Chapter 45
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: Masterpiece
-----------------------------------------------------------------
'This is exciting.'
Word had come that the dagger made using the 'Psyche's Blade' I'd entrusted to Mura was complete, so I was on my way to her forge.
It was planned, but a legendary blacksmith like Mura had poured her heart and soul into crafting it herself, and now it was coming into my hands.
At her request, I'd visited her forge several times over the past few days so she could measure my body and observe my sword swings.
She called it fine-tuning for a perfect fit to my hand.
'Something I'd never even dream of with the price I paid.'
Whatever.
To Mura, I was a proper customer after years of drought, complete with rare materials, so her artisan spirit had gone into overdrive.
Win-win.
And today, I finally got to see the fruits of that overdrive.
All I could hope for...
Was that it would truly be 'Mura's masterpiece.'
'Though I have no doubts.'
"No matter how I think about it, I just don't get it. Si-woo's brain, thinking that blacksmith is better than the master I introduced you to. Did you really get shot in the head or something?"
Erina shaking her head beside me.
"How the hell did you even find her, and why are you tagging along? Are you a PoXémon or what?"
"Pika?"
Erina Esnatia mimicking some unspeakable fictional animal cry while flipping me off.
"You couldn't even fit in a PoXéball. At least stay quiet."
"I'm not a kid, why don't you shut the fuck up, Si-woo."
Erina had somehow found out I'd gotten the call from Mura and come running over in a flash.
"Why are you so curious anyway? You eyeing the materials too?"
"Ha, what do you take me for, Si-woo? I'm not on the same level as a pleb like YOU."
True, she had the connections and cash to get whatever she wanted.
"Then why do you care so much?"
"I want to see with my own eyes just how amazing this blacksmith's skills are that made you turn down my offer. Though we all know how it'll turn out."
"Yeah, pretty obvious, huh."
The legendary blacksmith with the greatest talent in [Awakening to SSS Hunter Academy]. Don't faint when you see her.
Erina sticking to me like gum lately was one thing since she was having fun with it.
But this one?
"What's up?"
Baek A-rin looking up at me with her clear blue eyes.
Why the hell are you here?
"Why'd you come, cute A-rin?"
Erina whispering in my ear with her hand cupped around it.
"I can hear everything, Miss Erina."
Baek A-rin shooting Erina a look.
"Why come? 'Cause you called me."
"It, it wasn't on purpose!"
The text Erina had sent Baek A-rin:
[Heading out now to check the fruit of me and Kim Si-woo's labor.]
She'd sent it to tease her, apparently, and Baek A-rin had bitten and rushed over.
When the hell did those two exchange numbers? Were they not as bad with each other as I thought?
"I thought something crazy happened with all that 'fruit' bullshit. Who knew it was just about processing materials."
Baek A-rin shaking her head like her temples ached.
"You didn't have to come out."
"Yeah, now that I know it's Miss Erina's nonsense, no real need to tag along."
"What do you mean nonsense?!"
Ignoring Erina's protests, Baek A-rin turned to me.
"A sword you commissioned? Honestly, how could I not be curious? And here I am knowing nothing again."
"That look in your eyes is criminal, Baek A-rin."
Scary for real.
Blackmail.
No harm in showing gear infused with Mura's craftsmanship to Baek A-rin anyway.
Only upsides.
'I've already prepped Mura for it too.'
"Well, since we're all here, let's go together. Time to show off my blacksmith's skills."
After a long walk with the girls, we arrived at Mura's forge.
Still as shabby and unassuming as ever.
"Th-this is the place?"
Baek A-rin's expression slipping a bit at the sight.
She'd been super curious who it was ever since I mentioned the blacksmith I commissioned. Can't blame her for the disappointment.
But judging by appearances alone would be a big mistake. This was a legendary forge.
Thinking that, I leaned in toward Baek A-rin with a low voice, like I knew everything.
"Judging by looks would be a mistake. She's not someone you meet easily."
"No, that's not..."
Baek A-rin flinching like I'd hit a nerve.
And Erina smirking beside her.
"YES! Exactly. Impatient Baek A-rin! Judging by appearances is premature!"
No, you're the last one who should say that after judging her solely on looks. Fucking racist.
"I-I'm here, Mura."
"Oh, you came?!"
Mura greeting us warmly as she opened the door.
Inside, unlike before, it was surprisingly neat and packed with professional equipment.
'Looks like she put it to good use.'
On top of the forging fee for the dagger using [Psyche's Blade], I'd personally invested about 20 million won.
Invested, not just given.
'She was worth it.'
Mura seemed grateful just for handing over the precious material for her to work with.
'But that's not enough.'
I planned to saddle her with a huge debt to keep her by my side. She liked it too, so win-win.
"This kid's the blacksmith you were talking about?"
"Ha, don't judge her size by your standards. Even looking like this, she's a dwarf tra—"
"Dwarf?"
