The clothes got dirty
The clothes got dirty
"I will make it so you can become the real thing."
It was just that one sentence.
Garun had held a hammer for hundreds of years.
He had forged tens of thousands of swords and prided himself on being the greatest craftsman on the continent.
But that one gentle sentence uttered by this human man contained a depth of craftsmanship that he had never reached, even after dedicating his entire life to it.
Pshhhhh-!
The high-temperature steam cleared, and the giant iron was slowly lifted into the air.
My eyes were wide open, fixed in place.
The Wyvern Leather Apron, having shed hundreds of years of accumulated grime and iron filings, had regained its original clear brown color.
While it was astonishing to see my alter ego and lifelong companion perfectly healed, what struck my heart violently was the thin steel plate lying next to it, shining brilliantly in silver.
"Oh, ooooo......!"
My knees buckled without me realizing it.
I slammed my knees onto the hard marble floor, but I felt no pain.
My gaze was shackled solely to that small, dazzling lump of silver.
It was the first time.
The first time I had been moved just by looking at steel.
Woo-wung.
I can hear it.
The weeping of the steel.
Dwarf craftsmen judged the level of steel based on how deeply that weeping resonated.
Mystical steels like Adamantium, Silver Metal, and Dark Iron differed from ordinary steel in the resonance of that weeping.
But the silver steel plate completed before my eyes was resonating with a sound far deeper than anything I had ever heard.
Even legendary magical alloys.
Even minerals that were called divine objects.
-Tiriring.
They couldn't make a sound like this.
-Tiring~.
A beautiful melody can be heard.
A pleasant sound, as if plucked from a harp.
This was not just simple metal.
It was the patience that had endured tens of thousands of hammer blows, and the wounds that had finally broken.
And it was a miracle crystal born from that man's great ironing, which had warmly embraced those wounds and gathered them into one perfect form.
"I have never seen steel that produces such a perfect voice. I have handled countless steel ingots, but this is the first time I have encountered an alloy that produces such a beautiful sound."
Tears dripped down.
My emotions welled up, resonating with the sound blooming from the steel plate.
It was the first time this had happened.
Resonating with the emotions of steel.
It was an experience no dwarf had ever had.
Forgetting that my beard was getting wet, I trembled as I held the steel plate.
I felt ashamed.
It was a piece of iron that could have become such wonderful steel.
Yet, I had turned a blind eye to them.
I had never once thought of using this to make a steel plate.
Not just me, but all dwarves had been like that.
And yet, I had called myself a craftsman all this time. The fact that I had done so made me ashamed.
This human man before my eyes had taught me humility.
He had shown me a higher realm.
It was the moment I understood why humans called him the Saint of the Laundry.
It wasn't the playful admiration I felt when shown great equipment, but a respect filled with sincerity.
My chest was bursting.
A hot flame was rising once again in my dying craftsman's soul.
The resolve to retire, to leave the anvil, had long since turned to ash and blown away.
Having witnessed such a realm with my own two eyes, how could I leave the furnace?
I looked down at the steel plate in my hands once again.
-Tiring, ding.
A clear resonant sound.
At the end of the resonance.
-......want to.
A voice could be heard.
Not just a simple vibration, but a clear voice.
-I want to go back. To our benefactor.
-I will become the most useful tool for that person.
-It would be cool if I were held in those hands, wouldn't it?
The steels were whispering to me.
That for the Saint who had saved them, they wanted to be reborn as the most perfect form of tool.
'Is this it?'
That I can hear voices.
It means the Saint-nim heard this sound.
My chest burned hot.
Just like when I first held a hammer.
An impulse to hold a hammer, so strong it drove me crazy, swept through my entire body.
I stood up on my trembling knees and bowed deeply toward the Saint-nim.
"I think I understand a little bit about what it feels like to hear the voice of steel. Saint-nim."
"......."
"Could you give me the opportunity to make a tool for you, Saint-nim?"
He opened his eyes wide in surprise at my sudden proposal.
"A tool?"
"They are speaking. They are saying they want to be held in Saint-nim's hands. Since Saint-nim restored my apron and my pride, I, too, will stake all the honor of a blacksmith...... and forge the best tool worthy of Saint-nim with this miracle steel."
I gripped the steel soul, shining brilliantly in silver, tightly in both hands.
The Saint nodded.
"I'd love that."
"Thank you."
I had a feeling the best product would come out of this.
"I will promote this to other dwarves as well."
It was a statement mixed with sincere respect.
I will become a craftsman like this man.
Garun vowed to himself.
Clang-!
A sword tip carrying a cold chill sliced through the air.
The zombie in front of it didn't even have time to scream before it froze and shattered into pieces.
The sound of ice fragments scattering on the floor was unusually loud.
An A-grade dungeon called the Screaming Cave.
As if living up to its name, the cries of specters and the sobbing of zombies heard from all directions mixed together, dizzying the ears.
Amidst the noise, Lee Chaerim calmly shook off her sword.
"This level of noise is nothing."
Compared to the resentful screams that had kept her from sleeping, this level of noise was nothing.
What made her mind restless was the stench that pierced her nose.
The rotten smell and moldy odor piercing the tip of her nose.
This stench of rotting corpses, unique to undead dungeons, would squeeze through the gaps even if she covered her nose with mana, gnawing at her sanity.
Hunters Inc. had gone on a business trip to clear a newly opened A-grade dungeon.
Led by Guild Master Lee Chaerim, the party's core was Seo Yerin, a shaman from the temple and a director at Hunters Inc.
"Yerin, how much of the blessing is left?"
A shaman's blessing that prevents the decrease of mental strength.
It was the reason why she and the other hunters were fine despite the screams that would drain one's mental strength just by hearing them.
"About 3 hours left."
