Chapter 79
Chapter 79
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: Territory Development (1)
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[The Lord's Grace has been activated on user Hyun-soo.]
Upon hearing the notification, employee Lee Ji-hee called for Team Leader Kim.
“T-Team Leader.”
Kim Tae-seok checked the monitor. This was what Lee Ji-hee was worried about.
“Could it be the blacksmith, Pere…?”
Hyun-soo’s level was only 120.
Pere’s, on the other hand, was 286. Originally, Pere had been a level 230 blacksmith.
But under Hyun-soo’s tutelage, his level had skyrocketed by more than 50.
The biggest issue was that Pere had crafted an artifact that was the closest to legendary, becoming a Master Craftsman.
“If a level 120 user takes a Master Craftsman-level blacksmith as a vassal…”
Team Leader Kim chuckled at her concern.
“Impossible.”
“Pardon?”
Why was it impossible?
From Ji-hee’s perspective, Pere seemed more than susceptible to the Lord’s Grace.
“What’s the difference between Banya and Pere?”
Ji-hee thought for a moment.
“Ah…”
“Right. Banya was unaffiliated, while old Pere is the Lord’s blacksmith.”
Yes, even if the system notification had sounded, his sense of belonging would act as a restraint.
Besides, what if he decided to betray his lord and follow Hyun-soo?
It would be a grave crime.
‘Is this the trap of the Lord’s Grace?’
The ultimate S-rank title obtainable by a commander-type or a guild master!
This was its limitation.
Then, Lee Ji-hee had a realization.
“But, Team Leader, isn’t the Lord’s Grace random?”
“It is, isn’t it? Of course, it tends to trigger for the person who was most deeply moved, but it is random.”
“But what if it didn't activate on Pere?”
“Then who… ah…?”
Team Leader Kim let out a hollow laugh, a look of surprise on his face.
“Don’t tell me…?”
Team Leader Kim prayed that his suspicion wasn't true.
***
[Nel: That was quite a lesson, Master.]
[Hyun-soo: Huhu…]
Hyun-soo, who had been moved to a hospital room, was full of anticipation.
That final notification.
‘It must be Pere, right?’
Hyun-soo was more aware of his current situation than anyone.
Hyeon's Smithy lacked power, so much so that he had to found the guild under a hidden name.
‘We need talent.’
Both NPCs and users were necessary. But they had to be a small, elite, and trustworthy group.
‘And I can’t always stay at the smithy.’
Ares wasn't a game where you could succeed just by crafting items.
Hyun-soo felt the need to become stronger.
‘But I can’t just let any blacksmith in.’
Having Master Craftsman Pere at this moment would be the icing on the cake.
Just then, Pere entered.
Hyun-soo was unconsciously hopeful.
He hoped that as soon as Pere walked in, he would bow his head and pledge his loyalty, just as Banya had!
But that wasn't the case.
“I misunderstood you. I apologize. To think I suspected the man who saved my life might have stolen the merchant group’s money and fled.”
“It’s alright.”
Hyun-soo smiled gently. Then, Pere offered him a sword.
“Please take this. It’s the sword I crafted during the confrontation with Bukseu. In truth, it was thanks to you that I was able to make it.”
“Not at all. How could I accept something so valuable…”
Though he said that, Hyun-soo accepted it with lightning speed.
In truth, Hyun-soo needed a better sword.
Wasn't Gwangmyeong an epic-grade sword he had crafted at level 1?
He immediately checked its stats.
(Baekya)
Grade: Unique
Durability: 9,000/9,000
Attack Power: 401
Restriction: None for the creator, Level 280 or higher, Swordsman
Special Abilities:
·Strength +3%, Vitality +3%.
·Passive Skill: 3 Consecutive Damage.
·Passive Skill: 6 Consecutive Damage.
·Active Skill: Light of Baekya.
Description: A masterpiece by the old man Pere, crafted with the teachings of an exceptional blacksmith. It is a sword that borders on legendary.
It was a fine sword.
The percentage-based increases to Strength and Vitality were particularly outstanding.
‘Percentage increases really shine as your level gets higher.’
It was a masterpiece among masterpieces, with not a single useless effect.
Just looking at the attack power, Gwangmyeong’s was 143, while this sword’s was 401.
