10 – Meeting Old Relationships 5

Tadak- Tadak-

Only the sound of burning bonfires echoed around.

Under the fire, ashes from burning trees are piled up.

Chaejin did not move for several days.

Without sleeping or eating, just watching the flames.

Then, when it seems that the fire is about to go out because there is nothing to burn, he gets up, picks up firewood, revives his spirit, picks up a kindling stick, and stabs the ashes a few times without sincerity.

There was no special meaning to that act.

It was just like that.

Basrak-

In the meantime, a presence appeared with the sound of breaking through the bush.

Although he is short, he is a young man with a strong body and a rough impression.

I could tell just by the appearance.

He was a dwarf.

“Are you a human warrior?”

“It was.”

“I see. I’m glad you’re still here.”

After saying that, the dwarf put a backpack the size of his body on the ground and carefully took out something wrapped in cloth from there and started laying it out.

Chaejin, who was interested in the attitude that he was just doing his job whether he was watching or not, took a closer look at the dwarf’s actions.

Light!

After taking out everything in the backpack, the dwarf undid the cloth covering the items.

The first thing that appeared was the sword.

A famous sword that has no fancy patterns or decorations, but exudes a very restrained sophistication.

I can feel the strange charm surrounding the sword, as if it harbors a mysterious aura.

Perhaps anyone who wants to hold a sword will covet it.

Light!

The next thing that appeared was a pure white, silver armored helmet.

As the dwarf moves his hands, his breastplate and lower armor parts also appear one after another.

Each one was really valuable enough to buy a whole large manor.

After finishing the work, the dwarf looked straight at Chaejin and said.

“This is a weapon made by the best artisans in the steel industry with all their might. Just for one person, a hero from another world.”

“Such a great thing, just for me… ….”

“Yes. It is something you should take rightly.”

Chuck.

The dwarf raised his right arm and pointed at the sword by extending his index finger.

“That sword has the ability to remember the user’s mana. Even if you miss the sword, if you are within a certain distance, you can move yourself and retrieve it. Needless to say, the sword’s natural power is at the highest level.”

Chuck.

This time, I stretch my fingers toward the breastplate.

“The armor, made with our Dwarven technology, which has not been revealed to the public, is designed to change its shape according to the body shape of the wearer when mana is injected. Even if it doesn’t seem to fit right now, after injecting mana, it always feels like a full body armor. In the same way, there will be no armor that can follow the original role of the armor.”

A brief description of what you brought.

As if the task was finished with that, the dwarf tried to turn around.

Chaejin had no choice but to hurriedly stop him in the atmosphere where he seemed like he would leave at any moment.

“Wait, wait.”

“Why is that?”

A dwarf who only half turned to answer.

“I…… I don’t deserve this I am no longer a hero or anything.”

When Chaejin said that, he completely turned around and asked with a questioning expression.

“The hero who was summoned from the other world 5 years ago and sealed the demon’s double body 2 years ago. Are you saying that’s not you?”

“No, that is me, but… ….”

“Then you are qualified. In the first place, this was something that should have been passed on to you.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“The fate of the world was at stake. We can’t just leave everything to humans. The moment they heard the news that a warrior blessed by the goddess had appeared, the artisans of Steel Mountain all gathered together and struggled to make the best weapon for the warrior. The results are these. I couldn’t convey it because the empire refused to approach the hero.”

“… ….”

Hearing that, Chaejin walked over and raised her sword.

It’s an incredibly good sword.

As soon as I held it in my hand, I knew that it was several times superior to what the empire had bestowed as the best sword in the world.

Precious minerals were used sparingly, and in addition to the sword’s natural function, it felt like it amplified the user’s mana.

‘If there was something like this, I would have been able to defeat him more easily in the final battle then… ….’

You said you were going to give these things away for free, but you refused?

Not even saying anything to yourself?

The reason was obvious.

Even Chaejin, who is not so smart, could tell at once.

Without the help of any other race, only human power was enough to defeat the disaster and save the world――

For the sake of such modest symbolism, the efforts to save the world of elves and dwarves were rendered meaningless.

And the one who paid the price was none other than himself.

Han Chae-jin, who was not one of the leaders who made the decision, but Han Chae-jin, who was bleeding and moaning in pain.

Kwak….

Power naturally went into the hand holding the sword.

Chaejin barely suppressed his anger and spoke to the dwarf.

“You’d better take it back. Even if you give me something like this, I don’t have the power to save the world anymore.”

At that, the dwarf only snorted.

“Hey, I’ll give you this to save the world? Do you think I found out the location of this place by asking the goblins to say such a weak thing?”

“If not, why?”

“Of course, as a craftsman, there would be nothing more gratifying than that if a hero uses a weapon he poured his soul into to defeat evil and save the world. But that is purely the heart of a craftsman. As warriors, dwarves don’t depend on anyone. The only thing you believe in and follow is yourself.”

