Chapter 191 – Gift (1)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Even until she lay down in bed.

The smile would not leave Lee Ye-rim’s face.

Her one and only younger brother.

She was grinning from ear to ear at the thought of teasing Ho-yeol.

“Lee Ho-yeol, you are truly done for.”

Sending long letters of greeting every single day, well, that’s something he does right, so let’s give that a pass. Even if he’s busy normally so it can’t be helped, but if he took a vacation, isn’t it a son’s duty to show his face at the family home at least once?

“The little brat, as if Mom and Dad aren’t worried enough.”

Of course, when she said that kind of thing, Mom and Dad would say:

-“That girl is at it again, trying to pick on her little brother.”

-“Ye-rim, someone overhearing would think you’re an actual dutiful daughter.”

-“Our youngest daughter. Maybe you should be good to your own Mom first.”

For some reason, the arrows always got turned on her, but.

Lee Ye-rim still had something to say.

Chuckling as she spoke.

“Not a shred of propriety to be found, my little brother.”

She knew well enough what Ho-yeol’s standing was outside the family home.

Hero of humanity, symbol of peace, whatever.

They’d been going on and on about it on TV.

But as she and her sisters had said.

At home, Ho-yeol was still her little brother.

The character ‘Ho’ meaning ‘grand’ and ‘Yeol’ meaning ‘joy.’

Just as the meaning of his name.

Their youngest, whose very existence brought joy.

Lee Ye-rim’s lips curved even further upward.

“…this sister can just imagine it and already it’s delightful.”

Delightfully tormenting him…

No, at the thought of seeing his face.

Was this the kind of enjoyment she hadn’t felt since Ho-yeol grew up and matured? Because lately looking at Ho-yeol, old memories would come to mind on occasion.

Lee Ye-rim frowned, deep in thought.

“I’m sure I’ve heard this kind of speech before……”

It was over ten years ago so the memories were hazy, but strangely Ho-yeol didn’t feel unfamiliar like this. Ye-rim, who had been tracing through old memories, murmured to herself.

“Something about a long name, I feel like I’ve heard the same thing.”

…wasn’t it Romeo or something?

The name was so long and difficult, you see.

Alright, that too is something to ask Ho-yeol about tomorrow when he comes.

The next day.

The time Lee Ye-rim woke from sleep was 8 in the morning.

But the moment she stepped into the living room, she was aghast.

“…wh, what?!”

At the ear-splitting scream, Lady Choi was angered.

“My goodness, what a racket. Ho-yeol stopped by earlier and left already!”

“At, at what time?!”

“5 in the morning!”

“F, 5 in the morning?! Is that kid out of his mind?”

Crash!

It was the moment Lee Ye-rim’s grand plan crumbled.

*

Three older sisters.

The youngest son of a household full of daughters.

I, Lee Ho-yeol.

As I said before, living among my sisters, my cunning mind had no choice but to develop. I, with not a speck of shame to my dignity, wrapped up an fulfilling vacation, that’s what I’m saying.

Why, I said I would visit the next day.

Coming at 5 in the morning is not a lie, right?

Also, it was not that I moved early to undignifiedly avoid an encounter with my nemesis.

Because even without that, I was someone whose sleep time had greatly diminished thanks to the [First World Tree’s Blessing].

Always.

Having pushed and struggled since dawn every day.

Could my nemesis Lee Ye-rim catch me?

-“You’ve lost half your weight, my son.”

My mother, Lady Choi Kang-hui, embraced me the instant she saw me.

Even without saying so separately, she must have lost sleep worrying about her son. That much I know from what my sisters had told me.

-“You’ve filled out, Ho-yeol.”

My father, Director Lee Jun-wook, apparently cut out every newspaper featuring me and kept a scrapbook. Anyway, he was very much like Father in how he desperately tried not to show his inner feelings.

“I should have visited sooner.”

Perhaps because I write letters every morning.

I hadn’t realized it had been so long since I’d seen their faces.

And above all, my nemesis was at the family home.

‘Up to No. 1 and No. 2…’

Calling my eldest or second eldest sister and using formal speech with them is…

Right, I can endure that.

But formal speech to Lee Ye-rim.

Dignity or not, it was something I absolutely could not endure.

‘In that sense, well done, Ho-yeol.’

That life pattern of sleeping in late even on weekdays.

You haven’t changed one bit, my nemesis.

Anyway, I headed straight for the Mage Tower.

It was already 7 in the morning.

I had visited the family home at 5 in the morning.

Rushing through the missed conversation, time had passed quickly.

By the way, speaking in this manner in front of my parents.

I felt like I would die of embarrassment, honestly.

But our Director Lee was kind enough to say something nice.

-“They say a position makes a person. Your way of speaking has also become more measured. Right, at a position like that, one should have that much gravitas.”

Father.

I am truly thankful for your misunderstanding.

I was sincerely relieved.

