Chapter 15
Still, I was worried about the side effects of using the holy water, so I made some slight adjustments.
The pain Brans felt was entirely due to the undiluted poison's influence, so reducing it by half should suffice.
Only after grinding in a little more of the remaining Tears of Valterus and remaking it did I leave the manufacturing facility.
'There's still one spare Tear of Valterus left, so I should try cultivating it when I have the time.'
If I plant it in a suitable spot and it meets 'certain conditions', it will take root.
"Where is Dexter?"
"I-in the workshop."
"Hmm."
Brans seemed to have come to his senses, constantly looking at his own chest, tilting his head, and sending anxious glances.
"Did I perhaps say something wrong... That memory is a bit..."
"You spat curses at me, telling me not to lay a hand on your body."
"I-I'm sorry!"
"It's fine, I can understand."
I used him as a test subject, so that much is whatever.
Brans's wound healed cleanly without a single scar.
Since I properly confirmed the effects, I can generously turn a blind eye to him cursing me.
Clang! Clang!
As I headed straight for the workshop where Dexter would be, the sound of a hammer echoed.
It was a workshop prepared deep underground in the casino.
It seemed Cedric put a little care into it.
Even while saying he doesn't believe me, he meticulously takes care of this and that.
Quite a cute personality, in his own way.
"I'll open it."
Whoosh!
Clang! Clang!
As soon as the door opened, intense heat and the deafening sound of metal striking the eardrums appeared.
Dexter, holding a hammer as massive as his own head, stopped and clicked his tongue when he saw me. Insolent fellow.
"Tsk. Right when it was getting good."
At his disgruntled look as if he had been interrupted, Brans flared up.
"You brat! How dare you speak like that to your master!"
"My only master is the Hammer God, Lord Tundra. You ugly brute."
"What? Where am I ugly, you dwarf the size of a shit bucket... no, you are a dwarf, so just a shit bucket, haha!"
Whirl! Smack!
"Argh! Ugh..."
It seemed he grabbed the nearest piece of scrap iron and threw it.
Brans, who had practically asked to be hit right after his wound healed, contorted his face upon seeing the blood flowing from his forehead.
"Why this little...!"
Brans threw himself at Dexter like a moth to a flame, but the result was obvious.
Thwack!
With a single punch from Dexter, Brans collapsed like a straw doll.
"A frail weed."
Contrary to his rough actions, he was a dwarf with surprisingly cute banter.
"Dexter. Have you thought about my proposal?"
"Hmph, I thought about it, that's why I'm doing this here, aren't I?"
He picked up the hammer he had set down again.
Clang! Clang!
"I make hammers!"
Taang!
"And whenever you need me, you get my hammering. Isn't that right?"
"Well, put simply, yes."
I provide support.
He occasionally helps me.
Simple and clear.
"The one who'll be missing out is me. Instead, I have one condition."
"What is it?"
"Three years."
Three years, huh.
"Let me go after three years."
I activated the Tri-color Eyes.
Dexter was still gold.
Depending on my answer, it could change to blue or red.
"Make it four years."
"...Understood."
I held out my hand, and Dexter's pupils dilated slightly.
"Do you not know how to shake hands?"
"I know."
Clack.
Quite a rough hand.
The corner of Dexter's mouth twitched.
I smiled.
Then, he also smiled slightly.
"Callius von Zervan."
"Dexter. Dexter Voltaire."
It felt like a sliver of distrust had vanished from his eyes.
Being like this man-to-man was a bit awkward. I immediately tugged at the cloak I was wearing.
"Dexter. What do you think of my cloak?"
"It's a splendid item. But isn't it a bit underwhelming for just that?"
"Hmm, then you're saying you can do something about it."
"Well, I can at least provide some assistance with minor ornaments. I also have some knowledge regarding artifacts."
"However."
"It's best not to touch this cloak. Ahem."
Is he joking? Or is he just playing around?
I pondered for a moment how to take it.
"If I touch it after someone else has tampered with it and it breaks, it'd be a big deal. So rather than that, give me a sword."
