Chapter 147 - Runesmith Dexter 3 (1/2)
Dexter’s work was currently being inspected in front of Marquis Ruben.
”Hmm, it’s almost perfect, but I don't like the golden pattern here.”
“Then how should I change it?”
”Well. Try to make it look powerful and strong. Like a dragon roaring fiercely at the evil undead army.”
For Dexter, Marquis Ruben was an exhausting lord in many ways.
He had a lot of demands and had a terrible artistic taste.
“Like a dragon?”
“Yes, a dragon. Dragons are said to have been the strongest creatures on the continent, although they’re now extinct.”
The story of the Black Dragon King Drakia who loved Queen Iona, and the gold and silver treasures of the Red Dragon King Arcana was very famous.
Dexter scratched his head as he listened to Marquis Ruben’s excitement.
“If you could be more specific about it…”
“I’ve explained enough already. Do the rest with your natural talent.”
Marquis Ruben turned his head as he got irritated.
He held out his long sword which Dexter accepted reluctantly.
“Then I will give it one more try.”
“Don't let me down, Dexter. You know who has power around here, right?”
He would be dispatched to a remote area where supplies would be scarce if he got on the wrong side of Marquis Ruben.
Dexter gulped before leaving the office.
‘Sigh… How did it come to this?'
He had just started working as a blacksmith because the job fitted him properly.
As a result, the system gave him an apprentice blacksmith class, and new quests became available to him.
But life here was not good.
Apart from the nobles, the working environment was so poor that every day was a living hell.
He was beginning to think that having a battle class and going around freely while clearing adventure quests would’ve been a better choice.
'There are even people who are jealous of me.'
His natural talent as a blacksmith was, on one hand, being admired, but in most cases he was an object of jealousy.
And the craftsmen in the workshops valued hierarchical order, but since a newcomer was making products of higher quality than the older men, bad blood within the workshops was inevitable.
'I miss home.'
Dexter originally lived in a small village on the outskirts of the Lydia Kingdom.
But one day, demons arrived and began to exploit the inhabitants, and all those who did not obey were dragged away and experimented on.
The residents who couldn’t bear this life fled to the neighboring Norton Kingdom, but the demons pursued them on the way, and most of them ended up dying.
Only five people, including Dexter, were able to reach the military city of Baloa safely.
'Even if I run away right now, there’s nowhere for me to go.'
In Dreadlore, the castle of the dead in the northwest of the Norton Kingdom, the undeads were uniting and preparing to go south, and in the neighbouring Kingdom of Enoa, the vicious Kazak tribes were raging.
While the Kazak were currently busy fighting the elves of the Croa Principality, that did not mean that the Lydia kingdom was safe.
Therefore, despite the absurd situation in this city, he persisted and remained here.
The return of the demons had created chaos everywhere on the Eeth Continent, so the northern kingdom, which was a cold place, was a safe place to escape from foreign invasion.
As Dexter comforted himself, a soft wind suddenly blew in from the opposite side of the passage.
Swoosh.
“…Huh?”
Because this area was an enclosed space, wind would never blow on the inside.
With a tense expression, Dexter drew Marquis Ruben's long sword.
At that moment,
“Don’t move. Don't even scream.”
The dry voice of the man resounded from right behind him.
Dexter's face turned blue when he saw the cold, sharp dagger in front of his neck.
“I, I…”
“Are you Dexter?”
“Ye-yes.”
“I need you to follow me.”
The man’s identity was Woohyuk.
He dragged Dexter all the way to the end of the aisle and spoke aloud again.
“I know your secret.”
“Wha, what do you mean…?!”
“Runesmith. The name of the hidden class you have.”
In addition to his first class, Blacksmith, Dexter had a hidden class called Runesmith.
When Woohyuk revealed his secret, Dexter looked astonished.
“H-how do you…”
“I came from the Lydia Kingdom to take you with me.”
Woohyuk began to negotiate with Dexter.
If he voluntarily followed Woohyuk, his safety would be guaranteed and he would become a Baron of the Dane Kingdom.
In return, Dexter would have to build the equipment he would be ordered to create and be loyal as a vassal.
Quite an advantageous proposal.
Dexter swallowed.
“Is, is that true? Will I even receive a fief?”
“Here is the formal appointment of your noble status.”
Woohyuk took a piece of paper.
It contained the red seal of the King of Rhine and a sentence informing Dexter that his title was indeed real.
”Unbelievable…”
“Wouldn't you like to work for a monarch who recognizes your abilities? I am the person you are looking for.”
Woohyuk showed his confidence without shrinking back a single time.
Dexter pondered for a while before nodding.
“I don't know how you obtained that, but I detest this place. If you keep the promises you just made, I will serve you as my lord until I die.”
“Great. Now that’s settled.”
“But do you have some sort of special plan? I know a lot of people here, so I'll be spotted immediately if I try to escape.”
“Ah, yes. I have a very good plan.”
Woohyuk took Dexter to the roof of Marquis Ruben’s mansion.
He then equipped Jake’s Airwalker Boots and Dexter’s eyes went wide.
“What an odd item. Was it made with magic engineering?”
“It's an invention by a man named Jake.”
“Jake... Do you mean the misfortunate genius magic engineer?”