The Blacksmith of Salvation
The cultural impact of a well-crafted performance is immense. A truly exceptional work possesses the power to move people's hearts, and the drama Heo Jun once achieved an incredible 80% viewership rating in Iraq, exerting tremendous influence. At the time, the wife of Iraq's president invited the lead actor, Jeon Kwang-ryeol, and he was treated with the honors of a state guest. In a country that was off-limits for travel, an actor from a completely different culture, appearance, and set of values became a massive star, receiving an enthusiastic welcome from local media and fans alike.
And here, in the Dwarf Allied Kingdom, stood their very own Jeon Kwang-ryeol: Edga Fix.
He had been officially bestowed the title of Salvation in a public ceremony. Not only that, but the Dwarf King himself had granted it, and even enacted a new law to establish the proper etiquette and protocols that must be observed toward the Blacksmith of Salvation. The treatment he received was nothing short of extraordinary.
So why was Ed, who hadn't even starred in a 16-episode drama but merely presented a single stage performance, receiving such royal treatment?
It was because he had planned, directed, and executed every single part of it.
From the tragic love story of Dagran and Layna, to revealing the truth, punishing the wicked, and finally sending Layna on her way. He had written every line of the script, handled every bit of direction, and overseen the entire production. That was why the boy from the Empire had captured everyone's attention.
Especially unforgettable was the moment when Ed drew the displayed Holy Sword and presented it to Layna as she stepped onto the stage. That scene carried such power that it would be remembered as an eternal, immortal moment for all time.
"Thus, I bestow upon Edga Fix the title of Salvation. Blacksmith of Salvation, Edga Fix, receive with reverence the hammer presented by our kingdom."
And so, Ed received both the title granted directly by the King and a hammer symbolizing Salvation.
The owner of this hammer was granted the following privileges:
— Unlimited fast-track access to all administrative procedures in the Dwarf Allied Kingdom
— Free use of all shops and forges throughout the Dwarf Allied Kingdom
— Upon announcement of arrival, greeted by a minister-level official and escorted in the royal carriage pulled by mountain goats, reserved exclusively for the Oltiga (nobles eligible to become king)
— All public officials, except for a select few high-ranking positions including the Oltiga, must salute upon encounter
— Participation in all official events of the Dwarf Allied Kingdom, with a special VIP seat provided upon request
And many more benefits that left one's jaw hanging in disbelief.
"May I have your name and status?"
Because of this, a rather bizarre scene unfolded.
Dwarves had long maintained a strict hierarchy when greeting visitors from the Empire, treating people differently based on their social rank. But with Ed in the mix, the whole system became hilariously broken.
"Isabella Graham, daughter of the Graham ducal family."
"You may stay in Special Pavilion Room 3. Next, may I have your name and status?"
"Enya Cruel, daughter of the Cruel ducal family."
"You have been assigned to Special Pavilion Room 5. Next, may I have your name and status?"
"Edga Fix. Um... the eldest son of the Fix family? Well, I'm just a commoner."
"E-Edga Fix?!"
The clerks suddenly looked up with startled expressions and began scrutinizing Ed's face. But only for a moment. They immediately snapped into perfect posture and gave him a crisp, unified military salute.
They had already heard what he had accomplished here. They had also thoroughly reviewed the official notice stating that he had been elevated to the status of a state guest upon receiving the title of Salvation. Showing respect to a titled blacksmith was simply their natural duty.
"......"
However, Ed's companions watching this scene were left utterly dumbfounded.
The nobles were themselves, yet here was a commoner receiving such impeccable courtesy. Of course, they weren't displeased by it. They were simply so stunned by how a mere commoner had risen to such an unparalleled position that their brains had momentarily shut down.
"Lord Edga Fix, I will personally escort you. Please allow me to guide you to the special VIP suite."
While they were still dazed, the clerk finished preparing to escort him. When Ed asked if he could bring James along as well, the clerk smiled warmly and said it was perfectly fine.
"Then I'll leave the rest of them to you."
The clerk handed the remaining duties to his subordinates and personally guided Ed to the special VIP suite. The room was the most luxurious accommodation available, equipped with every possible leisure facility and convenience. Originally, it was reserved exclusively for foreign kings or individuals of equivalent status.
Yet they were willingly offering such a space to Ed. That was how exceptionally he was being treated after receiving the title of Salvation. He was the one and only commoner ever assigned to that suite.
