The Puppeteer's Blade
Henrik’s nose was flushed red from the alcohol. He glanced at Shanette, his eyes gleaming with sudden intensity.
“What, you think an artist can’t fight?”
“Ah, no. That’s not what I meant…”
“Good. Then step outside.”
The three of them left the tavern.
Of course, Kang Yoonsoo paid the bill.
Already quite drunk, Henrik led the pair toward the training grounds.
The training grounds were crowded with people sparring, weapons clashing against one another.
Henrik spoke to Kang Yoonsoo.
“Hey, you’re wearing a sword, so I assume you know how to use it?”
“Yeah.”
“Perfect. I thought that staff of yours was just for decoration.”
The training grounds were lined with wooden practice swords and real blades.
Yet Henrik drew two sharp, live steel swords from among them.
“Shall we go a light round? You use that sword.”
“Yeah.”
Kang Yoonsoo drew Lavian’s longsword.
The moment the two men stood facing each other with real blades drawn, every eye in the area turned toward them.
Live-steel sparring was inherently dangerous. It was easy to wound or even kill your opponent.
That was why only true experts ever sparred with real swords.
A sword that didn’t injure its opponent demanded far higher skill.
And yet here were two men reeking of booze, about to do exactly that.
Some onlookers watched with faces that said they were both worried and utterly unimpressed.
A few rigid traditionalists even looked openly offended, as if this were an insult to swordsmanship itself.
One man approached Shanette.
“Is it really appropriate for drunkards to be waving real blades around? Miss, shouldn’t you stop them?”
“Unfortunately, they aren’t the type to listen even if I tried.”
Shanette’s expression was deeply troubled.
Henrik took a stance with his real sword, then suddenly slipped a hand inside his shabby coat.
He pulled out a small square box.
When he tilted it open, a large wooden puppet was summoned.
It was a puppet easily several meters tall.
The crowd burst into exclamations.
⊳ “A puppeteer!”
Puppeteer.
It was a class that crafted combat puppets and used them in battle.
It wasn’t a common profession, so this was Shanette’s first time seeing one in person.
To be honest, she hadn’t even known whether puppeteers counted as a combat class.
“I made this one myself. Feel free to fight it however you want.”
The massive wooden puppet gripped both real swords tightly.
Thin threads could be seen extending from Henrik’s right arm.
The mana-woven threads were incredibly tough and allowed the puppeteer to control the doll exactly as he wished.
But controlling a puppet was no easy task.
A puppeteer’s combat strength varied wildly depending on how skillfully he manipulated those threads.
……Henrik Elicurson.
Kang Yoonsoo stared at the artist before him.
In the lives he had already lived, he had been tied to this man almost as much as he had been to Shanette.
Suddenly, he remembered the first time Henrik had died.
Back then, Kang Yoonsoo had clutched Henrik’s corpse and wept bitterly.
In that life, Henrik had been both his master and his sworn brother.
Of course, that history no longer existed.
But it had not been erased from Kang Yoonsoo’s mind.
As he sank into those old regrets, Henrik’s energetic voice rang out.
“Let’s begin. Shall I go first?”
Kang Yoonsoo snapped back to the present.
He looked at the man who had died in his memories and nodded.
“Yeah.”
The wooden puppet’s blades moved at an angle.
By the time it looked like the puppet was twisting strangely, the motion had already reached its end.
The twin swords crossed, aiming straight for Kang Yoonsoo.
Clang—!
Crunch—!
The puppet’s waist shattered.
Almost no one understood what had just happened.
Henrik’s surprise attack had been excellent.
His unique swordsmanship was flawless, and his movements were unpredictable.
Yet in a single exchange, the wooden puppet’s attack had been nullified and the construct itself destroyed in an instant.
No one could explain how Kang Yoonsoo had countered, or even what technique he had used.
Even the people who had sneered at the drunkards fighting were now rubbing their eyes in disbelief.
Henrik looked down at the broken puppet and let out a hollow laugh.
“Hey. What was your name again?”
“Kang Yoonsoo.”
“Right. Kang Yoonsoo. Just what the hell are you?”
“Why does it matter?”
“What a damn unpleasant bastard.”
It was the first of countless times Henrik would utter those words.
Henrik’s luggage was simple.
Gem-cutting tools, a puppet summoning box, a handful of dry rations, and an assortment of strong liquor.
When he came sauntering back, Shanette spoke firmly.
“Go wash up.”
“Too much hassle.”
“Then don’t come with us.”
Henrik grumbled but eventually returned looking clean.
He had changed into a coat without stains, and his original appearance wasn’t bad to begin with, so the result was quite presentable.
The three of them bought simple cooking utensils and provisions.
Then they left Riel and headed north.
Henrik voiced his confusion.
“If we’re going all the way to the capital, wouldn’t it be faster to ride horses?”
“That won’t work.”
It was Kang Yoonsoo’s answer.
Right after discovering the history of the void, the legendary quest had been newly updated.
Legendary Quest — Loyal Subordinate
📍 Objective: After studying the history of the void, you have uncovered a fact unknown to anyone else. A being connected to an ancient hero dwells along the road to Riel. Encounter that being and uncover the path of your future journey.
🎁 Reward: Unknown
“Legendary quest?”
Henrik scratched at his rough beard.
