Chương 27: Promising request
Klauss and Gregor trekked through the dense forest, the journey taking nearly an hour as they ventured deeper into the heart of the mountains. The towering trees created an impenetrable canopy, blocking out the majority of sunlight, and the uneven terrain posed a challenge to their progress.
As they entered the thick forest, Klauss marveled at the realization that discovering this place on his own would have been a monumental task, if not an impossible one. The sheer density of the forest seemed inconceivable until he found himself amidst its labyrinthine expanse.
Fate must be on his side as Klauss coincidentally found Gregor.
Gregor, providing insights into the origin of this hidden sanctuary, explained that his grandpa had stumbled upon this forest during his younger days. It served as his secluded haven, a place where he could disappear without a trace.
The dense foliage served as a natural shield, keeping the secret refuge hidden from prying eyes. As they delved further, the forest began to reveal its secrets.
Within the depths of the foliage, they stumbled upon a sizable hut, inconspicuously nestled amid the towering trees. Its construction seemed almost symbiotic with the surroundings, blending seamlessly with the natural elements.
Smoke billowed gracefully from a chimney, a subtle sign of life within the secluded abode. The craftsmanship of the hut spoke volumes about the person who inhabited it—someone with an intimate understanding of the forest's rhythms and a desire for solitude.
As Klauss approached, he couldn't help but admire the rustic charm of the hidden dwelling, a testament to the resilience and resourcefulness required to thrive in such a remote locale. He pondered if "the whispering bladesmith" was behind such a construction.
To the side of the hut stood a separate structure - a workshop by the look of it. The rhythmic clang of metal striking metal rang out from within, bolstered by the occasional grunt.
As Klauss and Gregor drew closer, the source of the commotion came into view. A short, stocky old man stood bathed in the fiery glow of a raging forge, hammering away at an unseen project.
Even from a distance, Klauss could make out his weathered complexion and the deep creases that lined his furrowed brow.
Gregor hesitated, fidgeted nervously as his eyes darted from Klauss back to the workshop. Breaking the tense silence, he croaked, "That's my grandfather, Eulji."
Klauss raised an eyebrow, his gaze still fixed on the elderly weaponsmith hard at work over the blistering forge.
"Let's not keep him waiting then," Klauss remarked, his tone laced with amusement. Striding towards the workshop entrance with Gregor scrambling to keep up, Klauss cleared his throat loudly.
The abrupt noise cut through the hypnotic rhythm of metal striking metal. The hammering ceased and Eulji slowly turned to face the unexpected visitors, annoyance etched across his wrinkled visage.
"You took your sweet time boy! And who the hell is this you brought along?" Eulji spat, gesturing at Klauss with his hammer.
"Sorry grandpa! This man saved me from some bears earlier. His name's Klauss," Gregor piped up before Klauss could respond. At the mention of the bear attack, Eulji's scowl softened ever so slightly as he looked Klauss up and down.
"Hmmm, doesn't look like much to me. Well? Out with it boy! What do you want?" Eulji demanded, crossing his arms against his stained leather apron. Without waiting for a reply, Eulji then shuffled towards a cluttered workbench, wiping his hands on a rag.
The workshop, filled with an array of tools, unfinished blades, and peculiar contraptions, spoke volumes about the old weaponsmith's lifelong dedication to his craft.
Gregor faltered, intimidated by his grandfather's brusque manner. Sensing his hesitation, Klauss stepped forward, meeting Eulji's scrutinizing glare with an amused smile playing at his lips.
"I've come seeking your skills as a master weaponsmith, though it appears I've caught you at a bad time," Klauss declared, his voice firm and unwavering and his eyes lazily surveying the disheveled workshop around them.
Eulji huffed fiercely at the perceived insult. "Watch your tongue, boy! I'll have you know there's not a weaponsmith alive who can match my talents!"
To emphasize his point, Eulji snatched a freshly forged dagger from the anvil and hurled it at the wall near Klauss's head with startling speed. The knife buried itself up to the hilt in the weathered timber, quivering from the force of impact.
Klauss didn't even flinch, though a dangerous glint flickered in his eyes. "Impressive. But as I was saying, I have need of your skills for a special job that will amaze you. Of course, I intend to make it worth your while," he continued smoothly.
At the mention of compensation, Eulji perked up. "I don't do commissions anymore. Too old for all that nonsense," he grumbled, though Klauss sensed the reluctance in his tone.
Unfazed, Klauss reached into his coat and extracted a box containing six bottles of soju from his dimensional bag.
The old man marveled at the display and sneered, "Hmm, I see you possess a dimensional bag. You arrogant brat, you think that will impress me?"
Klauss smirked and replied boldly, "I've come to do just that, although it's just the beginning. I brought a fine alcohol to smooth the negotiations. Perhaps we could discuss this further over a drink and some grilled bear meat?" Klauss suggested slyly.
In a calculated move, Klauss presented himself as a young man who understood his grandfather and his cravings. It was a setup that no elderly person could resist.
As if on cue, Gregor hastened off to gather firewood, while Eulji grunted in approval, snatching three metal cups from his cluttered workbench.
Eulji eyed the bottles of soju, a glint of nostalgia flickering in his gaze. The offer had struck a chord, awakening memories long dormant. Klauss could sense the subtle change in the old man's demeanor, an acknowledgment of shared experience.
"Hmm, so you've got a taste for the good stuff, eh?" Eulji remarked, his gruffness giving way to a hint of camaraderie. "I haven't indulged in a proper drink in ages."
