Two weeks after the commission was accepted, the crimson carriage returned. This time, there was no air of skepticism. There was only anticipation.
The forge was spotless. On the main workbench, resting on a newly purchased bolt of black velvet, lay the finished dagger. It was a masterpiece.
The blade, polished to a mirror shine, seemed to hold captured moonlight within its steel. The edge was lethally sharp, but the curve was as graceful as a willow leaf. The hilt was where Elara's rediscovered artistry truly sang. The silver filigree flowed around the user's hand in a seamless, protective dance, intricate without being gaudy. And nestled in the pommel, the single, deep blue sapphire seemed to hold a star in its depths. It was a weapon fit for an elven queen.
Lady Seraphina Valerius entered, her gaze immediately locking onto the dagger. She stopped, her composure momentarily forgotten. She slowly approached the bench, her gloved hands hovering over the hilt as if afraid to touch it.
Elara stood back, arms crossed, a look of fierce, unassailable pride on her face. "As requested," was all she said.
Seraphina let out a breath she seemed to have been holding since she first arrived. "It is… more than I requested. It is the vision from my mind, given form."
Her [Attentive Ear] skill gave Kenji a glimpse into her thoughts, which were a torrent of emotion.
Unspoken Emotion: "They listened. Someone actually listened. It's not just beautiful, it's… right. They understood."
She finally picked it up, her movements full of reverence. The dagger settled into her hand as if it had been forged for her and her alone. The balance was perfect. A slow, genuine smile—the one Kenji had seen a glimpse of before—spread across her face, transforming her severe beauty into something truly breathtaking.
"Master Elara," she said, her voice filled with a new, profound respect. "You are not a provincial smith. You are a master artisan, wasting your talent in this backwater. Your name will be spoken with reverence in the capital."
She paid the remaining balance without a word, the pile of gold coins making Kenji's eyes water. But she wasn't finished. She turned her sharp, intelligent gaze on Kenji.
"And you," she said, her tone analytical. "The shop boy with the poet's tongue and the artisan's eye. I have made inquiries. You are new here. You have no guild, no family to speak of."
Kenji felt a nervous sweat prickle his neck. "I work for Master Elara, my lady."
"You are wasted here," she stated, not as an insult, but as a fact. "Polishing armor and chopping wood is no place for a man of your… perception. I have a use for that insight. Come with me to the capital. I will make you my personal aide. You will want for nothing. Your duties will be to advise me on acquisitions, deal with other artisans, and lend me your unique perspective. It is a position of influence, comfort, and immense opportunity."
The offer hung in the air, shimmering and dangerous. The capital. Wealth. A position of power at the right hand of an S-rank beauty. It was everything the system seemed to be designed for.
He glanced at Elara. She stood as still as an anvil, her face unreadable. But his [Attentive Ear] caught her unspoken fear, a sharp pang of emotion that cut through her stoic exterior.
Unspoken Fear: "He deserves this. It's a better life than I can give him. But this forge will be so quiet again when he's gone."
The feeling of a home, of a bond forged in fire and trust, warred with the dazzling future Seraphina was offering. The smoky scent of the forge versus the implied perfume of high society. The comfortable silence of a shared meal with Elara versus the clever conversation of a merchant's salon.
The air in the forge was thick with tension, smelling of hot steel, coal dust, and unspoken ultimatums. Elara stood by the quenching barrel, her powerful arms crossed, a silent, unmovable mountain of pride and hope. Lady Seraphina waited by the door, a figure of silk and shadow, her offer hanging in the air like a guillotine.
Kenji held the dagger Seraphina had commissioned. It was a masterpiece, a testament to what he and Elara had accomplished together. He then looked at the small, perfectly balanced throwing knife Elara had just pressed into his hand—a gift, a plea, a farewell.
His heart was torn. One woman offered him a home, a craft, and a quiet, powerful partnership. The other offered a key to the entire world his system was built for.
As his mind raced, the world seemed to freeze. A cascade of brilliant blue panels erupted in his vision, more detailed and direct than any he had seen before.
[CRITICAL JUNCTURE: PATH OF CONQUEST DETECTED]
[Your actions have led to a pivotal choice that will define your future. Two distinct paths to achieving the [SSS-Rank Harem] objective are now available. Choose wisely.]
[PATH A: The Forged Heart]
> Description: Remain with Elara. Dedicate yourself to the forge and build a legend from the ground up. This path focuses on a deep, singular conquest, creating an unbreakable foundation for your future harem.
> Primary Target: Elara, the Iron Widow (S-Rank)
> Opportunity: Unlock unique crafting-related skills. Achieve a profound [Phase 5: DEVOTION] with a powerful, foundational partner.
