Chapter 75

Excluding Brondin, who insisted on staying behind to guard the workshop, the remaining three—myself, Da-eun, and Ashié—left the building.

I was reluctantly dragged out by Da-eun, and as we walked down the street, she explained what had happened.

After hearing the full story, I couldn’t help but feel bewildered.

“…He gave a spare key to a partnered Magitechnician?”

…Why?

“He said it was annoying to have to open the door for him all the time, and there might be occasions when the Magitechnician would need to drop by the workshop when he wasn’t around.”

“Master trusted that magician.”

“Oh, I see.”

“…Is that really something to be okay with?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

Considering the temperament of Dwarves, it seemed almost natural.

“Dwarves don’t trust others easily, but once they do, they trust them to the end.”

“Really? That’s surprising. They seemed so open and easy to befriend.”

“Being close doesn’t necessarily mean they trust you.”

“…Is that so?”

Da-eun tilted her head in confusion.

It was clear she hadn’t quite grasped the concept, so I offered a brief explanation.

“The ‘trust’ of Dwarves isn’t the kind of belief you’d think. It’s something a bit deeper… hmm….”

As I struggled to find the right word, Da-eun interjected with the answer.

“It’s more like a sense of loyalty or faithfulness than the usual belief?”

“Yes, loyalty.”

Although it varies from individual to individual, Dwarves generally have a straightforward and bold nature.

Moreover, as I mentioned earlier, once they place their faith in someone, they adhere to it until the very end.

That’s why some people describe Dwarves as being “true to the core.”

“You know, like, ‘Wow, that guy is truly genuine.’ That sort of feeling.”

For Dwarves, loyalty is as valuable as life itself. Even if they’re betrayed, they don’t turn their backs unless it’s a significant incident.

It’s probably due to this nature that Brondin didn’t suspect Ashié, who seemed like the most likely culprit.

“Ah… So that’s why Brondin was reluctant to talk about it. He thought it would be an act of betraying his trust.”

“Most likely, yes.”

“Even so, I still didn’t like that Magician guy.”

“Why?”

“There was just something off about his vibe. His impression was unsettling.”

“…That sounds familiar.”

I glanced at Da-eun, who was muttering to herself something like, “Are you one of those face-reading experts who show up whenever a case happens?”

I then turned to speak with Ashié.

“Tell me more.”

Impressions and atmospheres are subjective.

Since they aren’t scientifically or magically proven, one could easily dismiss them, but I didn’t ignore his words.

Even though Ashié had suspicious tastes and was half-crazed due to the fall of his homeland… Searᴄh the Novelƒire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Hmm, now that I think of it like that, my trust in him is suddenly plummeting.

…Anyway, if it were someone else saying this, it might be different, but since it was Ashié who said it, it was worth looking into.

Back when he was a prince, Ashié was famous for his discerning eye.

All the people around him were chosen by him personally, and each one was exceptionally skilled.

Many nobles and royals often tried to recruit those talented individuals, but…

No one ever accepted the offers, declaring, “I will serve Lord Ashié for the rest of my life.”

“He always smiled, but it felt like there was something else hidden behind that smile. It just didn’t sit well with me. It’s just my feeling, so you can ignore it.”

“Hmm….”

The issue was that even if Ashié’s judgment was almost always right, it still relied on his feelings, so it lacked solid proof that could convince others.

That’s why even Ashié told me to just brush it off.

“No, I’ll trust it.”

I shook my head.

“I’ll take it to heart because you said it.”

It wasn’t difficult to keep in mind, and it was something I could easily do.

After I made that casual comment, I was lost in thought for a moment when I noticed that everything around me had gone quiet. I looked up.

Da-eun and Ashié had stopped walking and were staring at me.

“…What?”

Did I have something on my face?

Puzzled by their stares, I looked back at them, and Ashié sighed deeply.

“…This is why I can’t let go.”

“…?”

“Kana, you shouldn’t say things like that so lightly. It could be misunderstood.”

“…??”

Caught between Ashié, who was sighing deeply, and Da-eun, who was gently patting my head, I was left in the dark.

Even when I kept asking what was going on, neither seemed willing to give me an answer.

What the heck…?

***

Although Kana unintentionally stunned Ashié for a brief moment, the group safely arrived at the workshop of the Magician who had a partnership with Brondin.

Objectively speaking, it wasn’t a situation serious enough to warrant the word “safely.” However, for someone whose heart still harbored lingering feelings even after confessing and being rejected twice, “safely” might be the right expression.

Max’s Workshop.

Da-eun intently examined the signboard, which was written in a simple and straightforward manner, without any embellishments.

“Is the Magician’s name Max?”

“That’s right. Max Gramov. A man of noble origin from the Arka Empire.”

“The Empire?”

Kana’s ears perked up.

“The Empire… and a Magician…?”

Although it was a voice that anyone would find adorable, why did it send shivers down my spine?

‘…Well, I already know the reason.’

Ashié gave a bitter smile.

Garid and Ashié had never been on bad terms.

Garid was loyal to Grasis, and Ashié respected his capabilities, so there was no reason for them to dislike each other.

That is, until Ashié started to have feelings for Kana.

It’s like the dilemma of a father who wants his daughter to meet a good man and be happy, yet can’t stand the thought of letting her go.

Because of this, their relationship became awkward when Ashié began courting Kana, though it never escalated to a point of mutual distrust.

