Chapter: 403
In the game called Soul Academy, there are various ways to obtain good items.
One is to break through trials like I did with Grandpa to acquire them.
Another way is to gain them through completing various quests.
You can also raise your blacksmith proficiency and craft them yourself.
Lastly, you can find a blacksmith who can create specific items and commission them to make it for you.
The blacksmith using the seal engraved on this armor is definitely an NPC belonging to the last category.
Once a follower of the God of the Forge, he passed on his role to the next generation and stepped into the world.
A quirky guy, hammering away as he pleases, having set down his burdens.
Without a doubt, he’s one of the best blacksmith NPCs appearing in the game.
“Hey, you sloppy… Who left a half-wit like you here?”
“That would be Anuki.”
So Anuki is one of the aliases he uses.
My guess was right. This forge has the ability to craft hidden items.
Meeting such a forge, which changes location every time a game starts, definitely requires luck, even for veterans.
I must be pretty lucky.
Feeling the annoyance from the self-proclaimed blacksmiths I encountered earlier dissipate, I couldn’t help but smile, then realized one big problem.
To commission a craft from Anuki, I need to receive a quest from him directly, but is it even possible for me to get one?
No matter how I phrase it, it will inevitably turn into a Mesugaki translation that’ll just rub me the wrong way. Would a proud and quirky blacksmith accept that?
Due to Lucy’s reputation, I had given up on most of the quests I should have completed in the original game, leaving me frustrated in the face of reality.
…Honestly, the hidden item Anuki can craft isn’t something I absolutely need.
It’s one of the materials for end-game equipment, but clearing the game is no problem without it.
But still, it’s disappointing! In a world that isn’t a game, over-spec is a must-have essential, not a “no-fun” factor!
Lost in thought, I decided to ask the blacksmith when my master would return.
“…I’m sorry, but I don’t know either. My master left only a letter saying he had to get some essential materials and disappeared.”
The blacksmith, who chuckled while admitting his ignorance, didn’t seem to be lying.
Is there something Anuki would want to go out for at this moment?
I have no clue. His character is always portrayed as doing whatever he pleases. It wouldn’t be strange no matter what he was doing.
“If my master returns, I’ll let you know that the Young Lady of the Allen Family was looking for him.”
I nodded at the blacksmith’s words and handed him the token while requesting an armor, a sword for that bald guy, and a sword for the sloppy dog.
I mentioned I’d pay extra if needed. Thankfully, it seemed the token from the lord had considerable value, as the blacksmith replied that it would be enough.
“Just a moment, please. I need to make adjustments to fit the Young Lady.”
Anuki’s disciple had considerable skill. Without even measuring my body, he crafted armor that fit perfectly after just one look.
Even with my aesthetic sense, there was nothing that needed to be modified on the armor, which made me seriously want to bring this blacksmith to Allen’s Territory.
If things go well when I meet Anuki again, perhaps I could bring them both along.
Considering the Mesugaki Skill’s translation, it might be hard to get things to go smoothly, so I need to come up with a separate strategy. A way to propose something he simply can’t refuse.
*
Returning to Allen’s Territory, I occupied the indoor training grounds after resting for a night.
No one uttered a word of complaint. Who would dare question the daughter of Benedict, especially when I wanted to use the facility?
In fact, there was no reason to complain at all. The indoor training grounds at the Allen Family are empty for about three hundred days of the year.
When it rains, the crazies train outside, saying rain is good, and when it snows, they train outside, saying snow is good. So who would use the indoor training grounds?
Thanks to that, only Erin and I had settled in this pretty large indoor training ground.
Honestly, I wanted to send Erin away, but if I told her to go do something else, she’d probably cry, wondering if she was of no use. So it was impossible.
From what the butler said, when I’m not around, she holds her own against the seniors, but I really don’t get why she acts weak when I’m there.
What’s the deal?
Shaking my head as I stared at Erin, who just smiled back, I looked at the full-length mirror in front of me and straightened my posture.
The reason I occupied the indoor training ground was to get used to my new armor, but the real reason was different.
It was to watch myself move in the mirror and correct my movements using my aesthetic sense!
From my experience with the skill aesthetic sense over a day, I found that the beauty it seeks is not limited to mere appearances.
In a way, I had deemed the acts of wielding a sword beautiful, and I had also found beauty in a blacksmith who looked like he could fall apart at any moment. Aesthetic sense seeks a beauty that is essential rather than outwardly visible.
This means that if I correct the strange parts according to my aesthetic sense, I can move more efficiently than I do now!
Reaching this conclusion, I decided to use the time in the indoor training ground to raise my proficiency, which had stagnated since my level-up stopped.
