Ikael was gradually losing his patience.
“Old man, you clearly promised me, didn't you? You said that if I caught the crows, you'd forge the Demon Sword for me.”
Yet what Ikael had received was a raw, unworked Demon Sword that was no more than a lump of scrap iron.
It was no wonder that Ikael was suspicious.
“I'm telling you clearly, old man. I won't take the same joke twice.”
Denta shrieked.
“What are you talking about!! I have lived with a sword in my hand longer than I have with a rice spoon! When it comes to what sword should be handed to whom, I know it at a glance!”
“Could you explain it in a way I can understand?”
Ikael was gradually losing his patience.
“So, the finest sword is right here!”
Denta pointed a finger at Ikael.
“The finest sword. It is right here.”
To Denta, the finest sword of all was Ikael, who would shine in the future.
The moment Ikael cut down the demonic beast crow, Denta had clearly witnessed hot Aura erupting like a volcano.
It had been more dazzling than any Aura he had seen before.
‘I do not know why Recrit's Young Master uses hot Aura, but it is undoubtedly a tremendous power. It is enough to make me fear what Young Master Ikael will be like when he becomes an adult.’
Denta decided to place his expectations on Ikael.
The expectation that Ikael would one day become the true master of the seventh Demon Sword.
BANG! BANG!
For that reason, Denta was more careful than ever when forging the seventh Demon Sword.
‘I processed and refined the Demon Swords of Recrit's other siblings as much as possible. The impure energy that might remain in a Demon Sword could become poison.’
Even if one was Recrit, one might instead be devoured by the weapon.
A Demon Sword was that dangerous.
‘But Young Master Ikael might manage it.’
Denta sensed that the demonic energy overflowing from the Demon Sword would become Ikael's weapon someday.
That was why he refined only Ikael's seventh Demon Sword as little as possible.
Denta added one final remark for Ikael.
“The stronger you become, the more the Demon Sword will reveal its true form. Now, this fellow is your right arm.”
When Ikael understood those words, he would grasp true strength.
***
BANG, BANG, BANG!
“Hee hee hee!”
For a while, Denta did nothing but hammer away and laugh like a madman.
He was going to make good treasures for Ikael.
“This is all thanks to Young Master Ikael! You caught so many crows for me!”
The crows Ikael had caught lay scattered everywhere.
Their talons, teeth, and feathers were all extraordinarily good materials.
Denta was overjoyed as he made treasures.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
“Old man, I appreciate it, but could you go a little easier? I am a patient.”
“Hmph, Young Master, you are a swordsman before you are a patient! Please endure it.”
‘Hmm.’
Denta was not wrong.
Watching all kinds of treasures being made, Ikael felt as though his pain had somehow dulled.
‘All of that is mine.’
An ordinary swordsman would find it difficult even to touch Denta's treasures once.
Yet Denta had stepped forward first to make treasures for Ikael.
He could not help but be delighted.
Denta had been deeply impressed by Ikael's battle and wanted to return the favor with treasures.
After hammering away for several days, the dazzling treasures were complete.
Helmets, armor, shields, and weapons.
“Here, what do you think?”
‘Wow.’
Ikael marveled inwardly.
The sight of treasures stacked all over the forge was dazzlingly beautiful.
Ikael summoned the knights and had them make carts.
Once Denta's treasures were loaded on them, there were no fewer than five carts.
Having obtained the Demon Sword and recovered to some extent, Ikael decided to return to Bronze Castle.
WHOOSH—
After swinging the Demon Sword a few times, Ikael cocked his head.
“What is it, Young Master? Is there a problem?”
“Old man, be honest. Even if you pretend otherwise, you put some sort of device in the Demon Sword, didn't you?”
“What are you talking about?”
“This Demon Sword is much lighter than before.”
Making a show of it, Ikael spun the Demon Sword once.
It was still heavy, but it was much better than before.
When he had first received the Demon Sword, he had needed to carry it on his shoulder.
“The sword became lighter?”
“Yes.”
Denta swallowed his surprise.
‘I did not put a device in the sword. It must be because Young Master has grown.’
A Demon Sword was not an ordinary piece of metal.
Depending on the user's level, it could feel endlessly heavy or light.
That was all the more true because it was the seventh Demon Sword.
‘In other words, Young Master Ikael has grown enough to feel the difference in a short time. This is remarkable.’
Denta wondered how far the eleven-year-old boy with silver hair could grow.
His hands itched so much that he wanted to make more treasures for Ikael.
Then Recrit's knights ran over and made a report.
“Young Master Ikael, preparations for teleportation are complete.”
“Good.”
The knights spread magic tools across the volcano and finished preparing for teleportation.
Ikael stepped onto them.
FLASH—
It was then that the magic circle began to activate.
“Wait, wait!”
Denta hurried over and handed Ikael a paper bag.
“Young Master, take this!”
“What is it?”
The bag contained shattered bone fragments from the demonic beast crow.
Denta spoke when Ikael looked as though he were wondering what he was supposed to do with them.
“Make soup with them. They are good for mending bones.”
“Ha, what a bizarre old man!”
Ikael laughed in disbelief.
“I will accept them gratefully!”
FLASH—
As Ikael's final words faded behind him, the magic circle gave off light.
Beyond it, Denta quietly bowed his head.
