Chapter 48

"I apologize for the belated greeting. Please forgive my oversight for not expressing my gratitude earlier."

"No, you must have been preoccupied at the time."

Aristine replied and then examined Rytren.

Her violet eyes were filled with curiosity about her long-awaited first employee.

Despite his droopy eyes and gentle appearance, Rytren had a very large and sturdy body. After all, he had never been overpowered even when wrestling with those burly men.

Rytren, also a skilled blacksmith, showed the marks of his profession all over his body.

The muscles visible through the gap in his collar were taut, and the tendons on his hands extended up to the inside of his slightly rolled-up sleeves.

It was easy to tell that the parts hidden by his clothes were also taut with muscles.

Aristine was satisfied.

Bolton had said he was desk-bound, but this was the body of a blacksmith who handled fire and iron every day.

'After all, he did say he mainly made things other than swords. So, he must have been refining and hammering every day.'

It was a body that confirmed his skills had not rusted.

'Good, good.'

Rytren slightly turned his head under Aristine's greedy gaze.

His cheeks turned red with embarrassment.

'Oops, did I stare too much?'

Aristine averted her gaze and said,

"Stand up."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Rytren quietly stood up.

"Is your hand okay?"

"Yes, it's fine."

"That's a relief. After I left, did Gane harass you?"

Our precious employee!

Aristine asked, her eyes sparkling.

Rytren became even more embarrassed by her concerned words.

He bowed his head, unable to meet Aristine's gaze.

His ears were turning red.

"It's fine. I'm sorry to have caused you worry."

"What are you sorry for? They're the bad ones."

Rytren glanced up at Aristine.

But as soon as their eyes met, he quickly looked away.

Violet eyes.

They were like transparent amethysts, finely polished without any impurities.

Their sparkle and beauty.

Rytren suddenly didn't know how to handle the prince consort who had appeared in his room.

Moreover, for some reason, General Mukali was staring at him with a menacing look.

No, it wasn't just staring; it was glaring.

'Hmm, quite handsome.'

Mukali evaluated Rytren with a disapproving eye.

If he had a tail, he would have thumped the ground vigorously, showing his displeasure.

'Of course, he can't compare to our lord.'

His lord possessed a beauty that could be considered the best in the universe.

A divine beauty that couldn't be compared to a mere human.

Thinking of his lord's face, Mukali instinctively puffed out his chest with pride.

"What's this? Can I take a look?"

Aristine pointed to the intricate item in the room.

"Of course. It's a rabbit figurine..."

Rytren started explaining the figurine, relieved that the attention was off him.

Aristine half-listened to the explanation while looking around the room.

There were various intricately crafted metal items on display.

Rabbits, squirrels, owls, dogs, and cats.

'Does he prefer these over swords?'

Aristine tilted her head, seeing several figurines of the same size and shape.

'The finish is slightly different.'

When she touched them, they felt different in strength.

So, even if crafted with the same technique, some were hard and others were smooth.

'Iron smell.'

She could distinctly smell it up close.

'The smell of iron, but different properties and weights... So, they are different alloys?'

Crafting them in the same shape seemed like an attempt to compare their properties.

Turning her gaze, she saw many other metals besides iron.

Gold, silver, copper, bronze, lead, and more.

An epiphany struck her.

'He was experimenting with precise crafting!'

These numerous figurines were all part of Rytren's experiments.

〈Rytren had excellent senses, keen eyes, and a sharp mind. This is something he was born with.〉

Bolton's words flashed through her mind.

'So, it's true.'

Aristine's lips curled up.

Bolton was right.

But at the same time, he was wrong.

〈If you sit around like a noble, the spirit of a blacksmith will surely fade! That's why he's making fewer and fewer swords. Just strange and crude things...〉

'Seeing these items, he must have thought Rytren was wasting his talent on trivial things.'

He probably didn't even want to look closely at them.

Even a cursory glance showed the items were exquisitely crafted.

Why, with such abilities, and at the peak of his physical prime, did he not invest even a second more in making swords?

He must have genuinely lamented this.

'Others recognized his talent, which is why they made such a fuss.'

It would have been better if Rytren had made swords.

A talent that they could never achieve through effort.

Yet, he was using it to make useless things.

What could be more frustrating?

'It was my worry.'

She had wondered if Rytren's talent might awaken through some trigger.

Or if her intervention might prevent his genius from blossoming.

But it wasn't the case.

His shining talent was growing on its own.

Despite the numerous neglect, opposition, and pressure.

"...So, I made them. This way, they are lighter and stronger. But the processing rate is lower..."

"The processing rate is lower, but these figurines are all so intricate?"

"It was quite challenging. The efficiency was low. I spent several days just on this."

"Still, it seems like it would be fine for a sword. There's no need for such detailed cutting. It's an incredible alloy."

While Aristine half-listened to Rytren, Mukali seemed to be paying close attention.

The two were having a deep conversation about the figurines.

'Surprisingly, Mukali and Rytren get along well.'

Despite the completely different auras they gave off.

'Well, Mukali likes studying. He's also interested in science.'

He pretends not to, but it's all obvious from his words.

