Chapter 80

[I-It’s broken?]

Russell blinked.

He didn’t know that a sword of that caliber would break in Hume’s hand.

Thud.

Bethel bitterly pulled down her helmet cover.

―Ratta knew it. Hume is very strong!

Ratta approached Hume and tapped the broken sword.

“I was the one who made him do it. So say it to me.”

Lucion spoke up.

“…Did you say my sword is a stone?”

Zamad looked down at Lucion with a blank face.

You’d think he was in his 60s just by looking at his sparsely white hair, but having the same size as a bear, anyone standing in front of Zamad might tremble with fear.

“You were listening and pretending not to hear?”

But Lucion giggled, coloring the mask yellow.

“That’s right. What should I call a sturdy object rolling on the street if not a stone? If you really treated this item as a sword, shouldn’t you have kept it well?”

Lucion bowed his head.

“However, I’m really sorry that I broke the weapon.”

The apology was funny after all his sarcasm, but Zamad didn’t respond much.

“Why did you come here?”

The hammer was still in Zamad’s hand; coupled with his blunt expression, he looked like he was ready to swing it at any moment.

“I am here to see you, Mr. Zamad.”

“…”

Zamad’s eyes twitched.

“Right. You need my skill, too.”

Lucion burst into laughter at his words.

“Why would I need something stupid like that? Skill? Only Zamad can do it.”

Lucion knew Zamad’s tragic end.

After Zamad’s death, the skill died off.

Whether Zamad was the only one who knew the most important key skill and died, or if the skill was leaked, it could not be done without Zamad.

It didn’t really matter.

Lucion’s purpose from the beginning was not Zamad’s skills, but Zamad himself.

“Other than Mr. Zamad, there are only idiots who steal skills from a sword that can’t be completed in the first place. I need Mr. Zamad. Not just the fake skill.”

“Did you think I would be fooled if you covered your mouth with butter? How would I know if you’re not laughing at me under that mask now?”

However, the response was cold.

Zamad was staring at Lucion in distrust.

“If I could, I would have smeared my mouth with oil, not butter. By the way, Mr. Zamad. You’re more disappointing than I thought.”

Lucion’s mask turned black again.

“I thought Mr. Zamad’s sword would be different from other swords, but it eventually broke. Is that the best sword you can make?”

Lucion pointed at the sword Hume had torn apart.

Hume pursed his lips and studied Zamad’s eyes.

“Or did it break because it was a failure?”

At the tone that got on his nerves, Zamad pointed out with his finger fiercely.

“Get out.”

[You provoked him too much.]

Russell let out a long sigh at Zamad’s angry expression.

But Lucion couldn’t have done such a thing without thinking.

“I apologize if you are angry. I also apologize again for making you feel bad, it was contrary to my intention. I’ll pay for the broken sword.”

Lucion bowed his head again.

“Ha, I don’t know if it’s your head is light or your mouth is light, but your damn apology is perfect.”

Zamad let out a laugh with a distorted face.

“My subordinate is so strong that he doesn’t have a weapon to use. I thought you would be able to make one for him, so I came here. That’s the second purpose.”

Lucion was thinking of revealing the second goal.

At that moment, a blue thread appeared and entwined Lucion and Zamad.

‘Right. it’s not unrelated to me, Zamad.’

Lucion looked at the blue thread and sighed.

“Then you came to the wrong place. I don’t make swords for anyone anymore.”

“Are you thinking of becoming a knight?”

At Lucion’s unexpected question, Russell burst out laughing.

[Puhahaha!]

“…W-What?”

Even Zamad was confused.

“Then, it means that you make a sword for yourself, not others, what would be the point of you holding a sword? Then aren’t you holding a sword because you have a dream to be a knight?”

Zamad hated this man so much that he wanted to hit him hard.

“If you’re not a blacksmith and you’re not going to be a knight, what’s the point of making a sword? Mr. Zamad, who knows the sword better than anyone else, wouldn’t use it as a decoration.”

Thud!

In an instant, Zamad dropped the hammer in his hand.

“What did you just say?”

Zamad asked with a shocked face.

At the same time, the blue thread tightened.

“Do you intend to use the sword as a decoration?”

Zamad gazed at the anvil even though the color of the man’s mask had turned to an unlucky yellow.

Just a little more and it would be complete.

In a few more days, his last masterpiece would be completed.

“Haha…”

At the crooked man’s words, Zamad realized what he had done.

It had to be used by dark nature.

It was a sword that had to be used in any form.

If it was a sword that would become a decoration, could it be said that it contained one’s last soul?

Would it be the last thing he had hoped for, for it not to be used, to be gently touched by someone’s hand and turned into a spectacle for everyone?

The wall that had been blocked collapsed in an instant, and he felt as if he would suffocate at the flood of questions.

“Mr. Zamad, that sword.”

Then, the unlucky man spoke out.

“If it’s almost done, can I swing it just once?”

He was about to die from confusion, but this man asked such an easy-going question.

It was so ridiculous that his mouth moved on its own.

“Try it.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Lucion’s mask turned blue.

It was definitely permission.

“Rental.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Hume approached Lucion.

There was no reason to be self-conscious this time, so Hume grabbed the sword and returned to the spot where he had been standing a moment before.

“Can I hit the floor with it?”

Hume thought that this sword would be used for strong places, not on people, so he wanted to check it out.

