Grace was extremely difficult.
‘NPCs must feel they owe him a debt they can never repay.’
Not just once, but multiple times, and most importantly, named NPCs had to be among them.
It also depended on how many people had come to cherish him.
‘Come to think of it, user Hyun-soo saved Expedition Leader Hans and his squad members.’
That must have been the first step.
The second was the Kasel Territory.
‘He prevented the planned update for the Kasel Territory and achieved the second condition. It was incredible.’
The number of NPCs who didn't die because of Hyun-soo was countless, and they called him the 'Savior of the Territory.'
‘And the third is this place.’
But this case ignored the condition of needing a high-ranking NPC.
So why did it activate?
Lee Se-jin soon found the answer.
‘It's because the gratitude the ninety-six miners feel for him is just that immense.’
He mulled over the earlier notification.
It said the miners would not hesitate to risk their lives for him.
Considering this notification didn't appear at first…
‘Was it because his little act just now maximized their feelings?’
The probability was high.
[Lord's Grace will be acquired when he founds a guild; it is as good as obtained.]
[Upon acquisition, it will activate unconditionally one time.]
And Lord's Grace had a power that activated with an 8% chance.
Lee Se-jin looked at Hyun-soo on the monitor.
‘Lord's Grace is the title that gives guild masters the greatest power.’
It was now a foregone conclusion that Hyun-soo, who hadn't even created a guild, would obtain that title.
The effect of this title was to turn NPCs into vassals.
‘They move beyond gratitude to respect, gaining the belief that with him, they can overcome anything, and they volunteer to become his vassals.’
Vassals.
Although they were NPCs, they could be obtained to follow users and help run a guild.
However, it was extremely difficult for those called 'Outlanders' to win the hearts of NPCs.
In other words, one of them would become Hyun-soo's first vassal.
‘At least they're just miners, so that's a relief…’
But then Lee Se-jin's expression stiffened.
‘Was he there?’
He tapped on his keyboard.
Clack, clack, clack-
And soon, his thought became reality.
‘He was there. The miner who will become a legend.’
With an intrigued expression, Lee Se-jin drank his now-cold coffee.
The key was whether the target would be the one miner among the ninety-six who was destined to become a legend.
‘In most cases, the power activates on the one who was most deeply moved.’
Then, Lee Se-jin smiled.
‘What happens when the miner who will become a legend meets the God of Blacksmiths?’
It was a combination that could only make one laugh. Then, another thought occurred to him.
“Rek said there was Millennial Cold Iron buried in the mine.”
Half of that was true, and half was false. Rek himself had never mined it, so he only assumed it was so.
“It is Millennial Cold Iron, but it's a mineral that's been buried for several thousand years.”
Therefore, it was far colder and harder than ordinary Millennial Cold Iron.
‘But at user Hyun-soo's level, he'll never be able to mine it.’
***
Hyun-soo's plan had been perfect.
‘Now, I'll just act like I'm waking up after two days.’
In real time, that was about sixteen hours. Hyun-soo used that time to completely relieve his fatigue.
And before logging into the capsule, he recalled the rewards he'd gotten from the mine dungeon.
‘103 Iron Ores, 27 Cold Irons, and 3 Centennial Cold Irons.’
The mobs in the mine dungeon only dropped minerals, no other miscellaneous items.
Hyun-soo, who had used eleven pieces of Cold Iron, now had even more, plus three Centennial Cold Irons.
‘Iron Ore is worth about 500,000, Cold Iron 1.6 million, and each piece of Centennial Cold Iron is a little over 500,000. Around 4 million in total?’
Hyun-soo let out a small smile.
Of course, he planned to use the Centennial Cold Iron and Cold Iron for Hyuk-soo's creations.
‘On top of that, I gained 21 levels, reaching level 80.’
He wouldn't have achieved it without the double experience and double drop rate.
‘It's not very efficient.’
The Frost Mine was a special place. The fact that Hyun-soo was the first to enter proved it.
He'd only gained this much because it was such a place.
‘Spending time in mines is inefficient.’
Hyun-soo came to that conclusion. The downside, however, was having to give up on mines that might contain special minerals.
‘Well, it can't be helped.’
It was difficult to have the best of both worlds.
Hyun-soo walked to the capsule to log in.
‘I'll give up on the Millennial Cold Iron.’
After trying and failing, he had thought it over carefully and concluded that he could never mine it himself.
Regrettably, it seemed better to spend his time on other things.
[Connecting to Ares.]
When Hyun-soo opened his eyes, he was lying in the lodging where the miners had carried him.
