Chapter 65
Until I made the Sword of Self-transcendence, the details of all the items I made were accompanied by the modifier: made by a craftsman with great skills and potential, but lacks experience and reputation.
But now it had changed to ‘a craftsman with great skills and potential, but his experience and reputation is somewhat lacking.’ I felt a little bit recognized. Anyway, I got a new production hammer, so I was more likely to make rare and epic rated items. In addition, the probability of making normal rated items was relatively low.
It was fortunate that I realized the importance of a production hammer and managed to obtain a new one, even if it was delayed.
I was about to launch my operation to make more money.
‘I’ve replaced the hammer so should I now make epic, unique or legendary items?’
Khan interrupted me as I was about to start. "Grid, will you come to my son’s grave with me? Actually, today is the anniversary of my son’s death.”
I didn’t want to waste time at an unnecessary place when I could be making items to sell. But Khan’s request couldn’t be dismissed. Khan was my only friend in reality and Satisfy.
‘An NPC is my only friend... how depressing...’
I decided to postpone my work.
"Let’s go.”
***
At a small hill north of Winston. There were around 10 graves on the hill.
‘This is too small to be a cemetery...’
Khan saw my look and explained. “This is the cemetery where not just my son, but my ancestors are buried.”
“I see.”
Khan stood in front of his son’s gravestone and smiled. Khan missed his son.
"My son... He had excellent qualities as a blacksmith. I had no doubt that he would become a great blacksmith who would surpa.s.s me, and maybe even have the same reputation as Albatino. Unfortunately, he died early.”
Tears filled Khan’s eyes.
"The pain of losing a son is incredibly big. It has been 10 years since he died, but I still miss him and feel regret towards his death. If possible, I would revive him, even if I needed to sacrifice my own life.”
I didn’t know what to say. It was impossible for me to understand the mind of a parent who lost their child. I stood there with an awkward expression, and the tearful Khan suddenly laughed.
“I’m glad you’re here.”
“...”
"Every day, every day... I couldn’t work properly because of nostalgia and despair. But ever since meeting you, I have felt surprised and excited. Didn’t I stop drinking because of you? Now, please say h.e.l.lo to my son.”
Khan stood straight in front of his son’s gravestone. Then he spoke towards the gravestone.
"Son, this is Pagma’s Descendant, who I told you about every night. Isn’t it great to meet him? Are you surprised? Isn’t it great? Are you wondering why such a person is with your father?”
“Khan...”
Khan started crying again. He finally sank to his knees, hugging the gravestone while exclaiming. "Don"t worry! Don’t worry! Your father is doing well, so don’t worry! This great person is taking care of your father! He promised to take care of the smithy! So relax and don’t worry. Rest in peace... Sob...sob sob.”
“...”
Countless NPCs existed in Satisfy. Every one of them were alive with stories and feelings like this. Amazing. I truly admired Satisfy’s technology.
"... d.a.m.n, they should do it moderately.”
My vision was cloudy from the dust in my eyes. I moved my gaze to the sky due to a lump in my throat. Then I promised. "Your father is my most precious friend. I will treat him well. I’ll also make the smithy the best. So... as you father said, rest in peace.”
Then a notification window popped up.
[The bond between you and Khan has deepened.]
[The souls of Khan’s ancestors are thrilled by your emotions towards Khan and emerge from underground.]
“...Eh?”
10 blue lights in the shape of people appeared in front of me. Then they spoke simultaneously towards me.
“It is good to meet you, Pagma’s Descendant. Friend of our descendant.”
“W-Wait...!”
Weren’t these souls ghosts?
I hurriedly called out to Khan, “K-Khan. Khan!”
“Drrrong! Drrrong!”
"Did you go crazy?”
Khan was sleeping while hugging his son’s gravestone. No, how could he fall asleep in such a short amount of time? I realized that I was the only one facing these ghosts, and formed tight fists.
“C-Come on! You evil ghosts! I will survive to the end of the horror movie!”
...Yes, to be honest, I was a little frightened of ghosts. No, to be honest, I really hated ghosts. It was because I had actually encountered a ghost during my elementary school days. Of course, I might’ve been seeing things, now that I thought about it... Anyway, the intense fear of that time was still deeply engraved in my mind, causing a ghost allergy.
