Chapter 267 – Apprentice Blacksmith (4)

Contrary to what she was concerned about, the process of managing the great sword that Areumyi was supposed to watch over went faster than expected.

“… After wiping it off, can you see the fine scratches underneath? After rubbing Yeog with an abrasive for mithril, and then leaving…”

The process of wiping off the sword and wiping off the scratches with an abrasive was over in less than 30 minutes, and after that, all that was left was to oil the sword and let it soak in.

Carefully laying my sword on one side of the workshop, she said with an expression as if everything was over.

“Now I just have to leave it like that for two full days until the blade eats oil. I’ll give it back to you when it comes back in three days.”

“I thought you meant to watch it all three days when you said you were going to show me how to take care of it.”

“Ahaha, Unnie is good at jokes!”

… Although it wasn’t half a joke.

“Would you like to borrow the sword that was tested earlier while it is being repaired? Even unnie, if you don’t have anything, you feel empty.”

“Are you okay. Because I don’t think there will be anything worth wielding a greatsword for three days.”

“Is it wrong because I think I will get paid? It’s okay, so take it. Unni, all you have to do is wipe it clean and bring it to me on the day I come to find the sword.”

“… If you say that, I won’t refuse.”

It wasn’t polite to shake your head more than once in favor, so this time I didn’t refuse and accepted the Damascus steel greatsword that Areum gave me.

By the way, I’m a bit sorry for just receiving it like this…

While looking around to see if there was anything else that could be of help to her areum, I noticed several iron windows standing on one side of her workshop.

She wanted a good opportunity, so she pointed to Areum and asked.

“How much are those spears for each?”

“Ah, zerg? It costs only 500,000 won for a giraffe made from sticks and spear blades.”

It was said to be a probationary process, but since it was a spear made by a Dwarven blacksmith, 500,000 won was a really cheap price.

Even if it was just a spear blade made and attached to a low-end iron bar, in the end, the spear blade was the most important part in a battle with monsters.

I couldn’t use the wooden stick I picked up from the tomb of an old tree forever as a disposable ice spear, so I thought it was a good opportunity, so I pointed to the side where the cheap spear was displayed and said.

“I’ll buy three bags.”

“You don’t have to say you’re sorry for me and you’re going to buy me something. Just come back in three days and find a sword.”

“It’s not like that, it’s because I really need it. … Just for a present.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Huh. So buy three bags.”

To be precise, I shortened it because I thought more than three bags would cause strange suspicion.

I was tempted to buy more than 10 bags at a time, but if I did, I’m sure I’d be asked again and again what the hell I was buying so many for.

If I made a mistake in the process, there was a possibility that I would be found out as an Awakener who could use not only swordsmanship but also spearmanship, so for now, with a suitable excuse, just buy three swords.

In the first place, when I thought about what I was going to use the spear for, my conscience was stabbed. What blacksmith likes to throw his spear like a one-off tool and use it.

“Okay, then. Did you bring three bags out of the ones there?”

“Huh.”

Although there was an unexpected expenditure of 1.5 million won, it was a reasonable enough investment considering the future.

Unless it was an irreplaceable weapon that could not be obtained elsewhere, such as the Mithril Greatsword, it would have been better to just spend cash rather than spend awakening points.

Taking a Damascus steel greatsword and three cheap spears, I walked out of her studio with the heavier burden even though I had left the mithril greatsword.

“Sister! Do not forget in three days!”

“Okay, see you in three days.”

I also made a relationship with a blacksmith that every hunter who uses melee weapons must know at least one person, and I also got a spear to use for a javelin enchanted with fire attribute, so in many ways, the results obtained during the day were significant.

… Although, he still hadn’t grasped the magic he was going to show Hwayoung two days later.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

Another day passed, Eoyoung and Booyoung, without any research on the 3rd circle magic to be shown to Hwayoung.

I felt sorry for myself in many ways for throwing away an entire day on the subject of going to work as a non-company union to practice magic.

Of course, in the process, saving a female hunter who might have been in danger and building a relationship with the blacksmith, Soo-Areum, was a good income in itself.

In the end, he deserved criticism for putting off what he had to do and wasting his time.

As soon as he returned home, he studied a few more 3rd circle magic using ignition, the basis of fire magic, but this time too, the whole day passed without much success.

