As time passed, more users have raised their skill enough to reinforce armor and Fabio disappeared from the Versailles continent.
Weed wondered if Fabio was last seen in Kuruso, and whether he has been trying to raise his Blacksmithing skill.
Weed started to slow down his pace.
On the side of the road, Weed spotted many Dwarven Blacksmiths crafting goods, while others were packing up the finished products.
The Dwarves were making their own goods, and didn’t care that weed was was watching them.
They were making goods in case someone wanted to make a purchase, but it didn’t look like anyone was going to buy anything.
“Is Herman-sunbae busy these days? I haven’t seen him in a while.”
“I do not know. Now that humans have returned, maybe he’s crafting some swords?”
“Tsk tsk. Herman-sunbae is cautious to a fault. Blacksmiths don’t follow his style of workmanship anymore.”
“Long ago, around 4 or 5 months ago, I followed the same cautious style. Back then, Herman-sunbae’s skill was superior to the rest of us artisans.”
“Even if you’re stubborn and try to create a sword with all your heart and soul…. at most, it’ll take you 1 week. But if you’re going to take more than a month, no one will want to buy a sword from you.”
“Yeah. That’s right.”
“You can sell it in the auction house for a higher price, but it takes time. And Blacksmithing is all about the money.”
Up until recently, Herman was with Weed.
On the Versailles Continent, it is not unusual for one or two people with the same name to run into each other. However it was unlikely for another Dwarven Blacksmith near Kuruso, with the same profession as Herman.
‘Who knows, I might see them here again.’
Weed did not focus much on his relationship with others.
However, it is a fact that he had spent a lot of time hunting with Pale and his party. And as a Dark Gamer, he is unable to refuse dangerous hunting tasks when he is asked.
Except for sleeping and going to school, he invested all of his free time playing Royal Road, and it would be difficult to do so if he hunted with others.
‘We shall see if this relationship is destined.’
Weed headed towards Kuruso’s administrative agency.
Unlike other Dwarven villages in the Kingdom of Thor, the administrative agency held great power and governed over Kuruso.
In other Kingdoms, the King and other nobles govern the land, therefore it was unusual for the administrative agency to making all decisions for the Dwarven Kingdom.
Dwarven Elders are appointed during the first week of every new year. The Elders then agree upon all the decisions and establish policies.
3 Strong Dwarves with excellent swordsmanship, and 7 Elders were chosen to lead the administrative agency, a total of 10 Dwarves are elected. Dwarves who just reached their adulthood are considered too young, and therefore not eligible for election.
However, it is said that the Elder seat is open to anyone, including players.
Each of the Elders will work at the administrative agency alternatively.
“You’re a new Dwarf here in Kuruso. Would you like to register?”
“Yes. I would like to register.”
“What is your profession?”
“I am a Sculptor.”
In Kuruso, you do not have to pay taxes to Akryong Kaybern. You will not be hassled by the Dwarven Liberation Corps for money. Everything was governed in accordance to the Dwarves.
Coming to Kuruso was free!
However, there was a requirement if you want to leave Kuruso.
They must contribute a piece to the great city. The work must be created with devotion, and when completed, must be better than their average product.
For a Sculptor, he would have to create a sculpture.
There is no alternative but to create something good, you cannot create something poor. Thus, to leave Kuruso, you must contribute something decent.
That was the minimum condition in entering Kuruso.
Unlike other places in the Kingdom, there is no taxes because of special restrictions.
The Dwarven Elder ask Weed.
“What is your name?”
“My name is Art Hand.”
“That’s a good name.”
“The registration process is now complete. Before leaving Kuruso, you are required to leave something created by you, in your case, a sculpture.”
Just when Weed was about to leave the administrative agency.
“I have a question for you.”
“Let me ask you. Do you want some information about Kuruso? If you’re not busy, will you listen to my request?”
A Request from the Dwarven Elder!
However the offer didn’t seem appealing to Weed.
Even though Weed had enormous amount of fame, after changing into a Dwarf, the fame he had, had no effect at all.
The Dwarven race’s characteristic adjusted the fame accumulated by works of art created, but there’s a temporary restriction to the fame he gained through his adventures.
Even then, his fame still maintained an enormous amount of prestige. However, Kuruso was different because they do not frequently trade with other Kingdoms.
The fame he had accumulated around the Versailles Continent and the North, was unheard of in Kuruso.
Even with Weed’s high fame, he did not acquire a lot request from outside of those places.
“You don’t need to complete my request in exchange for information. Have you ever heard of the Dwarven Sculptor?”
Weed thought that if he could not find any information the Thor kingdom, he might be able to find it in Kuruso!
Weed nodded at the question the Dwarven Elder had asked him and said.
“He was the best Sculptor amongst all Dwarves. His Sculptures were vibrant and full of mysteries. But I’ve other Dwarves’ story that’s been passed down from their ancestors.”
He was able to obtain information about Kendellev. At the very least, he had confirmed the existence of the Dwarven Sculptor, Kendellev.
Weed asked with renewed hope.
“Where can I go to find his disciples, or any of the sculptures he has left behind?”
“Even I don’t know the answer to that. To my knowledge, that person didn’t leave any sculpture behind… I suppose we wouldn’t be able to find his disciples even if they existed. As I seem to recall, there have been a lot of Dwarves asking about Kendellev.”
“Other than me, have any other Dwarves asked this question?”
“There were many that asked. At least over twenty.”
Just like Weed, more than twenty Dwarves have travelled to Kuruso to gather information about Kendellev. However, they failed to do so.
‘A clue was said to exist in Kuruso. The reason why this truth spread out as a rumor is because those who gave up did not want to give other Dwarves an opportunity to find him.’
No one could find any traces of Kendellev by themselves. However, because another Dwarf might discover him, they did not make the information public and kept it to themselves.
Weed asked another question.
“The unknown beings; what do I have to do in order to be able to sculpt the ones who speak to me?”
The Dwarf elder was simply stared blankly at him.
“Did such an event occur?”
“…..”
“If there’s anything that you need in Kuruso, you need to look for it yourself. If you want something, you have to earn it yourself.”
In other words, the Elder was saying that you could not easily obtain the information.
It was possible that the answer Weed was looking for was one that noone could ever tell him.
‘The unknown beings. I don’t know what their forms are, and if someone had already sculpted them, there would be no need for them to pester me to sculpt them.’