Chapter 173
Chapter 173
Chapter 173
Nam-gung Cheon frowned as he looked at the iron ingot Seo-jin placed on the table.
"What is this?"
"What do you mean what? It's that thing you were looking for until just now."
At Seo-jin's nonchalant answer, Nam-gung Cheon stammered and asked again.
"Th-this is that a Sword's Original?"
The [Sword's Original] wasn't just needed for this quest. It was a key item essential for making the Uicheon Sword that Nam-gung Cheon had always yearned for.
This thing that looked like a half-made iron ingot on the surface was that precious item?
Nam-gung Cheon picked up the iron ingot and examined it this way and that as if he couldn't believe it.
Honestly he didn't believe it, but Seo-jin wasn't the type to lie about something like this either.
While Nam-gung Cheon doubted whether the iron ingot was really the Sword's Original.
'Thank goodness.'
Se-yeon stroked her chest in relief as she looked at the iron ingot Seo-jin took out.
An item that looked exactly like the Sword's Original she received as a gift at the Garden of Spring in the past. That was definitely genuine.
She had been worrying about what to do if Seo-jin brought up using Mumyeong to make Excalibur, so it was fortunate.
Of course, he wasn't the type to take back what he had gifted, and seeing that he had newly obtained one, she felt inwardly relieved.
After examining the Sword's Original for a while, Nam-gung Cheon put it down on the table as if roughly convinced.
"Certainly...... the aura I feel does seem different."
"Of course it's different."
"But how did you obtain this?"
Nam-gung Rin asked Seo-jin about its source with sparkling eyes.
To find this precious thing that hasn't even been discovered more than a few times in the Tower within just a few days.
She was curious about the secret.
To this, Seo-jin shrugged his shoulders.
"I ransacked the entire lake bottom."
Before his regression, the strategy team staying on the 50th floor had ransacked the area near the lakeshore for several months to have an audience with Vivian.
In the midst of that, Lee Seo-mun, whose hobby was fishing, enjoyed fishing near the lakeshore whenever he had spare time.
And what Lee Seo-mun happened to catch was this very Sword's Original.
Recalling this, Seo-jin searched the area Lee Seo-mun had told him about for several days with his Eye of Insight active, and was finally able to discover that Sword's Original.
Seo-jin obtaining the Sword's Original wasn't simply coincidence, but the fruit of intelligence and grinding.
"That vast lake......"
"Right, so don't try to follow suit."
Well, without the Sea God's Protection and Eye of Insight in the first place, one couldn't even attempt it.
Seo-jin put the original form back in his chest and reassured the members.
"Anyway, there's no need to worry about materials. You all just need to diligently clear quests and obtain the blueprint."
All of Excalibur's materials can be obtained within the 50th floor.
Though a skilled blacksmith is needed for crafting, that's not a problem either.
Because a skilled blacksmith lives in Vivian's Crystal Palace.
***
[You want to borrow the blacksmith?]
"Right, because there's something I need to make."
A few days later. Vivian's audience chamber.
At Seo-jin's sudden request to borrow the blacksmith, Vivian fell into thought.
Wanting to borrow the blacksmith meant that they had obtained information about Excalibur's identity and its blueprint.
'I heard the speed of accumulating contribution points was going smoothly, but.'
To reach this point in less than even two weeks.
Also, according to Pickle's words, in tandem with the contribution point increase, petitions and complaints coming up to the Crystal Palace have been greatly decreasing in trend recently.
The actual residents' reactions, which couldn't be grasped with contribution points alone, had also improved.
'There were twists and turns, but...... it seems like it was a good choice in the end.'
Vivian looked at the human standing confidently before her and smiled slightly.
At first, she worried whether they might not adapt to this floor's environment. Or whether they were approaching with other bad intentions.
But they adapted well even to the unstable 50th floor environment, and sincerely performed their quests while helping the spirits.
It seemed letting them into the Crystal Palace and appointing them as envoys plenipotentiary to resolve the spirits' troubles in her stead was the right choice.
And Excalibur's creation was also what Vivian desired.
There was no reason not to allow supporting the blacksmith.
However, she couldn't openly reveal such feelings.
[Ahem.]
Vivian struggled to clear her throat to maintain dignity before opening her mouth.
[I heard news that you all are working hard for me and my people.]
"Right, we're working until our bones fall off."
While Seo-jin went around collecting Excalibur's materials, the members had suffered in various ways.
[If it's a request from you all, I suppose I can grant it. I'll arrange a meeting with the blacksmith. If it's my order, he won't refuse either. However, there's one condition.]
Vivian raising her index finger and presenting a condition.
"A condition? You're not in a position to present conditions."
Though Seo-jin came in the position of making a request, this was just a formality.
Considering the current situation on the 50th floor, Vivian had no choice.
[B-be quiet.]
As Vivian panicked at Seo-jin's cutting remark, Pickle, who was watching from the side, scolded Seo-jin.
[Hey, how impudent! If Her Majesty says so, then it's so!]
"Ah...... right."
If he provoked her more, Vivian might sulk, so Seo-jin pretended to yield and told her to speak.
"Fine. State your condition."
[Ahem, Glize, the irregular spirit you command. Free her or gain her recognition and change to a contract by spirit arts. I can't acknowledge forcible contracts like necromancy.]
"Hmm."
[A-and this isn't just my personal request. It's absolutely necessary to obtain the blacksmith's cooperation.]
At Vivian's supplementary explanation, Seo-jin slowly nodded.
Well.
Considering that blacksmith's personality, he might refuse to cooperate while taking issue even with trivial things like this.
