Chapter 60
Chapter 60
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: Maestro's Other Commission
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She shrugged her shoulders. Lander and Guchi. Names she'd never heard before.
"Wait a second."
She was about to say she knew nothing about them when the name 'Guchi' caught on the tip of her tongue. Guchi, Guchi. It felt like it was on the verge of coming back to her, only to sink back into the darkness.
"What's wrong?"
"It's not a completely unfamiliar name. But since it won't come to mind right away, it's definitely someone insignificant."
"You wouldn't forget anyone important."
"The one who subdued our soldiers was this Lander guy, right?"
"According to the report. This Guchi fellow was a prisoner who got taken down by Inebil."
"Then there's no need to rack my brain trying to remember. It could be someone else with a similar name."
"If it pops into your head while you're idly thinking about it, let me know."
"You just can't let it go, can you?"
"You know my personality."
She set down her teacup and stretched. Coming here put her mind at ease.
Silder was here, Charlotte was here, and the miracle that had upended her worldview was here too.
"I forgot to buy a gift for Charlotte."
"She won't need any gift. Just having you by her side makes her happy. Sometimes it makes me jealous. It feels like my own flesh and blood prefers you."
"Isn't that the mystery of a woman's heart that no man can ever understand? As a fellow woman, I get Charlotte a bit better."
"I'm a failure as a dad, then."
She burst out laughing. Even a schemer preparing to change the world was just an ordinary father in front of his daughter.
She liked that side of Silder. He was brutally ruthless, but endlessly warm to those he kept close.
"Charlotte said you broke your promise. You were supposed to play with her, but you didn't."
"I tried to make time... No, that's just an excuse. I could have made time. I just ignored my daughter's request because this matter was more important."
Silder gripped his teacup with both hands.
"What do you think? Can a man who can't even keep a promise to his little girl really see this through to the end?"
"Haven't we invested too much time already to be asking that now?"
"We can't turn back or stop. And I have no intention of doing so."
"That's all that matters. A man named Silder just has to be that way. As long as you hold that position, we'll handle the shortcomings. You gathered us to clean up after you, didn't you?"
"Watch your words. I didn't gather you—you all came to me. I was just sitting here."
She didn't deny it. He was right.
Instead of asking for help, he'd shown them a dream. The people who stayed by his side now were captivated by that dream.
If it had been the ravings of a dreamer, everyone would have left. But the dream Silder showed them was achievable.
She felt a childlike thrill at being among the first to approach the world he envisioned. No doubt everyone by his side felt the same.
"I'd love to keep chatting with you, but I should finish the report."
"If you don't want to, you don't have to. I trust you."
"Don't lie. Even if I believe everything else you say, I won't believe that. 'If you don't want to, don't do it' sounds like 'do it or die' to me."
"If that's how it sounds, then my sincerity got through."
Silder crossed his legs and leaned back against the chair. It was a sign he was ready to listen comfortably—go ahead and speak.
"Things didn't go well with the Silent Workshop. They said they can't take our order."
"I figured as much. You always save the bad news for last. So, what happened? Did Maestro Andukaf change his mind?"
"No. His stance hasn't changed. 'If you bring good materials, you're welcome anytime to make good things with them.' But this time was a little different."
"Our materials wouldn't have disappointed him."
"Golden iron is a raw material even he cherishes. He's always said he wanted to work it to his heart's content."
"Was the order itself lackluster? Should we have requested something more special?"
"No. He's not picky about forms. Sword, spear, bow—it doesn't matter. As long as it's a weapon made by hand, he loves it. He'd never turn down the simple sword design we ordered."
"Now I'm really curious. My feeble brain can't even guess. Why would he refuse your request?"
She leaned forward, resting her interlaced hands on her chin.
"Another order came in first."
"From somewhere else? And he accepted it?"
"Yeah. A man who spent the last five years honing raw materials just to keep his skills sharp suddenly took an order."
Silder frowned.
"If he'd announced a halt due to health reasons, I'd understand. But he took someone else's order? Dianne, how long did it take you to secure that promise from him?"
"Over a year of persistent pleading. To the point where he got angry."
"And after all that, he cancels our schedule to take another order. That's completely unexpected."
Silder continued, looking exceedingly troubled.
"Will he handle our production after finishing that prior one?"
"That would be better. We'd get the results if we waited. But he said this job requires his full soul, so he'll close the forge for a while after it's done."
