#144
To the Roselia Grand Temple (1)
Bang—! Claaang—! Bang!
In a space filled with sweltering heat, the sound of metal being struck rhythmically rang out.
Hisss—
The forging that hammered the iron, the quenching that rapidly cooled it, the reheating that brought it back to heat, and so on.
Complex and labor-intensive processes flowed smoothly without a moment’s hesitation.
“Huu….”
And finally, when all those processes came to an end.
The moment he attached the pre-made hilt to the sharp blade, which had even finished the grinding work, completing a single sword.
《The individual has gained enlightenment through repeated training. You have acquired the skill “Metallurgy.”》
…The Dwarf Howard was able to be recognized as a “Blacksmith” by the system.
“Oho, I finally got it! Uheheh—!”
For a technique to become a ‘skill’ through training meant that the karma accumulated through that act had surpassed a certain level.
It was one of the privileges of an Awakened who had come from another world—granting additional corrections whenever one performed related tasks, thereby allowing for smoother growth.
He had achieved this in just a few weeks while working in parallel with the Hubert Trading Company’s affairs.
Howard looked at his hand gripping the hammer and slowly savored the sensation.
The Dwarf’s keen senses detected minute changes in his grip on the hammer.
And he could instinctively feel that he could now handle tools more precisely, more efficiently, and more naturally.
‘Yes, good. The synergy with “Artisan’s Spirit” is considerable, too. Since this is also a skill that grows based on accumulated proficiency, its effects will only grow stronger as time passes.’
The timing of obtaining the skill was also very apt.
Wasn’t tomorrow the day he would be introduced to the Dwarf Jaonik through Halli, who had returned to Tarak?
‘Unlike before, the situation at the Steel Fortress has stabilized quite a bit now.’
The Steel Fortress, which had been driven to a dangerous precipice immediately after the outbreak of the frenzy, could finally breathe a sigh of relief as time passed and arriving reinforcements grew one by one.
Perhaps due to the influence of events in the Principality of Rohan, monster rampages had greatly decreased recently, creating an unexpected respite.
So he intended to take this opportunity to clear up all the matters he had postponed until now.
‘Before Halli leaves for the Roselia Grand Temple, I need to introduce Howard to Jaonik and receive the new axe, too.’
Count Aonia had once promised him a new weapon.
Jaonik hadn’t objected much when told it was a weapon for Halli, and immediately moved his base to Tarak’s forge to begin work.
And now, after several weeks, word had come that the axe was finally complete.
Originally, Jaonik was supposed to transport the weapon to the Steel Fortress himself, but…
‘Since there was news from the Temple as well, they decided to just have Halli visit Tarak tomorrow to receive it personally. And introduce Howard as a bonus.’
That was why obtaining “Metallurgy” now was all the more welcome.
At least at this level, he wouldn’t hear that he wasn’t even at the basics.
And so, a day passed in anticipation.
Howard, having finished the trading company’s work as usual, headed to the city-owned central forge in Tarak with Halli.
‘Still, there are only a few days left until Hubert returns. Moving Hans here and there caused quite a delay.’
Of course, he would have to establish countermeasures to prevent such things from happening again, but for now, he was satisfied that things were returning to normal.
Murmur, murmur—
“Hey, look over there.”
“Ah— It’s Halli, famous these days. Looks like he’s returned to Tarak? …Huh? But what’s that….”
“A Dwarf?”
All eyes were on them as they walked proudly down the main street.
The sight of Halli, whose frame easily exceeded two meters, walking alongside Howard, who didn’t even reach his waist, drew considerable attention, but by now such attention didn’t even faze him.
Arriving at the forge, they were immediately guided inside as per their prior appointment.
Finally, Halli was able to reunite with Jaonik after a long time.
“Whaha! Long time no see, Jaonik! Have you been well?”
“…Huh? Oh! Yeah, it has been a while. I’ve heard about your exploits. I’m glad you look healthy!”
But the attitude he showed was somewhat strange.
To be exact, from the moment he faced Howard, whom Halli had brought, he showed a subtle reaction.
“…Right, is this the Dwarf you wanted to introduce? He certainly looks quite young.”
And his head, which had been talking to Halli as if his mind was elsewhere, turned back to Howard.
As if unable to endure something that was nagging at him.
“Hmph hmph! Nice to meet you, elder! I’m Howard.”
“…Yes, nice to meet you. I’m Jaonik Steelstone.”
For a conversation between two bushy-bearded men, it felt incredibly awkward, but through the eyes of a fellow Dwarf, it was nothing strange at all.
In the eyes of Halli, a different race, they merely looked like furry fellows of similar age, but the Jaonik reflected in Howard’s eyes was a handsome middle-aged man with a quite mature impression.
Conversely, in Jaonik’s eyes, he must look like a greenhorn.
‘He’s been acting strange since earlier. It doesn’t seem negative, but it’s subtle.’
His current reaction wasn’t the kind one would show simply because one had met a fellow Dwarf after a long time.
How should I put it—it was more intimate and emotional than that….
“Hmph hmph, it might seem strange if I say this all of a sudden, but….”
Then, Jaonik cautiously opened his mouth with a dry cough.
“…Have you perhaps seen me somewhere before?”
“Well, I’ve wandered here and there since I was young, but you are the first of my race I’ve ever met.”
“Then, as I thought, your parents….”
“Yes, they passed away when I was young, and I’ve been alone ever since. Until I met Halli, that is.”
As their conversation reached that point, Halli finally tried to step in and launch into “Halli’s Great Adventure,” Act 5, Chapter 2, “Meeting the Wandering Dwarf,” but….
“…I see. So that’s how it is. I suppose so.”
Jaonik remained lost in his own thoughts, muttering to himself.
