Finally, the day of execution arrived. Before noon, Eugene Smithson had a good meal, then was escorted out by the jailers. As he was paraded through the streets, many people pointed at him and whispered.
Everyone said Eugene Smithson was a fraud, that the sword he forged was a fake, and it had cost a man's life.
Eugene Smithson was headed to a large plaza. Even before he arrived, he saw a massive sword-forging furnace blazing with fierce flames, and the crowd looked on in astonishment.
The man who had lost his son was a member of the Yue royal family, and he arrived with great pomp and circumstance. He was determined to throw Eugene Smithson into the furnace and burn him alive. As soon as he arrived, the man began to curse loudly.
Just then, as the execution was about to begin, Eugene Smithson saw a group of nobles emerge from the crowd. One man looked especially distinguished, accompanied by many soldiers. As soon as he arrived, the other nobles went over and knelt to greet him.
"Your Majesty, Si Ji did not know you were coming and failed to welcome you from afar..."
"Enough, Si Ji. I came here today because I heard your son lost a duel and died, and now you want to take it out on a swordsmith. I came to see for myself."
The newcomer was King Si Yunchang of Yue. Eugene Smithson saw that the man with tiger-like eyes was standing beside the king. As Eugene was still in shock, the tiger-eyed man had already stepped forward.
"Swordsmith Louis Hidden, do you have any advice?"
When Si Ji saw the tiger-eyed man step forward, he immediately spoke up.
Eugene Smithson was stunned. The man before him was none other than Louis Hidden, the most renowned swordsmith in the Yue Kingdom. Eugene had heard his uncle speak of him before—every sword Louis forged was destined for nobles and marquises across the land.
"Marquis Si Ji, I am but a humble craftsman from the countryside. Yet, as a swordsmith, I must seek justice for that young swordsmith who was wronged."
Louis Hidden spoke, then signaled for someone to bring forth the broken sword from his son's duel. He held it in his hands, examining it closely for a while before speaking.
"This sword is not a failure. Rather, Marquis Si Ji's son did not wield it properly, and so met such a tragic end."
As soon as Louis Hidden spoke, the crowd's opinion of Eugene Smithson shifted. Eugene, meanwhile, was torn and shocked. He knew the sword was beautiful on the outside but weak within—its flaw had led to Marquis Si Ji's son's death. Yet Louis's words seemed directed at Eugene, shaming him. He lowered his head, wanting to admit his mistake but afraid—if he confessed, he would be cast into the furnace, to be reduced to ashes alongside his broken sword.
Eugene Smithson, burning with a desire for vengeance, fell silent. He could feel Louis Hidden's gaze fixed on him, unrelenting.
With the words of the Yue Kingdom's foremost swordsmith, the tide of public opinion immediately turned in Eugene Smithson's favor. Marquis Si Ji, however, could only stand there, helpless and defeated.
"Marquis Si Ji, I know how much you loved your son, and losing him is a pain any parent would feel. But as Louis Hidden has told me, Eugene Smithson is a rare talent. If you kill him out of anger, would you not be destroying a future master?"
The King of Yue spoke. Marquis Si Ji's heart brimmed with resentment, but in the end, he could only nod in reluctant acceptance.
"He may be spared death, but he cannot escape punishment. Your Majesty, it was his sword that killed my son, so from this day forward, he must never be allowed to forge another blade."
King of Yue hesitated, constrained by Marquis Si Ji's pride, and was about to nod in agreement when Louis Hidden stepped forward and knelt respectfully before the king.
"Your Majesty, may I ask: When a soldier dies on the battlefield because his weapon breaks, who should bear the blame, and who should be responsible for honoring their fallen souls?"
Louis Hidden's words left the King of Yue at a loss for how to respond. Marquis Si Ji's face darkened, his anger barely contained as he glared at Louis.
At that moment, I saw many blacksmiths from around the marketplace gather, all petitioning together.
"Your Majesty, if blame must be placed, then all the blacksmiths in the world might as well return to their villages, never forging weapons or farm tools again."
In the end, Marquis Si Ji had no choice but to release Eugene Smithson. At Louis Hidden's home, the King of Yue was deeply impressed by the swords Louis had forged, showering them with praise.
Even Eugene Smithson, standing nearby, was awed. Louis Hidden's sword appeared plain and unadorned at rest, but once wielded, its aura was unstoppable.
After the King of Yue took several swords and departed, Louis Hidden instructed the servants to prepare a fine meal for Eugene Smithson—a private celebration for just the two of them.
With a thud, after the servants had left, Eugene Smithson knelt to the ground.
"Thank you, Mr. Hidden, for saving my life. I have no way to repay your kindness."
"Get up, Eugene," Louis Hidden said gently.
Louis Hidden helped Eugene Smithson to his feet, shared a few drinks with him, and then began to speak.
