Genius Blacksmith’s Game - Chapter 43

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Genius Blacksmith’s Game

 

 

 

 

The Value of the Present (2)

 

 

 

While Hyeon-su was still asleep.

Clench-

Karl’s fist tightened with force as he sat in the conference room after finishing only the emergency treatment.

Cole, the administrator of Cassel Territory.

He stroked his carefully groomed mustache and spoke.

“Don’t you know? Outsiders express their strength through something called levels. A level 50 Outsider? Does 30,000 gold even make sense for him? I think 10,000 gold would be sufficient.”

As the one who managed all finances of Cassel Territory, he had been granted full authority by the Lord.

Karl’s face reddened upon hearing those words. Whether Cole knew this or not, he continued speaking.

“The Bell of Lamas originally belonged to our Cassel Territory. Even if he melted it down and recreated it, the fact that it was originally ours doesn’t change. So does that possession belong to him or to us?”

Right, a mere 10,000 gold.

That was the amount Cole wanted to negotiate with. He pushed forward a parchment with his reasoning written on it to Knight Captain Karl.

Furthermore, that was a promise made with Knight Captain Karl, not with the Lord or himself, wasn’t it?

“……He is our benefactor.”

This was why Karl was angry. Administrator Cole had not stood on the battlefield.

Moreover, when the Lord said he would hold his position, this man had put his own name first on the refugee list.

Of course, he was competent enough to have risen to that position.

“A benefactor? He is indeed a benefactor. But even so, don’t we have to make a living too?”

He moistened his throat with his tea cup and smiled greedily.

“That bell is of Unique grade, making it impossible to put a price on. Of course, it’s an artifact that could be considered legendary. But how wonderful is this?”

He looked at Karl with a satisfied smile.

“That fellow still has an infinitely low level. For him, even 10,000 gold would be tremendous. He’ll probably jump for joy.”

No, he wouldn’t jump for joy.

We would be breaking our promise.

Karl couldn’t say anything.

The strength left his clenched hands.

The Lord completely trusted Administrator Cole.

Because he knew well that Cole’s direction was the path for the territory.

And Lord Kern was also listening to Administrator Cole’s words. The Lord had a small smile on his lips.

As if Cole’s thoughts were excellent.

Karl couldn’t say anything.

‘Cassel Territory……’

Needs to be restored.

A tremendous amount of money was truly needed for that restoration.

And the Lord looked at him and began to speak.

“Captain Karl.”

He would probably say.

It can’t be helped, so grant it that way.

He would convey it like that.

If he refused and went mad, don’t hesitate to use force……

“What the hell is that bastard saying?”

“……Pardon?”

Karl’s eyes widened. The smile that had formed on Lord Kern’s lips disappeared.

And Cole looked at Lord Kern with a bewildered expression.

Lord Kern’s reputation was as follows.

He was benevolent.

He had never cursed once until now and had never raised his voice at the knight captain or himself.

Although he was the lord of a remote, small, and humble territory, his virtue was widely known.

But now that person was looking at Cole as if he would kill him.

“What were you doing when that blacksmith spent a week making the bell without even sleeping?”

“……”

Cole couldn’t answer.

Yesterday, when the bell was completed.

He had left the territory, saying ‘This territory is finished now!’

Then he returned upon hearing the bell’s sound.

When he couldn’t continue speaking, Lord Kern looked down at him as if looking at a bug.

Cole realized.

‘If, if I say one wrong word here, it’s over.’

That Lord Kern’s anger had reached its peak.

“Administrator Cole must set a fair price for that bell. If he tries to shortchange him even a little, Captain Karl will personally punish the administrator.”

Lord Kern looked at Karl with fierce eyes.

Captain Karl bowed his head slightly.

“Yes, I will impose punishment.”

“Ah, and although I said a fair price, it would be good to add a bit more on top. Isn’t he our benefactor?”

“……Ah, understood.”

Cole trembled and hung his head.

Karl made an expression as if something had occurred to him.

“The man named Hyeon-su asked about the ore you possess, my Lord.”

“Ore?”

Kern stroked his chin.

“Yes, and also whether he could obtain it if he excellently repaired the bell.”

“……I see.”

Lord Kern recalled that ore.

“It wouldn’t be a waste to give it to him, Administrator Cole. The price for the bell should be paid appropriately for him. And I will personally grant him that ore, so bring him before me.”

Lord Kern rose to his feet.

After he left.

Captain Karl tore the parchment he had presented in half.

Rip-

“Let’s talk slowly.”

Captain Karl’s eyes gleamed.

“About how much our benefactor should receive.”

 

 

 

Hyeon-su’s face, deep in sleep, frowned.

‘What’s so noisy?’

Strange notifications kept coming.

Ding

Ding

Ding

‘What on earth is that sound?’

Hyeon-su woke up and checked the notification window with some irritation.

 

[Subscribers are being updated.]

[Subscribers are being updated.]

[Subscribers are……]

[Subscribers are……]

[Subscribers are……]

 

The notifications that only appeared when a certain threshold was exceeded were flooding the screen.

‘What the……?’

What had happened while he was sleeping? Soon Hyeon-su checked the result of those noisy notifications.

 

[Hyeon’s Blacksmith Shop subscribers: 101,655 people.]

 

‘1, 100,000 people!?’

Hyeon-su rubbed his eyes.

100,000 subscribers was an incredibly high level.

He had read articles saying that blacksmiths with over 100,000 subscribers earned at least 600 per month.

He knew the subscriber system was borrowed from internet broadcasting or YouTube.

If these were actual broadcast subscribers, combining various revenue streams would have generated much more income, but there was a reason it was only around 600.

