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107
“…Snow Drake?”
-Huh?
-The legendary field boss.
-Wasn’t the snowy mountain field boss a giant?
-No no, the Yeti is just an elite.
-Snow Drake shows up in the legendary records.
One legend that appeared in antiquities quests.
A story from long ago that a Snow Drake had been discovered in Ifrit’s snowy mountains.
But the boss-level monster players had managed to find was only the snowy mountain giant called the Yeti.
There were people who had tried every means to find it, but none had come away with anything.
“It is a dreadful monster.”
Gorik’s expression darkening, he continued in a voice laced with fear.
“It freezes everything around it, and the sound it lets out robs you of consciousness in an instant. I did not know what had happened to me until I came to.”
Gorik, having slipped away from the dwarf village, had headed toward the familiar snowy mountains.
In doing so, he had stepped on the wrong part of a crevasse and fallen through, eventually drifting all the way into the Snow Drake’s fortress.
“It’s actually a real monster? Can it even be killed?”
“Well. I’d say killing it would be difficult.”
“…How strong is something that you call difficult?”
Hanbit’s candid words set Kim Jaeha on edge.
But ‘difficult’ was the only word that honestly came to mind.
Facing the Snow Drake with a genuine purpose of ‘subjugation’ — the wall was simply too high.
“Do you know its location?”
“The crevasse is blocked now, so the exact location is uncertain. But if you comb through the highest peak of the snowy mountains thoroughly, you should find it. After entering the fortress, I’ll use my token to confirm the heirloom’s position.”
-Oh?
-The location has been revealed?
-We’re done for.
-Emergency, emergency.
-Going on ahead~
The Snow Drake’s lair revealed far too naturally.
This information would probably spread to other players in an instant.
But Hanbit had no intention of hurrying.
“Then let’s go first thing tomorrow. No need to put it off.”
“…It seems death does not frighten you.”
Gorik let out a sigh at the far too composed exchange.
Considering the Snow Drake’s danger level, it was admittedly close to suicidal.
Of course, Hanbit’s answer was not the slightest bit different from the past.
“Please take that as a measure of how important your strength is. Either way, let’s set departure for tomorrow and head back to the village.”
“No — I am not going right now. There are still preparations I need——”
“What preparations? Come on, let’s go.”
Kim Jaeha cut off Gorik’s firm refusal.
Then he began pushing him toward the village as though steering him from behind.
“Stop pushing! There is still much I need to think through before I can return!”
“Do that as you walk.”
The two continuing forward, squabbling the whole way.
It was a sight Hanbit had never once seen in all his past.
-Look at the hammer’s charisma.
-It’s like a sitcom. Lol.
-Antagonistic affection really is the most fearsome thing.
“…Natural compatibility?”
However you looked at it, if the two were getting along, it was a positive sign.
They were going to end up as teacher and student, after all.
Satisfied, Hanbit followed behind them.
Ding—
[Sub-Quest #2 has been completed.]
[Sub-Quest #3 has been unlocked.]
[Sub-Quest #3]
The negotiation with Gorik has succeeded.
What remains now is one thing.
Helping him reclaim the power of the royal bloodline he has lost.
Objective: Help Gorik recover the dwarves’ heirloom.
Reward: Sub-Quest settlement
Simple and clear sub-quest content.
Finishing this alone would make the episode’s quality of life overwhelmingly better.
And if Kim Jaeha obtained metallurgy as well, one of the most important goals would be achieved.
Ding—
Just then, another alert chimed.
A message from Yeonwoo.
He turned the screen and checked the contents.
「Roper」
「Hyung, it seems people are converging because of the dwarven metallurgy. Be careful.」
The same news Luna had passed on only a few hours ago.
He felt firsthand just how quickly she, a vanguard, had sent it.
Was this what Yeonwoo had meant when he said to build connections among vanguards?
“You’re back!”
Returning to the village, the dwarves came swarming over.
“Your Highness! Please hear us out just once!”
“That’s right! There seems to be a misunderstanding!”
“In truth, what happened back then was unavoidable because of hardship…….”
Crash—!
Suddenly, a great rumble shook the ground.
The sound of Kudran, standing at the village entrance, bringing his hammer down on the ground.
“Are you going to cast aside even the last pride of a blacksmith!”
He glared at the residents with burning eyes.
Each of them choosing to set aside the craft of their long tradition and throw themselves into making money — that had been everyone’s own decision.
To Kudran, who had kept away from drink and revelry and pounded iron — they were all one and the same.
-What a presence.
-But they had no choice, did they?
-That was going a bit far.
-When you see how obsessed with money they are…
“Phew.”
Watching them, Gorik let out a short sigh.
This kind of argument had been had in the past too, but now it was time for everyone to change.
“Your hammers belong to no one but yourselves. Do not pass any responsibility or consequence onto others. I will not be doing so either.”
“…….”
At the prince’s words, the dwarves fell silent.
The mark having landed squarely, they could not even find words to refute it.
“Kudran — will you also learn the royal family’s craft?”
Gorik asked the dwarf who had always poured his heart into the work.
But Kudran shook his head.
