Chapter 109: The Second Weapon
“I see. So you’re the one who’s been sending me intelligence all this time…”
“Yes, that’s right. I’m Valus.”
Valus bowed his head. He couldn’t understand why this was happening. Varen, who had been quietly examining him, opened his mouth.
“I was surprised to find out you were so much younger than I had expected. The intelligence was very detailed and meticulous, so I expected it to be coming from someone with more experience.”
“Haha… Hahaha…”
Valus laughed awkwardly. On the afternoon of the last day of his reign, he had come to Tower 13, and was having a private conversation with Kaliborro’s arch-nemesis, Varen Panacir.
‘He promised this would save me…! How is this saving me…?’
It was none other than Ronan who had sent Valus here. He had threatened him, making it clear that he had no other option if he didn’t want to end up as dog food. Ronan’s words, “This is the only way for you to live,” had been echoing in his mind.
‘I’m definitely going to die.’
A heavy breath escaped from between his parched lips. There had never been a moment when he regretted getting involved with poaching more.
Valus knew about Varen’s past actions against Kaliborro. It was Varen who had once decimated the Tetra branch that was under the management of Arondale.
The story of the lion sent by the devil was still passed down through the mouths of older members in the organization, even to this day. Valus couldn’t help but wonder what kind of fate awaited him.
“But, we can’t leave it like this.”
Suddenly, Varen stood up. Valus noticed the hand that could easily tear off his head with just the index and thumb fingers. Valus screamed as he jumped onto the sofa.
“Ugh! Oh, no!”
“Hmm? Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?”
“Y-you… you aren’t trying to kill me, are you?”
“What? Why on earth would I do something like that? Please, sit down.”
Valus cautiously sat back down. Varen then placed a large silver tray on the table.
The tray held dishes that one might see at a noble’s banquet. Tea filled the china teacups, steam rising from them. Freshly baked cookies emitted an enticing aroma. Varen spoke.
“Please, have some. They won’t taste as good once they get cold. It took some time to prepare since it was a sudden visit.”
“Th-thank you.”
Crunch!
Valus took a bite of a cookie. He didn’t have the luxury of doubting if it was poisoned. Soon, his eyes widened.
“This is…”
It tasted delicious, even better if it had been made by a professional baker. Varen smiled gently.
“I’m glad you like it.”
“It’s really, really delicious. How did you prepare such food?”
“Take your time and enjoy it. First of all, I’d like to express my gratitude. I heard that you played a significant role in the safe return of student Lakota.”
“How did I…”
“Student Ronan told me.”
Varen continued. Last night, Ronan had told him all the information about Valus. His accomplishments, potential, and the fact that he was an innocent man. Varen remembered his conversation with Ronan and chuckled.
‘Between this and that, he really is a good person.’
Ronan’s last words implied something obvious. It was a meaningful gesture. By introducing Valus to Varen, he was giving him a new opportunity. Varen swept his mane once and opened his mouth.
“I’ll put it bluntly. How about becoming my assistant?”
“What?”
“Well, I’ve been getting busier recently, and I need an extra pair of hands. If you live in Philleon, you won’t draw any attention from the organization. Sounds good, doesn’t it?”
Thud!
Valus dropped the cookie from his hand.
****
Fortunately, the Beasts Festival proceeded without any major disruptions. There were no incidents like vengeful poachers seeking revenge or the Doppelgangers escaping again. Ronan, Adeshan, and the members of the Elite Adventure Club could enjoy the festival without worry.
‘A festival like this isn’t so bad.’
Ronan exhaled as he watched a puff of white smoke escape from his mouth. He had been running around so much that his body was beginning to feel sore. On the night of the Beasts Festival, a half-moon was smiling brightly in the cloudless night sky.
‘That idiot must’ve been hired by now.’
Ronan suddenly thought of Valus. He hoped that by introducing him to Varen it would provide him with a new opportunity.
He wanted Valus to make something of his life beyond just being a mere pawn. Of course, Valus’s exceptional abilities could be of assistance in their future adventures.
‘This time, do better, Valus.’
After finishing his cigarette, Ronan went back into the club building. The sight of Marya, who was still counting her money, caught his eye. Ronan let out a chuckle when he saw the gold and silver coins lined up on the bar table. The number had doubled compared to before.
“So… you made all this just during the festival? Did you secretly sell alcohol or something?”
“What alcohol? I have nine stores, so of course I’m going to make this much.”
“Amazing…”
Marya continued to hum as she stacked the coins. Aselle, who was drinking his milk, opened his eyes wide and looked at her with admiration.
She had invested a significant amount of money into this venture, and she had reaped over ten times her initial investment. Marya planned to reinvest all that money back into the students to solidify Carabel’s position.
