Book 1 Chapter 934

934.

Clang-! Clang-!

Late at night.

The sound of a hammer striking metal echoed from the blacksmith's forge.

Golden flames flickered in the furnace.

A beautiful sight, as if gold itself were burning.

But the surrounding temperature was beyond imagination.

It felt as if space itself might melt.

In reality, all ordinary tools had melted or burned, leaving the inside of the forge bare.

However, the dwarf girl hammering at the anvil did not lower the temperature.

Even her sweat evaporated before it could flow.

Her body felt as if it were cooking in the unimaginable heat, but she clenched her teeth and endured.

Fwoosh-!

Driana, with her lips stubbornly clenched, plunged the sword she was hammering into the furnace.

KWAH-!

The flames burning in the furnace flared up even more intensely, as if reacting to the sword.

"Eek?!"

The flames pushed the sword away.

Driana squeezed her eyes shut and forced it in, despite the resistance.

A moment later.

She took the sword out of the golden flames and placed it on the anvil.

As if the sword had absorbed the flames, golden fire now danced along its blade.

Seeing this, Driana began hammering again.

Clang-! Fwoosh! Clang-! Fwoosh!

Every strike of the hammer caused the flames to surge.

It was as if she were hammering the flames struggling to escape the sword back into it.

Clang-! Clang-!

Finally, the hammering stopped.

With it, the furnace flames instantly died down.

The surrounding temperature began to cool rapidly.

Chiiiiik-!

Steam erupted from Driana's body.

It looked as if her sweat was evaporating as soon as it appeared, turning into steam.

Driana collapsed onto the ground.

Demian, who had been watching Driana's work until then, walked silently to the anvil.

He picked up the sword Driana had been forging.

On the surface, it was an ordinary iron sword.

But in Demian's eyes, the sword's value was undeniable.

Even though it had left its owner's hand and lost its original power, the craftsmanship alone revealed what an extraordinary object it was.

'The only weapon that Master Dweuno praised as a work of art during his lifetime.'

As he thought this, Demian's gaze shifted to the hammer in Driana's hand.

Eternus, the hammer used by Dweuno.

'Proof that Master Dweuno acknowledged this child as his successor as a blacksmith.'

Demian's eyes narrowed slightly.

At that moment, Driana, who had been slumped on the ground, lifted her head and jumped up.

"How is it? Demian? Did the sword regain even a little of its original form?"

"Not at all."

"Hmm! Why isn't it working? I followed what you told me. Was there something I missed?"

Driana asked with passion.

Demian shook his head.

"You did it correctly. Perhaps your talent is insufficient. This isn't blacksmithing skill."

What Demian was teaching Driana was restoration.

Driana had directly received blacksmithing techniques and how to handle flames from Dweuno when they had conquered his world.

Since then, she had hoped to restore Dweuno's weapons, but she had not yet reached that level.

Therefore, she was receiving instruction from Demian, who could briefly manifest and restore Dweuno's weapons.

But it wasn't going well.

'I can't even ask Leo for advice on this matter.'

Driana let out a deep sigh.

Since discovering that Leo was Kyle during the previous conquest of Dweuno's world, Driana had actively sought Leo's advice on blacksmithing.

Although not a blacksmith, Leo's feedback, given his extensive experience with countless divine artifacts, had been very helpful.

However, restoration was a purely technical skill, so asking Leo yielded no results.

Lost in deep thought, Driana asked cautiously,

"Um… Demian."

"Why do you call me?"

"I want to get some inspiration. Could you show me a weapon that you made?"

Demian gave a bitter laugh at her question.

"As I said before, my blacksmithing skills are not very good."

Demian had been known as a renowned blacksmith for thousands of years as Dweuno's successor.

Therefore, Driana couldn't help but feel confused by his words.

"As I mentioned then, the Demian you know is my shadow. So, the 'me' you know and the real 'me' are completely different people."

At that, Driana fidgeted with her fingers.

