“I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”

The priest who stepped out of the door couldn’t bring himself to look Ben in the eyes.

“It looks like he’ll lose his sight permanently. Sir Frak won’t be able to see the world anymore.”

Priests.

Those who received holy power from a god and could heal. But they weren’t all-powerful.

“When you arrived, the wound was too deep, and it seems the nerves were shocked. And... it was too late as well.”

Sparring between knights.

Even if they reached the very instant of death thanks to a mage’s special power, they wouldn’t die as long as 1% of their HP remained.

Ben weighed it.

The dragon that man named Hyun had swung. And the dismantling of the plate armor that had covered Frak’s chest.

Because of that, the damage Frak took had actually been worse than death.

But the mages’ power had protected him.

“...He lived. That’s enough.”

Because of what happened this time, Ben’s attitude toward Frak changed.

He’d been a cranky old man, but even he remembered the loyalty Frak had shown, and belatedly realized how precious Frak was to him.

Even if he lost his eyes, Ben would still keep him by his side.

Ben soon returned to the audience chamber.

The moment he arrived, his confidant and the kingdom’s strategist, Pan, spoke up.

“Your Majesty, in the borderlands—”

“Don’t say it.”

“...Yes.”

Ben still didn’t regret having stepped back from the borderlands by a single pace.

“Two letters have arrived.”

Exactly what he expected.

These letters would be from the Kingdom of Goyard.

“The first letter is short. Shall I read it first?”

Pan unfolded the letter and held both ends as he spoke.

“‘This is absurd.’”

Ben let out a hollow laugh.

“That’s the end?”

“Yes.”

Back then, he’d been frantic because of Frak, and he’d had no choice.

It was a reaction Barad would be bound to have.

But there wasn’t a single line in the first letter saying, “Give Hyun back.”

‘Because you were going to send him to me in the first place.’

The second letter was read aloud.

The second letter contained something important.

It was about negotiations.

The small war gave the side that held initiative the power to propose first in those negotiations, and that was bigger than it sounded.

“...Therefore, we intend to send Blacksmith Hyun as the Kingdom of Goyard’s negotiator. I ask that you take good care of him.”

Ben organized the terms Pan read.

Negotiations between the two kingdoms had always begun from what each wanted to possess.

War was, in the end, what happened when one country wanted something another country had.

But the two kings weren’t wise enough to make that kind of decision outright.

First negotiation point.

The Kingdom of Goyard wanted the prisoners taken by the Prahum Kingdom returned.

Second.

The Kingdom of Goyard wanted to purchase blacksmithing materials held by the Prahum Kingdom.

‘Bold.’ 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Even setting aside the second, the first effectively meant walking the road of peace.

And since a proposal had come, they also had to press their own needs as negotiation terms.

Ben looked at Pan.

“In the case of the second point, this would be best, I think. Agree to exporting materials, and in exchange, we want Goyard’s outstanding swordsmanship.”

“We want swordsmanship.”

Ben agreed.

The Kingdom of Goyard was a nation of swords, and compared to other kingdoms, the Prahum Kingdom’s soldiers tended to be lacking in swordsmanship.

“There’s a way to make this negotiation difficult. Tell them to send instructors to teach swordsmanship, and in proportion to how much those instructors grow our soldiers, we’ll send prisoners back.”

Pan smiled slyly.

“And add this: we do not want knights to come, because we are concerned for our safety.”

It was practically wordplay.

We want to learn swordsmanship, but don’t send knights.

In other words, he was trying to nullify the very leverage of that negotiation.

“If they still send instructor-soldiers in a situation like this, then we can send them to the Cradle of Hell.”

“Heh.”

Ben was impressed by Pan’s cleverness, even though he was his own vassal.

The Cradle of Hell.

It was the Prahum Kingdom’s training camp for its most elite soldiers.

The average soldier’s level was 200.

But the average there reached level 240.

If instructor-soldiers went there, what would happen?

“And as for the first negotiation point—”

Pan knew Ben well.

Ben had personally brought Blacksmith Hyun here.

That alone was astonishing.

It meant Ben acknowledged that Hyun was impressive enough to be used in negotiations.

