Raven is currently standing in front of someone's house.
He's alone. Raven asked Keara if she want to come with him meeting with Vulcan and continue the date afterwards, but even though tempted, Keara declined with a regretful expression saying she have to prepare for something.
'Guess she's busy with something.'
Raven thought as he walked toward the door. He noticed that beside the house is a pretty wide stone workshop.
'That's the smithy I think.'
The design of the smithy was tacky, but Raven actually didn't give a shit and just ignored it after a single glance.
Raven reached the door.
"Fuuu..."
After taking some deep breaths. Raven knocked on the door.
Tok- Tok-
Raven didn't need to knock more as he heard someone's hurried footsteps coming from the inside.
Crash-
Though Raven frowned when he heard something breaking inside.
'I'm kinda worried...'
After the crash is a total silence so Raven is already considering to break the door open.
Raven's worry disappeared when the door was finally opened by a man.
The man was tan with a good bodybuild. He was fairly handsome, have a short clean black hair and brown eyes.
He's a bit taller than Raven.
Raven is 5'9 ft. while the man was about 6'0 ft. or more.
That man was Tyrone Vulcan.
Raven immediately recognized Tyrone. How could he not? Tyrone is one of his creation.
Pity flashed in Raven's eyes while looking at Tyrone. Not that Tyrone notice.
Soon guilt slapped Raven again.
Tyrone's mother died not long after he was born. And his father died 3 years ago from an dungeon overflow.
Tyrone is 29 years old and living alone. Single.
Normally he should've been already married at that age, unless he wants to ordain.
But because of mana scattered everywhere and people absorbs them in their body unconsciously every second, people's lives was extended by the benefit of the mana. In this new world and era, the average life span of a human is 160 years, two times than when the world doesn't have an ounce of mana.
People also ages slower after reaching the age 20.
So Tyrone is still fine.
"Umm... Mister Night?"
Tyrone's deep and manly but careful voice entered Raven's ears.
Raven extended his hand to Tyrone and smiled.
"My real name is Raven Obadiah. You can just call me Raven."
He introduced.
Tyrone also with a smile, grabbed my hand and shook it.
"I'm Tyrone Vulcan. Just call me Tyrone, nice to meet you."
***
Tyrone let Raven in to talk about their business with each other as soon as possible.
They're just in the living room.
"I'll invest 10 million Zeals."
Though Raven took 'as soon as possible' very seriously as he immediately stated his intention as soon as both of them sat down.
Raven doesn't like beating around the bush.
Tyrone's eyes widened, obviously he was shocked. But that was only short-lived as Tyrone calmed down immediately and looked straight at Raven.
"Why are you doing this?"
He asked.
Raven predicted such questions coming from Tyrone.
'These past 2 days, I've been thinking about what I should do in case that I got asked by that kind of questions.'
Though Raven actually just wasted his time as he couldn't come out with solution. So in the end, he decided to just be honest!
Looking dead straight to Tyrone's eyes. Raven spoke.
"I know your father."
Tyrone's eyes opened wide and he shot up of his seat.
"My Papa?!"
Tyrone exclaimed. Raven inspired Tyrone's character from a Filipino friend of him when he was a kid and still in the orphanage.
Though, their friendship ended only after 2 years as the boy was adopted, separating them to each other, and even when they became adult, they weren't able to get in touch.
Raven smiled bitterly as he remembered his friend. Actually, he can't recall his friend's name.
'Fucking hell...'
'This sucks.'
Raven thought.
"Are you telling the truth?"
It was then that Raven heard Tyrone's voice again.
Seeing the impatient Tyrone, Raven immediately answered.
"Yes."
Raven answered confidently.
'I'm not really lying, I really know Tyrone's father, so this is a honest approach.'
Tyrone frowned. Hatred erupted inside him as Tyrone tightly clenched his hands.
Raven noticed those, and so he decided to commence his plan.
"Now, don't hate your father."
Raven know what's happening.
In the novel, in this part of the story, Tyrone despises his father. The reason is because his father used a lot of money before dying, causing their smithy business, [Xenon], to decline.
The money disappeared like bubbles and Tyrone couldn't recover them. Deeply he knows his father own those money he used, but Tyrone can't stop himself being disappointed to his father.
Little did Tyrone know, his father used all the money for him!
It's just that in this part, Tyrone still doesn't know that.
'And that's why I'm here.'
Raven thought, smiling inwardly.
Tyrone is currently looking at Raven with an annoyed expression. He's not even trying to hide it.
Not that Raven mind, so he continued talking.
"Your father didn't carelessly spent the money he saved."
At Raven's words, Tyrone's look on him changed as if asking what bullshit he's on about.
"What do you mean?"