Since he's a cantankerous fellow who won't listen even to Vivian the queen's orders if he doesn't like something.
[And gaining her recognition will also help improve your strength.]
"Perhaps."
Glize is in a situation where she receives almost no environmental effects from the 50th floor's spirit power-rich environment.
By the same principle as her being free from Vivian's control.
But if he succeeds in a regular contract through spirit arts, Seo-jin the contractor's strength would greatly increase.
They might even be able to build a deep bond while escaping from a master-servant relationship that simply exchanges orders.
Ting-
[Will you accept the World Quest, 'Queen Vivian's Request'?]
Seo-jin pressed the quest window before him to accept.
"Fine."
Seo-jin didn't plan to forcibly command Glize while receiving her glare forever anyway.
Taking this opportunity, let's either set Glize free or obtain her cooperation and make a formal contract.
***
Crystal Palace.
The training ground near the lodgings where the Reverse Heaven Society stays.
After finishing his meeting with Vivian, Seo-jin entered the training ground before proceeding with the quest and deployed a barrier.
Whooom-
He blocked the unstable spirit power filling the entire 50th floor through the barrier and reconstructed the training ground's space with Seo-jin's magic power.
Soon after confirming the space's magic power had stabilized, Seo-jin opened his inventory and released Hyeon-wol.
"I thought I'd die of stuffiness! Why are you only taking me out now!"
Hyeon-wol, who escaped from the subspace, stamped her feet and got angry.
Seo-jin flicked the squealing Hyeon-wol with his finger and said.
"Ow!"
"Be quiet. Here, your body might break down, so it can't be helped."
Only the Reverse Heaven Society members obtained the [Homeostasis] trait for adapting to the floor's environment.
If he summoned Hyeon-wol without any preparation, the precious artificial body might break down due to the spirit power filling the 50th floor.
Then he'd get an earful from his master.
"Come out, Glize."
After taking out Hyeon-wol, Seo-jin then summoned Glize as well.
Glize, whose level had risen considerably in the meantime and regained her appearance from when she was a boss monster.
[.......]
She was looking at Seo-jin with eyes containing faint hostility, as always, with her hands clasped in front.
Though she follows master Seo-jin's orders by the necromancy contract, her original personality is sealed in a state like an emotionless robot.
If the contract is released and her original personality emerges, she might attack Seo-jin without warning.
Hyeon-wol looked up at Glize and tilted her head.
"Why did you suddenly summon this one?"
"I'm thinking of changing the contract structure with Glize. From necromancy to spirit arts."
"Suddenly?"
Seo-jin briefly explained the situation to Hyeon-wol, and she nodded as if roughly convinced.
"But...... if you change the contract structure, won't summoning Glize require magic power going forward?"
"That's true."
Currently, Glize doesn't cost magic power to summon thanks to the additional ability attached to the [Summon Dead] skill.
But if he changes the contract structure to spirit arts, he'll have to summon her while consuming magic power like other spiritualists.
However,
"At this point, magic power consumption isn't much of a problem."
After obtaining the Demon Lord's Energy Core, the magic power problem was considerably resolved.
There's no big problem in summoning and maintaining one spirit.
And it's not like Glize is a super-giant summon that devours magic power like Antarea or the Behemoth Suit.
And.
"The remaining [Summon Dead] slot can be contracted with your combat body."
"My body?"
"Right."
The combat artificial body that his master made for Hyeon-wol consumes massive amounts of magic power to utilize.
He planned to cancel the necromancy contract with Glize and put Hyeon-wol's combat body in that spot.
Actually, Hyeon-wol, who is a ghost, suits necromancy better than Glize, who is a spirit.
And changing it in advance now would make it easier for Hyeon-wol to adapt when they climb to the 60th floor later.
"I understand what you're thinking. But is your spirit arts aptitude sufficient?"
Unlike Seo-jin's magical talent, his spirit arts aptitude is meager.
No matter how outstanding his intellect and analytical ability, talent that doesn't exist won't suddenly appear.
Especially since spirit arts is commonly said to be over 90% talent.
Could such a Seo-jin handle a powerful spirit like Glize?
To this doubt of Hyeon-wol's, Seo-jin shrugged as if whatever happens, happens.
"I'll manage somehow."
Thanks to the Fairy Knight's Talisman that Narcissus gave him before, his spirit arts aptitude had risen considerably, and this happened to be the 50th floor with abundant spirit power.
It was worth attempting.
"Just watch quietly."
After finishing his explanation, Seo-jin protected Hyeon-wol with a barrier and began work.
Ting-
First, Seo-jin opened the skill window and checked the currently contracted summons.
[Summon Dead LV.8]
[Currently Registered Servants]
Baduki (S) LV: 459
Lich King (S-) LV: 473
Glize (A+) LV: 462
Lord's Heart (EX) LV: ?
Tam (A-) LV: 398
Catfish (S+) LV: 177
Antarea (S) LV:345
Cerberus (S-) LV: 450
Members that increased with Cerberus, contracted at the 44th floor's Gates of Hell, newly joining.
From here, he'll cancel the contract with Glize and register Hyeon-wol's combat body.
"Phew."
Seo-jin took a deep breath, sharpened his mind and magic power, and selected the Glize entry.
[Will you really cancel the contract?]
A warning window appeared.
"Yes."
Seo-jin canceled the contract without hesitation.
[Contract has been canceled.]
Kwaaa-!
Along with the notification, vicious cold energy exploded from the frost giant before him.
That cold energy instantly filled the training ground and created a pure white winter-like landscape.
And
Flash-
Glize's eyes, which had contained faint hostility, glowed red, and soon her lips moved.
[Finally, the time has come.]