1.
Rustle...
Seated in her office, Dolores carefully folded something.
Several similar documents lay spread across her desk.
[An Educational Plan for Ruby...]
[Recommended for Novice Mages...]
They were things Dolores had written after agonizing over them for a long time.
She had planned to put this curriculum into practice after Ruby entered the academy, since she had not wanted to push too hard with her education from a young age, but...
"You do not need these anymore, Ruby."
Dolores smiled bitterly.
If her disciple chose a different path—and not because someone had forced her down it, but because she had chosen it herself—there was no need to stop her.
"A spirit summoner... and a battle mage..."
It would be a truly interesting path, one nobody had ever walked before.
She was pleased and proud, but she could not help feeling a pang of regret somewhere in her heart.
You grew up far too quickly.
And besides...
Kiss.
That kiss on Lionel’s cheek, too. Ruby had claimed she was merely imitating her teacher, but...
It was only natural for a girl that age to be drawn to an attractive friend of the opposite sex...
Tap, tap, tap...
The fingers tapping Dolores’s desk sped up.
Then—
"...Ah!"
She decided not to think about that part.
Just...
She simply decided not to think about it at all, and nobody could have said why she needed to do that.
In any case, it was only natural for a teacher to open the way ahead for her disciple.
However, Dolores was not particularly well-versed in battle mages.
Fortunately...
"...Yeomhwa."
Among her acquaintances was someone she could confidently call the greatest battle mage.
She herself insisted that she belonged to the Formula School, but that was utter nonsense. In any event...
If she asked Yeomhwa, it would surely be a great help to Ruby.
Just as she was thinking that—
Ding.
A message arrived through the Inner Tower system.
"...?"
The sender was Camilla.
The coldhearted colleague who had told her not to contact her for five years, without any regard for Dolores’s feelings.
An extremely, extremely coldhearted colleague.
She reached out and accepted the call.
"Camilla. What is it?"
"Dolores."
Her voice was normally low, but today it was even lower.
"Yeomhwa might die."
Dolores’s expression twisted.
2.
The following morning, Ruby was preparing to head somewhere with Totality.
What was it called again? Some kind of social gathering where children of noble families got acquainted before entering the academy.
Normally, she would never attend anything like that, but...
"Can I show it off?"
"It’s okay if I do, right?"
"Can I tell them Lionel made it?"
"Um... Yes, you can do that too."
There was no reason to hide it.
Besides, I had already gone all the way to the Imperial Family.
Hugging Totality tightly to her chest, Ruby asked,
"Can I beat up anyone I don’t like?"
Whoa, that was a little...
"No."
This time, Dolores answered instead of me.
"Yes."
Look at how quickly she answered.
Squeeze.
Ruby hugged me once more before climbing into the carriage.
Yeah. Have a good time, Ruby.
After the carriage left the estate, I returned to the workshop.
I had asked Dolores what she thought about enchanting it right away, but...
‘It is already a weapon that far surpasses even High Rankers. It will not be too late to do it after she has gotten used to it.’
I agreed with that to some extent.
Dolores had an established fighting style, enough that it would not be a problem even if she bulldozed everything with the advantage of powerful equipment from the very beginning.
But Ruby had not developed anything like that yet, and she was at an age when she needed to grow.
The conclusion was that enchanting it could wait until later.
Most importantly, she had not even started climbing the Tower yet, right?
All right, then.
The gift was done, so now I needed to make something for myself.
But now that I thought about it, other than hammers, I had not really made anything for myself.
"Hmm..."
Well, I could make things gradually.
First up: Totality: Vision.
I had already decided this was a pair of goggles, or glasses.
The reason being—
─────────────────
『With one ■ye, behold the material ■orld; with the other ■ye, the spirit ■ealm.』
『Equipment meant to recognize the forms and ■oices of spirits without overturning the ■oundary between the two ■orlds.』
─────────────────
I did not have the ability to decipher this, but my ridiculously talented little sister Yuna certainly did.
[Mmm...]
[With one eye, you see the material world, and with the other, the spirit realm. Equipment? An item? Meant to recognize the forms and voices of spirits without overturning the boundary between the two worlds?]
[I think we can roughly guess that much...]