I handed over Arsando.
"A fine sword."
The blue aura was terrifyingly intense.
Dexter's head nodded involuntarily as he looked at Arsando.
"A moment will be enough."
"What are you going to do?"
"I'll draw out this fellow's potential."
Soon, light lingered on his hammer.
"Oh Tundra, upon this hammer! May the wish you desire be imbued!"
Boom!!
Along with the blinding light, a ringing exploded in Callius's ears.
Eeeee-
Perhaps because they were ears blessed by a Bard, it was even more painful. As I frowned, Dexter smirked and raised the sword. And then he immediately pulled my hand and made me grasp Arsando.
'Ah.'
I immediately realized it.
Silver light flickered on Arsando's blade, and it began to absorb Dexter's and my divine power.
After devouring the divine power voraciously, Arsando's light faded.
[Arsando]
Grade - Famous
Imbued Soul - Arsando Mirinae
Potential Unlocked.
With the potential unlocked, the sword's toughness and sharpness have increased.
The moment I grasped the sword, I could tell.
'It's between Famous and Spirit.'
Better than a Famous Sword, yet infinitely inferior to a Spirit Sword. But even so, Callius couldn't hide his ecstasy.
"Even if I fight a Spirit Sword owner, the sword won't break."
Although its unique ability wasn't unlocked like a Spirit Sword, just the increase in toughness and sharpness was something to be grateful for.
A strange wave pattern formed on the blue blade, making it look even more impressive.
The Inquisitor Raiven, as he remembered, was the owner of a Spirit Sword imbued with poison.
Even if, by some one-in-a-million chance, he crossed swords with him, it wouldn't break easily.
As expected of Dexter.
Acquiring him was an undeniably right decision.
"Ahem, you like it that much. Then take this too."
"This is..."
"I made it when I had some spare time."
[Dexter's Half-Gloves]
Grade - Rare
-Gloves made by the dwarf Dexter.
-Divine power has been added, making it tougher and harder than normal leather.
-Protects the hands.
"I didn't have time, so there's only one... Well, it's better than nothing."
Callius immediately put Dexter's glove on his right hand.
A snug-fitting leather half-glove.
Clearly leather, but its thinness and elasticity, sticking perfectly to the palm, is like spandex.
"It suits my taste."
"Well, if so, that's a relief."
Ahem.
Dexter, who coughed lightly, perhaps feeling embarrassed, started hammering.
Was this his way of showing gratitude?
Not bad.
"I'll be leaving Trista for a while."
"A welcome sound to my ears."
"We'll see each other again."
"If you want."
Clang! Clang!
The hammering echoes through the workshop once more.
Callius left him behind and went up to the surface, his cloak fluttering.
* * *
Cedric's office.
"Are you leaving?"
"Yeah."
"It'd be good to stay a little longer. As you know, the Inquisitor is looking for you."
"Even so, I can't stay still. The flow is moving fast."
Even at this very moment.
The wheel of the world turns.
Callius felt anxious in a world where the flow was three years faster than he had anticipated.
To survive the raging storm, one must head into its center.
If you try to avoid the storm half-heartedly, you'll immediately be swept up and torn apart.
To survive, more than now.
'I must become stronger.'
Because the flow won't wait for him.
"Callius. What is your goal?"
Cedric's eyes deepened.
His beast-like eyes shifted to a grave look, making the atmosphere seem entirely different.
It must be a serious question.
'Goal...'
Survival? No, that's just a primary necessity.
Then what is my goal?
Just to survive?
No.
I.
What do I want to do?
I pondered, but no answer came.
So for now, there is one.
"The Empire."
I must bring down the Empire to live.
My goal is to revel in personal glory and success. Therefore, I must shatter the Empire.
Unless I do something about the Holy Empire that extols the One God, denies the existence of other gods, and massacres, there is no future.
I will bring down the Empire.
What comes after is a matter for later.
"As expected, it was the Empire. The Empire... The Empire! Hahaha!!"
Cedric thumped the table, laughing as if his stomach ached, before finally closing his eyes and savoring Callius's words as if rolling them around in his mouth.
