NOVEL NEXT Chapter 53
Chapter 53. Favor
Yoo Ji-han and Lee Mi-a exited the room after chatting for about 30 minutes.
The karaoke owner at the reception desk glanced over at Yoo Ji-han.
It was a questioning look about why they came out of the room so soon without singing a single song in less than an hour.
‘It would seem strange.’
A bit awkward, Yoo Ji-han quickly walked out of the karaoke place with Lee Mi-a.
And just before parting ways with her.
They stopped by a clothing store near the karaoke.
“Pick one. I’ll buy it for you.”
“Why?”
“Because you helped me.”
The bloodstains on her clothes couldn’t be wiped off with a handkerchief.
It would take time to get it washed, so he wanted to buy her at least one new piece of clothing as a token of gratitude.
“I’m not really thinking much about it…”
Lee Mi-a stared vacantly at the clothes displayed in the store.
For her, clothes were just something to cover her body.
She had no real interest in dressing up or anything.
Excluding the gear she wore while on-site, she could barely fill one closet at home.
“Then I’ll just choose anything.”
Yoo Ji-han quickly scanned the display with his eyes.
And he picked out a suitable light pink shirt.
To the eye, it was slightly larger than her size, but with oversized clothes trending lately, it wouldn’t be an issue.
After finishing the payment, he handed her the shopping bag.
“Here, a small token of thanks for your help.”
“……”
“If you want, I can buy something more expensive at another store.”
“This one’s fine.”
Lee Mi-a quietly accepted his gift.
As Yoo Ji-han put the card and receipt he used for the transaction into his pocket, he thought.
‘This is the first time I’m giving her something.’
It was the first time he had ever gifted her anything.
Even on her birthday, which only came once a year, he had just offered her a brief congratulatory message.
Conversely, she never really gave him anything for his birthday either.
‘But if not now, then when would I give her something?’
Yoo Ji-han’s party wouldn’t encounter Kim Hyun-tae’s party again unless they climbed up to Rank 2 in the future.
And since he wasn’t close with her enough for frequent personal contact or meetings, there were hardly any opportunities to meet privately unless by chance like this.
Considering that she was quite an excellent hero, maintaining this relationship, even if faintly, with a small gift wasn’t a bad thing.
“Thanks for your help today.”
“Yeah.”
“Let’s meet again next time. Be careful going home.”
After exchanging goodbyes in front of the clothing store, Yoo Ji-han was the first to leave.
Lee Mi-a, holding the paper shopping bag, watched him go.
Rustle—
Left behind, she opened the shopping bag in her hand.
Inside was the shirt wrapped in transparent plastic.
“A gift…”
She smiled faintly while peering into the shopping bag.
This was the first time she received clothing directly as a gift from someone other than family or so-called fans who sent clothes to Keroes.
Though what happened earlier hadn’t been intended as an expectation for a reward.
Receiving a gift filled with someone else’s gratitude was quite a cheerful thing.
And it felt even more special since that person had been her longtime companion right beside her.
*
The day Nam Ho-yeol finished the gear for Yoo Ji-han and Kim Si-hu.
The two refused his offer to send the items by courier and headed directly to his workshop.
“Hello!”
“……”
Yoo Ji-han and Kim Si-hu entered the workshop.
Nam Ho-yeol, sitting at the cash register, didn’t reply to their greeting.
Upon closer inspection, he was slumped forward, dozing off.
Kim Si-hu cautiously called out to him.
“Uh… Ho-yeol?”
“Ah! Welcome!”
Bam!
As Nam Ho-yeol jumped up from his seat, the wooden chair he was sitting on toppled backward with a loud noise.
But the state he appeared in was a bit strange to the two of them.
Greasy, unkempt hair, bloodshot eyes.
And dark circles thickly gathered under his eyes.
He seemed to be in quite poor condition after just a few days.
“Are you feeling okay?”
“Ahaha… Does it show?”
Nam Ho-yeol rubbed his eyes as he awkwardly smiled.
Yoo Ji-han hesitated and asked.
“Were you working late into the night?”
“Yes. A bit.”
“……Because of our gear?”
“I kept having new ideas pop up, so I was trying this and that.”
“There was no need to push yourself like that…”
“I wanted to do it myself. I’ll be fine after a few days of good sleep, so you don’t have to worry.”
Stretching his body to shake off some fatigue, Nam Ho-yeol looked at Yoo Ji-han and Kim Si-hu.
“Let’s check the items.”
“Yes.”
Nam Ho-yeol went deeper into the shop where the workbench was located.
Then he came back outside holding a large box with both hands.
“This is it.”
He confidently opened the lid of the box.
Inside were the completed gears for both of them.
“Wow…”
Yoo Ji-han examined his gear among the items.
A top and bottom made with dark-hued leather.
It felt soft to the touch against his skin, giving a pleasant sensation, yet also felt very sturdy, as if it wouldn’t easily tear under an enemy’s attack.
“Is this the beak on the chest?”
“Yes. I designed it to cover the heart and abdomen by stretching the beak thinly.”
The beak of a monster chicken was attached to the leather to cover the vital areas.
It was dyed a color closely resembling the leather, so it wasn’t very noticeable.
When Yoo Ji-han patted that portion with his hand, he recalled the first time they encountered the monster chicken.
The hardness of the beak he felt from that creature was perfectly captured in the armor.
Moreover, the overall weight of the armor wasn’t too heavy.
