A sword made by Roman.
I could not believe it.
No, I could not accept it.
"Are you telling me to believe that right now? Roman. The person you are facing is the Master Blacksmith of the Dmitri family. He has spent his entire life working with iron on this land, and therefore, without needing to confirm the facts, he can tell whether his opponent is a craftsman or not. Yet, you dare to mock me like this. The rumors that Roman Dmitri has changed are all lies."
His voice boiled with anger.
The truth did not even need to be confirmed.
In the past, Roman had sought out the forge for his successor training.
At that time, Roman was a mess, from hammering to everything else, and he showed no willingness to learn, which infuriated Hendrick.
Since that day, Roman had never set foot in the forge again.
No matter how much the Dmitri family had a separate forge for introspection, I never thought that Roman Dmitri, who had fallen into indulgence and forgotten his duties as a successor, would grow into a master craftsman.
The sword before my eyes.
A famous sword.
I did not know how skilled he was with iron, but at the very least, the realm of handling mana was the work of a craftsman superior to myself.
It could not be Roman.
The gap between the past and present ignited Hendrick's anger.
However, "Master Hendrick."
Roman's voice was calm, as if he understood the other’s reaction.
Looking directly into Hendrick's eyes, he spoke with unwavering tone.
"I fully understand why you are reacting this way. A blacksmith's skill, like an aura, cannot be developed in a day or two. If I had shown enough effort in the forge, you would have believed my words. But what I said is the truth. The name of this sword is Salamander, named after the continent, and it is the only sword I have made."
"This brat really...!" Hendrick's face flushed red.
He had wanted to slap Roman for mocking him, but he was taken aback by the next statement.
"I will show you directly how I made this sword. If you, as the Master Blacksmith representing the Dmitri family, have the insight, then one action will prove that my words are true, more than a hundred words."
"…?!" Hearing Roman's words, Hendrick's face was stained with confusion.
They moved to another location.
The forge of introspection.
As they moved, Roman spoke to Hendrick.
"Every time I have an important battle, I make the sword that I will entrust my life to. A sword that perfectly utilizes my current physical abilities and matches the form of the aura I manifest. Salamander was born that way. While preparing for the war with Barco, I judged that I needed a new sword and struck steel countless times facing the flames of the furnace. At that moment, the forge felt like a sanctuary. No one could intrude, and I could not stop until my story with steel was finished. I believe Master Hendrick understands that feeling well."
"…."
He remained silent.
His face was filled with dissatisfaction.
Although he followed Roman, who said he would show him, he did not like the attitude that seemed to empathize with a blacksmith's feelings.
Roman was not a blacksmith.
He had never shown a willingness to put in effort, so how could he be expected to believe just by looking at the result?
Regardless of how Hendrick reacted, Roman did not stop speaking.
"I must fulfill my duty to defend the nation. The person Roman Dmitri has continuously developed, and thus I recently began to create a sword to replace Salamander. What I want to show Master Hendrick is the process of making that sword. If you still do not believe it after seeing it with your own eyes, then I will humbly accept punishment after reporting to my father."
Thud.
They arrived at the forge.
Roman prepared to work.
In fact, there was nothing special to prepare.
Having lived in the forge every evening, the environment where Roman worked remained just as it was.
He took off his upper garment to fully embrace the flames of the furnace.
At this incomprehensible action from a craftsman, Hendrick's expression twisted in horror. 'How can he not even know the basics as a blacksmith?' He wanted to turn around immediately.
There was no need to see more.
A blacksmith who did not even wear safety gear could not be said to have the right attitude to treat iron sincerely.
At that moment, flames erupted.
And just once, when Roman struck the steel with the hammer, Hendrick's expression changed.
Clang! A cheerful sound.
Roman's muscles bulged.
He began to strike the steel in earnest, and from that moment on, he did not care about Hendrick's gaze at all. 'The techniques of handling iron in this world and the martial world are different.
This world cannot perfectly handle mana, so if one invests a lot in the sword's abilities, the martial world prioritizes the smooth operation of qi.
A sword that maximizes the efficiency of qi.
That is what is called a famous sword in the martial world, and I have created many swords that suit me while living a life of struggle.'
The point that impressed Hendrick was the high mana response, a technique of the martial world.
And in the martial world, Baek Joong-hyuk was also called a master craftsman.
Baek Joong-hyuk's sword was a treasure of the martial world, and such craftsmanship created the sword called 'Salamander' in the new world.
Clang! Clang! He struck the steel.
Flames erupted, and his skin turned red.
Flame Manipulation.
He embraced the hot flames as they were.
The process of making the sword was part of training, and he fused himself with the sword to fully accept his current self.
In the future, as he had told Hendrick, he had to leave for the battlefield.
There was not much time.
