Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Saving the Master (2)
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Since what I needed to make this time was undoubtedly a weapon for clearing the event, I had to craft it with extra caution.
First, decide on the final weapon.
The category was, of course, a sword.
Among them, I would craft an enchanted weapon to cover Siegfried's lack of skills.
"Then, Rafne. While I engrave the pattern, tell me about the temperature-related runes for fire magic."
"Okay! I'll do my best!"
This was a test run for creating an enchanted item.
Simply using basic magic could be achieved just by attaching a spirit stone.
But to set specific activation conditions, I needed to design the magic activation through runes.
"Ahh! I wrote it wrong!"
"I-It’s fine! We still have more materials!"
Of course, failures existed in item creation too.
No matter how much skill correction helped, the more complex the process, the more prone to mistakes it was.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ You have created your first enchanted item. Bonus experience points awarded. "Wow... warm wind."
The first thing I made was a magic item in the shape of a hairdryer.
I embedded a fire spirit stone and a wind spirit stone, designing temperature control and wind strength with runes.
As for rune design, my skill proficiency was still too low to get much help from the skill.
But this wasn’t a game—it was reality.
So, I acquired the missing knowledge directly from books.
The result was an item that blew warm wind through mana output.
"Amazing, Ken! With this, anything will dry in no time!"
Rafne, being a girl, seemed to love the hairdryer.
Naturally, no such item existed in this simulation RPG world’s setting.
It required two spirit stones and rune design processes, after all.
She’d rather just dry her hair with magic than buy something like that.
Still, this creation gave me a solid grasp on enchanting.
Afterward, I tried various other creations.
But even with Rafne’s help, spirit stones weren’t infinite, so I minimized enchanted item production.
Maybe I should use the cyclops giant’s bone I got before.
While making practice pieces, I crafted a weapon for myself too.
It’d be a temporary one anyway—better items would come later.
Creating an item from giant bone was simple.
Just cut the bone into a sword shape and sharpen the edge.
A simple, crude sword with even the hilt made of bone. But as an early-game weapon, it wasn’t bad.
Not dragon bone, but giant bone had great durability.
Plus, being bone-attributed, it had slashing and striking properties, effective against golems and monsters immune to slashes.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Item Creation proficiency has reached its maximum. Related skill levels have increased. Item Creation Handiwork LV 3 Weapon Crafting LV 3 After making various weapons beyond basic swords, my Handiwork and Weapon Crafting levels rose.
Repetitive crafting can only take me this far...
From level 4, normal crafting wouldn’t provide enough experience. For faster growth, I’d need more special creations.
Now, time to craft an enchanted sword.
I’d built up the proficiency.
Now for the main creation.
Complex, high-rank magic required high-grade spirit stones and intricate rune designs.
With my current Handiwork and Magic Tool Crafting levels, most attempts would fail.
So, for Siegfried’s sword, minimal magic for maximum effect was key.
One idea came to mind.
"Rafne, could you handle the fire?"
"Y-Yeah!"
The basic process was like the dagger before.
But the materials were different.
In a game, any weapon above a certain stat would clear the event.
But this was reality—I had to give my best work.
So, for the blade, I used black steel ingots instead of regular metal.
A metal with high strength and mana absorption, obtained via Rafne’s request.
I wanted mithril or higher, but I lacked the skill to handle it, and Rafne said it was hard to get.
Black steel had great cost-performance.
It absorbed mana naturally, making enchanting easy, and excelled as armor too.
Clang! Clang!
The black iron lump transformed into a sword under hammer blows.
I shaped it basically and sharpened the edge.
For the hilt, I used ebony wood—also mana-amplifying.
Then fitted the guard and a gem. Not intentionally matching, but the gem was black too.
"Now, tell me the runes one by one."
"W-Wait a sec!"
Rafne read from the magic book page I’d shown her in advance.
Slowly.
Carefully and cautiously.
With utmost care, I engraved the characters.
Even where the skill could speed things up, I worked meticulously.
Sweat trickled down my cheeks with each letter engraved.
After dozens of minutes...
"Phew, now the powder, please."
"Here!"
I mixed mana-infused pine resin powder with a finishing compound from alchemy ingredients and applied it over the runes.
Carefully infusing mana while applying.
The black steel quickly absorbed my mana, spreading it across the blade.
The finishing compound on the runes reacted, glowing.