‘…the dark history being the reason is something I absolutely do not want discovered.’

Dying of shame in front of family is something I want to avoid entirely.

Soon, stepping into the manifested portal.

When vision returned, the Mage Tower office came into view.

Slide

I ran my finger across the desk.

And murmured softly.

“There is no need to dust it off.”

Anyway, you keep up all the snobbish cleanliness acts, Granfel.

Even when Lady Choi embraced me my clothes got all wrinkled.

Yet you stayed still then, which makes me wonder how.

More than that, why are you already boiling water as soon as you arrive?!

“One cannot skip meals.”

Thud

What is placed on the desk is something wrapped in a wrapping cloth.

“Among these, breakfast rivals the afternoon teatime.”

Just say you were hungry and that would do!

Why must every conclusion be so grand…!

Anyway, I unwrapped the cloth.

It would not be I who packed a bento in a wrapping cloth.

It was the breakfast our Lady Choi had packed for her son.

By the way, why are you staring at the wrapping cloth like that?

“A silk fabric where rules and chaos coexist. Magnificent.”

Please do not assign meaning to ordinary patchwork, Granfel.

Right as I was raising my usual objection.

Knock-knock

Someone knocked on the door.

I am someone who does not have meetings unless prearranged in advance.

But on the first day back, some flexibility might be necessary.

Well, it doesn’t seem like Banshee either.

I opened my mouth.

“You may enter, Marcelo.”

“Good morning, Lord……”

Marcelo looked at me and paused.

“Oh dear, were you eating?”

“Indeed.”

“I should have let you know in advance, my apologies.”

“Were you not during a leave of absence? Do not mind it.”

“No. It is not urgent enough to interrupt a meal.”

Simuard family, the Terminal Curse.

Marcelo, freed from the demon contract.

Thanks to that, unlike before, he seemed to have acquired the stamina to focus on research.

Looking at the documents piled up in both hands he had brought.

‘Those are doubtlessly materials on the Anomaly.’

Work bombs upon returning!

Memories of the working years came flooding back, but.

How could Granfel’s dignity possibly ignore the Chief Mage’s duties.

On top of that, research into the Anomaly is something that absolutely cannot be overlooked.

‘The Anomaly worked even on the Superior Demon King, Gamigin.’

At the time I was surprised that Gamigin had resisted the Anomaly.

But thinking about it now.

I should have been surprised that the Anomaly worked on Gamigin.

In that sense that means it is worth digging deeper than any other well, the Anomaly.

‘By the way….’

Marcelo with both hands full of documents looks precarious.

No, the Terminal Curse has even disappeared.

Why is there still nothing but bones. Marcelo.

I wonder if he has been eating properly.

“Have you eaten.”

“I had no time so I have not eaten.”

Is that so?

I’ll have to let our Lady Choi’s cooking show its worth here.

I said to Marcelo.

“If you do not mind, why not have some together.”

“……What?”

“Skipping breakfast is not a good habit.”

Marcelo paused and looked at the containers on the desk.

He seemed curious about what these were.

There would be no such food in Arcana.

He could very well be curious.

An explanation is not a difficult thing.

“This is a food prepared by gathering grains from the fields, meat, and vegetables together in one dish, requiring considerable care from the preparation of its ingredients. Also, the cooking method differs greatly in taste depending on what is added during the process, which, if compared to magic, is like the dish that manifests being completely different depending on what is added to the interference process……”

Goodness.

‘The taste of pan-fried and steamed dumplings being completely different is true but…!!’

No one would describe dumplings that grandly, Granfel!

But Lady Choi’s sincerity going into them is not a falsehood.

The taste is also of someone who raised four children.

So these are not just any dumplings to offer to anyone, Marcelo.

“…would it be alright for me to partake of such precious food?”

“You have that right, Marcelo.”

“Then, in spite of my shamelessness, I will join you.”

“How is it?”

“Ohh…!”

“There is no need for words, of course.”

“Lord…”

“?”

“May I also request a cup?”

…no, it is not that I cannot, but.

300 won a bag, what difference does that make.

Why is even Marcelo looking for the teabag green tea?

*

The Iron Castle.

The dwarves looking down at the continent were astonished.

“G, goodness!”

The Arcana continent.

Even the Zero Mountain Range that had asserted its presence from their hiding place had disappeared. All overnight. Leader Chainwalker spoke in a serious voice.

“As I had anticipated.”

The last survivor of Akshan and adventurer.

Through exchanges with Ho-yeol.

Chainwalker had understood rifts to a certain degree.

Rifts were passages connecting the Arcana continent and the world of adventurers.

The fact that such a Zero Mountain Range had disappeared from the Arcana continent meant…

“Then, the Zero Mountain Range has appeared in Lord Ho-yeol’s world?”

At Chainwalker’s words, the dwarves murmured.

“Will it be alright?”

“Who knows. The Zero Mountain Range is quite massive.”