The blue souls floating in the air were confused when I told them to fight, and they didn’t say anything. I didn’t feel any hostility from them, so I asked carefully.
“You... are you really ghosts...?”
"You could say that."
The answer made me feel despair.
“Unbelievable! No way! How can ghosts exist in this world? I might’ve seen it when I was a child, but it wasn’t really a ghost!”
The ghosts laughed.
“Hahaha, what doesn’t exist in this world? Yet you think it’s strange that there are ghosts?”
“...Ah.”
I belatedly realized. I forgot for a while, but this was Satisfy, not reality. It was an artificial world created by human hands! Not just ghosts, but living bones, talking beasts and even fire beasts existed. People could fly and shoot magic. Yes, it wasn’t strange for ghosts to exist in this world.
I asked them. “S-So what? Why did you emerge?”
They answered. "We are thrilled that you showed a true heart to our descendants, so we have come to give you a reward.”
"... Reward?”
Was it money? As I was feeling expectant, the biggest one came forward and introduced himself.
"I am the person who witnessed Pagma’s swordsmans.h.i.+p 130 years ago.”
"...!"
Pagma’s swordsmans.h.i.+p! I discovered a clue to the cla.s.s quest, which had been delayed because I didn’t know how to proceed.
"130 years ago... I witnessed the beauty of Pagma’s swordsmans.h.i.+p that pierced the sky, and was so fascinated that I ran to Kesan Canyon. Then I drew a picture of Pagma’s swordsmans.h.i.+p, which was clearly imprinted in my mind, on a north cliff of the canyon. I was so excited that I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep if I didn’t do that.”
I obtained a clue for Pagma’s swordsmans.h.i.+p, which I had no idea how to find or learn.
“The painting will probably help you learn Pagma’s swordsmans.h.i.+p.”
[The quest ‘Pagma’s Descendant’ has been updated.]
[Pagma’s Descendant]
Difficulty: Cla.s.s quest.
You have certainly been given Pagma’s blacksmith skills.
But do you know exactly who Pagma is? Can you proudly carry out his will?
Who is Pagma? If he was simply a blacksmith with good skills, his legends wouldn’t be scattered across the continent.
First, start with the clue of the swordsmans.h.i.+p that pierced the sky, and follow Pagma’s legend. If you can collect all of the legends, you will truly understand Pagma and succeed his will.
At that moment, a new legend will be born.
* There is no time limit for this cla.s.s quest.
* If you accept the cla.s.s quest of a legendary cla.s.s, you can’t change your cla.s.s again.
* The legendary cla.s.s quest has the power to transform Satisfy’s world, according to the results.
Cla.s.s Quest Clear Conditions: Complete all linked quests successfully.
Cla.s.s Quest Clear Reward: Unknown.
* First Cla.s.s Quest: [Pagma’s Swordsmans.h.i.+p.]
The person who witnessed Pagma’s swordsmans.h.i.+p 130 years ago has showed up and given you a clue.
If you head to Kesan Canyon that is to the south of Winston, you will find a clue to Pagma’s swordsmans.h.i.+p carved on a northern cliff.
* First Cla.s.s Quest Clear Condition: Learn Pagma’s swordsmans.h.i.+p.
First Cla.s.s Quest Clear Reward: Dainsleif (Reproduction).
After confirming the newly emerged quest information window, the souls said farewell.
"Pagma’s Descendant is a friend of our descendant. We pray that you will become greater than Pagma. Now, we should be returning to where we were.”
The souls disappeared one by one in front of me. One soul remained until the end and spoke softly.
“Thank you for looking after my father.”
Suuuuoh...
We came to this place at dusk and it was now night. The remnants of the souls disappearing scattered a blue light like falling stars, and then Khan woke up.
“Umm...? Did I fall asleep? Is it already night?”
"Old Man, you have a habit of sleeping everywhere, but it isn’t good for your health.”
"Hmm... I was never like this... Huh? Heok! Y-You! Why is the part around your crotch damp?”
“...Be quiet.”
***
40 days had pa.s.sed since Huroi cleared the ‘Wait’ quest.