"Nice, Kim Yujin."
Yeah, that made a lot of sense.
Going by that description, it was highly likely to be equipment worn over both eyes.
Which naturally meant—
─────────────────
[Required Crafting Materials]
[Harmonics × 1]
[???? × 2]
[Whiteheart Iron × 1]
─────────────────
Harmonics was the key material that harmonized the two worlds.
If Whiteheart Iron was the frame, then those two unknown materials...
I could only assume those question marks were the materials for the lenses.
Fwoosh.
So what was I doing right now? Baking sand.
It was common knowledge that baking sand made glass, right? Fortunately, I did not have to go all the way to a desert or beach and dig up sand with a shovel.
There was sand among the materials supplied by the Imperial Family.
[White Quartz Sand][★★★☆☆]
It was called White Quartz Sand, and you could think of it as quartz sand containing almost no impurities.
If I melted it down intensely and cooled it slowly, it became glass. So it turned out the process in the game might have been correct after all.
There was one more thing to consider, though. Hmm...
"I’m not really into glasses."
For starters, glasses... I did not particularly like them.
They were not my style.
Goggles might be all right instead.
"...Could you project a hologram for me first?"
While I waited for the sand to melt, blue light gathered in midair, and goggles in various styles appeared before my eyes.
"Let’s use ski goggles as the motif."
[Huh?]
"Just try it first."
Ski goggles had lenses that shimmered in rainbow colors when viewed from the outside, right?
The color also changed depending on the angle, so I thought it would suit Harmonics well.
That was not the only reason I chose them based on their appearance, either.
I would have to keep staring at the furnace flames and white-hot molten lumps of iron in the future... so I needed to protect my eyes.
[How about this?]
"..."
What Yuna showed me was a welding mask that covered my entire face.
"Nope!"
I absolutely hated its appearance, but...
The protective lens on it did seem worth using as a reference.
You layered several lenses to distribute impacts, then added an inner film so that even if they broke, fragments would not fly into your eyes.
"I only have two eyeballs."
I needed to be careful.
First, using the model floating in the air as a reference, I made a mold for the goggles.
Once the mold was complete, I made Harmonics again.
Sizzle...
Maybe because I had made the material once before, the second time was not difficult.
I poured the completed Harmonics into a mold and let it harden.
What I needed today was solidified Harmonics.
And then—
Crunch.
"..."
I shattered the Harmonics into tiny pieces, placed them in a mortar, and ground them until there were no visible grains left.
Scrape... scrape...
I mixed part of it into the melted White Quartz Sand.
White Quartz Sand was high-purity sand that served as the raw material for glass.
If I crammed all the Harmonics into the lens material, the lenses could become cloudy, so I only added enough to avoid losing transparency.
Once I had stirred until the Harmonics particles were evenly dispersed throughout the glass, I poured it into the mold.
"Whew..."
Was this really the right approach?
"How would I know?"
Even if I had a recipe, it did not tell me how to make it, did it?
It only told me what I needed to do and what I needed to achieve...
How I connected the path between those two points was entirely up to me.
I liked that. It felt as though even this respected me as the creator.
How much time had passed?
The lenses had cooled before I knew it.
They were a little cloudy right now, but...
"I need to polish them."
Once the lenses had fully hardened, I polished their surfaces smooth.
Scrape... scrape...
With every bit of rough surface I ground away, the lenses gradually became more transparent.
Finally, once I sprinkled on the polishing powder bought from the Imperial Family and buffed them—
Gleam.
"Wow, I can see really well through these?"
I could see the entire interior of the workshop through the lenses.
And the strange thing was that, despite being rainbow-colored lenses, they did not make everything look covered in rainbow hues.
I could see clearly through them.
"All right, the lenses are done."
I set the finished lenses down on a cloth and headed beside the furnace.
There was a mold there, into which I had poured Whiteheart Iron in a shallow shape.
Sizzle...
Using tongs, I removed the Whiteheart Iron, still glowing with red heat, and compared it back and forth against the shape of the goggles in midair.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
I made the frame for the goggles.
There were several points I needed to consider.
First, the center needed to be raised so it would not press against the bridge of my nose for long periods.
It also had to hold the lenses securely so they would not fall out.
