Salvos (A Monster Evolution LitRPG)

574. Rebuked

“Give me the Sword of Alexander, and in exchange, I shall be able to repair your Primordial Longsword by sundown.”

Daniel froze when he heard those words. He stared at Ivonne Vigil— he saw the way the famous [Trader] smiled at him. She tilted her head expectantly, a hand proffered his way. It was a deal.

One which tempted Daniel. He hesitated as he stared at her outstretched hand, and he hesitated for a moment. Just a moment.

Then he shook his head.

“No.”

The [Hero] spun around and walked away.

Ivonne Vigil just watched as the [Hero] left the room.

Nazog continued hammering away at the chestplate as he chuckled.

“The greatest [Trader] in the Human lands just tried to brazenly steal one of my customers right in front of me. And yet, I am not surprised. It is about what I’ve come to expect from you, Ivonne Vigil.”

He didn’t crane his neck to face the Human woman. She sat on a stool right behind him. Her calm demeanor didn’t break. The Dwarf knew that she was still smiling, even though she had just been rebuked. He slowly lowered his hammer as he stared at the blazing flames of his forge.

“Although, I am surprised that you didn’t press your offer.”

“Why should I?”

Ivonne Vigil asked simply. He scratched his beard as he got to his feet.

“A Mythical Grade artifact is incredibly valuable. Even in the Dwarven mountains, you’d be hard-pressed to find such weapons lying around.”

“And yet, the Sword of Alexander shall still fall into my possession soon enough.”

Nazog furrowed his brows. He finally turned to face her as she didn’t meet his gaze. She sipped from a porcelain teacup as he peered at her curiously.

“What makes you say that?”

Ivonne Vigil raised her head to face him. She shook her head as she spoke softly.

“Because the Primordial Longsword cannot be repaired. Not even by your Skills, [Forgemaster]. And that is no demerit to your abilities. It is simply irreparable.”

He paused. Nazog stared at her for a moment— he was a Level 172 [Forgemaster]. One of the best in the world— surpassed only by a few in talent such as the [Blacksmith King] of Talum’brug. It was a ridiculous assertion. But Ivonne Vigil seemed entirely confident in her claim.

And that made him laugh.

“Oh? And you are capable of repairing this nebular weapon with your Skills as a [Trader]?”

But Ivonne Vigil didn’t see the humor in it like he did. She rose to her feet, shaking her head.

“I am hardly capable of carrying out such a feat on my own.”

“So how are you going to uphold your end of the bargain?”

Nazog asked, and she strode out of the room.

“You’ll see.”

And with that, the Dwarf [Forgemaster] was left alone with the burning fire. He tilted his head back, before chuckling.

“Indeed, let us see how this plays out.”

He watched the large door close behind her as he grinned, excited for this challenge.

To Daniel Song, it had been a simple decision to make. At first, it had been tempting. But when he thought about it for more than a moment, he knew that he made the right choice. After all, the Sword of Alexander was a priceless weapon. A Mythic Grade artifact. And while he held sentimental value for the Primordial Longsword Salvos had crafted for him, he knew that it was still a foolish trade offer.

Not just that, but the Sword of Alexander had also been given to him by Salvos. Certainly, she didn’t own the weapon. In fact, if it belonged to anyone, it probably belonged to Hadrian due to his family lineage.

But still, Daniel knew that Salvos had entrusted the Sword of Alexander to him. Discarding it so casually would have disappointed her. That was the only reason why he hadn’t turned the Mythic Grade artifact over to anyone ever since the Demon King’s invasion of the Human lands had been repelled.

He had kept it in his possession. Despite the fact that everyone— from Clayton Skyshredder to the [Archbishops] of the temples— had tried to acquire it from him. He refused to let go of the Sword of Alexander.

They offered him enough gold that could retire him for a hundred lifetimes. Some even offered him the allure of women. Others threatened him too. But he was steadfast.

Daniel Song never gave in. And he wouldn’t give in now. All he needed to do was wait for Nazog, and he would soon be able to wield the Primordial Longsword.

Or at least, that was what Daniel thought. Unfortunately, things weren’t so simple.

