Chapter 31 – Osland Pure Steel (2)

Osland was a country possessing the world’s most outstanding smithing technology.

And overwhelmingly so.

Some presumed that a member of the Osland royal family had ties with the dwarves, but this was not confirmed as fact.

At any rate, the moment it was said to be manufactured with Osland steel, it was recognized as such on its own, and the Vallaran Kingdom was particularly extreme in that regard.

There was a simple reason.

Osland did not permit the export of minerals to the Vallaran Kingdom.

That is to say, officially.

A small amount of refined minerals being supplied through unofficial routes at irregular times each year was all there was.

Naturally, at an enormously expensive price.

Some claimed that the ruler of Osland turned a blind eye while knowing all about it, but whether that was the truth or not did not matter.

“At any rate, one only needs to know that Osland iron ore is precious beyond measure. To the point that even the high nobles of Vallaran cannot obtain it in abundance.”

The young man who had welcomed Henry at the smithy, Peal, said with a favorable smile.

The blacksmith who ran this place was his father.

Currently, Peal’s father had started working, truly excited about the gift Henry had brought.

Thankful for the opportunity to work with precious material.

“So, how did you get it? It wouldn’t have been easy. The black market, right?”

“It is difficult to say due to circumstances.”

“Right, it would be. Of course, what you’ve just said would have been a sufficient answer. If it were ordinary steel. But pure steel!”

What was pure steel?

Only the most incomparably outstanding items among Osland steel were called that.

The refined pure steel ingots were stamped with the seal of the Osland royal family, and by that point, it was to the extent that even the Vallaran royal family could not easily obtain it.

“No matter the black market, pure steel is… Actually, we are keeping a close eye on that side as well, but we haven’t even heard news of a listing coming out.”

“As I said…”

“You must have your circumstances. I think I roughly know. It didn’t seem like you were the one who got it, customer. I should try prodding my uncle later or something, right?”

A prodding question.

Henry did not answer.

Apparently, he thought Rousseau had obtained the pure steel for him.

Since it wouldn’t be strange for the chief instructor to have a different means of supply than ordinary people.

“Anyway, the work will be finished within today. If it weren’t for the pure steel, I would have postponed it for a week no matter my uncle’s introduction. Why don’t you go out and have a meal now?”

“Even if I wait here…”

“We’re closing shop today. I’m going to watch my father work by his side.”

“I will do so. Should I return in the evening?”

“Hmm, probably around then. See you later!”

Peal left without lingering.

He wondered if he heard the sound of bickering at the entrance again, then clank! The sound of lowering a solid iron door was heard.

Henry exited the smithy through the back door specially prepared in the waiting room.

‘Should I have not used pure steel if I knew it would be like this?’

A new worry arose.

Even if he had moderately used only Osland steel, the quality of the sword would have been passable.

If he returned holding a sword made of materials even the royal family couldn’t easily obtain, wouldn’t too many eyes gather on him?

‘I don’t mind drawing attention with my skills, but this is…’

Shaking his head.

Henry folded his worries.

It was spilled milk anyway.

Also, if not for this opportunity, he wouldn’t have known that pure steel was such a precious item.

[Osland Pure Steel (1kg): 188,000 won]

‘Even though it is this cheap here.’

Of course, 188,000 won was not a small sum.

It merely meant it was excessively cheap compared to other products of the same tier.

For example, ‘Dew of the First Branch,’ which was treated as a similar tier to Osland Pure Steel among Vallaran alchemists, was a whopping 2.7 million won.

Other items were similar, but only this pure steel was registered cheaply.

‘In fact, that is why I chose it.’

Being cheap, and the most outstanding item among the materials Henry could purchase right now.

Henry was guessing in his own way the reason the price of pure steel was cheap.

‘It must have set the price based on its value in Osland. Since it is not as precious there as in Vallaran.’

In fact, the real harvest lay in discovering this fact.

That the prices of the sponsorship shop were not based on Vallaran.

The meaning of that?

It meant Henry could be supplied cheaply with items that were precious uniquely in Vallaran.

Didn’t that mean he could resell cheap items and purchase expensive ones?

‘It is possible. Thoroughly possible. Because not all items in the sponsorship shop are cheap. Only some products have that kind of structure.’

It was difficult to do reselling work with items like pure steel right now.

Since basic knowledge had to be in his head to grasp market prices.

Calming his excited mood, Henry returned to his original purpose.

[Swordsmanship]

* Proficiency: Level 9, 55%

* Grows to Level 10 upon reaching 100% proficiency.

* Additional bonus is granted upon reaching Level 10.

‘Additional bonus. It means they will give something again.’

Recently, Henry’s swordsmanship had achieved rapid growth.

Even though it wasn’t serious, to the extent that he withstood even the sword of a formal knight.

This swordsmanship was as important as mana.

‘I need to look into it in more detail. Under what conditions and how much it grows. Also whether there are special conditions. And… the items sold in the sponsorship shop as well.’

It was a part he hadn’t been able to pay attention to because he was focused on broadcasting all this time.

He had even kept the live broadcast on almost all day due to the appearance of the mage named Oop Oop.

‘I must check. What I have been missing.’

***

Having left the academy early in the morning, there was quite a generous amount of time until the sword was completed.

In the meantime, Henry checked all necessary information without exception.

First was weapons technique proficiency.

Regretably, he could not find information different from before.

Since, in the first place, Henry’s information was limited to the scope permitted by the archmage.