And Hyun-soo’s hopes rose.
‘If he’s willing to give me his own sword, then surely Pere is the one…?’
Hyun-soo subtly lifted his chin in anticipation. But Pere just looked at him with a puzzled expression.
“Is your neck sore? Should I massage it for you?”
“No. Is it that you don’t respect me or wish to join me?”
Embarrassed, Hyun-soo asked directly.
“Of course I do.”
Pere answered honestly.
“But I am the Lord’s man. How could I abandon her to follow another?”
At those words, Hyun-soo understood the reason.
‘So even though it activated, he can’t because he belongs to the Lord?’
Hyun-soo was disappointed. But it couldn't be helped.
He couldn't even imagine what would happen if he tried to force Pere to serve him.
“The Lord is looking for you.”
And so, the moment Hyun-soo had been waiting for arrived.
When the Lord had collected the money, Hyun-soo had heard this notification.
[Development has increased by 15%.]
Hyun-soo had an audience with Lord Bellin.
Even to Hyun-soo’s eyes, Bellin was an exceptional beauty.
Her height of 167 cm, her blonde hair, and her flawless, magnificent figure were breathtaking.
Nel was certainly beautiful, but even she seemed plain before Bellin.
Hyun-soo was certain.
If Bellin hadn't been confined and had been more widely known to the users, wouldn't she have been ‘The #1 Most Loved NPC by Users’?
Bellin spoke.
“Welcome, Hero Hyun-soo.”
The words were thrilling to hear every time.
Hyun-soo especially had something he looked forward to whenever he met lords or named NPCs.
“I shall bestow upon you the Blacksmith’s Blessing.”
[You have received the Blacksmith's Blessing.]
[The effects of all artifacts are enhanced by 5%.]
Bellin was, unequivocally, the master of a blacksmithing territory.
And while she wasn't a skilled blacksmith herself, she had learned the craft.
“I heard from the woman named Nel why you were on your knees in such a state.”
Bellin said with a small smile.
“If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t have recovered the taxes from the forced labor in the first place. Therefore, I have decided to give you 50% of the recovered money.”
[You have acquired 160,000 gold.]
Hyun-soo was astonished. In an instant, a fortune of 160 million won was in his hands.
And then, Hyun-soo felt something was strange.
Every time Bellin’s eyes met his, her face would flush.
Her eyes would also redden, and she seemed unable to control her emotions.
‘Wait a minute, don’t tell me this is…’
“It is a strange thing.”
Bellin slowly rose to her feet.
“When I look at you, I feel an inexplicable emotion. You are merely a blacksmith, yet an unknown sense of respect wells up inside me.”
Bellin couldn't understand what it was.
“I want to be with you, and I want to protect you.”
Hyun-soo was bewildered.
‘Why did the Lord’s Grace go over there?’
But upon reflection, it made sense.
Bellin had been imprisoned for a long time, and thanks to Hyun-soo, she had been freed.
Hyun-soo realized it now. As a lord, she could not serve him.
After all, Hyun-soo was just a man with no rank to his name.
And Bellin looked anxious, because of this unexplainable emotion.
At that, Hyun-soo saw his chance.
He was planning to stay in this territory to raise its development level anyway.
He had a simple method to raise the development.
And he intended to make her respect him more, feel more for him, to produce the result he wanted.
“I intend to stay here and teach the blacksmiths before I leave.”
Bellin’s emotions surged even more.
“It is because I wish for this territory to grow much stronger. I am a blacksmith. Therefore, it is only natural.”
Bellin felt as if she were being graced with another favor. She wanted to resolve this feeling somehow.
And she made a decision.
“Pere.”
“Yes, my Lord.”
“…Please protect Hyun-soo.”
“Pardon?”
Pere didn't understand at first, but then he slowly nodded.
The Lord could not follow a commoner, but she wanted to repay him somehow.
Moreover, even though the Lord’s Grace hadn't activated on Pere, his favorability toward Hyun-soo was already at its MAX.
He had saved Pere’s life and fulfilled the regret Pere had carried for twenty years.
And both Pere and Bellin had already heard the story from Nel, who had woken up earlier.
“I believe it will be a great help to Sir Hyun-soo’s small guild. What are your thoughts, Pere?”
“An excellent idea.”
Pere stroked his chin.
