Chapter 629: Orichalcum Mine (4)

Blacksmith Fer.

He was an elderly blacksmith who had once defended Balas Territory, a land renowned for its blacksmiths.

Balas Territory’s lord had originally been Belin, reputed to be the most beautiful woman in all of Goyad.

As Hyunsoo rapidly expanded his power, Lord Belin stepped down and moved to another territory with Fer.

The young man they had once known was now a king. He ordered Lord Belin to govern a new territory, and Fer naturally followed her there.

King Hyunsoo also made certain they lacked for nothing.

He granted Lord Belin the title of count and appointed Fer chief blacksmith, if only of that small territory on the frontier.

Furthermore—

“It’s a gift, Fer.”

One could call it the lifelong dream of any blacksmith.

His Majesty Hyunsoo had gifted a new forge to an old blacksmith who was already past seventy.

It would not have been an exaggeration to say that the forge carried profound meaning.

Hyunsoo was telling Fer not to retire, but to continue crafting.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Some might have called him a relic whose time had passed, but His Majesty Hyunsoo had shown respect to an elderly blacksmith.

Fer was grateful.

He felt as though he had regained his youth.

He wanted to continue growing, just as His Majesty Hyunsoo did.

Perhaps that was why—

CLAAANG—!

CLAAANG—!

CLAAAAANG—!

Fer’s forge burned brighter than any other.

Among the dozens of forges in that small territory, its unceasing flames inspired the other blacksmiths.

“To keep the fire burning night and day at his age...”

“Master Fer truly is incredible.”

“We can’t let him outwork us!”

[The blacksmiths of Bras Territory gain insight.]

[The growth rate of Bras Territory’s blacksmiths increases by 15%.]

“Master Fer, how are you still so energetic at your age!?”

“You’re as vigorous as ever!”

Fer smiled warmly at them.

He could never bring himself to reveal the truth.

He wanted to leave something behind—anything that might help His Majesty Hyunsoo, even in the smallest way.

It was an embarrassing sentiment.

Yet accomplishing it was anything but easy.

His Majesty Hyunsoo had grown far beyond him. He now possessed treasures so valuable that ordinary work could offer him little assistance.

Fer’s meager skill could no longer keep pace with him.

Then he recalled the conversation they had shared when Hyunsoo gifted him this forge.

“Your Majesty, how can I craft an artifact that exceeds my limits?”

“...I think you should focus on what you do best.”

Fer had fallen into deep thought.

What did he do best?

His father had been a miner.

Born the son of a miner, Fer had spent countless hours extracting ore and wielding a pickaxe.

Of course—

Just because his father had lived as a miner did not mean Fer had to walk the same path. He had chosen to become a blacksmith instead.

But no one was more familiar with a pickaxe than he was.

At last, Fer became certain of what he needed to make.

He spent his entire fortune purchasing the finest mineral available.

Then—

CLAAAAANG—!

CLAAAAAANG—!

CLAAAAAAANG—!!

Age was proof of experience.

[The Blacksmith’s Wish activates.]

[The Years of a Blacksmith awaken.]

[The Blacksmith’s Flame activates.]

Fer possessed numerous powers he had developed over the passage of his long life.

Those powers lent strength to the old man’s small, aging muscles as he poured everything he owned into the work.

The experience that had accumulated layer by layer, like the wrinkles upon his face, melted into the metal.

He poured in the years.

CLAAAAANG—!!!

He poured in his life.

CLAAAAAANG—!!!

He poured in the blessing of still being able to work in his old age.

CLAAAAAANG—!!!

The artifact gradually took shape.

The flames of Fer’s forge burned no less fiercely than those of a young man in his prime.

His dim eyes were clear at that moment, reflecting the orange sparks flying through the air.

SCRITCH, SCRITCH, SCRITCH—

His withered hands carved the most beautiful pattern they had ever created.

And then—

[A masterwork is being written.]

The hunched old man, unimpressive in appearance, completed the most magnificent and unique pickaxe in the world.

—To my king...

Fer gazed at the engraved words.

He hoped that someday, the pickaxe would find its purpose.

The thought filled him with joy.

He wanted to press it into Hyunsoo’s hands as eagerly as a grandfather preparing gifts for a visiting grandchild.

And so Fer waited for his young king to come.

But Hyunsoo was always busy.

All Fer could do was keep the pickaxe close and await the day they met again.

A considerable amount of time passed.

