Chapter 149 The Greedy Collector (1)
Last month.
Marquis Valentino had a frustrating day.
At first, he was convinced that Dmitri’s master, Blacksmith Hendrick, was the master who created the blaze.
There was no one else in the northeast area who could make such a sword.
So, as soon as I won the auction, I sent someone to Dmitry, but I received a disappointing answer, contrary to my high expectations.
“I haven’t recently put a sword I’ve made on the auction house.”
If Hendrick made Blaze.
It will surely be the masterpiece of a lifetime.
There’s no way he didn’t know that his work was sold at an auction house, and if so, Hendrick was excluded from the line of the dragon.
From then on, it was the beginning of an obsession. Marquis Valentino used the personal connections and wealth he could mobilize to visit all the artisans of the Cairo Kingdom and confirm that he was the owner of Blaze.
“I am not.”
“There is no one in Cairo who can make a sword like this.”
“A sword that perfectly accepts mana. Undoubtedly, it is a technology that cannot be found even if you search the entire continent.”
return answer.
No clue of the truth could be found.
In fact, there was no purpose of doing anything in particular just because he found out who belonged to Blaze.
It was a greed that stemmed from pure curiosity, and I thought I would be really happy as a collector just by laughing and chatting while drinking a cup of tea together.
Is that why? As time went on, the frustration inevitably increased.
It is clear that the sword was made in the Kingdom of Cairo, but the identity of the craftsman could not be found.
Lucas.
He completely erased his tracks.
He simply guessed Hendrick because Dmitri was the best at blacksmithing, but he left no clues.
But a few days ago.
Marquis Valentino heard good news from his subordinates.
“This is the information I heard from the person who met Dmitri’s master Blacksmith a few days ago, and said that he witnessed a sword similar to the blaze in Hendrick’s collection. It is not certain that the sword was created by the same person, but the sword that Hendrick boasted showed a shocking ability to perfectly accept mana, just like the blaze. Marquis. What should I do?”
Same ability as Blaze.
The justification was sufficient.
The Marquis Valentino jumped up from his seat and immediately put on his street clothes and got into the carriage.
“Go to Dmitry right now!”
a few days after that.
Marquis Valentino made his appearance in Dmitry.
* * *
Dmitri’s Master Blacksmith.
Hendrick is not an easy person to meet.
However, if the guest was a big man like the Marquis of Valentino, Hendrick had no choice but to move his heavy hips.
“What did you come to see me for?”
A modest interior office.
It wasn’t a place I usually stayed at, but I couldn’t respond to the Marquis of Valentino in the dusty smithy.
Opposite Hendrick.
Marquis Valentino said with a slightly flushed face.
“I will tell you the main point directly. A month ago, at Adelian Auction House, I won a bid for a sword named Blaze. As you know, I am a collector. I haven’t dealt with iron all my life like Master Hendrick, but I think I have a good eye for how valuable the sword is. Blaze is truly a treasure. With the appearance of a sword that perfectly accepts mana, I was convinced that the craftsman who made it was the best in Cairo.”
gave a signal
Then, the knight waiting behind put something well wrapped in cloth on the table.
sudden.
“This is the Blaze.”
walked the cloth
a single sword.
A smooth appearance was revealed.
Hendrick showed a surprised expression at the sword shining brilliantly under the light.
‘also.’
Hendrick’s response.
It wasn’t that he was admiring the state of the sword.
He knew of the sword’s existence in the first place and seemed surprised to learn that it belonged to the Marquis of Valentino.
It was as expected. Marquis Valentino, who had met numerous artisans while living as a collector, thought that there was no other artisan who could make swords like this except Hendrick in the Cairo Kingdom.
To be honest, I had doubts about Hendrick’s skills, but I didn’t rule out the possibility of Hendrick because there was no other option.
And now.
Hendrick couldn’t hide his embarrassment.
Whether he made it or knew who made it, Hendrick had a clue.
“As expected, you know the value of the sword. a few days ago. I heard from my subordinates that there is a sword similar to this in Master Hendrick’s collection. That is the purpose of my coming to Master. Could you confirm the sword that Master Hendrick is holding?”
His voice was filled with anticipation.
If the subordinate’s report is not wrong, Marquis Valentino will demand a definite answer from the opponent.
Are you the owner of the sword?
Or do you know the owner of the sword?
Hendrick’s sword was proof to be sure.
“Kuhm.”
Hendrick looked troubled.
Marquis of Valentino.
heard by rumor
It was the first time I had met him in person, but he was such an avid collector that he often bought items from Dmitri Blacksmith’s.
A person who can be called a VVIP just for that transaction history.
Some describe him as an avid collector, but artisans never had a bad opinion of the Marquis Valentino.
‘The Marquis of Valentino is famous for giving valuable things the right treatment.’
collection competitors.
They may be evil among them.
He did not cover the means and methods to take possession of the goods that the artisans put out, but at least he showed a devoted attitude towards the artisans.
I could tell from the way he treated Hendrick.
If Hendrick were to sell his treasured possessions, the Marquis Valentino was a very suitable person for that purpose.
That is to say.
‘This person will recognize the value of the sword.’
actually.
Hendrick had been waiting for this situation.