Aristine stopped looking at the figurines and watched the two with a pleased expression.

Feeling her gaze, Mukali snapped to attention.

He had been talking without realizing it.

'This, this isn't why I came!'

He had come to catch Aristine and Rytren in an affair.

Initially, it was more about confirming the truth rather than catching them.

'Hmm, thinking about it, he's not just good-looking. He has a good body and we get along well...'

A scientific friend was precious.

Mukali defended Rytren enthusiastically.

Aristine was more interested in the figurines than in Rytren, and Rytren was excitedly discussing with Mukali.

It was understandable.

Such theoretical discussions were not popular among sword-loving warriors or sword-making blacksmiths.

Even Mukali thought it was a nobleman's hobby.

It didn't suit a great and brave warrior or a blacksmith who mastered fire and iron.

When their conversation paused, Aristine approached them.

"Really amazing items."

"It's an honor that you see them this way, Your Highness."

Rytren replied with an excited face.

"Can you make things I want?"

Rytren's eyes widened.

"Me?!"

"Yes."

Being chosen by the prince consort to make something was a great honor.

Even if it wasn't the prince consort, it was an honor for Rytren to make something for Aristine.

"I, I..."

His voice trembled with excitement, anticipation, and joy.

But in the next moment,

Rytren's face hardened.

His olive eyes lost their light.

He remembered his place.

"I... I am not a subject worthy of Your Highness's attention."

Embarrassed and self-loathing, Rytren bowed his head.

Making something for a noble like Aristine would tarnish her reputation.

He was a troublemaker, lacking in judgment and skill, and couldn't even see or judge people or things.

He couldn't bring such dishonor to Aristine.

"Who decides that?"

Rytren's head snapped up at Aristine's words.

"I, I am just a nuisance here... I only tarnish Catalaman's name, and despite being taken in and even adopted by my master, I repay his kindness with enmity—"

"So?"

Aristine cut Rytren off.

"I trust my eyes."

Aristine was looking at Rytren intently.

Her confident violet eyes.

Their transparent and deep gaze.

Rytren took a deep breath.

His eyes still held unfulfilled desire.

The moment he met Aristine's eyes, that desire swelled.

'I want to make it.'

His fingers twitched.

'For this person, something worthy of this person.'

He wanted to grab a hammer right away.

Aristine smiled, seeing the ambition rising within Rytren.

A person who had lost their talent.

Or a person who wasted their talent.

Rytren must have been defined as such.

'Both are wrong.'

Rytren was developing his talent.

He must have been struggling to keep up with the surging ideas and inspiration.

He knew it better than anyone.

How to hone this amazing talent.

A needle in a pocket cannot be hidden.

It was that sharp and keen a talent.

"Rytren."

No one had recognized it, but Aristine did.

"This place is too small for you. This place is too small to contain your talent."

It was something Rytren had never imagined.

His lips parted.

Arlugo's best blacksmith shop was almost the best in the world.

It was true, not just a claim.

Who could say the best blacksmith shop in the world was too small?

'Especially compared to me.'

Rytren couldn't even think such a thing.

His master, Bolton, was a great blacksmith, undisputed by anyone.

"But..."

He wanted to believe Aristine.

The things overflowing within him.

He didn't want to hide, deny, or suppress them.

He wanted to bring them out and see how far he could go.

Every moment, every second was precious.

And he wanted to believe that it wasn't in vain, but valuable.

That he wasn't a worthless person who couldn't repay kindness or meet expectations—

'That he had potential.'

Could he even dream such a dream?

Rytren's eyes desperately sought an answer from Aristine.

"Come with me."

As if reading his mind, Aristine said.

Rytren himself wasn't sure if he could believe in something he couldn't even be certain of.

A savior.

His silver hair was like the light of a sword shattered by the sun.

The color of the metal that had captivated Rytren all his life.

"You decide."

The choice was given to him.

"Nothing like this will happen if you stay here. I won't let them harass you this way, knowing I've noticed you."

Guaranteed safety was a fortunate thing.

But Rytren couldn't feel fortunate.

He was anxious.

"Even though you said to come with you."

The injustice rose from the depths of his consciousness.

"However, if you become my person."

Aristine's lips moved softly yet firmly.

"I will make you the best blacksmith on the continent."

Chapter 15. Strength

"You said you went to Mukali and Catalaman."

"Yeah."

Aristine yawned and nodded.

It was her first proper outing since being confined.

Even though most of it was just talking and drinking tea, she was very tired.

"Why did you go?"

"Huh? Didn't Mukali tell you?"

Aristine tilted her head and answered.

"To scout."

"Scout."

Tarkan muttered.

For some reason, he didn't like it.

"A blacksmith?"

"Yeah."

"Is there a blacksmith who would leave Catalaman?"

All blacksmiths dreamed of being in Catalaman.

While the royal blacksmiths were skilled, they were inferior to those in Catalaman or Dottlten.

They mainly handled repairs, which was natural, but it also highlighted the prestige of the renowned blacksmith shops.

"There is."

"What?"

"He said he would become mine."

He's done with being a husband and wants to make money.