"Is that so? That's a relief. We're almost at the boss monster."
"The newly laundered uniform looks like it has great performance."
Lee Chaerim laughed at Yerin's question.
"I entrusted it to an expert."
"You entrusted it to Jinsoo-oppa, right?"
"You recognize it right away."
"Who else but Jinsoo-oppa could solve such a terrible curse? Even my shamanism couldn't work on that item."
Yerin, who was wielding her shaman staff and casting spells, continued.
"And is there anyone else you trust as much as Jinsoo-oppa? You were so depressed after Jinsoo-oppa left our guild last time, but your expression looks a bit better now."
"Ahem."
Lee Chaerim cleared her throat and turned her gaze away.
This dungeon raid was much easier than usual.
All thanks to the laundry done by Kim Jinsoo.
[White Magnolia Uniform]
Grade: S-grade (Purification Complete)
Category: Armor / Uniform
Durability: 2,000 / 2,000
[Authority: Absolute Silence]
Can use area-of-effect silence against enemies.
Can cancel the magic of enemies currently casting.
[Blessing: Never-Ending Spring]
Stiffness caused by tension disappears, and there is a random chance to resolve simple curses.
[Option: Warm Defense]
The warmth of the spring maiden reduces physical attacks by 50%. Reduces mental attacks by 30%.
[Additional Option: The Weight of the Bearer]
When equipped, increases Charisma by 1 grade.
When triggering 'Never-Ending Spring', increases the agility of nearby party members by 1 grade.
[Contamination has been perfectly purified.]
[You will no longer be cursed.]
The uniform he had laundered showed performance that was among the best even among S-grade items.
It was overwhelmingly superior to the uniform she had been wearing until now.
With equipment like this, hunting was bound to be much easier.
"I should gather my equipment and entrust it to Oppa for cleaning too."
"I will go. If you prepare all the clothes......"
"Unni, are you trying to visit him like that again?"
"There's no need for two people to go."
"Why not? I can see Oppa's face for the first time in a while and talk about how things have been."
"He'll find it annoying."
"Oppa has always thought I was cute since before. He'll probably like it, you know?"
"......."
Lee Chaerim felt unnecessarily annoyed at Seo Yerin's words, who was adding an unnecessary comment.
"We need to move efficiently. There's no need for 2 people to go to the laundry......."
It was then.
-Kieeeeek!
The boss monster of the Screaming Cave, the Spell Worm, burst through the floor.
The boss of the Screaming Cave, and the host of zombies and specters.
A Spell Worm that makes all nearby corpses and souls into cursed beings.
Lee Chaerim gripped her sword at the appearance of the horrific giant worm with a human face embedded in its head.
"Let's talk about that later."
"Okay."
"Everyone, into combat formation!"
A joint attack by S-grade hunter Lee Chaerim and Seo Yerin, who is famous for being the most powerful even among A-grades.
Plus the help of the elites of Hunters Inc.
It was a power that a mere A-grade boss monster could not withstand.
Boom!
The Spell Worm's body burst.
Its rotten blood and mucus covered the hunters.
Seo Yerin and the other hunters hurriedly set up barriers to block the pouring contaminants, but.
"Unni?"
Lee Chaerim didn't bother setting up a barrier, nor did she avoid the filth.
She took the pouring filth as if she had been waiting for it.
Lee Chaerim, who never allowed a single scratch or speck of dirt.
The worm's blood and mucus stained her body, which she never allowed to be even slightly disheveled.
"Chaerim-unni......?"
Lee Chaerim let out a sigh upon hearing Yerin's bewildered voice.
"Oh dear."
A short sigh followed by one sentence.
"The clothes got dirty. I guess I'll have to visit the laundry."
"......."
The corners of Lee Chaerim's mouth went up after she finished speaking.
A lazy afternoon.
Only the white noise of the washing machine filled Sanctuary Laundry.
A sweet rest time that came after finishing the giant dwarf's apron request.
Such rest time was rare now that there were quite a lot of customers.
I leaned my back deep into the counter chair and sipped warm instant coffee.
-Ppiiii~!
On the table, Peep was struggling in a battle of its own, biting a piece of receipt I had pulled out of my pocket.
"Sajang-nim, look at our Peep's fluffy fur. It's like a cotton ball is rolling around."
Elena watched that scene with her chin on her hand, grinning foolishly.
The appearance of her talking about being a saintess or the power of God was nowhere to be found; she was just the face of a common neighborhood pet fool.
"How can this child be so cute?"
"You weren't even that interested a few days ago."
"That's because Peep wouldn't come out from that corner. Now that it's coming out like this and appealing to me, I have to love it too."
-Ppiiii~!
It's still intact even after my beak attack! Why is this piece of paper so fun?
Peep was wriggling as if it were fun playing with the receipt.
I checked the condition of Peep's fur.
"It feels like it's about time to give it a wash."
It was a child that easily got dirty with city grime because it was a spirit.
"Hand washing would be better, right?"
Just like before.
"...Please don't look at Peep like it's laundry. You didn't just imagine putting it in the washing machine, did you?"
"I'm the one who washed it before. And I'm going to hand wash it."
"Can I do it?"
"Are you sure? The little guy has quite a temper."
"Ayy, how hard can it be to wash such a cute little thing."
-Ppiiii~!
I will not allow anyone except the benefactor I have acknowledged!
Hmm.
It doesn't seem to like it very much.
"Try it once."
You'll see how hard it is.
"Yes! Sounds good!"
It was when we were chatting like that.
Cling-.
The wind chime rang, and a customer arrived.
"Jin-woo-ya, I'm back."
It was Lee Chaerim.
But.......
"Guild Master-nim, what's with your appearance?"
I said to her without realizing it.
What did you get covered in?