HKWM | Chapter 26

The blacksmith swept his chest in surprise as Noah and I suddenly appeared out of thin air. He looked as if he had seen a ghost. Well, he was actually staring at something worse than a ghost—an Archdemon. Noah, too, was curiously looking around the smithy, a place he was visiting for the first time.

“Uh, how did you get here…?”

“You called us, didn’t you? Isn’t the sword ready?”

“Yes, but how did you arrive so immediately?”

“Obviously through magic.”

“But… the capital is surrounded by magical barriers….”

“Slipping through them is just a minor hassle.”

The magic of the royal palace might be formidable, but the barriers around the capital were merely an annoyance, easily penetrable without anyone noticing.

“…You’re no ordinary demon.”

The blacksmith looked somewhat alarmed. While dispelling magic was something common demons could manage, doing so undetected was a different matter. Of course, for an Archdemon like me, it was hardly a concern.

“That’s right.”

“But why with me…”

“I needed a good sword, and I heard you’re the best smith in the capital. It was simply a fair trade.”

The blacksmith seemed unconvinced, but he didn’t ask further. It appeared he decided it wasn’t his place to meddle further. I nudged Noah forward to prevent the conversation from dragging on.

“Noah, didn’t I say I’d get you a gift?”

“Could it be…?”

From the exchanges and the setting, Noah guessed what the gift might be, his face lighting up with excitement. The blacksmith, quick to recognize the real owner of the swords, handed Noah two finished blades instead of questioning why I brought a human.

One was a standard-sized sword and the other was slightly smaller, suited to Noah’s current stature and build. I had requested only one, but the smith had thoughtfully crafted two, which was commendable.

“Draw the sword and see. If you’re not satisfied, I’ll have it remade.”

At my nod, Noah slowly unsheathed the sword. Although he had only recently started training with Kimaris in swordsmanship, his clumsy stance and the thrilled look as he inspected the blade were quite endearing.

While Noah examined the swords, the blacksmith added:

“I couldn’t meet the young master personally when making these, so I can’t claim they are perfectly suited. However, I made them as light as possible so he can use them until he grows fully, and I’ve engraved mana circuits to make aura manipulation easier. The larger sword is made for when he’s fully grown, assuming he can already manipulate aura…”

“Wait. I’m not really knowledgeable about swords, so I don’t understand all that.”

As the blacksmith rambled on, I waved my hand to stop him, as I too was clueless, and so was Noah. I should have brought Kimaris, who knew about swords.

“So, in simple terms, do you think they turned out well?”

After a moment’s hesitation, the blacksmith replied firmly.

“I dare say these are not items I would be ashamed of.”

I then asked Noah.

“Noah, do you like them?”

“…Yes.”

Seeing Noah’s careful scrutiny of the blade, I nodded in satisfaction.

“Then, that’s settled.”

At that moment, magic gathered in the blacksmith’s eyes. Our deal was that I would be satisfied with the swords he made, and with that fulfilled, marks appeared in his eyes that had seen through souls.

This was my first deal since becoming a demon, and unlike the previous Archdemon of Wrath, I had little memory of frequent contracts or dealings, but the process wasn’t hard. It felt as natural as breathing or moving unconsciously.

Noah finally looked away from the sword and asked.

“…What did you do?”

“A trade. I agreed to grant him a favor in exchange for making these swords.”

“What favor?”

“You’ll hear about it soon.”

Though Noah looked keen to hear more, I had no intention of showing anything further.

“Noah, let’s head home. We’ll be back soon.”

“Wait—”

Before Noah could say more, I warped us back home. Showing him the trade was somewhat impulsive. The sight of red mist being sucked into the eyes and permeating the body was a disturbing, eerie spectacle for any normal human, and I wanted to instill a sense of caution. Whether he understood my intention, I wasn’t sure.

“Now it’s my turn to fulfill the trade. What shall I do?”

The blacksmith, momentarily startled by Noah’s sudden disappearance, soon steadied himself and said:

“…Please, give me the power to avenge that knight.”

I had been worried he might ask me to kill the knight because he seemed too kind-hearted for that, but thankfully, he didn’t. Relieved, I placed my hand over the blacksmith’s head and transferred some of my power.