Afterwards, he accepted the S.A. Group’s proposal to thoroughly check his health in the hospital, then spent another week answering S.A Group’s questions and agreed to let them announce his ident.i.ty as the first second cla.s.s in Satisfy. Then he spent the next 23 days riding a horse around Mongolia in order to satisfy his nomadic nature. Finally, he returned to Satisfy three days ago and improved his understanding of the newly acquired second cla.s.s.
And today! Huroi arrived at Khan’s smithy. It was to meet Grid, whom he had sworn to serve.
‘Will he be pleased to see me? Or will he ask why I only came now?’
Huroi was incredibly tense. He couldn’t help gulping. As he hesitantly stood in front of the smithy, the door opened from the inside. Grid exited from the open door. Did he noticed that Huroi was here and came out to meet him?
“M-My Liege!”
The thrilled Huroi shouted. But Grid didn’t even look at him. He didn’t think that the t.i.tle of ‘liege’ applied to him. Huroi shouted again.
“Mr. Grid!”
“Eh?”
Grid finally turned towards Huroi. The two people made eye contact. Huroi ran forward and bent to one knee in front of Grid, like a knight before a monarch.
“Have you been well in the meantime? I’m sorry for not making any contact with you until now!”
“...Huroi?”
“Yes, My Liege. I am Huroi.”
In the dungeon, Huroi had sacrificed himself to allow Grid to escape the four knights. Huroi knew that Grid would be worried. Then...
"This b.a.s.t.a.r.d!”
Grid glared and abruptly grabbed Huroi’s neck. Then he let out a stream of curses at Huroi.
"Hey, you son of a b.i.t.c.h! You, I know you? I don’t! I don’t know why the knights a.s.sociated you with me, but I was disqualified from the item making game and forced to accept a ridiculous quest! Huh? I was trapped in solitary confinement with my mouth gagged, then I had to fight someone called the Northern Nova. Can you imagine how much I suffered?”
“...”
Huroi was at a loss for words. Grid’s att.i.tude was completely different from what he imagined. He couldn’t understand why Grid was angry, but he sincerely apologized.
“I’m sorry. I was wrong! My Liege!”
His master was his sky! His master was angry due to the actions of his subordinates.
Grid became rather confused at Huroi’s apology. Grid frowned.
‘This guy, he seemed perfectly fine and smart when I first met him. He seems to have become a complete freak since being stuck in prison. Was he severely tortured?’
Anyway, he didn’t want to be with this disgusting guy. Grid let go of Huroi and waved his hand. "Hey, hey, that’s it. I understand already, so you should leave.”
Huroi was baffled.
"Go where?”
“Go wherever.”
“My path is with My Liege!”
Huroi had already vowed to follow Grid. The descendants of the Blue Wolf didn’t forsake their oaths. He would follow Grid for the rest of his life. Thanks to his second cla.s.s, ‘Apostle of Justice’s Partner,’ he practically needed to stay at Grid’s side because all his stats increased by 20% when he was with the Apostle of Justice.
“T-This crazy...”
Huroi didn’t notice Grid’s irritation as he asked.
"My Liege, are you part of a guild? If you have a guild then please let me join. Isn’t it better for me to be in the same guild as you?”
“Guild? I don’t have one. So please leave.”
“Ohh! Good! Are you planning to make your own guild? If My Liege makes a guild, many people will follow you. I will a.s.sist you!”
Prior to going to Kesan Canyon, Grid was going to get minerals to make armor for his own use. Grid wanted to leave quickly instead of listening to Huroi’s delirious chatter.
"Hey, stop talking nonsense and move out of the way. Yes? I’m going.”
In the end, Grid left towards his destination. Well, it seemed like Grid disliked him, so Huroi was forced to follow Grid secretly. Obstacles appeared on a flat road. As soon as he created a fire to cook meat, a sudden shower poured down from a clear sky, meeting bandits at places famous for being peaceful, etc. While watching, Huroi realized that Grid was a person of bad luck. If Grid fell asleep, he was sure to break his nose.
Huroi felt a burning sense of duty.
‘I must protect him!’
The Apostle of Justice’s Partner needed to be with the Apostle of Justice. Huroi didn’t doubt it.
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