Chương 35: Puppet and Protector ( 35 )

"Alright… time to test this knight's ability. Ehehe," Javier muttered, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

In the open field near his workshop, Javier held his sword at the ready. The puppet knight stood tall, hand resting on the hilt of its sheathed sword, motionless yet imposing.

"Command: Defend yourself!" Javier declared.

The puppet knight sprang to life, drawing its sword in a fluid motion. Javier dashed forward, swinging his blade toward its torso.

Clang!

The puppet expertly parried the attack. Javier grinned. "Nice reflexes! This is impressive!"

Suddenly, a sharp voice echoed across the field.

"Young master!! Get back!!!"

"Huh?" Javier blinked, turning toward the source.

Before he could respond, Liana appeared like a whirlwind, her dual blades glinting in the sunlight as she charged at the puppet knight.

"Liana, wait—!" Javier tried to stop her, but she was already in full combat mode.

Her first slash met the puppet's raised sword, parrying the attack with precision. Undeterred, Liana followed with a powerful kick, but the puppet blocked with its shield.

Narrowing her eyes, her calm demeanor shifted to fierce determination. Her magic flared, enhancing her speed and strength.

"You won't lay a hand on the young master!" she declared, drawing a sleek bow from her maid's dress. Charging it with magic, she unleashed a volley of glowing arrows.

The puppet raised its shield, deflecting the barrage, though faint cracks began to form.

"Whoa… I didn't know she was this capable," Javier muttered, crouching at a safe distance. "Dual blades, magic buffs, and a magic bow? Ehehe, this is getting interesting."

Liana infused her magic into her next attack. "Fire Arrow!" she shouted, releasing a blazing projectile that pierced through the puppet's shield, shattering it before slamming into the knight's chest. The puppet staggered, its armor dented and scorched.

As the dust settled, Liana stood ready, eyes locked on the puppet. "Young master, stay back! I'll handle this intruder!"

Unfazed, Javier casually walked toward the puppet knight, circling it to inspect the damage.

"Ohhhh… there's a lot of damage," he muttered, examining the cracked joints and dented armor.

"Young master!" Liana called, Panicked.

"Liana.What do you think of my puppet knight?"

Liana froze, her glowing blades still poised for attack. "Your… puppet knight?"

"Yup! I built it myself. Cool, huh?"

Liana slowly lowered her weapons, disbelief washing over her. "...You mean to tell me I've been fighting your creation this whole time?"

"Yeah. And honestly? You did some serious damage." Javier gestured at the knight's shattered shield and the big hole in its armor. "I'm impressed. Didn't know you could go all-out like that. Ehehe."

Liana sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead. "Young master… you could've told me before I nearly destroyed it."

"But where's the fun in that?" Javier teased.

Liana gave him a flat look before sighing again. " Young master...."

"Aw, come on, Liana. Admit it—you were having fun too."

Liana sheathed her blades, shaking her head with a faint smile. "You're lucky it's well-built… otherwise, you'd be rebuilding your puppet knight from scratch."

"Ehehe, I'll take it as a chance to improve. But for now…" Javier turned back to the puppet. "Time for some repairs."

Liana sighed again, this time with a softer expression, as she followed him back to the workshop.

Inside the cozy confines of Javier's workshop, Liana sat on a plush cushion, reading book. The quiet hum of magic filled the air as her young master repaired the damaged puppet knight.

Liana glanced up, her curiosity piqued by the sight of Javier hands glowing with mana as he skillfully used advanced crafting magic.

"Young master," she called softly, "I didn't realize you were capable of such advanced crafting magic."

Javier, engrossed in his work, chuckled. "Ehehe, there's a lot you don't know about me, Liana."

He leaned closer to the puppet's chest, reinforcing damaged joints and repairing cracked armor.

"Lucky your fire arrow didn't hit the mana crystal and the core at the same time. Ehehe," he teased, glancing at her with a grin.

Liana raised an eyebrow, folding her arms. "Next time, you should tell me before testing something so dangerous, young master."

