NOVPUB
Chapter 129: The Commotion
The steward stared at Aldrian in shock. This young man is the helper? But he looks so young—he doubted that Aldrian had even reached the Emperor stage. Aldrian’s disguise was nearly flawless, and with his deepening comprehension and rising cultivation, his disguise appearance seemed no different from his real face.
As a Low King stage cultivator, the steward couldn’t detect anything suspicious about him, a testament to the perfection of Aldrian’s disguise. Furthermore, Aldrian exuded no aura or signs of his cultivation, making it impossible for the steward to discern his true level.
With a teasing smile, Aldrian finally released a faint trace of his aura—just enough to shock the steward to his core, though for an entirely different reason.
"You... you... he’s only at the High Earl stage! Are you telling me he’s your helper?!" the steward shouted at Duke Valiard, his face full of disbelief. He even wondered if Duke Valiard was joking—or perhaps had gone mad from the effort of creating a divine-grade artifact.
"I’m 100% serious," Duke Valiard replied. "He is my helper, and one of the most talented blacksmiths I’ve ever met."
"But he’s only at the High Earl stage! How could someone with that cultivation level possibly help you?"
"Well, he’s special. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, but he’s the one who pushed me to create the divine-grade artifact."
The steward looked back at Duke Valiard, searching for any sign of humor or exaggeration. But all he saw was the duke’s serious expression. He turned his gaze back to Aldrian, who was still smiling confidently. Somehow, that smile alone was enough to convince him—he could feel the young man’s unshakable self-assurance.
"I’m not foolish enough to lie about something like this, Sir Steward," Duke Valiard said. "You know how important a divine-grade artifact is. If I say he’s my helper, then he is. Don’t judge him by his cultivation level—judge him by his abilities. You’ll see for yourself if you take a closer look."
The steward looked at Duke Valiard again, still struggling to believe what he was hearing.
"It’s hard for me to accept, you say he’s the owner of the sword, but he is also your helper? And he still at High Earl stage!" he said, turning his gaze to Aldrian. "I apologize, young master Aldrian, but may I ask where you come from? What family do you belong to?"
"I’m from the north," Aldrian replied. "As for family, I’ve lived with my elder sister since I was a child." This was the default answer he had prepared whenever someone asked about his background. He had also asked Duke Valiard never to mention his connection to the Flamecrest family, specifically Aldrey Flamecrest. The risk of being discovered by his parents outside the secret realm was too high.
Even now, knowing that Duke Valiard was aware of his connection to his father, Aldrian felt that the day he would be found out might come sooner than he expected. He didn’t want to worry his parents—he wanted to reunite with them on his own terms after completing this journey.
The steward studied Aldrian silently for a moment before finally speaking again.
"If you don’t mind, I’d like to see your blacksmithing skills firsthand. After that, I’ll report everything to His Majesty immediately. This is a matter of great importance. Are you willing, young master?"
"Of course," Aldrian replied with a confident smile. "If it will ease the doubts in your heart, I’d be glad to demonstrate."
They walked toward the workshop, the place where Aldrian had spent all his time here in the mansion. The steward was shocked when they entered, finding all kinds of scattered artifacts emitting auras that sent chills down his spine. He had visited this workshop in the past, but he had never encountered anything like this. Typically, completed artifacts were moved to a special storage area.
What left him even more stunned wasn’t just the auras—it was the quality of the artifacts. Most of them were Heaven grade, with some Peak Heaven grade, touching the absolute peak of Heaven grade. This place felt like a treasure trove, and the steward couldn’t help but wonder what this young man and Duke Valiard had been working on all this time.
"What would you like me to create, Sir Steward?" Aldrian’s voice broke through the steward’s thoughts.
The steward, still in disbelief, replied, "Just create a simple dagger, one commonly used for self-defense."
Aldrian nodded and, without further delay, began the crafting process. What followed was like a dream for the steward. He watched in awe as Aldrian worked with such effectiveness, precision, and profound mastery that every step seemed perfect. Even more astonishing was the result, Aldrian had crafted a middle Sky grade dagger using only common materials.