Hmmm. First, let’s try swinging a mace.
Performing moves I had repeated thousands of times in front of the mirror, I realized there were more than one or two parts that needed modification via aesthetic sense.
I thought there would be things to change, but I didn’t expect there to be this many.
It makes sense, considering the way I’ve been wielding the mace is based on teachings directly passed down from Grandpa.
What could be the issue? The parts that aesthetic sense pointed out are correct, so there must be something that’s off.
I swayed the mace back and forth, trying to alter my style, but no answers came.
Aack! This is oddly frustrating!
If there’s something strange, couldn’t you at least tell me why it feels odd?
Just saying I’m sloppy doesn’t help me change!
You need to tell me specifically what’s lacking or how I’m sloppy to develop!
Seriously, it’s just like that perverted crow’s skill. It’s missing important pieces!
It’s my fault for expecting anything from that crow.
Grumbling as I looked in the mirror, I eventually asked Grandpa for help.
“Grandpa. This might sound strange, but there are several parts that feel awkward when I swing the mace.”
[Awkward parts?]
“Yes. It’s like…”
After explaining the parts pointed out by my aesthetic sense, Grandpa let out a thoughtful hum.
[Hmm, you feel that part is awkward?]
“Yes, why is that?”
[Hold on a moment. Let me think for a bit.]
After quite a long time of contemplation, Grandpa finally chuckled and admitted he had been mistaken about something.
[Lucy, as you know, your physique is quite different from other knights.]
“That… that’s true.”
It wasn’t hard to understand what Grandpa meant by different.
To put it simply, I’m really small.
Even Frey, who is a bit smaller than most girls my age, would have to try hard to reach my level.
[Thus, if I teach you in my way, it’s bound to cause issues. My method doesn’t suit your physique.]
Grandpa’s teachings are based on the elite standard of holy knights.
No matter how much I try to adjust it to fit my physique, as long as that foundation is based on average knights, there will be something off.
[Since you've managed to keep up until now, I thought it would be fine, but if you feel awkward, we’ll need to create a martial art just for you.]
“Is that even possible?”
[I wouldn’t be able to do it alone. It took the help of the hero to create my martial art.]
“Then what should we do? Should I look for someone to help?”
[No need for that. Someone to help is right here.]
“Here? Erin… probably wouldn’t help with the mace either. Is there someone I’m not aware of?”
[It’s you, Lucy. You need to help me.]
“…What?”
[I’ll try out my various methods, and you’ll tell me when you feel something is off. Eventually, the day will come when this awkwardness disappears, and that will be the moment a suitable martial art for you is created.]
Understanding Grandpa’s words, I chuckled like usual and then straightened my posture again.
“I suppose I have to, since you’ve helped me so much up to now. I should manage even if I have some shortcomings.”
<...Haha! Yes! You endure! But I’ll think desperately until I create my perfect method!>
Grandpa, laughing heartily, suggested how about trying to swing in this way, and as I tried it out, I conveyed once more the awkwardness I saw through my aesthetic sense.
Finding a method that suits me was no easy process, but I found no sense of boredom or disgust in it.
Repeating this grind was something that felt tedious when setting records in a game called Soul Academy and, above all, it was quite enjoyable to make gradual progress while chatting with Grandpa.
Thus, until the time came for me to head towards the streets of Soul Academy, I spent my time in the indoor training grounds having discussions with Grandpa.
*
About a week remained until the academy reopened when I returned to the academy to unpack my things.
Even though several months had passed since I left this place, my academy room was spotless, not a speck of dust in sight.
Thanks to the people who work here, they kept cleaning regularly.
I was organizing my things comfortably, thinking of meeting the sloppy fox, when someone knocked on my door.
“Lucy, are you in there?”
Oh, it’s Frey who arrived early. In the game, she usually only comes right before the academy starts.
Wondering what she wanted, I opened the door, and as soon as Frey saw my face, she beamed.
“Long time no see! I missed you!”
“So, what is it, you foolish knight?”
“Let’s duel. This time I’m going to win!”
…Right, this is who she was.
Worrying was unnecessary.
Sighing deeply, I contemplated just shooing Frey away, but the words of Grandpa echoed in my mind.
[This kid seems like a proper opponent to test what we've developed so far, right?]
“That’s true. Frey’s talent is genuine after all.”
Having settled my thoughts, I met Frey’s pitiful gaze and raised the corners of my mouth.
“You think you’re going to win? Someone like you?”
“Yup. I will!”
“Puhaha! Good luck with that. Even if you struggle, your sloppiness will only stand out more.”
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.