Are MZ Shamans In Trouble In Romance Novels? - Chapter 61

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

61.

They buried their faces almost completely into the wooden display case and perked up their ears to listen more closely to the conversation.

“Come out.”

“The Young Miss seems quite angry? She’s telling the Young Master to come out. Ah, how much she was stuttering….”

“I’m telling you guys to come out. You guys hiding and eavesdropping.”

Calisia, holding a wooden sword, carelessly tapped the weapons display case.

“…Hahahaha. We came to train but the atmosphere seemed serious so hahahaha.”

“How ridiculous.”

The embarrassed knights scratched the backs of their necks and laughed awkwardly.

“Oh right, and in the Northern Region, do women usually challenge someone to a duel with swords just because they kissed first?”

Calisia asked as she threw the wooden sword down at Ian’s feet. At that, the knights’ heads all turned toward Ian in unison. They looked at their small master with expressions that said he must have truly lost his mind.

“Or is it just your Young Master?”

Calisia wiped her lips with her thumb and turned around, her dress hem fluttering.

“…Young Master!”

As soon as Calisia’s figure disappeared into the distance, the Northern Knights spoke in unison to scold Ian.

“Huh! Ah, you….”

Ian, who uncharacteristically stammered, let out a big sigh and whirled around.

***

Rustle- Rustle-

In the dark dawn where even the moon had hidden itself. A shadowy figure wearing a black cloak walked up the steep hill path carrying a fishing rod. Stopping at the well, he took out something tangled and bundled from his pocket.

“It’s time to find the way.”

A young voice flowed through the silence. Pale hands attached the dark bundle to the fishing hook.

Splash-!

The fishing line was cast long into the well. From the boy’s lips came a whistle so eerily low.

Whiii-

Whiii-

The calm water ripples began to shake little by little following the sound of the boy’s whistle.

Saaaa-

A strange sound could be faintly heard and a rotten smell suddenly wafted up from the well. The rippling water began to vibrate roughly and the boy’s arm also trembled.

Creak-!

The fishing rod bent sharply and the long line was sucked deep into the well.

Thud!

In an instant, the boy grabbed the fishing rod with strong force. Along with a heavy sensation, a nauseating fishy smell pierced his nose. The boy smiled so wide his mouth seemed to tear and cast his gaze toward the well. Pink pupils briefly reflected on the rippling water surface.

Whiiik-! A low and intense whistle sound echoed around the well once more.

Saaaa-

Soon after, a rotted and decayed head suddenly floated up to the water surface.

***

After finishing morning training, Calisia dragged Ian by the wrist toward the Central Castle back road.

“Where exactly are we going that you’re making this fuss from morning?”

Ian, who had been trudging up the hill path with his arm caught, stopped his feet.

“Come on, let’s go!”

Calisia squeezed out every ounce of strength she had to pull Ian along. Though he didn’t budge an inch.

“That’s why I’m asking why we’re going.”

“Ugh, so heavy. Why? Because you, Soeddongi, won’t be in the Western Region for a hundred or thousand years, and you’ll have to go to the Academy soon.”

Calisia put her hands on both knees and bent her waist, panting heavily.

“You’re panting just from dragging this little bit?”

“Did you put aura around your feet?”

Calisia glared at Ian’s legs with suspicious eyes.

“I didn’t. But Valus, are you training properly? You seem thinner than a few days ago, like you’ve lost muscle….”

“Ah! Enough! Anyway, I can’t always be by your side, so there has to be some method!”

Calisia suddenly shouted loudly and walked ahead.

– For one with Ghost Gate Observation, it would be better to give him a sword rather than a talisman.

The method she had in mind was to create a divine sword imbued with spiritual power. Following Jacheongbi’s advice.

“A divine sword made by a craftsman… Never mind.”

“Why do you start talking then stop?”

“The explanation is long. Anyway, I’ll take care of everything, so you just follow. Once the divine sword is made, it’ll be much better than a talisman. Actually, bladed weapons themselves possess the power of evil warding.”

From a shamanic perspective, sharp blades mean cutting and severing ties with ghosts. If combined with prayers and rituals from a spiritually powerful shaman, it would be perfect.

“To put it simply…. Beyond protecting your body, you could even cut down evil spirits.”

“Cut them down?”

Ian lowered his gaze and lightly clenched and unclenched his hand. His pupils repeatedly clouded and cleared as if lost in thought.

