The Favor of the Young Master
Young Master?
As I was lost in crafting, the sun had already set, and dusk had settled over the sky like a curtain.
"Hoo... Umm... It seems it's a bit over three hours now. I already made ten swords?"
The effect of the newly acquired characteristic was far beyond what I had imagined.
It was as if I were sunbathing under the sun itself—the iron was heated in the furnace in an instant, hot enough to make it retreat in just a few seconds.
With this, I produced twenty swords. In just one day, I finished twenty out of the fifty Titan swords I had been entrusted with.
At this speed, even if I took it generously, five days should be more than enough to complete them all, right?
*Gurgle*
'Ugh...'
Thinking about it, I hadn't eaten properly. After getting up, I had smoked a few times and gotten distracted making swords, so I hadn't even managed to grab a bite.
Since I had already made this many, I should eat something and try making ten more.
Thinking this, I stood up from my seat and stretched my back.
My shoulders and waist ached from working for so long, but the thought of a definite reward and a sense of accomplishment gave me strength.
I opened the forge door and leaned against the railing, placing a cigarette in my mouth again.
The Seoul night view from yesterday came into my eyes once more.
Yesterday, I had been sighing about my miserable life while leaning here...
In just a day, my fate had changed. My father was smiling brightly again, and the forge could be revived.
On the other hand, I was a bit worried about Bilyeong.
The situation inside the family seemed not good, and more importantly...
The worry in her eyes looked far too deep.
Perhaps what I heard was only a fragment of Bilyeong's life.
Still, those broken pieces of life relentlessly stabbed at Bilyeong's palms, legs, and heart.
I wanted to offer her a desolate comfort for the life she had lived, who seemed younger than me but had endured as tough a life as mine.
I went to the nearby convenience store, ate a simple meal, and returned to the forge.
I had become an awakener and my life was illuminated by a lamp, but Bilyeong's life remained trapped in darkness.
Although I wasn't a great person, I still wanted to drive away even a little of the darkness covering Bilyeong's life.
Thinking this, my steps naturally quickened.
If I could make the weapons quickly, it would definitely be a great help.
But... When would Bilyeong come?
He had said he would return with the rare minerals left in the family, but there was no news.
Could it be that something had happened to that Paeng Dae-hyeok guy? My heart sank like a stone.
It shouldn't be...
I turned the handle of the forge door and entered. In the center of the forge, the crack I had seen in the previous bath came into view.
Bilyeong?
A larger crack appeared in the dimension, and a familiar hand protruded from it. Bilyeong pulled his body out from beyond the dimension.
"Young Master! Wow, it's amazing! I was thinking about Young Master just before too!"
"Brother Seo?"
I couldn't believe it would be so happy after not seeing him for just a few hours.
"How did you come here? Did you get the minerals?"
"Ah... Yes, that's right... I gathered the remaining current iron and one iron left in the family."
Bilyeong said that and placed the bag he had been carrying on his shoulder on the floor.
When I unfolded the bag, the bumpy black and silver minerals came into view.
Are these the current iron and one iron from the book?
"The silver mineral is one iron, and the black mineral is current iron. And, Brother Seo... I have something to say..."
***
"Um? What is it?"
I had thought many times whether to tell Brother Seo this.
That the head of the Paeng family had started moving, and changes had occurred at the originally scheduled time...
Since it was for the survival of the family, I knew this matter was important.
But I already knew that in ten days, a big burden would be placed on Brother Seo's body, so my mouth didn't open easily.
"... Haa."
A short sigh escaped from between my lips.
Seeing Brother Seo tilt his head curiously, I couldn't bear to look into his eyes and lowered my gaze.
A feeling of guilt surged from the depths of my heart.
I couldn't face Brother Seo, who had endured rest, meals, and sleep to hammer for our family.
Yet, I foolishly couldn't solve this one thing alone and had to make another unreasonable request.
Moreover, the pure appearance welcoming me so happily right after seeing me made a corner of my heart sting painfully.
But... the family's situation wasn't relaxed enough to indulge in sentiment.
The head of the Paeng family had started moving directly.
The news that the head of the Paeng family had moved was tightening like a rope around the Dang family's neck.
The family was in a precarious situation.
As the Young Master of the Dang family, shouldering the lives of countless people, I couldn't be swayed by personal sentiments.
'Fate is... so cruel.'
My lips, which were hard to fall, trembled, and eventually I dropped them.
"Brother Seo... I know the kindness and effort Brother Seo willingly offered for our family, so it's difficult to make this request, but... could you... extend the delivery date by about a week?"
"About a week... 7 days? Sure."
"You must be tired... Huh? What was that just now..."
Brother Seo said it would be fine with an expression as if nothing was wrong.
I must have misheard. No matter what, making that quantity in just a week alone...
"7 days is enough, Young Master. Well... if I commit to it, it might be done in 5 days?"
"Re... Really?"
"Yes! It will be!"
"Haa..."