Soon the light faded, and the engraved characters vanished into the black steel.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ You have created an original item not in the Item Creation category. Bonus experience points awarded. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ You have created 'Black Blade'. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ 'Black Blade' blueprint registered in category. And so, the enchanted black sword was complete.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Acquired new skill through repeated use of rare materials and complex crafting methods. ⚔ STATUS ⚔ Unique Skill: Item Creation ⚡ Handiwork: LV 3 💨 Weapon Crafting: LV 3 ✨ Potion Crafting: LV 1 💪 Magic Tool Crafting: LV 2 – UP! 🍀 Repair: LV 1 – NEW! 🛡️ Material Identification: LV 1 – NEW! Repair and... Material Identification?
Completing the weapon raised my Magic Tool Crafting level and granted new skills.
Material Identification...
These crafting skills are all new to me, so I don’t have a feel for them yet...
Instead of pondering, I decided to test it.
...This is.
Focusing my will, mana spread through my body. It flowed from my fingertips into the Black Blade I held, then back to me.
A blue window appeared before my eyes.
Black Blade – B-Rank Type: Sword Materials Used: Black Steel, Ebony Wood, Mana-Absorbing Stone I see. A skill to identify equipment’s raw materials.
It’d definitely come in handy someday.
Skills that provide such info are precious.
This mini-event seemed profitable in many ways.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Is this the weapon you mentioned?"
"What do you think? Do you like it?"
The next day, I headed straight to the rooftop aerial garden.
"...Hmm."
I showed yesterday’s creation right away to Siegfried, who was tending the flowers.
Drawing the blade from its sheath revealed the sleek black sword body.
After inspecting it briefly, Siegfried sheathed it again and looked at me.
"A fine sword."
"Ooh!"
"However..."
Siegfried fastened it to his waist and continued.
"The condition is first place in the tournament. Provided this sword helps, of course."
"Yes! I understand."
True to his upright nature, he clarified the deal firmly.
I hadn’t expected him to accept my request just for making the weapon.
That wasn’t his character.
Even if he took first, he’d refuse if he deemed the sword unhelpful.
But if he judged it useful, he’d surely keep his word.
Siegfried was a man who upheld his beliefs.
"Oh, and this. ...As thanks for the weapon."
He suddenly pulled something from his pocket.
"Pardon? The weapon was the condition for granting my request..."
"Your condition was first place. The weapon is separate. I’m not so shameless as to take such a fine sword for free."
What he offered were two tickets.
True to form, he doesn’t let anything slide for free...
Exactly the character I remembered from the game.
He stuck rigidly to his principles and hated betraying them more than death.
A straight-laced swordsman through and through.
"Um... what are these?"
The two papers he handed me bore unique patterns.
"Tickets to the tournament I’m entering. It’s insufficient for the sword’s value, but I’ll repay the rest another way."
"Ah, I see... But why two?"
One would suffice to watch the results. Two seemed odd.
To my question, Siegfried tilted his head as if puzzled.
"...Isn’t it obvious? To go with a friend?"
"Urk!"
His warm consideration tugged at my heart.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ ...Someone to go with, huh.
I could go alone, no problem.
But wasting something he’d kindly given felt bad.
The first person who came to mind was, naturally, Rafne.
The issue is she can’t leave the tower.
So Rafne was out. Sorry, Rafne—I’ll take you somewhere nice next time.
For Ken, with his narrow social circle, options were slim.
"...That’s how it happened. What do you think?"
"...Pardon? The... swordsmanship tournament? Together?"
Naturally, I asked Mary first.
We’d grown closer lately, and she’d protected me in various ways, so she seemed perfect.
"I-I see. ...This weekend, hmm~."
Mary twirled her hair with a finger, glancing at me coyly.
Did she dislike it? Like it?
Her expression was hard to read.
"Ah, if you’re busy..."
"Ahh! No! Not at all! ...I-I’m not busy. It’s fine..."
Fortunately, she waved it off, so she wasn’t against it.
"Hee hee."
She took the ticket and gave a small smile.
I found myself staring blankly at her face.
Her expressions have gotten more varied lately.
In the game, she was always cold, composed, and sharp.
But the real her was more girlish and cute.
Of course, when soaked in rain, she’d been a teary mess.
I hadn’t expected expressions like this normally.
Her cheeks flushed as she gazed preciously at the ticket, making my heart skip a bit.
Was this Ken’s reaction? Or... mine?
"Um... Ken."
Stowing the ticket in her wallet, Mary hesitated before calling me.
"...That day."
She met my eyes briefly, then looked away.
"...Should I dress up pretty?"
Then, her icy demeanor softened with a blush as she gazed at me shyly.
...The mood feels weird.
This was a new side even among recent glimpses.
How should I respond...?
Feeling awkward, I averted my eyes.
"...Well, that’d be nice, wouldn’t it?"
What was the right reaction? No strategy guide covered this.
But my answer wasn’t wrong—Mary smiled.
"Yes, I’ll look forward to it."
"......"
That smile was new too.