[Chapter 217]
[Establishment of Causality (4)]
Byeok Hae-su hadn't left the workshop for months.
Most of the workshop staff were the same.
Taegeuk, Eulji, Chungmu, Hwarang, Inheon.
It was rare to have the experience of working with treasures of five different grades.
Moreover, the Taegeuk grade was on a different level from other treasures.
As a Maestro, he couldn't help but be excited.
Clang clang clang...
The sound of hammering iron rang out day after day, and the furnace fire never went out.
Workshop staff tried to help with even menial tasks, trying to get involved in the work somehow.
Even helping with menial tasks and just watching was an experience, and they might someday be listed as participants in history books.
Professional spirit and artistic spirit.
The desire for honor to be mentioned in history.
They were greatly excited while crafting devices for Noh Eun-ha's sword and other clan members.
Clang clang clang
With Hephaestus' furnace appearing and Pandora Clan rising to become the nation's top clan in name and reality,
Byeok Hae-su's workshop naturally became reborn as the nation's top workshop.
When mentioning the country's top Maestros, the world no longer held up three fingers, but now four.
Silla, Blaze, the Maestro who transferred from Zenith Clan to Habaek Clan,
And Pandora Clan's Maestro,
As a result, the world paid attention to the devices they would create.
"Phew, it's done."
And after several months passed,
Byeok Hae-su finally created swords that he wouldn't be ashamed to show the world.
Devices made with soul stones were completed, emitting a dazzling light.
☆
The devices commissioned by Pandora Clan members were being made steadily.
However, devices using Taegeuk and Eulji grade treasures were not being made easily.
Devices that satisfied Byeok Hae-su and the workshop staff had not come out.
They even experienced trial and error in the process of processing soul stones.
Finally, after several months passed, the devices that clan members had been waiting for were completed.
Clan members immediately visited the workshop.
"You guys want to come too?"
"We don't have anything to do anyway, and we want to know what devices made with soul stones are like."
Not only Eun-ha, Bae Su-bin, and Ryu Yeon-hwa,
But also Kim Min-ji, Jo A-ra, Kang Si-hyeong, Ariel, and others who had already obtained devices followed them.
Well, they must be curious.
I'm dying of curiosity too.
Eun-ha understood Kim Min-ji's feelings.
He couldn't help but look forward to what kind of weapon would be made by mixing Taegeuk grade treasures and soul stones.
So he gladly took them to meet Byeok Hae-su.
"Oh, you came. Quite a crowd."
"They're all curious, so they came together. Where are our devices?"
"Wait a moment."
There were many people in the room.
Byeok Hae-su had someone bring chairs for the number of clan members.
Meanwhile, he disappeared into the adjoining workroom.
A moment later, Byeok Hae-su came out carrying four boxes.
"Here are devices that our workshop will never be able to make again!"
Byeok Hae-su beamed with a broad smile.
Just from that, clan members couldn't take their eyes off the boxes.
"Then shall we check the devices for fourth sister-in-law and Su-bin first?"
The two nodded.
Byeok Hae-su opened the two longest boxes.
""""...."""
One was a spear mixed with blue and silver light.
The other was a staff reminiscent of a spear, covered in red.
Ryu Yeon-hwa and Bae Su-bin looked at the devices placed in front of them as if entranced.
"I've replaced the spear fourth sister-in-law used before with this necklace here. You'll be able to use the Winter Mist magic with this necklace."
"Thank you, brother-in-law. But what kind of spear is this?"
Byeok Hae-su brought a small box that was on the office desk.
There was a necklace inside the box.
After checking the necklace, Ryu Yeon-hwa turned her gaze back to the spear.
She seemed to like it quite a lot.
Seeing this, Byeok Hae-su chuckled.
"The spear has an effect that can put the target into any mental state you want, except for a berserk state, when stabbed."
""""...."""