“No! I wish to climb to the top through my own efforts!”
“Learning this craft still requires effort. It is knowledge, nothing more.”
“That is fine! I can develop my own craft directly!”
He declared his ambition in a spirited voice.
“…Is that so.”
At the expected response, Gorik showed a faint smile.
That unyielding character had not changed with time.
“Clear the village. I am going to make my workshop.”
Having issued his warning-laden command, Gorik turned away.
Then he pointed at Kim Jaeha.
“You, follow me. I will begin the teaching.”
“Right now?”
“To acquire a craft, you must hurry even one day faster. Your current level is obvious enough.”
“…Blunt, aren’t you.”
Criticism delivered in front of listening dwarves.
Kim Jaeha shrugged and looked at Hanbit.
“I can go?”
“Don’t push yourself, and feel free to log off whenever you’re comfortable. I’m about to head to sleep myself.”
“I’m fine. I have no intention of looking pathetic in front of that old man.”
He said it as a joke and followed behind Gorik.
No matter how he thought about it, it was going to be a peculiar pairing.
Hanbit too had been in a master-student relationship with Gorik, but getting close to him had always been remarkably difficult.
And yet somehow Kim Jaeha seemed to be a good match for Gorik’s temperament.
“Then everyone, please head inside the walls. The mayor has given permission, so there is nothing to worry about.”
“What? The mayor gave permission?”
“What does that mean?”
The dwarves expressed puzzlement at the news.
Anticipating the reaction, Hanbit relayed the events from earlier to everyone.
“We’re the ones repairing the wall?”
“That’s impossible!”
“Impossible nothing! His Highness the Prince has returned!”
“Right! Everything will be fine now!”
“Honestly! Even if the blessing is bestowed, the hand skills abandoned for years can’t just improve overnight!”
The dwarves’ opinions were divided.
None of it was entirely wrong — but the premise was mistaken from the start.
Right now, the dwarves’ heirloom was not in Gorik’s hands.
“I’ll take responsibility, so for now please head inside. If things get noisy, the monsters might come again.”
“What? Then what about His Highness?”
“The workshop is underground, so it’ll be fine. Let’s go quickly.”
Hanbit led the dwarves toward the city gate.
The gatekeeper was somewhat flustered, but appeared to have received word from the mayor and let everyone through.
“That this is actually happening — it’s unbelievable…….”
Bollibo looked around with a face gone white, scanning the gazes around him.
The residents inside the city were looking at the dwarves with eyes mixed with contempt and bewilderment.
-The stares are terrifying;
-Hatred MAX.
-This is how women look at me.
-Sir……
“Where are we going?”
“It’s not going to be some awful sewer somewhere, is it?”
Concern came through in a few voices.
They knew their own treatment far too well.
“This way.”
Hanbit followed the road toward the northernmost edge of the city.
Coming to a stop before the dilapidated shack, the dwarves stared at the exterior in a daze.
“Huh?”
“Here… really?”
The dwelling that looked ready to collapse was disconcerting.
“Ha ha! It’s practically ready to fall apart!”
Kudran just burst into a hearty laugh as though he found it all amusing.
Hanbit walked one step forward and addressed everyone.
“You are all free to modify this place however you wish.”
“…Modify?”
“That’s the dwarf way, isn’t it? Expand freely from underground to above ground. Bollibo, you own the land around here too, right?”
“Hm?”
At the sudden address, Bollibo flinched.
After hesitating for a moment, he gave a resigned nod.
“…All of this area belongs to me.”
“Good. Help supply the materials and assist with whatever else is needed. If you don’t want to, our deal——”
“I got it! I got it!”
Bollibo ran a hand through his hair and cried out in anguish.
Difficult as he appeared, the man was capable — the result would be good.
“Are you saying to make this our settlement?”
The elder, watching the exchange, asked.
His expression had been complex ever since the encounter with Gorik.
“It’s more comfortable here than the center of the city, isn’t it? But there isn’t much time, so please only proceed as far as needed by tomorrow.”
“…Understood.”
The elder gave a quiet nod.
In those eyes, a small fire of will was beginning to burn.
Ding—
[Main Quest #6 has been completed.]
[Progress increases.]
[Main Quest #7 will continue after the ongoing sub-quest is settled.]
*Current Progress: 23%
An alert appearing at the tail end of the conversation.
It made sense that the sub-quest had been inserted as a prerequisite.
Whether or not the dwarves’ heirloom was recovered was an issue running through the entire episode.
“Then I’ll see everyone tomorrow.”
Leaving the dwarves, who had already begun discussing amongst themselves, behind, Hanbit stepped out into the street.
Avantgarde, following after him, glanced at his watch and said:
“It’s already the early hours. Time passed far too quickly.”
“Thank you for working so hard so late. I’ll let you know tomorrow’s login time separately.”
“I could go days and nights without sleep.”
“…Please go get some rest. And viewers, thank you for watching. See you tomorrow.”
-Bye, Dragon.
-So much fun.
-Tomorrow is the real game, right?
-Exciting, exciting.
Even at this hour, the chat moving at an astonishing pace.
Hanbit sent his thanks once more and ended the broadcast.
