Chapter 16
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Dwarves Have Dull Senses (2)
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Miranda didn't seem to notice that I'd touched her body, even though she wasn't as absorbed in her work as before.
Curiosity surging once more about the skill, I decided to run another experiment, even at the risk of her getting mad at me.
I pinched her arm with just enough force that it wouldn't be blocked by the level 3 [Sensory Block] skill she'd normally tested on me. Now that my skill had reached level 3, I had to pinch pretty hard to produce pain that seemed like it might slip past the block.
If she'd cast [Sensory Block] on me, this level of pain would've gotten through, causing significant discomfort. But Miranda remained utterly calm, as if she felt no pain at all, and the active [Sensory Block] stayed silent.
Does that mean what matters isn't the actual intensity of the stimulus applied to the target, but only how much sensation the target perceives? I'd never tried the skill on someone with dull senses before, so I hadn't realized this.
Dwarves like Miranda seemed to have senses that were extremely subdued compared to other races, but even without a dwarf, using the skill on someone whose senses were dulled for any reason should make it even easier.
With my question answered, I released the [Sensory Block] on Miranda. We'd arrived at our destination soon enough anyway.
The room Miranda led me into was filled with various small tools and dominated by a large workbench. She had me wait a moment, then went into what looked like a storage area next door and came back loaded with gear.
"If you're going to explore the Labyrinth, you need to learn basic equipment maintenance yourself. Handing it off to the smithy every time wastes money and time. Especially if you're camping in the Labyrinth—you'll often have to maintain your gear right there on the spot."
With that, Miranda taught me how to wipe blood off a blade with solvent, oil a sword, and temporarily tie leather straps for broken armor joints. Listening to her explanations, I cleaned and oiled the sword and armor I'd been using for the past few days.
As she explained to me, Miranda fixed her gaze intently on my hands.
"...It's kinda embarrassing when you stare so seriously like that."
"Hm... For a first-timer, your movements are surprisingly smooth. But they feel different from how my father handles gear..."
Just like when she'd been working earlier, Miranda was lost in her own thoughts, barely registering my words. When I paused, she finally snapped back and looked at me.
"What? I was concentrating."
"I-I get that you're observing my skill effects to pick up clues on [Dexterity], but does watching like that really help?"
They might have similar effects, but my skill wasn't [Dexterity]—it was [Heavenly Touch]. Would staring help her acquire [Dexterity]?
"Of course it does. If you had [Dexterity], it'd obviously help me get it too, but even with a different skill, it aids training in similar categories. Beyond skills, just observing someone else's handiwork can improve your own abilities."
For example, she said, some people had gained insights to evolve their [Swordsmanship] by watching a master of [Spearmanship]. All the while, her mouth and hands kept teaching me equipment care, but her eyes followed my hands relentlessly.
"D-does it really help that much?"
"Yeah. Watching my father gives this solid yet precise feel when handling metal. Your touch is softer, more delicate—like it's meant for people rather than metal. The difference is really helping. So quit talking and let me focus."
...Whoa, insane. Alensia had mentioned that top smiths have skills like [Insight], but could she really gauge my skill just from a bit of observation?
I'd figured she'd just be casually watching, but true artisans were on another level.
"Hm... Hold on."
Miranda, who'd been observing my hands, suddenly stopped the lesson. She fetched a whetstone soaking in water and a dull small blade from somewhere, then started sharpening it.
Whoa. She stood the edge up in just a few strokes. Was that pure strength and skill? I thought you needed to swap abrasives multiple times for such a clean edge.
But Miranda's expression as she showed off this feat was far from pleased.
"Hm... That's not it."
She went back to the storage, hauling out a pile of chipped and dull blades, along with another whetstone.
"Here."
"Pardon?"
"I'll teach you the basics, so keep sharpening blades next to me. Watching should help it click... Let's just do the ones I pulled out for now."
...I eyed the heap of blades she'd brought. Easily over thirty at a glance. And she'd said "for now."
Plus, her eyes were starting to take on that same intense forge-hammering glare, like something had lit a fire in her.
"Just to check... how long will this take?"
"Huh? You need the basics, but it won't take long. With your skill, you'll pick it up fast. Let's say... ten hours."
I need to run!
I flung the oil bottle I was holding and bolted for the door, but Miranda grabbed my arm faster. What demonic strength?
"Where do you think you're going? You said you wanted me to observe your skill while teaching you maintenance... You agreed."
"...Can I just pay for the lesson instead?"