"Shut it, you racist."
Erina was hopeless.
At their words, Mura hesitated like she wanted to say something.
'You can do it, Mura. You got this.'
I clenched my fist at her in silent cheer, and she seemed to gather courage, slamming the workbench.
"Shut it, you brats! There's no blacksmith with better skills than me."
Yes! That's it!
A bit weird mixing formal and informal, but whatever.
Meeting Mura repeatedly, I'd kept pumping her up, telling her she lacked confidence. Gaslight—er, igniting her resolve.
A true artisan needs confidence.
And this was the result.
Nice.
"S-sorry, didn't mean it like that."
"S-sorry! I'M the fucking racist!"
Baek A-rin flustered, Erina trembling in the corner like PTSD had hit.
Yes, perfect.
Leaving them be, I asked Mura,
"So, it's done?"
"Yes, perfectly crafted. Master."
Mura said that, then bent down like she was fetching something.
"Master what?"
Baek A-rin sidling up to whisper.
"Master is master."
"..."
-Thud
Mura placed a fairly large chest on the shelf.
"This is it, Master."
The same chest I'd brought the material in.
Probably due to Psyche's Blade's properties.
"This...! What the hell material did you use? Magic suppression device? To need something like this, it must be boss monster level."
Baek A-rin shocked at the chest.
"Ah, it's just for storage now, no real effect anymore. Unless Master orders otherwise."
"Nice. Can I open it?"
"Of course, Master."
-Hiss
With that, she unlocked it, steam escaping as the lid popped open.
"This is..."
The forge interior had no lights on, shrouded in darkness, but I could tell clearly.
A blade so dark it stood out even in shadow. No shine at all—couldn't even tell where the edge was, it looked that sharp.
A unique straight design, seamless from blade to straight hilt, no guard.
"Wh-what do you think?"
Mura asking tensely.
Was she seriously asking me what I thought?
This was just...
"A masterpiece, obviously."
As if to prove it, even Baek A-rin was speechless the moment she saw it.
"Th-thank you, Master!"
Mura beaming with genuine joy, looking rewarded for her hard work.
"Try holding it, Master."
I wanted to anyway.
Carefully gripping the hilt, I lifted the dagger.
[Psyche's Blade]
: Master blacksmith Mura's masterpiece.
: Applies [Corruption] effect to non-allied targets.
: Applies [Corruption] effect if unauthorized use by non-owner.
: Excluding this effect, applies the same [Psyche's Blade] effects to one other weapon you possess.
"This is..."
"I perfectly controlled the material's original properties. No one but Master can wield it. Give it a swing."
-Swish
I lightly swung the dagger through the air at her urging.
"How is it, Master? I analyzed your hand measurements and attack style from last time and tailored it perfectly."
"Tailored?"
"Yes...?"
Mura looking at me, surprised.
Tailored? No way.
"This isn't tailored."
"Did I make a mistake...?"
"This is my hand!!!!"
"Wh-what does that mean? This is Si-woo's hand?!"
Erina gasping along with me.
No way to explain it as mere tailoring.
I'd thought the hilt was straight, but no—subtle curves exactly where needed, fooling the eye.
First time handling it, yet it clung like a body part.
"This isn't a sword. It's my third hand!!"
"Then what about this?"
Erina Esnatia snatched the dagger.
"My, my hand!!! My hand fell off!!!! Phantom pain! It's phantom pain!!"
"Kyaahhh!!! Shit!! What is this?! It fucking hurts!!"
"What the hell are you doing..."
Baek A-rin watching me writhe in phantom pain and Erina suffer Corruption for being unworthy, shaking her head pitifully.
But soon, staring at the dagger, she muttered to herself.
"This is definitely a masterpiece."
"Hmph, of course!"
Once I got it back, calm restored, I replied to Baek A-rin.
Yeah, obviously a masterpiece. Who made it?
Baek A-rin turned to Mura seriously.
"Want to work under me?"
"Ha! I'd only work under Master!"
Yes! Good girl!
For blacksmiths in [Awakening to SSS Hunter Academy], 'experience' with rare materials mattered most.
Reputation was everything.
That's why Mura's transcendent talent went unnoticed.
'Gaslighting from jealous rivals didn't help.'
But in case someone like Baek A-rin spotted her talent, I'd brainwashed—er, indebted her hard.
A guy who trusted her enough to hand over amazing materials when she was rotting away making farm tools in a back room, and gave massive funding.
That's me to Mura.
With her strong sense of loyalty, no betrayal coming.
"What the hell does this guy have that everyone's..."
Baek A-rin muttering while staring at me.
With this, the dagger was mine.
Professor Kang Geom-seon's exam coming up.
And above all, it'd be useful in the 'Academy Raid' soon.
"My hand!! My hand is under attack!!"
Why are you still over there in the corner?