Soon enough, the unlikely trio were seated around a crackling fire just outside the workshop. The aroma of sizzling bear meat filled the air as Klauss recounted the earlier showdown, much to Eulji's amusement.
Biting into a hunk of tender meat, Eulji chuckled. "Didn't think you had that kind of fight in ya, pretty boy!"
The negotiations continued late into the evening, lubricated by copious amounts of alcohol. Klauss outlined the commission - an exquisite longsword forged from a rare metal called orichalcum, capable of resonating with mana. He emphasized the need for absolute secrecy given the special nature of the materials involved.
Eulji listened intently, captivated by the challenge being offered yet wrestling with his earlier vow to retire. Eulji contemplated lengthy as the opportunity to work such a rare metal came once in a lifetime.
After his lengthy explanation, Klauss turned his piercing gaze to Eulji and posed the question directly: "Will you accept this commission, old man?"
The ensuing silence hung heavy over the flickering firelight. Eulji stared hard into the dancing flames, taking two shots of soju back-to-back as he weighed the proposal over in his mind.
At long last, he slammed the empty cup down forcefully.
"Bah! As tempting as it sounds, these old bones just ain't what they used to be. Can't be taking on such immense projects anymore," Eulji declared firmly, much to Klauss's poorly concealed frustration.
Sensing the negotiations crumbling, Gregor perked up unexpectedly.
"I'll do it! I can make the sword instead, Grandpa!"
Eulji erupted with raucous laughter that echoed through the remote immensely dense forest.
Wiping tears of levity from his eyes with a grubby hand, he snickered, "This wet-behind-the-ears apprentice thinks he can take on such an ambitious commission? I haven't even taught him the really complex stuff yet!"
Gregor's face burned red but he held Klauss's scrutinizing gaze unflinchingly. "You said it yourself, I'm learning faster than you ever did! Give me a chance...please?"
Eulji's laughter subsided into residual chuckles as he critically inspected his earnest grandson. Eventually he shrugged and turned to address Klauss once more.
"The boy ain't wrong. He's got real talent, especially for his age. Much more talent than I ever had at his age. I'll oversee everything of course - can't have him messing this up!"
Here, Eulji batted Gregor roughly on the shoulder, provoking a grimace from the flustered youth. "With my guidance, he might just pull this off. So what'll it be, pretty boy?"
Klauss leaned back, fingers steepled in consideration as he silently processed this new development. This was not how he had envisioned negotiations unfolding.
Entrusting his ambitious project to a mere boy seemed ludicrous, yet Eulji's assurances gave him pause for consideration. Sensing no other viable options before him, Klauss conceded.
"Very well. I accept your proposition on one condition - if the sword meets my expectations, the boy comes to work exclusively under my service," Klauss stated bluntly, fixing Gregor with an intense stare that betrayed the scheming behind his icy blue eyes.
Eulji bursted loudly into laughter once more, the echoes amplifying the absurdity of the terms being set before him.
Slapping his thigh vigorously, he exclaimed, "You hear that boy? This arrogant bastard here thinks you'll be his property if you pull this off, that is! I ought to cuff you for even suggesting such a thing."
He then directed a scornful glare at Klauss before returning his attention to his nervous grandson.
"Well the choice is yours, boy. Think you can handle it?" Eulji challenged with a raised bushy eyebrow. Gregor hesitated, uncertainty written across his young features as he glanced from his grandfather's expectant visage to Klauss's unnervingly calm expression.
Swallowing hard, the apprentice weaponsmith timidly nodded his assent.
Eulji's weathered face split into a proud grin beneath his scraggly beard. He stood swiftly, swaying slightly from the alcohol's influence.
"It's settled then! We'll begin at first light. The forge won't fire itself up after all. You can sleep in the barn, pretty boy!" With that, he tromped off towards the ramshackle hut, humming an off-key tune to himself.
Gregor fidgeted awkwardly looking at Klauss as he gathered up the empty bottles in silence. As he moved to follow his eccentric grandfather, Klauss's voice froze him in his tracks.
"I'll be stopping by each week to check your progress. I expect nothing short of perfection, boy. Tell your grandfather I won't be spending the night."
The quiet threat in Klauss's tone sent an involuntary shiver down Gregor's spine. He managed a weak nod before scurrying off into the darkness, leaving Klauss to ponder the unpredictable turns of fate alone by the dying embers of the firelight.
As the night wrapped the dense forest in its shadows, Klauss seamlessly slipped away from the flickering firelight, moving with the grace of a phantom. Silent as the night itself, he navigated through the foliage, leaving no trace of his passage.
The moonlight cast dappled patterns on the forest floor as he swiftly returned to the base of the mountains where the car was parked. What had taken hours to ascend now melted away in mere minutes as he descended with almost supernatural speed.
Aisha, blissfully lost in the realm of dreams in the driver's seat, remained oblivious to Klauss's silent return. The rustling leaves masked his footsteps as he smoothly opened the car door and settled into the passenger seat.
Aisha, suddenly awakened by his presence, looked at him wide-eyed.
"Klauss! You scared me! You took longer than I ever expected. What the hell?" she exclaimed, a mixture of surprise and relief in her eyes.
Klauss, his expression an enigma, merely nodded. "Let's go, Aisha. We have one more place to visit before heading home – the shopping mall. I need some new clothes."
The night enveloped them as they navigated the winding roads, heading back to the city's shimmering lights. It was 7:17 pm when Klauss entered the car. He spent nearly 10 hours in the mountains…
Tình trạng nguồn điện hàng tuần
-- Xếp hạng
Quyền lực 
-- Đá
Quyền lực