The Dwarf blacksmith Vulcanus.
He had a great reputation that any swordsman would know, and it was a name which remained stronger in Airn Pareira’s mind.
‘I didn’t even swing the sword and he picked me as the winner… he was no ordinary dwarf.’
The dwarf being who grasped the energy of the man in his dreams that no one could have ever known.
A being who wasn’t satisfied with making 9 Vulcanus Numbering Swords that any swordsman would want, and continued to devote himself to his own development.
How could he possibly forget this person who struck the iron with a flame-like passion?
… but, the current situation was too funny.
‘Clearly… he said he would be back in a year.’
Airn recalled what happened in Derinku.
Vulcanus’s face, expression and aspiration which assured Airn that he would make a sword superior to the sorcery great sword in one year.
If it was any normal swordsman, they would have waited impatiently for the sword to be completed all through the year.
But…
‘… there were too many things which happened throughout the year that I completely forgot about this.’
Right.
Strictly speaking, this wasn’t his fault.
He did forget his promise to Vulcanus, and it could be said that it was because of the great number of things which happened to Airn.
Meeting Ignet, the continent’s greatest talent.
Reuniting with Judith and Bratt after 5 years.
Training under Jet Frost, the 101st swordsman.
And his most precious encounter, realizing his thoughts towards the person he liked as a woman… and he also competed against her for the title of Champion in land of Proof.
At the same time, he reached the Sword Master level.
And that wasn’t the end, but the beginning.
Meeting Karakum, Tarakan, Gurgar and the spirits.
The secret of his past life was finally revealed and then the clown devil appeared.
There were many things which couldn’t be explained, and slowly Airn’s thoughts passed.
Again, he didn’t feel guilty.
Of course, this was a subjective opinion.
From the standpoint of Vulcanus, who was waiting for Airn, this would be an absurd excuse.
Filling his body with anger which accumulated over the time, the short dwarf went in to headbutt Airn.
Airn, startled, ended up using his aura to defend himself.
Thud!
“Kuak!”
Vulcanus bounced off to the distance. It was as if he had been hit with a huge rock.
Seeing him fall over and over. Airn was shocked again.
“Mr. Vulcanus!”
“Euk… this kid!”
Fortunately, Vulcanus was fine.
Although he frowned in pain, he was fine after he shook his head a couple times, perhaps thanks to his body which had been strengthened from beating the iron.
Seeing that, Airn stopped walking and turned back.
Behind him were Lulu and Kirill, who were bewildered and Airn shouted.
“Run away!”
“Ye-huh!”
“Run away? Brother, what did you do?”
“Let’s head home now! I will explain it later!”
“Where do you think you are going!”
Phat!
Turning away from Vulcanus, who was about to attack again, Airn quickly ran towards the mansion.
So did Lulu. She ran like a criminal on the loose and kept screaming in a shrill voice.
Given the situation, Kirill couldn’t help but run.
She too, used a carpet to fly away, and then said,
“It seems like something is wrong, but my brother isn’t the kind of person to do something wrong to someone, so he will explain it soon.”
“What nonsense is that! Does a guy with any common sense leave me alone for this long?”
“I’ll see you later!”
Airn didn’t know what to do.
But first, he had to see his parents whom he hadn’t seen for so long. Thinking that, Kirill flew to her family mansion in an instant.
“The Baron and Baroness are out at the moment. It is no huge deal, it was because Baron Fried had invited them… they’ll be back in a week’s time.”
So, Airn and the others returned home safely.
It was Marcus who greeted them and not their parents. Still, he had the same old warm smile.
However, instead of worry, this time he looked at Airn with a look of pride and said,
“Our young lord seems to have crossed paths with the blacksmith Vulcanus?”
“Ah, huh. What happened? Since when has he been here?”
“For about a month. How was your journey for the past two years, and the amount of rumors… There are so many things I want to ask, but I think it would be better to let you handle the issue at hand.”
“Yes. I think that would be good.”
Airn nodded his head.
He too wanted to tell Marcus a lot of things, his journey, the friends he made, everything… except for the devil.
But the situation was urgent. If he didn’t go and explain right away, Vulcanus would do something weird.
Fortunately, Marcus could understand it and he told Airn everything that had happened for a month.
And hearing that, Airn organized his words and said,
“So, no matter how much he waited in Derinku I didn’t come so he came to my hometown to meet me, and he wanted to wait till I came so he asked you to provide a place to live? And then he opened a blacksmith place and he made things here?”
“Right.”
“After hearing the rumor that Vulcanus had a shop here, more people visited the territory?”
“Yes. Merchants were one thing, but a lot of swordsmen came too. Of course, Vulcanus played a huge role in this but, I don’t think it was just because of him…”
Marcus looked at Airn with passionate eyes.
He still couldn’t believe it.
The timid and fragile young lord, who was called all sorts of things, was now a Sword Master!
He wasn’t part of the family, but he wondered if this was how parents felt.
“Thank you, Marcus.”
Airn too knew these feelings.
He wanted to speak right away, but he knew that the Vulcanus issue was first at hand.
“Let’s go right now. Marcus, would you like to come with me?”
“That would be my honor! I want to see it too, the 10th numbering sword!”
“Great! Lulu too, but I guess Lulu is scared.”
