Chapter 84: New Face (2)

Sophia became another victim(?) of a shocking confession, following Weasel.

But she quickly pulled herself together.

Unlike Weasel, who was just a fan, Sophia had aimed for Elaine with romantic intentions. However, as a rational mage, she understood that there were plenty of women in the world.

If anything, Elaine wasn’t exactly Sophia’s type, apart from her large chest.

Sophia preferred someone with a cute, round, hamster-like appearance.

Elaine was indeed cute, but that was more in terms of personality—her face was more of a mix between handsome and pretty.

Besides, there had never been any real relationship between them.

In fact, up until recently, Elaine had even seen Sophia as a rival and was wary of her.

In the novel, Sophia had once set her sights on one of Aran’s companions. But unfortunately for her, that woman was the main heroine, and her heart belonged solely to Aran.

Sophia had given up back then, too.

Now that I think about it, Sophia’s love life was rather unfortunate.

Well, what can you do?

Being a lesbian in a medieval fantasy society wasn’t easy.

Still, I silently rooted for her to find love someday.

Even though she had recovered from the shock, it seemed she was still a little disappointed—so much so that she didn’t even bother offering a congratulatory remark.

At least she wasn’t as openly bitter about it as Weasel. Instead, she seemed to be thinking, ‘I once loved you…’ and planned to let it go quietly.

Since she had never actually come out to me, I couldn’t exactly comfort her either.

“How’s the research on the Ice Crystal coming along?”

I decided to change the subject while also asking something I was curious about.

I had provided them with a sizable chunk of Ice Crystal, given them the exact location of the Frozen Metal, and even introduced Blacksmith Bill to fusion techniques.

But since the Ice Crystal research was entirely under the jurisdiction of the Snowflake Tower, I had no idea how things were progressing.

Even when I tried to check through Bill, I found that his shop was closed, with a note saying he was staying at the Snowflake Tower for the time being.

Honestly, I was a little annoyed.

But realistically, I wasn’t in a position to receive reports on the research progress.

Besides, I had already done everything I could.
It was up to them now.

If I meddled too much in Snowflake Tower’s affairs, I might draw the attention of its master, Dariel, so it was better to wait patiently.

Still, there was no way they wouldn’t throw at least a small reward my way after everything I had done.

I wasn’t trying to boast, but without me, the Ice Crystal might have been destroyed by that red-haired thug.

Since it could regenerate with magic infusion anyway, giving me a piece wouldn’t hurt.

Last time, when Grace tried to give me the Silver Sting, I was tempted but ultimately declined because it didn’t suit me.

But when it came to an Ice Crystal weapon?

I had no intention of holding back.

I already had cold-attribute mana inside me, and in the novel, Ice Crystal weapons were acknowledged as overpowered items.

Getting my hands on one would be a huge boost to my abilities.

“Oh, the Ice Crystal?”

Since Sophia was a prospective elder of the Snowflake Tower, she was well-informed.

One of the reasons I didn’t pry too much into the Tower’s affairs was because of my friendship with her.

If I was really curious, I could just ask her.

“The analysis is nearly complete. The core trait is simply highly condensed cold mana, so it was relatively straightforward. But the depth and scale of its power were immense. In a way, it’s similar to my Magic Eye.”

Magic Eyes were a phenomenon where an excess of mana in the body altered a person’s physiology.

The Ice Crystal was also a mineral formed from highly condensed cold mana, so it made sense that they were similar.

“So, does that mean anyone can use cold magic just by infusing mana into it? Like how simply possessing a Magic Eye allows you to see the flow of mana?”

“Yes, that’s correct. …Wait a second. Where did you hear about the Ice Crystal research? You seem to know a lot already.”

Uh-oh. I almost slipped up.

Having knowledge from the novel could be tricky in moments like this.
I knew too much, making it difficult to gauge what was safe to say.

“I overheard it when one of the Snowflake Tower mages was treating me last time.”
“Ah, I see.”

Thankfully, I had enough experience as a transmigrator to handle this smoothly.

I answered confidently, and Sophia didn’t seem suspicious.

She continued explaining.

“They’ve started developing weapons as well. Hmm, Luke, you’re not a member of the Tower, but you are involved, so I suppose it’s okay to tell you.”