“Do it.”

When Lucion allowed it, Hume no longer hesitated and struck the sword toward the floor.

Clang!

It sounded like a huge ax hitting the floor.

Crack!

There was a deep crack in the floor.

Hume’s eyes widened.

The sword didn’t break, but it did bend.

Hume hid the sword behind his back and looked at Lucion.

“Puhahaha!”

Then, Zamad laughed out loud.

It sounded like he was laughing at himself.

“I was so confident! I thought this sword would be perfect!”

‘I know. It should’ve been perfect.’

Lucion was very suspicious of this situation.

What’s changed?

[If there’s a problem, it’s the ore. Ah, the sword itself was perfect. Really.]

Russell said with a shocked face as if he was covering up for Zamad.

‘No way. He must have used the best ore for his last craft.’

The last ore Zamad used was light stone, which was said to be harder than black stone.

“Thank you.”

Zamad stopped laughing and thanked Lucion.

“What are you doing all of a sudden?”

At Zamad’s unfamiliar words, Lucion felt his own face distorting.

“I didn’t get a light stone, so I had no choice but to get another ore and use it. I ended up thinking very foolishly that my technique would excel regardless of the ore.”

Zamad’s eyes were clearer than when he first saw him.

He looked enlightened.

However, Lucion was more interested in why Zamad hadn’t obtained the light stone than his change.

“…Is there a problem?”

“Let’s see. I suddenly heard the news that all transactions would be suspended. Somehow I had the money, but I didn’t get the goods. …That, from what I heard from people around me, it was a place that had trade business with Count Roberio?”

‘With Count Roberio?’

Lucion felt a spark in his ears.

The fact that Roberio was involved with a warlock had quickly shut down one of the mine’s owners.

‘The flow… has changed.’

If he couldn’t convince Zamad, Heint would have gotten his last sword somehow.

A sword that didn’t have a light stone as its ore.

“Okay, how much will you give me?”

Zamad pointed to himself and asked.

Now?

Lucion spoke as though he was in high spirits.

“I heard you stopped making swords for others?”

“When you get old, your memory declines.”

Zamad responded with a smirk.

“Above all, I like your unlucky words. I feel like you really need a sword that I made. Much better than the foxy ones.”

“Yes, thank you. I’ll try to be more unlucky.”

Zamad laughed loudly at the crooked remark.

“Above all, my pride has been greatly damaged by this incident. I can’t close my eyes like this.”

“Haven’t you acted as if you had just reached the end of your life?”

“I was just born again. I thought it was all useless, but I was pissed off. I can’t let my old age go like this because of those damn guys. Thanks to you, an evil has been born, I will make swords until I die.”

Zamad held out his hand.

“If you’ve heard my name, you know how famous I am, right?”

“Since you’re reborn, Mr. Zamad is just Zamad the blacksmith.”

Lucion returned Zamad’s words intact.

Whether Zamad made a bewildered expression or not, Lucion spoke out.

“First of all, I’ll look at the weapon Rental can use and set the payment. A greatsword is a good first weapon.”

“Hey…”

Cha ching.

Lucion took out a bag of money and handed it to Zamad, fearing that another sound would come out of Zamad’s mouth.

Zamad quietly opened the bag.

Then, the sound ‘oh’ came out of my mouth.

“I can’t get the ore myself right now, so I think you should get it through a business you know. Then, please contact me as soon as you make the greatsword.”

Lucion then handed over additional items for the contact.

“We will try to save the mine as soon as possible. Oh, and by the way, I’m a warlock.”

“I am Zamad who has just become a blacksmith.”

Zamad put down the items Lucion had handed over and reached out his hand to Lucion.

‘Didn’t you hear me?’

Lucion introduced himself again.

“I’m a warlock.”

“I am Zamad who has just become a blacksmith.”

However, Zamad’s attitude didn’t change.

Lucion was silent for a few seconds before his mask turned blue.

“Yes, I look forward to your kind cooperation. My name is Hamel.”

“Hamel? It’s a name that doesn’t suit you, but I look forward to your kind cooperation anyway.”

Zamad grinned, showing his teeth.

The blue thread was cut with a hearty laugh.

Crisp.

‘Now, the sword that Heint got in his hand, Zamad’s last keepsake, and the sword that stabbed me to death in the novel, is gone.’

Lucion was very happy to know the meaning of the blue thread being cut.

* * *

Clip clop.

At the regular sound of horse’s hooves, Lucion blankly looked at his hand.

“…There are people like that.”

Zamad was different from Kran.

Even if it wasn’t him, with Zamad’s skills, anyone would have taken him.

[Right. I’ve never seen anyone like him.]

Even Russell had a half-dazed look.

[A good sword is born to a good person. You’re looking forward to it, right, Hume?]

Bethel smiled contentedly.

“Yes, I’m looking forward to it. The unbroken black sword, the first sword made by Mr. Zamad.”

When Hume recalled the sensation of swinging his sword, his insides tickled.

Every moment had been enjoyable ever since he was able to control his body.

This emotion he felt right now must be joy.

[By the way, can you really bring in two craftsmen in one day?]

Russell asked while looking up at the sky where the sun was still up, and Lucion nodded.

“I should. I have to get home before the sun goes down.”

He was certain he would be able to seduce the second craftsman today.

The next craftsman was very easy compared to Zamad.