“Huh?”

“My height. I’ll grow up to five and a half ja tall.”

Gong Son Wu frowned as if willing to listen to any kind of absurd claim, scrutinizing Na Rin up and down before asking.

“How do you know that?”

“Wanna bet on it?”

Gong Son Wu immediately shook his head as if fed up.

“I’ve never seen you lose a bet. I don’t want to rack up more debt, so I’ll just believe you.”

“Aw, shucks.”

“After earning 10,000 nyang from the archery competition, are you still greedy for money? You’ll end up in hell at this rate.”

Gong Son Wu doesn’t know. That 10,000 nyang isn’t even enough to buy a fake piece of Mannyeonhacheol.

Na Rin clicked her tongue and said:

“If you have no use for money, then sure, 10,000 nyang is a fortune. But that’s not the case for me, you know. I have to pay the servants, run the mansion. And that’s not all. You think anyone will make a Mannyeonhacheol sword for free? There are mountains of expenses!”

Na Rin crossed her arms and grumbled with pouting lips.

“Seriously, you don’t know a thing about the ways of the world.”

At that, Gong Son Wu let out an exasperated “ha!” and asked accusingly.

“What is it that I don’t know? I’m running Dongcheon Palace!”

“Who is?”

“I am!”

“Then let me ask you. Last year, was it in the red or the black?”

“……”

Gong Son Wu shut his mouth tight.

“You don’t know that either? Really?”

“The managers handle the budget matters.”

Na Rin shook her head from side to side.

She had expected him not to know when asking the question, but seeing him truly clueless was pathetic beyond compare.

“You’re not running Dongcheon Palace, sir. You’re just providing funds for its operation. Get it now?”

Although extremely displeased to hear such words from his disciple, Gong Son Wu could think of no rebuttal no matter what.

Ding-ling!

[*You have succeeded in logically persuading an absolute master, increasing your ability. (Eloquence +5)]

“Jackpot!”

“What is this sudden jackpot?”

“Just be quiet for a moment!”

Na Rin immediately summoned her status window to check her Eloquence stat.

[Eloquence: 32]

‘Finally entered the 30s!’

Considering Na Rin’s Eloquence was around 80 back in Hangzhou, she still had a long way to go, but this was undoubtedly a remarkable achievement.

‘But why did it increase by 5 this time?’

When she persuaded Dok Go Cheon not long ago, the other party was a divine realm master, yet it only increased by a measly 1.

“How long do I need to stay quiet?”

“Ah, sorry. It’s fine now.”

Na Rin put away the scroll and faced Gong Son Wu again.

“Why did you suddenly tell me to be quiet? And what jackpot?”

“Oh, that’s…”

While Na Rin was glancing around, trying to come up with an excuse, Gong Son Wu’s Cheongryong Sword suddenly caught her eye.

“The Cheongryong Sword!”

“What?”

“Your Cheongryong Sword, sir! You said it was made directly from Mannyeonhacheol? Wow! Jackpot!”

It was an extremely awkward and over-the-top reaction.

“What’s so special about it now?”

Despite saying that, Gong Son Wu unbuckled his belt to hand over the Cheongryong Sword so Na Rin could take a closer look.

“I can’t really say I made it myself. The swordsmith made it.”

“You just provided the funds again, huh.”

“…I should have at least worked the bellows.”

“Nah, better that you didn’t. You don’t have the skills anyway.”

Gong Son Wu seemed about to protest something, but Na Rin paid him no heed and ran her fingertips along the blade of the Cheongryong Sword.

“That swordsmith is really skilled.”

The wavy pattern resembling the winding peaks of the Shimandaesan Mountains was beautiful. It seemed to be a natural pattern that formed when folding and layering heated steel plates.

‘It’s been folded many times.’

How many times was this metal, unrivaled in its toughness, hammered in order to layer it this way?

“Can I entrust my sword to him as well?”

“I don’t see why not. He was already a renowned swordsmith back when he made the Cheongryong Sword, so he should be a grandmaster by now.”

It was welcome news.

“Where can I meet him?”

“Go to the Ironworks Department and say you’ve come to see Master Jeong Cheon-seong.”

