chapter 23
23. “Sincerity, Pleasure, Order, Extreme, Intercourse, Coitus, Press, Threesome…?”
“Hmm, is it finally revealed?”
Balkan, a dwarf artisan, wiped the sweat dripping from his forehead with a beige linen towel and peered through the noisy gallery window filled with various alarms.
The dropped hammer echoed with a thud on the floor.
Normally, the alarms would be filled with requests like “take my money!” and pleas for equipment to be made, but not now.
It was the unveiling of a new arena, achieved through cooperation with the enemy faction.
“More surprising than I thought, old man…”
What he had thought was a baggage carrier behind him moved, and a young girl peeked out.
Her snow-white hair flowed elegantly like silk, but Balkan, feeling as if he was seeing a snail, shook his head disapprovingly.
Ugh, looking at that attitude every day makes me want to die…
Why did I casually accept such a person as a contractor?
Regrets always come too late.
Now, regretting it is useless, and a contractor cannot be easily dismissed.
At one point, he had considered unilaterally terminating the contract despite the penalties…
But this girl, Penelope, exuded overwhelming talent, and even though Balkan inwardly marveled, he simply accepted her with a thought of “Hmm, she’s usable.”
In reality, he was deeply impressed.
If only I didn’t have such habits in my daily life, how much better it would be.
“Look at this old man. Instead of coming over to assist when I’m working hard, he doesn’t even think about it.”
“What are you talking about? Last time, you kicked me out, saying you couldn’t stand the sight of me.”
“That’s because you always bring weird things.”
Whether flying or crawling with medieval alchemy or any other technology, you can’t defeat a sword made of AISI standard 6150 carbon alloy steel. From the perspective of a dwarf, how can you look favorably upon someone who picks and chooses only topics that make your blood boil?
Just the fact that he didn’t swing the hammer on the head that only spouts nonsense, letting it slump down below the shoulders, is the epitome of patience.
Regardless, Penelope’s gaze was fixed on the gallery window.
“By the way, judging by grandpa’s tone, it seems like there was another arena.”
“Of course, I knew.”
Bulkan stroked his beard, reminiscing about the past.
“I made the frame that serves as the prototype for the boundary spell entering that planet. I was asked to make it by the Manager of the Ten Thousand Gates a while ago.”
“Huh?”
Penelope’s eyes widened at the unexpected fact.
“No, then why didn’t you say anything until now?!”
“If someone finds out, they might threaten me not to talk by putting a knife to my throat.”
Bulkan’s words were not cheap enough for him to blabber about things that weren’t asked. Yet, what could he do when the only contractor was this guy, who was making a fuss about a big, big event?!
Already accepted.
“By any chance… the advice not to sell the shares of the Administrative Office last time…?”
“Mum’s the word…”
Penelope couldn’t help but smile at Balkan’s silent appearance. Was this all part of the plan? She wondered. But then, he dove into the makeshift blanket like a pile of luggage.
It seemed that her contractor couldn’t resist and had sold himself out.
On the other hand, Balkan’s balance was soaring endlessly. No, it was akin to a rocket heading to the moon.
Balkan, who subtly smiled, assured that there would be no worry about lacking divine power for a while.
It seemed that, judging from the videos posted by the administration, he had properly built a barrier on the foundation he provided. In that case, it would be almost an impregnable fortress.
Honestly, she had thought it would be difficult since it was somewhat neglected, but whether the maintenance was done well by the South Branch or the administration poured massive divine power and rebuilt it behind the scenes, she couldn’t know for sure. Nevertheless, it was fortunate.
Internally, Balkan also pondered what he would do with his abundant free time if the arena didn’t open at all.
Although a substitute would appear someday, it was not the case now, so Balkan wanted to enjoy his own pastime.
The bundle of blankets where Penelope hid her body trembled for a moment, then her head popped out again, looking at Balkan.
“…So, do I have to participate there this time?”
“Were you thinking of not participating?”
“No, it’s just that a wealthy guy with overflowing divine power can casually buy points and do a little acting… Do you have any thoughts about accepting another contractor besides me? Uh, never mind!”
Balkan, who dealt a sweet blow to the annoying Penelope, raised his head.
“After seeing you once, it seems like even I’ve become picky. Hey….”
Why did such words exist?
He had tried a pair of $1,500 earphones and thought the sound quality was mediocre, but when he tried the recommended $300 ones, it was like the sound quality of a World War II radio.
In other words, Balkan’s words meant that there was no contractor who satisfied the elevated standards due to Penelope.
However…
“…It’s not that there isn’t.”
“Hmm?”
“Come to think of it, there was actually one that caught my eye.”
As Balkan drew his eyebrows, Penelope, who caught the gesture, became interested.
“What’s with that look? Was it really there?”
“Yeah, it caught my eye. If we weren’t under contract, I would have given your butt a good smack and kicked you out.”
Yoo Da-hee.
The contractor of the goddess of justice, Dike Astraia.
From her gaze to the accumulated karma within, she was a perfect delicacy in every aspect.
