A Father's Gift and the Master Smith
Denier Zieghart's Hyunmujeon, the central garden of the watercolor-style flowers and trees harmoniously arranged.
Marta and Denier faced each other.
"I'm sorry."
Marta could not meet Denier's gaze and lowered her head.
"You called me to Hyunmujeon, and since I joined the Light Wind Squad, you can scold me, but there's nothing to say."
She looked at the tips of her toes and clenched her hands tightly.
"It's fine."
Denier smiled faintly as if it did not matter.
"Since I know your situation better than anyone, I cannot fail to understand you."
"…I'm sorry."
"No need to apologize. It's been a long time since you came, but you did not show your face and keep doing this?"
"Ah, Father."
Marta slowly raised her head. The always cold black eyes trembled slightly.
"Why are you making such a face with such a pretty face."
Denier smiled warmly and stroked Marta's head.
"Ugh…"
Marta did not answer and bit her lip. Denier was the one who took in the empty himself and raised her like his own daughter. She could not hide her emotions in front of him.
"It's a pity that the youngest daughter went somewhere else, but it's true that there will not be much conflict between Hyunmujeon and the White Blood Cult, so I understand you joining the Light Wind Squad."
Denier looked down at Marta's eyes.
"You want revenge yourself."
"Yes."
Marta answered firmly for the first time.
"I want to find my mom with my own hands and kill those bastards."
"Even if you take revenge, it will not be as refreshing or enjoyable as you think. You will have many thoughts."
"Still, I have to. No matter what, I have to!"
"Is that so."
Denier let out a faint sigh and pulled out the sword from his waist, sheath still on, and offered it to Marta.
"The sword named Cheongun. There's no need to say it's sharp, and it has the aura of Phama to keep your mind clear."
"What? Why this…"
"This is your graduation gift."
"I-I haven't even joined Hyunmujeon yet…"
Marta's mouth opened wide. Cheongun was one of Denier's most cherished swords. She never dreamed her father would give such a treasure.
"A father giving a gift to his daughter, what's the problem with that."
"Ah…"
Denier handed the Cheongun sword to Marta and grabbed her trembling shoulder.
"The Light Wind Squad is a new unit, so not only basic missions but also many supports will go out here and there. All of that will be experience to raise your level, so do your best on every mission."
"I understand."
Marta looked at the Cheongun sword in her hand and her eyes sparkled.
"It does not feel like a reward for giving a sword, but let's make a promise."
"A promise?"
She looked at Denier's mouth and swallowed dryly. If it was the price of this sword, she had to accept whatever was said.
"Even if you're busy, you or I, we must meet and have a meal once every six months."
"Haa, really…"
"You have to answer."
"I understand."
Marta let out a bright smile and nodded. If the Light Wind Squad saw it, it would be an incredibly bright smile.
"And never take your eyes off Raon."
Denier removed his hand from Marta and looked up to the sky.
"The boy's martial prowess and judgment are comparable to that of a vice commander. You can learn a lot, so always watch him and think about why he moves that way."
That's right. Raon beheaded the Green King at 15 and defeated Vice Commander Horaine at 17. Watching him, one would not realize time was passing as he learned many things.
"Will I be able to catch up to that guy?"
Marta held the Cheongun sword tightly and looked at Denier's eyes. Even to become proud herself, she wanted to stand at the same position as Raon.
"Frankly, it's tough. Your talent does not fall short of the Zieghart direct line, but that kid has talent at a level rare even among the Zieghart direct line. But…"
Denier smiled faintly and turned his body.
"It's not impossible. As a swordsman of Zieghart, gain a lot of experience and solidify your foundation. Since there's a rival right next to you, if you train steadily, the time will come."
"Yes."
Marta nodded big. Since she had been watching him every day after losing to Raon, she was confident in observing.
"I will not miss it."
"Do not watch him too much and get carried away. Even if blood is not connected, he is family."
"Ah, Father!"
"Joke. Joke."
Denier spun his hand and entered Hyunmujeon.
"Ugh…"
Marta clenched her fist. Her earlobe was slightly red without her knowing.
***
Raon and Runaan who left for Mirtan were spending the first night in an unknown small forest.
"Runaan. Rest here. I will go around the surroundings and come back."
"Got it."
Raon waved his hand to Runaan and entered the forest.
Even cold food tastes good, the cooking skills of the pineapple girl are increasing day by day.
Wrath clicked his tongue after eating Yua's special pineapple and salami ham burger.
But the amount is a bit lacking. For this king who is the king of ham, it is still a bit short.