He visited Nazog the next day as planned, but he wasn’t given a proper timeframe. The Dwarf [Forgemaster] told him to return in a week, so he continued to wait. But once again, when he visited the forge, the Primordial Longsword still had yet been repaired.

Even though Nazog had recruited the help of a high-leveled [Enchanter]. It didn’t matter. Soon enough, a month passed, and Daniel was still left waiting in Soros. There was not much he could do here in this city. He trained— he studied. He visited the library to learn more about the history of the Eastern Kingdoms.

He read books about the Dwarven mountains. The relationship between the Humans and the Dwarves apparently hadn’t always been so friendly. Especially after the Alexandrian Era came to an end. And it was all because of Melissa the Oracle of Light.

She had apparently executed one of the many Dwarven Kings during their visit to the Human lands. Because of that, there was a brief skirmish— a small war that broke out that was often forgotten in history books. Only [Scholars] and [Historians] seemed to remember it in the rest of the Human lands.

But here in Soros, that was a commonly known fact. After all, this city had once been a Dwarven city. So the history of how it fell onto the hands of Humankind was well-known.

It was an interesting read. The more Daniel seemed to read about Melissa the Oracle of Light, the more unhinged she appeared to be. Her actions were almost erratic. Everything from destroying entire cities to mercilessly killing innocents. And her streak of cruelty only seemed to grow worse as her era approached its end.

This was a very different depiction of the Oracle of Light he had heard about when he first arrived in the Elutra Kingdom. Daniel knew that history was always romanticized— he always had his doubts on how much of a noble ruler the Immortal King Alexander could have been, and he thought that Melissa the Oracle of Light might have been more nefarious than was said in the history books. But the things she did were far worse than Daniel imagined.

Perhaps context would change the light of her actions. But as of right now, he found her to be… reprehensible— in the same vein as Zacharius the Quisling. And that was saying a lot considering that Daniel had fought the Lich of Zacharius back in the Plaguelands.

Other than reading, there was not much Daniel could do. He didn’t waste time drinking his sorrows away in the taverns. Although, that didn’t mean he abstained entirely from alcohol. He still drank booze and beer, but in moderate amounts for his own leisure.

Kacey had visited Soros at one point in time. The [Crusader] pestered him to return to the Fort City of Taritos. Apparently, there had been another incursion with the Elves there. They needed his help. But he assured her he would return soon enough. After the Primordial Longsword was fully repaired.

But eventually, when he came to speak with Nozag after waiting for another week, the Dwarf [Forgemaster] shook his head.

“I do not believe repairing this weapon is within my capabilities.”

Daniel blinked. Nozag’s shoulders slumped. He raised the Primordial Longsword as he sighed.

“This Medium Grade Weapon has bested me. It is silly to think about, but I cannot fix it. It cannot be repaired. Not by me. And certainly not by any [Enchanter] who lives within the borders of the Human lands.”

“But that’s—”

The [Hero] opened his mouth. And the Dwarf [Forgemaster] sighed, handing the broken Primordial Longsword back to him.

“I am sorry. My pride has been shattered too. I do not wish to admit it, but I cannot repair this.”

“I… see.”

Daniel closed his eyes as he accepted the Primordial Longsword from Nazog. He lowered his head as he drew back.

“Thank you for trying.”

There was nothing left to be said. The Dwarven [Forgemaster] hung his head in shame, and Daniel left the room. The Primordial Longsword could not be fixed.

The [Hero] accepted this fact as he exited the forge. He solemnly stepped out into the evening streets of Soros, only to come face to face with a familiar woman. He stared at Ivonne Vigil as she waited for him right with her hands behind her back.

The smile never left her face as she tilted her head at him.

“Are you ready to accept my deal now, Daniel Song?”

Daniel hesitated. He wanted to rebuke her once more. But he stared down at the broken gray blade. He thought about Salvos— he wondered if he would ever see the silver-haired girl again. She had finally returned to the Netherworld, and there was no guarantee that she would ever return to the Mortal Realm.

And if she did, who knew how long it would take? It had already been a year at this point. It might be five more years before she returned— maybe ten. It could even take decades. There was a chance Daniel would never see her again before he died.

So he closed his eyes. He stared at the Primordial Longsword as he mulled over his options. And finally, the young man from Earth sighed.

“Let’s talk.”