Chapter 92

2019/01/31 Today, I have uploaded the third episode.

After dividing the pork into portions to be preserved and those to be consumed soon, I started preparing lunch. I used a bit of the brandy in which I had previously soaked what looked like blueberries to make a blueberry sauce sauté. It seems to be well-received, which is a great relief.

After lunch, I will start the afternoon work. Of course, I will finish the mithril sword, Rike will work on the knife, and Ridi will accompany her, training in magic. Sermya and Diana will practice archery in the garden.

I heated the sword, which is now quite close to the wooden model, in the forge. Of course, I fully utilized my cheats. Once it was hot, I took it out and hammered it a few times to slightly change its shape, then compared it to the wooden model to check if it was as I wanted. I repeated this process today. Although it seems like I'm doing the same thing over and over, I can feel that it's gradually getting closer to the model when I compare them.

If the mithril goes out of the optimal temperature range for processing, I heat it again. In the meantime, I check on Rike (and Ridi). It seems she is improving, albeit slightly. The knives she is making have a faint, sparkling quality, which suggests an increase in magic. Of course, it only looks that way, and I'll need to examine them carefully later to be sure.

If Rike continues to improve and can infuse a lot of magic, the high-end models will have two meanings. The standard models will be processed normally with little magic, while the high-end models will either be maximally processed materials with a lot of magic or materials processed normally but with a lot of magic infused. Custom orders will include both.

However, I would prefer Rike to first be able to create high-end models by maximizing the processing of the materials alone. This will allow her to infuse more magic and apply the techniques in areas with less magic. In fact, the heirloom sword I made for the Eymour family was already a masterpiece as a steel sword before I infused it with magic. I want Rike to aim for that level first and then consider taking it a step further.

However, I can't teach her the specifics with just my cheats. While Ridi is here, I want her to learn as much as she can, and I will take care of the material extraction afterward. As I worked, I thought about these things. If Sermya were here, she might say, "Aizou is really deep in thought." I smiled wryly and decided to focus solely on the work from then on.

The next day, Rike, Ridi, and I continued the same work. Sermya and Diana were going to gather some things, so I asked them to bring back certain items. We all bowed twice, clapped twice, and bowed once more at the shrine, praying for safety during our work and gathering. Alright, let's start today's work.

The work itself was exactly the same as yesterday. The scene and sounds were the same. Ridi was teaching Rike about magic. Ridi is quite tall, while Rike is shorter, so at first glance, it might look like a mother teaching her daughter. I never had this kind of happiness in my previous world, but perhaps I have found it here. It felt like the tension in my heart, which had been building up from the repetitive work, was easing.

By the end of the day, the work was almost complete. When compared to the wooden model, the differences were almost indistinguishable. It was good enough to call it complete, but using my cheats, I could clearly see that it wasn't quite there yet. It will be finished tomorrow.

While cleaning up the workshop, Sermya and Diana returned. Today's harvest included something like strawberries, something like peaches, and—

"Did you get the thing I asked for?"

"Yeah, is this it?"

"Yep. Thanks."

Sermya brought out a whole mint plant, roots and all, from the one we had gathered the other day. I'll keep it in water for now and plant it in the courtyard the day after tomorrow. If it's like mint, it should grow well on its own. I grew mint hydroponically in my previous world, and it grew like crazy. If it doesn't, I'll think about it then. If I can grow it, I'll be able to enjoy mint tea casually, which is something to look forward to.

The next day, I finally started the final finishing touches, and the other four decided to watch my work. We all bowed twice, clapped twice, and bowed once more at the shrine, praying for the successful completion of the work. My mindset shifted, and even the act of lighting the forge felt like a ritual.

It was a bit past noon, and there was almost nothing left to correct. I used my cheats to check the final details against the wooden model and completed the work.

There was one last step: sharpening. The sword was already in its original shape, but without a sharp edge, it couldn't cut. I used my cheats to carefully and meticulously sharpen the blade. Sharpening inevitably wears down the blade and might remove some magic, so I used all my concentration. The hard feel of the blade transmitted through my hands, and the sound of the blade being sharpened, like glass, was different from the sound of hammering and pleased my ears.

"Alright, it's complete."

When I said that, the four people, including Ridi, cheered. They looked at the finished product again, and I was confident that this was the original shape of the sword.

"Ridi."

"Yes?"

"It's complete. Please check it."

"Yes. Let me see."

I handed the sword to Ridi, who began to inspect it with a gaze that seemed to examine every detail of the sword's structure. I was confident it was fine, but given the nature of the request, I couldn't help but hold my breath. It wasn't Ridi's fault; the "original" was largely based on her personal impression. If it didn't match, I would consider it a failure. If that happened, I might have to start over, and there was a chance it wouldn't be ready on time. The thought made me even more tense. My three daughters seemed to feel the same way, watching Ridi's inspection with intense focus. Their concern was appreciated, but too much attention might make it harder for Ridi to check, so I told them to ease up a bit.

Ridi placed the sword on the stand, indicating the inspection was complete. I watched her intently. She seemed to hesitate for a moment under the four pairs of eyes but quickly regained her composure and said,

"Thank you. The work is even better than I had hoped."

"Yay!"

Sermya jumped up in joy, hugging Rike and Diana. I was happy too, but I had one question.

"Um, what do you mean by 'even better'...?"

I asked out of pure curiosity, not anger or sadness.