episode_0011

“It’s probably because it’s in the mountains, but it’s still chilly even though it’s spring. In times like this, it’s good to drink something warm.”

The old man took out a can of coffee from the crossbody bag he was carrying and handed it to Si-hyuk.

“Okay, drink.”

“I will gratefully accept it.”

Shihyuk didn’t refuse. The canned coffee was warm, and the warmth was transmitted just by holding it in his hand. Shihyuk started to talk to the old man who was taking out his share of coffee.

“You climb the mountain every day without fail.”

“Well, that’s right. I always climb it when my joints don’t feel sore. The path here is well-maintained, so it’s easy to climb even when I’m old.”

The old man, who had emptied his can of coffee in one gulp, turned his gaze toward Si-hyuk. His gaze was searching for something, assessing it, from head to toe.

“Why are you like that?”

“No, hmm.”

The old man took a deep breath as if trying to find something to say and then opened his mouth.

“What should I say? It’s because you’re clearly different from before. I’m not talking about your appearance. You look much better than before. Your heart has also become more solid. Even the aura you give off has changed, and it’s as majestic as looking at a large mountain.”

As the saying goes, Shihyuk’s face, which had reached enlightenment at the end of his asceticism, was as blunt as before, but the impression he gave off was clearly different.

Not only did the broken bones of his body regain their original positions, but he also became as strong and sturdy as a giant stone, and his mind, which had always been weighed down by depression, became pure and free of poison as if it had shed its old skin.

The path of an artisan is a long one, and many adversities will await him in the future, but Sihyuk will now be able to smile boldly even in the midst of the arduous march.

No storm can destroy a mountain, only wear it down. At first glance, he seemed to be rooted in the mountain, or perhaps, as the old man said, the mountain itself.

Although Shihyuk had achieved remarkable growth, the old man who saw through him was also undoubtedly an extraordinary person.

I thought he was just a handsome old man, but upon closer inspection, I could see a great energy hidden within his natural form.

“… . You are an awakened person.”

“I didn’t mean to hide it. I used to be strong, but now I’m just an old man who’s seen it all.”

The old man scratched his chin and smiled broadly. No matter how strong one is, one cannot ignore the passage of time.

Moreover, when looking at the momentum of his climb up the mountain, it was impossible for him to maintain that speed and climb to the top without being an ordinary person. Above all, maintaining that kind of size and muscle at that age was already far from ordinary.

“Rather than that… ”

The old man’s eyes looked at Shihyuk again. The Shihyuk he had first encountered in the past was just a sloppy and unpolished young man.

I used to take care of it often because it was so noticeable, but while that pitiful young man was not looking, the flower buds were blooming beautifully.

“I see you achieved something. Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

Shihyuk was able to express his sincere gratitude to the congratulatory words that came from pure kindness without any ulterior motive.

“But, there is still a hint of hesitation on your face. If it is not your intention, can I ask the old man the reason?”

The extraordinary old man even inferred from Sihyuk’s expression that there were distracting thoughts. He seemed to see right through Sihyuk’s mind as he reached the top and faced another peak. The intuition that comes from the experience and years of the elders always surprises the young people.

Shihyuk was impressed by his insight, but hesitated to bring up the subject. Although it was true that he had grown attached to the old man, he wondered if they were close enough to share such concerns.

The old man, who had understood his intentions, continued to speak softly and soothingly.

“Don’t be so defensive. I apologize if I sounded rude. I just wanted to listen to you as if you were my grandson.”

Looking at the old man laughing heartily, Shi-hyuk felt a sense of awkwardness. He was witty and sometimes absurd, but kind and dependable.

The old man resembled someone so much that even he, who was not very social, felt comfortable.

‘Oh, I see.’

He was recalling the scent of his beloved teacher from the old man.

That is probably why he can confess his feelings so openly.

-.-.-

Shihyuk couldn’t completely open his heart and tell everything honestly. Even if he had told her about the extraordinary things he had experienced, it would have been hard to believe.

However, I tried to convey my concerns and thoughts about them as honestly as possible.

Perhaps his heart had been touched, for the old man listened to his story with a serious expression the whole time, unlike his frivolous behavior until then. Hmm, the old man let out a short breath and nodded.

“From now on, I’m going to say something that might sound like an old man’s ramblings. Will you listen?”

“I will listen.”

“To summarize, it is good that you have achieved success and been able to create excellent things, but it is difficult to create even better things with just effort and perseverance, so it is a concern.”