Having only just joined the party, this was completely new information to him.
Shanette planted both hands on her hips and spoke proudly.
“Yes. Um, is it okay if I explain?”
“Yeah.”
“We’re currently carrying out a legendary quest.”
“Is that so? Hmm. A legendary quest related to an ancient hero, you say.”
Henrik stroked his chin.
By the time they noticed, night had fallen.
Kang Yoonsoo mechanically checked their surroundings before deciding on a campsite.
He lit a campfire while Shanette cooked.
Henrik spread out a blanket on the ground and tried to lie down, but after getting scolded by Shanette he got up and gathered some dry firewood.
Since they had only left the city a day ago, their food supplies were still plentiful.
Pancakes, bread stuffed with smoked ham, and thick cheese soup made their tongues dance with delight.
Henrik was impressed.
“Looking at you, I wouldn’t have guessed you could even flip a pancake, but your cooking is actually pretty good, miss.”
“You’re too kind.”
“No, I mean it. This is comparable to what the imperial chefs make. Especially this soup—it’s incredible.”
Henrik downed several mouthfuls of soup in one go, then suddenly rummaged through his bag.
He pulled out a glass bottle filled with strong liquor that sloshed inside.
Without hesitation, Kang Yoonsoo held out a wooden cup as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“Pour me a glass.”
“Looks like you know what’s good. Drinking alone never tastes as good.”
“Drinking too much is bad for you. Please drink in moderation.”
Paying no attention to Shanette’s worried words, the two men clinked their cups together.
Shanette let out a deep sigh and merely poked at the campfire with a stick.
Then she spoke.
“Kang Yoonsoo, shouldn’t we introduce our other companions to Mister Henrik?”
“Yeah.”
“Mister? Why am I a mister? Call me oppa!”
Henrik, already quite drunk, slurred.
Unlike Kang Yoonsoo, Henrik was an ordinary human(?), so it made sense that he would get drunk after drinking that much.
Kang Yoonsoo stretched out his right hand and spoke in his usual flat tone.
“Summon Salamander Sally.”
Flames rose, and a beautiful girl appeared.
When Henrik saw the clothes woven from fire that Sally wore, his reddened face tilted in confusion.
“You were a spirit summoner?”
Kang Yoonsoo didn’t answer.
Sally came running over and made a tearful face.
“Dad, where’s my little brother?”
“Later.”
“Hiiiing! Then play with Sally!”
Sally began to sob, and Shanette hugged the girl, patting her gently.
At that bizarre sight, Henrik could only stare in astonishment.
“I’ve seen people contract with spirits before, but this is the first time I’ve seen someone comforting a crying one.”
But it was still too early to be surprised.
Kang Yoonsoo summoned another companion.
“Summon White Wolf Monster White.”
“Grrrrr…!”
Henrik instantly sobered up.
It was only natural—after all, a white werewolf had just appeared right in front of him.
He narrowed his eyes and reached for the puppet summoning box at his chest.
But White had already sworn absolute loyalty to Kang Yoonsoo.
The werewolf sat obediently like a well-behaved puppy, and Kang Yoonsoo stroked its white fur.
“Grrrr…”
The werewolf let out a low growl.
It wasn’t a sign of defiance—it meant the beast was pleased.
Kang Yoonsoo took a chunk of meat from his backpack and tossed it to White.
White snatched it out of the air and crunched through it, bones and all.
Looking at the utterly unfamiliar party members, Henrik wore an expression of pure disbelief.
“What an amazing party. A Continental, a Traveler, a spirit, and a monster. Hmm. I almost feel sorry for being so ordinary.”
“No. You aren’t exactly ordinary either, Mister Henrik.”
“Why? I’m perfectly normal. Or… am I too handsome?”
“……”
“Why the serious face? You’re hurting this delicate middle-aged man’s feelings.”
At any rate, Henrik, now considerably sobered, shook his head.
Then his eyes suddenly turned sharp.
“Get down!”
Shanette, Sally, and White instinctively obeyed.
The instant they flattened themselves against the ground, countless whistling sounds tore through the air above their heads.
A hail of arrows.
Multiple attackers had fired at them from a distance.
“Grrrrr…!”
White, whose large body was hidden in the grass, growled.
Sally hurriedly extinguished the flames on her body.
Fire in the darkness drew attention too easily.
Still crouched low, Henrik whispered.
“Do you know what shocked me the most right now?”
“What?”
“That Kang Yoonsoo lowered his body before we even got the order.”
The two of them glared at Kang Yoonsoo.
He answered indifferently.
“We didn’t get hit anyway.”
“What a damn unpleasant bastard.”
More arrows sliced through the air.
There was no guarantee they would hit, yet the arrows kept coming endlessly.
Kang Yoonsoo sent both of his summoned companions back to the summoning realm.
White was too large, and Sally’s flames made her an easy target.
Henrik muttered curses under his breath and pulled out the puppet summoning box.
“Three runner puppets.”
Three wooden puppets sprang out of the box.
Unlike the one from the training grounds, these had slender bodies and long legs.
Still lying prone, Henrik moved the mana threads attached to his right hand.
The three runner puppets immediately dashed off in different directions.
When their targets split into three, the panicked voices of the attackers rang out.
“Kirunuko!”
“Oshikiradurin!”