And then, he grinned.
"The good-for-nothing of the Count's family wants to bring down the Empire. Keuk, how amusing."
Click. What he pulled from his bosom was a bracelet.
"What is this?"
"A farewell gift for the good-for-nothing."
A bracelet engraved with a simple pattern.
A thin bracelet crafted to look like a leaf pattern, with a green gemstone embedded in the center; it was no ordinary item.
"An artifact?"
"I obtained this from the Swaying Forest. When I got close to those guys, they gifted it to me as a sign of friendship. They said my energy was too fierce, so it felt too easy, or something like that."
The Swaying Forest.
Callius's eyes narrowed.
"Anyway, you'll need it. Seems like there are a lot of guys chasing your tail."
[Vivi's Bracelet]
Grade - Epic
-A bracelet gifted by an elf living in the Swaying Forest. It minimizes divine power and stores the reduced divine power.
Stored Divine Power: 0
An Epic grade artifact.
'It absorbs the divine power I possess to erase my presence.'
It seems its purpose is to lower one's presence.
Moreover, it separately stores the absorbed divine power, allowing me to draw upon it in times of need, making it quite versatile.
It seems quite useful when performing Manhwabongyuk or manipulating holy power.
Originally, it was meant for a powerhouse at the Paladin level with high divine power to store their overflowing power for regular use.
There's no need to refuse when it's being given.
And it's also necessary.
If Callius uses it, his very presence will become no different from an ordinary person's.
Click.
Upon wearing it, the bracelet shrunk on its own to fit Callius's wrist.
And soon, it adhered to him, beginning to absorb divine power as if sucking it in.
A moment later.
"Seems not bad."
"Good."
[Divine Power – 354/3621]
[Stored Divine Power – 3267]
Originally, the limit of divine power is fixed.
But by using Vivi's bracelet, that can be surpassed.
It can't do anything about the quality of divine power, but it can secure an advantage in quantity, so it's like taking out a sort of insurance.
A gift there's no reason to refuse.
"Are you leaving right away?"
"Yes."
There's no reason to stay in Trista any longer.
Nor do I have the time for it.
"Heading north after all?"
"There's something I need to find."
I'm going north as planned.
Although I have Arsando, there are too many strong people around.
He was still too weak to endure this world.
He had to endure many sword fights, and Callius had to grow stronger through them.
So, the Spirit Sword he left in Bernard's care.
It was time to find Rakahn of Noechung.
"Ah, right. I heard you received something from Count Artemion."
"Ah, you mean that."
"It seemed like they were trying to do something in Olliolor... You'd better not get involved in that matter if you can help it."
To Cedric's advice, Callius replied with a peculiar smile.
* * *
Dusk as the sun set.
The tip of the sun dipping behind the mountains created the twilight and the shadows of dusk.
At the time when the curtain of darkness covered the sky.
An untimely letter arrived at Count Artemion's residence.
Bang!
Count Artemion's cane slammed down on the table, trembling violently.
"Zervan, you bastard... How dare you. How dare you disrespect me like this!"
The letter read as follows.
[Dear Count Artemion.]
Count Artemion read the letter Zervan sent out loud, as if he couldn't believe it.
"I will put the Holy Stone to good use. However, due to personal circumstances, it seems I will not be able to join the escort mission...? I will pay for the Holy Stone I received in advance at the next opportunity. Well then, let's meet again gladly next time...?"
"Your Excellency! This bastard... He sure writes exquisitely. No, that's not the problem—did that Zervan good-for-nothing just run off with the Holy Stone!?"
Tremble, tremble.
Count Artemion's jaw trembled with surging anger.
He ran off.
He ran off spectacularly!
"A shameless, unprecedented good-for-nothing!! To think he'd dare to run off with the Holy Stone bearing the Zervan name!! Ack! Hack!!"
"Y-Your Excellency! Please calm down!!"
"C-Call a doctor! A doctor!!"
Artemion shouted, filled with rage.
"Track him down!! Find that bastard right now!!"