“You’re here.”
Master Dalton took one look at me as I entered and muttered shortly. His body was preparing for blacksmithing without hesitation, but I did not dare to do anything and waited there for his instructions. A top-notch craftsman would not simply leave even a single preparation to someone else.
“This is fine… Then I’ll do my job, but first you try to strike a sword. You can use the tools over there. You can also use the iron ingots over there. Can you do it?”
“I understand”
I nodded at my master’s blunt words and began to prepare the furnace next to it. Compared to the furnace used by my master, this furnace looked a little older, but it was well taken care of, so I didn’t see any problem in doing blacksmithing.
The specially processed coal was placed in a furnace to heat the ingot once the temperature rose, and the rest was done with a hammer. The result was a plain, ordinary iron sword.
If I used common materials and tools, no matter how much I use [Master Smith] I would not be able to make anything beyond a good quality iron sword. But this was the best I could do here. Then I had nothing to be ashamed of.
“It’s done, Master.”
“Oh.”
In response to my call, Master received the sword and observed it closely. But for some reason, his face was austere, and the way he twisted his mouth made me feel uneasy.
“Um, Master? Is it that bad?”
“Hm? No, It’s not. It’s not like that…but I was wondering what’s going on.”
“Uh, ..?
“…Listen? It is not limited to blacksmithing, but when one creates something, the creator’s habits are bound to appear. And this sword has your habits. Remember, okay?”
“Yes.”
He said it with a strangely mysterious look on his face, but the content was so obvious that I could only nod my head obediently. But the master’s expression twisted suspiciously there, and his words followed accordingly.
“But the sword you made has the habits of two people. There are traces of someone else with no habits at all, to be exact. … This ain’t possible. Habits are, so to speak, strengths and weaknesses. If you hit too hard in one area, you have to hit weaker in another area to make up for it. This is how you finally make the whole thing uniform. .. There are parts of the sword you hit that have none of this strength or weakness. I just don’t get it.”
“Uh, …”
“By the looks of it, you have an idea what it is?”
“Well, yes. …”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at the questioning look in my master’s eyes. I think that “part without strength and weakness” was the part where I used [Master Smith]. But still, I don’t know how he could tell such a difference. … Master really is amazing.
“Then it’s an order. Never do that again. At least it’s forbidden while you’re at my place.”
“Huh!? Umm, may I ask why …?”
If I didn’t use my skills, my blacksmithing skills would drop dramatically. I suddenly made a strange noise, and my master answered me with a frown.
“I’d like to tell you to think about that yourself …, but I’ll tell you. In blacksmithing, it is fundamental to always swing a hammer with uniform strength. However, it is not human to keep hitting with exactly the same force. If you hit one part a little harder, you have to hit another part a little weaker to balance it out. That is the individuality of a craftsman in blacksmithing. But your strange way of hitting has no waves at all. That could be called a perfect job, but … on the other hand, it also means that there is no room for growth. You realize that, don’t you? That’s why you don’t have this perfect way of hitting the whole thing”
“That’s ….”
I was at a loss for words, having been perfectly pointed out to me. The moment I got this banishment skill, I could have the same power as the craftsmen who were called the best without any difficulty.
But it stopped there. My banishing skill never grew the more I used it. Top-notch from the beginning, but top-notch to the end. I was here now because I knew that in order to become top-notch beyond top-notch, I needed to train my own skills, not …. borrowed skills, but the technical skills that I have ingrained in this body.
“But without it, I’m …”
“Hmmm, second-rate at best. You may have enough skill to make something for the other stores, but not the kind of product you can put in my store. Frankly, I wouldn’t take an apprentice with these skills.”
“Then why are you taking me as an apprentice …?”
“Tch, I told you you’re not my apprentice, just a chore boy! After that, well… I saw your sword.”
“Sword?”
“That’s right. That Nee-chan’s sword was made by you, wasn’t it? There was consideration for the user, passion for making good things, and aspiration to aim for the best… the creator’s soul was certain. I felt it. I don’t think it’s wrong to compensate for the lack of skill with some unknown power. If it improves the degree of perfection, then go ahead and use it. It’s not the style of a craftsman to finish a work without using the power he has for his own pride. But if you depend on it too much, you’ll never grow up. That’s why you’re not allowed to do that while you’re with me! You’re going to hit like a normal person and hone your skills like a normal person. Understood?”
“Master ….”
“Che! Don’t make that face. If I see a young bird in its shell, I need to kick that shell or else it makes me itchy! If you get that, break that shell, and now only smith using your hands!”
“Yes, sir!”
I replied with sincere gratitude and respect to my master, who turned away grimly. Ah, when was the last time I so genuinely acknowledged someone as my superior?
(Before I knew it, I must have gotten damn arrogant.)
I became stronger and stronger as the borrowed power of my banishment skills came together. In addition to this, the fact that I now know the events of the second round …… past, future events may have subconsciously made me think of all the people involved as “the ones I will protect and guide”.
What an arrogant and selfish way of thinking was that? How arrogant was a young man who had only received a little bit of power and had not grown much, to be so arrogant toward the world’s chosen one, a Hero?
(Ugh, super embarrassing! I was so smug , it’s super embarrassing!)
When I thought back on what I had just said and done, I felt like my face was about to catch fire. Ah, I was so glad that Tia was not here. If she were here, she would definitely make fun of me., saying, ‘Fufufu, Ed, you’re so lively, aren’t you?’.
No, or maybe I just didn’t show it on my face, but I was thinking like that in secret? Uwa, Uwa! I can’t stand it! This is unbearable!
“Oi, you, what the hell have you been doing all this time? Calm the hell down!”
“I-I’m sorry!”
Perhaps sensing my mental turmoil, my master turned around and scolded me with a disgusted look on his face.
Calm down, me. I’m calm. Talk to the iron and strike the sword with an open mind.
“Really, Was I, of all people, too hasty…?”
“No, no, that’s not true! It’s okay!” I continued,
“You’re the one who said it yourself!? Oh well, just make sure you hit it right, okay?”
“Yes, sir!”
I replied straight back to my master’s words, adjusted my mind and body, and faced the furnace.
A fresh start. With gratitude to the master for reminding me, I swung the hammer with just my strength.