The Birth of a Masterpiece
"Who did you say made this sword?"
The shop owner meticulously examined the sickle I had made for a long time, then raised his head to look at me with a serious expression.
"Young man, have you ever thought about becoming a blacksmith? No, looking at you, I feel like you absolutely must walk this path."
I hesitated for a moment at his sudden proposal.
It was hard to give a straight answer because I had to help my parents, who were busy with farming.
"Um... for now, I have to help my parents with their farming today..."
"Good grief, what are you talking about! With your skills, you've already surpassed the level of an intermediate craftsman. Your talent is so obvious that I can tell just by looking at this single sickle."
The owner spoke with emphasis, placing a hand on my shoulder.
A strong sense of conviction radiated from his expression.
"No nonsense now. This old man guarantees it. You must walk this path, without a doubt."
The apprentice, who had been listening from the side, seemed to snap out of his daze and chimed in.
"Master, he just said he's a farmer. An intermediate craftsman? Then what about me? I've been learning for five years, and I'm still just a novice!"
"My boy, you still have a long way to go. This man has innate talent. Here, look closely at this sickle."
The owner thrust the sickle I made right in front of the apprentice's eyes.
"This isn't something a beginner could ever make. This man has a special gift. You will have to work incredibly hard, but this fellow is already at a level beyond an intermediate craftsman. What can you do? That's just the nature of innate talent."
Hearing the owner's words, the apprentice's face flushed red with anger.
"Wait a minute, Master. No matter how you look at it, this isn't right. Isn't this way too unfair?"
Unable to contain his resentment, the apprentice finally shouted.
"I've worked without rest for five years, and I'm still stuck as a novice! I've only ever made farming tools. I haven't even had the chance to try making a sword!"
His voice was trembling.
"But this guy just shows up out of nowhere and is suddenly deemed an intermediate craftsman? This makes absolutely no sense!"
The apprentice glared at me as if he wanted to kill me.
"What on earth is all this racket..."
Just then, a middle-aged craftsman who had been working in another workshop approached, drawn by the commotion.
"You came at the perfect time, Senior Craftsman! Please say something to the Master!"
The senior craftsman looked at me and the workbench with puzzled eyes.
After hearing the explanation of what had happened, he fell silent for a moment before speaking.
"I think Thomas has a point. Master, judging him to be an intermediate craftsman based on a single sickle seems a bit hasty."
"No, you're only saying that because you didn't see this young man working earlier."
The owner grumbled in frustration.
"I don't doubt your eye, Master, but shouldn't there at least be a process to prove his skills?"
At the senior craftsman's words, the owner pondered for a moment, then nodded.
"That's true. Yes, a demonstration is necessary, just as you said. That way, there won't be any complaints."
The owner raised his head and looked at me.
"In that case, could you try making a sword? If you're an intermediate craftsman, you should at least be able to forge a sword."
At his words, the apprentice sneered and shook his head.
But I did not hesitate.
"Understood. I will make a sword."
I sat back down in front of the workbench.
A rough blueprint of the sword I would make was already forming in my mind.
First, I carefully examined the materials laid out on the workbench.
There was ordinary iron and charcoal, but something else caught my eye.
It was the fragments of mithril that had fallen beneath the owner's workbench.
Gathering every last crumb scattered on the floor, it looked like it would amount to a usable quantity.
Though to others, it probably looked like dirty debris mixed with dirt and iron filings.
"Ha, look at him fooling around because he knows he can't do it."
The apprentice clicked his tongue and sneered.
He didn't even bother using polite speech anymore, unable to hide his hostility.
However, the owner simply watched me in silence.
"Sir, may I use this?"
"Hmm...? Well, I don't mind, but what on earth do you plan to do with that..."
I gathered the scraped-up mithril fragments and iron filings, then poured them into the heated crucible along with charcoal powder.
"Look at that. He's just doing weird things. Should we drag him out now?"
The apprentice kept nitpicking without pause.
But I paid him no mind and focused solely on my work.
The senior craftsman also quieted the apprentice down and focused on what I was doing.