And it needed to be light, but since it was Whiteheart Iron, that part was fine.
Sizzle...
I placed the Whiteheart Iron, now roughly shaped, into the cooling tank to cool it down.
"Hmm..."
I fitted the lenses in place... The size was just right, at least.
I added leather over the frame so my face would not directly touch the Whiteheart Iron.
Then I attached gray leather straps to both sides to secure it around my head.
Looking at this, the materials listed really were not enough by themselves.
It was right to add things little by little in my own style.
Now all that remained was assembly.
Click, click.
I carefully fitted the large lenses into place.
Since the lenses might break, I had made it so they could be assembled to fit the goggles properly.
And then...
Press...
I folded over the spread edges of the Whiteheart Iron frame, securing the lenses.
"..."
I lifted the completed goggles in both hands.
The silver frame, stylish gray leather straps, and lenses gleaming faintly with rainbow colors.
"...These are good?"
This was exactly the direction I had wanted.
They looked pretty good, did they not?
As I turned the goggles over and over, admiring them—
Crackle...
Smoke rose from one side of the leather strap that secured them to my head.
"Ohhh."
The mark of the Heirs of Fire was engraved there. Naturally, it was the emblem of a Skilled Blacksmith.
Nice. The placement was perfect.
And the instant the mark was fully engraved—
Something appeared before my eyes.
[The creator’s creativity has surpassed the limits of the established recipe.]
[The equipment’s completion level increases.]
[An additional effect not present in the recipe is granted.]
And then—
─────────────────
[Totality: Vision][★★★☆☆ → ★★★★☆]
[Unique Equipment][Compatibility][- / 100]
─────────────────
『The material world and the spirit realm.』
『Goggles that bring into a single field of vision two worlds that existed in the same space but could not see one another.』
─────────────────
[Overlays the material world and the spirit realm within the wearer’s field of vision.]
[Equipment that allows the wearer to see the material world with one eye and the spirit realm with the other, recognizing spirits’ forms and voices without overturning the boundary between the two worlds.]
─────────────────
[★★★★☆]
[With a spirit’s consent, an incomplete contract can be formed through Totality: Vision.]
[Limit: Intermediate Spirit]
[Incomplete Spirit Contract][0 / 1]
─────────────────
『It is a little embarrassing... but the gift you gave us is airy and very comfortable.』
『I want to repay you. We wind spirits will always be on your side...!』
- Queen of the Distant Wind Spirits -
『Sunlight will always prevail over the north wind. This will be a great help to you.』
- Queen of the Sunlight Spirits -
─────────────────
The equipment’s star rating had risen by one.
So the recipe had originally been three-star... but because I tinkered with it in various ways, it had risen to four stars?
First, fine, there was the shy confession from the Spirit Queen.
And fine, there was even the approach filled with ambition from the Queen of the Sunlight Spirits.
But what caught my eye was the line floating above them.
"...A contract with a spirit?"
Seriously???
I had naturally assumed I lacked the aptitude of a spirit summoner, so I had never had any intention of playing hand games with spirits.
I thought it would be enough if I could occasionally see them and exchange greetings.
It did say incomplete... but the important thing was that I could do something with a spirit at all, right?
"This is insane."
Since it was listed beneath the symbol representing four stars, it seemed to be an ability I had gained as an additional effect.
It was such an unexpected windfall that the corners of my lips twitched upward.
Even if it was only an Intermediate Spirit... Where else would I get to form a contract with a spirit?
I immediately lifted the goggles and put them on.
[Totality: Vision]
[Compatibility][71 / 100]
"Oh."
I was relieved to see a fairly decent compatibility rating, even though I had absolutely no aptitude as a spirit summoner.
The instant I put them on, rainbow light passed over the lenses, and...
"..."
At last... the spirits appeared before me again.
Milien stood with her hands demurely clasped together, while the tiny red and blue ones sat side by side on the workbench, looking at me.
I could see them again.
There were fewer spirits than the other day, but it seemed everyone who was supposed to be here was here.
I cautiously raised my hand in greeting.
"Hi?"
"Ah...!"
Milien’s face lit up brightly.
"Lionel... You can see us!"
We only had a moment to exchange happy greetings before I put that aside.