"Are you curious why I put my shadow forward in history?"

"Yes…"

Driana answered honestly.

Looking into Driana's eyes, Demian thought.

'She resembles him.'

Eyes that were upright and full of self-belief.

An unyielding gaze that believed in her own potential, even if it seemed impossible now.

After staring into Driana's eyes for a moment, Demian spoke.

"I was originally taken in by the shadow of my shadow."

"The shadow's… shadow?"

"Yes. He was my lord."

Demian looked out the window.

He saw the moonlight.

"He was the heir to a blacksmith family that produced weapons in the city of Azo."

Driana was surprised that Demian was a shadow.

"One day, he said, 'To protect the family in this chaotic era, a great hero is needed.'"

"Don't tell me…"

"Yes. He gave me everything. Wealth, honor, power. Even his name."

"So, your name isn't Demian?"

"That's right. My true name is separate. Rodia, Seirun, and Lumern don't know my true name either."

"…"

'Does Azonia know?'

Given they had been childhood friends, Azonia must know.

"The real Demian sacrificed everything for me. Even his own life."

"…"

"Because of that grace, I exist. So, I want him, not me, to be remembered in history."

"Then what about you, Demian?"

"…"

"Even though the original Demian gave you everything… it was you who ended the era of the Great Calamity and achieved great deeds."

Driana looked at Demian squarely.

"You are fully qualified to be remembered in history…"

"What qualification does a half-hearted successor have?"

"…"

Demian smiled coldly.

"You know, don't you? Dweuno is praised not just because he fought well."

Demian looked at Driana.

In his eyes were envy, resentment, and jealousy.

Driana, startled by Demian's clear emotions, which she had never seen before, recoiled.

"Many who wielded the weapons he made returned alive from the battlefield."

"…"

"The weapons he made defeated countless Tartarus demons."

Demian gritted his teeth.

"Master Dweuno is truly great because he is a blacksmith who reached the realm of gods."

"B-but, Demian, you followed in Dweuno's footsteps as an artist…"

"Art has no value in combat."

"…"

"Making weapons is far more valuable than creating works of art. Works of art can be made carelessly, can't they?"

"Carelessly… carelessly?"

Driana's expression turned indignant.

Unaware of Driana's expression, Demian covered his face.

"Driana. I envy you. I am desperately envious of you, who possess blacksmithing skills comparable to Master Dweuno!"

Demian could see it.

A shining future overflowing with potential.

Even though she couldn't restore things properly now, she would undoubtedly create weapons comparable to divine artifacts in the near future.

"…Please show me."

"What?"

"Please show me the works of art that you, Demian, have made."

"Why all of a sudden?"

"Why do you scorn art! Master Dweuno was an artist before he was a blacksmith! Why do you think he tried to spread beauty through art during the Age of Calamity!"

Driana shouted indignantly.

"It was to inspire many people! In reality, Master Dweuno was great as a blacksmith, but he also spread hope to many people as an artist!"

It was indeed true.

The reason Dweuno immersed himself in art, cherishing beauty and wanting to convey it even during the Age of Calamity, was his belief that he wanted to give people inspiring hope.

Dweuno's artworks actually gave hope to people during the Age of Calamity.

Beautiful landscapes and sculptures from earlier eras evoked nostalgia for a peaceful time that people had forgotten.

They also instilled a longing and admiration for a past they didn't know.

And those feelings soon became a desire to move towards the future.

Therefore, Driana could not accept Demian's words, no matter what he said.

In the first place.

'No! How dare he say it can be done carelessly, thinking he's so great!'

Driana, who was only treated as eccentric, let alone a third-rate artist, no matter how much she tried, hated Demian's words dismissing art.

"I have never left behind paintings or sculptures."

"Then draw one!"

Driana pulled a canvas, brushes, and paints from subspace and forcefully thrust them at Demian.

Demian clicked his tongue, glanced at the moonlight pouring in through the window, and began to scribble with the brush.

