Ch.22. First Blessing

‘It’s just a stupid dream.’

I realized it was a dream the moment I saw it. The giant’s skin had a dark blue glow as if made of steel, and its size was so overwhelming that just looking at it was intimidating.

It was so incredibly tall that I couldn’t take in its entire form at once. As I tilted my head back until my neck ached, the giant’s upper body came into view.

Its muscular body was sleek yet solid, like a wolf’s. Even Rex’s father, famous in the village for his large build, would look like a mere twig next to that massive figure.

My gaze eventually reached the giant’s face. It had an overall solemn impression, with golden light flowing like flames from its two eyes. Almost as if alive.

It was so enormous that the top of its head was caught in the middle of the clouds.

Rex had never heard of such a being existing in the world, let alone imagined one.

If such a giant took a single step, it would surely cause an earthquake across the world. A terrifying thought. With a weak human body, it would be impossible to stand against it in battle.

As I looked up at the giant with a mixture of awe and fear, a sudden piercing cold swept through my body. Shivering, I exhaled, and my breath came out in visible puffs.

Even during the terrible cold wave that hit the village when I was young, it wasn’t this cold. Rex reached for his collar to pull it tighter, then opened his eyes wide.

“Huh?”

With a metallic clang, my hand was blocked. It definitely wasn’t the sound that would come from the tunic I wore as pajamas.

Looking down, I discovered the source of the metallic sound was full plate armor. A knight’s armor made entirely of solid iron. I’d heard it was so rare that even many nobles didn’t possess it, and it was treated as a treasure.

Once, a knight had visited our village by chance. Even that knight only had arm guards and greaves, not a complete set of armor like this.

I don’t know how I’m wearing it in my dream when I’ve never even seen one before. But the unbearable cold and the chill emanating from the armor felt too real, as if this wasn’t a dream at all.

Come to think of it, my field of vision seems higher too. Maybe I’ve grown taller.

“This dream is so vivid.”

While I was at it, I placed my hand on the scabbard at my waist. I thought, when else would I get to touch a sword, the exclusive property of the upper class, if not in a dream?

[This is not a dream.]

Just as I was about to draw the long sword, Rex’s body froze at the majestic voice coming from somewhere far away. The voice echoed in multiple layers, as if reverberating from a mountaintop, and hearing it made my head go blank and my breath catch.

[Raise your head, young warrior.]

There was an irresistible power in that voice. As Rex looked up, the giant, which had clearly been standing still, was now looking down at him with eyes as intense as the sun.

As the overwhelmingly large giant gazed at him, Rex could only roll his eyes around before finally managing to speak.

“Um… hello?”

[Greetings. It’s been a long time, my warrior.]

Saying “It’s been a long time”? I’m seeing you for the first time, wouldn’t be a good response here.

Rex kept his mouth shut and stared intently at the giant’s chest area. He didn’t have the courage to meet the giant’s gaze.

I know this is all a dream, but even so, that giant was a terrifying being. It just feels too real.

[I told you, this is not a dream.]

The giant retorted as if it had clearly read Rex’s thoughts. Rex only desperately wished to wake up from his sleep. Right now, even that stinking house would seem comfortable.

If this wasn’t a dream, how could he be standing here when just moments ago he was lying in bed asleep? It made no logical sense.

[Warrior, this is your mental realm, but it also serves as a conduit for our meeting. It is a fabricated world, yet also an undeniable reality.]

The giant explained in a rather kind tone, as if answering Rex’s doubts.

‘Can it actually read my thoughts?’

[Yes. This space is a union of your mental realm and my domain, so we are essentially one and the same.]

“Gasp.”

Before the giant finished speaking, Rex covered his mouth with his hand, feeling goosebumps. He was glad he hadn’t thought anything unnecessary. He couldn’t even imagine what might happen if he accidentally angered the giant.

Reading others’ thoughts?

Well, since it’s a dream, nothing would be strange.

[I told you, it’s not a dream!]

The giant let out a deep sigh in an exasperated voice. The sound was so loud it was like thunder striking.

Rex awkwardly bowed his head.

“Um… I don’t understand what you’re saying. I’m an uneducated fellow. I’m sorry.”

[That’s enough. I suppose it’s understandable. Still, raising a vassal from scratch after they’ve already been fully trained is truly troublesome. But it can’t be helped. Warriors like you are rare.]

“…Pardon?”

[I’ll spare my words since you wouldn’t understand even if I explained. My warrior, remember only this. What you must do is simple. Fight, kill, and offer the lives and honor you take to me.]

The giant, who had been muttering to himself, suddenly bent his knee with an inexplicable sound. He slowly reached his hand toward Rex, and the sight was like a vast rocky mountain range charging forward on its own.

Rex unconsciously stepped back. But the giant’s grasp was faster, enveloping him.

[Since I have given you a task, a proper reward should follow. I shall bestow upon you the first blessing. This will help you fulfill your mission.]

As consciousness gradually blurred, a voice with a hint of laughter came from somewhere.

[My name is Kaordix. Remember well the name of the god you must serve. If you carry out your task smoothly, our next meeting will naturally follow.]

***

“Gasp! I thought I was going to die.”

Waking from sleep, Rex pushed away the blanket, gasping for breath. As he raised just his upper body, his bedding and clothes were soaked with cold sweat. As if he had suffered from nightmares all night.

This might be a nightmare too. Rex pushed back his sweat-soaked hair and got up from bed. Whether he had a strange dream or not, now that day had broken, there was a mountain of work to be done today.

“Got to do what needs to be done.”