“Sir Fer, His Majesty has issued an order throughout the entire kingdom.”

“His Majesty?”

“Yes. He has requested that we send him every high-quality artifact possessing a power related to mining.”

“...”

Fer looked at Chancellor Nell, who had arrived in a hurry.

He did not hesitate.

CLICK—

He brought out the pickaxe, which he had kept inside the most beautiful box in his home.

“I’ve never seen such an incredible pickaxe.”

Fer merely smiled.

Without a moment’s hesitation, the old man handed over decades of his life as a blacksmith.

All he wanted was for it to offer Hyunsoo even the smallest amount of help.

******

A genius had fallen from the heavens.

There was a man among the knights of the nation of Hyun for whom that expression seemed perfectly suited.

“What did you do before coming here?”

“Why did you volunteer to become a knight of the nation of Hyun?”

“You would have been welcomed anywhere.”

“You would have distinguished yourself wherever you went.”

The knight was constantly bombarded with such questions.

He had suddenly appeared at the training grounds used by the nation of Hyun’s knights and declared, “I wish to join.”

He could fight three or four knights by himself.

Even more surprising was Luxiu’s assessment.

“That is an unusual sword.”

“So many different forms of swordsmanship are intertwined within it that it should be chaotic.”

“But it isn’t.”

“He abandons conventional swordsmanship. At times, he wields a sword to survive. At times, to save. At times, to protect.”

Even Luxiu acknowledged the knight who had come asking to join of his own accord.

What was that knight’s name?

Kanma.

His true identity was revealed only after some time had passed.

“I was once the commander of a mercenary company.”

“...”

“...”

“...”

The moment they heard those words, everyone realized who he was.

Knight Kanden had died as part of the subjugation force sent to open a path to Elvenheim.

Kanma was his younger brother.

After he revealed his identity, the knights patted him on the shoulder.

Kanma merely smiled.

They asked him nothing more.

His brother had been lost because the nation had been weak.

Because the nation had failed him.

Yet no one asked why Kanma had chosen to become a knight of the nation of Hyun and protect Hyun.

Kanma simply continued forward, remaining close to the young king so he could protect him.

He abandoned the title of commander who had once led thousands of mercenaries.

He cast aside the name Kanma the Indomitable, who had brought victory in hundreds of dungeon expeditions and subjugation campaigns.

He chose to become the sword of a single man.

As always, Kanma finished his training that day and prepared to visit his brother’s grave.

Then—

“His Majesty requires items related to mining!”

“This is an emergency!”

“His Majesty went to Elvenheim alone! If he needs something from us, doesn’t that mean he has encountered some kind of danger!?”

“...”

Kanma turned around.

Mining.

It meant extracting something from the earth.

Kanma and Kanden’s family possessed an heirloom that had been passed down for generations.

It was quite valuable and had originally belonged to Kanden, the elder brother.

Kanma went to visit Blacksmith Takashi.

CLACK—

“Use this for His Majesty.”

What was inside?

The elderly Takashi stared at it in admiration.

They were gloves used by miners.

They were also exceptionally rare and unusual, clearly crafted by a highly skilled artisan.

“Are you truly willing to give something like this away?”

Kanma smiled.

“I am not the one giving it.”

“???”

“I...”

Kanma explained how he had come to the nation of Hyun.

The old man listened carefully to every detail.

Kanma smiled faintly, showing not the slightest trace of regret.

Takashi understood the gloves’ value.

They could support generations of descendants for a man living on a knight’s wages.

Kanma offered them up, turned away, and spoke as he left.

“They are not from me.”

“They are from my brother.”

Takashi nodded.

Kanden, who had died—

And Kanma, who still lived—

Both protected their young king.

*****

The nation of Goyad.

Word reached Hyun’s neighboring kingdom that Hyun had requested every item useful for mining.

A nation naturally possessed many rare and valuable treasures.

However—

It would not be easy to find items specialized solely for mining.

Furthermore—

Many of those items were privately owned.

Their owners would likely assume that anything sent away would never be returned.

Some were family heirlooms. Others were treasured possessions.

Even if a king requested them, people would not part with them lightly.

That was Barad’s judgment.

He concluded that gathering mining-related artifacts solely within the nation of Hyun would be difficult.

And so Barad issued an order.

“Let us collect items specialized for mining here in Goyad and send them as well.”

Only about two hours had passed since Barad’s announcement.