A moment later.

"…"

Driana held the painting of the moonlit window that Demian had carelessly scribbled and trembled.

"Why do you want to see this insignificant talent…"

"…There isn't."

"What?"

"This painting has no soul! It has no soul! I cannot accept it! Waaaaah~!"

"Hey, wait!"

Seeing Driana suddenly burst into tears and run out, Demian looked flustered.

As Demian wore an expression of disbelief, Leo entered the blacksmith's shop.

"Driana ran out crying. Did something happen?"

"I don't know."

Seeing Demian speak with a sullen face, Leo sighed.

'I came because I was a little worried, but it seems this pairing is more incompatible than Ar and Azonia.'

***

"Uh-huh? So? You and that kid are dating?"

Azonia rested her chin on her hand and asked Duran with a goofy smile.

"…We're not dating yet."

"Then he's unattached?"

Smiling brightly, Azonia put her arm around Duran's shoulder and pulled him towards her.

Duran, uncharacteristically, blushed and looked very flustered.

However, he did not resist or push her away.

Seeing this, Nella drew her morning star.

"Nella, hold on. Duran isn't doing this because he wants to."

Celie hurriedly stopped Nella.

Just then, Abad poured wine into Azonia's glass.

"I wish you'd feed me with your mouth."

"…Please, young lady."

"I'll let you off if you give me a princess carry."

Azonia giggled and clung to Abad this time.

Abad, blushing, couldn't refuse Azonia either.

"I'm gonna go with that butter!"

"Hold on. Hold on. Abad isn't doing this because he wants to."

Ilia persuaded Celie.

Glancing at the trembling Celie and Nella, Azonia said,

"Do you want to free your boyfriends?"

"They're not my boyfriends."

"I don't know guys like that."

Nella and Celie said sternly.

"Oh? Then I can do as I please, right?"

Azonia, with her arms around Abad and Duran's necks, smiled sinisterly.

The two, who would normally have shaken her off, were sweating profusely.

'What is this woman?'

'I can't resist.'

Nella and Celie, glaring at Azonia, who wore a seductive smile, gritted their teeth and sat at the gamble table.

Seeing them, Azonia smirked.

'As expected, teasing the little ones is fun.'

Azonia quickly stripped Celie and Nella too.

"With this, you're my toys too?"

Celie and Nella stared blankly at Azonia, who chuckled.

Looking at them, Lunia wore a look of pity.

'What? The Lumern kids are terrible gamblers too.'

Thinking this, Lunia sat at the gamble table.

And Lunia was cleaned out even faster than Celie and Nella.

"Eiran…"

"Are you alright, Lunia?"

"Lend me some collateral. I'll pay you back double when I win."

"…"

"Just once more. If I play one more time, I'll win!"

Seeing Lunia with a crazed look in her eyes, Eiran spoke sternly.

"Leo explicitly told me not to provide any collateral."

"No, it doesn't make sense! The probability is the same, so why is it so strong?!"

"Unfortunately, I'm incredibly good at gambling."

As Lunia shrieked, Azonia wore a strangely dangerous smile.

"Now, since I have many pretty slaves, how shall we play?"

At her words, those who had been taken by Azonia shuddered.

Eiran tilted her head.

"Don't you only like men?"

"Ah, did I forget to mention?"

Azonia let out a sadistic laugh.

"I also enjoy tormenting pretty girls."

Just then, as Eiran stood there bewildered,

"Um… what are you guys doing?"

A familiar voice came from behind.

"Cal? Weren't you not coming this time?"

Eiran's eyes widened.

Looking at Eiran, Cal scratched his cheek.

"Leo urgently called me, but what is this situation?"

Seeing Cal with a perplexed expression, the students indebted to Azonia thought.

'This is the first time Cal has looked so reliable.'

Cal Thomas.

Before being Lumern's greatest strategist, he was also Lumern's greatest gambler.