Chapter 38

"Why does a boy like Yūri have blacksmithing skills?"

※ I added a bit of explanation about blacksmithing skills in the text. I apologize if it's hard to understand.

"Done!"

Yūri's carefree voice echoed, not in the hideout of *Crimson Lynx*... but in the workshop of the accessory craftsman, Bright.

Why was Yūri in Bright's workshop? It all came down to his skills. In fact, Yūri had a rather obscure blacksmithing skill. This blacksmithing skill provided a bonus for handling precious metals and minerals, making it a fundamental skill for crafting, with a wide range of applications. To Yūri, tasks that seemed far removed from blacksmithing, such as working with wood, leather, and bones, were also categorized under blacksmithing, as they were among the first skills everyone learned.

While blacksmithing might generally bring to mind weapon and armor craftsmen, accessories are no different when it comes to working with metals. The processes vary by field, and even with the same blacksmithing skill, one's strengths can differ. Specializing in a particular area can lead to advanced or specialized blacksmithing skills. Given this, and considering their friendship, Yūri was thrown into Bright's workshop.

Incidentally, it was Allie who threw him in. Allie, who had come to realize how careless and thoughtless Yūri could be, and how he often lacked common sense, decided to have him properly gain experience in a variety of skills. This time, it was blacksmithing, so he was sent to Bright. For alchemy, he would be handed over to Leopold, who is both a perfumer and a pharmacist.

"Hey, did you finish? How did it turn out?"

Bright, who had been looking on with interest, turned his gaze to Yūri, who showed him a small object he had been working on diligently. It was a decorative piece made of a square metal plate with a metal receptacle on top, and a piece of glass placed inside the receptacle. It looked like a pendant, a brooch without a pin, or a strap without a cord.

The tools Yūri was given were familiar, like those used in technical classes in modern Japan. The difference was that they were all magical devices powered by magic stones, and some were surprisingly high-performance. Yūri had used these magical tools to create a decoration from scrap metal and glass fragments.

It wasn't a product, per se. He was just playing around with leftover materials to learn how to use the tools and apply his skills. It was like a child happily chopping vegetable scraps next to their mother who is preparing a meal.

However, Yūri's skill level was 50. Even if he thought he was just fooling around, the result was guaranteed to be top-notch. Specifically, the metal parts had a glossy finish, and the glass was transparent. A novice touching tools for the first time could never produce such a level of work. The skill level cheat was terrifying.

"... Did you make something like this back home?"

"No, this is my first time. But I did make decorations with my family from time to time..."

While examining the decoration Yūri had made, flipping it over and tapping it lightly, Bright asked with a puzzled look. Even from a professional's perspective, the finish was excellent. Moreover, the materials used were scraps that would normally be discarded. If he could create such a piece from leftover materials, it was a top-notch work.

Incidentally, the decorations Yūri had made at home with his mother and sister were glass beads and resin. Recently, with parts available at 100-yen stores, he had enjoyed making his own straps, pendants, and earrings. The women in the Nagahara family, when they got into something, would naturally drag Yūri along and involve him, enjoying themselves with glee. Normal mothers wouldn't drag their sons along, but such common sense didn't apply here.

"Honestly, if you can make something like this, I don't think there's much I can teach you. Armorers are better at making ingots, though."

"That's not true. I really like the accessories you make, Bright."

Yūri smiled, and Bright scratched his nose, flustered. Known for his skill, Bright had his own workshop, but he was still young. He had teamed up with the eccentric and flamboyant Leopold, which didn't sit well with the conservative old-timers. Some people even looked at him suspiciously for being a man who meticulously crafted accessories.

In such a situation, Yūri's genuine praise was a delight. He was happier when his work was praised than when he was praised himself. In that sense, Bright was a true craftsman. Even if he fell in love with a woman, he would be happier to hear that she liked the accessories he made rather than that she liked him. Definitely.

"I'll do a bit more work on this."

"Go ahead. You use the tools carefully. You can use the materials over there as you like."

"Thank you."

Yūri, holding the decoration he had made carefully, returned to the work area. Watching his small back, Bright also got to work, looking very pleased. His theory was that there was no point in making something without being serious, but he also believed there was nothing wrong with enjoying what you liked. And now was the time to enjoy making something.

The reason? Yūri had praised him.

Meanwhile, Yūri, who had no idea he had sparked Bright's enthusiasm, quietly got to work. He was attaching another part to the metal plate and making a hole for a cord. Since it was the size of a pendant, he could attach a chain to make it a pendant. If he used a short cord, it would be a strap. Yūri was trying to make a strap.