I was dying of impatience.
Eager to test my new ability, I quickly held out my palm.
"Does anyone want to make a contract with me?"
"What? Me! I want to, Lionel...!"
"Milien?"
With a startled expression, Milien took a large step toward me.
"A contract, a contract... I want to do it... I can do a good job!"
"Ah... Aren’t you a High Spirit?"
"Yes, I am, I’m a High Spirit... the Queen’s direct disciple... I’m really confident I can do a good job..."
I did not know what she kept saying she could do so well.
The problem was that Milien was a High Spirit.
The equipment’s limit extended only to Intermediate Spirits. I was still not capable of forming a contract with Milien.
"I’d like that, but I don’t think I’m skilled enough for a High Spirit yet."
I shook my head with a regretful expression.
"Ah..."
Milien’s shoulders drooped as she looked disappointed.
The sight of her hanging her head was a little pitiful, but...
"Maybe I should go back to being an Intermediate Spirit..."
Leaving Milien’s muttering behind me—
"Any Intermediate Spirits who want to do it with me?"
Then—
"Meeeeeeee!!!!"
Flash!
The little blue spirit raised its hand high.
"Me! I want to do it!"
Boing!
Before it had even finished answering, the little thing leaped down from the workbench.
Then it floated up into the air, drifted over, and landed on my palm.
A cool sensation tickled my hand.
"You really want to make a contract with me?"
"Yes!"
The little blue spirit nodded.
Well, that was fine by me.
Poke.
The little one tightly grasped my index finger with both hands.
It was so adorable I could die.
The method of forming the contract was cuter than I expected.
I slightly curled my finger and clasped its hands in return.
At that moment—
Hummm...
A blue wind rose between us.
A cool energy wrapped around my wrist, climbed upward... and touched the lenses of my goggles.
─────────────────
[The will of the Intermediate Wind Spirit and the wearer aligns.]
[A spirit contract is concluded through Totality: Vision.]
[Incomplete Spirit Contract][1 / 1]
─────────────────
I had succeeded in making a contract with a spirit.
"..."
Boing!
The blue spirit landed on my shoulder as I stood there dazed.
Actually, there was something I had been thinking about.
If I could borrow a spirit’s power, what exactly should I ask it to do?
And the conclusion I reached was...
Fwoosh...
I walked straight over to the crucible furnace and lit the fire.
"My friend, what should I call you?"
"Hwiri! Please call me Hwiri!"
"All right, Hwiri... Shall we do some work together?"
I carefully set Hwiri down in front of the air vent beneath the crucible furnace.
Normally, this was where I had to stomp on the pedal like my life depended on it to blow air in.
"Can you... blow wind into here?"
This was how I had thought of putting a spirit to use.
Namely—
A non-powered infinite blower.
[Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha]
Yuna, do not laugh.
I’m being completely serious.
"Yes! I can do it!"
Hwiri spread both arms wide and began hopping up and down.
Blue energy gathered around the tiny little thing.
Whoooooosh!
Blue energy poured into the air vent.
Fwoooooosh!!
The fire in the crucible furnace... surged up in an instant.
"Oh, my God..."
Unable to contain these indescribable feelings, I placed a hand on my forehead.
I was overwhelmed. Seriously, this was on another level.
How was this even possible?
A non-powered infinite blower had suddenly fallen from the sky.
And it was... incredibly cute, too.
Then—
"I can do this too!"
"Hm?"
This time, Hwiri stretched out a tiny hand toward me.
Whoooooooosh!
"Huh?"
A cool breeze slipped inside my clothes and swept through every corner of my body.
The skin heated by the crucible furnace cooled down...
And my sweat-soaked body became dry in an instant, like a military clerk sitting under an air conditioner in the administration office at the height of summer.
"This is insane."
It could blow air... cool me down, and dry me off too?
I felt more satisfied than I had after making any piece of equipment before.
"Thank you, Hwiri!!"
"Yay!!"
I carefully cupped Hwiri in both hands.
Making that contract had been the best decision.
Dreaming of the improved quality of life awaiting me as a blacksmith, the two of us bounced up and down together.
"...I should get demoted to an Intermediate Spirit."
Milien... crouched in a corner and muttered quietly.
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