“If such a thing were to suddenly drop…it would be equivalent to the impact of firing tens of thousands of cannon blasts from a mana beam cannon.”

Creators of complex mechanical devices, the dwarves.

Perhaps because of that.

The damage when the Zero Mountain Range appeared out of nowhere was vividly drawn in their minds.

Of course, that only applied to the dwarves.

The Dresden residents who had been listening quietly whispered.

“…Uncle Gardner. Can you believe it?”

“There is no way, Lansha.”

“It really seems like something is happening.”

Where the Zero Mountain Range had stood.

It was so flat there was not even a hill in sight.

“…there are worries in many regards.”

A ship sailing through the sky.

The Iron Castle was heading toward the Empire’s capital, Antonium.

In order to settle the Dresden residents in Antonium.

‘Infinitely Deep Darkness…’

The name, not just a moniker, that name was Ho-yeol, apparently.

Lansha had come to know about Ho-yeol’s achievements while staying on the Iron Castle.

Recently, he had inflicted critical damage on the demons and caused them to shrink back, apparently. Even with Lansha’s own eyes, it seemed the demons’ activities had noticeably decreased.

‘The worry about demons has lessened, but…’

Could we adapt well to the capital, Antonium?

The worry came first, honestly.

Dresden had been a small, poor village shunned by everyone.

But Lansha clenched her fist.

‘Because even we managed to survive.’

Because she had not forgotten the thing called dignity that D.End had spoken of.

Lansha now had the luxury of worrying about Ho-yeol.

Because the dwarves’ expressions were so serious.

“Will he be safe?”

Lansha did not know about things like impact loads, but…

Just thinking plainly about it, it seemed like it would be no ordinary matter.

Thinking of how even the water surface rippled when a person jumped into a river.

If the Zero Mountain Range were to fall into the water, how violently would the surface surge?

Gardner quietly closed his eyes.

“We can do nothing but pray for his safety.”

Dresden’s savior, Ho-yeol.

What people like themselves who had nothing could do.

Was to simply pray for the savior’s safety.

And spreading the hero’s tales widely in Antonium.

That was about the extent of it.

Chainwalker looked at Lansha and Gardner.

“As you said, I cannot help but worry about Lord Ho-yeol’s world. Even if the shock of the Zero Mountain Range’s appearance, Lord Ho-yeol somehow manages to handle it.”

Gulp

Chainwalker swallowed.

“The Zero Mountain Range itself is dangerous, you see.”

The Arcana continent, where countless powerful people were born and lived.

Even so, no one had ever reached the summit of the Zero Mountain Range.

Because of the existence of dragons that guarded the Zero Mountain Range’s summit.

‘…I do not doubt Lord Ho-yeol’s abilities, but.’

After all, even Lord Ho-yeol is a human.

Human and dragon.

That difference in caliber could be considered as vast as the difference between earth and sky.

“He-he.”

But the dwarves knew.

Natural caliber.

Being of shorter and stockier build than anyone.

And thus, they knew better than anyone else how to overcome it.

Chainwalker’s eyes lit up.

“At last the time has come when Lord Ho-yeol needs equipment too!”

Equipment for Ho-yeol was already being forged by the dwarves’ hands. Especially the armor was being tempered most elegantly under Hiel’s direction.

Platinum of magic.

High-purity magic stone.

Indigo butterfly thread…

It was armor being made from materials considered the rarest even in the dwarves’ treasury, so its quality could be considered the dwarves’ best.

“It will be worth looking forward to, Lord.”

Out of nowhere, Chainwalker’s gaze turned toward the firmly closed iron door.

“…ahem, not counting the weapon, that is.”

Dwarf’s greatest blacksmith, Wallsweil.

He had been sealing himself away and devoting himself to forging Ghost Iron for dozens of days now.

It could not be helped.

From beyond the iron door, voices were audible.

“Insufficient. Utterly blunt!”

“Silence. The forging is not yet finished.”

“Dwarf, think of the enemies he must cleave!”

…Lord, why did you of all things go looking for a Ghost Iron like that…?

The Ghost Iron’s voice continuing without pause.

Chainwalker gently closed his eyes.

“I need to be sharper. I must cut down the Demon Eye hanging in the sky. The continental whetstone is insufficient. Forge me on the whetstone fallen from the sky, the ‘Milky Way Whetstone’!”

For a mineral.

It knows so much.

And demands even more.

“Good grief, the Milky Way Whetstone.”

Even among the dwarves themselves, an only-in-legend magic tool.

Who exactly could track it down and sharpen it on it?

.

.

.

…wait.

The Milky Way Whetstone?

In an instant, the voice of Shegwin surfacing in memory.

-“Who wears that crown matters nothing to me. I only lent my strength to the feudal lords in order to obtain the magic tool, the Milky Way Whetstone.”

Wasn’t that said to be in Antonium’s imperial palace vault?