'King of ham?'
Can't even recognize that, falling behind the trend. It means eating up to ten hamburgers.
'Surprising how much he's cutting.'
Now he was like a neighborhood kid, not the Demon Lord.
Raon shook his head and set up in a clearing with appropriate distance between trees, drawing his sword.
You said you would scout the surroundings, but in the end it is training. Boring.
'Because I did boundary with Glacia.'
The surrounding boundary and exploration were already finished with Glacia. Now he wanted to refine the dual strike he practiced at dawn.
'Should I use it?'
During movement, he had extracted only the pleasure formulas from Refining Sword Technique and Mad Fang Sword. He swung the sword while memorizing only the pleasure formula that pursued speed.
Whoosh!
A new sword technique woven with Raon's immense physical ability and pleasure formula manifested, and a sword strike that seemed to twist the dark sky melted by night erupted.
'Fast.'
Even without using much aura, it was a speed that could cut the neck in an instant at Expert Low-Class level. But that was not the level he wanted.
Gooo!
Raon pulled Glacia to the extreme and leaned the sword back. He exploded the cold energy of Glacia running through the tightly tensed muscles and mana circuits, drawing the sword.
Kwaa!
The sword strike that could barely be captured by the eye raced along the horizon, and the fiercely freezing wave of cold followed, painting the void.
A horizontal waterfall of ice appeared in front of Raon with just one strike. Even with water attribute resistance, it was powerful enough to tear the body apart.
"More than I thought."
He had only refined the new pleasure formula, but the speed and power became incomparably stronger than in the morning. If he continued to develop it like this, it seemed a sword technique unique to himself that could be used in real combat would be created.
'There was meaning in practicing the basic sword techniques.'
Basic sword techniques had most sword technique attributes shallowly. There was meaning in diving into that shallow water while others were learning advanced sword techniques.
'How is it?'
- Hmph, j-just a little. Very little! This king will not acknowledge it, really just a little bit!"
Wrath repeated "a little" as if reluctant to acknowledge.
'Then it should be enough to make it to the point where a little becomes a snowball.'
Raon smiled faintly and practiced the new pleasure formula until Glacia's cold energy was gone, then returned to where Runaan was.
"Sorry for being late. I was testing a new sword technique."
"Got it. I see."
Runaan tilted her head as if it was nothing special.
"It was fun, so it was not boring."
"Did you feel it?"
It was a distance that Runaan's realm could not feel yet, but how did she know?
"I opened a new eye in the jungle. I will tell Raon later."
With that, she smiled a very small smile that could not be seen.
'New eye?'
The residents of Katam Jungle that Runaan visited could feel the aura from far away without aura, it seemed like she was talking about that ability.
"Once that is done, let us eat ice cream."
She took out a box of bead ice cream from her backpack and offered it as if waiting.
- Ooh! As expected, this king's first maid!
Wrath spewed cold energy from his mouth and scanned the ice creams.
"Choose first."
"Got it."
Runaan chose mint chocolate and put it in her mouth. Her white cheeks flushed red as if it was delicious.
- Hmph, choosing mint chocolate...
Wrath looked at the space where mint chocolate disappeared and bit his lip.
- B-because this king is the ice cream girl, I am giving it to you. If it was someone else, I would have smashed their head right away!
'Funny. Eating for free while getting it.'
Raon clicked his tongue and put the black and white mixed new ice cream in his mouth.
"Ha…"
Between the sweet ice cream, a crispy cookie was embedded, filling the mouth with sweet tastes of different textures.
- Hee...
Wrath's mouth opened wide enough to allow a fly in as he felt the thrill of the new taste.
- What kind of trick is this from the Demon God! There was such a taste left in the human world! Even if I die now, I will not regret it!
This time, Wrath's fuss was understandable. Actually, this ice cream was so delicious that it made one's eyes sparkle.
"What's the name of this?"
"Cookie and Cream."
- Cookie and Cream. That name is engraved in this king's soul! Ah, great...
Wrath folded his hands as if singing a hymn and muttered Cookie and Cream.
"And this."
Runaan put the ice cream box away and took out the silver box she had brought to the training ground.
"What's this?"
She did not answer and opened the box. A brand new white ingot that seemed like condensed snow from the morning snow lit up the inside of the box.
"This is Cold Blood iron."
Runaan touched the Cold Blood with her finger and continued.
"If you make a sword with this, it will be a great help for swordsmen using cold energy. I will give some to Raon too."
"You are giving this?"