Tyrone asked. Not really expecting anything.
Raven pointed his index finger to Tyrone.
"Your father was suppose to give you gifts."
Tyrone is still unfazed and thinks that Raven is not serious.
"How did you know?"
He asked as if mocking Raven's words. Tyrone is a good person, it's just that his hatred to his father made him a little aggressive.
"I can't tell you because of some complicated reasons. But I want you to know, I don't have any ill intentions."
Raven answered casually.
Tyrone stared at Raven for some time. He then eventually nodded his head but didn't say anything, he just waited for Raven's next words.
'Good, now that he's listening properly, it's time to drop some bomb.'
Raven took a deep breathe and opened his mouth.
"Just as I said, your father used the money to buy you gifts."
Tyrone nodded. His expression though, didn't change.
"But before he could give them to you, he died from a dungeon overflow. I mean, think carefully, you've been with your father ever since you were a child. You know he wouldn't just carelessly spend money."
"Why did your trust for him crumbled easily?"
Ravem said, acting dissapointed and slapping Tyrone's conscience!
This time, Tyrone's face changed. His hateful expression disappeared and was replaced by a frown with solemness.
Tyrone at that time questioned himself as Raven's words made sense to him.
Why did his trust for his father crumble?
Tyrone's brows knitted together as his body fidgets a little.
Raven, who vaguely knew Tyrone's thoughts, was once again slapped by his guilt but he didn't let it out on his face.
'Your trust to your father crumbled because of me. For my story... I even killed him for you to have a dramatic backround.'
Raven knows that he wasn't actually in the fault because at that time he's just typing letters, forming words and sentences, and building a story. Who would've knows that that story of his will become a reality?
Nevertheless, Raven still felt guilty. Well just for a bit.
After some silence, Raven continued to talk.
"Your father used all of his saved money to buy some items from an auction."
"And he hid them all under the tile that's under his bed."
Following Raven's words,Tyrone stood up without a word and ran upstairs.
Looking at him for a while, Raven slowly stood and followed Tyrone.
'Guess he can't believe my words after hating his father for 3 years, so he wants to see a proof...'
Raven thought, climbing upstairs where Tyrone ran.
***
[Tyrone's POV]
I tried to keep calm, but I couldn't.
A young man, even younger than me, that I met not long ago came and told me that he knows my father.
I'm feeling a bit of hatred toward my father because of his carelessly spending of money in the past before dying 3 years ago.
Because of that, the smithy declined as we lost some resources and capital money.
My father run the smithy at that time, I just inherited it after he died. But because I have no money nor connection, I wasn't able to run it properly.
Even my relatives didn't help me after my father died.
'Maybe I'm just incompetent, and I'm blaming my father for my faults...'
Those thoughts are deeply hidden inside me, but they resurfaced after hearing Raven's words.
My father didn't used the money carelessly, it was for my sake, he said.
My thoughts are currently a mess, I don't know what to do.
'Gifts left by father... Just for me?'
I don't want to believe that.
I frowned as I fastened my pace.
Is Raven lying to me?
Or did father really left something for me?
I couldn't wait and need a proof so even though it's rude, I left Raven earlier and rushed to my father's room.
I don't like entering father's room ever since he died. I just occasionally enter it to clean inside.
Click-
Opening the room's door, I immediately entered and moved the bed.
Then I noticed an odd looking tile.
Without carefully looking you can't tell its difference to the other tiles, but upon closer inspection, you can see letters engraved on it.
'VULCAN' is what written on it. It's our family name.
My heart started pounding rapidly.
My mind is getting more and more complicated.
'Is there really something there?'
'What if it's just a coincidence?'
Thoughts like that entered my mind.
"Fuu..."
Taking a deep breathe, I calmed myself down and looked at the odd tile.
I crouched down and placed my hands on it.
To my surprise, just placing my hand on the tile already moved it a little.
A bitter smile appeared on my face as I removed the tile completely.
And just like what Raven said, there's something under the tile. Underneath the tile is a small space. And in that space, I saw a letter and a box.
"Ah..."
My heart seems it would explode any time now. I felt relieved seeing there's something under the tile, but at the same time, I felt rejection towards the items.
I took the box and opened it. Inside are a book and a hammer.
Being a smith myself, I learned an appraisal skill.
So I can appraise items to some extent.
=====
[Ancient Skill Book]
<Vulcan's Heir Lvl.1>
-Vulcan is a god of fire and blacksmith. Upon learning this skill, your skills and knowledges about 'Blacksmith' and 'Fire' will drastically increase. Also, weapons you create or upgrade will be drastically enhanced.
=====
[Vulcan's Hammer]
-Vulcan's Hammer, Vulcan often use this hammer when creating weapons.