This man really...
***
*Clang*
"Ah... ah... Young Master?"
Suddenly, Bilyeong rushed at me and hugged me tightly, causing me to fall to the floor.
Before I could reach out in panic, the thick fragrance and warm heat dug into my arms.
Bilyeong's body, with his forehead buried in my chest, was trembling slightly.
It wasn't unpleasant to be hugged by such a beautiful woman...
But suddenly rushing at me made me very flustered.
He said it was possible to extend the delivery date, so why?
I don't know what the situation was.
"Really... really... is it possible?"
"Y... Yes. It is possible."
"Hic... Brother Seo... Thank you... Really..."
Seeing Bilyeong pour out tears and spit out rough breathing sounds while buried in my arms, my heart felt a bit desolate for no reason.
I don't know the reason, but for now, let's just comfort him.
Bilyeong hugged me in my arms and cried for a while.
After a few minutes, whether he had cried enough, Bilyeong sat on the chair and hiccuped.
Seeing that, he seemed like a child, and I felt a bit cute.
"Sob! Come drink."
"Hic... Thank you, Brother Seo..."
I took out water from the mini refrigerator prepared in one corner of the forge and gave it to Bilyeong.
Since he had been crying, his throat must be dry.
"But what happened that you cried like that?"
"That is..."
Bilyeong, hearing my words, told me about the Dang family's situation.
That the head of the Paeng family was coming to destroy the Dang family directly, and the deadline was about a week.
That's why Bilyeong was hesitating and asking me if I could extend the deadline.
The reason he cried so sadly was probably because he was most worried...
If production was delayed, the Dang family would literally fall off the cliff and the signboard would fall.
But since I said I could make it without any problem, the tension that had been stiff suddenly relaxed, and tears flowed.
Bilyeong had a tender spot that didn't match his title as the Young Master of the Poison Hall.
"How... have you calmed your mind?"
Bilyeong's hand holding the water bottle was slightly trembling, but after drinking a few sips of water, the tears in the corners of his eyes seemed to stop.
"Yes... Thanks to you. And... I'm sorry..."
Bilyeong suddenly lowered his head deeply and muttered in a small voice like an ant crawling, saying sorry.
"Um? Extended the deadline? No, it's fine. It could happen."
"It's not that... Ah... Ah, suddenly hugging just now..."
Ah, that's what you mean.
I was flustered, but honestly, it was good.
Where is the man who would refuse to be hugged by such a pretty woman?
Well, if I said "No? I liked it" here, I might be labeled as a pervert, so I shouldn't say that.
"Haha! It's fine. It could happen."
"I understand... Thank you... Now that I think about it, I should have called you Brother Seo instead of Young Master..."
With my generous answer, Bilyeong's heart seemed to settle, and he gave me a shy smile.
By the way, 7 days... Today I made 20 swords, and the remaining are 30 Titan swords and 3 swords for the head, Bilyeong, and the Poison Dragon Great Master.
30 swords, I can make them quickly by tomorrow, but the last 3 swords are the problem.
These won't come out nicely even if hammered for 1-2 hours.
On top of that, the materials for making those swords... if I mess up, it could be a big problem... Hmm?
Thinking about it, there's Bilyeong, right? This matter might be easily resolved?
"Hey... Young Master, I have a request too."
"A request? Please speak comfortably. If I can listen to it, I'll hear anything!"
"Could you... when I ask you to pour this out, pour it for me?"
"This is..."
What I took out was a small flask.
Essence of Deadly Poison. A material obtained together with Bilyeong when we explored the gate.
The toxicity was so intense that weapons made with it could take the user's life.
That means the blacksmith who refines this can also take the life of the blacksmith.
Of course, it might not be, but I have to prepare for the worst. If I die here, it's all for nothing.
"I plan to distribute this poison appropriately and mix it into the weapons of the head, Young Master, and the Poison Dragon Great Master. In that way, the toxicity will be further amplified."
"Indeed, this energy... is like an energy that has melted the inner pill of a spiritual being. If fused into weapons, it will definitely... be effective."
"Perfect. Then let's use this... Just in case, it's better to prepare perfectly."
I took a deep breath and carefully put on the special mask that blocks powder-like things from entering the breathing apparatus during polishing work.
Bilyeong watched me for a moment, then stretched his right hand towards my face.
"Brother Seo, for a moment..."
From the tip of Bilyeong's hand, warm and pure Dang energy flowed in, enveloping my whole body.
It felt like a thin membrane was wrapped around me, blocking even the hot air inside the forge.
It seemed like Bilyeong took measures in his own way because he was worried that I might have an accident during work.
"Wow... It's reassuring, right? Thank you. Well... Then! Let's start!"
I smiled at Bilyeong and held the hammer tightly, handing the flask containing the Essence of Deadly Poison to Bilyeong.
"Hoo... If I make 3 masterpieces, the next dimension will be opened, right?"
"Let's make it. Masterpiece."