He did not know what would happen on the battlefield, but there was one fact that Roman could be sure of in his life so far. 'Even there, I will live as a ruler.' At least three months.
Roman intended to put effort into creating a new sword.
And when the sword was completed, he would leave for the battlefield representing the Dmitri family.
He immersed himself in his work.
Forgetting distractions, he focused solely on the sword.
A state of selflessness.
Roman was completely absorbed in the sword.
Was this how it felt to have one's breath taken away? Watching Roman, Hendrick was mesmerized.
Clang! Clang! '…This is unbelievable.' The Master Blacksmith.
He had the insight to recognize a craftsman, as he had told Roman.
Therefore, seeing Roman strike the steel without a single flaw, his common sense crumbled.
'Is this really Roman Dmitri?' He could not believe it even after seeing it.
The Roman he had experienced had shown no interest in the forge at all, yet the attitude and sound of hammering steel clearly spoke of a skilled craftsman.
It was not just that.
The point that completely captivated Hendrick was Roman's unwavering posture, facing the heat of the furnace head-on.
His skin turned red.
It was certainly too hot to endure, yet Roman did not take his eyes off the steel as if he were in love with it.
And then, he struck the steel.
Once.
Twice.
Three times, four times.
His muscles seemed to explode with energy.
Like a beautiful rhythm, he struck the hammer with a steady pace, like a maestro conducting music.
"What on earth is this?" It was certain.
Roman was a craftsman.
Clearly, common sense said it could not be so, but the scene unfolding right before his eyes proved an undeniable reality.
If such a person was not a craftsman, who could be called one? Initially, he had shown an attitude of outright denial towards Roman, but now he fully accepted the reality. 'With this level of skill, there is no shortage in making a famous sword.
The attitude towards steel, the speed of striking the steel, the sound produced when the hammer and steel collide.
Everything is perfect.
And unlike me, his ability to fully embrace the heat of the furnace with his bare body reminds me of the prime days of Baron Romero.
In the end, bloodlines do not lie.
It is not Rodwell Dmitri, but the eldest son Roman Dmitri who carries the blood of a blacksmith.'
He gulped.
There must be a secret within Roman's work that heightened the mana response.
Hendrick had unknowingly become an audience member, enjoying the performance before his eyes while setting aside his doubts.
Time passed.
He had no intention of stopping the work.
Until the sun completely set, Roman immersed himself in his work, and Hendrick watched him silently as if he had turned to stone.
Both understood.
The meaning of proof had already been lost.
Hendrick believed that just witnessing the work was enough to confirm that Roman's words were true.
Tap.
The work was finished.
Looking at Roman, drenched in sweat, Hendrick spoke with a face that seemed like a great sinner. "…I am sorry. You truly are the master of the sword."
The apology came quickly.
Hendrick was a craftsman.
Having devoted his life to the forge, he had immense pride, and naturally, he could not help but be angry at the thought that Roman's words were mocking him.
However, upon confirming the truth, his attitude changed.
If Roman was indeed the craftsman who made Salamander, then regardless of their past, Hendrick could not help but love him.
Roman smiled.
This occasion was meant to resolve their past grievances.
To fully settle as a member of the Dmitri family, he judged it necessary to improve his relationship with Hendrick.
Roman said, "I would like to gift you Salamander."
"…?!" "As you saw today, I am making a new sword. Since I previously sold Master Hendrick's sword without permission, I do not know if this will serve as compensation, but I hope you will accept Salamander as a gift."
At Roman's words, Hendrick's hands trembled.
In truth, he had wanted Salamander since the first time he saw it.
It was a new form of sword, and he had a desire to analyze Salamander and make its techniques his own.
But now he was being offered the sword.
Hendrick cleared his throat.
He could not be entirely happy because he remembered how angry he had been, but he also did not want to refuse.
"…Cough. Th-thank you."
Hendrick stammered.
He had not even attempted to refuse.
Now, as if it were his own sword, he cherished Salamander close to his chest, and Roman realized that he was not a bad person.
Hendrick and Roman.
Their relationship had been ruined by Roman.
As the successor of the Dmitri family, he had neglected his duties in the forge and had naturally shown a hostile attitude after selling Hendrick's masterpiece.
Yet, Hendrick was not such a bad person.
The moment he confirmed that Roman was of the same kind, his fiery temper melted away like snow.
It had been the same in his past life.
People who become so absorbed in one field that they lose their senses.
The way to win them over to your side was simply to respect their domain.
"And you are always welcome to come and see my work." "…If you say that."
Hendrick smiled.
The thought of seeing Roman's techniques in Salamander made his face light up with joy.
He was a simple man.
That day, the ill fate between Hendrick and Roman came to an end.
And at that moment, a servant who had received orders from Baron Romero was searching for Hendrick's whereabouts.