-When used on a weapon, the strength of the weapon's functions and effects will drastically increase.
-Upgrading or Creating a weapon with this hammer will have a higher chance of success rate.
=====
'This...'
My hands trembled looking at the items I'm holding. It's a high level artifact and an ancient skill book, also they're a set pair!
These items are way too precious, and if father really bought these, there's no wonder he spent all of his savings.
'And... He planned to gift these all to me...?'
My heart tighten as regret slowly crawled all over my body.
My eyes shifted to the letter. I put down the skill book and the artifact hammer.
I took the letter, unfolded it and read it.
=====
Tyrone, I'm gonna retire from the smithy soon as I'm getting old.
I want you to inherit it as you have a good talent at being a smith. You also enjoy smithing like me!
There's nothing you can't create in smithing and the weapons you made are nothing to scoff at.
I know you'll become one of the best smiths in the future!
I'm writing this letter because I don't just want this to be in a form of text mail. I can't say this to you personally because it's embarrassing and I'm not really good at words.
Well anyway, I'm so proud of you.
Here's some gifts that will help you reach the top! I hope you like it!
Oh, and after you recieve these, let's go eat dinner outside! Your treat of course!
=====
"Ah..."
The letter was hand written, and it was my father's handwriting.
'It hurts...'
My father's sweet and caring words hurts me. I rejected and hated him for 3 years even if he's dead because I easily lost my trust in him.
And today's discovery about his plans before dying.
Made me feel like shit.
'Fuck, why...?'
I feel guilty for doubting and blaming my father. I hate myself for not trusting him enough.
"I don't know anymore..."
I muttered.
"What should I do now?"
My hands trembled. I don't know if I deserve to claim these items after what I did to father.
"It's obvious that you should apologize first."
It was then I heard a voice behind me. Looking behind.
I saw Raven leaning on the entrance of the room. He's the one who revealed these things to me.
"Then after you apologize, be thankful."
Raven added.
"After that, continue living, no, live a better life."
His words is like saying that I should forget what I did wrong to father, and it made me angry.
Though, Raven just continued talking.
"You can't turn back time. so continue living, for your sake, and for your father's too."
He said, turning his back to me.
"Nobody is perfect, not even you or your father, everyone have faults of their own so it's okay to blame yourself. But don't use it as a justification to run away, I think your father will be happy if you gratefully accept and use his gifts to you instead of just blaming yourself without actually doing anything."
Raven's words etched to my mind. I thought of what would father do in this situation.
I know Raven's right. Father will most likely forgive me and say that I should accept his gifts and use it to live better.
My eyes started to feel moist. Tears gathered on the corner of my eyes and is threatening to fall anytime.
"I'll wait for you in the living room. Take your time."
As if he can read the mood, Raven left after his words.
"I can't turn back time huh."
I muttered as I looked
at the "Gifts" my father left for me.
"...I'm sorry."
Tears fell from my eyes.
"Papa... I'm sorry."
My heart stings and tightens everytime I apologize.
Looking at the ceiling. I let out a sigh.
"You said we'll eat outside after I recieved your gifts. Looks like we can't... I'm sorry."
***
[Raven's POV]
I'm waiting for Tyrone in the living room.
He seems to have a lot in his mind right now.
I'm an orphan so I don't really know what he's feeling right now.
I'm not even attached to the orphanage I'm from. I know they just took us in for the pension of the government.
So I can't just comfort Tyrone like I know what he's feeling. The best thing I can do is to give him space.
While waiting, I'm thinking of the best way to get stronger.
I thought [Nyx]'s <Magic Bullet> can be used freely but turns out that I can't.
I can only imbue one magic in a bullet and only up to 2nd tier magics. The bullets will explode is I used more than that as they couldn't withstand it.
'Well I can only cast 1st and 2nd tier magics anyway.'
If I can imbue any magic in the bullet using <Magic Bullets> then isn't it too OP?
Anyway, I'm sure I'll encounter more dangerous situations in the future.
So I'm determined to get stronger.
"In a normal Earth, almost everyone will agree that guns are the strongest weapon."
Then why guns are the weakest weapon here in this world?
And how could I make them the strongest?
After racking my brain.
"I got it!"
I got the most possible answers to my questions.
And it was then that Tyrone came down from the upstairs. He looks calm and peaceful like a decade worth of problems disappeared, relief can be felt and seen from him.
Tyrone then sat in my opposite.
"Thank you for telling me the truth. And sorry for my rudeness earlier."
Tyrone said bowing his head.
With a shrug, I replied:
"It's no big deal. And apology accepted."