“Ang! The dwarf looked at us with a terrifying look!”
“It’s okay, it is fine.”
“Okay. What is the problem? Isn’t this a good thing? If it was me, I would have kicked the guy who didn’t keep his promise and give the sword to someone else. He is a kindhearted dwarf to me.”
“That is true. That man… he had no intention of giving it to anyone else… no one saw it either. Not even his friends.”
“Friends? Ah…”
Airn nodded slowly.
He seemed to know.
“I finally got to see it!”
“So cool, really insane! There is no need to hide it so much!”
“Right. No, does he have to give it to that man? He could just give it to another person.”
“I agree.”
“Shut up! Such behavior is against my beliefs! Anyway, this is a sword made just for him. Even if another Master comes, I can’t pass it to them!”
Vulcanus rolled his eyes towards the surroundings.
Either way, he didn’t care about others.
Rather than that, the 10th Vulcanus Numbering Sword was soon to be released and everyone was curious about it.
‘What is so great about this sword…’
‘Does he have to be so arrogant and proud?’
‘He's extremely strict with himself.’
‘I need to see this. Definitely.’
Two blacksmiths from Derinku, Dawnson the dwarf, and Pablo came to the territory.
It was not just them. Rashad White, a famous jeweler in the eastern continent as well as the best sculptor in the northern part, elf, Jamari.
All of them stayed by Vulcanus' side for ten months to see the greatest masterpiece of his life.
And they were there as a blacksmith or an artist.
There could be no greater inspiration than to see an object filled with passion and talent.
They all moved like kids for candies and the hero who would take the sword came soon.
Vulcanus looked at Airn’s face and spoke with a smirk.
“Hey kid, come here, you asshole!”
“Sorry. I’m really sorry. I didn’t do it on purpose…”
“Enough! It is my fault. It is my fault that I still had high expectations of you…”
“…”
“But, the moment you see the sword now, you will regret it. Why didn’t I come back in a year? Why did such a sword come into my life only now? That is what you will think. You idiot Airn Pareira! Sorry Mr. Vulcanus!”
“…”
“… if you say that, I will gladly forgive you and acknowledge you as the master of this sword, the 10th Vulcanus Numbering Sword.”
‘Such a weird person.’
Kirill frowned at the dwarf.
This man was yelling at her brother, making arrogant expressions and was full of pride. All of those weren’t things she liked.
But they didn’t quarrel.
So, she was curious.
How great was this sword?
How confident was he to say this?
“… can I see? The sword.”
It wasn’t just Kirill’s thought.
It was the same with Marcus and Lulu as well.
The four people standing next to Airn Pareira and Vulcanus.
Everyone looked at the back of Vulcanus who went to pick up the sword.
After a while.
When the 10th Numbering Sword was revealed, a look of disbelief appeared on their faces.
“This…”
“…”
“Insane.”
“It’s worth waiting for a few months… it really was.”
“Haha, of course.”
Satisfied with the reaction of his close people, Vulcanus, Dwanson and Pablo grinned.
He had never made a more satisfactory product in his entire life.
The shock of meeting Airn almost two years ago.
And the shock when he saw the sorcery sword Airn was using.
Along with that, the inspiration from the sword he saw.
‘Perhaps… it might not be as hard and good as the sorcery great sword.’
However, a sword isn’t something that could be judged only by its hardness.
The sharpness of the sword also mattered.
As well as its balance.
Numerous other factors influenced the quality of a sword.
In Vulcanus' mind, the 10th Numbering Sword was sure to outperform Airn’s old and clunky sorcery great sword in all respects except for the rigidity.
“Ha, what is it? Airn Pareira!”
“…”
“Isn't it difficult to compare? If so, try summoning the great sword from then. And swing them both too. Then you will know. Which sword is the better one? As your swordsman’s life companion is a sword, you will be able to find a sword which suits you better!”
Vulcanus said in a loud voice.
It was a face full of confidence. Marcus and Airn’s party nodded at the dwarf’s words.
Their eyes were shining.
The 10th numbering sword of Vulcanus was completed after many years.
It was so great that it was ranked at the top even in the long history of the continent… It is truly a sword that can be compared to the objects of the mythological era.
Everyone thought of it like that.
Swosh!
Airn Pareira, who was silently watching the numbering the sword, summoned his sword.
And his expression was as if he was somewhat sorry and cautious.
The reason for this was soon known.
Dawnson and Pablo spit out curses when they saw the new sorcery sword which was different from the past and wasn’t the crude sword they had all seen before.
“That’s insane!”
“This is crazy!”
“…”
“…”
Rashad White and the Elven sculptor Jamari couldn’t even speak.
They just opened their mouths wide.
Lulu looked around in silence and Airn mumbled as if making excuses.
“Well, sorry…”
“…”
“We didn’t see each other for long, and the great sword evolved…”
“…”
“Mr. Vulcanus?”
Airn was puzzled.
Unlike the others who blinked, Vulcanus stood there blankly with no change in his expression.
He didn’t speak.
He didn’t even move.
Lulu, who felt weird, checked the dwarf.
And said,
“He is stunned.”
“…”
“…”
Kirill shook her head and sighed and Airn, who saw the change, thought.
‘I feel a bit… sorry.’
