Yggdrasil Forest (5)
After finishing their meal, Seong Hyun-jin strolled through the streets of Erien with Ciela.
"Junior, let's check that out!"
"Sure thing."
In this situation that felt just like a date, Seong Hyun-jin couldn't help but entertain some complicated thoughts inwardly. 'I've got Serena... is this okay?' He'd volunteered to come along in the first place, but now that it was actually happening, the doubts started creeping in. And Ciela surely knew about Serena too, yet she dragged him around without a care in the world. Her smile was so infectious that it made anyone watching feel happy too, and even Seong Hyun-jin found himself thinking he didn't mind spending time with her at all.
The spot Ciela had brought Seong Hyun-jin to this time was a fountain. Not some ordinary stone fountain like you might see in other cities, but one made entirely of wood, befitting a place where elves lived. It was an incredibly impressive fountain that showcased the elves' masterful woodworking skills.
"They made this amazing! And the wood hasn't rotted at all despite all that water. How'd they pull that off?"
"No kidding."
Normally, wood exposed to water like that for so long would rot away, but Seong Hyun-jin couldn't figure out how they kept it pristine.
He glanced around subtly. There were plenty of people nearby, not just the two of them. Most of them seemed to be couples—lovers, or at least on their way to becoming some—judging by the pairs of men and women. Ciela might not have realized it when she brought him here, but this place was clearly Erien's famous dating spot. With so many couples around, some were even openly affectionate. Seong Hyun-jin shot Ciela a glance with a strange feeling as he heard the unmistakable smooching sounds echoing from nearby. If Serena were here, she'd probably blush and beg him to leave right away. He figured Ciela would be mortified too, and if she was, maybe he should suggest they head out.
But surprisingly, Ciela's expression remained unchanged, a soft smile playing on her lips. Seong Hyun-jin tilted his head as he watched her beaming at the cascading water from the fountain.
"Senior."
"Yeah?"
"You okay sticking around here?"
"Why?"
Ciela tilted her head back at him, so Seong Hyun-jin answered flatly.
"People are making out like crazy all around us."
"That's their business. What does it have to do with us?"
Surprisingly, Ciela didn't care about what others were doing.
"Guess it doesn't faze you, huh."
This was definitely different from Serena.
"It's not that it doesn't faze me at all..."
Ciela said.
"But whatever they're doing is their freedom. It's not like I have any say in it, right?"
"...Fair enough."
"And..."
Ciela glanced at Seong Hyun-jin. Startled by the look in her eyes—like she was hoping for something—Seong Hyun-jin tensed up, and she gave a slightly disappointed expression as she continued.
"Never mind. Anyway, we've pretty much seen everything. Where to next? Anything you wanna do, junior?"
"Well..."
Seong Hyun-jin started to reply but hesitated. Then he said to Ciela,
"Hang on a sec, senior."
"Huh?"
As Ciela turned back with a puzzled look, Seong Hyun-jin gazed not at her, but in another direction.
"You're already here, Cadernan?"
"...Huh?"
His gaze fell on an alley between buildings beyond the fountain square. Ciela hadn't sensed a thing, but amid the shadows that made it pitch dark, a man had appeared out of nowhere.
"Sharp instincts, young student."
Cadernan, cloaked in a robe, removed his hood to reveal his face. Only then did Ciela realize he had indeed arrived already. As he stepped out from the alley, Seong Hyun-jin headed that way too, with the flustered Ciela hurrying after him.
"H-how'd it go? What did Jerman say?"
Cadernan looked at the two of them and replied,
"Jerman said it's fine to meet with you students."
"Really?!"
Ciela grinned brightly and shook Seong Hyun-jin's shoulder.
"We're in luck, junior!"
"Yeah."
Cadernan pulled his hood back on and beckoned them to follow.
"Come with me. I'll guide you to where Jerman is."
Seong Hyun-jin and Ciela followed Cadernan into Yggdrasil Forest. Even there, he led them to a somewhat remote spot, and as Seong Hyun-jin trailed after him, his eyes suddenly widened in surprise at some point.
Clang!Klang!
A heavy metallic clang assaulted their eardrums, while heat haze shimmered in the air from the intense warmth. Smoke billowed thickly from not one, but three or four chimneys.
"Here."
Before Cadernan could even finish, Seong Hyun-jin and Ciela had already realized it. This was the place of the Forge Star Jerman.
"I'll leave the rest to you."
With that, Cadernan—who had only been their guide—departed, and Seong Hyun-jin and Ciela drew a bit closer.
"It's insanely hot..."
"Tell me about it."
Just approaching made their faces flush and sweat bead up. In this sweltering heat stood a lone elf relentlessly hammering away. His arms, swinging that massive hammer, were absurdly thick—testimony to a lifetime poured into this craft. He was quite burly too, making Seong Hyun-jin wonder if this guy was really an elf. But even a weathered elf couldn't hide his innate beauty; despite the thick beard and rugged, muscular build, his features remained sharp and striking.