"You think that'll fly? Shut up and get over here. You're not leaving till I'm satisfied."
With a wicked grin, she dragged me back into the room bit by bit. Damn, smiths were stupidly strong.
At this rate, I'd be stuck sharpening blades for at least ten hours. I wasn't trying to become a smith for real—that was way too much.
"H-how about a deal?"
"What?"
"I-I'll help with my skill!"
"A buff skill?"
This was my choice. Instead of making me grind for over ten hours, I'd apply my skill so she could experience it firsthand. It had to be better than just watching me sharpen blades.
The skill I'd chosen was [Sensory Amplification]. While using [Sensory Block], it could amplify other senses that weren't blocked. Boosting the sensations in her hands moderately should make for great results, right?
Of course, I kept quiet about the [Sensory Block] part. No need to mention that.
But I deliberately revealed [Sensory Amplification]. When recruiting for Labyrinth parties later, people shared a bit about their skills anyway, and I planned to disclose this one.
"What kind of buff? You a priest or mage? You don't look it."
"It enhances senses. How I got it? Secret."
"Fair enough, skills happen sometimes... But I'll pass."
"Huh? Why?"
After that maniacal look earlier, I'd assumed she'd jump at it. Artisan pride rejecting outside help or something?
"I've tried priests' and mages' <Sensory Enhancement> spells. They sharpen senses while active, and I hammered during one—my skill visibly improved."
Ah, not that. She'd experienced something similar. <Sensory Enhancement>... Priest Jeffrey had explained it at the clinic. A versatile spell used by both priests and mages. On humans, it supposedly granted beastkin-level senses. Probably similar to my [Sensory Amplification]...
"It felt great while buffed... But when it wore off, the heightened senses vanished. Trying to recreate it felt alien, like it wasn't really mine. No good for building real skill."
Hm? That sounded different from my [Sensory Amplification]. Mine felt natural, no disconnect. I'd tested it on myself plenty—often layering mild [Sensory Block] while boosting hearing to eavesdrop or enhancing vision while walking around.
Lately, even before bed every night. Anyway.
"My skill's different from <Sensory Enhancement>. Just try it once?"
"Sigh... A beginner adventurer's skill has limits, you know..."
...This woman?
She'd called me a newbie before, and trying to grind me for ten hours earlier didn't help. She kept treating me like I was beneath her. Or maybe she valued my [Heavenly Touch] skill more than me?
"...Just once."
Suppressing my bubbling irritation, I sat her at the workbench.
[Sensory Block] - Block tactile sensations from the body.
[Sensory Amplification] - Amplify tactile sense in the hands.
I'd considered boosting vision for better "eye for detail," but hands-on feel seemed more intuitive, so I amplified her hand sensations.
The body block was simple—I just reapplied it to the area I'd tested earlier.
"Skills applied. Your hands should feel..."
"Hold on."
She cut me off mid-explanation, grabbed a carving chisel, and started sculpting. Whoa, carving metal like wood or stone with just that?
In one fluid motion, she etched a complex pattern into the metal, then turned to me with an excited grin.
"This skill! It's amazing!"
I'd been a bit worried, but luckily, my skill felt different from <Sensory Enhancement>. No surprise—[Sensory Amplification] never had that alien feel.
"How does a beginner adventurer like you have a skill like this alongside [Dexterity]?!"
...Fine, be shocked, but you're crossing lines now. She hadn't acted this way around Gram, but her condescension was ramping up.
Ignoring my growing discomfort, she fetched more pieces and dove back in.
"...Can you drop the 'beginner' spam?"
"Come back as an intermediate adventurer. Lucked into a good skill? Still a rookie. Never seen the Labyrinth's ugly side."
.......Never seen the ugly side?
Yeah, that's how I look to others. Got a flashy skill, just started challenging the Labyrinth, still in beginner training. Fair enough.
My face hardened, but Miranda scoffed and focused on her carving.
But she couldn't judge me like that. It wasn't about nearly dying three years ago.
While everyone else gained skills and grew theirs, I'd stood still for three years, excluded from it all, just watching.
That despair nearly broke me, yet I'd clung to hope. And now, "lucked into" a good skill?
Miranda had touched my reverse scale.
So I approached her as she worked, eyes glazing over in focus, confirming she wouldn't respond to a light call like before.
Hm, perfect.
This rude bitch.
I reached out and roughly grabbed the bit of her butt sticking out from the chair.
Time for a little discipline.