> Risk: Slower progression. Limited access to other high-rank targets. The wider world remains a distant challenge.
------------------------------------ OR ------------------------------------
[PATH B: The Gilded Hunt]
> Description: Accept Lady Seraphina's offer. Enter the capital as her protégé and navigate the treacherous, target-rich environment of the nobility.
> Primary Targets: Lady Seraphina Valerius (S-Rank), Lady Genevieve Beaumont (S-Rank), and numerous others.
> Opportunity: Rapidly engage multiple targets. Gain access to the highest echelons of power and wealth. The fastest route to a diverse and powerful harem.
> Risk: Extreme danger. Political intrigue. Conquests may begin as superficial, requiring immense skill to deepen.
[Awaiting Host's Decision...]
Kenji stared at the glowing text. The system had never been so explicit. This wasn't just a choice between staying and leaving. It was a choice of strategy. Did he want to build his empire slowly, with an unshakeable cornerstone in Elara? Or did he want to dive into the heart of the hunt, risking it all for the grand prize?
He looked from Elara's steadfast gaze to Seraphina's calculating smile. He was no longer just a boy who had stumbled into a strange new world. He was a player, and the board was finally laid out before him.
The system's ultimatum hung in the air, its glowing blue text reflected in Kenji's eyes. Path A was a life of quiet dignity, of mastering a craft, of winning a single, unshakeable heart. It was safe. It was honorable.
It wasn't what he was here for.
His system wasn't called SSS-Rank Blacksmith's Apprentice. It was a mandate for conquest. To turn his back on the target-rich capital would be to deny his very destiny. The guilt of leaving Elara was a sharp pain in his chest, but the siren's call of the Gilded Hunt was a roar in his soul.
He took a deep breath, the scent of coal and steel filling his lungs for what felt like the last time. He turned first to Elara, giving her a deep, apologetic bow that conveyed more than words ever could.
"Master Elara," he began, his voice thick with genuine gratitude. "You saved me. You gave me a home and a purpose, and I will never forget it."
He then turned to face Lady Seraphina, his expression hardening into one of pure, undiluted ambition. "My lady," he said, his voice now clear and steady. "I choose Path B. I accept your offer."
A slow, satisfied smile spread across Lady Seraphina's face. "A wise choice."
Elara didn't speak, but Kenji's [Attentive Ear] caught the shatter of her unspoken hopes. Unspoken Emotion: "I knew it. Why would a hawk choose to stay in a sparrow's nest? I hope he finds what he's looking for."
"I promise," Kenji said to Elara, his voice low and sincere, "I will repay your kindness."
She simply nodded, her pride a formidable shield. She walked to her personal chest and pulled out the perfectly balanced throwing knife she'd made. "The capital is full of snakes," she said gruffly, pressing it into his hand. "Carry something that won't fail you."
As his fingers closed around the familiar weight of her masterful work, the system confirmed his choice with a triumphant chime.
[Path B: The Gilded Hunt] has been chosen!
[The ambitions for a larger world have been affirmed. A new path begins!]
[New MAIN QUEST Issued!]
[Quest: The Grand Stage]
[Objective: The capital is a battlefield of whispers, favors, and influence. Begin your conquest by winning the hearts of the city's powerful matrons. (0/3 Hearts Conquered)]
[Reward for Choosing Your Path:]
[New Skill Unlocked!]
> [Keen Insight (Active, Lv. 1)]: By focusing on a target, Host can perceive their surface-level desires, ambitions, and insecurities. You don't just hear what they say; you understand what they truly want.]
Kenji looked up from the system notifications, his resolve solidifying into armor. The new skill was a key, designed to unlock the very hearts he was tasked with conquering.
He followed Lady Seraphina out of the forge, leaving the comforting warmth behind. A guard opened the door to a crimson carriage, and the interior took his breath away. It was a masterpiece of polished wood, deep velvet, and gilded trim.
As he settled onto the plush seat, the door clicked shut, a definitive sound that separated his past from his future. The carriage lurched forward. Through the window, he saw Elara standing in the doorway of the forge, a lonely silhouette against the firelight, growing smaller and smaller until she vanished.
"Do not regret your choice," Lady Seraphina said, her voice pulling him from his thoughts. She regarded him with a cool, appraising gaze. "That life was a cage of sentiment and poverty. This one… this one has bars of gold, but the door is open to a man clever enough to find the key."
She leaned back, her expression all business. "Your education begins now. In the capital, every woman of power has a desire that gnaws at her, a void that her wealth and status cannot fill. Your new job is to become the one who can fill it."
The carriage rattled on, carrying Kenji towards a new city and a new life. The Scorched Anvil was behind him. Ahead lay the grand stage of the capital, and a city full of SSS-rank targets waiting for a hunter.