“Anyway, you’re incredible.”
“Hehe, you knew all along, didn’t you? You have to do this much to lead the upper echelons.”
“Well, you’re right about that. So, did you two kiss or something?”
“Pfft!”
Aselle spit out the milk he was drinking. At the same time, Marya threw the coin she was holding.
Bang!
The gold coin flew past Ronan’s ear and struck the wooden beam behind him. Seeing the coin partially embedded into the wood, Ronan whistled.
“Feisty.”
“You keep this up, and you’ll die for real! Do you know how awkward I felt with cutie these past few days because of you?!”
“Marya! Calm down…!”
Marya was on the verge of flipping the table over. Aselle used his telekinesis to restrain her. Ronan laughed without offering any response. At least the tension between them had improved.
“Phew… All right. Since I’m the bigger person, I’ll endure it.”
“That’s a good thought.”
“You’re not really… Everyone got their bounty, right?”
Ronan and Aselle nodded. All the captured poachers had bounties on their heads, so Ronan and the members of his club had made a substantial amount of money.
Especially the reward for capturing Arondale had been more generous than they had anticipated. It wasn’t just the bounties; the items Arondale had on him were high-value too. Items like magic-imbued rings and shoes made from ogre leather. Marya looked at Ronan and spoke.
“Ronan, did you say you weren’t going to sell that mask?”
“Yeah, it’s quite useful in its own way.”
Ronan put the bear mask that was hanging from his belt on his face. It was the mask used by Arondale, and it had nearly perfect functions for both a gas mask and a face shield.
Valus had told me that it was only given to the top executives of Kaliborro, and that appealed to him. The corner of Ronan’s mouth twitched upward as he removed the mask.
“Besides, I’ve developed a bit of a collector’s streak.”
He had decided that after the recent incident with the Doppelgangers. He had no intention of sharing the same air as Kaliborro or any organization like it. Ronan suddenly remembered the weekend’s schedule and said to Aselle.
“Oh, Aselle, are you still reading that black book well?”
“Huh? For now… yes. I’ve managed to decipher just two pages perfectly so far.”
“You’re doing well. Let me see it for a moment.”
Suddenly Ronan drew his sword. Aselle, who was about to hand over Vijra to him, stopped.
“Ro-Ronan. Why the sword all of a sudden?”
“Don’t worry. Give it to me, it’ll only take a few seconds.”
Ronan snatched Vijra away. Aselle’s eyes widened at what unfolded after.
“Wh-why did you cut it?”
“I have something I need to do. It won’t interfere with your reading anyway.”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
Aselle had a puzzled look on his face even as he rambled on. In any case, just like that the long-awaited Beasts Festival had come to an end. There were only ten days left until summer vacation.
Saturday morning dawned. The sweet sounds of birds chirping could be heard all over the campus.
Ronan took Adeshan and headed straight to the new Gran Cappadocia. The entrance to the underground city was in a dry goods store located in the northwest of the island.
Ronan went into a corner of the store and pressed the button on the wall.
Thututud!
The building vibrated, and the spot where they stood began to sink.
“Kyaaa!”
“Just keep going down like this. Don’t be scared; it’s okay.”
“I-Is the floor moving?”
They descended underground via an elevator, just as they had done the last time. Because they had submitted a request in advance, no one stopped them.
Clunk…!
Clunk…!
The descent continued in the darkness. It wasn’t long before they could hear the sound of hammers. A scenery that could only be described as amazing unfolded before their eyes.
“Waaaaah…!”
“Huh, it really has changed a lot.”
Adeshan, gasped in admiration, forgetting to cover her mouth. Ronan, seeing the new Gran Cappadocia size being six times larger than before, burst into a hollow laugh. The new Gran Cappadocia was built on the large eastward-facing ridge where Ronan had captured Cyrilra and Edwon before.
A noticeable contrast to the previous barren landscape was the ecosystem that had taken root. Bizarre flora that only grew deep underground were scattered throughout.
The walls and ceilings, covered in luminescent moss, resembled a night sky adorned with a galaxy. Lava from an unknown source had formed a lake in the heart of the great cavern.
Not far from the lava lake, there was a natural underground lake formed by groundwater. The blacksmith forges were lined up between the two lakes, forming a village.
Dwarves, stocky and tough, were busy going back and forth. It seemed that the number of heads had increased compared to before the incident.
Eventually, the elevator stopped. Creek – As soon as the door opened, a huge shadow rushed towards Ronan.
“Uha-ha! Ronan!”
“Dydican!”
It was Dydican, the werewolf blacksmith. He swung Ronan up and down about five times before finally shaking hands. His fur was a mix of gray and brown, and his tail was wagging energetically. After shaking hands, he spoke,
“Long time no see. How have you been?”