The steward couldn’t comprehend how this was possible. If a dagger like this were sold on the open market, it would spark fierce competition. Sky grade artifacts were never made with such cheap, basic materials.
"This could revolutionize the entire armament market on the continent!" the steward thought, already imagining the implications of Aldrian’s abilities. He envisioned the Forgeheart Kingdom gaining an unassailable advantage in the lower-end market, where cultivators sought affordable weapons.
"I must inform His Majesty! We need to bring this young man to our side!" the steward decided internally.
Aldrian could already read what the steward was thinking, and it was precisely what he had hoped for. With this, he would have an even stronger bargaining chip if he ever had to negotiate with the king. This was his failsafe plan, in case Duke Valiard’s contribution in creating a middle divine-grade artifact wasn’t enough, although Aldrian doubt it. Having this additional leverage guaranteed that the higher-ups in the kingdom would have to take his requests seriously—especially if they didn’t want to lose a talent like him.
"Young Master Aldrian, you are truly a genius among geniuses. I’ve never seen anyone craft a dagger with such skill, and the quality is simply astonishing," the steward said in awe. "It seems I must return to the capital to report this to His Majesty. Duke Valiard, I suggest you prepare yourself; His Majesty may call for you soon."
He turned to Aldrian. "May I bring this dagger to His Majesty as proof?"
"Of course, Sir Steward," Aldrian replied with a smile. "Consider it my ’gift.’"
While the dagger itself might not be impressive enough to awe the king—perhaps even inappropriate as a gift at this level—the steward knew the implications of this creation were far more significant than even a Heaven-grade artifact.
"Then, I shall take my leave. No need to escort me, Duke Valiard; I’ve already taken up too much of your time," the steward said, bowing slightly.
With that, he exited the workshop, walking toward the royal guards. Before they departed from Duke Valiard’s mansion, the steward paused at the front entrance, where a crowd of people had gathered, clearly waiting for something.
"The people of Valiard City, ease your hearts! The Heavenly Tribulation you witnessed is a sign of our great fortune—the fortune of the Forgeheart Kingdom!" the steward announced in a booming voice to the gathered crowd. "The tribulation occurred because Duke Valiard has forged a middle divine-grade artifact! Now, you can return to your usual activities. There is nothing to fear. Please allow Duke Valiard to rest after this monumental feat!"
Without waiting for a response from the crowd, the steward and his entourage continued on their way. At first, the people who heard the announcement couldn’t believe their ears. A middle divine-grade artifact? But as the realization set in, an uproar erupted. Although they hadn’t created it themselves, the crowd shared in the joy of Duke Valiard’s achievement as if it were their own.
Many wanted to see the duke immediately, but they knew, as the steward had said, that Duke Valiard needed rest. It was no surprise that he had declined visitors—except for the royal family, of course.
By the next day, news of the creation of a middle divine-grade artifact had spread throughout the Forgeheart Kingdom and was beginning to reach the rest of the continent. When the continent heard of the new middle divine-grade artifact, it caused exactly what many predicted—an uproar. Numerous people began planning their trips to Forgeheart Kingdom, particularly to Valiard City, where Duke Valiard resided.
For the nobles, this was a rare opportunity. If they could negotiate with the duke for the artifact, they would try to add it to their family’s inventory. A middle divine-grade artifact was not something to be taken lightly, and no one could afford to let it slip away. Typically, only large factions possessed artifacts of this caliber, and now that one had appeared, it had drawn the attention of every powerful force on the continent.
For commoners and smaller factions, simply seeing and admiring such an artifact would be enough, as they stood no chance of competing with the continent’s behemoths to obtain it.
The Forgeheart Kingdom had already implemented preventive measures to manage the impending chaos. They limited the use of teleportation stations in Valiard City and dispatched royal guards to aid Duke Valiard in maintaining security.
Today, Duke Valiard and Aldrian received a summons from the royal family. They had been invited to the royal palace to meet with the king. The time had come for them to face not only the king but also the kingdom’s nobles!