"No you could've just bought the workshop along with the house with your money and take father's gifts for yourself. You know that I'm currently looking for buyers of this house, right?"
Tyrone was persistent and too genuine, I'm not good at handling people like him.
'I didn't get the skill book and the hammer to myself as I can't use it anyway! I'm no smith!'
I thought.
"Don't mind it too much, stop bowing and let's just go to the main topic."
"Oh right!"
Luckily I shifted the topic, and it looks like Tyrone forgot my business here.
"First, do you still plan to continue being a smith?"
I asked Tyrone.
"I will absolutely."
Tyrone firmly answered.
"Then I'll invest 10 million Zeals, you'll need money to create something after all."
"Also, you appearing in public with no backing is stupid, you have a great skill and artifact so some guilds will try to blackmail or even kidnap you and force you to create equipments for them."
I said bringing out a mana contract and handing it to Tyrone.
"How did you know that I got a great artifact and skill?"
"..."
Tyrone asked me doubtfully. Which made me silent.
After some seconds, I frowned and spoke.
"Your father told me, why?"
I lied as naturally as how I'm breathing.
Though, still having his doubts, because he felt more gratitude toward me, he ignored his doubts. Tyrone read the contents of the mana contract.
While Tyrone is doing so, I opened my mouth.
"Just create equipments and some people will collect and buy them from you anytime you want, the people will be trustworthy so you'll be safe."
"At least do that method until it can be safe to reveal yourself to public."
I said to Tyrone.
Tyrone nodded his head indicating that he understood that what I'm saying are all necessaries for him.
I plan to talk to Ruby and made her buy equipments made by Tyrone, she'll gain a lot from it so I know she'll agree.
Tyrone signed the mana contract after reading it thoroughly.
We talked for a bit about the business after that.
"Thank you for helping me."
After talking to each other for a while, Tyrone bowed his head and thanked me again.
"If you're thankful then make my money grow."
I said with a playful smile.
"I will! And if you need something just say a word to me, if I can, I'll do it!"
Tyrone said in an enthusiastic voice.
'Gotcha! Fish will really be caught with their mouths huh.'
After hearing his words.
I placed [Nyx] on the table.
Tyrone looked at it.
"I'll need this gun to be upgraded and delivered to me before Friday."
I said with a sly smile.
"Can you do it?"
Tyrone didn't say anything for a while. Then he looked at me with a confident smile.
"I can."
***
I'm now on my way to the Lunar as I just finished my business with Tyrone.
I invested 10 million Zeals to him and left another 2 million Zeals for the [Nyx]'s upgrade.
The first 5 items Tyrone will upgrade or create will have a drastic increase on their performance and functions. That's a bonus from the skill book and hammer he acquired.
I only let Tyrone upgrade [Nyz] so Ruby will receive 3 of the bonus items, that way she will see Tyrone as someone worth investing and protect him.
Yes, she'll only recieve 3 bonus equipments as I already plan to commission Tyrone to make me a weapon. I'll just need to collect the material needed next weekend.
Tyrone will not immediately make or upgrade weapons as he still need to study about the skill and hammer he acquired. He also needs to fix the smithy workshop.
With that, I roughly have 8 million Zeals left.
I used 12 million Zeals in one go, but it's for the future so it's fine.
***
I arrived at the Lunar Academy around 5 P.M, there are just few students and staff around.
Maybe bacause it's weekend and they're enjoying the vacation. Not that I care.
I started heading to my dorm building.
While walking, Yuki came out from the spatial storage.
"You know, you don't need to hide in the spacial storage anymore."
Almost everyone in my class and even the professors already know Yuki's existence anyway.
-Kyuuuu!
Yuki was happy with that news. She now understands human language to a certain degree so I'm proud of her.
"Oh! You're that weird guy that have a weird weapon choice and bird!"
My steps halted at the words I heard and looked at the source of it.
Then I saw a handsome young man with black hair and eyes. Slightly taller than me and his body is also more built than mine.
"I didn't see you these days, where have you been?"
The boy then asked me. There's no mockery or ill intention coming from him. He's just playful and curios.
'Maybe he's one of those people who are always energetic and unconsciously annoys people.'
I thought looking at the boy.
"Anyway, I'm Blake Dunstan! Nice to meet you!"
The boy then energetically introduced himself.
'He's not a character that is mentioned in the novel. Another extra.'
I frowned. The boy is too talkative and loud.
"You're annoying, shut up."
I said.
"Wow, you're so harsh! Anyway, what's your name?"
He also seems one of those who are always positive.
My frown deepened.
'I can't handle people like him.'
So I started to walk away toward my dorm in a fast pace.
"Are you in a hurry? Want me to help you with something?"
But this shit is still following me.
'So damn annoying!'