It was a gesture of respect toward Ikael, the youngest Young Master who might bring a new wind to Recrit.
***
The sight that greeted Ikael upon reaching Bronze Castle was truly a spectacle.
“Young Master Ikael!”
Servants and knights were lined up in droves, and the maids were even in tears.
“Thank heavens that you have returned so safely!”
“Why is everyone like this?”
“Do you know how worried we were?!”
The servants and knights breathed sighs of relief as though a dead man had returned.
Seeing their reaction, Ikael thought once more.
‘It was very good that I went to Bakuba Volcano.’
They had waited for Ikael with such anxiety. In other words, no one had expected anything from him.
‘From now on, it will be different.’
He had only just obtained one Demon Sword, yet people still saw Ikael as a sickly Young Master.
Ikael had no intention of standing for that any longer.
Then one servant pointed to the carts and asked Ikael.
“But, Young Master, what is all this?”
“They are gifts from Volcanic Blacksmith Denta.”
The servants and knights' eyes widened.
“What? He gave you all of this?”
“Who knows. Perhaps he had some left over after making soup.”
“…What?”
Ikael gave a vague excuse.
There was still something he had to do.
“Knights, take the treasures and follow me.”
“Young Master, you have come a long way. Will you not rest?”
“I am a knight of Recrit.”
“!”
Everyone sensed that something about Ikael had changed.
“First, I must pay my respects to the family head. Bring the treasures and follow.
Ikael's silver eyes shone like swords.
‘It is time to show them proudly.’
Ikael Pui Recrit.
It was time to proudly show that he was no longer the sickly youngest son.
People gathered when they saw Ikael's procession.
Ikael deliberately did not hurry his steps.
It was so that everyone in Bronze Castle could see him clearly.
“They say Young Master Ikael has returned!”
“What, really?”
“I thought he had really died!”
News that the sickly Young Master had returned safely caused a small ripple in Bronze Castle.
But Ikael was not merely safe.
‘He seems somewhat changed.’
Ikael's face remained so white it looked pale, but his confident expression was utterly different, as though he had put on a different helmet.
For some reason, he did not feel like the sickly Young Master they knew.
The sickly Young Master whom they had considered fortunate to return alive had come home in triumph, even carrying treasures.
With everyone watching him, Ikael walked forward, looking straight ahead.
‘Kairon Fel Recrit.’
Toward the place where he was.
***
CLACK. CLACK.
The cold sound of armor rubbing echoed through the corridors of Bronze Castle.
Kairon and the knights under his command were walking toward the grand council chamber.
“Family Head, shall we carry out the demonic beast subjugation at the southwestern cliffs as planned?”
“I believe it would be best to appoint a new lord to Ingetoa Island.”
Reports poured in with Kairon's every step.
Each one was a matter of great importance involving the fate of the territory and the continent, but to Recrit's family head, they were everyday affairs.
With a simple nod every so often, Kairon decided several fates.
Then a knight came running up and reported.
“Family Head, I have something urgent to report.”
“What is it?”
“Young Master Ikael has returned safely. He is heading to the Central Hall to greet the Family Head.”
‘Ikael?’
Kairon's steps stopped for a moment.
The last report Kairon had received said that Ikael's pendant had melted completely and Recrit's knights had hurried out to rescue Ikael.
After that, Kairon had put Ikael entirely out of his mind.
He had no further expectations.
Kairon gave a dry response.
“I see. Tell him he has worked hard.”
“However, Young Master Ikael has made a request.”
“A request?”
“He wishes to offer the treasures he brought from Bakuba Volcano to the Family Head.”
It was the first Kairon had heard of such a thing.
Kairon had neither ordered nor wanted treasures brought to him.
After thinking for a moment, Kairon turned around.
“I will go see Ikael.”
“Yes!”
CLACK— CLACK—
Numerous feet wearing military gear followed behind Kairon.
No one raised a question, but they all had the same thought inside.
‘The Family Head wishes to see Young Master Ikael…’
Kairon rarely took an interest in anyone.
Even his own children were no exception.
Especially Ikael.
Until recently, he had been the sickly Ikael who had been treated as though he did not exist.
CLACK— CLACK—
But now there was no hesitation in Kairon's steps.
Seeing that, the knights understood instinctively.
‘Something unusual is happening.’
A new wind, unlike any before, was blowing through Bronze Castle.
It was a new wind created by Ikael, Recrit's youngest son.
***
When Kairon reached the Central Hall, Ikael, who had been waiting, gave his greeting.
“Greetings, Family Head!”
Ikael's powerful voice echoed through the hall.
Kairon slightly raised his hand to accept Ikael's greeting.
“I have returned safely from Bakuba Volcano, Father.”
“Good.”
Kairon's eyes shifted to the treasure carts outside the door.
The treasures dazzled as though sunlight had been brought close.
Noticing his gaze, Ikael spoke.
“They are gifts from Volcanic Blacksmith Denta. I wish to offer them to you, Father.”
Ikael selected particularly fine items among Denta's treasures and presented them before Kairon.
‘It's not a waste.’
They were the foundation that would someday all return to him.
For now, it was much more valuable to imprint one thing on Kairon: his youngest son, Ikael, had changed.
An unreadable expression appeared on Kairon's face.