"What do you think of the swords I forge?"
"Plain on the surface, yet impossibly sharp. This is the first time I've seen such a sword—it’s perfection itself."
Eugene Smithson spoke sincerely; he had seen firsthand that his own sword was worthless compared to Louis Hidden's. At that moment, Louis produced the 'Sealed Throat' sword he had bought from Eugene, and Eugene's cheeks burned with regret.
"Eugene, your sword may be flawed, but its sharpness surpasses even mine. The reason I saved you is because I saw your talent as a swordsmith."
Eugene Smithson felt even more ashamed. If not for Louis Hidden’s protection today, he would have died in the furnace.
Louis Hidden presented the broken sword again, and Eugene Smithson lowered his head, his face pale with regret.
"Shame can inspire courage. Marquis Si Ji's son challenged others because he bullied people and harassed women in the street. His fate was sealed by heaven. Eugene, don't blame yourself. Every blacksmith fails at some point. When I was young, I made many weapons that led to death. The fault is not yours, but with those who wield the sword. The true warrior knows his own heart."
Eugene Smithson nodded, but it was clear he couldn't let go of the incident just yet.
"Mr. Hidden, please don't make fun of me. I doubt I’ll ever reach your level, even in a lifetime. But..."
"Heh, Eugene, I’m not mistaken about you. What you need is to keep refining your character. One day, you’ll forge your own path and become a true master."
The next day, Eugene Smithson formally became Louis Hidden’s apprentice and began his studies at the master’s estate.
"Oh, so you’re the swordsmith who made that defective blade—the one that killed someone."
A girl of about fourteen or fifteen, with jet-black hair tied in a ponytail and a pretty face, said this to Eugene Smithson on his first day. Her name was Lucy Hidden.
"Lucy, don’t say such things again. If you do, I’ll forbid you from going out," Louis Hidden warned gently.
Lucy Hidden was Louis Hidden’s daughter. Eugene Smithson didn’t argue; he simply continued listening to Louis’s lessons by the forge.
Though Eugene Smithson longed to forge swords, he stopped making them entirely, turning instead to farm tools. His recent failure had taught him a bitter lesson.
"All day long, bang bang bang—so annoying!"
Lucy Hidden couldn’t stand it. Unlike the rest of the family, who took breaks, Eugene Smithson was completely absorbed in blacksmithing—working nonstop except to eat and sleep.
Eugene Smithson said nothing, continuing to work at the forge, ignoring Lucy Hidden.
"Hey, are you mute or something? Can’t you speak?" Lucy Hidden teased.
Lucy kept shouting, but Eugene Smithson remained immersed in his work, oblivious to everything around him.
Louis Hidden watched it all unfold.
The next day, Louis Hidden instructed Eugene Smithson to accompany his daughter to the market. Though Eugene was reluctant, he obeyed his master.
Wandering the streets, Eugene Smithson felt helpless. He wanted to absorb knowledge quickly, create farm tools that would last ten years, and then return to swordmaking.
"Hey, mute Eugene, take this!" Lucy Hidden teased again.
Lucy Hidden shouted in Eugene's ear, snapping him out of his trance. He hurriedly gathered the fabric she bought and followed her, head bowed.
Scenes like this repeated all day. When they returned, Lucy Hidden complained endlessly to Louis Hidden about Eugene Smithson.
A month passed. Eugene Smithson continued to rise early and work late, obsessively refining his technique—strength, angle, and timing—while forging farm tools.
One day, Louis Hidden called Eugene Smithson into his room for a drink.
Eugene Smithson looked at his master with joy, hoping for praise, but noticed Louis Hidden’s smile was strained.
"Eugene, what do you feel when you forge every day?"
Eugene Smithson replied that he was happy and felt no hardship. Louis Hidden nodded.
"No one comes into this world alone, Eugene. From now on, you are forbidden from entering the forge by yourself."
His master’s words struck Eugene Smithson like a bolt from the blue. For days afterward, he stood outside the forge, watching his brothers work in the heat, with Louis Hidden guiding them. Only Eugene was kept out, isolated and forbidden to enter.
"Ha! Father really loves me. Serves you right, Eugene—punished again! You’d better apologize to me and carry me out for a walk. If you do, I’ll put in a good word for you with Father." Lucy Hidden teased.
Eugene Smithson was unmoved. He knew his master wasn’t that kind of person. He couldn’t understand why he was barred from the forge.
"Master..." Eugene tried to speak.
When Louis Hidden came out, Eugene Smithson approached, but Louis acted as if he hadn’t seen him, walking past to speak with his daughter.
"Eugene, if you still don’t understand what it means to cultivate your character, you’ll never be allowed in the forge. First, refine your heart—only then can you forge." Louis Hidden said.