Basel’s Workshop.
On the top floor of that building, the lights never went out.
It has already been 3 years since Tay the Workshop Owner stopped accepting commissions.
Her last commission was crafting a large quantity of high-grade mana stones needed to tap into the alliance’s communication network.
Since then, Tay has been completely inactive.
To be more precise,
‘Officially inactive.’
“Workshop Owner, it’s meal time…”
“Leave it.”
Tata tat tat, tata tat tat.
Sparks fly and lights flash in the workshop.
The apprentice craftsman, carrying a tray, jumped and trembled at the sharp voice.
Watching the back of the workshop owner immersed in her work, the apprentice stood frozen for a moment.
There have been many rumors about the workshop owner in the meantime.
There were rumors that she was actually dead,
That she had injured her hands and could no longer craft.
Some even said she had quit crafting to enjoy her remaining days.
But none of those were true.
The apprentice, who had come up to the top floor for the first time, saw the workshop owner’s steady form and…
“Wow…”
She laid her eyes upon a mana stone of a size she had never seen before.
At first, she couldn’t even recognize it as a mana stone.
Most mana stones are about the size of small jewels.
The biggest might even be the size of a fist.
But what was this?
Could it be possible for a mana stone the size of a person to actually exist?
She couldn’t even guess how enormous it must have been before the processing.
Even at a glance, it was a high-grade mana stone with an exquisite arrangement.
“What are you doing? I told you to leave it!”
“Ah! Yes!”
Only then did the apprentice realize she had zoned out and hurriedly left the workshop.
The door slammed shut with a bang.
The workshop was again in a state where nothing could disturb Tay, not even sounds or mana.
“You! Where’s the workshop owner’s assistant? Why did you come in instead!”
“I-I’m sorry! The workshop owner’s assistant was away, so I thought I’d take her place…”
“Never open the door without permission again. The workshop owner is working on a very important task. She’s processing a mana stone that can only be made once in human history for the past 3 years! One mistake could ruin 3 years of effort and mess with the history of humanity! Do you understand how dangerous that was?!”
“….!!”
The apprentice’s face turned pale.
Three years. It had been three years.
For three years, it was said that Tay the workshop owner only came out once a year, except for the unknown person’s memorial day, and only touched that mana stone.
It sounded utterly unrealistic.
If no one had seen the mana stone, no one would have believed the story.
But having seen that massive and majestic sight, the apprentice couldn’t possibly doubt it.
‘Then what on earth is that mana stone for…?’
Lost in thought as she descended to the lower levels, the apprentice pondered.
The continent’s best craftsman, Tay, had crafted the largest mana stone over the last three years.
What on earth could she be making it for?
Ignoring the enormous rarity that it was one of a kind in the world, even conservatively valuing it, it was astronomical.
It could build dozens of airships and potentially buy a few nations.
And yet, who could buy a mana stone like that?
There was no one in this world who could purchase that mana stone.
The more she thought about it, the deeper the apprentice sank into confusion.
Just then, the elevator doors opened.
An unfamiliar human appeared inside the workshop, which should have been inaccessible to outsiders.
“Is this the elevator to the upper floor? Excuse me.”
“W-wait! How did an outsider get this far…?”
Ignoring the apprentice’s objection, the man unceremoniously stepped into the elevator.
“Whoa…”
A sigh escaped Tay’s lips.
Her hands, focused and intent, operated the machine.
The machine precisely cut the mana stone without a single error.
The raw mana stone was discovered more than three years ago.
On the day Yoo Jin disappeared.
Found near the transcendent being of the necromancer beneath the collapsed dungeon.
Its size compared to any previously discovered mana stone was incomparable.
Dozens, if not hundreds of times larger than typical high-grade mana stones.
Even gathering all the high-grade mana stones in the world wouldn’t even come close to matching the volume of this one.
“Just a little more…”
The food on the tray on the table grew cold.
Meal time had long passed.
Tay, who had started making sure to eat on time after almost collapsing from exhaustion, couldn’t stop her work this time, as if possessed.
Three years.
Three years since Yoo Jin had entrusted her with the commission and suddenly disappeared.
And Yoo Jin still hadn’t returned.
He didn’t place another commission.
But the moment Tay discovered the mana stone in the dungeon where Yoo Jin had vanished, she felt it instinctively.
This mana stone was the task left behind by Yoo Jin.
His commission.
One day, he would need this mana stone.
It was a commission for that day.
On that day, Yoo Jin would return.
Tay believed that wholeheartedly and began her work.
Initially, she aimed for six months, but that was utterly unrealistic.
The structure of the mana stone was much more complex than she had imagined.
“Really just a little more now…”
The work period extended madly.
