100 – Lee Seo-yeon (3)

Lee Seo-yeon.

She claimed to be an early founder of the Yeongwon Workshop, and though much was debatable, one thing was certain.

“Employ me.”

Stubborn as an ox.

Her stubbornness, at least, was truly remarkable.

“The recruitment period is over.”

“Employ me.”

“I said it’s over. Just work somewhere else. If you’re from Yeongwon Workshop, your skills must be excellent, right?”

“It has to be next to you.”

“Why? Trying to learn some technique? If you’re skilled, you’d roughly understand already. I’m more instinct than theory. I make a general plan, then fill in the gaps with intuition. You can learn the former, but not the latter, wouldn’t you agree? If you’re truly skilled, I mean.”

“I know.”

“You know, and yet you persist?”

“Yes.”

Lee Seo-yeon sat demurely, looking up at me.

“Your skill… I don’t even think I could keep up with it. I can tell just by looking at the results. You’re simply beyond comparison. An outlier.”

“If that’s your assessment, then why are you being so insistent?”

“Even if I can’t learn the technique, I can still feel the inspiration.”

“…Inspiration?”

“Yes. New ideas. Do you know that the more you hone your skills, the easier it is to fall into a rut?”

“I’ve heard of it… but I’ve never experienced it.”

“Maybe it’s because you’re a monster.”

Lee Seo-yeon narrowed her eyes. She sipped her warm water.

“Normal geniuses are different. They’re still human, so they feel that rut. The only reason I left Yeongwon Workshop was… not because of any argument, any reason other than… I simply fell into a rut. For a craftsman, not having anything you want to create is a serious problem. It’s like the passion of a creator itself has withered.”

“…Hmm…”

“Do you remember what I was doing the day you and I first met?”

“Collecting the blood of ability wielders?”

“That, too, was all to escape the rut. I thought if I researched more ability factors, I could sketch out something I wanted to create.”

She placed a hand on her chest.

“You don’t even have to pay me. I’ll work for free. You don’t have to pay me any mind. I’d be satisfied just watching you work.”

“…So, you’re just volunteering to be a slave?”

“You may call me that. If that is your wish.”

“There’s no way I would.”

I pressed hard at the bridge of my nose, the situation irksome.

A craftsman from the Yeongwon Workshop…

I glanced quickly at Seo Ji-su. She shook her head vigorously, forming an emphatic “X” with her hands.

“Seems the assistant is against it.”

Lee Seo-yeon frowned slightly.

“Lee Seo-joon-ssi. If you desire persuasion, I can provide it here and now.”

“Persuasion?”

“Yes. Not through empty assertions, but through logic. In a way that you can accept. What do you say?”

“As long as it doesn’t drag on too long… I see no reason not to listen.”

Lee Seo-yeon rose. She walked quickly to Seo Ji-su and stood before her.

There was a slight difference in height. Seo Ji-su was a bit taller. But Lee Seo-yeon, even as she looked up at her, showed not a trace of shrinking.

Only a coolly fixed gaze, piercing through her.

“Seo Ji-su-ssi, was it?”

“Yes. That’s right. Why?”

“I dislike committing discourtesies. I also dislike being involved with others more than necessary. Human relations often cause unpleasantness in work. Therefore, I also dislike declarations of war. I try my best to avoid them.”

“…What are you trying to say?”

“But even so, sometimes I feel it. That there are moments when a battle of wills is necessary.”

Lee Seo-yeon raised her hand.

“You.”

She pointed at Seo Ji-su. And then at the craftsmen hiding behind her, peeking from behind the door.

“And you all.”

“…Us, you mean?”

“Why me…?”

“Let me make this perfectly clear.”

Lee Seo-yeon spun around. She looked up at me and said in a voice chilled to the bone.

“I am better than all of them combined, Lee Seo-joon-ssi.”

“……?”

“……?”

Seo Ji-soo froze. The other artisans, too, stood still.

The storm broke the next instant.

“You insolent little…!”

“Did you just say that?!”

“So you think being pretty gets you everything, huh? Damn it!”

Another line was added to Lee Seo-yeon’s assessment.

Stubborn as a bull, and…

apparently lacking in social graces.

. . .

A multitude of artisans were enraged.

But none more so than Seo Ji-soo.

“I am the Master Artisan’s direct disciple!”

“Never made any such thing.”

“An insult to me is directly linked to an insult to the Master Artisan!”

“Isn’t that a bit of an overstatement?”

“A showdown it is!”

Even amidst a busy schedule, Seo Ji-soo causing a ruckus wasn’t ideal…

But he figured half a day would be enough, and granted permission.

“Let’s get this over with quickly.”

I didn’t choose the subject matter. Seo Ji-soo herself did.

From the most basic principles to the most advanced techniques.

Testing the overall process of creating specialized tools, from beginning to end.

As Seo Ji-soo stepped forward as the representative of the practitioners, the other artisans added no further comment.

Nearly two months of communal living.

During that time, everyone had witnessed it.

That she was the artisan who had improved the most dramatically, the one most passionate about crafting specialized tools.