It was like looking at a well-tempered steel ingot that wouldn’t yield to any kind of hammering.
From the divine to the stern punishment for crossing the line.
“Hmm… It’s a shame, really a shame…”
Balkan’s wistful appearance made Penelope feel uneasy.
No, what kind of appearance could have led this inspiration to make such an expression?
“I really liked it, so I brought a Parashu.”
“What…! Isn’t that what your apprentice begged and begged you for?”
“What’s the use of letting someone unworthy have it?”
He might as well have used an elevator lift to take it rather than letting someone without the qualifications have it.
With curiosity burning to the tip of her tongue, Penelope asked Balkan.
“What’s her name?”
“Yoo Da-hee.”
“YOU DIED?”
Penelope’s face displayed an indescribable expression. What kind of name was that?
‘You died.’
It felt shockingly obscene, reminiscent of Park Seok-gil or f*ck-SUCK-KILL. How could a person’s name be so damn absurd?
Apart from that, Penelope’s forehead began to furrow upon hearing the name. Was it due to the pronunciation inspired by the Balkans? Perhaps, but perhaps not.
“Is this crazy guy for real?”
Thinking it might be a namesake, I searched and even shoved in a photo, but it seemed like I hadn’t mistaken anything.
“Yeah, it’s him.”
“Isn’t he just a pervert?”
Yudahee, the man who devoured gods. And it wasn’t just some innocent love mixed with affection between a contractor and a deity.
“True pleasure, ecstasy, orgasm, intercourse, copulation, press, threesome…?”
It was a bizarre rumor, circulating so wildly on the internet that it had become unrecognizable. Yet, searching Yudahee brought it all out so prominently.
“Ugh…!”
Maybe there was something slightly off about this inspiration junkie’s preferences… I thought, but apparently not.
Yudahee, Yudahee, Yudahee.
From Penelope’s perspective, who pursued pure love, he was an existence to be obliterated for sure…!
Somewhere, somehow, this guy, after playing around messily with goddesses,
‘Ah, now you guys are fed up.’
After declaring so, tossing it aside, there’s a feeling as if he would go on to play recklessly with other women, spreading beyond the photo.
Come to think of it, that might be true… No, it was certain.
Whether it’s a blonde troublemaker, a rascal breaking into the all-girls school, or a black exchange student moving into some suspicious neighboring house, positions like that would undoubtedly be there.
Penelope nodded.
Already in Penelope’s mind, Yudahee was recorded as such an outrageously chaotic existence.
“Yudahee, you are a creature that shouldn’t exist….”
“….You’re spouting weird delusions again.”
Balkan, sighing, handed over the work he had placed on the anvil to Penelope.
“Take it.”
It was the item Balkan had been working on for Penelope.
It was certainly an item impressive enough to be suitable for Parashu from before, but only within the category of an axe.
Considering all of Balkan’s works as weapons in their entirety, it might barely make it to the upper-middle class among them… but this was different now.
A perfect order-made.
Taking into account every detail of Penelope’s hand holding the sword, height, weight, gait, Balkan created a masterpiece for only one person after careful consideration.
In terms of ranking… in the upper class, it’s difficult to distinguish due to various unique abilities, but Balkan, who confidently guaranteed that it could easily be among the top three, threw the item.
Penelope seemed to have caught it with the handle of the thrown object, but a hand suddenly popped out and grabbed it.
It was Penelope’s pure white hair and the immaculate white sword that matched perfectly.
Penelope’s eyes shone brightly as she firmly held the smooth sword, seamlessly molded along the handle as if it had come out of a cast.
“This is… the way to surpass Yudahee…! Ilryun Sword…!”
The relentless Vulcan gripped Penelope’s head tightly.
Ugh!
Penelope’s ship… out of control! Under attack! Cracks in the hull… flooding won’t stop!
“Stop the nonsense and give it a name.”
Normally, a blacksmith attaches the name to the sword, but this one is exclusively for Penelope. A sword she chooses for her companion.
“Illyun… -gulp-.”
As Vulcan clenched his fist without saying a word, Penelope, seemingly regaining consciousness, stroked the blade of the sword and stood up completely.
Penelope, emerging from the blanket, revealed her figure at last.
From her shoulders down to her waist, white hair cascaded, and despite being hidden within it, her imposing chest proudly asserted itself.
As the white hair touched the sword, a strange resonance spread. Gently pushing it away to prevent the hair from being cut by the blade, it seemed like recognition of its owner.
“…..Varisada.”
Satisfied with the resonance, Penelope laughed as she caressed her sword, Varisada.
“I like Varisada.”
“Hmm…”
Not a bad name, Vulcan nodded.
Penelope, lifting Varisada, shouted with all her might.
“The blacksmith’s breath…! We’re going to cut through the night and reach Yuda, Varisada-!”
…But before she could finish speaking, Vulcan, with raised eyebrows, met her with silence beneath his dark honey-like gaze.
Thunk!
Penelope Ho, complete sinking due to ammunition explosion…!
Shhh…