“In fact, I would have been very worried if Sir Hyun-soo had simply left. But didn't he say it himself? That he would teach the blacksmiths before leaving.”
Pere had witnessed Hyun-soo’s power firsthand.
The Lord had permitted it—no, the Lord herself was sending him.
Pere took a step forward.
“I, Pere, have lived as a blacksmith for over forty years.”
He slowly bowed his body.
“From now on, I will craft only for Sir Hyun-soo, and I will live only for Sir Hyun-soo.”
Lord Bellin thought of Hyun-soo, who was awkwardly accepting him.
It was only natural for a man who ran a small guild to be flustered when accepting a Master Craftsman.
But…
“No.”
His voice was firm. Bellin’s mouth fell slightly agape.
The power that came from such a low level. No, perhaps it was a power that came from standing at the pinnacle of all blacksmiths.
“Craft for me and for my people.”
Bellin was in awe. And she realized.
Respect.
Reverence.
Trust.
At the end of admiration, there was a flutter of excitement.
And Pere was filled with reverence. The command to create not for himself, but for his people.
Feeling with his whole being that he had come to serve a true master, he answered vigorously.
“Yes!”
[Pere has sworn eternal loyalty.]
***
“Your Majesty, may I ask you something?”
Vice-captain Bella asked during their game of chess.
“What is it?”
“Why did you specifically send Sir Hyun-soo?”
Barad was silent for a moment, and Bella couldn't understand.
She had heard that Barad planned to grant him a territory in the future.
But why send him to a blacksmithing territory of all places?
In fact, it was a problem that might have been solved if she had been sent.
Yes, Bella felt as if this were a test.
A test to grant him a territory?
Did he have to accumulate enough achievements for that?
Barad answered.
“Because I have no child.”
“Pardon?”
Wait. Bella’s mind went blank.
Because he has no child…?
She mulled over his words again and again, and then again, before dropping a chess piece.
“By that, you mean…”
The words, ‘because I have no child.’
It meant there was no one to inherit his position.
“Stop that. It was just something I said.”
Despite his words, Barad wore a bitter smile.
“Just a wish.”
Someone in the kingdom was eagerly waiting for his fangs to fall out.
“I am still young.”
Barad was still young. He was simply testing many people before that time came.
“He is but one among them.”
Yes, one among many, many others.
“Hyun-soo is still a commoner.”
Yes, Bella now understood.
It was merely His Majesty’s wish.
And even if such a thing were to happen, it would be years from now.
“What percentage of development would satisfy Your Majesty?”
“Hmm.”
Barad touched his chin.
A commoner, a level 120 blacksmith.
“Wouldn’t 40% be worth getting my hopes up for?”
“…I see. Satisfying Your Majesty is indeed difficult.”
Bella nodded.
A single outlander achieving over 40% development for an entire territory?
Of course, it was a figure that was hard to quantify as exactly 40% more impressive.
But this was a task that even powerful rankers would find difficult.
Just then.
“Sir Hyun-soo has arrived.”
Barad had heard the news.
That he had driven out a man named Bukseu two weeks ago and was staying in the territory for a short while.
And Barad was the one who had given the mission and possessed the ‘Sword of the King’s Judgment.’
The Sword of the King’s Judgment had a unique power.
It could show the outcome of any mission an outlander undertook, or anything the king commanded.
It was a mystical sword that could even check the current state of the kingdom.
Hyun-soo had an audience with Barad.
Barad was curious.
Yes, just how much had Hyun-soo changed that territory?
20%?
‘Even that would be quite satisfactory.’
The matter of an heir was just a wish, after all.
With that, Barad drew his sword.
Curious about the development he had achieved, he infused it with mana to activate it.
[The blacksmiths of the Ballas territory can now produce higher-quality equipment.]
[The quality of artifacts supplied to soldiers and knights has increased.]
[The national power of the Goyad Kingdom has increased by 1%.]
Barad was startled.
It wasn't just 1%.
The fact that it could raise a nation’s power by 1% was astounding in itself.
No policy proposed by any subordinate had managed to raise it by even 1%.
Barad was intensely curious.
‘Then just how much…’
What percentage of development had he achieved?
Unable to hold back, he asked.
“…What percentage of development did you achieve?”
Hyun-soo’s lips parted.