With no idea when Yoo Jin would return or when he would need this mana stone, she couldn’t take it easy.
From that day on, Tay started pouring every hour, except for the eight hours she reserved for eating and sleeping, into her work.
Tay eliminated all distractions.
Except during meal times, no one could open the workshop doors.
In the other cases where the doors could be opened, Tay only provided two exceptions:
First, if the workshop was in imminent danger of collapsing.
And second, if Yoo Jin came to visit.
“Please…”
The only other day Tay had off was on the anniversary of Yoo Jin’s death.
A day without work, where she could go out and meet people, the only day of the year.
Every time, she felt her own growth.
Though she felt the same as before, she had grown remarkably, now resembling an adult.
Tay’s skill had reached its peak, and that was reflected in her appearance.
“Oh…!”
With a tap.
Her hand stopped with a sigh.
The machine that had been tirelessly cutting the mana stone fell to the ground.
As Tay stared at the securely held mana stone, her mouth hung open.
Her hands wouldn’t move.
For three years, her hands had moved fluidly and automatically; it was as if they were broken, as they wouldn’t budge now.
The reason was simple.
The mana stone was now perfect.
There was not a single flaw.
Its form was maximized in every possible way, in a state of absolute perfection.
“Is it… done…?”
She couldn’t even believe it herself.
That task which seemed like it would never end had just concluded.
Only then did Tay look down at her calloused hands and feel the passing of three whole years.
She had lost track of time.
So immersed in her work that she had no space to think of anything else.
Driven by a singular determination to complete this mana stone.
But now that it was completed, strangely enough, she felt no sense of accomplishment.
Wasn’t it the largest mana stone in history?
Wasn’t it a mana stone whose valuation was impossible?
Wasn’t it a legendary achievement that would be passed down through generations to come?
Yet, Tay felt no joy.
“It’s over…”
With a thud.
Her strength faded, and Tay slumped down.
She had achieved her goal.
In other words, she had lost her aim.
“What should I do now?
What am I supposed to do?
The future felt bleak.
Waiting for Yoo Jin.
For the day Yoo Jin would need her.
She only ran forward, keeping her eyes straight ahead for that reason.
Yet now that she had arrived, the path ahead was nothing but a cliff.
“Ahaha. Did I finish too soon? Did I end it all before my Investor returned?”
Tay laughed hollowly.
Did she go too fast?
If she had known it would come to this, maybe she should have taken her time?
As she pondered such pointless thoughts, Tay’s laughter gradually turned into sobs.
She knew.
She understood but turned a blind eye.
Yoo Jin was dead and might not return, and the likelihood of that was incredibly high; she realized that.
While everyone else lived in a world without Yoo Jin.
Tay chose to stop time.
She built walls around herself.
Living only for the day Yoo Jin returned.
But now, even that magical time was coming to an end.
The ability to work thoughtlessly had shriveled away.
It was time to return to reality.
When the clock she had stopped began to tick again.
“Ugh…”
Swallowing her tears, Tay looked at her hands.
Her hands, legs, and body had all grown significantly.
The old her was no longer here.
Did that mean she wouldn’t recognize Yoo Jin when he came back?
Such worries crept into her thoughts.
Just then, as Tay was about to return to reality…
“No. It feels like I finished just in time.”
“….?!”
Thud.
Feeling a hand touch her shoulder, Tay was overtaken by goosebumps.
She couldn’t bring herself to turn her head.
Her body went rigid.
Someone standing next to Tay marveled at the mana stone.
“Three years, huh? Good job. You figured out the materials by yourself and completed the commission without me even saying anything. Just like my exclusive craftsman. But did you eat and sleep properly? Once you get absorbed in something, you lose yourself. I’m worried about your health.”
“You don’t have to worry… I didn’t run the whole marathon at full speed… There’s no one who could run at full speed the entire time… I adjusted my eating and sleeping appropriately…”
“You’ve matured. You can think long-term now.”
“Truly, I have… I’ve grown… compared to the first time you chose me, it’s a huge, huge difference…”
Tears blocked Tay’s vision.
It had been an eternity.
Tay had believed in Yoo Jin.
She didn’t want to betray his expectations.
All to prepare for today.
She worked with maximum efficiency, at maximum speed.
And Tay’s faith was not betrayed.
“I believed in you. And it seems I made the right choice.”
“Uwaahhh…!”
Tay fell into the man’s wide embrace.
Once, it had surely felt large enough to swallow her whole.
Now it felt considerably smaller.
It felt like being tightly squeezed.
“….”
For a moment, Mi Jeong, who was about to say something, let out a breath and lowered her hand.
It seemed that for this moment, she had to let go of Yoo Jin.