Ciela cautiously approached Jerman, who was focused on flattening a piece of iron.
"Are you the Forge Star Jerman?"
"......"
"Um..."
"Senior, hold on."
Seong Hyun-jin stopped her from calling out again.
"Let's wait a bit."
"Oh... yeah, you're right."
As Seong Hyun-jin suggested, the two waited patiently for Jerman to finish. It took longer than expected. Once the iron was flattened, he quenched it right away, hammered it again, quenched it once more... repeating the process countless times.
"...Isn't that a kitchen knife?"
"Yep, a kitchen knife."
A magnificent kitchen knife was complete. Jerman flipped it around, inspecting it, then fetched a sheet of paper and held it to the blade. Without even applying pressure, the paper sliced cleanly apart. Satisfied, Jerman smiled—a expression Seong Hyun-jin hadn't seen until now, despite watching him the whole time.
'Didn't expect that.'
They'd heard no one else was around, and he'd been so absorbed in his work that Seong Hyun-jin had pegged him as gruff, but his impression shifted in that moment.
Jerman set the knife down, stretched his back, and turned his head. Only then did he notice Seong Hyun-jin and Ciela waiting, his eyes widening slightly in surprise.
"...Hm?"
"Hello."
"Pleased to meet you, Jerman."
Ciela said,
"I'm Ciela Teraport. We had an appointment to see you today."
"Seong Hyun-jin."
"Ah, look at me. I said I'd meet you and then..."
Jerman spoke apologetically, as if he'd forgotten about his visitors.
"You wouldn't have been waiting all this time, have you?"
"Yes, we didn't want to interrupt while you were so focused."
"Why didn't you just call out? It wasn't anything important—just replacing a broken kitchen knife."
"We did call, but you didn't respond. So we waited."
Even when Ciela had called his name, Jerman hadn't answered. He ruffled his hair roughly and said,
"Sorry about that. Once I pick up the hammer, I don't see anything else."
"No problem. That's the focus of a true craftsman."
At Seong Hyun-jin's words, Jerman seemed to realize he was the half-elf in question.
"So you're the one. Who came looking for me."
"You already know why we're here?"
"I read the letter from the Demon Star. You want to solve the issue of slow growth due to your elven blood, right?"
"Yes."
Seong Hyun-jin nodded and explained how they'd come to seek out Jerman.
"The headmaster said you'd know a way. That's why we're here."
"I do know a way."
"...Really?"
"But knowing it is the problem."
"What?"
As Seong Hyun-jin looked puzzled, Jerman began explaining from the beginning, step by step.
"You know elven blood extends lifespan at the cost of slowing growth, right?"
"Yes."
"To fix that, you'd naturally need to reduce the influence of elven blood. By suppressing the internal secretions it produces."
Internal secretions—hormones, in other words. The hormones from elven blood suppressed growth functions while extending cell lifespan, which was why elves lived so long. Jerman was saying Seong Hyun-jin's problem could be solved by inhibiting those hormones.
"That requires a special elixir..."
"So just make the elixir, right?"
"You must be in quite a hurry. Why not hear me out first before deciding?"
"Ah, sorry."
Seong Hyun-jin bowed his head slightly in apology for interrupting, and Jerman nodded before continuing.
"The problem is, we can't obtain the ingredients for the elixir."
"Can't obtain the ingredients?"
"All the others are fine. Leaves from thousand-year-old ancient trees, venom from century-old centipedes, antlers from eight-horned deer... stuff like that litters Yggdrasil Forest."
"......You can get those?"
"Yes. But there's one we just can't get, no matter what."
Seong Hyun-jin felt a bit dumbfounded hearing that ingredients which sounded impossible to even find were commonplace here. If even those weren't an issue, what could the problematic one possibly be?
"What's that one... more precious than the others you mentioned?"
"Precious? If you're asking if it's findable, sure. But obtainable? No."
Jerman said,
"Dragon blood. And not just any—the blood of the noblest dragon."
"......Pardon?"
"Making me repeat myself?"
Jerman sighed as if to say give up already.
"It needs Eldark blood. How do you expect to get that? Ahajaka and the Eldark dragons hate shedding their blood. That's why there's even a saying they became strong."
"......"
Seong Hyun-jin and Ciela exchanged blank looks after hearing Jerman out.
"You get it now, right? Shame, but looks like I can't help. So head back and..."
"Um..."
"...More to say?"
Seong Hyun-jin nodded. Jerman narrowed his eyes at him like he was some bothersome kid, but the next words out of Seong Hyun-jin's mouth made his eyes go wide.
"I think I can get Eldark blood."
Jerman blinked.
"......What?"