But only up to that point.

“We can bring up the ‘formula’ of that thing you said no one would be able to make.”

The Kingdom of Goyard’s second negotiation point hinged on the instructor-soldiers.

The center of the first negotiation point was Blacksmith Hyun.

“That’s why you brought him in front of the Small World Tree.”

Ben nodded.

Something that seemed impossible to make.

Or presenting a task that seemed impossible to do.

“No one has ever managed to save the dying Small World Tree. If he can bring it back to life, I’ll grant him the right to use it.”

Pan didn’t say anything in response.

King Ben had a disposition where, if he gained something, he returned something as well.

But Pan gave a hollow laugh at those words.

‘The Small World Tree is a tree that can never live again on this land.’

Then a letter arrived containing the Prahum Kingdom’s demands.

When time passed, the reply came back.

Pan looked slightly surprised.

“They say they’ll accept everything. They’re sending five soldiers.”

Ben made a puzzled expression at how readily they accepted.

Then—

“Your Majesty, Sir Frak has awakened.”

At the news that his disciple had awakened, Ben moved at once.

*****

[You have witnessed a legendary material: Small World Tree.]

[You gain 100 Fame.]

Hyunsoo woke from his hazy stupor with a startled expression.

A body that had felt like it would never move again had recovered.

Users and NPCs had innate healing.

The speed of that innate healing varied depending on artifacts, skills, and the like.

Considering how much time had passed, Hyunsoo’s injuries should have taken quite a long time to heal on their own.

‘Because of the Small World Tree?’

Hyunsoo took in the Small World Tree before him.

But something about it felt strange, and his brow furrowed.

A vast garden that looked like three full-sized athletic fields fused into one.

In front of it stood a Small World Tree that was drying out, and every plant around it had already withered and shriveled.

And yet its scale was enormous.

It stood twenty meters tall, lofty and imposing as if it could spear the sky.

Hyunsoo stepped closer to see the Small World Tree up close.

[The Small World Tree is dying.]

[The Small World Tree may cause disaster.]

[A dying Small World Tree is a material that cannot be obtained.]

Hyunsoo walked up and placed his hand on the Small World Tree.

[Small World Tree information at the time of acquisition will be displayed.]

(Small World Tree)

Grade: Legendary

Restriction: Master Blacksmith Level 250+

Difficulty: Highest.

Special Abilities

· When crafting a spear, Penetration +97%.

· When crafting a bow, Lifeline Ratio +50%.

· When crafting a spear or bow, weapon weight -30%.

· Strength, Agility, Stamina +20% or more.

· Attack Speed up to +50%.

· Durability increases up to infinite.

Description: A legendary material, the Small World Tree. Compared to any other legendary materials made of wood, it is the most outstanding. However, it has withered and lost its former power.

Hyunsoo had once used a legendary ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) mineral—lowest-grade orichalcum.

Back then, he’d crafted an orichalcum Aegis with it.

‘Right. That was the lowest grade.’

But this was, no matter who looked, a material that reached at least the mid-tier among legendaries.

The problem was that what stood here now was different from what the notification described.

As the description said, it had withered and lost its former power.

‘How am I supposed to bring it back?’

No explanatory notification appeared.

It looked like something he’d have to ask Ben about.

Hyunsoo left the garden.

*****

When Ben arrived at the ward where Frak lay, he couldn’t say a word.

Frak was sitting on the bed with bandages wrapped around his eyes.

The bandages were damp, soaked through with Frak’s tears.

Ben had always regarded Frak as no more than an heir who would succeed him.

But in this small war, he learned how much Frak cherished him and cared for him, and his thoughts changed.

Frak, as if sensing Ben’s presence, turned his face in that direction.

“...Your Majesty, I can’t see anything. How am I supposed to swing a spear from now on.”

Ben couldn’t answer.

Frak was someone who had swung nothing but a spear all his life.

And now that someone would never be able to swing a spear again.

Even so, Ben would keep Frak at his side and cherish him.

“You worthless idiot... like that matters so much...”

Ben’s voice trembled slightly as he spoke.

“My whole life... I’ve lived with nothing but a spear in my hands...”