“Thank you.”

“The most urgent development is weaponry. A new type of mana cannon using Ice Crystal shards is currently in production. Controlling its power output is tricky, but once completed, it’ll be a formidable piece of equipment.”

“Hmm, I see.”

“Since anyone can use cold magic just by infusing mana, it’s best for those already familiar with the cold attribute to test it first. Naturally, that means the Snowflake Tower mages. They’re also developing staffs infused with Ice Crystal. They’ll be issued to elder-level mages, but I declined since I specialize in fire magic.”

“Hmm…?”

“And, of course, they’re looking into fortifying city walls and reinforcing defensive magic circles. The immense cold of the Ice Crystal isn’t just useful for offense—it’s also excellent for defense.”

As I listened quietly, something started to feel off.

In the novel, the primary weapon made from the Ice Crystal wasn’t a cannon or a staff.
It was a sword.

Why wasn’t Sophia mentioning the Crystal Sword?

Of course, in the novel, the situation had been dire.

They needed to enhance the combat strength of the North’s strongest warrior, Grace, as quickly as possible.

So, a sword had been the most practical choice.

Now, since they had ample time for research, they were likely exploring a variety of weapons.

And from a military standpoint, a cannon was more important than a sword.

Still…

As a reader, I couldn’t help but be curious.

“By any chance… I heard they were making a sword. Has there been no progress on that?”

In the end, I couldn’t hold back and asked. However, when Sophia heard about the sword, she looked troubled.

“Oh, the sword.”
“?”

What’s going on?

Last time, even Dariel looked troubled, so I went out of my way to get them Hancheol, yet they’re reacting the same way again.

“Even with Hancheol, it didn’t go well?”
“Well… You could say that.”

Ah, why? What’s the problem this time?

I gave them everything.

I already exhausted all my novel knowledge, so even if I wanted to help more, I’ve got nothing left.

Sigh… I’ve come this far, so I can’t just back out now.

I decided to at least hear her out.

“What kind of problem is it?”
“A problem… Well, it’s something we can’t do anything about, so it’s quite troublesome.”
“Even Snowflake Tower can’t do anything about it?”
“You mean Bill, right? The blacksmith? It’s a problem he has to overcome himself.”

Something’s going on with Bill?

In Brave Road, Bill was simply known as the genius blacksmith who created the Crystal Sword.

He was the one who combined Bingsung with Hancheol, something no one had even thought of, to craft the Crystal Sword. Since he was just an extra character, he didn’t appear much after that.

The fact that he’s a simple man in daily life but turns into a completely different person when it comes to weapons—

That’s something I only learned after coming to this world.

Because of that, I had no clue what might be wrong.

“He’s incredibly passionate. From our perspective, his work seems outstanding, but in the eyes of a true craftsman, it’s not enough. He refuses to settle for anything less than perfection and has been agonizing over it. He’s so obsessive that even the mages are shaking their heads in amazement.”
“…”

Whew, for some reason, I felt relieved.

So, basically, he’s like a potter smashing his own ceramics, shouting, “This isn’t it!”

Bill is someone overflowing with pride in his craft and has firm principles as a blacksmith.
Maybe in the novel, he was in such a rush that he had no choice but to compromise. Or perhaps he simply did the best he could with the time and resources available.

Now that he has the luxury of time, he can dedicate himself fully without making any compromises.

‘Wait a minute…’

What if the version in the novel was just a prototype?
What if this time, he creates a fully perfected version of the Crystal Sword?
This just got a whole lot more exciting.

“Oh, speaking of the sword, that reminds me of something.”
“?”
“You remember how I mentioned that weapons made from Bingsung would be given to those who are familiar with ice magic first?”
“Yes, you did.”
“There’s a high chance that you’ll be one of those recipients. No, actually, you’ll probably be the first to test the weapon.”
“?!”

Huh? I was hoping to get some benefits from this, but she’s just telling me outright?

“Really?”
“You know that, per the Grand Duke’s orders, we’re also developing weapons for knights, right?”
“Yes, I heard about that.”
“Since we’re not knights ourselves, we need help from skilled knights to properly develop weapons suited for them. And, well, we happen to have a knight right here.”

