episode_0013

Wherever he went, there were people, people. Sihyuk bit his lower lip slightly in impatience.

It was the first time in my life that I had ever attended such a large event or been surrounded by so many people.

It was unfamiliar and confusing.

The venue was literally packed with people and was very noisy.

In an already crowded yard, employees from each guild and company were desperately trying to attract people’s attention and attract new customers, and the crowds of people there made it resemble a flea market.

‘It’s dizzy… .’

It wasn’t that it was bad.

Seeing all these people laughing, chatting, and having fun, there was an atmosphere that made even the quietest and most reserved person feel elated and lifted their spirits.

However, this only works for those who are ready to meet others and socialize with them.

For Si-hyuk, who had no intention of mixing in there, it was simply a tiring and uncomfortable place.

Not only was his personality what it was, but he was also a person who lived a life isolated from the secular world, having been secluded in the mountains.

Shihyuk secretly regretted coming here without any particular thoughts.

Of course, even if he had made some kind of resolution, it is hard to imagine that he, who is immature, would fit into that position, but at least it would be better than going in with only a sense of purpose and no clear plan like he is doing now.

The place he is now is the event hall in Building A. There were a total of six event halls, from Building A to Building F.

There were still five more event halls to visit, and he hadn’t even properly looked around Building A yet, but he was already exhausted.

The moment I set foot in the exhibition hall, I was already overwhelmed by the atmosphere. I had no intention of staying there any longer.

“Is there a separate place at the fair where the equipment of active Awakened players is displayed?”

So, Si-hyuk tried to escape to a place he was relatively familiar with.

Like a wild animal that hides in the darkness because it is afraid of bright lights, I had no choice but to run away from the uncomfortable place.

-.-.-

The place he was guided to was an annex built in a remote location between the event halls. When Shihyuk opened the door, a blast of dry air blew in.

The faint smell of iron wafting through the wind made Sihyuk feel like his stuffy stomach was being relieved.

“Welcome. Are you an Awakened One? Are you here to get back the weapon you submitted?”

A man who appeared to be the annex manager poked his head out from behind the desk.

“No. I came to see.”

“Oh, you came to see the view. Sorry for the misunderstanding. Before you enter, please sign these.”

All sorts of papers poured out, including consent forms for accessing personal information, memoranda of obligation to protect theater exhibits, and confirmation forms for entry and exit lists.

The piled up paper was already as thick as a book.

“We ask for the understanding of those who are active in the field as guilds or individuals, and the procedures are complicated as we are temporarily lending equipment used for the festival and displaying it.”

“There may be unexpected theft or damage, and sometimes people may try to steal the manufacturing know-how of the guild that created the equipment.”

The manager opened his mouth as if making an excuse, perhaps embarrassed by Shihyuk’s gaze directed at the stack of documents.

While Si-hyuk nodded and carefully read each document and signed them, the manager continued his explanation.

“That is why, in order to prevent problems in advance, the exhibition hall has to be located quite far away from the event venues. If there is a lot of floating population, it is difficult to respond in case of an accident. That is why there are few people who come to see it.”

There was a reason why the exhibition hall was set up so far away from the expo.

Above all, there are so many things to eat, see, and enjoy outside, but not many people will make the trek all the way here.

Considering the complicated procedures that Shihyuk was going through, there was a reason why there were so few people in the exhibition hall.

“It’s such a shame. I think that a place like this is necessary to sympathize with and understand the Awakened Strategy players, as they work hard to protect the country by running around dangerous external dimension gates. Of course, Awakened Strategy players don’t do unpaid volunteer work, and their personal income is not small, but many people don’t know how dangerous their work is. I personally wish more people would visit, but it’s not easy.”

The manager sighed deeply. He seemed to feel frustrated with those who did not recognize or care about the efforts of the Awakened, unlike himself who deeply sympathized with them and cheered them on.

There were sometimes people like this, people who took off their shoes and worked to improve the awareness of the Awakened in order to appeal to their devotion.

In that sense, the position of manager of this exhibition hall may be his calling.

There was nothing particularly wrong with what the manager said.

Of course, the awakened people of modern society usually have more recognition than celebrities.

Even among the Awakened, there are some who are active in the entertainment industry, and there are rare cases where the Awakened Guild receives a law firm and transforms into a large entertainment agency.

But not all of them were popular and loved by the public.

Just as there are actors who are recognized for their acting skills and who work with the best directors and films, there are also unknown actors who disappear without a sound in Chungmuro.

Even among the Awakened, only a very small number of them receive the public spotlight, those who possess powerful abilities that are evaluated as A-class to S-class.

There were Awakened people who were active at low levels and did not receive attention due to lack of given abilities and talents.