“If it’s Team Leader One, anyone would find it manageable.”

“Honestly, aside from the Master Artisan, isn’t she the best?”

“She’s beyond professional. Top-tier, really.”

“You’ve got a good bit of experience under your belt, no faulting you there.”

“And she claims she’s from the Eternal Workshop?”

“Has to be a lie.”

“Why would someone like that come here?”

“…But if she wanted to see the Workshop Master’s work, I could understand it…”

“Whose side are you on?”

She herself was brimming with confidence, even growling as she clattered her tools down.

“If I win, you’ll kneel and apologize, then get out of this building. And don’t you ever think about seeing the Workshop Master again.”

Seo Jisu’s confidence was understandable, to a degree. She was certainly a capable artisan.

On top of that, she had learned all the best tricks from me. A world apart from when she first arrived. It was no wonder her already high confidence had caught fire.

Ironically though, Lee Seoyeon didn’t even look at her.

She just kept looking at me.

“If I win, am I guaranteed employment?”

“…I’ll need to think about that. There’s likely to be quite a bit of resistance.”

“If there’s no guarantee, I don’t want to do it.”

Seo Jisu slammed her fist on the desk.

“What?! Are you running away now?!”

“Why would I take part in a match where I gain nothing? All I want is for Hundred Eyes to hire me. If it’s difficult to get hired even if I win, then why should I spend my time on this?”

“…Workshop Master! Please promise to hire her! I’m going to win anyway! Please!”

At her screeching, desperate plea, I looked back at the other staff.

“Do you all agree to this?”

“…We look like we’d get punched if we didn’t…”

“Yes. Well… we agree… I guess…”

“What if she loses?”

“Shhh. Don’t add fuel to the fire.”

The staff reluctantly agreed. Their words left me with no choice but to nod.

If Lee Seoyeon really was from the Eternal Workshop, that wouldn’t be so bad, in its own way. We were short-handed to begin with. If there was no backlash from the staff…

We could use her.

Of course, we’d have to look into her background more thoroughly.

“Alright then… let’s do it. Employment is on the line.”

“Come at me!”

“I trust you won’t be changing your words.”

And so it began. The battle, that is.

And then.

Within half a day, Seo Ji-soo conceded.

“…….”

With a face that looked like she’d lost the world. Recording a stark defeat in every stage of the match.

She left the room with a face utterly devoid of spirit.

“…….”

“…….”

Perhaps it was the rather shocking outcome. The staff, too, were speechless, staring at Lee Seo-yeon.

Their reaction seemed to suggest they couldn’t have imagined such a strange technique erupting from that delicate appearance and those beautiful fingertips.

No one spoke.

And that included me.

“…Tch.”

For now, anyway.

I can see why she’s called TOP, that’s for sure.

She’s exceptional. Truly exceptional.

From the sensitivity of her fingertips to her masterful technique. Down to the brain that perfectly executes that systematic process…

She was like a flawless, impeccable artisan.

I found myself wanting to see a piece she’d made herself.

Seo Ji-soo didn’t lose for no reason. From basic skills to advanced techniques, she was completely defeated. Lee Seo-yeon’s technique was that remarkable.

I can understand why Eternal Workshop is so popular.

If you exclude my unique ability, the Anomaly Twisting, she’s about three levels…

No.

Only about two levels below me, isn’t she?

“…Impressive, huh?”

The words came out on their own. I’d never seen someone’s skill and genuinely felt it was impressive…

She deserved to hear it. I can see why she was so confident.

She was right. She wasn’t just talking big.

Even all of our current technicians, combined, couldn’t measure up to her.

While the technicians could somehow manage the practical workload…

Directing and planning for that specialized equipment? She was the only one here capable.

Well now.

Hiring her, I could definitely cut down my workload, couldn’t I? Maybe even stretch my sleep from three hours to six?

“That wasn’t just empty confidence.”

“Am I now able to work at your side?”

“Asking you to work without pay… wouldn’t quite sit right. We should discuss salary, detailed background checks, and the like, separately.”

I smoothly extended my hand.

“Welcome to the Obsidian Workshop, Ms. Seo Yeon.”

She gazed down at my hand. Slowly, she took it.

And spoke.

“I don’t need a position like team leader.”

“…Then?”

“I only want to be your assistant. That’s all I desire. Please, use me right by your side. I’ll perform any errand.”

“Let’s save that for later discussion as well…”

The hour growing late.

“Do you have a place to stay?”

“I can find lodging nearby.”

“In that case, stay here. We have spare rooms.”

“Yes. I’d like that.”

And so, a master artisan – one of the original founders of Yeongwon Workshop – joined the Obsidian Workshop.

And at the same time…

A few days hadn’t even passed before someone else visited my workshop.

“M-Mr. Lee Seo-jun…”

This time, it was definitely someone I knew.

My exclusive courier, who had disappeared alongside Lily Bennetwater.

“…I-It’s me… Renata Lyudmila…”

Renata, looking like a beggar, had come to find me.

Tears streaming down her face. Desperately.