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Translator: Meg

Contrary to appearances, the supervising teacher of the Artifact Production Club, Lee Manwoo had a deep interest in Kang Shin-hyuk before leaving the room.

‘Everyone interested in the club so far was interested in the rice given to them more than the prayer.‘ (1)

But Kang Shin-hyuk was different. He was jubilated upon entering the clubroom.

Struck by the unprecedented sight, Lee Manwoo had left the room to test the sincerity of his will.

‘But to think that it’d turn out like this.‘

At most, he was expecting decent handling of the equipment and basic knowledge of metallurgy.

If he seemed promising, he was going to connect Kang Shin-hyuk to an acquaintance and if he didn’t, he was going to let him go with a light penalty. But instead, he had crafted a brand-new sword from scratch.

It was a hard task even for an experienced blacksmith. What’s more, the completed sword was emitting a presence of an infused skill.

‘He’s a wielder of metallurgy.‘

Of course, one could still make swords without possessing metallurgical skills. Blacksmiths before the advent of the Gaia system were still capable of producing quality weapons and armor.

But one could not fight monsters with those weapons and armors. Only the artifacts crafted by those possessing metallurgical or a related sort of production-based skill were able to land a critical hit on monsters or block an attack from them.

If you didn’t have access to those weapons, the only option you had would be to fight with the artifacts earned from a monster drop or by clearing a gate. That was a natural law!

Looking at it from that perspective, the weapon Kang Shin-hyuk crafted was, without a doubt, a ‘monster hunting’ type of a weapon.

It was not a weapon of the highest caliber, for sure, but Lee Manwoo still had trouble dismantling the true nature of the skill that was infused in the sword.

‘Maybe this guy is...... No, it’s naive to form a conclusion too soon. A premature expectation always ends up in disappointment, but still......”

Lee Manwoo narrowed his eyes. Countless thoughts cleared from the old man‘s head, and a single term of “reserve judgment” remained.

‘In any case, it wouldn’t hurt to observe him for a while.‘

Kang Shin-hyuk, having no idea what the old man was thinking, was blankly waiting for him to say something.

“It seems you don’t even notice what’s happening around you while you‘re working.”

“I’m sorry, sir.”

“No no, an ability to concentrate to that extent is a God-given talent. It’s not something to apologize for...... Though it is wrong to use a workshop without permission.“

“I give you my sincere apologies again. I couldn’t resist the urge....... But sir, I genuinely wish to enroll in the Artifact Production Club.“

Lee Manwoo‘s expression turned stiff. Kang Shin-hyuk bowed his head to earnestly request without succumbing to his authority and just going along with whatever decision he made.

Perhaps he would’ve backed off if he hadn’t touched the hammer, but having made a weapon using it, he was going to hold his stance no matter what.

“Huh...... “

The old man kept looking at him with an expressionless face.

He finally broke the silence while emitting a deep sigh.“

“Like I told you before. This club is scheduled to be disbanded.“

“Yes, I know. But there should still be things we can do to prevent........ “

“I recognize your smithing skills. But producing an artifact is a different matter.“

“I may be clumsy since this was my first attempt, but I‘m still growing.”

Lee Manwoo’s stiff expression relaxed at the unexpected response and asked back.

“This was your first attempt?”

“Yes, sir.”

“That’s not possible. A total novice can’t craft a sword of this quality. Even if you‘ve never grabbed a hammer before, you still should have been educated as an apprentice for at least 3 years, no?“

“I have not experienced an apprenticeship....... Yet”

Kang Shin-hyuk, to tell the truth, was taken aback by the man‘s astonishing claim.

It wasn’t wrong to say that Kang Shin-hyuk was an apprentice after gaining Anvil‘s memories instead of training on his own.

But he had no choice to deny the man‘s statement, as he couldn’t outright talk about reincarnation or the Hero Universe.

“Are you telling me that you awakened your ability yesterday or something?”

“Not an awakening, but I did acquire a blacksmithing skill.”

“Hey, hey...... I know that you have a metallurgy skill by sensing the presence infused in the sword. I’m talking about the experience, not the skill. Whoo....... Can I see the sword again?“

“You know about swords too?”

Lee Manwoo, who took the sword without answering Kang Shin-hyuk‘s trivial questions, combed through every part of the sword, from the handle to edge.