"For a master to pour his soul into something. The fact he broke a promise to take it means it's no ordinary item. Is it related to Giant Soldier modules?"
"No. Just a crude sword. And not even a new one—it was a repair job."
"A sword?"
She nodded.
It wasn't a formal contract, just a verbal promise, but a master like him usually kept his word.
Yet a single sword of unknown origin had changed his mind. Something extraordinary had happened.
"Who the hell commissioned that sword?"
"I asked, but he wouldn't say. Just that it was his treasured item, and he wanted to entrust it to someone who understood it best and could use it most practically."
"That's not good. It's like a pesky pebble keeps tripping me up. Inebil, the workshop—things going off-track at a critical time isn't ideal."
"It's not a serious problem, though."
She took hold of Silder's hand.
After visiting the complete Realm, she'd gained a new body.
She'd acquired reflexes beyond imagination and the ability to wield dense mana.
The constraints of her physical form had been lifted. It was a miraculous transformation worthy of calling her a new humanity.
But her previous weapons were far too flimsy to handle the condensed mana. That was why they needed the master's work made from golden iron.
"It would have been great if the maestro made the swords for us, but we don't need them right this instant. Worst case, we can swap weapons like consumables. If we run out, we fight bare-handed. We have that much power."
"You're right—we've gained strength that doesn't rely on weapons. But the opponents we'll face ahead aren't ordinary humans.
Swordsmen of the First-Class Nobles, instructors from Schola, military generals, and agents from Think Tanks we don't even know about. The Empire is vast, so it harbors plenty of monsters. Even if we've obtained new bodies through the Realm, they'll have power on our level."
"Silder. I've told you before—you're great in every way, but you worry too much. We're not weak. Swordsmen of the First-Class Nobles? We can handle them.
No matter how superior their physical techniques, they can't wield mana on our scale. That's a massive gap. So don't make that face. No one in the Empire can stop what you intend—not even Emperor Ardhen."
She gently pulled Silder into an embrace. She could feel his relaxed breathing.
"Share your worries with me. Don't carry them alone."
After holding him for a while, Silder slowly pushed her away. A faint smile played on his lips.
"Worrying is my job. If I make the wrong call, it'll come back as blood. So I can't stop. The day I can sleep without worry will be after the new era dawns."
"You're so stubborn. That's why you drive women crazy. Olivia must have felt the same. Her one and only husband never listened to her."
"She said that was my charm."
She kissed Silder and stood up.
"Speaking of which, I should go see Olivia. She must be sulking since I haven't shown my face in half a year."
"Do that."
"Can I bring Charlotte?"
"That doesn't sound like a good idea."
Silder was still smiling, but his eyes brooked no argument. Don't take our daughter to her dead mother's grave.
"Just testing."
"Get some rest—you must be tired."
She left the study. Through the closing door crack, she saw Silder with his eyes closed.
She loved Silder, and he gave her his companionship, but deep in his heart, he still held Olivia.
She understood, yet it made her burn with unbearable jealousy. Silder probably knew her true feelings.
Even so, the way he accepted it gently without comment was so like him.
"A pure heart will end someday."
Memories faded in time. The one living by Silder's side, sharing flesh, dreams, and breath, was the living woman named Dianne.
Olivia was a dearly beloved friend, but she couldn't help her greed. And Dianne satisfied her greed by taking what she wanted.
She stepped out of the mansion and walked for a bit. Following the well-kept trees led her to a neat gravestone. She placed flowers plucked from the garden atop it.
"Hello, Olivia."
She stood quietly, gazing down at the gravestone. Blood will out—watching Charlotte grow reminded her of Olivia.
Deep blue eyes, slightly curly hair, prominent ears. Someday Charlotte would look just like her mother.
"Olivia, you were too good a person. That's why I liked you."
She wiped the gravestone with her glove and turned away.
On her way back to the mansion, she ran into Charlotte. Dressed in comfortable play clothes, the girl's hands were caked in dirt.
"Dia! Where'd you go?"
"I went to see Charlotte's mom for a bit."
"Mom?"
Smiling, she asked Charlotte,
"More importantly, what were you up to? What's with the dirt on your hands?"
"I was building a castle. A really big sandcastle."
"Really?"
"Wanna see it too, Dia?"
"I'd love to."
"I knew it. Come on. I'll show you specially."
Charlotte beamed, offering her small hand. Dianne took it.
Olivia, I'll fill your empty space without leaving any gaps. She murmured to herself.