"This blade has accumulated far too much malice. It's on the verge of becoming a cursed sword. It appears to be made from dragon scales... Unless it was used to slaughter humans in a short period, this shouldn't have happened. This sword is dangerous."
"Dangerous? What do you mean? A sword is just a sword, isn't it?"
"It's difficult to discern a sword's condition without being an Artisan. Have you ever experienced headaches or sudden surges of murderous intent while wielding it? You might have even felt an urge to harm yourself."
"No. I haven't felt anything like that at all..."
I suspected Daimons might be lying. The Hwaryeon Flying Dagger looked perfectly normal to me, even upon closer inspection. I sensed no sinister aura that would warrant calling it a cursed weapon.
"But could it really transform into a cursed weapon? I've never heard of a weapon becoming demonic just from killing too many monsters."
"You don't seem to understand. Let me explain more clearly. By 'accumulated malice,' I mean Death Thought negative emotions like fear, murderous intent, hatred, despair, and rage. Most monsters act purely on instinct, so even if you slaughter countless numbers, Death Thought won't accumulate."
"...So killing humans makes Death Thought cling to a weapon more easily?"
"Indeed. In a situation like this, one would have to slaughter hundreds of people..."
Daimons shot me a wary glance. I pretended not to notice.
"How can one prevent Death Thought from clinging to a blade?"
"Regular, meticulous maintenance will do. But it's rare for a blade to reach this point. Most shatter under the strain, or the Death Thought dissipates during repairs. This blade transformed into a urethra precisely because it was an exceptionally fine blade."
I pondered this quietly.
To me, the Hwaryeon Flying Dagger remained a perfectly serviceable weapon one to which I had grown deeply attached. Even if it transformed into a urethra, I had no intention of discarding it. In fact, wouldn't such a transformation actually benefit me?
"Wouldn't transforming into a urethra make the sword stronger? Strong enough to outweigh minor side effects?"
"Minor side effects...? You underestimate the urethra. Do you think it's called a urethra for no reason? Driving its owner mad is just the beginning; ultimately, it leads everything to ruin."
"But the weapon does become stronger, doesn't it? I can handle the side effects. How do I turn this into a complete urethra?"
Daimons shook his head, looking at me with pity.
"Transforming into a urethra doesn't make a weapon stronger. It only corrupts it. For example, this sword's attribute enhancement effect could degrade into something useless."
Attribute Enhancement Effect. According to Daimons, the Hwaryeon Flying Dagger seems to enhance not only Thunderbolt but other attributes as well. This was news to me.
"...If it changes, what might it become?" I asked, feeling uneasy.
"I don't know. It's likely to transform into a curse-type effect."
"..."
I mentally ran the numbers. What were the chances of getting an effect better than Attribute Enhancement?
...And I can't be certain the cursed blade's side effects won't affect me. It might only be ineffective because it hasn't fully transformed yet...
More importantly, I was quite fond of the Attribute Enhancement ability.
Having made my decision, I looked Daimons straight in the eye and asked, "How do I eliminate this 'Death Thought'?"
Daimons' face brightened.
"You've realized the danger of the urethra! Refinement is best done on the weapon itself. But... with this much Death Thought accumulated, mere refinement won't suffice. You'll need a Priest's blessing... or a large quantity of Holy Water."
"..."
Priest and Holy Water.
Obtaining them wasn't difficult in itself. With enough money, they could be easily acquired. However, securing a Priest would require leaving this Territory and returning. Space Transfer Scrolls were ineffective here and in the surrounding area, meaning it would take at least five days.
Moreover, I'd need Elena's permission to bring a Priest here. Both the cost and time required were far greater than anticipated.
As I racked my brain, something suddenly occurred to me.
"How about this? It's Holy Water, but a slightly different kind."
"Hmm? Let me see."
I handed him the Holy Water I'd obtained from a Random Draw. It was slightly different from the Holy Water of this world, but it was still Holy Water.
Holy Water
Drinking or applying Holy Water might bring good fortune?
Price: 2 Points
?Caution
The effect and duration vary depending on the quantity used.
I had about four bottles of it, as it occasionally appeared in the Random Draws. I'd been hoarding them, unable to find a use for them.
Daimons examined the Holy Water closely, turning the bottle this way and that.
"It's a bit different from what I know, but it's definitely Holy Water. I'll give it a try. It should work."
"Are you going to refine it for me?"
"Aren't you a knight of Your Grace the Duke? You should naturally be doing this much for him."
Daimons grinned.
"Besides, this kind of opportunity is rare. It sounds like it'll be quite fun."
"You evil Daimons! Are you going to have all the fun again?!"
"I have no intention of doing this alone. Since opportunities like this are so rare, we should all participate. Don't you think?"
"Exactly! We should all join in! Ha ha ha!"
I glanced behind the Dwarves. Dozens of empty beer bottles lay scattered on the floor. They must have each downed two or three bottles already.
I hope they don't cause any accidents while working drunk.
I was worried, but I had no authority to interfere with the Dwarves, so I had no choice but to let it go.
Life as a guest of the Ironroot Dwarf tribe was reasonably comfortable. The dwarves treated me as a valued guest, sharing their unique cuisine and stories. While I personally found it rather unappealing, I kept my feelings to myself.
"Mr. Sung Yujin, how fares Your Grace the Duke?"
"His Grace is in good health."
The dwarves showed great interest in Elena. Despite their different races and her rule over them, they harbored no hatred, only reverence.
I heard that Elena had rescued them from a greedy Demon who had been plundering their lands.
...Is that a female dwarf? It's hard to tell the men from the women.
The women also had beards and stocky builds. The only discernible difference between male and female dwarves was the presence of breasts, but this was difficult to discern when they were fully clothed.