With the old mans sharp eyes wide open, Kang Shin-hyuk feared that every part of him was being read.

“Ha...... This is more than I expected. I can’t tell whether this is a masterpiece made by a beginner or a toothpick made by God.“

How long had he been looking at the sword? Lee Manwoo giggled as he held it out to Kang Shin-hyuk.

“Yes, it‘s a mixture of delicacy, violence, impatience, affection, and anger, so it‘s like a master wearing a spacesuit while forging a sword.”

“What?!”

Kang Shin-hyuk shuddered. It was a perfect insight into Kang Shin-hyuk‘s current situation.

There’s no way he‘d know about Kang Shin-hyuk‘s reincarnation, but to think that he would say such a thing just by looking at the sword...... What kind of an individual was he?

“Okay, I’ve changed my mind.”

Suddenly, Lee Man-woo said with a big smile while Kang Shin-hyuk was at a loss for words.

“I’ll be watching you for a little bit. I’m admitting you to the club, in other words.“

Kang Shin-hyuk would never have known that he had decided to make this offer to him from the moment he saw Kang Shin-hyuk forging the sword.

However, it was a fact that he had more expectations for Kang Shin-hyuk right after looking at the sword.

“Thank you very much, sir!”

“I’m Lee Manwoo, a teacher for supplemental majors.”

“Supplemental majors......?”

Only Knight majors and Magic majors should have existed at Shinyoung. What did he mean by the supplemental majors?? 𝗳𝒓𝙚e𝓌e𝚋𝙣𝚘𝐯𝙚𝙡.𝑐૦ｍ

To Kang Shin-hyuk, who was tilting his head, Lee Manwoo just said that such a thing existed. He felt bitter that Kang Shin-hyuk didn’t know his name or the existence of a supplementary department, but it was only for a short while.

“Anyway, you don’t have to be so happy. If you don’t make any progress, the club will be closing down this semester without a doubt.“

“Progress.......”

“I’ll let you know about it later. You should go for today. Right...... I will tell you the clubroom’s password, so you can come and practice whenever you want to. Use the ingots as much as you want.“

“Sir!”

Kang Shin-hyuk was thrilled and tried to ask for a handshake from Lee Manwoo, but he cold-heartedly refused Kang Shin-hyuk‘s hand.

Kan Shin-hyuk thought Lee Manwoo might be a tsundere that he had only heard in legends, but he just needed time to think alone because of the complicated situation.

“Just get going.”

“Yes, excuse me!”

Now that he‘s achieved what he wanted, it was time to go!

But as he turned to close the door, he saw Lee Manwoo picking up one of the ingots piled up on the side by the still-open door of the workshop.

‘Hm.......‘

Why did he sense misery at the sight of Lee Manwoo staring at it?

He felt an urge to talk to the old man, but Kang Shin-hyuk suppressed it to gently shut the club room’s door.

‘Well...... I lied a lot today without meaning to.’

Lee Manwoo, who was left alone, stood in the workshop for a while, constantly thinking about something.

About the boy who created an ‘Artifact’ wielding an option on his first attempt.

About the whims of fate that gave him a new relationship on the very day, he decided to abandon everything and leave.

@@@

Coming out of the Wyvern Hall, Kang headed for the dormitory with a smile in the night breeze that pleasantly cooled his hot, red cheeks he got while working, but sadly, dinner time was already over.

“You should have come by eight.”

“Is there really no way, ma’am?”

“Even if you drop on the floor and beg while clinging onto me, what’s gone is gone, young man.”

Kang Shin-hyuk pleaded with the restaurant lady, but the bus was already gone. He was yearning for food after working for several hours and couldn’t just eat another Eiren Jelly.

The only answer was to buy dinner outside of school. He put his long sword in his room, took a shower, and came out with only his wallet in his tracksuit.

The dormitory and the main gate of the school were connected by a long hill road. He was definitely happy with the night breeze before, but now he just felt hot and humid. He was glad he was walking on downhill.

‘Crap, I’m gonna have to pay with my dignity maintenance expense.“

He wanted to reserve his dignity maintenance expenses as much as he could and didn’t expect to use it on this occasion. Kang Shin-hyuk was so upset that he was about to cry.

