HKWM | Chapter 26

The blacksmith 70e18e92ce swept his 05c463dc2f chest in 8f238f5a2c surprise as f8209cff6e Noah and bd73f5e09c I suddenly fb7e322e13 appeared out ad839e9caa of thin f31f6fa0ce air. He looked df68e253f2 as if ca76943734 he had 6e19d0a4d4 seen a 8f2b3dffc2 ghost. Well, he was ad55fc0bec actually staring at afe492b2ff something worse than 615db5f34a a ghost—an Archdemon. Noah, too, was curiously 6ec6966506 looking around the smithy, d9cada5e8e a place he was af024f3801 visiting for the first 39fc38f338 time.026e1b21fba2165b

“Uh, how did you 84056f249a get here…?”27ecfd65eb7df311

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“You called us, didn’t a2be22040b you? Isn’t the sword f6f058f4b1 ready?”e56d38ec391f55fb

“Yes, but how did 6c4c57e6bf you arrive so immediately?”d92e18b7f2652540

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Obviously through magic.”c07fe09b3fc69f54

“But… the capital is 1d35be4583 surrounded by magical barriers….”47a29c8e4b07a77f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Slipping through 4b4e10a185 them is e1043265a9 just a 5abd065bac minor hassle.”7ed6f882ea467252

The magic of the 520e31bad3 royal palace might be 218224f5c6 formidable, but the barriers 791b0881e5 around the capital were 06e612435a merely an annoyance, easily 5d3e14b798 penetrable without anyone noticing.6246e556378f0981

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“…You’re no ordinary demon.”7976d9bb9b79a647

The blacksmith looked 3f868dcb83 somewhat alarmed. While dispelling 79caad50d6 magic was 4f781840e3 something common ae6b0c5bbc demons could 7807687298 manage, doing 7d1ad643d0 so undetected 459c599ab2 was a 6db1c7b66c different matter. Of course, b979a21449 for an e879554844 Archdemon like ccf22f858f me, it dbd6a67477 was hardly 843c125a58 a concern.93e6aad2903c5e05

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“That’s right.”edd90acf062416d6

“But why 5f15559657 with me…”2285eb1b22cf0547

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“I needed 9f3458f5a8 a good 08b9c06dd6 sword, and fa3f95d8d0 I heard 676e13cfd4 you’re the 5475e772d9 best smith 6c7616e521 in the 64292e42f6 capital. It was simply 1aaa78adcb a fair trade.”a22557a2129fe5e0

The blacksmith seemed unconvinced, 77979f18f8 but he didn’t ask 433dcf9274 further. It appeared 88f4ba40a9 he decided c9458c0a98 it wasn’t 472a4cc4b4 his place d3576222dc to meddle f725d5bb2c further. I nudged Noah ba6fc8056e forward to prevent 11c918ce75 the conversation from 7c982ca9c9 dragging on.382013c73d1475ed

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Noah, didn’t I say a76c1c3c03 I’d get you a d5991d2786 gift?”ba3d557b0afba15e

“Could it be…?”cb9d1e821bda7be9

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

From the exchanges and c62c0dc3d2 the setting, Noah guessed a3956d1878 what the gift might b78aed6ba7 be, his face lighting 99f387089b up with excitement. The blacksmith, fcbd5089f9 quick to b28daee013 recognize the d9dd09e8e9 real owner 289304e40b of the ff94e66557 swords, handed 601f752ff2 Noah two 2946a96e68 finished blades a848ec6f05 instead of 3968131c25 questioning why 39d32df7e9 I brought 57f192397e a human.39e0754596c9926e

One was 5ac4edcff2 a standard-sized eaa84ba6eb sword and d00b04b1c9 the other 6a23d2092c was slightly de0012e477 smaller, suited 75c06f1a0e to Noah’s 1778b19637 current stature 5fae907d44 and build. I had bbb7c107c5 requested only a3c7d897c3 one, but 555acb0c78 the smith 21d0504531 had thoughtfully 31056fd39f crafted two, 75dcf5a733 which was 383b7e9f6d commendable.d005e11ba7fba3a4

