Chapter 66

27. Fearless Vampires

"How long have I been here?"

I suddenly wondered. It didn't feel like a long time, but I couldn't be sure.

Once I get absorbed in work, I can lose track of days and nights, hammering away without a break.

-It's finally done.

"Thanks for waiting."

-Well, I got to see something interesting, so I guess it's fair.

She giggled cutely, and I tilted my head in confusion.

"Interesting to watch?"

-Yeah, it's done!

"Hey, what do you mean? Tell me."

Driven by an unnecessary sense of unease, I pressed her, but she stuck out her tongue and vanished like a wisp.

Her refusal to tell me left a strange, uncomfortable feeling, but I shook it off. Worrying wouldn't change anything.

Creak! Bang!!

Finally, I slowly opened the tightly shut door of my personal workshop and saw a few young dwarves, who were supposed to be guarding, dozing off with blank expressions.

They looked like skilled craftsmen who had been keeping watch to prevent any disturbances while I was inside.

"Hmm..."

I considered letting them sleep but woke them up without hesitation.

"Ugh... Huh?"

The dwarf, startled by my touch, opened his groggy eyes and then widened them in surprise.

"Ah!!"

"Did you see a ghost?"

"Ugh... Master! I'm sorry!"

"No, you don't need to apologize. What were you doing here?"

"Well... You brat! Stop sleeping and get up!"

The flustered dwarf, babbling, woke up his sleeping colleague with a few slaps.

"Ah! Master! You're here!"

"We were keeping watch to make sure no one disturbed your work!"

"How long have I been in here?"

"About four days. Are you alright?"

"Four days?"

"Yes, you didn't eat or answer the door, so we were very worried... Ah! I'll inform the elders."

The dwarves ran off, and I stood there in a daze for a while.

While I had experience working through the night, the idea of not eating or sleeping for four days, only drinking water, was quite extreme.

-Your dedication was almost that of a madman...

Perseus's muttering brought a strange unease, but I didn't have the courage to ask more.

I had spent nearly 96 hours, without sleep or food, focused solely on my work.

If I had worked any longer, I might have collapsed from exhaustion.

Realizing this, a wave of fatigue washed over me.

-Why don't you get some rest?

"I'm fine for now."

Though I said that, the long mental exertion had left me quite tired.

The dwarves were busy interpreting and studying the hints I left before starting my work.

"Ooh! Master!"

"You're here!"

The dwarf craftsmen, who had been engaged in heated debates, dropped everything and rushed to me, like children running to someone giving out snacks.

"Did you make any progress while I was gone?"

"Yes! We managed to interpret some of the hints you left and made some progress!"

Elder Golda, like a proud child, showed me a large object placed to the side.

It still looked a bit rough, but with a little more work, it could be a fine piece.

"Is... Is this the finished product, Master?"

An elderly dwarf elder, unable to contain his curiosity, asked cautiously. The others, though silent, were clearly curious too.

"Oh, this? It turned out better than I expected."

I placed the two bundles of cloth I was carrying, and their exclamations began.

"Ooh!"

"Is this the completed masterpiece of the Thousand Nights?"

"It's finally done!"

Their exhausted appearances from the intense research had vanished.

"Master! Show us quickly!"

"Indeed..."

Unwrapping the cloth, I revealed two swords that glowed faintly, without sheaths.

The Hongdan, with a faint red glow, and the Cheongdan, with a blue glow.

Just looking at them gave a chilling sense of their sharpness.

"Ooh..."

"Unbelievable! The swords are glowing on their own..."

"Is this truly a weapon crafted by a master?"

They knelt in awe, some even shedding tears.

"To see such a masterpiece... To see something so incredible made from the materials I provided! I can die without regrets now!"

"Me too!"

"Ooh... Look at that fine form!"

It was indeed impressive. By any blacksmith's standards, it was a rare masterpiece, and for knights, it would be a sword worth trading their lives to wield.

The dwarves, sensing the strange power within the swords, wanted to ask about their abilities, but I didn't give them the chance.

"I need to rest a bit."

"Cough!"

"Sorry, Master."

Even as they apologized, they couldn't hide their desire to examine the swords.

* * *

In the end, I collapsed.

When I regained consciousness, a day had passed. Despite my body recovering, the mental exertion from crafting the swords had left me exhausted.

I fell asleep so deeply that it was almost as if someone had carried me away.

Of course, I did sleep very comfortably.

After that, I began teaching the dwarves knowledge that would help them recreate the new artifact, spending my time leisurely.

"Master! Isn't this part too weak?"

"No, you need to lower the temperature of the fire. Metals with the strength and mana affinity of mithril or higher require adjusting the fire's temperature to avoid damage."

"Ah, I see..."

"Also, Elder Romdi, don't force the grain. Let it flow naturally, like water."

"Like... this?"

"A bit softer."

"Ah! I see! Thank you, Master! Hahaha!"

They were the leaders of a dwarf village, skilled craftsmen.

Though not all were elders, most were recognized for their exceptional skills.

They were proud individuals, but once they put aside their pride, they were incredibly passionate, like beginners holding a hammer for the first time, their eyes full of enthusiasm.

Teaching them something new was both interesting and rewarding.

Dwarves, known for their hot tempers and stubbornness, were also very clear about debts of gratitude.

This project had created a significant debt for them.

The more they thanked me, the more I could gain from them, making it a good deal.

-That's not the real reason.

'Pretending to teach and taking it easy, how nice.'

-You have a relaxed nature.

'Taking a break when the opportunity arises, living comfortably and well-fed, that's the way to go.'

-If you had a body, it would be nice.

For some reason, I imagined her lying around all day, sipping fruit drinks if she had a body.

I heard about the estate's situation daily through the communication orb from Bernil, the steward, so there was no real cause for worry.

The estate needed about a month to run smoothly, so even if I were there, I'd probably just be staring at the sky.

Thanks to the techniques I taught, the second phase of the new artifact's creation went smoothly, and the massive sword, the core of the artifact, began to take shape.

While I created the basic core and framework, the rest was crafted by their skills, so their pride and satisfaction must have been immense.

To them, it was more than just a simple tool; it was a symbol of the dwarves' spirit.

Recreating the artifact with their own hands must have been an extraordinary joy.

A short distance from the dwarves' living area, there was a high rocky cliff with a good view of the surroundings.

This was the path the yellow rock tribe's craftsmen took to gather firewood, and it was also a perfect spot for enjoying the scenery, whether by chance or design.

What do I mean?

It's a great place to set up a hammock in a nearby tree and spend the day relaxing.

"Thank you, Master. Though we dwarves are known for our hot tempers, we are clear about debts of gratitude. I will never forget this kindness, even in death."

While enjoying the scenery and munching on a fruit similar to a date, someone approached and handed me a peculiar ceramic bottle.

It was Elder Golda, the highest elder of the yellow rock tribe.

"Ah, Elder Golda."

"This is... a drink my brother cherished, but I heard you like drinks."

After creating the Cheongdan and Hongdan, I had been teaching the dwarf craftsmen various techniques, and quite some time had passed.

During the day, I taught them, and at night, we drank and bonded.

The dwarves, though human, respected me for my knowledge and the lifeline I provided, treating me with great kindness.

Of course, winning the drinking contest against the legendary drinker, Elder Golda, also earned me their respect.