Chapter 50
“Good.”
“Lord! You mean the survivor of the Bolton family? That’s…!”
“Why? Don’t like it because it’s an insignificant family?”
“That’s not what I mean! Even if they’ve escaped the purge, they’re still under the Kingdom Alliance’s surveillance! If we accept someone like that…”
Priana was also of noble birth.
She knew exactly what it meant to be on the wrong side of the Kingdom Alliance.
“Now is not the time to worry about that, Priana.”
“……”
“That guy already….”
Aaron Gold II. Normally, she might have swore a string of curses, but she was still a noble who had sworn loyalty to his lord.
“…He’s fallen out of favor with His Majesty the King. Do you know what His Majesty has done so far?”
“That is…”
“Nothing. If anything, he might have even encouraged conflict.”
Priana was left speechless, like a mute with honey in her mouth.
After all, it was Priana who had been sent to stir conflicts among the nobles.
“The Kingdom Alliance? I couldn’t care less if I fall out of their favor. As long as I can save my territory.”
“…I apologize, Lord. I overstepped my bounds.”
Priana knelt and bowed her head.
“I’ll do anything to save my land. You know that better than anyone.”
“Lord… you truly are extraordinary.”
“Good, that’s enough.”
Clang! Clang!
The awkward tension between us was shattered by the sound of hammering.
Thick smoke billowed from the chimney of the workshop outside.
The previously quiet workshop was now alive with activity.
The place Priana and I headed to was the workshop attached to the new mansion.
The mansion was so large that it even had its own workshop on the grounds.
‘A workshop run by nobles, huh.’
It wasn’t small at all. Nothing like the old one behind the Impera mansion.
In the yard of the workshop, a large well cooled the intense heat.
From the drainage, hot water steam quietly flowed out.
And all around, mysterious and unusual equipment was neatly arranged.
I didn’t know much about blacksmithing, but everything looked expensive.
Nothing seemed to be missing in this workshop.
High-level equipment and even a dwarf artisan.
“Ha-ha! As expected, expensive tools live up to their price!”
The dwarf blacksmith Harun.
Harun had also relocated to the new mansion with me.
He was known in the territory as Bronzebeard.
Harun was enthusiastically hammering away.
When I lingered nearby, he stopped his work.
“Huh?”
“Busy?”
“Ah! Look at me! I was so focused on hammering! Ha-ha!”
Harun greeted me with a bright smile.
“Do you like the new workshop?”
“Of course! The old place lacked so much! The furnace barely felt like a hand warmer! Compared to this, it’s heaven!”
Count Vener had made considerable income from artifact crafting.
Naturally, his workshop boasted top-tier equipment.
Since we were moving anyway, he gave the workshop to Harun.
Compared to the old forge, it was a world of difference.
‘Still, calling the old forge a hand-warmer…’
Well, it wasn’t for me to use.
If Harun liked it, that was enough.
“Hehe. As long as you like it. But…”
No one else was in the workshop.
There should have been some staff, right?
“Where did the others go?”
“Hmph! Those money-grubbing idiots? They wanted advance payment despite having no skill! Got angry and fired them all!”
“What? Well… I guess that makes sense.”
It seemed there had been disputes with the previous staff.
I had planned to pay at month-end, but they demanded advance payment.
“…Alright. If that’s how you feel, fine.”
“Anyway, you didn’t just come here for a simple inspection, right?”
“Hehe! Sharp as ever.”
I took out the magic core I had prepared.
The core obtained from defeating the Root Giant.
It still shone a brilliant violet.
“Oh… from that monster?”
“Yes. What do you think of its quality?”
“Hmm… honestly, just average. But the core is thick—this one must have lived quite a while.”
“Exactly.”
“Let me see it.”
Harun examined the core carefully, pressing and peering into it.
Not all cores can be used to make magic swords.
Size and the creature’s level mattered.
I anxiously awaited his assessment.
“This should do… you can make a simple magic sword.”
“Really?”
“Of course! Have I ever lied? If you want, I can show you right now!”
“Right now? Ha-ha! I’d love that!”
Unexpectedly.
“Ha-ha! Give me your sword!”
“Here!”
I handed him my sword at the waist.
Small ripple patterns shimmered in the light.
Named Dragon Scale Sword for its draconic design.
An ordinary iron sword, but with Harun’s touch, it gained formidable power.
It even acquired the skill ‘Bloom’.
A skill that releases stored aura in an instant.
Even in novels, Bloom was one of the top-tier skills.
‘But still far from a magic sword.’
Magic swords weren’t limited to a simple skill.
They held their own aura.