Frak’s voice gouged into Ben’s chest.

“Why... why...”

And the next words made Ben’s heart drop.

“Why did you save me.”

“...”

Frak was only twenty-four.

Now he felt like he wouldn’t be able to do anything at all.

He thought—

Wouldn’t it have been better if he’d died then, gloriously and beautifully?

“It’s the first time.”

The bandages over his eyes began to grow even wetter.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever hated you this much, Your Majesty.”

Ben couldn’t say anything.

He understood how Frak felt.

But Ben couldn’t think of a way to comfort him.

Then—

“Bullshit.”

At that voice, Frak froze in fury, and Ben froze in confusion.

Ben turned his head, and Hyunsoo was looking at him with a contemptuous gaze.

‘What...?’

Ben was flustered. He was the one responsible.

Was the culprit... mocking Frak right here?

No—more than that, what Ben couldn’t understand was Hyunsoo’s behavior.

It was completely different from what Ben had seen before.

‘Was he always... like this?’

Mocking someone in despair...

Frak twisted his face.

“Did you come here to laugh at me? At me, who lost to you and is drowning in despair!?”

The man said,

“Saying you hate the man who hugged you and sprinted in one breath to save you—yeah, that’s bullshit. Isn’t it?”

Ben realized then.

He hadn’t come to mock him.

‘Sometimes blunt words can be comfort.’

Yes. The man was giving that kind of comfort.

Shocked, Frak’s lips moved as he stared toward where the king sat.

‘His Majesty ran while holding me... to save me.’

He’d held him and run.

A king of a nation.

But Ben shook his head.

‘Wrong.’

That level of comfort wouldn’t solve this problem.

For someone who’d permanently lost their sight, words like that changed nothing.

Hyunsoo’s approach was wrong.

No matter what anyone did here, there was no way to turn Frak’s heart back—

“Protect him.”

For a moment, Frak couldn’t understand what the words meant.

Was he telling someone who’d completely lost his sight to protect His Majesty?

“Buy me a meal later.”

Then Hyunsoo, who had walked up in front of him, pulled out a potion bottle.

Pop—

‘Troll Blood?’

Ben frowned in confusion.

Troll Blood, said to have regenerative power, was a rare item.

But even Troll Blood couldn’t help wounds that caused permanent damage like this.

And then the moment Hyunsoo opened the potion bottle, what he said made Ben go pale.

“It’s Giant King’s Blood. It regenerates and restores any wound. You can only use it once, but I’ll use it on you.”

Trickle—

A green liquid flowed down and settled over Frak’s eyes.

Sssss—

Smoke rose, and at an unbelievable speed, Frak’s vision began to return.

And Hyunsoo said with a bitter smile.

“Don’t break.”

Frak, who had regained his sight, began to cry even harder as he watched Hyunsoo leave.

‘Why...?’

But there was something Ben couldn’t understand.

Giant King’s Blood was far too precious.

Wasn’t it said to be usable only once?

‘Frak was his enemy.’

Was it worth using that for him?

Then cold sweat ran down Ben’s back.

At this age, sometimes you could see a future that hadn’t happened yet.

Like an illusion.

The blacksmith who became king would someday face a great danger.

A moment would come where he knelt and despaired, just like Frak now.

And then Ben saw another king arriving, leading soldiers.

He was Frak—older than now—another Sky King.

That day, Frak would smile and reach out his hand to him.

Ben understood.

‘It was something neither Barad nor I could do.’

It was two legends standing together.

That evening—

“I guess we can’t eat together. Here. Meal money.”

[You gain 100,000 gold.]

One hundred million won.

‘What kind of meal costs a hundred million...?’

Hyunsoo let out a hollow laugh, and before Frak left, Frak spoke.

“Thank you for using Giant King’s Blood for me, even though it can only be used once.”

Frak bowed his head in greeting.

[Affinity with Frak has reached MAX.]

After Frak left, Hyunsoo pulled out a potion bottle and stared at it.

‘Heheh.’

[It is Giant King’s Blood.]

[You have used it once out of three total uses. Two uses remain.]

It was a truth that only Hyunsoo would keep forever.