Chapter 26
The carriage rocked gently as it moved along the road.
Suhyeok was currently heading toward the capital together with Leon.
There was barely enough time to arrive before the event began, so he had left immediately without any proper farewell.
“Slurp, slurp!”
Meanwhile, Leon looked extremely excited.
Sitting beside Suhyeok, he wiped the Churu from around his mouth and shouted,
“Kyah! This is exactly the taste, nya!”
He drank the Churu like someone enjoying a cold beer while staring out the window.
He even hummed happily, a soft purring sound coming from his throat.
Apparently, the thought of returning to the capital had put him in a very good mood.
Leon suddenly flinched.
He must have noticed Suhyeok staring at him.
With a cautious look, Leon glanced at Suhyeok.
Then he looked back and forth between Suhyeok and the Churu in his paws.
Slowly...
He hid the Churu behind his back.
“A-Ahem. Why are you staring at me like that, nya? E-Even if it’s you, I can’t give you this, nya.”
Leon continued watching him suspiciously, clearly afraid Suhyeok would steal it.
Suhyeok was so dumbfounded that he had nothing to say.
Eventually, Leon made a face as though he had no choice but to make a huge sacrifice.
He squeezed out a tiny amount of Churu and held it toward Suhyeok.
“J-Just a little, okay, nya? Seriously, only a little...”
Even while offering it, Leon’s paw slowly lowered.
His expression changed every time Suhyeok’s gaze moved.
Suhyeok finally turned back toward the window.
“...Forget it. You eat it.”
Leon’s eyes lit up.
“Really, nya? Slurp, slurp!”
He immediately stuffed it into his own mouth.
Ignoring him, Suhyeok looked at the item inside his inventory and fell into thought.
[? - Fragment of a Forgotten Constellation 1/4]
Information: A fragment of a sacred object from the temple where a Forgotten Constellation sleeps.
Effect: When all fragments are gathered, the location of the temple will be revealed.
A Forgotten Constellation...
It had been one of the rewards offered after clearing the Hidden Dungeon.
Every option had been an item impossible to obtain on the current floor.
Even Leon had immediately made a huge fuss.
H-Horn of the Divine-Horned Beast?! Pick this one right now, nya! No, wait! Choose the Purification Potion no matter what, nya!!
If Suhyeok had chosen either of those two items, he could have grown stronger much faster than he could now.
Even so, there was a reason he had chosen this mysterious fragment.
The system always offered Players rewards they needed.
The degree of usefulness differed, but that meant this item was also something Suhyeok would eventually need.
More importantly...
It was connected to a mysterious Constellation whose identity was completely hidden.
That alone made it worth the gamble.
I wonder if Dolkin knows anything about the Forgotten Constellation.
Suhyeok had been thinking silently for a while when the carriage began slowing down.
Then it stopped.
Creeeak.
“My lord. I was worried because the road was blocked along the way, but thankfully we arrived a day early. You may get off now.”
The coachman announced their arrival.
Suhyeok stepped out of the carriage.
The capital was filled with a festival atmosphere.
Merchants lined the streets, selling alcohol and all kinds of food.
“You worked hard. Take this.”
“O-Oh my! You really didn’t have to give me anything... Haha.”
The coachman bowed repeatedly in gratitude before leaving.
Just in case any Players recognized him, Suhyeok quietly changed his appearance before walking through the streets.
[Lee Suhyeok! L-Look over there, nya...! That guy is breathing fire from his mouth, nya! Ohhh! They’re dancing over there too, nya! Hahaha! That one is terrible at dancing, nya! Don’t you agree?]
Leon sat on Suhyeok’s shoulder and stared around like an excited child.
Far away, a clown was gathering people for some kind of performance.
Leon stared at Suhyeok with desperate eyes.
It was a silent request.
When Suhyeok gave a slight nod, Leon immediately flew around to watch the festival.
The Constellations seemed curious as well.
[It really is different because this is the capital. Is that the chicken skewer people talk about?]
[Ugh. Looking at that is making me hungry.]
[After watching that rural backwater for so long, this place is refreshing.]
[Why does it feel like the camera is more excited than the Player? lol]
Most of the Constellations reacted with interest.