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Draw the sword f582379b84 and see. If you’re not 46337c9c8d satisfied, I’ll have 14644f4349 it remade.”9904e402ecb9f081

At my 6b457ff7fe nod, Noah bae0132a30 slowly unsheathed 32e36e7229 the sword. Although he had only ca334d3e1d recently started training with 9abd6fd5e1 Kimaris in swordsmanship, his 53c94ebbb2 clumsy stance and the efa52866db thrilled look as he 7e99cb35db inspected the blade were f891fe4649 quite endearing.b1c3836c21bdb4f2

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

While Noah b6b6f9d1a1 examined the a1556f0c9e swords, the b9798d8793 blacksmith added:08c4aa5dc7b57e98

“I couldn’t 7a2ba2ef65 meet the 1a7c4a7bae young master edbbc3ba7e personally when 33df730ad3 making these, 098c5fd386 so I 0546e7487a can’t claim 716f487bdd they are f745b257e6 perfectly suited. However, I made 9b665901ec them as light f56eb2a044 as possible so 5cf1457cfa he can use ab99d91ce8 them until he 8620119091 grows fully, and 7b76303a53 I’ve engraved mana 36cae648cd circuits to make bf94a42160 aura manipulation easier. The larger sword is 544e643d79 made for when he’s 38171eab43 fully grown, assuming he 612e481ac9 can already manipulate aura…”08df6568d64b3989

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Wait. I’m not really fa3573ea69 knowledgeable about swords, 7991be5745 so I don’t 8c3c9694c3 understand all that.”6eefdaa3673a2867

As the blacksmith bbd2e5af7a rambled on, I bc76342556 waved my hand 583a05d09c to stop him, 5e99bfdc2c as I too 8bcd051a91 was clueless, and fd6bce98b8 so was Noah. I should have 7190edca1d brought Kimaris, who df87f98c52 knew about swords.9379f975a282c89c

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“So, in simple terms, 54e7c102e1 do you think they a266845bb0 turned out well?”97d7364f775a65c7

After a moment’s bd59308550 hesitation, the blacksmith d14f123074 replied firmly.905c0579ea3f54ec

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I dare 53df34ad74 say these 38b04735b1 are not eb999443f7 items I e177f98d68 would be 8df771b628 ashamed of.”546755dca6e3f35e

I then acbbd12099 asked Noah.292345b2421ba388

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Noah, do you c4a34286b7 like them?”1af7693b2f481a0c

“…Yes.”821f840043cc99d3

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Seeing Noah’s 72e9fd3464 careful scrutiny da5d5d5a6e of the a2ecaca06e blade, I 26d7e51905 nodded in 24ceef0508 satisfaction.486880d02f919e7c

“Then, that’s settled.”d6ce0b1bdd0ad15f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

At that moment, 3f3d631398 magic gathered in a16c652f28 the blacksmith’s eyes. Our deal was that 829b5d0666 I would be satisfied 22245f9eb3 with the swords he d0be389382 made, and with that b7c82fe6df fulfilled, marks appeared in 37d0956e4c his eyes that had dacb0bc4c6 seen through souls.d41ba044cdfadb28

This was my cd6ba03fdd first deal since dfd2a91a1f becoming a demon, 47012da3c3 and unlike the 916fdf7bb5 previous Archdemon of 9fa97008a9 Wrath, I had f6857cc2e7 little memory of c3fe3c3399 frequent contracts or 890815663a dealings, but the 6615b8b217 process wasn’t hard. It felt as natural 253bd60272 as breathing or moving 23a664676e unconsciously.603c5d761e683713

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Noah finally looked away e42ffe2749 from the sword and c04de48e07 asked.ddc90463feb6b9d8

“…What did 1e91aa882c you do?”2ebd2c806e89f705

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“A trade. I agreed to 66ad27d62d grant him a ccd237d223 favor in exchange 7e115a4a4c for making these 3a516817d9 swords.”e53ff1faa5268e86

“What favor?”868498a72652ece7

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“You’ll hear about it 28ec9544b9 soon.”27c2dfbbeb5ae0e8