“Ah, I’m sorry. For some reason, you don’t feel like a stranger. This is… yes, it’s like a son or grandson who went far away has returned. Of course, I’m a bachelor! Hwahahah!”
“Ah, I see. Uheheh!”
“Kuhahat! And here I thought you had some estranged family!”
Perhaps realizing the mood had dampened because of him, Jaonik forced out a laugh.
Howard and Halli laughed along so that he wouldn’t feel embarrassed, but inwardly, Howard was analyzing the situation in an instant.
‘Could this be… because of Elinne?’
Elinne, the legendary pickaxe—the divine weapon and treasured masterpiece—that the Dwarf Jaonik had poured his heart and soul into creating and cherished like a child over the long years.
That very thing was the medium that had become the foundation of Howard’s birth.
‘If you look at it that way, he really is like a grandson.’
As expected, as a craftsman, he seemed to feel something from Howard, who was connected to his creation.
“Huu—I’m sorry. I got needlessly caught up in sentiment. Ah! I should give you the axe first. Come this way.”
But soon, as if collecting himself, he shook his head and lightly slapped his cheeks, then guided them inside for the weapon’s handover.
And there, inside the workshop they arrived at, ‘it’ was.
“It’s the axe I made with all my effort. As you ordered, to push durability to the extreme, I processed an entire piece of black demonic steel, and even coated the blade with adamantium—a masterpiece!”
Lying where he pointed was one massive axe made entirely of black-hued metal.
“The only flaw is that it’s so heavy that it hasn’t an ounce of practical usability, has it? Not to mention swinging it, there are few who could even lift it… but I suppose it doesn’t matter to you?”
A large axe-head and spear tip befitting the thick, long handle exceeding two meters, and even a sharp hook on the opposite side.
It bore an appearance closer to an “axe-spear” than an “axe,” yet it couldn’t simply be regarded as such because of its massive blade.
“Ooh— This! It’s magnificently huge and beautiful!”
And that vicious weapon, which looked like something giant monsters in a game would wield, was exactly to Halli’s taste.
He quickly ran to where the axe lay and carefully picked it up with a pounding heart.
Hwoong—
Simply lifting it from the floor produced a heavy sound of air shifting.
It possessed an overwhelming weight far beyond what its appearance suggested, but….
“Quite hefty indeed! This is what a weapon should be like! Khahaha!”
Of course, to Halli, it was just the right weight.
Bwoong— Boom—!
From one side of the spacious workshop, the axe he lightly swung with one hand let out a fierce sound and whipped up wind.
“I’ve temporarily named it ‘Giant Killer,’ but if you don’t like it, you can change it.”
“Aah, that’s good enough! It’s a name that fits perfectly! Kahahat!”
Having obtained a weapon to his liking, laughter kept bursting out of him unconsciously.
Truly befitting a Dwarven-made weapon, the axe was outstanding even in its aesthetic aspect, exuding a luxury that could satisfy one’s vanity just by holding it.
Of course, anyone actually facing it would let out a lament closer to resignation than admiration for a masterpiece.
“But… will you really be alright? After I finished my work and heard the news, it seems quite a lot has happened.”
Jaonik, who had been nodding contentedly at Halli’s satisfied appearance, suddenly spoke with a worried tone.
“The Undead King who attacked the Grand Temple destroyed the Principality of Rohan, and not only that, recently turned the Empire’s Tovea into a wasteland, didn’t he?”
It was talk about world affairs that not just anyone would know, but as someone who could be considered close to the lord, obtaining this level of information was nothing.
Moreover, wasn’t this a huge affair causing an uproar across the continent without being particularly secret?
“But to be suddenly recommended to the crusaders… Of course, I’m not saying you’re lacking, but it feels somewhat abrupt.”
The fact that he had been recommended meant that someone had made the recommendation.
That was information not revealed to the public, but Halli knew very well who they were.
‘It was the Mercenary Guild and the Tribal Alliance.’
It wasn’t strange for the guild side, since they knew him well, but the Tribal Alliance in the south was a bit unexpected.
No matter how much he styled himself as a southern warrior, they hadn’t had proper contact….
“Hahat! Well, it doesn’t matter! I’ll just smash the skulls of everything that blocks my way with this axe!”
Halli, whose hands itched to try out his new axe somehow, kept snorting.
He wanted to charge straight into the northern mountain range, but unfortunately, it wasn’t time yet.
“Rather than that, Jaonik, did you think about what I asked? What do you think now that you’ve seen him in person?”
“Hm… You mean you’d like me to give that friend some teaching?”
At his words, Jaonik glanced at Howard with a serious expression and fell into thought again.
Since it wasn’t simply a few words of advice but proper teaching, he couldn’t help but become cautious.
Though called the ‘Secret Traditions of the Dwarves,’ they weren’t unconditionally revealed to all Dwarves.
After all, craftsmen wouldn’t pass on their knowledge to someone unqualified in the first place.
Of course, they weren’t as closed-off as other races, but their techniques were usually passed down through family or clan units.
No matter how much Halli asked, it wasn’t knowledge to pass on to someone he’d first met today.
But….
“…Yes, I can’t keep everything I’ve built up buried forever. Meeting like this on the Continent of Ion must be fate.”
What came from Jaonik’s mouth was a refreshing acceptance.
“And above all, that friend—no matter how much I think about it, he doesn’t feel like a stranger. Heavens—what a curious thing.”
“H-hahahat! Isn’t this all destiny! Yes, indeed!”
Halli, the very culprit who had abducted Elinne, avoided his gaze with an awkward laugh.
And so, Howard was finally able to formally learn the ‘Secret Traditions of the Dwarves’ from Jaonik.
Halli, having finished everything, departed for the Roselia Grand Temple with a light heart.