Chapter 279:
C279 - Congratulations Delegation, An Unexpected Encounter (5)
The tragic ancestor and first patriarch of the Runcandel clan, who was never buried in the crypts. One whose mere presence in the mirage could subdue the entire Great Desert of Mitra.
Where was Temar first buried?
There were at least two important details in this brief sentence. That Temar's tomb undoubtedly existed somewhere, and that his tomb had been relocated, at least once.
Jin had only acted on the information from his past to win over Fin Blanche before anyone else, but now he was about to hear an unexpected secret story.
After his return to life, there were only two people with whom Jin felt rivalry.
His father, Cyron Runcandel, and his ancestor, Temar Runcandel.
Jin told himself in the abstract that he would grow beyond the two at the Storm Castle, and with his growth, the idea was becoming a clear goal.
That's why he was always curious about stories from his youth.
Unlike him, those two transcendent figures achieved the pinnacle of mastery with just one opportunity in their lives.
"Did Solderet really order it?"
Jin calmed down and decided to listen to Picon.
"An order? Well, it was Solderet who sealed me as a god, but we were always friends and equals, even when I was human. In fact, I chose this tedious eternal life for Solderet's sake."
Friendship with mortals was part of Solderet's peculiar character. Most gods had extremely hierarchical relationships with mortals, except for gods of questionable class like Olmango, the clam god.
That's why Murakan often referred to Solderet as this guy or that guy, despite being his creation (Misha didn't need to be told to show respect). Likewise, Jin also conversed quite casually with him in his past life.
"It's true that I mistook you at first. Let me apologize for it once again. But I hope that, at the very least, you consider me a friend of your god."
He said it politely, but it seemed that Picon despised the way Jin spoke to him condescendingly.
"I understand. Likewise, I apologize for being violent towards you."
He was a legendary blacksmith who was now a god. Moreover, he was someone who would provide much-needed information. Given his position, it wasn't too difficult to appease Picon to get what he wanted.
"Hmph! Well, thank you for that. But how did you know I was here?"
"I didn't know you were here. I just wanted to see Fin Blanche, but I stumbled upon you by chance."
"Oh? By mere chance? How mysterious. Solderet, that guy. He must have seen things a thousand years before anyone else."
Jin didn't agree with Picon, but he nodded anyway.
If Solderet was so omniscient that he could see one's fate a thousand years ahead, there would have been no need for him to die so futilely, only to come back to life.
Of course, the fact that Jin didn't consider Solderet omniscient didn't mean he lacked respect for him.
Almost twenty years had passed since he last heard his god's voice as a contractor, but Jin still felt incredibly grateful to Solderet. "To be honest, it's hard for me to understand how you became the god of blacksmiths after Growler's death, Picon."
"I understand why you might feel that way."
"Indeed, Fin Blanche was kidnapped and in danger of death a moment ago. Seeing how you manifested in his body, I would say you could have easily subdued them yourself. But why did you let it happen?"
"There aren't many beings in the world who know that the god of blacksmiths died. I decided not to reveal my powers before meeting you because doing so could make me a target for Solderet's enemies."
"So, does that mean you intended to live in hiding until I appeared?"
"You're right. I had to hide by any means necessary because I know what those crazy Zipples did to Temar's tomb."
"And if the bandits harmed Fin Blanche?"
"I wouldn't have done anything, even if Fin died."
So, was he simply discovered by my enemies when Jin was twenty-four years old, as they already had the compass at that time? Or maybe Picon broke the promise with Solderet for some unknown reason.
Jin simply nodded.
"I didn't like seeing my descendants lead miserable lives, and since becoming a god, I only made contracts with my direct descendants. But I had no choice if I wanted to fulfill the promise I made to Solderet."
"Wait, does that mean your descendants never enjoyed the benefits as contractors all this time? All because of me?"
"You could say that."
It felt as if someone had struck Jin's heart with a rock.
Picon's direct descendants would have led prosperous lives thanks to the support of the Minche blacksmith guild, even if they themselves had no talent.
But Picon was the one who deliberately concealed his first direct descendants, his daughter and son, just before becoming a god.
Since then, his descendants had lived their lives deprived of the privileges they deserved for the sake of a boy named Jin, whom they had never known and would never know in their entire lives.
Some of them led fairly comfortable lives as leaders of militias protecting merchants, but most had to endure the miserable reality like Fin Blanche.
And not a single one of them realized their potential as blacksmiths. Picon had deliberately blocked their potential to prevent them from becoming targets.
Were they all being sacrificed, only for my sake? All because of a decision by Solderet and Picon?
Suddenly, he recalled his experience in Kollon.
"I have been waiting for the person who will take this. That very boy, the thousand-year contractor that Solderet mentioned." This was what Klam said through the manifestation in Raosa.