"It's an effect that's automatically applied to the spear without using mana, and if you use the built-in magic, you can give even stronger mental confusion. If used well, it might even be possible to control the target like a puppet."
Unbelievable performance.
People were at a loss for words.
They couldn't respond to Byeok Hae-su's joke about an employee who got injured trying to test the spear's power and ended up seeing hallucinations all day.
"But we don't know anything else either. Devices made with soul stones seem to need the owner to flow mana and make a contract, unlike other devices. Once the contract is made, I think the soul of the device will give a detailed explanation to the owner."
"...Yes, thank you. It's really nice. This spear seems incomparable to the ones I've used so far."
Ryu Yeon-hwa took out the spear.
She looked like she wanted to swing it right away.
Eun-ha recognized her expression and chuckled.
"Flow mana into the spear. You need to make a contract with the soul inside."
"Okay, I'll do that."
Soon, Ryu Yeon-hwa sent mana into the spear, trying to summon the device's soul.
Unfortunately, the device's voice could only be heard by the owner.
So Eun-ha could only know she had made a contract when she told him.
"...I've made it. It seems similar to Lilith, but with a more polite personality."
"How is it? What did the soul say?"
"It says it looks forward to working with me."
Ryu Yeon-hwa seemed to like the spear.
She smiled and answered Eun-ha after making the contract.
Then she carefully handed him the box containing the necklace.
"Eun-ha, this..."
"Why this?"
"Won't you put it on for me?" "Okay, turn towards me."
"Okay."
Ryu Yeon-hwa shyly asked.
She pulled up her long hair.
Her snow-white nape was revealed.
Even fine hairs were visible.
The fine hairs receiving light under the lamp looked strangely lovely.
Eun-ha stared at the white neck for a moment before putting the necklace on her.
"How is it?"
"It suits you well. Beautiful."
Ryu Yeon-hwa asked for his opinion.
Eun-ha answered honestly.
It was then─
"─I came to see the devices, not to watch you two flirt. Ugh, it's an eyesore."
"Haha! It's good that you get along, but could you do that when you're alone?"
Bae Su-bin and Byeok Hae-su.
The two teased them.
Only then did Eun-ha and Ryu Yeon-hwa notice people's gazes and cleared their throats.
☆
Frost-covered dawn, Frost Dawn.
It was the name Ryu Yeon-hwa gave to the spear.
"This child likes it too. It says it's a name that feels elegant."
"I like that name too."
Ryu Yeon-hwa said in a joyful tone.
Eun-ha felt like it was the first time he had seen Ryu Yeon-hwa this happy.
He felt almost jealous of the spear.
"..."
"Why?" "It's nothing."
So Eun-ha played a prank.
While Byeok Hae-su was explaining about Bae Su-bin's staff,
He quietly moved his body to the side and held Ryu Yeon-hwa's hand.
She flinched.
Soon, she carefully held his hand back.
Then they played with their interlocked fingers.
The two felt each other's warmth while listening to Byeok Hae-su's explanation.
"If you're affected by magic used with the staff, various damages will spread even to nearby monsters. It will cause various infections like deadly poison, paralysis, sleep, burns, debuff reduction, and even petrification or sepsis."
"You mean I can designate that at will?"
"When I tested it, it wasn't possible, but maybe it will be once you make a contract with the device?"
Of course, Ryu Yeon-hwa's spear was impressive.
But Bae Su-bin's staff was also amazing.
Her staff could even use an effect similar to Eun-ha's magic, Violent Venom.
Sister Yeon-hwa's spear is one thing...
But Su-bin's staff is no joke either.
Eun-ha clicked his tongue inwardly.
If an enemy used such weapons, it would be quite a threat.
It was fortunate that the two were allies.
Others seemed to have similar thoughts as they involuntarily shuddered.
"Then I guess I should make a contract first. Let's see... Huh?"
Bae Su-bin tried to make a contract.
Soon her face hardened.
She frowned.
"The soul has almost the same personality as Beelzebub? Ah, this is annoying. What is it saying now?"