I once spied on female Dwarves bathing, but they were definitely not my type.
Their breasts were prominent but didn't feel large. Their waists were straight and uncurved, and their hips lacked definition. Their intimate areas were thickly covered with hair, like a beard. Their genitals were identical to those of humans.
Ah, I'm craving a woman. A woman!
I had just returned from having sex with Han Harin in the real world, but I already wanted to hold another woman. My real-world body and this current body were distinctly different.
I couldn't bring myself to pounce on a female Dwarf. I wasn't that desperate, and just looking at their faces would make my cock wilt.
"Sung Yujin, we have a problem."
Daimons, his face grave, came to the house where I was staying.
"What is it? Is there something wrong with the Hwaryeon Flying Dagger?"
"No, that's not it. The sword's refinement is progressing well. The Holy Water's effects are even more potent than we anticipated."
"Then what's the problem?"
"We're short on materials. A young Dwarf made a mistake during the warehouse inventory, leading to discrepancies in our stock. We have enough to forge the sword, but we're far short of what we need for the armor."
"...Should we go to another territory and buy some Iron Ore?"
"Iron Ore? We use Ironwood. And the shortage isn't iron itself."
"Then what's missing?"
"We need sap from the White Ironwood. Without it, Ironwood is no different from ordinary iron."
"Can't we just forge it without the sap?"
"Do you really want that? Without White Ironwood sap, armor that should be at least A-Rank will be downgraded to C-Rank. Would that be acceptable?"
"..."
How could it be alright when the rank was dropping by two whole tiers? This was a serious problem. A masterpiece was about to become a mass-produced item, and that couldn't be anything but grave.
"Is there no solution?"
"Normally, we wouldn't enter the Ironwood Forest at this time. It's when monsters and ghosts are at their peak... But with your help, it might be possible."
I stood up. I'd been itching to do something anyway, with no women around and nothing to occupy my time.
"What do you need me to do?"
The Ironwood Forest behind the village was eerie.
Even in broad daylight, a thick fog blocked out the sunlight, and iron trees, bare of leaves, stood scattered across the landscape. The ground was black and hard. As we entered the forest, the temperature plummeted, feeling like the cool air of dawn.
Daimons and I walked through the Ironwood Forest together.
"Aren't you afraid of the Ironwood Forest?"
"? Why would I be afraid?"
"This gloomy atmosphere breeds terrifying delusions, and those cold Ironwood trees evoke primal fear. Especially this thick fog. Even we Dwarves avoid the Ironwood Forest during periods of heavy fog."
"Hmm. It is a bit eerie. But aren't the creatures here just Monsters? Killing them should be enough."
"Truly brave, as befits a Knight of Your Grace the Duke. Let me tell you a story. Once, a young Dwarf entered the Ironwood Forest and wet himself like a child. He slipped on his own urine, fell, and lost consciousness. Suddenly, a Banshee appeared, possessed his body, and rampaged wildly."
"Is that supposed to be a funny story?"
"That young Dwarf will be mocked for the rest of his life. Isn't that amusing?"
"Ye. Well, it's... amusing, I suppose."
I was indifferent. What did that young Dwarf have to do with me?
Daimons, perhaps embarrassed by my reaction, fell silent for a moment before speaking again.
"There are three types of monsters in the Ironwood Forest. ...Hmm. Did I mention that?"
"You didn't go into detail, just said the Ghosts were rampant."
"To be precise, they are Banshees, Monster Rats, and Ironwood."
"Ironwood are monsters too?"
As far as I knew, Ironwood was simply a tree with iron-like properties. A mystical tree that, when refined through special methods, could be transformed into iron.
"Ironwood Ghosts. They're Ironwood trees possessed by Banshees. Unlike ordinary Ironwood, they're difficult to distinguish, making them the most dangerous. You should be careful."
Strictly speaking, there seemed to be two types of monsters emerging from the Ironwood Forest: Monster Rats and Banshees.
"The Monster Rats are one thing... but how do you defeat Banshees or Ironwood Ghosts? From what I saw in the village, the Warriors seemed to be few in number."
"Well... oh, look, a Banshee has appeared."
Woooooo...
A Banshee materialized in mid-air a pale, female ghost. Her face was gaunt and eyeless, her body swaying like a sheet of paper. There was nothing remotely alluring about her.
Crackling.
As I summoned a Thunderbolt, Daimons stepped forward.
"You asked how we defeat Banshees? I'll show you myself."
Daimons charged at the Banshee, hammer raised. Despite his small stature, his ferocity was like that of a tiger, and his agility was astonishing.
Screeeech!
The Banshee unleashed a curse a curse that darkened the mind and slowed the body. I channeled my Mana to resist the curse, but Daimons simply charged through it. The Banshee's curse couldn't stop his legs.
"Where do you think you're going, you filthy, disgusting, rotting-smelling skirt-flapping hag! Die! You ugly bitch!"
Daimons swung his hammer at the Banshee.
I was certain his attack would fail. Ghost-type monsters like Banshees are fundamentally immune to physical attacks. Without using Mana, it's impossible to inflict physical damage on them.
The next scene unfolded differently than I had anticipated.
Screeeeeeeech!
The Banshee shrieked as it plummeted to the ground.
"I'll grant you eternal rest!" Daimons roared, hammering relentlessly. The Banshee couldn't withstand the onslaught and dissolved into smoke, leaving behind a faint trace of blue powder.
"Oops. Gotta collect the powder before the wind carries it away," Daimons muttered, squatting down to sweep the powder into a pile.
"I didn't sense any Mana being used... How did you defeat the Banshee?" I asked.
"Have you forgotten what we Dwarves excel at?" Daimons replied.
"...What does drinking beer have to do with this? Was the Banshee's weakness beer?"