"Got it."
Runaan nodded without hesitation.
"Why?"
"Because I have to repay."
With that, she smiled deeper.
"Ha…"
A laugh escaped. It was obvious it was an enormous treasure just by looking, but she was giving it away. Without conditions or reasons, just saying to repay.
'What did I do…'
The price for making Siria retreat was more than enough. Runaan kept giving, grateful, but I do not know how to repay.
'Tough.'
Raon lowered his head. Relationships between people seem harder the more you get to know.
But I know that if I receive, I have to return as much.
'I need to find something I can do for her too.'
Raon nodded quietly while looking at the Cold Blood.
***
Two days later.
Raon and Runaan looked up at the hills at the entrance of Mirtan Village. Between the hills twisting like grapevines left and right, there were round or angular or strangely twisted blacksmith shops.
This place where individual-shaped blacksmith shops were freely spread out was Mirtan Village of the blacksmiths.
'Not too hot, though.'
Mirtan was built at the foot of the dormant volcano Skelei, so even though it is north, it was said to be warm, but there was no big difference from other places.
'There are many people.'
As they entered the village, like Rimer's warning, the Zieghart swordsmen were almost invisible, and the village was full of village people, merchants, and swordsmen from other places.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
As they climbed the hill packed with blacksmith shops, sounds of hammering, bellows, and fire in the furnace came from here and there.
Seeing the blacksmiths sweating and working busily, one would naturally think they had to live hard.
- If you live harder, you will die.
'I do not think I did my best yet.'
- Not you, this king will die. Cannot sleep, so train a bit properly!
Wrath grumbled and frowned. It seemed he did not like doing night watch and practicing pleasure formula on the way to Mirtan.
"Raon. Where are we going?"
"Let's see…"
Raon looked around. Everyone was working with extreme concentration, so it was hard to talk to anyone. While thinking who to ask, a presence was felt from the right.
"Hello?"
Turning his head, a man with a bear in his mouth smiled fawningly. His skin was brown from the fire, but there was no blacksmith's rigidity, only light momentum. Among those who came here, he seemed to have no work.
"Are you looking for a blacksmith shop?"
"Yes."
Raon nodded lightly.
"Then, as the local Mirtan tokkai, let me recommend one? A master who has overflowing talent and produces masterpieces of all things."
"Hmm…"
Unlike himself who had made a promise with Vulcan, the person to make Runaan's sword was not decided, so it might not be bad to know.
"Who is that?"
"Haren."
"I have not heard of the name…"
"He is not big yet. There will be a big commotion soon. It is better to reserve him."
"Hmm, where is that person?"
"Here!"
He pointed to himself with his thumb when he smiled.
"I am Haren, the future continental master smith!"
"…"
Raon, Runaan, and Wrath all looked at Haren with contemptuous eyes.
"Hey, pretty swordswoman. Do not look at me like that. Once you try it. The sword energy is not ordinary, only someone at my level can match it."
It seemed Haren had noticed Runaan's skill without revealing momentum, as if the words were not complete bluff.
'Of course, I did not notice my own skill.'
Raon smiled faintly and looked at the shop he came out of. The furnace fire was out, the floor was messy, and there were spider webs on the ceiling.
"Tsk, okay."
Clicking his tongue, he took Runaan out.
"Ah, wait! If you see that, it is a problem! There is no one better than me in skill here!"
"It is fine. Because the person I am meeting is unconditionally better than you."
"Funny! Who is it! What is the name!"
"Vulcan-nim."
"V-Vulcan? Kahaha!"
Haren grabbed his stomach and rolled on the ground laughing.
"Do you think that old man will meet you? That human has been waiting for the lord of Zieghart for four years. You guys will not even see that old man's face!"
He boasted that it would not even be a door slam level.
"Just leave it to me. The price is a bit expensive, but I will make a really good thing. If you miss this opportunity, you will regret it?"
"Enough, tell me where Vulcan-nim's shop is."
"You cannot understand words. No. Even if the royal family of the Zetur Kingdom comes every day, that old man who does not show his face even once will open the door well for you."
He waved his hand saying do not waste time.
"Then, shall we make a bet?"
"A bet?"
"If we enter Vulcan-nim's shop, I win, and if you do not see his face as I said, you win. The condition is that whatever the other person wants, I will do it."
"No need for a bet but I like it!"
Haren nodded quickly.
- A stupid guy got hooked on the bait.
Wrath grumbled that another sacrifice had increased and sighed.