Bae Su-bin did make a contract.
But she didn't seem to like the device's soul.
From what he heard from her, the soul was picking a fight now.
"Fine, I'll just name this staff Beelzebub. I'll have to train it hard to make it listen to me from now on."
Eventually, Bae Su-bin named the staff as if venting her anger.
She put the staff back in the box, saying she didn't want to see it.
Byeok Hae-su gave a bitter smile.
He spoke to Eun-ha.
"Then shall we look at your swords now?"
"Sure, I was curious too."
Eun-ha nodded readily.
He let go of Yeon-hwa's hand.
Leaning forward, he urged Byeok Hae-su to open the box.
"This is my masterpiece that I put my all into. Probably, I'll never be able to make something like this again in my life."
""""Wow...."""
True to those words,
The box Byeok Hae-su opened contained swords that emitted an undeniable aura.
A pitch-black machete and a snow-white one-handed straight sword.
People exclaimed in admiration all at once.
"How is it? Incredible, right? Even when still, it automatically absorbs mana. Should I call this a magic sword (魔劍) if I have to put it into words?"
"Bearded oppa! I agree with the black sword, but calling the white sword a magic sword doesn't seem right!"
"Haha, is that so? Then what would you call it, Ariel?"
"Hmm... Since it's white, maybe white..."
"It would be a holy sword. Hae-su oppa, this sword was made with a Taegeuk grade treasure, right? Somehow it feels that way."
"You're right, Eun-woo. And this one was made using two soul stones."
Byeok Hae-su, Ariel, and Cha Eun-woo.
The three chatted about the swords.
Eun-ha couldn't properly hear their conversation.
His gaze was captivated by the swords.
"..."
The snow-white sword had gold lines.
The pitch-black sword had red lines engraved on it.
He had never seen swords that absorbed mana even when still and raised a mana blade around the sword body.
It was fascinating.
Meanwhile─
─The snow-white sword feels somewhat similar in design to No One Cry.
Eun-ha was reminded of the sword he had cherished until his death in his previous regression when looking at the snow-white sword.
No One Cry, the masterpiece and unfinished work of the
He thought that if No One Cry had been completed, it might have looked like this.
It was then.
"No One Cry."
"What?"
Byeok Hae-su suddenly said.
Eun-ha snapped back to his senses.
Byeok Hae-su was smiling slightly.
"I thought of several names for the sword I'd make for you. Then suddenly that name came to mind."
"..."
"No One Cry. That's what it means."
Eun-ha blinked his eyes.
He never expected to hear the name of his cherished sword from his previous regression through Byeok Hae-su's mouth.
He felt both glad and bitter.
The fact that he had come up with that name thinking of him meant─
─In the end, have I not changed from before regression to now?
So this is how I appear to Hae-su hyung.
Eun-ha silently self-deprecated.
No One Cry.
In other words, no one cries.
In his previous regression, after Byeok Hae-su died, Eun-ha had thought about why he had named it No One Cry.
'It's a sword I made thinking of you, Eun-ha. I named it thinking it was the name that suited you best.'
That's what Byeok Hae-su had said.
Based on those words, when he tried to figure out the meaning of the name, it wasn't readily a good meaning.
No One Cry.
No one cries.
In other words─
─It probably means there will be no one left around me every time I swing this sword.
Whether I kill with this sword.
Or whether people die following me.
No one will be by my side.
I am always alone and lonely.
That's how he could think of it.
Is it inevitable?
I've lived dangerously in this life too.
The name of his cherished sword was both a warning and advice from Byeok Hae-su.
That's what Eun-ha had been thinking.
That's why he couldn't really like the name of his cherished sword.
He only treated it preciously because it was a sword Byeok Hae-su had made for him.
It was then.
"But I'm not going to use that name."
"..."
Wondering why Eun-ha was silent,
Byeok Hae-su continued speaking.
He scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed smile.