Realizing something had changed, the blacksmith looked at his hands, lost in a serene ecstasy. I couldn’t feel what he felt, so instead, I peered into his soul through his eyes. His soul had darkened—a consequence and another price of dealing with a demon.

“You human child.”

The blacksmith looked up at me, somewhat sourly surrounded by a mist of demonic energy. Calling me a child seemed odd to him, given my youthful appearance.

“I am the Archdemon, Wrath. Thus, the power to avenge the most precious thing taken from you suits you better than anything.”

“…You’re Wrath…”

Hearing he was dealing with an Archdemon, the blacksmith was visibly shocked. Even a deal with a high-level demon would be out of reach with just two swords, let alone an Archdemon.

Technically, a trade means just giving as much as you receive, and there was no need to explain this much. I didn’t need to reveal my identity. However, I wanted to let him know that the power I gave him was enough to complete his revenge and escape untracked.

“I already warned you that a miserable end awaits you.”

“…Of course.”

“That’s not just about human life. Don’t think the end of a soul burdened with evil deeds will be easy.”

“I am aware of that.”

I hesitated before finally deciding to speak my mind. After all, I am a demon, and I can say whatever I want.

“By making a deal with a demon, your soul is already stained with sin. But whether the robbed becoming the robber counts as an evil deed, that’s for the heavens to judge. So you might end up suffering more than you deserve.”

“Yes.”

“It’s too late to turn back now. So don’t leave any regrets.”

The blacksmith stared at me for a long while, saying nothing. Perhaps suggesting he go all out on his vengeance was too demon-like for a human to accept, but his soul was not so fragile as to be swayed by a single remark from me.

“…Why do you tell me such things? This trade isn’t just a mere amusement for you, is it?”

I hadn’t expected such a question. Why do humans always wonder about a demon’s feelings? As if it wasn’t already hard enough trying to keep a distance.

“Think of it like the Miranda rights—a mandatory disclosure.”

“…Excuse me?”

He wouldn’t understand anyway, so I just said whatever came to mind.

“Just consider it a whim for my first trade.”

I cloaked myself with magic and left the area. Further conversation wouldn’t benefit the blacksmith, so I avoided it. I thought about going straight home, but strangely, my feet wouldn’t move. For some reason, he was still on my mind.

‘Well, it’s my first trade since becoming a demon, so it’s fine to see how things unfold. Something could go wrong….’

Not that a mishap could harm me, but I found myself making excuses to stay. Not immediately fatal if I didn’t return right then, I decided to watch a bit longer. The blacksmith, whom I expected to immediately seek out the knight, was unexpectedly calm throughout our conversation, and even began cleaning and tidying up the smithy as if he wouldn’t return.

Even with a demon’s power, challenging a noble from a commoner’s position meant he wouldn’t be able to return here if he became a fugitive.

“…I should at least let Tom know.”

With a note of regret in his monologue, the blacksmith finished cleaning, wrapped himself haphazardly in a dusty cloth from the storage, and sat still, waiting until sunset in that terribly worn chair, where he had barely survived with liquor during those dreadful times.

As the sun set, the blacksmith finally got up.

“Gael, this unworthy father isn’t avenging your death; I’m merely venting my own rage for losing you.”

Like praying to a god, he spoke his last words to his son before promptly leaving the smithy.

The knight, the blacksmith’s nemesis, was either part of the royal guard or the city watch and resided in the capital. What must his heart feel, living in the same space as the man who killed his son, unable to avenge or leave?

However, the knight’s residence was further on the outskirts than I expected, with fewer guards and no protective magic.

‘Is this the right place?’

Considering that knights and wizards usually come from noble families trained in swordsmanship and aura manipulation from a young age, and even a commoner becoming a knight would be treated almost like a noble, the estate seemed too shabby. It definitely didn’t match the income of a proper knight.

Plus, while knights possess formidable physical power, they are vulnerable when washing, eating, or sleeping, so it is usual to have guards. But this house had only a few servants aiding with daily chores. The lack of magical or physical security made it quite easy for the blacksmith, whose presence was masked by magic, to enter the knight’s home.

‘Too easy….’

Feeling something was off, I furrowed my brow and scrutinized the situation.