Chapter 601 – 601. Mistletoe (2)
Divine Iron Orichalcum.
The background of the birth of Orichalcum, which is literally called the metal of the gods, is that ordinary iron was affected by a large amount of divine power and was degenerated, and at the end, it was a metal that naturally evolved with divine power inside.
Erin, listening to Eunhyun’s explanation that pure Orichalcon, without any impurities, was a metal that evolved by fully accepting the power of the goddess, Erin was currently exploring the inside of a deep cave at the top of the Kurdel Mountains.
“Then what Hyun means is that it was the Goddess who created Orichalcum?”
“That’s not right.”
“… Huh?”
Feeling like solving a riddle, Erin puts on a puzzled expression.
“Divine power is the cause, but that was not the will of the gods.”
Demons and monsters invaded the underworld, many people died and the land was devastated.
In order to revive the earth where humans can no longer live, the seven goddesses gathered their divine powers and created a new underworld by integrating this with the underworld of another dimension.
And as a result, the divine powers that filled the land had various influences on this place.
The birth of Orichalcum was nothing more than a by-product of the re-creation of the current Arcena continent.
“And in the deepest part of this cave, the mighty divine power of the seven goddesses gathered together still remains intact.”
The small amount of divine power flowing from this place affects the veins in the Kurdel Mountains and evolves them into Orichalcum.
“Why do people not know about the existence of this cave… ?”
Erin continued to look around inside the dark cave, exploring her surroundings.
She was puzzled by the untouched traces of the place that had been left untouched for so long.
As Eunhyeon said, if there was such a thing in the deepest part of this cave, everyone would have come here and competed fiercely to obtain pure Orichalcum.
In fact, even though countless adventurers are visiting the Kurdel Mountains, they didn’t seem to notice the existence of this place.
“Other people can’t notice this place.”
“Why?”
“Because there is a barrier.”
The barrier that hides the very existence of this cave is different in nature from the general barrier created by continental wizards using magic.
The reason why Eunhyeon was able to identify and easily find the existence of this cave was that he knew of the existence of this cave from the beginning, but also because he was essentially a demigod unaffected by barriers.
“Uh? Then what about me? Am I human?”
“He’s human, but he’s not just an ordinary human.”
Eunhyun wrapped her arms around Erin’s waist and pulled her into her arms, smiling.
“You are my wife.”
It doesn’t mean a normal couple’s relationship.
The meaning of an apostle who was chosen by the goddess and a spouse who will be with the half-god for the rest of his life.
Erin, who had been having a good time with Eun-hyeon every night, had the divine power she received from Eun-hyeon inside her body, so it was natural in a way.
“Ah, yes! Lol.”
Erin smiled, as if she was happy to realize that, and she responded to Eunhyun’s hug and hugged him tightly.
After exchanging light skinship, the two explored the cave again and continued walking.
“It’s really just a cave with nothing in it.”
In general, when exploring somewhere as an adventurer, it is basic common sense that you must be wary of your surroundings and beware of traps or monster attacks.
However, the cave the two were exploring was completely empty.
“Because there is no reason to be there.”
A trap-like device was created to guard against someone’s intrusion.
It wasn’t even a dungeon, this sacred space where the power of the gods remained was different from ordinary dungeons.
Even the existence of demons could not be found in the cave full of divine power, so Eunhyeon and Erin were able to explore the interior without going through any battle.
“Something is leaking…”
“It would be best if we could go comfortably without having to fight.”
“Huh. That’s by the way…”
It was completely different from the exploration I had been doing as an adventurer so far, so I felt empty somewhere.
There was nothing inside the cave, to the point where I felt like an idiot for being wary of the surroundings, not knowing when or where danger might emerge.
Eun-hyeon had already confirmed through her senses that there were no traps or monsters inside the cave, but it was like a habit Erin had that she couldn’t let go of her guard.
Although she has a rank of gold rank, she is still immature in this part as she is only in her second year.
“It’s a good habit.”
Eunhyun nodded her head slightly as she saw Erin showing off her military discipline.
Erin, who continued to go deep inside her with Eunhyeon, stopped her steps when she noticed the presence of energy in her own senses.
“This…”
“Erin felt it too.”
“… Huh.”
Erin nervously nodded her head.
The more she goes inside, the stronger she feels and naturally becomes nervous.
She moved her steps again, following behind Eun-hyeon, who slowly led the way.
Eventually, what appeared in front of the two was a vast space filled with bright blue light.
“Wow, wow… !”
Even though it was a deep cave where no light could enter, Erin burst into admiration at the blue lights that brightened up the interior.
Each energy of the blue lights is unusual and powerful.
Erin reached out her hand toward the blue lights that tumbled through the air around her.
“Pretty!”
“I know.”
Eunhyeon laughed at the sight unfolding before her eyes and agreed with Erin.
Eunhyeon looked at something plugged right in the center of the vast interior of the cave.
Following his gaze, Erin also found it.
“That…”
Something stuck in the middle was iron.
It is about 2m long, slightly taller than a person’s height, and as thick as a forearm.
“That’s the real Orichalcum… ?”
Erin tilted her head at the sight of Orichalcum, which was a very different shape from the metals she had seen so far.