A few seemed bored, but Suhyeok did not care.
Before long, he arrived in front of Dolkin’s workshop.
[Haah, what a shame, nya. It would’ve been fun to watch a little more. Still, that was enjoyable for once, nya.]
Suhyeok opened the door and entered.
Dolkin had already sensed him approaching and was waiting.
“Hey, you’re finally here. You’ve changed quite a bit since the last time I saw you. Looks like you enjoyed yourself somewhere nice?”
“I didn’t think you’d recognize me even like this. It’s been a while.”
“Well, that face isn’t too bad either. Why don’t you keep it and grow a thick beard like mine? Hahaha!”
Dolkin held his stomach and laughed.
Suhyeok returned to his original appearance.
Then he pulled Seong-a from his waist.
“......!”
The instant Dolkin saw the sword, all the alcohol seemed to leave his system.
He even stumbled before rushing toward Suhyeok.
“W-Wait! Have you actually lost your mind?! Where the hell did you get this?!”
First, he was shocked by the high-purity Adamantium he had never seen before.
Then he was shocked a second time when Suhyeok explained that it had become an Ego Sword.
Dolkin stared blankly between Suhyeok and the sword.
Then, as if mourning his own life, he grabbed an entire barrel of beer and drank straight from it.
“Kyah! You ridiculously lucky bastard! I couldn’t get something like this even after working my whole life, and you just grab one because of that fancy future-seeing ability of yours?! Does that make any damn sense?! Damn it!”
The Constellations commented.
[Seeing him like this makes me feel a little bad for him. We’re jealous too, so that dwarf must be suffering even more.]
[If it were me, I would’ve caused a riot already. Or killed him and stolen it.]
[A true blacksmith does not get swept away by petty emotions like that!]
[Please wipe the drool from your mouth.]
[What?!]
[Look at this righteous hero.]
Leon stared at Dolkin with pity.
Then he moved closer to Suhyeok and whispered into his ear.
[...Lee Suhyeok. That dwarf is really pathetic, nya. No matter how jealous he is, a grown adult getting drunk and throwing a tantrum on the floor is just... no, it’s extremely embarrassing, nya.]
Suhyeok could understand Dolkin’s feelings.
After all, the dwarf had spent his entire life trying to obtain something like this.
Yet a human who had not even been in the Tower for two full months had simply brought one to him.
“Waaaaah! My cursed luck! I need to tear my fate apart and rebuild it or something!!”
[He’s crying now, nya. This is really shameful, nya...]
Dolkin sat on the floor and pounded it in frustration.
Suhyeok tried to comfort him.
“At least I brought the Moonstone like you asked, Dolkin. So don’t worry.”
“Sniff. Do you think that makes me feel better?! Of course you should’ve brought that too, you brat!”
Suhyeok took the Moonstone out of his inventory and held it out.
Dolkin had finally calmed down a little.
Just as he reached for it...
Seong-a suddenly reacted violently.
The blade changed shape.
Sharp points formed along the edge like teeth.
Crunch! Crunch!
“......!”
[H-Huh?]
[Ah...]
[I was about to tell you that an Ego Sword can eat ores on its own, so you should be careful. Ahem.]
[Hey.]
[Did that bastard do this on purpose?]
[Why are you only saying that now? lol]
Seong-a snatched the Moonstone and began chewing it.
Everyone could only stare in shock.
[Burp.]
After letting out a burp, Seong-a returned to its normal shape.
The blade looked straighter and cleaner than before.
An awkward silence filled the workshop.
Dolkin’s face crumpled.
He grabbed Suhyeok by the collar.
“You... You horrible bastard!!”
A short while later, the situation finally calmed down.
Suhyeok repeatedly apologized to Dolkin, who was sitting at the table.
“...Sorry. I didn’t know the sword would eat the Moonstone. I’ll compensate you somehow.”
“Urgh! Forget it, you bastard! I was going to give that Moonstone to you anyway!”
Dolkin wiped his eyes.
“It’s probably better that your sword ate it. Now that you already have an Ego Sword, that’s more useful than experimenting with something uncertain.”
He sniffled again.
“Right...? Sniff.”