I always wanted to brag about the gift I received, but finally someone came to me who fully recognized its value.
It was a chance. Anticipation had already risen, but he said it in a calm voice without showing any expression on his face.
“Wait a minute. I will show you the sword.”
at that point.
Marquis Valentino’s expression brightened as if he had won the world.
* * *
Tak.
put down the sword
As soon as he checked the sword, Marquis Valentino couldn’t hide his excitement with his eye-catching sleek figure.
‘Are you sure. It is the work of the craftsman who created the blaze.’
I haven’t checked my abilities.
However, there is a certain attitude in the works of artisans.
Hendrick’s sword looked similar to Blaze, and the blade of the sword burning down the lights made my heart cool just by looking at it.
sure Even without infusing mana into the sword, Marquis Valentino was convinced that the person who created this sword was the same person as Blaze’s owner.
Hendrick said.
“The name of the sword is Salamander. As Marquis Valentino predicted, Salamander and Blaze were created by the same person. To be precise, Salamander was the first result, and Blaze was created after that.”
Moment.
Marquis Valentino raised his head.
Rather than the fact that it was the work of the same craftsman, the remark that Salamander was the first result captured his mind.
‘Is this the first work?’
My mouth was dry.
first and second.
It was a huge difference.
Although blazes may be capable as swords, collectors initially attach great importance to them.
The reason was simple. The second would lose its value of order by the third and fourth at any time, but the fact that the first was the first had no choice but to be highly valued by collectors.
My heart raced.
The desire was strong.
‘I really want it.’
Marquis Valentino has an iron rule.
If it is an object that has found its owner by a craftsman.
never denied that fact.
I did not commit the foolish mistake of coveting the artisan’s goods, only taking possession of them somehow.
Hendrick.
It could be the master who created the sword.
Or it could be a gift from the owner.
Even though he knew that what he was going to say would be rude, the Marquis Valentino had no choice but to spit out the words.
“I am very cautious, but could you please sell me this sword? If you sell it, I will fully pay for it.”
“Sorry, but this is not for sale. It was a gift, and I think the Marquis Valentino, as a collector like me, fully understands my feelings about not being able to sell this item.”
“… Did you say it was a present?”
His expression changed.
He showed a look of disappointment at the resolute refusal, but his mind flashed at the word gift.
‘It’s not a sword made by Hendrick. If he received a gift, he might know the identity of his father-in-law.’
sure
If you can’t buy a sword.
At least he wanted to find out the identity of his father-in-law.
“Then may I ask who made the sword?”
Marquis Valentino’s question.
It was the bar Hendrick had been waiting for.
From the moment I witnessed Roman making the sword.
Hendrick was always itching to let the world know what a great craftsman Dmitri’s firstborn was.
timely.
A suitable trumpeter appeared.
If it was the Marquis of Valentino, it was a suitable target to inform the truth.
“Marquis Valentino. Who would have made this sword in Dmitry?”
“… no way. Are you Baron Romero?”
“no.”
I grinned.
The smile of one who knows the truth.
Hendrick shocked the Marquis Valentino, who yearned for the truth.
“The eldest son of the Dmitry family. Roman Dmitry is the master who forged the two swords.”
* * *
Lost for words.
Is this what it feels like to be in shock?
Marquis Valentino couldn’t come to his senses for a while at the remark that went far beyond common sense.
‘Roman Dmitry. He made Salamander and Blaze?’
It was shocking.
two swords.
It is an artistic work.
I would understand if it was the work of people like Baron Romero and Hendrick who spent their entire lives in the forge, but I couldn’t readily accept the fact that it was the work of Roman, who was still only in his mid-twenties.
The artisan’s work does not lie.
There are various types of geniuses in the world, but at least in the realm of artisans who create something, only with that kind of experience and effort can you create an artistic work.
It didn’t make sense.
How could such a perfect work be created at the age of 20?
furthermore.
‘Roman Dmitri is a genius prosecutor. Rumor has it that he defeated Butler, a ranker in Hector Kingdom. Cairo Kingdom’s best genius made the Cairo Kingdom’s best sword. If this is true… … .’
closely.
Power went into the fist.
Think about it.
The youngest continental ranker.
The mere ‘result’ deserves to be highly evaluated, but the identity of the craftsman put a huge modifier on the work.
This.
It was really great.
From the result of the work to the story contained in it.
My heart was beating so fast it felt like it was about to stop.
‘Every work is important to the story in it. If the person who made the sword was simply an unknown artisan, he would be evaluated only for the result, but if it was a craftsman like Hendrick, a premium would be attached. But what if the unexpected best swordsman in the kingdom is the identity of the father-in-law? Needless to say, people give a special meaning to the sword and you and I will express your intention to purchase it, and its rarity alone will not put a value on it.’
Blaze.
It was a treasure greater than expected.
People have said the winning bid is quite exorbitant, but once the true value is known, it will be nothing more than a pittance.
The eyes became hazy.
Fell in love.
Roman Dmitry.
I wanted to meet him.
I wondered how the best swordsman in the kingdom had made the best sword on the continent.
Jump up.
“I must meet Roman Dmitri in person.”
One month of unrequited love.
It was finally time to see the results.