Goyad was merely a neighboring nation, so he thought receiving even one or two items would be enough.

Even that much would allow him to say—

Please understand that Goyad did everything it could, Hyun.

All Barad could do to help was ask anyone who possessed such an item to send it to the nation of Hyun.

He could not force them.

He could not seize their possessions.

The offerings had to be voluntary.

After all, Hyun ruled another nation.

That was what Barad believed.

What happened next left him speechless.

Pickaxes and protective equipment worn by miners were piled up like mountains.

Goyad’s chancellor reported to him.

“The miners of Arsen Mine heard the news and sent every pickaxe they had.”

“The miners of Pelsen Mine have also joined them. Many citizens have sent pickaxes and protective equipment as well. It appears that quite a few of these are family heirlooms.”

“...I told you to send the good ones.”

Barad chuckled.

Then he realized something had gone wrong.

“It appears the message spread incorrectly. They were told to send anything that might help with mining, rather than only items possessing exceptional mining effects.”

“And this is the result?”

“Yes.”

Barad smiled as he looked over the thirty-six thousand pickaxes and nearly forty thousand pieces of protective equipment sent from across the nation.

Among them—

“We selected the finest item.”

It was a piece of protective equipment worn on a miner’s head.

“They say it has been passed down through the owner’s family for generations.”

It was far too valuable for an ordinary miner to offer.

“Why would he give away something so precious...?”

“The boy who offered it said that if it was for His Majesty Hyun, then it was not precious enough to regret losing.”

“...”

An offering from a nameless boy.

Tens of thousands of pickaxes and pieces of protective equipment.

Through them, Barad saw the life Hyunsoo had lived.

People had mocked him, claiming that honesty only allowed others to take advantage of you.

Yet the man who had continued walking his path without wavering was finally being repaid, even if the reward had come late.

Hyunsoo’s life was being vindicated.

*****

Miner’s Wish.

It was a potion containing absurd power meant solely for those who mined.

The user Pin had received it after fulfilling an old miner’s request.

The moment it was consumed, Mining Ability increased by 150% for twenty-four hours.

Long ago, Pin had posted about the potion on a website, asking what it might be worth.

At the time, people had focused on the “Mining Ability +150%” effect.

In the hands of an exceptional miner, a 150% increase in Mining Ability would produce a truly outrageous effect.

However, there were not many exceptional miners, so he was told that the potion would not attract much interest.

Even so, a single bottle was estimated to be worth one million won.

Pin did not sell it.

The elderly miner had given it to him shortly before his death.

Pin had grown attached to the old man, and he refused to sell that memory for a mere one million won.

No one had shown any great desire to buy it, either.

But now, two years later—

-Sell it to me.

Pin received a message.

He refused.

-I’ll pay twice its value.

Pin refused again.

He had no intention of selling his memories of the old miner so easily.

The item was no longer even listed at the auction house.

Yet the mysterious person continued pestering him to sell it.

He even began receiving phone calls in the real world.

-Sell it to me.

“???”

How did they get my number?

Pin blocked the caller.

But the person contacted him through countless other methods.

-Please sell it.

-Someone desperately needs it.

-I’m begging you!

Dozens of calls.

Hundreds of messages.

It was enough to make anyone sick of the person.

But Pin could sense the desperation behind them.

He began to wonder.

Wouldn’t selling this to someone who truly needs it be the right thing to do?

Wouldn’t the old miner who passed away feel that his gift had served a worthy purpose?

Eventually, the two of them managed to meet.

To Pin, who lived an ordinary life, the woman was breathtakingly beautiful.

Wow, she’s seriously gorgeous. She could be a celebrity.

Pin accepted exactly twice the estimated price and handed over the potion.

“Can I ask why you went this far? Do you really need it that badly?”

Pin had never met anyone so determined to purchase something.

The woman answered him.

“He has never once asked anyone for help in his entire life.”

“So just once, I wanted to help him while he was fighting alone.”

“...”

Pin thought she had already helped more than enough.

Who could contact a stranger so persistently, saying “please” hundreds of times, all for someone else’s sake?

Now that she had finally succeeded in buying the potion, she smiled as she imagined how happy he would be to receive it.

Just the thought of giving someone a gift can make a person smile like that...

Before they parted, Pin grew curious.

Who exactly was the woman standing before him?

“Excuse me, but what is your name?”

She answered.

“Nell.”