Though Noah looked keen ea9178cc2e to hear more, I 7b4ef5d527 had no intention of 36c13c06a4 showing anything further.7f2a68d01f3314be

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Noah, let’s 645c895c89 head home. We’ll be back 18272ed1c7 soon.”829aaadb850d402b

“Wait—”61ea2a3086ece148

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Before Noah could 997f043160 say more, I 74e8292701 warped us back 1bec01f1c0 home. Showing him the c1d6663969 trade was somewhat b48d79e418 impulsive. The sight of red 884a76a03a mist being sucked into 9ecada1fea the eyes and permeating f8d905871f the body was a fde5729060 disturbing, eerie spectacle for a4515224e9 any normal human, and abc746e92b I wanted to instill bd81493c07 a sense of caution. Whether he understood my cc59650d10 intention, I wasn’t sure.0a6e0cd97551636d

“Now it’s my eb794ef411 turn to fulfill de118c700d the trade. What shall I do?”6be07242e265d6fc

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The blacksmith, momentarily startled 0bbbe89e2a by Noah’s sudden disappearance, eb059bfbe3 soon steadied himself and a85d285a6c said:03fed3c632225452

“…Please, give c876a2f695 me the f4370cf3b6 power to e49e219459 avenge that 9a5c07edec knight.”8be0994dd11d8720

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

I had been worried d1c3ffe612 he might ask me dc69b21f05 to kill the knight 45faaae042 because he seemed too 52e55f2544 kind-hearted for that, but 59d1790198 thankfully, he didn’t. Relieved, I placed my 9d63b2107a hand over the blacksmith’s d75fd0fe53 head and transferred some 790bec11b4 of my power.59422d69e060913b

Realizing something had changed, 60f3c53a2d the blacksmith looked at 334d212ff7 his hands, lost in e425941361 a serene ecstasy. I couldn’t feel what 4afa4675fd he felt, so instead, 9bf1e2b267 I peered into his 044e6306f6 soul through his eyes. His soul 9b466694ef had darkened—a abeb77fdb4 consequence and d764668a48 another price 65ce066cae of dealing fdd0275688 with a 57e977791e demon.728abe5a49db78fe

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“You human child.”a81939f8aafe8ef5

The blacksmith looked up 251f444272 at me, somewhat sourly 4d779a6e6b surrounded by a mist 9df05683f3 of demonic energy. Calling me a child 5eb8b1eb9c seemed odd to him, edd9ff9b15 given my youthful appearance.0df1bcc5160d078b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I am 05820bd501 the Archdemon, b209636f21 Wrath. Thus, the a2aaa69fdb power to 4c2bc97fe9 avenge the 7c6f406ed2 most precious e6cc4f3fbb thing taken bbb69e9c73 from you bf9a23f33e suits you ce5594f7d2 better than 56c7e6b6ef anything.”27aafe56c7265f7e

“…You’re Wrath…”84332b753ce56db4

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Hearing he was b6404fe290 dealing with an 0ad0351438 Archdemon, the blacksmith 4d5cb1fbd3 was visibly shocked. Even a deal with c1f179b26e a high-level demon would 0f8f17240d be out of reach 45c8fa756f with just two swords, 10934a2ea6 let alone an Archdemon.175700bd0d0b9d13

Technically, a trade b9b017d347 means just giving 6ca9f5c0ce as much as a923d5cf1b you receive, and 16a21ff00b there was no b720ba22d2 need to explain aecf652894 this much. I didn’t need 5e914f31a6 to reveal my 643c7950e6 identity. However, I 609b07e741 wanted to 63e8fb409e let him e4478f7687 know that 1f304f1ab9 the power b156666742 I gave db301e6b6c him was fdfe462e5b enough to 143cb6bf38 complete his a0480dac8d revenge and ccfeafb1c5 escape untracked.bbddef70bd0cf661

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“I already warned 9efd433870 you that a a3ca9df4e3 miserable end awaits c8694b5a6d you.”948cfdf050004a41