"Why?"
"The workshop people told me the English was wrong. I guess I really have no affinity with English."
"What?"
Byeok Hae-su looked embarrassed.
Eun-ha couldn't understand what he was saying.
Then he said─
"─Don't make anyone cry."
"..."
"I came up with the name No One Cry thinking of that meaning. Don't you think it suits you perfectly?"
Words he hadn't heard in his previous life.
Eun-ha blankly opened his mouth.
His eyes shook greatly.
"You have the mindset of protecting your people no matter what, right? So I tried to name it with that meaning. Eliminate enemies threatening your people, don't let your people cry."
"So... that's why it was No One Cry?"
"Yeah. Ah, saying it like this makes me feel awkward."
Byeok Hae-su looked sheepish.
Eun-ha, who had come back in time and only now learned the truth, was dumbfounded.
All this time, I...
Why was I thinking like that?
Come to think of it, there's no way Hae-su hyung would have named the sword with such a meaning.
Looking back, there was no way Byeok Hae-su would have named the sword with such a negative meaning.
Writing can have different meanings depending on who reads it.
Eun-ha had misinterpreted it on his own.
At that time, the world only looked negative to him.
Realizing this fact, Eun-ha couldn't recover from the shock.
Of course, Byeok Hae-su was also at fault.
"That English seems wrong."
"Haha, you're right. I almost gave it the wrong name."
At that moment, Bae Su-bin suddenly interjected.
She often used English to create magic.
So she noticed that the meaning Byeok Hae-su intended didn't match with the name "No One Cry".
"If we're being precise, it should be 'Don't make anyone cry'."
"Right, that's what the staff said."
Don't make anyone cry.
That was the exact English that reflected Byeok Hae-su's intention.
Eun-ha nodded too.
"So after hearing that from the staff, I gave up on naming it. 'Don't make anyone cry.' It's too long to say, isn't it? Hahaha!"
""""...."""
While Byeok Hae-su laughed heartily,
People couldn't laugh along as they realized his English skills.
Of course, there were some who laughed.
Two fools.
"Ahaha! Bearded oppa! Your English is really terrible!? It's okay, Ariel doesn't know any of that either!"
One was Ariel.
"Ah, what... So that's what it meant?"
The other was Noh Eun-ha.
Eun-ha burst into laughter to the point where people thought it strange.
Tears came to his eyes.
☆
"So what are the effects of these swords?"
"I'm not sure about that either."
After the laughter subsided,
Eun-ha asked Byeok Hae-su while handling the two sword blades.
Byeok Hae-su shrugged his shoulders.
"I tried to check the effect of the sword made with the Taegeuk grade treasure, but nothing happened. It seems to be choosy about its owner. You'll have to check for yourself."
"Is that so?"
Eun-ha grasped the snow-white sword.
He sent mana into it.
At that moment, he could feel it.
It's optimized for my mana.
As soon as the sword detected Eun-ha's mana, it made a humming sound.
Moreover, it fit perfectly in his hand.
It felt as if he had become one with the sword.
Even without Eun-ha being conscious of it, it automatically led him to the state of unity between sword and person.
Among all the swords he had used so far, this was the first time he felt one that suited him so well.
"What kind of magic is built into it..."
Part of the sword's principles seeped into his mind.
The principles were very complex.
He couldn't understand them.
But if his intuition was correct, it seemed to contain unbelievable magic.
...A sword that revives the dead?
Eun-ha stared intently at the sword.
The sword told him more about how to use it.
It only conveyed that if he just made up his mind and swung it, he could even revive the dead.
"How is it? Do you understand what it is?"
"...I'm not sure either. I'll have to actually swing it to check. I'll have to research its effects gradually too."
"Hmm, can't be helped. It's the first time in my life I've seen a sword whose performance I can't understand. I thought about melting it down and remaking it... but I trusted my instincts and made it as is."
"The grip feels good, and I can just tell it's amazing intuitively. Thank you for making something like this."