"Commoners really are arrogant, aren't they?"
Isabella muttered as she headed to her own quarters. However, despite her words, her face was full of smiles. It was her own unique way of showing affection.
"Hehe. He's already staying in a suite that only royalty and imperial family members can use."
Elena, once again impressed by her disciple's abilities, looked upon her student—who was steadily climbing the social ladder—with warm satisfaction. It felt like only yesterday he was a dirty-faced boy hammering away in a tiny village smithy wearing ragged clothes. Now he had become a freshman at the center of the Imperial Academy and a titled blacksmith.
As expected, he's the man I'm going to marry.
And Enya was deep in one of her usual delusions. Someday, when she and Ed visited this kingdom as a married couple, they would ride in a mountain goat carriage prepared on a red carpet all the way to the capital. Then they would enter the suite reserved only for royalty, share a glass of wine, and in their tipsy state, they would kiss...
"Hehehehehe..."
Enya entered her room while letting out a suspiciously lewd laugh. Since there would be plenty of pillows in the room, she could take her fantasies to the next level.
"......"
On the other hand, Charlotte walked to her quarters with a dejected expression. The more incredible Ed became, the more she felt like she was drifting further away from him.
At first... I thought we could be together.
Originally, Charlotte had dreamed of enjoying campus life alongside Ed. Since he was a commoner, she believed he would get along better with fallen nobles like herself rather than the high nobles steeped in supremacist ideology.
Especially when they were assigned to the same team during the first evaluation match, she had thought it was fate. Out of countless seats at the entrance ceremony, he had sat right next to her—an incredible coincidence—and then they were placed on the same team for the very next event.
But that wasn't the case.
He was far more exceptional than she had imagined. Setting aside how he had used a brilliant strategy to put Max's gang in danger, the fact that he equipped some insane gauntlet she'd never seen before and knocked Max out in a single blow was completely beyond her expectations. He wasn't just eloquent—he possessed outstanding combat ability as well.
After that, he only grew further and further away from her. The seat beside him that she had wanted was taken by the daughters of grand ducal families. While no one even acknowledged her existence, Ed was greeted first by the children of prestigious noble houses, all smiling and acting familiar.
Thus, Ed had come to stand at the center of the Academy. No—at the center of the entire Empire. After all, a mere academy student had played a pivotal role in diplomacy between nations.
Suddenly, she heard phantom laughter. The sound of people around her mocking her when she had confessed to Ed. It was a natural reaction. She had no particular talent, wasn't exceptionally beautiful, and wasn't someone Ed needed. Their relationship was the kind that could be severed at any moment if she let go.
"Haha... What a greedy dream for someone who doesn't know her place..."
By now, she had almost given up completely. Even the incredible Isabella had shown interest and favor toward Ed. There was no way someone like her would ever catch his eye.
With such complicated feelings, Charlotte stared blankly at the spot where Ed had been standing before finally heading to her own quarters. It was going to be a long, sleepless night.
The next day, Ed and his group were invited to a grand banquet.
The dwarves threw a magnificent party to honor Ed's party, who had saved them from the nightmare of forty years ago. There was no shortage of alcohol, food, or entertainment.
"Kahahahaha! Bring more beer! Tonight, we'll drink until we drop!"
However, dwarven banquets were quite different from those of the Empire. Their parties had no strict procedures or formalities. The main objective was simply to laugh, chat, and fill their bellies with alcohol.
As a result, lively music and overflowing drinks could be found everywhere. Even high nobles and the King himself drank beer, danced, and enjoyed the party without any barriers between them.
"Whoa!"
At that moment, something caught Ed's eye. In the center of the banquet hall stood a makeshift furnace, where a small competition was taking place.
"Hah! What do you think of my work?"
"Kekeke. You've completely lost your mind if you think you can win with that. What the hell is that tiny cocoon supposed to be?"
"It's your dick, that's what."
"You bastard!"
"Puhahahahaha!!"
It was quite an entertaining sight. As expected of dwarves, they were competing in glasswork and metalwork.
"Five minutes and seven seconds! As expected, no one can beat you, Vulcan!"
"Amazing. You've improved your record from last time."
"Five minutes flat... I can't beat that."
And right beside them, another contest was underway: assembling firearms from scattered parts. Dozens of different gun components were strewn about. Picking out the exact right pieces and completing a working firearm in just five minutes was an eccentric form of entertainment that no race other than dwarves could possibly manage.