Sophia pointed at me with a bright smile.

“A knight who has absorbed Bingsung’s energy into his body and even used its power in real combat.”
“!”

Oh, wow. So this is how it all comes together.
Looks like I won’t just be getting scraps—I’m in for something much bigger.

‘Hang in there, Bill! Sleep is for the dead!’

While I was silently cheering on Bill, who was probably pulling his hair out over his work, a thought suddenly crossed my mind.

‘Wait a second.’

I hadn’t absorbed Bingsung’s energy into my body, but there was another knight who had actually used its power in real combat.

The one who caught the obsidian blade I had hurled with Bingsung’s energy and delivered the finishing blow to Lowe.

The one who had unleashed a sword aura infused with Bingsung’s power.

Elaine also fit Sophia’s criteria.

Sophia joining the guard unit had a positive impact on many people besides just me.

Knights who had been struggling with mana control and soldiers who wanted to learn how to use mana in preparation for becoming knights sought her out for advice.

Some knights even went as far as formally learning magic, which they had previously only dabbled in for combat support.

Sophia, for her part, seemed to enjoy watching the newbies chirp around her.

While the new face of the guard unit was making a dazzling debut, I had come to welcome yet another new face.

“Alright, let’s see what you’ve got.”

Grace crossed her arms with an intrigued expression.

Standing in front of her, looking tense, was—

“Yes, ma’am!”

Regret Deep Snow.

His entrance exam for the guard unit had begun.

Just like when I had joined, the standard process for recruitment involved an internal review of the candidate’s specialties and reputation to determine if they were fit for the unit.

After that, Elaine, the captain of the guard, would personally conduct an interview to decide whether or not they passed.

(For the record, when I later asked Elaine if she had fallen for me back then, she flatly denied it, which left me a little disappointed. She’s really not one for flattery.)

If the candidate expressed interest in joining the guard and passed Elaine’s interview, only then would they meet with Grace and officially be enlisted.

In other words, it wasn’t normal for the Grand Duke of the North to personally test a guard unit recruit.

But since Regret was a special case, Grace had decided to attend in person to test his skills and make the final decision.

She was also curious about the archery skills of the younger brother she had known for some time.

Regret himself hadn’t expected Grace to come all the way to the Deep Snow estate to personally oversee his test, and he seemed visibly nervous.

However, being as ambitious as he was, he quickly realized that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and straightened up with even greater determination.

‘Hah, looking good.’

Even his attire was different from the last time he had practiced archery.

Back then, he had the air of a noble young master engaging in a sport, but today, he looked every bit like a proper archer.

He had chosen light leather armor to maximize mobility while reinforcing his arms with iron bracers for protection. He looked ready to head straight into battle.

Since this was an official guard unit evaluation, Elaine was here as well, and I was present as her lieutenant.

“You weren’t interested when I was being tested for vice-captain, yet you showed up for this. Are you curious about the results because he’s your recommendation?”

Elaine smirked playfully from beside me.

I had been extremely invested in the vice-captain evaluation too, but now that I thought about it, I must have seemed indifferent at the time.
Since Elaine seemed to be teasing me, I decided to just play along.

“With you two staring him down like that, someone has to be here to cheer him on. Otherwise, the young master might get too nervous.”
“Hmm, I don’t think you’re the only one here cheering him on.”

Elaine’s gaze shifted to Grace’s side.

There, a middle-aged noble with graying hair stood stiffly, looking just as tense as if he were the one being tested.
It was Regret’s father, Lionel.

I hadn’t realized parents could attend guard unit evaluations, but since Grace didn’t seem to care, Lionel had come to watch his son’s test.
Of course, he had been given a strict condition—he could observe but not interfere.

‘No doubt he’s on edge.’

For the second son of a noble family—not even a soldier—to receive an invitation to take an entrance exam for one of the North’s most elite forces…

It had to be both shocking and intriguing for him.

‘I wonder… what kind of outcome this will have?’

What was about to happen now had never been mentioned in the novel.

Even as a transmigrator, I felt like I was placing a high-stakes bet.

And before I even had time to hesitate, all my chips were automatically pushed onto the table.

“Begin!”