“…Of course.”da3cf7bed23ee4a7

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“That’s not just 46c23200b4 about human life. Don’t think the 222c618776 end of a d3d2b68c61 soul burdened with 3eff014fbd evil deeds will eae5a5af40 be easy.”7d7bfde52709ddb6

“I am aware 4f800f5824 of that.”ec4bdf10c450e704

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I hesitated before finally 07d1e17a86 deciding to speak my eb35a5a779 mind. After all, I 2e169fe223 am a demon, 16f6f4c6c9 and I can fc95c53869 say whatever I 7019b913cf want.f8d9f6fcaceb3848

“By making a deal d3ce2c355b with a demon, your 5de8d81b29 soul is already stained 444807d43c with sin. But whether the 462f2bdac8 robbed becoming the 07729ac255 robber counts as a5e35f19df an evil deed, df9a306de4 that’s for the ea2d4dfc0d heavens to judge. So you might 731d08e33d end up suffering 6b67170d1e more than you 2c384d8acc deserve.”3d2903379c6d5c71

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Yes.”82f46c72ccc5eb8c

“It’s too late 5b391fb980 to turn back 97ebb22563 now. So don’t 1350b610df leave any 75cd1dcfe4 regrets.”b2ed1c62f77ca236

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The blacksmith stared c57b5c38d7 at me for 70049b92c1 a long while, e922c78912 saying nothing. Perhaps suggesting 8a67429932 he go 8c7156495e all out 69fd8ed19b on his b028db9d64 vengeance was 4105fdfd67 too demon-like c721686e8e for a 96676eb6fe human to c1bb851811 accept, but ed00456614 his soul f179281b8b was not 52c126c6c2 so fragile b63dcd9455 as to 9f4918f6cb be swayed 0eb2f74866 by a 011d0c95e2 single remark 4efd452710 from me.5345878b25cff463

“…Why do you tell 5d8576249f me such things? This trade isn’t just 281f76ee5a a mere amusement for 23dae5ba5f you, is it?”62048dc6c83c641b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

I hadn’t expected 4f586959ed such a question. Why do humans always 0dba2173ef wonder about a demon’s 3e756db1f3 feelings? As if it wasn’t 577a4530b7 already hard enough trying e9044ac7e1 to keep a distance.8532576182c015ee

“Think of it 9433361928 like the Miranda e1fd0130d6 rights—a mandatory disclosure.”a28bdf34ecbcfbc5

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…Excuse me?”0f6808c08d98dbea

He wouldn’t 5016f27446 understand anyway, fb266abce4 so I e0fe553ece just said 9691ef69ce whatever came d5ee274df4 to mind.c1093c30c904a87f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Just consider it a 95facff056 whim for my first 599cae6303 trade.”0f4f0304a0a22db6

I cloaked myself 5286c6c140 with magic and 2259b9d590 left the area. Further conversation wouldn’t benefit 323fa5d4fc the blacksmith, so I 13840d96bd avoided it. I thought about d1adba06fb going straight home, f4b2b39014 but strangely, my 80e40f7421 feet wouldn’t move. For some 99331c49aa reason, he e9de995e4c was still 5e089a4a8d on my ac9e862e21 mind.ba11503ca328124a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

‘Well, it’s my first da54d956e7 trade since becoming a 36c90667e7 demon, so it’s fine 8cad920f18 to see how things c448626e78 unfold. Something could go 53da1c264c wrong….’77f68e5ed5107656

Not that 5cb6e3bb5b a mishap 3c35633a87 could harm 5b15ff5547 me, but d9f8285421 I found f748c011d9 myself making 6d4f0ebe83 excuses to 04db5149d5 stay. Not immediately fatal if 9cee97a2ed I didn’t return right c9499305f1 then, I decided to 19ab755112 watch a bit longer. The blacksmith, whom d29e53167d I expected to e25e1446d3 immediately seek out 51692a1d5d the knight, was bfd41dae21 unexpectedly calm throughout f9102d1221 our conversation, and 3db39dec62 even began cleaning 7d7797dc42 and tidying up e8626fd2e8 the smithy as 2b6e3832b8 if he wouldn’t e2301e901d return.97fbc4521215ec30