First, blacksmith shop subscribers don’t have ‘donations.’

Unlike most people who make money through internet broadcasting by receiving donations, blacksmiths had to earn money by crafting items.

Still, 100,000 was definitely an incredible number.

When he entered the courtyard, he could understand the reason.

 

[I came after seeing the article.]

[Is this the place that can repair even Unrepairable Artifacts?]

[……Can you also repair my crazy brother’s head?]

[Can you possibly repair my grades too!?]

[Can you repair my eighth-grader syndrome?]

 

Hyeon-su smiled slightly.

‘It worked out just as I guided it.’

Hyeon-su had named it Hyeon’s Second Custom Bell.

Actually, the creator could have easily changed this name and description.

But Hyeon-su had deliberately engraved the name ‘Hyeon (現)’ into the bell.

Although it was 100,000 now, that subscriber count would continue to increase steadily.

When people visited Cassel Territory, they would see that bell Hyeon-su had made.

Then there were other notifications as well.

‘Benefactor? I became the benefactor of Cassel Territory?’

What on earth had happened while he was sleeping?

There was even a notification like this:

 

[That good deed proves that you are one who walks an excellent path.]

[You gain 100 Fame.]

[You gain 30 Charisma.]

 

‘Huh……?’

What was this?

Hyeon-su tilted his head. People were spreading word about the benefactor, was it because of that?

Of course, it was good news for Hyeon-su.

However, Hyeon-su had something more important right now.

‘The contract payment……!’

The blacksmith shop contract payment. In other words, he needed to receive payment for the bell he had been commissioned to craft.

Just as he was about to get up from bed, he heard voices talking outside.

“Is it urgent?”

“It is. But please go in first, Commander.”

“Thank you for yielding.”

The voices of Nel and Knight Commander Karl could be heard together. Soon the door opened and Karl, with most of his injuries healed, appeared.

As soon as he entered, Karl’s face lit up when he saw the awakened Hyeon-su.

This was completely opposite to the dry, expressionless look he had when he first saw Hyeon-su.

“The benefactor of our territory has awakened. I truly express my sincere gratitude.”

“Not at all.”

Hyeon-su was flustered by Karl bowing his head.

And Karl immediately got to the point.

“I’m on my way back after reporting the value of the bell you made to the Lord and receiving approval.”

“……Yes.”

Hyeon-su’s heart pounded. He was curious about the value of Hyeon’s Second Custom Bell.

 

 

 

Kang Hyeok-su was sitting in a small cafe located in Gyeongju. He had received a call from the young man who had sold the blacksmith shop.

When the young man said he really wanted to meet him, Hyeok-su agreed to meet him here.

Ding-

The door opened and a young man who seemed to have rushed over hurriedly entered.

The young man’s appearance, drenched in sweat, hadn’t changed much from that time.

Even though he had dressed up in neat clothes, he looked quite shabby.

Moreover, he wore long sleeves like last time. Probably to hide his burn scars.

The young man, having caught his breath calmly, sat in front of him.

Hyeok-su said nothing.

A moment of silence passed. Hyeok-su could tell from the fact that he wasn’t saying anything.

‘As expected, that wouldn’t have been an easy task.’

The reason for asking to meet today might be to ask for a little more time.

Soon the young man Hyeon-su caught his breath and asked cautiously.

“……Have you been well?”

“I’ve been well, how about you?”

“……I’ve been doing well too, in my own way.”

A moment of silence passed. The young man broke that heavy silence.

“May I ask you something?”

Hyeok-su nodded.

“Why did you give me a chance?”

At that question, Hyeok-su didn’t speak for a long time. He knew it himself.

Just less than a year.

For someone Hyeon-su’s age to earn 330 million won was realistically impossible.

Moreover, selling back land that had been purchased for business purposes. Kang Hyeok-su hadn’t become a real estate tycoon for nothing.

He was more special than others and more diligent than others, which is how he could become such a person.

So why had he done that?

“There are two reasons. You asked me. Whether it would be possible if you tried to purchase this place again.”

Hyeok-su had felt a lot from the look in his eyes at that time.

“I’ve seen many people who were in desperate situations where they had to sell real estate, and you were the first among them. The first person to ask whether they could buy it back.”

He smiled softly.

“Even I, no, even anyone else wouldn’t have been able to ask such a question.”

Yes, most people might have already given up on everything. They might have gone insane.

But Hyeon-su’s eyes had been so passionate.

“What about the second reason…?”

Hyeok-su hesitated for a long time before speaking.

“I wanted you to live.”

“…….”

“I wanted you to live without dying, because you need at least one goal in that moment. Because you need to move forward for that goal. Because you need at least that to keep living. But now, seeing the look in your eyes, I understand.”

Hyeok-su had half failed but half succeeded.

“……You will continue to live your best life like that.”

Hyeok-su knew that his intention had half succeeded.

Like in movies or absurd novels, he had no intention of just giving away this land.

As an adult, this was all he could do.

Then.

The young man shed hot tears and held out a bank account book to Hyeok-su. Hyeok-su looked at the account book with a puzzled expression.

 

[Balance: 330,000,000 won.]

 

‘330 million…? Why is the money from selling the blacksmith shop…?’

Hyeok-su looked at him with genuine surprise.

“I will live…….”

The young man who was crying and sobbing smiled brightly.

“I will do my best more than others, live more specially than others. I will live more magnificently than others……!”

Watching the young man bow his head to him, Hyeok-su’s heart grew warm.

It wasn’t just half successful.

Everything had succeeded. And that success was entirely what the young man had accomplished.

“Ha, hahaha, hahahahahaha!”

Hyeok-su couldn’t help but laugh, proud of the young man.

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