New Materials
The reason I wanted to set up another forge outside, even though I could forge equipment using my entire body as a blacksmith, was simple.
‘It feels a bit empty somehow.’
More precisely, it was lacking in fun.
The hammering and quenching had already become a routine.
At this point, just fiddling with my fingers as a substitute felt too far removed.
"Hmm."
I envisioned a suitable spot in the yard for an anvil, then turned and glanced at where Daon was.
The clinking of her tidying up dishes had stopped long ago.
Now Daon was scrubbing the dining table with a wet rag.
‘I should give her something in return.’
I'd gotten a house, meals, and even cleanup.
I figured handing over Sawol was plenty, but whatever.
I wasn't stingy with repayment.
‘...A person, right?’
I shoved aside my identity crisis for later.
Before washing up, I furtively pulled out my money pouch—the one I'd hidden away tight.
Daon's money pouch, stashed behind a flowerpot while she wasn't looking.
Of course, I knew banks existed.
I'd seen people pay for pots with square cards while waiting to settle up, and auction boards with "receive via account" buttons.
Still, the reason I carried only cash was simple.
‘It'd look suspicious as hell.’
A beastkin who dropped from the sky, presumed to have escaped a Tower.
If a guy like that suddenly opened an account and deposited tens of billions...
‘Bound to cause a headache.’
I nodded proudly at my own reasoning and slung the money pouch over my shoulder.
The heavy weight pressing down made me grin involuntarily.
"Ahem."
I approached Daon, who was deep in cleaning, and cleared my throat.
"What is it?"
She turned at the sound.
I smirked, reaching into the pouch.
Soon, my hand filled with the thick feel of bundled bills.
"Here!"
I pulled out a suitable stack and held it out to her.
"Money...?"
But no, not the thrilled reaction I'd expected—just casual acceptance.
"No... I mean, you... uh..."
My shoulders slumped a bit at that.
I'd gone out of my way...
"Ah!"
Daon let out an "oh crap" and fidgeted in front of me for a while.
Debating whether to take it or not.
To ease her dilemma—and my own mind—I shoved the stack into her hand.
"For the food."
Then I whipped around and flopped back onto the sofa.
Not sulking or anything. Just that her deflating response rubbed me wrong.
As I stared out the window, refusing to look at her, I heard her stomping anxiously behind me.
"This..."
Followed by mumbling, like she was pondering something.
"Ah! Dan-nim! I'll step out for a bit."
"Do whatever."
I replied without turning.
*Ding-dong.*
The door clicked shut as Daon headed out. My ears atop my head just perked at the sound.
Daon headed to a department store downtown.
They say those who've earned money know how to spend it—now a proper solo hunter, this was her first time at such a fancy place.
Fine for living alone, but now with two, there was plenty to buy.
First, the furniture section.
She lay on dozens of beds, picking the comfiest.
"I'll take this one."
A quick price check—over a million won.
Daon didn't bat an eye.
She filled out the form with her address handed by the clerk, then pulled out her wallet.
Stacked neat with the 50,000-won bills Dan had just given her.
"...I'll pay by card."
That stack could've covered the bed, but she had zero intention of using it.
‘I've already received too much...’
Sawol alone, plus that "failed piece" dagger—minimum 1.5 billion at auction standards.
So when Dan offered the cash, she'd thought it was just showing off.
Like the puppy she'd raised as a kid, wagging its tail with a big stick.
But.
‘He gave it... to me.’
Daon sighed quietly to herself.
She should've acted happier.
She waited for the clerk, card in hand, lost in thought.
Soon, the department store employee came rushing back from afar.
"Thank you!!"
Daon bowed bitterly in return to the waist-deep gratitude.
‘I should've done that...’
Leaving the furniture section, dozens of shops filled her view.
Clothing stores.
Men's, women's, even kids'.
Daon stood frozen, pondering.
"This has to be the place, right?"
She stepped right into the kids' clothing store.
But Dan's demeanor she'd seen—calm in most situations, stubbornly picky in weird ways.
"Can't make it obvious it's kids' stuff."
From the neatly hung clothes, she picked plain, simple ones, stacking them neatly in her basket.
I was dozing lazily in the sunlight filtering through the window.
—*Ding-dong!*
A thunderous sound jolted me awake.
"Ugh?"
I shot up from the sofa.
This noise...
Definitely the doorbell outside.
In that split second, my mind raced.
First off, it couldn't be Daon.
Her house—no reason to ring.
So a stranger had interrupted my nap.
‘Who?’
Crashing here, I couldn't just let someone in on my own.
I cracked the window, hopped into the yard, and tried peeking over the fence.
But my short body couldn't quite reach.
"Damn it..."
Another ring in the meantime.
"Anyone home?"
Definitely a stranger. A man's low voice, not Daon's high one.
‘Open it or not?’
As I paced between yard and living room, stomping anxiously.
"Ah, come on in."
The door opened, followed by a familiar pitch—Daon's voice.
"I asked for quick delivery, but didn't expect it this fast."
Peeking from behind the sofa, I saw two burly men entering under Daon's guidance.
Each holding four or five large cardboard boxes.
Daon's eyes met mine as she scanned the living room.
She scratched her cheek awkwardly, exchanging glances.
"Just set it up in the master bedroom."
"Got it."
Daon gestured to the men while glancing at me.
Only after they all entered the bedroom did she turn to me.
"I should've warned you... sorry."
"Nah, it's fine."
No need to apologize.
I was just a little—very little—startled.
Truth be told, my old forge or Daon's house...
No visitors but me and Daon, so strangers in my space felt off.
"Ahem."
Clearing my throat awkwardly, I stepped out from behind the sofa.
Now I noticed Daon's hands piled high with shopping bags.
"These are for you."
Catching my gaze, she handed them all over.
"Wha—?"
I peered into the bags suddenly in my arms.
Some held clothes, another snacks galore.
"Oh..."
Polite to try gifts right away, right?
I set the bags down and pulled out the top shirt.
A blue shirt cascaded down.
"That one's adult size, might be a bit big..."
I ignored Daon and headed to the bathroom.
Of course it'd be adult size—what else?
Though half-true—the sleeves were a tad long.
Changed, I returned to the living room; Daon handed another bag.
"And this—I thought you'd like it."
I glanced inside.
Colorful stones packed full, leather straps.
Even black wooden chunks.
"Magic stones and monster byproducts... what do you think?"
I stared at the materials a moment, then looked up at Daon.
"...I can tell without you saying."
Daon chuckled for some reason, but that wasn't important.
‘New materials!’
Not just steel—totally fresh, exotic stuff.
My heart pounded at their allure.