Na Rin nodded while inwardly repeating ‘Jeong Cheon-seong, Jeong Cheon-seong’.

‘Though I’m not planning to make it right away.’

But it would be good to make his acquaintance in case there’s anything she needs to prepare in advance, Na Rin thought as she headed to the Ironworks Department.

[This is the timeline separator]

There are no holidays at the Ironworks Department.

It’s because all the blades used by every government office in Shimandaesan are made through the Ironworks Department. If they don’t stoke the fires even for a day, they can’t fulfill the ordered quantities.

But the smoke from the chimneys that flowed endlessly like a river has ceased just for today.

It was a perplexing matter for a first-time visitor.

“Is it a day off…?”

The child peering around curiously was none other than Na Rin.

After parting with Gong Son Wu, she immediately sought out the Ironworks Department, but contrary to expectations, the atmosphere was extremely quiet.

“What are you looking for? Gasp! Lady Hyeolgong!”

“Hello.”

“Greetings to the Cheonma bloodline!”

Recognizing Na Rin’s white hair and identity, the Ironworks Department worker quickly bowed in salutation.

‘Ugh, awkward.’

But she’ll have to get used to it. Na Rin spoke, pretending to be unfazed.

“I’ve come to see Master Jeong Cheon-seong.”

“Ah…! You were Master Swordsmith’s guest…”

The worker continued with an unusually gloomy expression.

“Let’s go together. This humble one will guide you.”

“You can just tell me the directions.”

“No, that won’t do. The paths in the Ironworks Department village are complex… It would be a big problem if you’re late.”

‘What would be a big problem?’

Na Rin didn’t quite understand the worker’s words, but she just nodded and followed behind him. She would find out when they arrived anyway.

And so, after following the worker through the winding, rugged paths of the village and arriving at the mountain summit…

“Oh no! Master Swordsmith!”

“How can you go like this!”

Na Rin understood what the ‘big problem’ the worker mentioned was.

“Oh my, Lady Hyeolgong. What brings you here?”

“Priestess?”

Dressed in ceremonial robes different from the tribute ceremony, Priestess Yeo Bi-jo approached Na Rin with graceful steps.

Seeing Yeo Bi-jo’s attire that was both formal and stylish, Na Rin slowly grasped the situation.

Mountain summit. Ancestral shrine. Many people. Yeo Bi-jo. Wailing.

There was only one conclusion to draw.

“…Where do I go to give condolence money?”

That’s right.

As luck would have it, today was the funeral day for Master Swordsmith Jeong Cheon-seong.

‘Seriously, nothing ever goes smoothly.’

Right when she secured Mannyeonhacheol, the person to make her sword passes away. Where else does this kind of thing happen? It’s not like she can tell him to make her sword before he goes either.

“Ah! You came to pay respects? Children, please assist Lady Hyeolgong.”

“Yes, Priestess.”

“How shall I write your name?”

A cute girl attendant smiled brightly, holding a register.

‘Since I came all this way, I should live up to my name.’

It’s a waste of money to make a condolence donation at the funeral of some grandpa she doesn’t even know, but as a Known Demonic Girl who even received characters, she can’t be seen as stingy.

“Hyeolgong Dokgo Na Rin. 10 nyang.”

It’s an amount slightly less than an average commoner’s one month salary.

The girl attendant bowed, expressing admiration.

“Thank you for your generous contribution, Lady Hyeolgong.”

“Ah, and one more person.”

I can’t be the only one giving generously.

“Eastern Quadrant Guardian Gong Son Wu. 100 nyang.”

As someone he just met for the first time is donating 10 nyang, how can the owner of the Cheongryong Sword get away with not giving a single coin?

“Oh my!”

The startled attendant covered her mouth with the hand holding the brush, smearing black ink across her face.

“100 nyang in condolence money?”

‘Is that too little?’

Well, he does have the status of a Guardian. Giving only 100 nyang is too stingy for the person who made the famous sword that will be passed down through generations as the owner of Dongcheon Palace.

Na Rin said:

“No. Let’s make it a clean 1,000 nyang.”