Just as he was about to put on his coat and go outside, a sudden cold sensation touched his lower body. Wondering what it was, he pulled at his waistband to check, and to his surprise:

“……”

Pure white snow, without a speck of dirt, fell through a hole in his pants and dropped to the floor. Rex silently watched as the snow slowly melted into the floor.

The snow melted very slowly, as if saying: What you saw wasn’t a dream, so don’t ever forget it.

‘Now I don’t even know what’s what anymore.’

Rex went outside and picked up a wooden shovel.

Even as he headed toward the barn, the scene from the previous night flashed before his eyes. The vast snowy plain stretching to the edge of his vision, and the giant with fierce golden eyes. His final words.

Fight and kill. Offer the life and honor of your enemies.

What on earth did that mean?

Fight and kill? What exactly? Beasts? Was he meant to become a hunter?

If so, he could just inherit his father’s profession… While that would ensure his livelihood, it didn’t feel right.

Even now, he was desperate to escape this household—live here forever? He’d rather die.

Rex clicked his tongue as he looked at the pigs that had produced another generous pile of dung today.

Giants or whatever, the war with dung came first.

‘Huh?’

After finishing cleaning the barn and immediately starting to chop firewood, Rex tilted his head at an unusual sensation.

‘My body feels a bit lighter.’

Usually by now, his shoulder muscles would be aching, but now he felt nothing. Even after completing a full day’s work, his body felt light. It was strange even considering he was in his growth phase when height and muscle were developing.

‘Am I imagining it?’

Rex went to the stream where he always washed himself and immersed his body in the flowing water. Until yesterday, he had been shivering from the cold, forcing himself to clean his skin, but today it was surprisingly bearable. It was actually refreshingly pleasant.

‘Even though it’s spring, the weather shouldn’t be fully warm yet.’

Rex wore a puzzled expression but continued washing himself thoroughly.

‘Well, whatever. Good is good.’

After enough time had passed for the dust and filth clinging to his body to mostly disappear, something caught Rex’s eye as he was about to leave the stream.

A golden pattern reflected on the gently flowing water. Rex reached into the water to find the source of the light, but he could only feel a few pebbles.

When he looked down at his own body, suspecting the impossible, Rex had to revisit the thoughts he had dismissed earlier.

[Fight, kill. Offer the life and honor of your enemies.]

[I shall bestow upon you the first blessing.]

[This will help you fulfill your mission.]

A circular pattern, shining as bright as the sun, was clearly engraved on his left chest. The moment he recognized the mark, the giant’s voice naturally replayed in his mind.

[This is my first blessing to you, the Heart of Steel.]

[My warrior shall become as hard as steel with each hardship overcome.]

***

“Eat.”

With his father’s permission, and as the man began to eat, Rex also moved his hand.

Today’s breakfast was the same as usual. Wheat bread, milk, and a boiled egg. However, Rex couldn’t focus on his meal as he normally would.

“Hey, aren’t you going to eat that? Can I have it?”

Rex’s sister Anna pointed at the egg and asked, but he just stared blankly into space.

“I asked if you’re not eating it.”

“Oh. Go ahead.”

“Hey, don’t say anything different later. You said I could eat it, right?”

When Rex nodded halfheartedly, Anna quickly stuffed the egg into her mouth. She looked at him with an expression that said, “What’s wrong with him?” but he continued to pick at his food, barely eating.

Even after the meal, Rex’s contemplation didn’t end. He still had work to do, but he found it hard to concentrate.

It was all because of the pattern he had seen at the stream earlier.

Rex slightly pulled at his collar to check his left chest. The light was gone, but the circular tattoo was still clear.

‘So it really wasn’t a dream.’

Although he had checked several times already, it still felt dreamlike. But now he knew. None of this was just a dream.

‘Becoming as hard as steel with each hardship overcome. What does that mean?’

Thinking about it, the improvement in his stamina must be due to this blessing. He had been able to chop wood tirelessly. Such a change couldn’t happen overnight.

And the way he had been able to withstand the ice-cold stream water too.

In his childhood, his father would occasionally tell stories about the world outside the village. He said the world was full of superhumans disguised as ordinary people.

Knights who could behead monsters with just a sword, wizards who could shoot lightning like arrows from their fingertips, devil contractors who could resurrect the dead, and so on…

The thought crossed his mind: could he possibly become such a superhuman?

‘…Am I getting ahead of myself?’

Rex, lost in his own imagination, smiled bitterly. Even if the dream was real, the reality was that he was just a commoner stuck in a rural village, cleaning up pig dung.

“Sigh. Let’s just get to work.”

As he was about to head to the forest behind the village with his axe, his father spoke.

“Take a rest today.”

“What?”

“Tomorrow is your coming-of-age ceremony. Stay put at home today.”

“…Yes, sir.”

Rex’s eyes widened at his father’s unexpected declaration. Anna, who wasn’t even involved, complained with an irritated face.

“Why? What’s so special about a coming-of-age ceremony?”

“The coming-of-age ceremonies for men and women are different. He’ll have a hard time tomorrow, so let him rest today. And Anna, I told you that women shouldn’t talk back to men. This is your last warning.”

“…I’m sorry.”

Despite showing favoritism, his father was fair in beating both boys and girls if they crossed the line. When his father’s eyebrow twitched, Anna couldn’t argue further and lowered her head.

‘Serves you right.’

Rex snickered and went to his room. He planned to catch up on sleep that he had been lacking.

The coming-of-age ceremony he had been waiting for would finally be held tomorrow.