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Even with a demon’s e53d08c222 power, challenging a noble fae5fa69b5 from a commoner’s position fd0c83ac5d meant he wouldn’t be 2e0a4631d1 able to return here 76400987b5 if he became a 6b74a024df fugitive.ceb205b17e1c1f68

“…I should fe599b3ca6 at least 1caf8294f6 let Tom a4007aa036 know.”059449a5b92fce47

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

With a note of 697f62ac12 regret in his monologue, bf48008ce3 the blacksmith finished cleaning, 60e55cc8ae wrapped himself haphazardly in 63485685d2 a dusty cloth from 6ac42332be the storage, and sat 95ab8b3ad8 still, waiting until sunset 8d501b045a in that terribly worn bc8753a899 chair, where he had e2945c5d9b barely survived with liquor 5579407588 during those dreadful times.bb642b1e70bbbf97

As the sun set, 02fcb84aab the blacksmith finally got 91d8b95330 up.fc200d5eae8f13eb

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Gael, this aa827cbaac unworthy father 0cfada4d68 isn’t avenging d6bc154aa9 your death; 6de705ad28 I’m merely 99b510b5e4 venting my 83ac59fdb7 own rage 474b38815b for losing 63812a1482 you.”9f821c067babc42a

Like praying to a 746be3e215 god, he spoke his eb98261f02 last words to his d428479849 son before promptly leaving d89efa1173 the smithy.cb6806e7a2a6dce7

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The knight, 127e371f06 the blacksmith’s 511cb5a819 nemesis, was c415e7bf6f either part 7385b2698e of the d3dfacd238 royal guard 015a0bfcfc or the dacfe8fe69 city watch 6d766cc8bd and resided eb2fac0b78 in the 0ded0d524e capital. What must 39de410c03 his heart 5bffc3402c feel, living 07b185f8dc in the 600e6d93db same space 616a5e1ccf as the 0777627240 man who a99438a4ca killed his 3599d5d8e4 son, unable 105600e90d to avenge dede6bf081 or leave?a995cd80650385c2

However, the 43e0d00e18 knight’s residence 19307c0f58 was further 965eb66d5b on the 622ea0238c outskirts than df3cf2c66d I expected, 60270d52eb with fewer c096bc245d guards and 430a9a3cfc no protective c4cb6fd630 magic.33a1a1c8490a73ae

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘Is this the 56f50d308a right place?’50806fe88c3c2d0a

Considering that knights 500881db1c and wizards usually e36ee5b292 come from noble ce0b360923 families trained in 19f6dbd861 swordsmanship and aura a581b78e97 manipulation from a 3d11274719 young age, and e3d7c94612 even a commoner 662f1cec4a becoming a knight 0c1a21ba42 would be treated c38d481ff9 almost like a c5876fa57c noble, the estate c04991773b seemed too shabby. It definitely didn’t match dc49e0ebf6 the income of a d8e3c9dab5 proper knight.5bf1bd7b62b11399

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Plus, while 6d89485b2c knights possess 1b99178fb4 formidable physical 71d23a47c6 power, they 11b2b8a883 are vulnerable 3ed5949a13 when washing, e6e510803d eating, or 275e24c3b0 sleeping, so 8b33989692 it is 63f9d97340 usual to 98d54d4c4d have guards. But this house 83d094dfd8 had only a 85d8ce6bf0 few servants aiding 0170bee1a7 with daily chores. The lack of f2b57a412e magical or physical 17dcf15081 security made it 347f3fc3ae quite easy for a889105f64 the blacksmith, whose bbe4123c0d presence was masked b3a4a71126 by magic, to 3b14e78e49 enter the knight’s 918ca61769 home.6cdd1123df9f0b76

‘Too easy….’e8fffe8c2a3d9d22

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Feeling something 63bfa404b8 was off, 48b7a3c1d9 I furrowed 3ff9941591 my brow 35dcde6335 and scrutinized ac139631fc the situation.cc1a4533f1b67215