"My condition is simple. I will make the swordswoman's sword. Materials and price are up to my discretion!"
Haren pointed to Runaan standing blankly. His fawning smile and rubbing hands looked exactly like a third-rate delinquent.
"Hmm…"
He did not want to make Runaan's sword in such a place, but it was a bet he could not lose.
"Runaan."
"It is fine."
Runaan nodded without hearing the reason, as if believing.
"Thank you."
Raon smiled faintly to Runaan and raised his finger towards Haren.
"Okay. I will tell you my condition later."
"Good! I will guide you. Let's go!"
Haren led the way up the hill. His confident expression seemed to mean he was sure he would not lose.
"Hey, Haren! Why did you wake up early today before the sun set?"
"At this time, I see you did not get drunk on alcohol. Tomorrow, will the sun rise from the west?"
"Now do some proper work! The shop is rotting! You bastard!"
The blacksmiths clicked their tongues or shouted to wake up when they saw Haren. From that alone, one could tell that this man was the bully of this village.
"These friends said they could make the old man come out. I am bringing them. All of you, get lost!"
Haren frowned.
"That is not possible. How did you see the former village chief."
"Do not waste time, come to us! I will make it cheap!"
"Even the royal family who came 10 days in a row could not see a single hair. How are you going in."
"Do not say useless things!"
The spectators and blacksmiths waved their hands saying they could not see Vulcan.
"You heard? Even if you say to come back now, it is no."
"I will not say that, so hurry up and go."
"Arrogant…"
Haren stuck out his lips and stopped in front of the shop built on the highest hill in the village. It was a semicircular building with the door flipped down, and in the center, one thick iron door tightly closed.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
From inside the shop, sounds of hammering iron at a constant speed and strength came. The mature hammer sound as if playing an instrument conveyed the blacksmith's skill.
"Hmph. Ah."
Haren cleared his throat. It was not the voice he had given so far, but he raised the tone and shouted in a completely different voice. He seemed to be hiding his identity.
"Hey, former village chief! Guests are here! Guests looking for you!"
He hammered as if breaking the iron door, but no answer came from inside.
"Guests are here! Open the door!"
"Tsk, go back. I am not receiving guests now."
Only then did Vulcan's voice come from inside. It was thicker than before, but his voice was clear.
"See. I said you do not need to come. First, receive the advance payment. First, give that box."
Haren reached out to the box Runaan was holding with a creaking sound.
"I knew this would happen."
"Because he is not just any continental master. His stubbornness is like iron."
"Even if the royal family came, he did not open the door, but how did these kids get in."
"Those bastards will get money for nothing."
The spectators who followed clicked their tongues saying they knew this would happen.
"Let me try."
Raon passed Haren's open hand and stood in front of the door.
"Ah, useless! Do not disturb the old man and come this way…"
"Grandfather."
Raon continued speaking with the smile of Vulcan he last saw on Bukmang Mountain.
"I came with an unyielding heart."
The hammering sound that had been echoing continued to stop abruptly with that low voice.
Kugugugu!
The iron door that would remain closed even if the continent collapsed opened wide, and with intense heat, Vulcan appeared.
The wrinkles on his face were as ever, but his eyes were full of life, and his swollen muscles covered his whole body.
"Finally came."
"It has been a long time."
Raon and Vulcan faced each other with changed expressions and smiled with affection.
"Eh? Eh?"
Haren opened his mouth wide enough to tear as he looked back and forth between Raon and Vulcan.
"W-what is this! Why is that old man coming out!"
He pinched his own cheek as if disbelieving.
"I-I really came out!"
"Eh! I said I would not open the door until a real guest came?"
"I-I wonder who this young man is. Why is Vulcan-nim making such a face…"
The smiles on the faces of the spectators who followed disappeared. Everyone gulped in surprise.
"It ended boringly."
Raon smiled while looking at Haren's shocked face.
"My victory in the bet."
"Tsk!"
Haren bit his lip and backed away when Vulcan's gaze turned to him.
"Stop."
"Up!"
With that, Haren stood upright like a broken doll.
"You guy. You did not do any work, why did you come all the way here."
"Y-you guided me kindly…"
"Empty talk! You did not think about improving your skill and just did a useless solicitation!"
"Ah, Father. That is not it!"
"Shut up!"
Hearing him call "Father", it seemed Haren was Vulcan's son.
He had been sent on errands or trying to get good things from the made items, but if he was Vulcan's son, he would be useful in many ways.
'A hook has increased.'
Raon smiled as he grabbed Haren's collar with Vulcan.