"It's because the materials were good. I just made it according to what the materials wanted."
They decided to take time to learn about the snow-white sword.
There was no need to rush.
Now time was on Eun-ha's side.
So Eun-ha put his hand on the pitch-black sword blade made with soul stones.
"What about this sword? What's its effect?"
"As far as we've confirmed, it has the ability of devouring." "Devouring?"
"It can cut through magic as a basic ability, and it can use one principle of the target it cuts with the blade."
"...That's amazing. Is there a time limit?"
"As long as you keep injecting mana into the sword, the principle won't disappear. But as you can see..."
"Even without me injecting mana, it's absorbing mana on its own."
"Then you know what that means, right?"
"Wow..."
"It means you can use it freely without a time limit, as long as you don't change the principle stored in the sword."
"This is no joke."
"That seems to be the effect of Abaddon's soul stone." "Then? Does it have Armageddon too?"
"It seems so."
"..."
"You'll have to check that yourself."
Byeok Hae-su urged him to make a contract.
Eun-ha flowed mana into the sword.
The sword reacted violently.
If the snow-white sword reacted gently, the pitch-black sword was rough.
It's as if it's devouring Eun-ha's mana like a glutton.
It's going to consume a lot of mana.
Eun-ha frowned.
If he hadn't obtained Mine's body, he wouldn't have been able to use the magic built into the sword due to lack of mana.
It was then.
[Oh ho, so you are my master.]
"..."
An old man's voice was heard.
It was similar to Armageddon's voice.
Eun-ha kept his mouth shut at the voice coming from the sword.
[Child, what is your name?]
The soul of the sword asks.
Eun-ha sighed and opened his mouth.
"Noh Eun-ha."
[So that is my master's name.]
"Yes."
[Good, I accept you as my master.]
The pitch-black sword blade emits light.
The contract was made.
Like making a contract with a return beast, a path connected with the sword in his mind.
At that moment, Eun-ha could roughly understand the principles the sword possessed.
Since it's Armageddon's soul stone, it has various knowledge about handling mana.
If I handle the sword well, I could even leave the control entirely to it.
The magic built into the pitch-black sword consumed a considerable amount of internal mana.
But with the help of the sword's soul, he could reduce the control burden.
Moreover, it seemed to possess some of the knowledge Armageddon had in life.
"...This is incredible."
"Is that so? Do you like it?"
"I like it very much. It's the best."
Eun-ha took his hand off the sword.
The sword's voice disappeared.
It didn't completely disappear.
If he focused on the path, he could hear the sword's voice even without touching it.
A sword with specs no less than the snow-white sword.
A smile formed on Eun-ha's lips.
"I'm glad you're satisfied."
After observing Eun-ha's reaction,
Byeok Hae-su seemed satisfied.
Eun-ha nodded vigorously.
He couldn't help but be satisfied.
"I want to go back to the clan headquarters right away and swing these swords. As expected, you're the best Maestro, hyung."
"It feels good to hear that from the top player. But what will you name them?"
"Names? Hmm..."
Eun-ha fell into thought.
He stared intently at the two swords.
The pitch-black sword with red lines drawn.
The snow-white sword with gold lines drawn.
It's just like an evening glow in the middle of the night.
One looks like dawn is breaking.
As they were a pair, he wanted to give them names with a relationship.
Then suddenly one came to mind.
"Blackie, Whitey..."
"I didn't expect to hear something Jing-jing would say from you."
"Ugh! I was just joking, did you have to take it seriously?" "What? Why do I feel like I'm being insulted? Huh? Hmm?"
The names Jo A-ra suggested were rejected.
They didn't suit the swords with such amazing performance at all.
Finishing his thoughts, Eun-ha spoke the names of the swords.
"Twilight Sword, Dawn Sword."
Those names seemed to suit them best.
They rolled off the tongue well too.
Eun-ha repeated them with satisfaction.