‘Swordsmanship proficiency reaching Level 10 would be the priority.’

However, in the sponsorship shop, it was not so.

As he had felt from the ‘broadcasting equipment’ purchased this time, various items were positioned here beyond what Henry imagined.

‘To think I was missing out on such things.’

Items had been added, and previously there had been no ‘category’ classification.

Still, it was true that he felt regretful.

‘At least finding it now is something.’

Feeling gratitude toward Rousseau who gifted him the leisure to cool his head, Henry rechecked the organized list.

From equipment, elixirs, valuables that could be cashable, to treasures with historical meaning.

Of course, the costs were enormous, but items that could not originally be purchased with money were also included.

If only they could be bought?

For it was true that nobles who would run in even by selling their castles were scattered everywhere.

‘Especially mages or… hmm, it’s better not to bring it up in front of the viewers. I don’t know how they would react if they saw such artifacts.’

Hadn’t he felt it even at the smithy?

Right now, Henry could be placed in a troubled situation simply by possessing an unsuitable item.

‘I will get it someday, but not now. However, if it’s these, it’s a different story.’

What Henry showed interest in were slightly different items.

That is, items that could not be obtained outside of the sponsorship shop.

For example, things like the [Broadcasting Microphone] he had used this time were exactly that.

‘To think such things exist.’

[Category: Broadcasting Equipment]

In the broadcasting equipment category, there were only items for broadcasting.

Things that must be prepared someday, whose costs were also not easy, and that he didn’t particularly have to use right now.

For now, he was satisfied with ‘knowing’ it here.

The real thing was right next.

[Category: Information]

This ‘Information’ category.

[Detailed categories classified!]

[Information: Henry Camilton (Individual)]

[Information: External (Individual)]

[Information: External (Object)]

[Information: General]

Henry also knew the importance of information well.

Since even the fact that the sponsorship shop sold broadcasting equipment was a type of information in the first place.

‘This pure steel matter too. Nothing is as dangerous as not knowing. If it is something beyond my level, that is.’

However, Henry Camilton’s reality was narrow.

The narrow background of the Vallaran Royal Academy.

Since even at that, the dormitory, a few training grounds, and Rousseau’s training ground were Henry’s range of activity.

For such a Henry, the archmage had laid out such a device.

[Information: Henry Camilton (Individual): 88,000 won]

* You can check Henry Camilton’s information in concrete numerical values. In the initial stage, only some information can be checked. To unlock additional information, you must purchase the product.

An explanation anyone could understand.

It meant that for a mere 88,000 won, he could grasp his own level accurately.

The product below it was the same.

[Information: External (Individual): 2,283,000 won]

* You can check others’ information in concrete numerical values.

[Information: External (Object): 887,000 won]

* You can check specific objects’ information in concrete values.

The same explanation, the same conditions.

Although it was an overwhelmingly expensive price compared to Henry’s own information, if it was according to the explanation written here, it was clearly an item that must be purchased as the highest priority.

‘Since it would mean I can check other people’s… for example, Bane Timothy’s information too.’

Furthermore.

[Information: General]

This product was a slightly different case.

Whereas the preceding products showed information of specific individuals or objects, this meant truly generally known ‘information.’

[Information: General]

* The price fluctuates depending on the value of the product.

* You can purchase three products every day, and the content cannot be known in advance.

* The content of the products is provided in kinds close to, related to, or usable by ‘Henry Camilton.’

* Information 1: 9,999,000 won

* Information 2: 3,300 won

* Information 3: 475,000 won

Fluctuations in price depending on the value of the product.

And even that the content could not be known in advance.

‘Furthermore, close to me… that item means they won’t sell useless information. Meaning something like purchasing information of the opposite continent won’t happen.’

[You have purchased Information 2!]

[Products are restocked every day at midnight.]

As a trial, he purchased the cheapest information.

Immediately.

[Today’s dinner menu is as follows: corn soup and…]

Henry was able to check the 3,300 won ‘information.’

The dinner menu to be provided at the academy today.

It was useless for anything, but it was enough to obtain conviction.

‘Excellent. Then next.’

88,000 won.

It was information of a value that could not be said to be cheap.

The content stating that Henry Camilton’s own information was quantified.

[You have purchased the product.]

[From now on, you can check ‘Information: Henry Camilton (Individual)’!]

‘Is it this?’

The black screen which had not turned on the broadcast yet.

Something had been added beside it.

It was a picture as if a knight stood wearing armor.

Henry reached out and touched it, and simultaneously with the green light turning on.

[Henry Camilton]

[Comprehensive Evaluation]

* Possesses overwhelmingly outstanding ** ** compared to the same age and gender. Also possesses overwhelmingly outstanding skill in handling **.

* Possesses outstanding ** ** compared to the affiliated group. Also has average skill in handling **.

A completely new content appeared.

“…?”

But it is half-baked.

With this, one couldn’t know anything, could they?

He tried touching the hidden letters, but the content that appeared made Henry disappointed.

[10,000 won is consumed to check information.]

“…”

It can’t be helped.

Henry paid a total of 20,000 won.

The reason was that the content of the upper and lower sections overlapped.

* Possesses outstanding physical capability compared to the affiliated group. Also has average skill in handling mana.

[You have checked all disclosed information.]

[Would you like to check additional information?]

“…I will check.”

[100,000 won is consumed to check information!]

[Insufficient balance!]

“…”

Henry ended up losing his words.

BJ Swordmaster