“But the wings you made in the victory against Death Hand aren't there anymore. Where did they suddenly go?”
“…”
“They were really magical wings but they suddenly disappeared. What happened to those wings?”
The Dwarves were wondering about the Wings of Light that Weed had granted life and stored away separately.
Weed explained in an evasive way.
“It's made of light, isn't it? What happens when you keep a candle lit for a long time?”
“It turns off.”
“That's how it is.”
“Ah! So that's how it was.”
“I thought it was something else. Haha!”
As they drank their beer the Dwarves smiled brightly, their doubts relieved.
The evasion went well because the Dwarves had drunk alcohol.
— Intoxication level is going up.
As Weed received and drank the offered beer, he became rather pleasantly tipsy.
“Art Hand, you've gotta drink the beer we're givin' too!”
“Come here, here!”
Though it was to the point where he had an unsteady gait, Weed walked over and received a glass topped to the brim with beer.
“Drink it aaaaalll at once.”
The Dwarves were a race that didn't like to drink it sip by sip.
Weed superbly drank it all down in one shot.
“Kyaah!”
“You're a man after all, now, have a drumstick appetizer too.”
As Weed ate some appetizers and walked around, he even got to drink alcohol with Exper.
He was one of the 5 Great Craftsmen, and when Weed had first come to Kuruso his had been the first name he'd heard — the artisan who had songs made in his honor.
For Weed's farewell party, all 5 Great Craftsmen had come here.
“Art Hand.”
“Yes, elder.”
“One day I will definitely make a spear that can catch a Dragon. Hic.”
“I'm certain that if it's elder, you will definitely make it.”
Though he was drunk, he made an effort to match Exper's mood.
“Hiccup. I'm drunk. Anyways, I made this spear for you, so take it with you.”
— You have acquired the Spear of the Fire Lance that was made by Artisan Exper.
With a furtive check, he found it to be an incredibly excellent spear with over 78 attack power.
“Since it's a spear with my name on it, don't give it to anyone else. Haha.”
“Yes. Then have one more glass.”
“Now, pour it!”
Weed drank three glasses with Exper and moved elsewhere. When he was gathering plenty of presents again, Kuruso's farewell party distinctly came to a climax.
“Drink, drink up!”
“Let's drink it by the casket. That'll show 'em our most Dwarfliness* side.”
[T/N: Like manliness… but Dwarfliness.]
“Wild Boar Roast, where'd ya go! Chef, bring us 5 Wild Boar Roasts!”
The Dwarves were boisterously making a clamor.
As Herman and Pin also drank beer with some Dwarves, they became extremely worried.
“Grandpa, is this gonna be okay?”
“Well… even I didn't know that this many Dwarves were going to come. Oh man.”
“The drink tab is going to be enormous.”
“Since they don't consider drinking moderately and going back, it looks like this is gonna become the best farewell party. These Dwarves really didn't have anything to do. Or did Weed become this famous somewhere along the line?”
To the point where Herman clicked his tongue, almost every Dwarf in Kuruso was participating in the farewell party.
The Dwarves could feel that this might be the last farewell party, and there were many Dwarves who were only slightly related to Weed. Towards the Weed who might become the best Sculptor, there were many Dwarves who came because they wanted to build a personal connection with him.
Even though it was past midnight, the farewell party showed no signs of ending.
Weed even received a glass of beer from Fabio, one of the 5 Greats.
Fabio was in his mid-forties, had broad shoulders, and keen eyes.
Though it was Weed's first time meeting him in person, through broadcasts and films, his was a face Weed had seen many times.
The most famous artisan Dwarf, who was believed to have enormous wealth and had outstanding Blacksmithing skills.
“Take it.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Weed was one step away from being totally drunk.
— Intoxication level has severely risen.
All stats are temporarily reduced.
As a result of the drinking he was getting dizzy, and his hand was trembling, but he endured with willpower.
'Cannot be beaten by this degree of alcohol.'
Compared to the mental training he'd learned from SwordNoob, he could tolerate this degree of alcohol.
By strength of his will, Weed straightened his posture, and though his hand trembled, he did not spill a single drop of alcohol and received it.
The look in Fabio's eyes deepened.
“I heard this story from my daughter. You refused the armor I gave out of goodwill when you were doing the quest.”
“…”
“I felt that you were a presumptuous kid. I thought you would fail because it was a perilous quest, but you proudly succeeded. And for a while this story about you became the hot topic in Kuruso.”
“I am flattered.”
“As long as you have ability, it's fine to be arrogant. I saw you had engraved even the armors I entrusted fairly excellently.”
As Fabio downed his beer, Weed also followed and drank. 2 beer mugs were emptied. Both of them filled each other's mugs.
“Seems you're not a normal Dwarf.”
At Fabio's words, Weed raised his gaze.
Their eyes met resolutely.
The whites of Weed's eyes were red and bloodshot as a result of his intoxication, but they were deep and strong.
“I watched you drink alcohol as you moved around earlier. If you were a normal Dwarf, it'd be difficult to maintain a clear mind after drinking that much alcohol. Since I'm a Dwarf too, I know.”
“I'm on the side of holding liquor well.”
“Is that so. However, the way I see it, at the very least you're not a normal Sculptor.”
Fabio's eyes became more intense.
They were not eyes meant to investigate Weed.
As a person aged, insight formed and their temperaments strengthened. Following their impression from even their first meeting, it was possible for them to approximate what kind of person they were, what kind of nature they had.
Fabio's temperament was like rough and thick steel. It was strong, and did not break easily.
Ordinary users were intimidated from simply meeting Fabio. But Weed didn't appear even a little daunted.
Weed was handling and using steel; he was walking the path of the sword. He would treat the sword as an extension of his body and endlessly devote himself to it.
Even the steel-like aura of Fabio subsided in front of Weed like a torch before a typhoon.
Fabio was feeling that.
'He has a personality that is stronger than mine. And though I don't know what work he does, he's a guy who has less fear than me.'
Fabio threw away the judgement that he was dealing with a Sculptor, and acknowledged Weed as one of the few men who had frankly surprised him after he'd met them in person as he played Royal Road.
“Say what you want as a gift.”
He also decided to give him the option of choosing his gift.
The majority of the armor he made was engraved by Weed's hands. Since Fabio already knew that, he was telling Weed to choose what he needed!
'Through this, I'll be able to see what kind of stat distribution he has!'