While ordinary sword skills could defeat same-rank opponents, magic swords could overcome higher ranks.
In a world governed by ranks, the magic sword’s utility was immense.
‘I wonder what kind of magic sword I’ll get.’
A Dragon Heart sword could even become an Ego Sword with a mind of its own.
I didn’t expect that from a Root Giant core.
Just having a magic sword was more than enough.
These swords cost thousands of gold anyway.
“…Phew.”
Harun gripped the core and steadied himself.
Red aura began to bloom from his hand.
A Craft Aura only the strongest blacksmiths could wield.
‘Harun’s blacksmith rank… what was it again?’
In the novels, asking dwarves about their rank was insulting.
They judged themselves by output, not numbers.
Still, his rank had to be high.
“Khaaaap!”
Harun gritted his teeth, veins bulging in his thick forearms.
The red aura boiled and swirled.
Crack!
A sound of breaking came from the core in his hand.
To a stranger, it would seem the expensive core shattered.
But this was condensing the core into a single point.
Like squeezing water from rock, he compressed the core into a droplet of magic beast essence.
A technique only artisans with significant Craft Aura could perform.
‘Amazing.’
Normally, a new sword would be forged from the core and metal.
Dragon Scale Sword would then be discarded.
Harun, however, overlaid the magic sword onto it.
…Click!
After a long while, a violet droplet fell from Harun’s hand.
It spread over the Dragon Scale Sword.
Shhhh!
The sword shivered as if it felt pleasure from absorbing the essence.
Harun hammered again.
Clang! Clang!
With every strike, the essence spread deeper into the sword.
‘Is it safe to hit it like that?’
Even with such force, the sword remained intact.
I anxiously waited for the hammering to end.
“…Phew!”
After a few more strikes, Harun set the hammer down.
“Here! Take a look!”
“Whoa…”
I took the newly transformed Dragon Scale Sword in trembling hands.
Externally, it looked almost the same.
The ripples shimmered as before.
But this was now a magic sword.
Its true potential emerged when infused with aura.
I carefully blew aura into the sword.
“Huh?”
The infused aura sent an indescribable surge through my body.
“Ha-ha! Don’t stop! The magic sword is filling its vessel!”
“Oh… that’s it.”
The sword was dormant.
I had to awaken it with my aura.
Only then would its seal lift, allowing it to radiate aura.
A test for the magic sword’s owner.
…Fwaaah!
I poured maximum mana into it.
Finally, the sword revealed its true form.
I, with rank 4 swordsmanship, could only surround it with a faint aura.
But with the magic sword, the difference was clear.
Shhh!
The air around it seemed to wail as the aura shimmered brightly.
The ripples on its surface wriggled in the reflected light.
This is a magic sword!
An artifact capable of devouring a world defined by ranks!
Not only my aura, but the sword’s inherent power amplified it.
“Yikes!”
“Oooh…”
Even Priana stared in awe.
“Priana, draw your sword.”
“Yes!”
Priana drew her sword.
A straight, long, white longsword.
Not a magic sword yet, but impressive.
When Priana focused, a blue aura formed around it.
“Kr…”
I placed our swords side by side.
Her sword was slightly more defined, but visually, they were similar.
“Incredible! To enhance aura so instantly!”
“Hehe! Want one?”
“Hmm… honestly, yes, but my goal is my own strength. Magic swords are a bit early for me.”
Priana answered with determination.
She was steadfast.
Perhaps that’s why she’d eventually become a knight commander.
Priana was Priana. I was me.
A magic sword was something I’d long desired but had to abandon due to circumstances.
“Hehe.”
I smiled, holding the Dragon Scale Sword.
I wanted to test it immediately.
Keeping it sheathed would be disrespectful.
“Can it be used right away?”
“It’s still young. Handle it gently! When it grows stronger, it’ll likely overcome rank differences!”
“Ha-ha! Thanks! This is amazing!”
“Incredible! How could you refine a magic sword so easily….”
“Not easily! Thanks to this, I won’t get anything done today!”
“R-Really?”
“Ha-ha! But I did it for a friend. Any complaints?”
“Thanks! Drinks on me later! Expensive ones!”
“Drinks? I like the sound of that!”
“Later. Priana! Follow me to the training ground! Time to test it!”
“Yes!”
I ran with Priana to the training ground.
Until then, everything was perfect.
Isvart worked under me, and the territory was stable.
The most important artifact, the magic sword, was now in my hands.
Debt was a problem, but not insurmountable.
Kwaaang!
But as the training ground’s door shattered,
All the peace vanished in an instant.