“Even if it is a strong enemy with no chance of defeating it?”

“Of course! The mighty warriors of the Dwarves do not know how to surrender. When you were about to seal it, we were waiting for the final battle with all our might. In the meantime, you just knocked it down.”

The eyes of the young dwarf who said that were very intense.

The will to never back down from the great battle ahead seemed to burn in his eyes.

“These arms began to be made with the chivalrous spirit of the warriors who came to save not only humans but also the world, and were finally completed through awe of the warriors who succeeded in protecting the world before us. It was yours from the start, and was created to be yours, human champion.”

“Even though I say that I can’t do it anymore, that I will give up my mission as a hero because I am tired and tired, do you still pay me respect?”

“…… I heard about the situation from the ghosts. You have done your mission This is just an homage to it. To sit and watch. The moment when we dwarves defeat that gigantic evil and overcome destruction.”

After saying that, the dwarf really turned and disappeared into the forest.

[ Just sit and watch. ]

Those words continued to linger in Chaejin’s mind.

‘I was definitely called by the empire and fought following the orders of the empire. I’ve never met an elf or dwarf before. By the way, but…….’

It was ironic indeed.

He knew that it was the other races, not the humans to whom he had been so desperately dedicated, that truly paid tribute to all he had done.

It was only non-human races that tried to prevent destruction by fighting evil with their own power.

“… ….”

What is this?

What the hell is this?!

Uncontrollable anger boiled in Chaejin’s heart.

‘What the hell are they?’

It wasn’t like that after the disaster was over and everything was safe.

At least when he was active as a warrior, I thought he received the maximum amount of support he could, but that wasn’t the case.

I just thought everyone was doing their best.

By fighting from the front, they clean up from the rear, devising and implementing the best plan.

Although their roles are different, they only knew that they were silently doing their part in their respective positions.

But, no!

[ Can I do it? You have to be stronger. With a little more effort……. ]

Even when Chaejin was anxious and pushing herself, the empire was only filled with thoughts of taking care of their own interests and interests.

Refusing the power that the elven kingdom offered to send—

Refusing the arms that the best Dwarf artisans painstakingly crafted for the warriors—

With all that burden passed on to one hero, they only give orders to ‘do it somehow’ in a warm palace without danger.

Even in a situation where the world could be destroyed right away, they only thought of themselves and forced others to sacrifice in the name of orders…… !

Pudeuk!

My teeth gnawed on their own without thinking.

Chaejin’s disposition, which had nothing to say even though he was called Hogu beyond being nice to people, was stained black with anger and hatred.

‘Empire. Before the world perishes, I will destroy it with my own hands.’

Even though Chaejin had a justification for doing so, it was because she was afraid that she was always trying to avoid an all-out war with the empire.

The destruction of the world is entirely due to the demon’s double body, and it cannot be said that Chaejin will destroy the world if he does not do his best to stop it.

However, in order to destroy an empire, blood must flow.

Countless lives would be lost, and the innocent and weak would have to spend the end of their lives in the agony of war.

Chaejin was afraid.

Trampling on their lives with the will of their own, they had no confidence to move forward.

But now it’s different.

Fear, horror.

It was definitely a powerful emotion.

However, I couldn’t overcome the anger and hatred that boiled to the limit.

‘Anyway, if I don’t move, everyone will die. Nothing will change if you just avoid it out of fear.’

Chaejin made up her mind.

Let’s go to the Holy Land.

By going to the Holy Land that serves the Goddess and telling them all the truth, they are preparing to get rid of the lump of cancer that brought all these disasters.

Perhaps, as the goddess said, she might be able to find a human who is noble and strong enough to move Chaejin’s heart.

I heard that there are people in the Holy Land who dedicate their lives to serving the weak, claiming to do good.

‘…… But before that.’

Chaejin turned her back and looked at a pile of bushes.

Whether he was deliberately revealing it or not knowing how to hide it, he openly showed off his popularity.

“Come out there. I know you’re hiding.”

“Hick!”

Pass!

The bush shakes violently.

As if he thought that this was discovered unconditionally, a person broke through the bush and walked out bone by bone.

What appeared was a woman with brown hair tangled up like a ghost and wearing clothes that were nothing short of a mat.

It’s hard to tell if she’s not eating properly or not because her cheeks are rotten and her face is dirty, but she looks like she’s just coming of age or a little younger than that.

‘What else is he? How do you know everything and come to me like this…….’

For some reason, Chaejin asked in the kindest way possible.

“Did you come to see me?”

“Yes, yes. Maybe…… Hero, right?”

“How did you find this place?”

“This is…… They showed me the way.”

The girl was unusually attached to a small glass bottle by her string and wore it like a necklace, and in answering she untied her knot and showed her bottle in her hand.

“…… This.”

Chaejin was shocked to learn the identity of the object.

What was in the bottle was something that can only be described in words as really unexpected.