“Yes.”

The old man clapped his hands with all his might. The sound was so loud that a thunderous roar spread around like lightning, and several startled mountain birds began to croak. For a moment, it even seemed as if the ground was shaking.

“Like this, even clapping hands makes a sound. I will ask you, who has made the path of a craftsman your profession. Does all things exist only for the person who makes them?”

“… No.”

“That’s right. When it comes to things, the person who makes them is important, but the person who holds them and uses them is also important.”

“You’re so focused on making it that you don’t even think about the person who’s going to use it.”

A shock struck Shihyuk’s head. Indeed, Shihyuk realized that his vision had been narrow. Up until now, he had only thought about making some excellent performance items, but had not considered the position of the person who would use them.

“It is certainly a virtue to reflect on yourself and find your shortcomings there. You will certainly be able to make good equipment. However, sometimes the cause is not in yourself but outside of yourself. No matter how excellent an item is made, the results it produces are determined by the person wielding it.”

“Yes.”

“Of course, objects cannot choose their owners. The purpose of an object is to be used well. For example, a butcher knife is in the hands of a chef or a thief, and it only has to fulfill its role of cutting meat. But.”

The old man’s finger pointed at Shi-hyuk as if poking him. Just from that gesture, Shi-hyuk could somewhat anticipate what would come next.

“If you’re the one who made it, aren’t you fully qualified to choose whether to hand it over to the cook or the rascal?”

Even hands need to clap to make a sound. In order for the ‘best work’ to be completed, it is not enough to just make it well, but the owner who will use it must also be excellent.

An image formed in Shihyuk’s mind. The sword and shield he had created were being used by those who were called ‘heroes’.

What a magnificent and splendid ‘work’ that will be!

“Your efforts have borne fruit, so now all you need to do is look at people and create things for those whose value will shine.”

“That’s difficult.”

“It’s hard. Whether you’re a chef or a thug, being good at using a knife is the same. You have to look at people and identify those who are more qualified.”

“… … .”

It was a vague and difficult story. Up until now, Shihyuk had been trying to make things work, but he was not very good at dealing with people. He was extremely immature in both getting to know people and getting to know people.

“Just as you have to go into the forest to see the trees, you have to go among the people to see the people. I have something good at the moment.”

The old man searched through his pockets and handed Si-hyuk a neatly folded piece of paper.

[204X. 8th Superhuman Expo Admission Ticket]

“This is….”

“I got this from someone I happened to meet. It’s a huge event where all the Awakened members of the strategy series, the Awakened members of the production series like you, and even the general public gather together.”

Although he had never been there, it was an event that Sihyuk had heard about. It was the biggest event where the most famous awakened people in Korea gathered. He had no connection and no interest in it, so he thought he would never go again, but he never thought that it would lead to this.

“I don’t know if I can accept this precious thing.”

It wasn’t something like canned coffee, candy, or fruit, but rather a ticket to a national event. Even if it were an old person, not him, who would make happy memories. He felt grateful for the generous favor, but he also felt burdened.

When Shihyuk bowed, the old man smiled and forcefully put the ticket in his hand.

“As this is a place where talents from not only Korea but also the world are invited, it will be a good experience for you to see them. You can also develop your own perspective, and it will be an opportunity to think about the direction you want to go as a craftsman. Please take it.”

“How should I repay you… .”

“Okay, okay! I’m not asking for anything in particular!”

The old man waved his hand and slapped Shihyuk on the back, then laughed heartily. The strong force caused a sharp pain for a moment. It felt like a tingling palm was left on his back.

…and fond memories.

[How much time do I have left to live that I can eat something like this? Hey, Sihyuk, you eat it.]

“If you want to repay me, I’ll make you a nice piece of equipment later! As I get older, I become more greedy, so I want to give it to my grandchild as a gift!”

[You punk, when you make it, just put my name on it and use the highest grade magic stone. If you’re going to make it, you should make it with a good one like Dahongchima. What? Are you sorry? If you’re sorry, then when you succeed later, buy me the latest mana furnace.]

Shihyuk looked at the old man’s smile without saying a word. The expression on his old, wrinkled face was a clean, gentle, boyish smile.

Their appearances were different, and the old man had a larger build. Their ages were also different, but… I kept thinking of fond memories of the old man.

So, Sihyuk couldn’t bring himself to refuse those words.

“If you come back later, I will definitely give you a wonderful gift.”

I didn’t know at the time that the day to keep that promise was not far off.