[It’s a small price compared to being able to practice blacksmithing]

“That’s true, but from now on, I’ll have dinner before going to the clubroom. I’ll need to know the closing time of the Wyvern Hall in advance.“

After talking with the Administrator, he left school and was about to enter a nearby convenience store, when he bumped into a woman who was coming out of the store.

“Ah.”

“I’m sorry.”

He might have been so hungry that he couldn’t see her coming. Kang Shin-hyuk stepped back gently, quickly apologizing, and the woman who bumped into him stared at him without coming out of the door. ƒ𝑟𝙚e𝔀𝗲𝒃n𝒐𝘷𝗲Ɩ.c𝗼𝚖

”...... Hello?“

”...... Sigh.“

No, don’t make weird exclamations and just move out of the way. Kang Shin-hyuk faced the woman with such thoughts.

At the same time, he was shocked.

The Alchemist! It was Claire Boyle, the Alchemist who was in Baek In-ha’s photograph!

Why was she here? Is the Thunder Empress nearby? Is the red hair and eyes natural? At that moment, countless thoughts passed through his mind, but the first thought that appeared was.

‘She’s so beautiful.’

He clenched his teeth to gather his spirit that seemed to be sucked into Claire Boyle’s beauty. But still, he couldn’t help but unconsciously direct his attention to her unbelievable beauty that was leaving a tingling sensation in his spine.

“Ha, so a person can be this beautiful......”

Her white skin, white as porcelain, and her beauty, which was giving a drowsy impression under bright light, gave off a decadent charm.

If Baek In-ha finds out that he ran into the Alchemist at such a close distance, he would be furiously jealous, Kang Shin-hyuk suddenly thought and laughed.

‘I thought the sunbae I met at the Wyvern Hall had a mature beauty but, I‘d have to revise that assessment. The true charm of an adult was here.......!”

But it’d be foolish to stand in a daze enchanted by her beauty, so Kang Shin-hyuk gathered himself with a superhuman mentality and tried to walk past her to enter the convenience store.

But at that moment, the Alchemist reached out to Kang Shin-hyuk‘s shoulder, and as soon as he sensed it, he quickly stepped forward, turned his head around, and confronted her.

He was surprised at how fast his body reacted. He felt in his skin that his status and skills have substantially grown.

“H-how can I help you?”

“Oh, you’re pretty fast.”

The Alchemist was speaking in Korean as naturally as a native speaker. Fortunately, his surprise wasn’t great because he had seen others speak fluently before.

“I don’t dare offer the Alchemist a business card, but I‘m a student at the superhuman training school.” (2)

“You know me. Good, that’ll make this quick.”

The Alchemist said while smiling. It was a dizzying smile.

“And those gym clothes...... You attend Shinyoung, right? I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’m probably weaker in physical combat than you anyway.”

“Excuse me. I‘m just sensitive about someone grabbing me from behind.“

“I know Shinyoung is the best superhuman training school, but I didn’t know they were sticking to a killer‘s style. Oh, by the way.“

The Alchemist brought her face close to him just after he had widened their distance. Her red eyes filled his vision. The subtle smell of perfume tickled the tip of his nose.

“Do you have a minute?”

“...... Excuse me?“

Is she asking me out? Kang Shin-hyuk was shocked. He knew his looks weren’t bad, but they weren’t good enough to make someone like the Alchemist fall in love at a glance!

“Oh, no, no, I’m not doing anything suspicious; I just smell something good from you.“

“!!!”

Kang instinctively wrapped himself up and stepped back. The Alchemist added, feeling even more embarrassed when she realized her slip of the tongue.

“I’ll buy you something delicious!”

The Alchemist shouted. It was the most suspicious remark someone’s ever said to him, but at that moment, Kang Shin-hyuk‘s tremors stopped.

“Thank you.”

“Uh, uh, uh? Are you sure you‘re okay? Do kids these days get tricked by this?“

“But I like chicken if you can buy it for me, and may I have three of them......”

He was still a growing teenager who was weaker on food than on beauty.

In addition, he was a teenager with a light wallet.

Translator/Editors Notes:

1: This is a reference to Buddhist practice. Means they were interested in an extrinsic more than an intrinsic reason

2: In some of the eastern countries things such as giving someone a business card, is usually for starting a relationship in business settings, Meet and Greets, Social Functions, and similar things. So when he says he dares not giver her his business card, then he is essentially saying, he dares not introduce himself to her.