Chapter 185: Sword made from Tungsten!
The quiet stillness of the library was broken by the sound of soft, uneven footsteps.
Kael turned his head instinctively, his ears catching the faint dragging of something heavy being carried across the polished floor.
"Kael... where are you?"
It was a familiar voice.
He blinked, quickly setting aside the map book as he rose from his seat. The voice called again, louder this time, carrying across the shelves.
"Kael! Kaelll?"
"I’m here!" Kael answered, stepping out from behind a row of shelves.
He hurried toward the sound, and soon saw her—Professor Aelra.
Kael’s eyes widened. Even from a distance, he could tell the weapon was far from light.
Aelra was strong—stronger than most ordinary people—but even she seemed to struggle with the weight of it.
Her shoulders tensed, and by the time Kael reached her, he noticed the faint sheen of sweat on her brow.
"Professor!" Kael exclaimed, rushing to take the sword from her hands.
"Careful," she muttered. She rolled her shoulders and flexed her fingers, clearly glad to be rid of it.
"That thing weighs more than it looks."
Kael gripped the weapon tightly.
"Why is it so heavy?" he asked.
Professor Aelra gave him a wry smile.
"That sword isn’t ordinary steel. It’s made from tungsten—the king of metals. Harder and denser than anything you’ll find in regular blacksmith forges. No wonder it feels like a boulder in your hands."
"Tungsten..." Kael echoed softly.
She nodded.
"Few weapons are ever crafted from it. Too heavy, too impractical. Most warriors prefer something lighter, faster. Whoever forged this had either great skill—or questionable sense."
She chuckled, though the curiosity in her eyes lingered.
Kael turned the weapon slightly, the dim lantern-light of the library catching its dull surface.
Unlike polished steel, it didn’t shine. Instead, it absorbed the light, giving it a grim, almost ominous feel.
"Do you know where it came from madam? Did you find anything about it?" Kael asked carefully, unable to stop the hope rising in his chest.
She folded her arms.
"No. I examined it thoroughly. There are no markings, no inscriptions, no traces of enchantments or craftsmanship records. It’s as if the sword has no past... no maker. Just raw tungsten shaped into a weapon."
Kael’s fingers tightened around the hilt. Her words struck him harder than he expected.
Professor Aelra’s voice softened, drawing him back.
"Kael, sometimes a sword is just a sword. This one may be heavy, maybe even impressive in material—but beyond that, it’s ordinary."
She gestured for him to hold it steady. "Use it if you like, but don’t expect it to carry you. A weapon only becomes legendary in the hands of the one who wields it."
Kael nodded slowly, though inside, his thoughts churned.
Professor Aelra stepped back, her arms still sore from carrying the weapon.
"Take care with it. If nothing else, it’ll train your strength. Carrying that thing around will build muscle faster than any weighted drills."
Kael gave a faint smile, though it was tinged with unease.
"Thank you, Professor, for checking it for me."
"You’re welcome," she replied simply, turning to leave.
"And Kael... don’t strain yourself. The academy needs you standing, not broken under the weight of your own sword. I recommend you to use light and flexible sword"
He gave a small laugh, hiding the seriousness in his heart. "I’ll keep that in mind."
When she finally left, Kael looked down at the weapon resting against his palms.
It was ordinary, she said. But to Kael, it felt like anything but.
Before he could ask more, faint footsteps echoed from the far end of the library.
Kael lifted his head. From the shadows emerged a group of second-year girls, whispering amongst themselves, their curious eyes darting between him and Selena.
But this time, they weren’t alone.
Behind them walked Darius, the rank 3rd of second-year.
Selena noticed too. Her gaze flicked once at Kael, then at the approaching figure.
Her lips barely moved as she whispered, "It seems, our little study session has been caught by the unwanted waste."
Kael swallowed, his pulse quickening.
The sharp voice cut through the air like a whip.
"KAAEELLL!"
He turned his head slowly and saw Darius storming toward him, his steps loud enough to make nearby students glance over.
"You dare to speak with her?" Darius barked, pointing straight at him.
Kael blinked in confusion. "Her? Who?"
"Don’t act like you don’t know!" Darius snapped, his face twisting with anger. His voice carried through the library, drawing more curious stares.
Kael raised his hands slightly, trying to calm the situation.
"I... I don’t understand what you’re talking about."
But Darius didn’t give him the chance to explain. He stepped closer, his shadow falling across the table. His lips curled as he spat the words:
"You dare to speak with my crush!"
For a moment, the library was silent.
Then, Kael felt something bubble in his chest. He pressed his lips together tightly, trying to hold it back, but his shoulders shook slightly. His face stayed serious, but inside he was laughing uncontrollably.
(Of all things... this is about a crush?)
Selena, who had been quietly watching the exchange, suddenly slammed her hand against the table, making the map book jump.
Her expression was filled with disbelief.
"What the hell, Darius?!" she snapped.
The surrounding students gasped, some whispering in shock.
Selena rose to her feet, her eyes narrowing on the rank one second-year. "You’re making a fool of yourself in front of everyone. Accusing Kael just because I’m explaining a book to him? Are you serious?"
Darius’s face reddened, but his pride kept him from backing down.
Kael, meanwhile, managed to suppress his laughter, though his eyes still glimmered with amusement.
Inside, he thought, (So this is the mighty rank one second-year? Fighting me over something so
childish... unbelievable.)
Selena crossed her arms, glaring at Darius as the tension in the library thickened.
Darous spoke, "Come to ground one, Kael, Let me see you deserve to talk with her now."
"I am not interested", Kael said and he walked away.
For a moment Selena was saddened for the first time.
"This is not a request", said Darius.