“The shape…”
Unlike the lumpy, lumpy metals before processing, the Orichalcon inserted in the center looked as if it had already been processed and was in a state before being made into a weapon.
“This was injected under the influence of divine power while it was already made like that.”
Eunhyeon calmly moved her steps toward the Orichalcum plugged in the center.
[Who are you?]
“What!?”
Erin’s body trembled at the sudden voice.
It wasn’t the voice that was heard in her ears.
Erin found the voice very heavy and tingling as it spoke directly to her own soul.
“What, what!? Who is this!?”
Erin looked around her to find the owner of the voice that spoke to her.
But all she sees is the blue light that fills the cave.
Not having any real presence of hers, being undetectable to her own senses made her feel more strange about Erin.
But she’s not on the scary or fearful side.
She, like this mysterious ghostly snow woman, had no malice to harm them.
[… Is it human?]
Blue magic power shimmered and appeared from Orichalcum stuck on the floor in the center.
Erin made a surprised expression at the sudden appearance of her spirit.
“… Who are you?”
[Didn’t you hear that she should introduce herself first before asking who she is?]
“Ah! Sorry! Hello! My name is Erin!”
Surprised by her delay, Erin hurriedly bowed her back and nodded at her.
In front of Erin, who introduced herself politely, her soul took on a sullen expression.
[… I don’t have a name to introduce.]
“Yes?”
Erin put on a puzzled expression as she put her head back where it had been bowed.
She [Has] No name to introduce, she said. Call it whatever you like.]
“Ah, then shall I call you Soul-sama?”
[…]
Her spirit watched Erin intently, silently watching her.
The look on her soul when she sees Erin talking to her, not caring at all about her harsh treatment, is ‘What is it? It’s closer to ‘Who is this guy?’.
“Hello. You are a great soul.”
[… Who are you?]
Her spirit narrowed her eyes as she watched Eun-hyeon speak to her politely.
It’s been several hundred years since the earth was destroyed and recreated by the seven goddesses to create the continent of Arcena.
The two human men and women who came to this place that no one could approach, let alone discover, are unusual people.
In particular, the male side speaks as if he knows his existence.
“Yes. Aren’t you the guardian spirit that protects Orichalcum?”
[… How do you know that?]
The guardian spirit glared at Eunhyeon with a wary eye.
However, despite being warned by him, Eunhyun smiled.
“It’s because I heard the story from the goddesses.”
[…]
“I heard the message from one of the seven goddesses, Juno. ‘It has been a lot of hard work. From now on, please take a good rest.'”
Eunhyeon calmly conveyed Juno’s story to the guardian spirit.
[Ah.]
The guardian spirit sighed lightly.
It was because he immediately understood the meaning of Eunhyeon’s words.
The guardian spirit, which did not have the ability to fight and specialized only in maintaining this barrier for tens or hundreds of years, was a soul created after receiving a mission from the seven goddesses.
Its mission is only to protect Orichalcum.
The fact that ordinary iron was influenced by divine power and Orichalcum was born was certainly something outside of the calculations that even the goddesses could not have imagined.
But it doesn’t cause much trouble, it’s a very happy miscalculation.
This is because the goddesses induced the presence of Orichalcum to stand out among humans, and as a result, a weapon called the ‘Holy Sword’, which was of great help in saving the underworld, could be born.
In other words, the existence of a metal called Orichalcon is an essential material to fight against the demons and monsters that will come back to the underworld someday.
So, the goddesses intentionally hid the place where a large amount of divine power was concentrated in the Kurdel Mountains and placed a guardian spirit with a barrier so that no one could enter this place.
‘Guard this place until a qualified person appears.’
The Guardian Spirit realized that the single mission imprinted in his soul had finally been accomplished after several hundred years.
The fact that the two human men and women who were meeting for the first time in hundreds of years were able to ignore the barriers they had set up and enter this cave, because they recognized that she was qualified.
[Is it… You guys were the ones who qualified for that.]
The guardian spirit was relieved that his long-held mission had finally come to an end.
Relief that the mission of protecting this cave alone for hundreds of years from the time of birth until now has finally come to an end.
It was pure joy that the eons of emptiness and loneliness were finally over.
However, the Guardian Spirit, who does not properly understand that it is an emotion, may not even be aware that he is feeling the emotion of joy.
[Thanks.]
To the two who freed them after completing their mission, which seemed like an eternity of time, the Guardian Spirit bowed his head and thanked the two.
“You have worked hard.”
“You worked hard.”
Eunhyeon and Erin also nodded goodbye to the guardian spirit, who had no idea how much time they had been living here alone.
The guardian spirit that received that greeting slowly disappeared and disappeared like smoke.
It was sudden, as if they were ready to be freed at any opportunity.
When Eunhyeon’s guardian spirit disappeared, she pulled the Orichalcum from the floor.
Just holding it in my hand, I realized the presence of enormous energy transmitted from the metal.
“Let’s go. Erin.”
He sought the best materials he could find.
Now, what is left to create a new sword that surpasses the holy sword that exists on the continent depends on one’s ability as a blacksmith.
“I hope Master likes it…”
