"Well? What do you think?"
Jinah giggled a little as she moved around the stand, admiring the deceptively simple-looking armor and long sword.
"Uncle, you know I can't sense mana like a hunter. What is the point of showing me all of this when I can only look at it as a fancy hunk of metal and leather?"
I smiled as I patted her head.
"I am not asking you to understand it's working, Jinah. I am asking you how it looks. While I don't expect Jinwoo to care much about appearance, it is very important for a hunter to maintain their public standing, even if the hunter in question is an E-Ranker."
She smirked at me at those words.
"Of course. Especially when Oppa and I are going to be under heavy public scrutiny because of your status."
I winced at that reminder.
"Sorry. I only did what I did because I wanted to make sure you and your brother were protected. I knew the risks, but I assure you, the result is worth the risk."
The teenager smiled and gave me a quick hug.
"Don't worry. I know that you would not have revealed your real power under any circumstances unless it was for us. You are overprotective that way, and we appreciate it. Now, what inspired you to make such an exotic design for the armor?"
I felt a rueful smile form on my face as I turned to look at the armor.
A form-fitting plate armor with blue robes integrated into it, and a long sword that I modeled after the sword that I once used to wield all the time.
"The original armor upon which this one is based is still with me. It used to belong to a legendary warrior called Artorias. Don't ask me where this warrior is from because I don't want to talk about it. The same goes for the sword."
"I modeled this armor and sword after Artorias's equipment because I want Jinwoo to be able to continue using his skillset as an agile fighter instead of bogging him down with an armor that is even more defensive than this, but would reduce his mobility drastically."
Originally, I was going to model Jinwoo's armor after the Black Iron set belonging to Iron Knight Tarkus, a formidable warrior from the lands of Berenike who met an unfortunate fate in Anor Londo, where I found his armor.
However, as I said to Jinah, that armor would have weighed Jinwoo down too much for his usual fighting style.
The amount of Titanite I had to use to forge this armor and weapon was nothing to sneeze at, either. If it were not for the fact that I had a veritable mountain of material in my Bottomless Box, thanks to my countless loops, I would have easily run out of the materials required to forge the entire set.
Jinah watched me with amusement before speaking again.
"I think it looks a little weird. What was the word for it? Oh, right, 'Emo.' I think this armor looks a little Emo for Jinwoo. But most equipment that I have seen hunters use is all a little flashy in some way, so I guess this is better than those walking walls of overcompensation."
I laughed at her words, knowing that she was right.
Most lower-ranked hunters belonging to Guilds almost always wear some kind of flashy armor or wield magic weapons way above their power as a way to show off.
It is a practice that I despise and the reason why I refuse to make flashy or exotic-looking stuff, even though I was once taught by Andre of Astora, a peerless Blacksmith from the kingdom of Astora, the Giant Blacksmith of the Gods in Anor Londo, and Rickert of Vinheim.
I would have loved to learn from the Skeleton Blacksmith Vamos as well, if he ever bothered to speak more than a few words. Although I did gain a lot of insight watching him work, so that is something.
"Well, I guess that's that. Once Jinwoo is back, I'll have him use this armor from now on. With my status as the safety blanket, no one should be foolish enough to target him for his armor and sword from now on, and given that I made this armor strong enough to withstand attacks from A-Rank monsters, he should be very safe in any trip he takes into a Dungeon."
Jinah just smiled at my words before giving me a hug again.
"Thanks, Uncle."
I just returned the hug, knowing that a large burden had been lifted off her heart with this armor and weapon, a burden formed from her constant worry for Jinwoo's safety.
Truthfully speaking, I should get her and Jinwoo into therapy, just like Il-Hwan did for me after he took me in.
Losing their loving father when they were children because he disappeared in a Gate, then losing their mother to Eternal Slumber a few years later, cannot be healthy for young people like them. Especially Jinwoo, who always takes things too seriously and has still not forgiven himself for spilling hot water on his mother as a child and causing scars on her neck.
Back then, I was in Japan for an International gathering of Blacksmiths. I was told about all this by Kyung-Hye over the phone while she was in the hospital, getting treated for the burns, while Jinwoo was crying in the background.
Yes, these two children definitely need some level of therapy.
But being the children of that man, these two are extremely stubborn and refuse to even acknowledge that something is wrong with them.
While I can accept that reasoning to some extent with Jinah because she only suffers from mild depression and panic attacks most of the time, that is not the case with Jinwoo, who suffers from a whole host of problems that he assumes to be something natural because he is a man.
Seriously, I don't understand the Eastern tradition of putting such a burden on children just because they are born male and demanding them to excel in everything.
If it were up to me, I would have taken them away to America and let them grow up there instead. While it is not a perfect country, especially in this world, it is still better than pressuring Jinwoo and would be good for his mental health.
Shaking my head to get rid of those thoughts, I patted Jinah's head.
"Let's get some popcorn and snacks ready for the movie night. I think you and your brother deserve some break from your routine to celebrate your new status as the niece and nephew of a National-Rank Hunter."
Jinah laughed at my words and headed towards the kitchen, but I stopped when my phone rang, and I saw the familiar number of Gunhee.
"Gunhee, what's up?"
"…James. Something has happened that needs your intervention."
I felt an ominous premonition at those words.
"What happened?"
"It's Jinwoo. He was caught in another problem-"
I did not hear the full words because I directly disconnected the call.
Dialing Jinwoo's number, I waited with bated breath as the phone continued to ring before my idiotic nephew finally picked up the call.
"Jinwoo! What happened!? Are you alright?"
"Uncle. I am fine. I don't have any injuries, and neither does my companion. That said.."
I watched through the video call as Jinwoo looked around, making sure that no one was nearby before speaking with a cautious tone.
"Uncle, tell me the truth. What do you know about a place called 'The Valley of Drakes?'"
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Author Notes: Read 5 chapters ahead on Patreon: patreon.com/Ruijard1