What pleased him was that it was the best room in the miners' quarters.
Then, Hyun-soo reopened a notification.
[Something special will happen to you.]
‘What on earth could this be?’
Something special? Just as Hyun-soo was looking puzzled…
The door opened and Rek entered.
Seeing Hyun-soo awake, he approached with a joyful expression.
“Did you sleep well?”
Hyun-soo's acting was perfect. His eyes fluttered as he asked,
“Are all the miners safe?”
Rek sat on the edge of his bed. He placed a warm hand on Hyun-soo's shoulder.
“Thanks to you, everyone is safe.”
Then he said something unexpected.
“And I have a favor to ask.”
Hyun-soo was puzzled. There had been a notification saying that Rek and the miners would give him a good reward.
But instead, they were asking a favor of him?
Did something go wrong?
Just then, Rek looked at the sword resting neatly to one side.
“Could I borrow that?”
It was the Damascus longsword that was also a pickaxe.
“Pardon?”
Hyun-soo looked confused.
“You'll be leaving soon, since you're a blacksmith.”
Rek smiled warmly. Just then, the door creaked open.
Behind the open door stood over ninety miners, all lined up.
“We're heading to the mine now to start digging.”
There was nothing unusual about miners going to mine. What was special was…
“Today's mining will be solely for you.”
“...Pardon?”
Hyun-soo was shocked. For an entire day, the miners would work only for him.
And over ninety of them at that!
That wasn't all.
“I'm thinking of giving it a try with that pickaxe. Of course, I've tried and failed countless times myself, but it might be possible now, if I have that pickaxe.”
Mine Foreman Rek was an exceptionally skilled miner.
Placing that pickaxe in his hands would maximize its power.
“I will mine the Millennial Cold Iron and give it to you.”
It was the best reward Rek could offer.
He bowed his head.
A completely different man from when he had first met Hyun-soo and treated him with some disdain.
“Lend it to us. We will use this entire day just for you.”
“Hyun-soo, thank you!”
“Today, the Frost Mine is yours!”
[The morale of the Frost Mine miners is higher than ever.]
[Their mining rate increases by 5%, and they will not tire easily.]
Today, the Frost Mine is mine.
Those were wonderful words. As Hyun-soo nodded, Rek and the miners erupted in cheers.
“Let's go!”
“Let's go mine some minerals for Hyun-soo!”
Hyun-soo's heart pounded.
‘Could I really get my hands on Millennial Cold Iron?’
Centennial Cold Iron was already outstanding, but Millennial Cold Iron, which surpassed it?
And then, through the open doorway. The miners rushed out, leaving only Rek and one other miner behind.
“Huh?”
Hyun-soo looked puzzled at the two who didn't leave.
***
Rek's son, Banya, had nearly been buried alive in the mine but survived.
When he recovered, his father told him.
‘The blacksmith, Hyun-soo, saved you and all the other miners.’
It was like hearing a story about a hero. When he saw the man who had created a pickaxe that mined so well, he thought he was a truly exceptional blacksmith.
Banya came to respect the man who had become a hero to all the miners.
But it was a strange thing.
A feeling beyond respect began to stir within him.
Right now, only one thought filled Banya's mind.
‘I want to be with you.’
Banya had recently injured his arm and was taking a break from mining.
In truth, he was known as the most skilled miner in this mine.
The reason was his growth rate.
He had already caught up to Rek's mining speed and was the mine's rising star.
He told his father of his intentions. It was something his father could have easily opposed, but Rek said this:
‘If it were anyone else, I would have said no. But to serve him... that will be a meaningful path for you as well.’
Having received his father's permission, Banya.
He took a step and entered the room where Hyun-soo was.
***
Hyun-soo watched with a puzzled expression as Banya entered through the doorway.
Banya, the kind boy. Rek, who had been watching him, turned with a gentle smile and walked away to go mining.
And then, Banya knelt before Hyun-soo, who was sitting on the bed.
[Something special is happening.]
“Sir Hyun-soo, no, my savior.”
[This is something born from the work of your own hands.]
“I, the miner Banya, wish to follow you, Sir Hyun-soo.”
[You have made a miner move beyond respect to a state of reverence for you.]
“I pledge this. I will swing my pickaxe only for you, seek out mines only for you, and mine only for you. Therefore, I ask.”
[This is not a miracle. It is something you have earned.]
Hyun-soo stared at Banya with a shocked expression.
“Please accept me as your vassal.”
[The miner Banya pledges his eternal loyalty to you.]
[He has the potential to become a legendary miner.]
[You can accept him as your vassal.]