Whoosh!
I poured the molten metal, adjusted the temperature, and repeated the forging process.
My hand movements were swift and precise.
The mithril debris melted and blended perfectly with the iron.
"Unbelievable. How does he know that method?"
The owner shook his head in awe, showering me with admiration.
"Melting and mixing mithril debris is an extremely high-level technique. Even someone of my level wouldn't easily attempt it. What in the world is this..."
The apprentice's face, which had briefly looked triumphant, distorted into a red flush once more.
My touch as I crafted the weapon was as natural as flowing water.
The feel of handling the iron, the skill of controlling the fire's temperature, and the balance of the piece as it came together.
I adjusted everything instinctively.
The senior craftsman also rubbed his eyes in disbelief as he watched my work.
"What... it's real. How is this possible? Is this really his first time? No, even if he had studied it at his age, it makes no sense. Where on earth did he learn such techniques?"
I could hear the senior craftsman muttering to himself.
Now, I realized it too.
My skills had already reached a realm far beyond that of an intermediate craftsman.
I continued my work smoothly, like flowing water.
With the precision of an elderly master, without hesitation, as if guided by something.
Before long, a dazzling silver sword was complete.
The senior craftsman, unable to hide his admiration, closely examined the sword I had made.
"...The Master's words were entirely true."
"This is the first time I've ever seen such a perfect piece. Moreover, to handle mithril debris with such precision... I can't believe it."
He ran his finger along the blade, marveling at it.
"Wow... And look at this grain pattern. The distribution of force and temperature control during the forging process must have been flawless. Wait a minute... I feel like I've seen this somewhere before."
The senior craftsman paused, rubbing his chin as he fell into thought.
"Ah, right!"
He suddenly snapped his head up.
"Yes, this looks remarkably similar to the legendary sword 'Valkyrie's Tears' that I read about in a book. Wow, how could he make something like this!"
He turned back to the owner.
Now, he seemed even more excited than the owner had been earlier.
"Master, whether this young man has learned blacksmithing or not, this is an absurd level of talent. I never imagined it would be to this extent."
The owner nodded in agreement.
He then took the sword and gave it a swing.
The blade flashed like lightning, cutting through the air with a clear, ringing sound.
"The center of gravity is perfect. Yes, just as you said, it's a masterpiece among masterpieces!"
The owner also poured out continuous praise.
"To think someone so young could reach this level... Just as he said, you were born with a heavenly talent for blacksmithing."
The apprentice had slumped to the floor entirely.
Any trace of envy or jealousy had already vanished from his face.
I, too, was surprised by the sword I had forged with my own hands.
Even to my own eyes, it was a flawless masterpiece.
"..."
The owner stared blankly at the sword I made for a long time.
Then, as if he had made up his mind, he raised his head to look at me.
"You know, young man. You might think it's a bit early for me to say this, but..."
He hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"It's a crying shame for a talent like yours to be stuck in a backwater village like this. You need a bigger stage where your talent can truly shine."
"...What do you mean by that?"
As I looked puzzled, he began to explain.
"Have you ever heard of the Imperial Academy? They've recently established a Weapon Crafting Department. They are looking for talents just like you."
The Imperial Academy...
The Imperial Academy. The continent's finest educational institution and the hall of technology.
Entering that place meant far more than simply having one's skills recognized.
Even for a commoner, graduating from the Academy meant gaining an opportunity to leap over the barriers of social status.
"Actually, I serve as an advisor to that department, so I have a duty to recommend promising talents."
The owner placed a hand on my shoulder, offering a warm smile.
"I'll write a recommendation letter for you. The Academy will surely recognize your talent. Spread your wings and chase a bigger dream there."
I fell into thought for a moment upon hearing the owner's words.
The Imperial Academy...
If I went there, perhaps I could find a clue as to why I was transported to this other world.
Above all, now that I knew what I was capable of, I couldn't just live as a farmer anymore.
Yes, let's give it a shot.
I didn't know why I had been reborn in this place, but I had a feeling that if I went there, I might find some answers.