Even though the power of the gate was reduced after the incident, the awakened members of the strategy series were those who actually made a living fighting monsters. The level of risk was different from that of general sports where a certain level of safety was guaranteed.

They were people who truly risked their lives.

In that sense, it was clear that improving the awareness of the awakened members of the strategy series was necessary to some extent. For Sihyuk, who was not moved by the spirit of resonance and the fame of one’s own body, it didn’t really hit home, but he felt that it could be possible.

… The manager, who realized belatedly that he had been too noisy, blushed in embarrassment.

“Oh, it’s been a while since I’ve had a visitor, so there was a lot of chatter. Please give me the signed documents and then enter.”

“No, that was a good point.”

The manager, who had checked the documents handed over by Shihyuk, opened the door to the exhibition hall with a smile. After calming down his heart that was trembling with anticipation, he walked toward the entrance.

-.-.-

When ordinary people look at the Awakened’s equipment, they usually first look at the flashy items. Since they are people who will never go beyond the gate to fight, it may be natural in a way.

A sword with a few teeth missing, a hammer with a slightly bent handle, or a shield with scratches on it would all seem like used goods to them.

Shihyuk felt truly sorry.

‘I don’t understand why there is no one looking for such a great place.’

There are people who don’t visit the exhibition hall even though they can see such a wonderful sight.

Of course, his perspective was entirely that of a blacksmith, so it was different from that of an ordinary person.

How many people would come all the way here and go through all the hassle of going to an exhibition hall instead of an amusement park-like event venue where they can just enter?

It wouldn’t happen unless you’re a weirdo like Sihyuk.

However, because of this, Sihyuk, who felt burdened by people, was able to freely move around this small and quiet space and view the exhibits more comfortably than ever.

The equipment on display was not at a level that suited his fancy.

If you pick up any of the things he’s made right now, a hundred out of a hundred of them will be overwhelmingly his.

But unlike his works that were just sleeping in the workshop, these were items that had proven their performance in actual combat. This was also quite enjoyable to look at.

Shihyuk’s eyes sparkled with innocence and purity, like a child receiving a Christmas present.

Even so, they are items. There are occasional [rare grade equipment], but most of them are [common grade equipment], and there is not a single item that reaches [unique].

It was a big deal. Even if he was a blacksmith by nature, it was just something like that. It was not something for him, who rarely expressed his emotions, to be this excited.

Why?

A third-rate blacksmith would only think of the parts that need to be repaired when looking at the flaws in the items.

A first-class blacksmith would look at the grain of an item and think of ways to reinforce or replace it.

A blacksmith who is called a ‘Meister’ will be able to see all the flaws in items and even understand their users to some extent.

So what does he see when he stands at the pinnacle of blacksmithing, transcending the limits of what can be expressed in words? Why does it make him so happy?

The answer was in his thoughts as he looked at the equipment.

‘That claymore wielder was quite inexperienced when he first started out. He didn’t hold the handle properly, but only the tip, which caused a lot of damage to his body. He must have had a hard time in his first fight. However, he gradually got used to fighting and developed his own style. He was the most active in the most recent battle.’

‘The tower shield next to it is owned by a skilled user. Judging from the skill with which it handles the shield, it seems that it has already changed its equipment several times. However, it does not seem to have fought many battles, but the accumulated damage is severe, so the user’s personality must be quite hot-tempered and aggressive.’

‘What about the staff? Indeed, the handle is quite worn, but there is no major damage, so the owner seems to be taking good care of the equipment. However, it is severe. They are only pursuing a perfect victory to the level of paranoia. It feels like they are afraid of challenges and are only content with familiar battles.’

He went beyond simply looking at the equipment and identifying its users, and was reading the memories engraved on the equipment, from the most distant past to the most recent.

From the small scratches on the equipment to the parts that were covered up by repairs and reinforcements, it is to identify every single detail and draw the entire scene in your mind.

It’s like taking an old diary out of a bookshelf and reading it, thinking back to those days,

Shihyuk was reproducing every single move of the owners of the equipment in his head as if he had seen and experienced it right there in that fierce scene. As if he was watching a 4D movie, he was moved by the emotions, experiences, bitter failures, and ultimately brilliant glory that the owners had felt.

It was an absurd feat and skill that was beyond the realm of psychometry, which reads fragmentary memories, and was truly worthy of being called a miracle.

Shihyuk walked slowly and looked at the exhibits. He savored each and every one of the salty, sometimes bitter, and sweet human dramas that were a mixture of comedy and tragedy.

And when his gaze fell on the rapier hanging at the very end of the exhibition hall, he unconsciously clicked his tongue.

‘You’ve met the wrong owner.’