“1-1,000 nyang?!”

As the attendant’s voice rose, the surrounding gazes also gathered.

Conscious of the stares, Na Rin cleared her throat and whispered in a lowered voice.

“Raise Lady Hyeolgong Dokgo Na Rin’s contribution to 100 nyang as well.”

“Pardon?”

“It’ll be embarrassing if someone sees. Hurry. And wipe your face too, unni.”

The girl attendant hastily corrected Na Rin’s condolence amount and wiped her own face. Seeing this, Priestess Yeo Bi-jo subtly approached and said:

“I didn’t know you had such a deep connection with Swordsmith Jeong Cheon-seong.”

“You’re mistaken, Priestess.”

Na Rin let out a deep sigh.

“I was too late to form any connection with him.”

“Hmm…? Please wait a moment.”

Sensing something unusual, Yeo Bi-jo entrusted the remaining funeral procedures to another priestess and returned.

“Now tell me everything. This clever Yeo Bi-jo is all ears.”

“Well, the thing is…”

Na Rin conveyed the events of the past day to Yeo Bi-jo as concisely as possible, but ended up blabbing even the trivial details because Yeo Bi-jo kept requesting more information in between.

“From what you’re saying, it seems you spent quite some time there. What were you doing for two whole shichens at Cheonmabigo?”

Urk.

She just had to poke at that part.

‘I can’t exactly say I lost track of time while writing a letter to Dan Ga-ga.’

So Na Rin pulled out the excuse she always uses at times like this.

“I like books, you see.”

“Oh my! You have hidden charms.”

“Ha, haha… That’s just how I am.”

Wanting to escape the awkward atmosphere, Na Rin brought up a different topic.

“Besides Master Swordsmith, are there any other craftsmen who have experience working with Mannyeonhacheol?”

“I wonder. It’s such a rare metal. Even if someone has handled it, they probably just mixed it with ordinary steel. I don’t think anyone other than Master Swordsmith has melted a lump of pure Mannyeonhacheol to make a sword.”

Na Rin nodded in agreement, thinking that could be the case.

Gong Son Wu’s Cheongryong Sword is a special case. The powerful figures who would wield Mannyeonhacheol swords have likely been using inherited swords from their ancestors. Even Dokgo Cheon uses the Cheonma Divine Sword passed down to him.

“Is it possible that Jeong Cheon-seong had any disciples? If the refining method remains, maybe something can be done.”

“That might be so. Let me quickly ask around and return.”

“Rest, you say?”

“Yes. Priestesses are invincible at funerals!”

Yeo Bi-jo smiled brightly and spoke with confidence.

It sounded quite absurd, but it was probably true.

If she puts on that priestess robe, makes a sad face, and just says “how sorrowful you must be”, the people here would tearfully pour out everything they know about the deceased.

‘Thank goodness there’s at least the Priestess.’

If she had known it would be like this, it would have been nice to come with Gong Son Wu. A little girl attending a funeral of some grandpa she doesn’t even know by herself – it was too strange of a sight.

Na Rin was sitting in a corner, trying not to attract attention as much as possible while waiting for Yeo Bi-jo, when…

Thud thud!

“How dare this fella come here!”

“Why! Am I not allowed to be here!”

“Ugh, the stench of alcohol!”

“Bring salt! Salt!”

‘Tis but a common disturbance at a funeral.

Na Rin yawned with her mouth gaping wide, an uninterested look on her face.

Seems like some good-for-nothing runaway son has returned.

‘Even a brilliant craftsman struggles with raising children.’

The thudding sound was heard again, followed by people’s wailing.

Oh, did the rascal succeed in entering?

Na Rin peeked her face out to take a look.

“Alas, Grandfather!”

A young man with bandages wrapped all over his body slid and ran into the ancestral shrine, collapsing like a turtle in front of the deceased’s coffin.

“Uwaaah! Grandfather! Look. Your grandson Dogeom has come!”

“Jeong Dogeom?!!”

At Na Rin’s shocked voice, everyone’s gaze focused at once.

Then, slowly raising his tear-stained face was the prodigal son.

“B-Baby Sis?”