Chapter 14

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: penny

Chapter: 14

Chapter Title: Azure Rose Guild (4)

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Reading the message made all the strength drain from my wings. A message starting with "Sorry, but..." could only mean one thing.

Now I'd be blackmailed with my crimes and turned into a slave forging weapons for the Azure Rose Guild. They'd pluck my tail feathers and scales every day, snapping my horns bit by bit.

"Ughhh…."

Cold sweat trickled down my spine. But refusing wasn't an option. There was no escaping the power of the Azure Rose Guild. At best, I could beg the Management Agency for help, but could I really trust them?

With trembling fingers, I painstakingly tapped out a reply on the keyboard. Even short sentences that I'd normally type without issue were riddled with typos, forcing me ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to correct them over and over.

[Golden Hand] Yes. What time should I come?

[Lee Ji-young] Around 10 a.m.?

[Golden Hand] Yes. That works.

Phew.

The moment I hit send, all tension fled my body, and I flopped back onto the bed.

"I'm screwed... I'm really screwed...."

No matter which way I turned, only grim futures awaited. The Management Agency or the Azure Rose Guild. That was the dilemma.

The next day, I stood in front of the Azure Rose Guild building with Yu So-jeong at my side.

'To survive here, I need to keep things balanced. The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Management Agency and the guild. I'll have to walk a tightrope between them.'

Gulp.

I swallowed hard as I gazed up at the towering structure.

"What's wrong?"

"...Nothing."

Telling someone from the Management Agency wouldn't help anyway. Steel ing myself, I took a step forward.

The moment we entered the first-floor lobby, Vice Guild Master Lee Ji-young and Guild Master Seol Yu-hee came into view.

"Hello— Eek?!"

"...You're Lee Da-yoon?"

In an instant, Seol Yu-hee was right in front of me. Startled, I ducked behind Yu So-jeong.

Yu So-jeong scowled and spoke up.

"Can I take that movement just now as an attack?"

"...You're weak."

Cold sparks seemed to fly between the two. Lee Ji-young stepped in to mediate the pair quarreling over me.

Thankfully, the lobby was empty, as if they'd cleared everyone out. Otherwise, this scene would've been front-page news in seconds.

"Guild Master. We agreed to talk inside first. Sorry about that, Mr. Lee. Let's head in."

"...Yeah. Sorry."

"The Management Agency won't stand by next time."

If it weren't for the one relatively normal person, Lee Ji-young, I shuddered to think how this would've played out. ...No, she was probably planning to hold me accountable too, so she wasn't much help.

Following Lee Ji-young's lead, we rode the elevator down to the workshop I'd grown a bit familiar with.

Stepping inside, I noticed a new display case. And inside it, three fine swords on exhibit.

"It's about the prototypes you made, Mr. Lee. The Guild Master wanted to discuss them, so we called you in like this. Sorry for the short notice."

"Oh, no, it's fine."

Finally, things were getting to the point. Thinking back on what I'd done made my vision blur.

"...That sword. It was the one most suited to me out of any I've ever wielded."

"...Pardon?"

But what came from Guild Master Seol Yu-hee's mouth was far from what I'd expected. Vice Guild Master Lee Ji-young chimed in with something similar.

"We were shocked you created such masterpieces with seven imperfect hearts. They'd never been used properly in crafting before. At most, as magical materials...."

"Huh?"

Those were just test pieces.... And I'd eaten four of them....

Clearly, the two had a major misunderstanding. But it was a misunderstanding I had no need to correct.

"Y-Yeah. Made with seven hearts. Haha...."

Yu So-jeong gave me a long stare at my response, but the other two didn't catch on.

"Good."

Seol Yu-hee nodded in satisfaction. Then she grabbed both my hands in hers.

"So, can you make a sword right away with a perfect heart?"

"We'll offer the maximum financial compensation possible."

A perfect heart. The words made me unconsciously lick my lips.

That sparkling, pulsating blue-and-white gem. Melting smoothly in my mouth like ice cream....

'No, snap out of it! I can't actually eat that!'

Some things were edible, some weren't. And an A+-grade material was obviously the latter. I wasn't idiot enough to devour that too.

If I did, I'd really spend the rest of my life forging weapons in the Azure Rose Guild's basement.

"Ahem! Y-Yes, I can make one. But to craft a proper sword, I need to know what kind you're after."

Pulling myself together, I spoke up. Seol Yu-hee answered without a second's hesitation.

"A fine sword for me. I can trust you with it, since you made these."

She caressed the three fine swords like precious treasures.

"Really? No specific requests?"

"Nope."

She nodded as if it were the most natural thing.

...This was awkward. If she'd asked for something specific, I could've tailored it. But leaving it entirely to me?

"Alright, I'll get started then. Where's the heart?"

At my words, Seol Yu-hee opened a safe in one corner of the workshop. From within emerged a gem of ethereal beauty.

As she held it out to me, a sweet, cool fragrance pierced my nose.

"I'm counting on you."

"Y-Yes...."

I swallowed dryly, barely clinging to my senses as I replied.

"Then we'll head up. Call if you need anything."

"...Can't steal an artisan's time."

"I'll step out too. Phone or message if you need me."

The three turned and left in perfect sync.

Clunk.

The workshop's heavy door shut, leaving me alone.

"Whew…."

A sigh of relief escaped me. Facing down Korea's number two or three hunter and discussing her weapon wasn't easy.

Glancing over, I saw the CCTV was off too.

Better this way. If they'd seen me craft an item with a single click, they might've thought I wasn't putting in effort or sincerity.

'Alright, let's get to it.'

Better to finish quick before I craved the heart more. One slip-up, and it'd be a disaster.

I dragged over a footstool to match the workbench height and laid out the materials one by one.

Three leftover imperfect hearts that made my mouth water just looking at them. One perfect heart. Three scales I'd picked up off the floor, top-grade Millennium Cold Iron from the workshop, and White Drake leather.

'A sword for a hunter named Seol Yu-hee....'

The three prototypes embodied her past, present, and future. This one needed to encompass all that—the essence of Awakener Seol Yu-hee herself.

Frost forming coldly, ice flowers blooming atop it, fully ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠blossoming and scattering. All of it in one sword.

"Treasure Creation."

Squeeze.

The instant I pressed the button, a blinding golden light erupted—far more brilliant than before.

Vwoooom!

The mana infusion that usually took one second dragged on. One second, two, three... Mana kept pouring in.

At the same time, the air chilled, frost forming on the workbench.

Ten seconds later, the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠infusion ended, and the golden light faded.

When the glow cleared, a single fine sword lay quietly on the workbench.

"...Wow."

An exclamation slipped out unbidden.

It was like a work of art.

The blade gleamed pure white, as if carved from glacier ice, with faint golden veins shimmering within. The hilt was wrapped in white leather over Millennium Cold Iron, and the guard protecting the hand was shaped like a blooming ice flower.

An inexplicable pressure emanated from the sword, along with a constant chill. It exuded a presence that seemed ready to freeze even the ambient mana.

Before even touching it, I knew this was an extraordinary masterpiece. No need to check the description—I was certain it surpassed any sword Seol Yu-hee had ever wielded.

Lifting it with trembling hands brought up the info window.

"S... Rank?"

A dumbfounded mutter escaped my lips.