You could say that since there was still a day left, it would be okay to create something for the rest of the time, but unfortunately, today was the day I couldn’t fully devote my time to researching magic.

Yesterday, I went to work at the union instead of the company for magic research, so I had to show my face to the company today.

It wasn’t really a compulsory work day, and it wasn’t a group work day, but it must have looked very bad for a new hunter who had just joined the company to be absent for two days in a row.

There was a possibility that it would be three days in a row, including tomorrow when I had an appointment with Hwayoung-senpai.

In order not to spread rumors that the new man, Hunter, was negligent, it was better to go to work somehow today.

… It’s fortunate that Areum lent me the greatsword. If it wasn’t for this, it would have been halfway to go to work today.

If someone who said holding a greatsword and wielding it is an awakening ability goes to work without a greatsword, that ability is bound to be questioned.

In particular, she didn’t want to be photographed any more than now by Cheon Ji-hee from the same party, so it was right for her to carry a weapon regardless of whether or not she actually needs to use it.

If I had to, I could have brought the old greatsword I used before, but I was a little uneasy about wielding it against a B- or A-rank monster.

“… He said he was that man hunter.”

“That awakened man? Really?”

“… Hey, be careful with your words. Yesterday, senior Hyeeun called the kids…”

“… Whoa.”

I tried to ignore the gaze that was still subtly brooding over me and got on the elevator to go up to the 14th floor.

Still, compared to two days ago, I feel that my gaze has diminished strangely. Maybe it’s because Hyeeun and Mina aren’t by my side right now.

The two A-class hunters deserve the attention of other hunters in their own way. Perhaps most of the gazes I felt on the first day were not for me, but for them.

While I was moderately thinking about that, the elevator arrived at the 14th floor where the Sky Blue Shield conference room was located, and as soon as I walked down the hallway and entered the conference room, Cha Yu-ri, wearing a wide-brimmed navy blue wizard hat, caught my eye.

“… Are you here now?”

“Good morning, Cha Yu-ri.”

“… Yes, good morning.”

After hearing my morning greetings, Cha Yu-ri silently replied.

“Hyeeun heard that she had a holiday today, but what about the others?”

“Ji-hee went to work in the afternoon, and Min-ah applied as another party seeker.”

“Ah.”

In a party where everyone risked their lives to hunt monsters, it would be impossible to decide which role group was the most important, but apart from that, there was always a role group whose number itself was rare.

The rarest role group is, of course, the support side. The number of divine-type abilities that can use blessings or recovery was the lowest.

Next, there was a lack of hard tanks similar to Hyeeun. It must be because the preference is low as it is the role to deal with monsters in the closest place.

Since there were not a small number of animal hunters, the role group itself as a searcher was far from rare, but when it was narrowed down to a B-class or higher searcher, the number decreased exponentially at once.

It was a phenomenon that happened because there were few animal hunters who could go up to B rank or higher. It was because the animal-type hunter’s weak point was that his combat ability was relatively low as the limits of his ability were clear.

On top of that, if you don’t properly release your sexual desire during estrus, your skills will drop rapidly, and the retirement period will be quite fast.

Usually, it was a common animal hunter’s career to switch between C-classes or retire as soon as they reached B-class.

In that sense, Han Min-ah, who steadily endured all estrus with antiestrus drugs and was recognized for her sincerity, was a very rare case among animal hunters in many ways.

Unless it’s a group departure day, it’s only natural that love calls come from here and there. It was a perfectly understandable reason that he wasn’t here right now.

“Then what about Yuri? Does she have a party waiting for her?”

“… It’s not a party, people were waiting.”

“Who is that?”

“My name is Kim Seong-cheol, a B-class hunter who handles great swords well.”

“… That’s me.”

“That’s right.”

Only then did Cha Yu-ri, who got up from her seat in the conference room, naturally come next to me and naturally crossed her arms.

“Can I call you Seongcheol when we’re alone?”

“It doesn’t matter either way.”

“Then let’s go. I’ve also reserved a dungeon with a level of difficulty suitable for the two of us.”

“Yes?”

“FYI, if you make a reservation for the company dungeon, other parties won’t be able to enter… You know?”

“…”

Could it be that you’re telling me to play that game even at work? Really, it’s too big.

“… Great.”

Of course, I had no particular reason to refuse, so I just nodded my head as I hardened my lower back a little.

As for the 3rd circle magic… Whatever it will be