“I used shark spider silk for connecting the leathers, which has waterproof capabilities and some resistance to poison. Water won’t seep through the gaps in the leather.”
“Excellent.”
“And Si-hu’s armor was made in a similar fashion, but the robe worn over it is primarily made of Red Silk Worm silk.”
“Wow! I wanted to try that on.”
Kim Si-hu’s eyes sparkled as he touched the new gear.
The Red Silk Worm is a type of silkworm that has transformed into a monster.
The silk from these worms has different grades depending on the color, with effects that assist the flow of magic, making it a favorite material among magic-typed heroes.
“What’s that shiny stuff on top…?”
“It’s ground-up beak that I sprinkled on.”
On Kim Si-hu’s robe, there was a fine powder evenly sprinkled, making it hard to see with the naked eye.
The beak from the monster chicken had been finely ground and treated specially to adhere to the fabric.
It was a method that could be referred to as a kind of coating, minimizing the discomfort during activities while also enhancing overall durability, though it is known to be a very meticulous task.
“You handle difficult work so effortlessly.”
“I practiced a lot before.”
“The design looks quite nice too.”
“Having worked in design before, I got a bit greedy…”
Having worked as a designer for a gaming company, he didn’t overlook the aesthetic aspect along with the functionality of the armor.
Both sets of armor looked splendid compared to those made at well-known workshops.
“What’s this?”
At that moment, Yoo Ji-han tilted his head while inspecting the completed armor.
“Why does this feel familiar?”
“……”
Maybe it was not a proper question.
Nam Ho-yeol didn’t respond directly.
Then Yoo Ji-han asked him.
“Could it be the leather of an Angry Yak?”
“That’s correct.”
“The material cost must have been substantial…”
Yoo Ji-han had gathered roughly how much an Angry Yak cost through several searches.
And the leather from it seemed a bit excessive to be used for the most significant area of the gear being made this time.
“I don’t believe Red Silk Worm silk is the lowest grade material used in this gear either.”
“……”
Once again, Nam Ho-yeol fell into silence.
With a small sigh, Yoo Ji-han placed the armor on the counter and said.
“Ho-yeol, you’ve overdone it.”
“I just reduced my take. It’s not a loss.”
“That’s still the same!”
With both Angry Yak leather and Red Silk Worm silk involved.
Yoo Ji-han thought Nam Ho-yeol had created gear that cost more than the production cost.
Otherwise, it wouldn’t be easy to show such quality for a price that wouldn’t even reach 300 million.
To obtain such gear from a reputable workshop, one had to pay at least 600 million, including the blacksmith’s labor costs.
Yoo Ji-han tapped the hilt of the sword with his hand, stating.
“This sword alone is enough for us. You don’t have to go this far when it’s not easy to maintain your shop either.”
“……”
“If you need extra funds beyond the usual custom costs, let us know.”
“No.”
When he suggested additional payment, Nam Ho-yeol firmly shook his head.
“It’s due to my own greed, so I won’t accept extra charges.”
“But…”
“I saw the interview you both had this morning.”
The article interviewing Keroes in the Hero News had been posted on the internet.
And Nam Ho-yeol had seen Yoo Ji-han and Kim Si-hu’s names and workshop being promoted at the end of that article.
It was clear that they indeed upheld the promise made when receiving the sword as a gift.
‘The article probably won’t gain much attention.’
Yoo Ji-han scratched his head.
It included a video, but then again, being just an interview with a Rank 4 party, it likely didn’t reach enough views to be classified as a popular article.
Though they said they promoted it, the effect felt negligible at best.
However, Nam Ho-yeol emphasized that a verbal promise had been kept.
“Wearing better gear can’t be a bad thing, right?”
“That’s true.”
“I believe my eyesight in choosing you hasn’t failed. So please consider this also a form of investment.”
“Haha… Just how much are you planning to invest in us?”
“If I don’t have cash to invest directly, I’ll have to do it this way.”
Nam Ho-yeol smiled pleasantly.
Yoo Ji-han and Kim Si-hu felt grateful yet guilty towards him.
From their first meeting right down to this one…
They had only been receiving things from Nam Ho-yeol.
“Go ahead and put it on. We might need to adjust the size if it doesn’t fit.”
Yoo Ji-han and Kim Si-hu donned their respective gear.
Contrary to their worries, the armor fit them perfectly.
‘It’s more comfortable than I expected.’
Aside from the smell of new leather, there was absolutely no discomfort.
And it was the same for Kim Si-hu.
If they removed the layered casual clothes underneath, it would feel even more comfortable.
“It’s quite satisfying to see it like this.”
Nam Ho-yeol smiled with satisfaction watching the two wearing their gear.
This was the moment he felt the most proud as a blacksmith.
Yoo Ji-han and Kim Si-hu gently patted their new equipment.
“I’ll only accept this as a favor this time.”
“Next time, please let us know if you need extra funds. We’re not a guild in such dire straits.”
“Understood.”
“We’ll come back to make something else soon.”
The two paid off the remaining balance with their guild cards and left the workshop.
Once alone, Nam Ho-yeol brought the fallen chair back and sat down.
“I guess today’s business is done…”
He figured no one else would visit.
Since he had been coming home so late due to overnight work lately, he thought he should leave earlier than usual today.
But about 20 minutes later.
A young woman entered the store, saying.
“Excuse me! Is this the Knife Workshop?”
“Ah, yes! It is.”
“I found this place after seeing an internet article.”
“……What?”
Nam Ho-yeol’s eyes widened at the appearance of the new customer.