Javier scratched the back of his head, still smiling. "Yeah, yeah. I'll keep that in mind. Now… let's see. This part needs improvement… and here too. Oh, and the shattered shield definitely needs to be rebuilt."

As he continued his repairs, jotting notes on parchment, Liana sighed and returned to her book, though her ears remained tuned to him.

"Hey, Liana?" Javier asked suddenly.

"Yes, young master?"

"Do you think a puppet knight like this could fight an army? You know, soldiers and warriors?"

Liana set her book down, tilting her head thoughtfully. "It depends. If the army is made up of people stronger than me, it might not stand a chance at all."

"Hmmm…" Javier tapped his chin, his playful smile fading into contemplation. "I guess I need better materials. Stronger ore. Something more durable."

His grin returned. "Well, for now, I'll focus on crafting new gear—swords, shields, daggers, and blades. I can sell them to make more money. Ehehehe!"

Liana sighed again, this time with a faint smile. "Just don't overwork yourself, young master."

Javier nodded, already lost in his next idea. His excitement was infectious, and despite her initial annoyance, Liana couldn't help but admire his determination.

"Eheheheheheheheh…"

Liana glanced up from her book and rolled her eyes. Her young master grinned like an evil mastermind, hands on his hips as he admired the piles of weapons and armor he had just crafted.

The workshop was now filled with an impressive array of swords, shields, daggers, and full sets of armor. Each piece glinted under the soft glow of the magic lamps, showcasing intricate designs and superior craftsmanship.

"What do we need to do with all this… pile of weaponry and armor?" Liana asked, setting her book aside.

"Sell it, of course! Ehehe!" Javier replied.

Liana sighed, rubbing her temple. "Do you even know how much it'll cost to transport all this to the buyers?"

"Huh? We can just load it all into my magic storage. Easy!"

"And?"

"And then we ride our Pekko to town and sell it all to Old Man Orrim!"

Liana raised an eyebrow. "The same dwarf blacksmith who bought the monster body from you before?"

"Exactly!" Javier pointed as if he'd just solved the mysteries of the universe.

Liana let out another sigh, shaking her head. "Just… make sure you don't put the Viscount emblem or any signature on the weapons. The last thing we need is people asking questions about where all this came from."

"Ehehehe… Don't worry, I won't!" Javier assured her with a mischievous grin.

She crossed her arms, giving him a skeptical look. "I mean it, young master. No family crests, no identifying marks."

"I promise, Liana. I'll be discreet," he said, waving off her concerns.

Javier turned back to his weapons, already daydreaming about the gold he'd soon be swimming in. "Ehehehe… soon, I'll be richer than Father. Then I can buy whatever I want… maybe even more Pekko!"

Despite herself, Liana couldn't help but chuckle softly. "Just don't forget that wealth attracts attention, young master. The kind we don't need."

"By the way, Liana…" Javier began, a mischievous edge in his tone.

Liana sighed, bracing herself. "What now, young master?"

"Let's go visit Old Man Orrim! I'm going to sell these weapons and armor to him."

As he spoke, he waved his hand over the workshop, making the piles of swords, shields, and armor vanish into his magic storage with a faint shimmer. Finally, with a flick of his wrist, he stored away the puppet knight as well.

"I'm sure Old Man Orrim will buy all of these!" he declared, practically bouncing with excitement. "I remember him saying he needed more supplies. Ehehehe…"

Liana stood up, smoothing out her dress. "I suppose there's no stopping you once you've made up your mind."

"Exactly!" Javier flashed her a charming smile. With a playful tone, he added, "Don't worry, Liana. You'll get a share too. "

She raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "And what would I do with this so-called 'share'?"

"Anything you want!" he said, undeterred. "Maybe some fancy tea leaves? Or an elegant elf-made hairpin? Consider it a thank-you for always putting up with me."

Liana laughed softly despite herself. "Fine, young master. Let's just hope this little venture of yours doesn't attract too much attention."

( End of Chapter )