“Huh. For some reason, you seem to have gotten even scuffier.”
Dydican, who had come to greet them, said as he offered his warm greetings. The werewolf master blacksmith, someone Ronan hadn’t seen in a while, still retained the cheerful demeanor he’d known.
“Haha, it’s almost time for my seasonal shedding, you know. So, what do you think of our new sanctuary?”
“Much better than the last time.”
Ronan nodded as he looked around the improved facilities and living conditions. Dydican chuckled.
“Because the location is much better than the last. The Gracia Family covered all the reconstruction costs anyway, though some are saying it was better off when it had collapsed.”
“My mistake, I should have let them all get eaten by the cave giants.”
“Haha, maybe so. By the way, who’s this young lady here?”
Adeshan still couldn’t get over the shock of seeing the underground city. After Ronan nudged her shoulder, she finally turned her head, bowing politely.
“Uh…! Ah, hello. I’m Adeshan.”
“I’m Dydican. If you’re a friend of Ronan’s, you’re a friend of mine, so make yourself at home. I assume you’re here to drop off a request for weapons, too?”
“Yes? Well, I just came along because Ronan said he had something to show me. I don’t have the money to commission a weapon in a place like this.”
“Hmm? The payment has already been made, though. The letter clearly mentioned requests for two weapons…”
“Dydican, we’re short on time, so could you guide us?”
Ronan interrupted Dydican’s questions, and Adeshan looked at the two people in turn with puzzled eyes. Dydican, realizing the situation, elbowed Ronan.
“Ha, so it’s like that. Not bad.”
“You still wearing that invisible armor? Should we test if it can really block me?”
“Eek, cut me some slack here. Then, shall we go right in?”
Guided by Dydican, Ronan and Adeshan entered deeper into the blacksmith’s workshop. On the left, a lake of molten lava bubbled and roiled, while on the right, a lake made of crystal-clear underground water gently rippled.
All the blacksmiths were located between these two lakes. Dydican spoke.
“There’s no one here who is likely to refuse your request. After all, you’re the heroes of Gran Cappadocia. But I assume the blacksmith for your commissions are already designated, right?”
“Well, yes. I mentioned it in the letter.”
“Hmm… there’s no one here better than Master Doron after all. We’re here now.”
Before long, Dydican came to a halt in front of a building. The building was carved out of pure white stone and took the shape of a perfect cube. A long, thick chimney extended to the ceiling of the cave. Everything was the same except for the size, which was about twice as large as before.
“They rebuilt it in less than a month..”
With those words, Dydican opened the door to the forge. Suddenly, Ronan nudged Adeshan’s shoulder, as he pulled her aside and stood in front of the door.
“Ro-Ronan?!”
Startled by his sudden action, Adeshan was about to say something, but then a burst of light and heat poured out from behind the door.
“Aaack?!”
The back of their heads felt like they were burning, and Ronan’s shadow stretched long. When the light subsided, he turned back with Adeshan.
“I won’t fall for that twice.”
This precaution was born out of experience. With those words, they continued further into the forge.
Compared to his last visit, the interior was much more neater. This was thanks to selling all of the spare weapons to Marya’s merchants. In the center of the forge, there was a pure white anvil and a huge furnace that could fit an entire elephant.
In front of the furnace stood a stout dwarf with a thick, curly beard. He turned his head when he sensed their presence and greeted Ronan with a handshake.
“Doron, it’s been a while.”
“Oh, Ronan. It has been a while, indeed. Have you been doing well?”
“For the most part, yes. How about you, old man?”
“It’s always the same with me.”
Doron, the legendary blacksmith, looked as healthy as ever. They exchanged pleasantries and began a conversation. Doron chuckled while stroking his beard.
“Yes, I saw your letter. You’ve come to forge a second weapon?”
“Yes, but before we begin, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”
“Discuss?”
“Do you think it’s possible to use this as part of the materials?”
Suddenly, Ronan rummaged through his pocket and pulled out something. They were pieces of paper in the shape of small triangles.
“Is this… paper?”
“Yes, but it’s not just ordinary paper. I was wondering if you could use it.”
“Not ordinary, it certainly seems that way… Well, let me take a look then.”
The true identity of the pieces of paper were the corners of Vijra’s pages that he had cut out last night. Doron began to inspect the pieces with the same meticulous scrutiny he had used when examining the eggshell of Cita.
“…Oh my god.”
Doron’s expression grew progressively more serious as the inspection progressed. Only after some time did he return to his seat. With a furrowed brow, he looked up at Ronan.
“Where on earth did you get something like this…?”