Garid only saw Ashié as the “thief trying to steal his daughter away,” and thus, Ashié always ended up flustered whenever Garid was around.

This was why Ashié could fully understand the emotions Kana must have felt upon Garid’s death.

While he might not have been as devastated as Kana, the grief he felt was no less intense.

He also shared Kana’s bitterness toward the Empire.

“Calm down. If you draw your sword here, it’s not going to end well.”

“I know.”

Kana replied curtly.

Ashié found her answer surprisingly reassuring.

Seeing Kana’s troubled expression, Da-eun averted her gaze.

“But, is it really necessary to have a separate workshop like this? If they’re partners, wouldn’t it be easier for them to work in the same workshop? It’d be more cost-effective and convenient.”

Rent prices, property costs…

Da-eun even folded her fingers as she thoughtfully worried over the financial affairs of a complete stranger she had never met.

However, her concerns were misplaced.

“Collaboration and merging are two different things. Even if they’re partners, they still work on distinctly separate tasks. How could they share the same space?”

“…Oh, I see.”

“And if they did, the Magicians wouldn’t be able to stand it.”

Listening to hammering and banging all day can fray anyone’s nerves.

Even Ashié, who had grown accustomed to the blacksmith’s workshop, sometimes found his nerves on edge. One could easily imagine how such noises might affect Magicians, who are generally more sensitive to their surroundings.

No blacksmith would want to see a magic circle explode in their workshop, nor would any Magician want to experience that.

And neither would Ashié, the blacksmith’s apprentice.

That’s enough chit-chat.

Even though he wasn’t particularly close with Max, Ashié stepped forward and knocked on the door, since they were at least acquainted.

Knock, knock.

“Is anyone there?”

The wooden door lightly trembled under his knock, but there was no sign of anyone inside.

No voice asked who it was, and there were no footsteps approaching the door.

After listening intently for a moment, Ashié knocked again.

“Mr. Max, it’s me, Agie, Brondin’s apprentice.”

“Huh? You’re using a pseudonym?”

“Well… it’s best to avoid trouble.”

Having instantly grasped Da-eun’s implication, Ashié shrugged his shoulders.

Perhaps even using his real name wouldn’t have caused much trouble.

After all, it’s not easy to imagine that a prince of a kingdom would be working as a blacksmith’s apprentice.

However, to be safe, Ashié had decided to reveal his true identity only to Brondin, while using a pseudonym with everyone else.

“Isn’t it too similar to your real name?”

“If someone can recognize me just by my face, they’ll know who I am no matter what name I use. In that case, it’s better to use something they’re familiar with.”

“Is that so?”

Da-eun tilted her head slightly but accepted the reasonable explanation and stepped back.

“But still, why isn’t he coming out?”

The sound of knocking that had started as gentle tap-tap had now turned into bang-bang, to the point where it was hard to distinguish whether it was still knocking or just hitting. A bead of sweat rolled down Ashié’s forehead, his lips pressed so tightly that they turned white.

Watching him pound on the door as if he were about to break it down, Kana took a step forward.

“Should I just break it?”

“No.”

“…”

She slumped back, pouting at the firm rejection.

Seeing her hand resting on her sword’s hilt, Da-eun quickly grabbed Kana from behind, both to satiate her own desire and to stop Kana from doing anything reckless.

The stubbornly closed door neither broke nor opened.

Ashié stepped back, panting heavily. Although he had failed against something that wasn’t a dimensional creature, monster, or even a human, his effort hadn’t been in vain.

“…Why are you banging on someone else’s door like that? If it’s closed, you should just leave quietly.”

A Magician from the workshop next door, unable to endure the noise any longer, emerged and grumbled.

At the same time, the three of them turned their heads sharply towards him. Taken aback by the sudden attention, the Magician flinched.

“Wh-what? It’s not like I said anything wrong…”

He tried to sound tough, but his voice was already losing its momentum.

As Ashié approached, the already faint voice shrank further. Standing in front of the much smaller Magician, Ashié, who was taller than average, looked more like a thug trying to extort money.

“Do you know Max?”

“W-well, Max? Yeah, I know him… sort of.”

“I am Agie, the apprentice of Brondin, who has a partnership with Max. I came here to see him, but the door is locked. Do you happen to know where he might be?”

“That… I’m not sure. We’re not exactly close.”

“Still, you might have some idea…”

“Hmm…”

Realizing that Ashié had no intention of intimidating him, the Magician immediately turned aloof.

Seeing his indifferent responses, Ashié dug into his pocket and pulled out a gold coin.

“…Gasp!”

“Are you sure there’s really nothing you can think of? If not, that’s unfortunate…”

“W-wait a moment…!”

The Magician, who had been so dismissive earlier, frantically grabbed Ashié, who had started to turn away.

He racked his brain, searching through his memories until his eyes widened.

“I remember! Yesterday evening, I saw him leaving with a large bag! We’re not close, so I didn’t ask where he was going, but he looked like he was in a hurry. I thought it was strange at the time.”

“Did you see which direction he went?”

“…I didn’t really notice…”

“Let’s do this.”

Ping!

Ashié took out another gold coin and flicked it with his fingers.

The Magician’s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out of his head.

Gulp.

He audibly swallowed.

“If you help me find him, I’ll give you all these gold coins.”

Will you help us?

Of course, the answer was a resounding yes.