“Right. So let’s hurry up and go.”

Calisia pulled hard on Ian, who seemed absent-minded. After climbing the mountain for several dozen minutes like this-.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The heavy hammering sounds grew much closer. The two stopped walking for a moment and looked around. Large and small buildings stretched endlessly along the mountain ridge. It was the Flame Forge, one of Valus’s prides.

“You have arrived. Young Miss, Young Master. I am Morus Valek, the white blacksmith assigned to guide you.”

A large man standing guard in front of the forge bowed so deeply his back seemed ready to break. He was so tense it seemed he had received stern warnings from his superiors. Well, it was an event where a direct descendant with Blue Flame was visiting. And accompanied by Rakies Young Duke at that.

“Your back will break. Stand up.”

Calisia lightly patted Morus’s back.

“Thank you! Though embarrassing, I’m in charge of Karma’s Flame, one of the Five Great Forges. I will do my best to serve you without any inconvenience.”

Morus burned with enthusiasm. It was an opportunity to possibly receive patronage from a direct descendant with Blue Flame.

***

“This is it? Ka…. Flame, what flame was it again?”

Calisia, who had looked around the entire forge, chewed her upper lip. This place was more like a display room than a forge. The fancy weapons decorating all sides made it so.

“Karma.”

Ian, who was checking the condition of the swords with disapproving eyes, answered briefly.

“Oh, right. Mr. Morus. Karma’s Flame doesn’t have the sword I’m looking for. How many forges did you say there were here?”

They say you can’t get full from the first spoonful. I had hoped, but it was as expected. Karma’s blacksmiths couldn’t make a sword worthy of divine power. Though they did have special crafting techniques for embedding gems into sword blades.

“…I’m sorry.”

Morus’s face immediately turned ashen. If word of this spread, it would surely tarnish Karma’s reputation. The mockery from other forges would be an added bonus.

“Nothing to be sorry about, just tell me how many there are.”

“If we include the nameless forges, there would easily be dozens… But if you’re looking for a famous sword, it would be better to only visit the Five Great Forges, Young Miss.”

Morus, with drooping shoulders, led the way with heavy steps.

***

“This is a sword containing Elin Stone, the elves’ metal. It has excellent mana conduction and flexibility as its advantages. It’s perfectly suited for a magic swordsman to use.”

“This is a longsword containing dragon bone powder. Not to mention its strength, it even has high magic imbued in it…”

The blacksmiths of the Five Great Forges presented excellent weapons befitting their reputation. They were masterpieces that would have made ordinary people’s eyes spin. The problem was that all of them lacked the devotion needed to become divine swords.

“Enough! Stop! Dragon bones, that old man’s bones, I don’t care! Even a cheap iron sword is fine. Since there isn’t one! I just need a sword made with complete devotion!”

“May I… ask what you mean by complete devotion?”

Morus, who had been struggling all along, barely held back the curses rising in his throat. That damn devotion! To begin with, for a blacksmith, weapons were both their children and their works of art. How could they not put in complete devotion?

“You know, like when a craftsman obsessed with money suddenly gains enlightenment and returns to his original intentions to forge a sword. The sunset spreads across the sky, and it’s just me and my hammer in this space.”

Calisia put her arm on Morus’s shoulder and pointed beyond the mountain.

“Now you’re getting the idea, right? How should I put it. Something made with all one’s heart and soul… So like a sword that seems to breathe and live?”

What the hell is she talking about. Morus, who had been blankly staring beyond the mountain, unconsciously ground his teeth.

“Yes. Haha. Now I understand. You were talking about an Ego Sword.”

“Ego Sword?”

“A sword with its own consciousness. A sword that breathes and lives, just as you said.”

Ian added while gently pulling down Calisia’s arm.

“There’s such a thing? Then you should have said so earlier. Where is it? Let’s go right away.”

“The thing is… it’s difficult to craft one right now.”

“Why is it difficult?”

Calisia’s tone immediately became sulky.

“Among existing blacksmiths, those who can create Ego Swords are extremely rare. Of course, Master Talaph, the greatest blacksmith in the Western Region, would be capable of it.”

“Just get to the point.”

“He… has fallen ill. I’m sorry, Young Miss. Currently, there’s no way to craft an Ego Sword.”

Morus hung his head low, saying he was ashamed.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————