"Still, if it doesn't fire, it's my win, right? Go on, try pulling the trigger!"
Even if the assembly was slow, there was still room for a comeback. No matter how good it looked, if it didn't fire, it was useless.
Bang!
"Heh. What do you take me for!"
However, the dwarf called Vulcan seemed quite skilled. Not only was his assembly fast, but the gun was properly built. After confirming that the harmless mana bullet fired without issue, his opponent nodded with a gloomy face and stepped back.
"Looks fun. Want to give it a try?"
At that moment, the Dwarf King, who had appeared without notice, spoke to Ed. Ed quickly tried to show proper respect, but the King stopped him.
"No need. What use are formalities at a party? In dwarven culture, such stiff behavior is actually considered rude."
"Haha. Understood. I'll enjoy myself, then."
"Kekeke. Good. By the way, what do you say? A lot of my friends are dying to see your skills."
As the King said, many dwarves kept sneaking glances at Ed with clear interest. After all, the reason they had invited him here in the first place was because they had already heard the rumors about him.
"Sure. It looks fun."
Ed gladly accepted the King's suggestion. Showing only restraint to dwarves who were this eager to witness his abilities wouldn't be a very wise way to handle the situation.
"Can I participate too?"
The moment Ed stepped into the center of the competition area, the atmosphere completely changed. The mysterious figure who had been veiled until now was finally making his move, and the dwarves welcomed him with excited, enthusiastic cheers.
"Of course! You're the blacksmith who received a title, aren't you!"
"Kekeke, Vulcan. Looks like you've finally met a proper rival."
"Let's see what he's got!"
Dwarves from all over the banquet hall began gathering. Isabella, who had been sipping beer in the corner, Enya, who had been drunkenly dancing in a daze, and even Charlotte, who had been staring out the window with a gloomy face—all of them flocked over.
Soon, one dwarf explained the rules.
"The rules are simple. Pick the parts you want and assemble the gun as quickly as possible."
"Understood."
"But remember, if it doesn't fire, it's meaningless! No matter how fast you assemble it, you'll lose if it doesn't shoot!"
"Yes."
"Alright! Then let's begin! Three...! Two...! One...! Start!"
Ed's hand shot out like lightning. Vulcan, who had been aiming for the 'bolt assembly,' made a flustered face as Ed snatched it first. It was the exact part Vulcan had been planning to take.
Hmph, doesn't matter.
But Vulcan was a veteran of this game. The moment Ed took the bolt assembly, Vulcan immediately grabbed the critical component absolutely necessary to make that particular assembly function.
You learn by losing! Kekekeke!
The bolt assembly Ed had chosen belonged to a firearm called 'Eagle Eye.' It had poor compatibility, and without the part Vulcan had taken, it was designed to be nearly impossible to fire. Vulcan was certain of his victory.
He had taken the key component first, after all.
Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!
But Ed didn't seem to care at all. He simply continued picking up the remaining parts at blinding speed, assembling the firearm piece by piece.
Whoosh. Click... click... Clack! Whoosh! Clack! Clack!
Ziiiing... Click-click... Clack!
The precise sound of mechanical parts meshing together perfectly. Everyone watched Ed's godlike assembly with tense expressions. They had never seen anyone assemble a gun at such an absurd speed before.
Was that speed even humanly possible?
"Ugh..."
In comparison, Vulcan—the master of firearm assembly—had only just finished the main body of the gun. Defeat in a speed contest was already a foregone conclusion.
Even so, it won't fire! The key part is with me!
Yet Vulcan still believed in his victory. The bolt assembly Ed had taken couldn't possibly function without that critical component!
"Finished."
However, Ed calmly announced the end of his assembly. He then opened the cylinder of the single-action revolver he had built, loaded a single mana bullet, and—
Wiiiiiiing!
He spun the cylinder. The chamber containing the single mana bullet rotated at high speed.
Clack.
The spinning cylinder came to a stop. Ed pulled back the hammer of the single-action revolver. With a crisp mechanical sound, the gun was cocked.
Bang!
Ed pulled the trigger. The mana bullet flew straight and struck the exact center of the target.
Vulcan, who had been frantically assembling his own gun, stared at Ed with a blank face.
"H-How..."
How did he do it?
Ed answered with a sly smile. After all, he couldn't exactly reveal that he possessed the ridiculously overpowered skills called Hand Technique and Engineering Thinking.