At first, he had intended to make a keychain, but the structure of the chain and clasp was complicated. He decided it would be easier to use a cord to make a strap. The reason he was doing this was that he thought he had done a good job and wanted to attach it to his school bag. In this world, no one would criticize him for attaching a cute item to his bag, presumably.

At least, compared to the modern Japanese high school where he had been mocked and ignored for attaching a cute keychain to his bag, the people in this world were more tolerant of others' attire. Or perhaps they were indifferent. Depending on the profession, even men could be flamboyant without being criticized. In fact, bards and dancers were often fashionable, even if they were men.

Thus, Yūri thought he could freely enjoy and wear cute and beautiful things in this world. The main reason for this thought was the incomparable perfumer Leopold, but no one had told him that Leopold was an outlier. It was assumed that anyone would recognize Leopold as an outlier, but Yūri was Yūri. Someone should have corrected him, but it was too late now.

"Let's extend this part and attach this part..."

Holding the magical tools, Yūri looked very happy. He basically enjoyed making things. He found it very enjoyable to cook, sew, and do crafts. He had become unexpectedly multi-talented, dragged along by his family, and his abilities were high. He just hadn't been aware of it.

He ended up being more skilled at making glass beads and resin than his mother and sister, who had started making them with enthusiasm. It was fun to incorporate their preferences into the designs. The same went for sewing. He enjoyed drawing his own patterns and doing embroidery, but he also enjoyed sewing characters that the children in his extended family had requested.

Fundamentally, Yūri liked making things that would make others happy. Enjoying the things he liked was, of course, fun. But at the same time, seeing someone else enjoy the things he made was truly delightful. It might be a form of the need for recognition. For Yūri, who had often been rejected, the people who accepted him were all kind and important to him.

"Is this okay?"

After attaching the hole for the cord to the metal plate, Yūri took out a cord from his school bag. This cord was leftover from when he had previously made sachets. His magic school bag was filled with materials he had bought. With a time stop and sorting function, he could put in as much as he wanted without any trouble. Moreover, it had unlimited capacity. It was a dream bag.

The decoration with the cord became a proper strap. Yūri, feeling elated, attached it to his school bag. The metal and glass reflected the light from the window, sparkling beautifully. It was very pretty, and the simple design meant it didn't look out of place for a young boy to carry.

Then,

"Yūri, that's beautiful, isn't it?"

"...Huh?"

Yūri froze in surprise at the sudden voice of Hermine, who had somehow attached herself to his back. Turning his head, he saw Hermine, who was hugging him from behind, smiling happily as she looked at the strap. She had a very adorable smile, and her wings were clearly visible, indicating her high spirits. ...Bright was complaining about her entering the workshop without permission, but his words fell on deaf ears for the winged woman who had entered through the skylight.

"...This?"

"Yes, what is it?"

"A strap I made. You can thread it through a cord and attach it to a bag or something... It's an accessory, I guess."

"It's so beautiful."

Hermine repeated the same words after hearing Yūri's explanation. The girl, with a blissful smile, kept saying how beautiful it was. With her pure white wings, she looked like a perfect angel from a shoujo manga.

However, Yūri understood what Hermine was getting at. His ability to read such cues probably came from being raised around women. Probably.

"...Should I make one for you?"

Yūri's words made Hermine's face light up. She looked very happy. Nodding enthusiastically, she asked Yūri to make one for her. Yūri agreed and asked her to let go of him. ...If it were a normal boy, being hugged from behind by a beautiful girl would have elicited some kind of reaction, but Yūri didn't have such feelings. He saw it as a playful gesture from a close friend. Yūri is scary.

"Okay, I'll make the base metal, and Hermine, can you look for some glass pieces?"

"Look for them?"

"Yes, use the leftover materials over there. Pick out the colors you like."

"Got it! Thank you, Yūri!"

Hermine, overjoyed, went to look for glass pieces, and Yūri smiled, a bit embarrassed. He casually told her to be careful, and she replied with an enthusiastic "I will!" ...Bright, the workshop owner, was grumbling about entering through the door, but Hermine, thrilled about getting new accessories, didn't hear a word of it.

As a side note, Yūri spent the next few days diligently working in Bright's workshop after the other women got angry at Hermine for being unfair.

I used the term "blacksmithing" because making glass beads and resin seemed blacksmithing-like to me.

I mean, aren't those things part of home economics or technical skills? They are crafts, right?

I like glass beads and resin, but I'm not good at making them, so I just look at them in stores.

I look forward to your comments and feedback.