At that time, Jin thought he had put an end to the tragedy of the Kollonites.
But it wasn't true. Just like Picon Minche's descendants, they were being sacrificed for Jin's sake without their knowledge.
It was too extreme. Unfair and brutal.
Jin empathized too much with it because he had also struggled through a hopeless period without realizing he had been under a curse.
Picon read Jin's thoughts and continued.
"I know what you're thinking. But you must know it was the best we could do."
Why did you have to sacrifice your own descendants for me?, Jin thought. He had never asked for or wanted such things.
Jin knew very well that saying those things wouldn't change anything for Picon's descendants who had already died, nor for himself.
It would only be complaining. He couldn't do anything about what was already done. Jin was forced to take a position.
A position that made him bear the burden of responsibility for the countless people who were sacrificed for him, all unknowingly.
And above all, he had to deliver results.
Regardless of what Solderet had intended for him, Jin had to carry out what he believed was right. The destruction of the Zipple clan was obviously part of his beliefs, and now another goal had been added to the list.
From now on, he would never allow anyone else to make sacrifices for his sake.
Of course, it would be impossible for him alone to bear the burdens of the world, but he wanted to avoid imposing such unreasonable circumstances on others if he could help it.
There were countless elements involved, but the most necessary of all was overwhelming power. He needed a lot of strength, so that no one would dare to sacrifice themselves for him.
Secondly, he needed formidable strength to support him.
And both could be obtained if he reached the pinnacle of the Runcandel clan. The idea fueled his burning desire to seize the patriarchal throne even more.
"Please, do not hinder me from supporting Fin Blanche, and that applies to her descendants as well."
"I understand."
"One more thing. Thank you for your sacrifice."
Not only Picon's descendants suffered. The guilt of not being able to help his descendants would have tormented Picon Minche more than anyone else.
Perhaps that wasn't the case, as he started abruptly shouting at Fin to steal the Bradamante from Jin. He even mentioned something about committing to train him as well.
In any case, Picon seemed quite moved by Jin's words. Tears began to well up in his still-blank eyes.
"Solderet, it seems your latest contractor doesn't have such a bad character after all. I wouldn't mind sharpening his sword with all my effort."
"I wanted to ask before. What do you mean by sharpening the Bradamante? And also, tell me what my ancestor Temar's tomb means to me."
"First of all, I'm sure you're aware that Bradamante was an experiment I conducted to create the Balisada. Despite that, even you Runcandels and the people of the world seem to consider it a legendary sword that is only slightly below the Balisada."
The Bradamante and the Balisada; it was Solderet who requested the creation of the sister swords. As the god of swords and shadows, he thought his contractor, Temar Runcandel, needed a special sword.
While the Balisada was a finished product, Bradamante still had many issues, at least by Picon Minche's standards.
"Although it was just an experiment, it is still a magnificent sword as it represents the best of my abilities at that time. It creates a force close to sixty percent of the Balisada with shadow-based attacks, and it never breaks because it was forged with ancient eversteel."
Picon praised Bradamante for some time, like a loving father showing off his children.
He was a blacksmith through and through, and far beyond the ordinary, even in his human days. He felt much more affection for legendary weapons and masterpieces he created than for his own children.
Bradamante was the third on his list of great works, so naturally, he couldn't stop talking about it.
"But the biggest flaw of Bradamante is that it's unable to protect its wielder."
"Protect? But it's not armor."
"I have forged countless armors throughout my life, but I have never seen an armor better than one formed by Shadow Energy. That's why I devised a function in the Balisada where one can form armor by inserting their Shadow Energy into it."
Picon wanted to add the same function to Bradamante. One of the main reasons he accepted Solderet's idea of transforming him into a god was his desire, as a blacksmith, to turn his incomplete masterpiece into a finished work.
"So, give me Bradamante. I will reforge it and return it to you."
Jin willingly handed over Bradamante. Picon felt overwhelmed with emotion and trembled as he received it.
"I can finally reclaim my baby."
"How long will it take?"
Of course, Jin wasn't too pleased to see him loving an object more than his own family.
But transcendent masters and geniuses who reached the pinnacle of their craft were often very peculiar and somewhat twisted, so it wasn't such a strange sight to behold.
"It will take at least six months, and you will also need to acquire a long list of materials."
"I understand."
"And one of them needs to be retrieved from where Temar was initially buried."
"By saying that Temar was 'initially buried,' it implies that the tomb was moved, which wouldn't have been necessary unless someone attacked and looted the tomb. You also mentioned that the Zipples did something to the tomb. Does that mean there is still something to retrieve?"
Picon smiled.
"Of course there is. The testament of the great knights. Inside there, you will face those in whom Temar once placed his trust."
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