Shen Tian wiped the candy from Kinemia’s lips with his thumb and said,
“If you’re that grateful, give your big bro a hug.”
Kinemia, beaming, toddled over and hugged him around the waist. Shen Tian chuckled and picked her up.
“I made a Wiga-style garden behind the Hyeminwon (a royal medical institution). Want to see it?”
“Yes, yes!”
“Alright. Let’s go.”
He picked up Kinemia and strolled out.
The waiter, who was clearing teacups, saw Shen Tian leaving the Magnolia Room carrying Kinemia and gaped.
‘No way, that human is carrying someone?’
She couldn’t help but doubt her eyes.
In Wiga, he could barely take care of himself, and he used to kick children away if they approached him.
And that’s not all.
‘Speaking of which, whisked away, my foot!’
He spent a whole week reducing his sleep to concoct it…
Shen Tian was someone who had never shown such devotion even to the Emperor of Wiga. He was someone who sat on top of even Sing Kakan’s head, not just any emperor…
Among alchemists, there was an uproar, saying they had never seen Shen Tian like this, wondering, ‘Has he finally gone crazy? Or is this a new symptom of alcohol addiction?’
‘Seriously, his personality is so awful…’
The waiter shook his head and cleared the table.
Chapter 9. The Way of the Sword
Kinemia looked around the room with dazed eyes.
‘This room… why is it like this?’
Kinemia, who had returned home with a bag full of growth-promoting jellies and potions made by Shen Tian, headed to Sayre and Lana’s room next.
Sayre and Lana had moved their residence into the Grand Duke’s castle. As their workload increased more than expected, they needed to communicate closely with Michaela, and for other reasons, they moved their workshop near the Grand Duke’s castle, and the sisters naturally came to live in the Grand Duke’s castle as well.
‘Hmm.’
And Kinemia, who was quietly sitting and looking around the room, was quietly realizing, ‘Their sense of style is out of this world.’
Hunting trophies like deer and wild boar were hung all over the room, the carpet was tiger skin, and bear skin was draped over the sofa. And the heads were mounted upright, too.
She should have known from the guild mark being a frog. And that frog wasn’t a cute, deformed frog, but a real, 100% realistic frog with bulging eyes.
‘Nowhere to look…’
Kinemia, who kept looking around, thought she made eye contact with the bear head on the sofa, so she stealthily moved to the side.
Meanwhile, the sisters were examining the mithril Kinemia had brought and were constantly exclaiming in admiration.
“It’s definitely a mineral I’ve never seen before. It’s very hard.”
“Amazing…”
Kinemia narrowed her eyes as she looked at the bluish-gray lump. As expected of experts, they seemed to see something different.
“You named it mithril?”
Lana asked, fiddling with the mithril.
“Uh-huh.”
“Where did you get this kind of mineral?”
This time it was Sayre’s question.
“It came from a dungeon.”
“Oh, as expected, a dungeon.”
“If things like this come out, I want to go to a dungeon too…!”
“I know, right?”
The sisters seemed completely absorbed in the mithril, their eyes sparkling constantly as they stroked it as if it would wear out.
“Grand Duchess, what are you planning to make with this?”
“A hammer? Really?”
Kinemia subtly avoided Lana’s gaze as she excitedly gripped a hammer handle tightly.
“Not a hammer… I want to make a sword.”
“A sword?”
“A sword…”
Sayre and Lana fell into contemplation.
In the original story, the sisters touched mithril much later, so it might be difficult for them now.
Kinemia said, sipping her milk.
“I brought it thinking Behemoth might be able to refine it… If Behemoth can’t, I’ll have to find another blacksmith.”
“……!”
“……!”
Then the sisters’ eyes lit up as if a fire had been lit.
“There’s no way there’s a mineral we can’t refine.”
“Grand Duchess, you just need to watch!”
The words about finding another blacksmith seemed to have stimulated their competitive spirit.
“Please wait three days!”
“No, two days will be enough!”
Lana retorted to Sayre’s words. Then Sayre frowned and mouthed something, and Lana mouthed back in response.
Judging from their lip movements, they seemed to be exchanging harsh insults.
“Two days? It’s the first time we’re handling it.”
“That’s nothing…”
“One day is enough!”
When Lana retorted again, Sayre threw the cup in front of her. Lana caught it with a thud in her hand and threw it back at Sayre.
The cup, which had been flying in parabolas, was now imbued with aura.
If that hits, it’s straight to the afterlife…!
Poor Kinemia huddled on the sofa, trembling and said,
“Ah, okay…! I’ll trust you both!”
Stop fighting! I’m scared!
“Will you?”
“We will put our heart and soul into it.”
Then the two smiled gently and sat down as if they had never fought.
Kinemia, who was thirsty from briefly feeling her life threatened, gulped down her milk. Seeing this, Lana asked.
“Grand Duchess, would you like more milk?”
“Hey, what are you doing! Hurry up and get her more.”
“You keep-”
“Are you saying it’s okay if the Grand Duchess can’t drink milk and stays the size of a bean sprout?”
Bean sprout…! Kinemia, who was attacked out of nowhere, felt very wronged, but they had no intention of listening to Kinemia’s protest.
“How is that my responsibility?!”
“Of course! It’s your responsibility! Are you blaming the Grand Duchess’s parents for giving birth to her like this right now?”
“What?!”
Lana turned pale at Sayre’s sharp words, and Kinemia almost spat out the milk she was drinking.
“So, are you really saying that it’s my fault that the Grand Duchess is the size of a bean sprout?!”
No! Kinemia’s eyes trembled. She flailed her arms, trying to tell them it wasn’t anyone’s fault, but neither of them seemed to have any intention of listening.
Soon, Lana wiped away tears, saying she would take responsibility for raising the Grand Duchess, and Sayre, sitting next to her, fanned herself with a prim face.
‘I’m going to burst…’
Kinemia, who had drunk so much milk she felt like throwing up, got up after waiting nervously for another 20 minutes.
“Then I’ll trust Behemoth and leave it to you.”
“Yes, just trust us.”
“We’ll show you perfect refining!”
With that resolute vow, tremendous aura exploded from their hammers like fireworks.
‘Ah…’
Blinding! Kinemia covered her eyes with the back of her hand. Judging by the aura alone, it seemed like they could not only refine but also occupy the imperial palace.
Kinemia told the sisters, who were still waving their hands, to go inside and turned around.
“Let’s start quickly. Mithril, I’m a bit nervous.”
“I’m so excited!”
“It was bluish-gray overall, I wonder if the blade will come out like that too…”
“Heh- a blue blade. That’s electrifying.”
Sayre and Lana, unable to contain their excitement, laughed out loud and were about to go into the room when Lana suddenly turned her head back towards Kinemia’s back.
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“……No.”
Lana shook her head. Sayre, puzzled, peeked her face out. Kinemia had already turned the corner, and there was no one in the hallway.
“What is it?”
“No, a black butterfly…”
“Huh?”
“It looked like a black butterfly was taking the Grand Duchess’s hair.”
Lana frowned and tilted her head.
“What nonsense are you talking about? Did you not sleep well yesterday? No wonder, your skin condition is not good…”
Sayre laughed it off and patted Lana on the back, entering the room.
“Are you subtly insulting me?”
After that, Lana followed, spewing out a barrage of curses.
