CH 23

I divided the meat of the dismantled deer, I separated some for today’s meal and the rest will be dried or salted. It will be dried in the workshop again and Rike helps me in drying it.

“The first time I entered here, I wondered why there are dried meats.”

“One of these days, I will make a storehouse. I want to dry the meat over there.”

If possible, I want to make a charcoal hut or a smoked hut. I can hide in the charcoal hut if there’s an emergency…

We did that till noon time and for lunch, it is rice porridge and I treated myself with venison steak. Though salt is the only seasoning, it is still delicious enough. Boisterously, we commented on the taste of the venison meat and the taste of a boar’s meat.

After lunch, it’s now blacksmithing time. The mold was already made yesterday so we can start to shape it by pouring the melted iron. When I magically ignited the furnace, Rike says,

“Speaking of that, boss can use magic huh. You used it for lunch a while ago too.”

“Yeah. Just basic magic though.”

“It’s also amazing that you can do blacksmithing you know. Eizou here has a family name you see.”This is translated by Yume Neiji (yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com)

Samia abruptly interrupted and somehow she feels proud. No, is she bragging about it?

“Eh-, is that right?”

“Ah, yeah. I have a reason for that. I don’t know if somebody is listening to us in town, I’m worried that it would be circulated you see. I’m sorry for just giving out my name.”

“So it was like that… No need to apologize. Rather than that, I understand.”

Next to the Rike, Samia has a self-satisfied look. All right, all right…

“Boss, what is your family name?”

“It’s Tanya.”

“Hmm, Tanya… I will be Rike Tanya then.”

“How did it become like that!?”

Samia exclaimed the later half.

“Because boss’ family name is Tanya, then this is Tanya Workshop. By the custom of us dwarves, I will use my workshop name for self introduction rather than my family name, so I decided to call myself as Rike Tanya.”

When she said so, it seems like it makes sense. However,

“That’s for special circumstances. If you really need to, the workshop name should be Eizou.”This is translated by Yume Neiji (yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com)

“I understand. So it’s Rike Eizou then.”

Uhm… Even though it’s a custom, having a girl to use my name is a pretty embarrassing. While thinking so,

“Unfair!”

Samia suddenly exclaimed.

“I will introduce myself in the same way then!”

“Y-Yes…”

What is she talking about?

“It’s okay to introduce myself as Samia Tanya or Samia Eizou right!?”

“Uhm…”

Rike as a dwarf has this custom that they use the name of the workshop as their family name so it can’t be helped but I haven’t heard from the Samia that beastmen also have that custom….

But there’s no reason to turn it down. Samia is considered as my family too. In the first place, I was the one who asked if she wants to live here.

“Well, that’s fine.”

“Hooray!”

When I allowed it, Samia is in high spirits.

Meanwhile, the temperature of the furnace has risen, I added iron (iron ore) for melting. Since there is still time until it melts, I also start to set fire on the firebed in the meantime. If both are lit, it will be very hot inside the workplace. As we would be sweating, securing water for drinking is essential. This is the reason why we went to fetch water almost every day.This is translated by Yume Neiji (yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com)

After the iron has melted, we pour it into the mold. Samia is doing my work and the Rike is doing her own. After pouring it down, I put the furnace back to the fire and put a sheet metal on the firebed to heat it. I’m not doing it now but if someone orders them individually, I would like to go back and practice.

Today I was planning on making a “luxury model” knife but since I’m making this special, I shall do it seriously. The process itself does not change but, my concentration is more than the usual. Carefully hammering it then quenching it at the very limit of the temperature and finally sharpen it with oversensitivity to the fingertips.

The result was a serious “custom model”.

“That’s amazing! Magnificent! To think that such thing is made by a human!”

Rike is very excited.

“I will give this knife to Rike.”

“Is that ok!?”

“Yeah. It’s too sharp so I can’t sell it and besides, you became my disciple and part of the family. It’s dangerous so be careful when handling it.”

“I understand. I’ll also do my best while I’m here!”

“Right, do your best.”

But the working time of the “custom model” is 1.5 to 2 times than that of the “general model”. If it is the “luxury model”, it will fit almost within the error margin level of the “general model”. Considering that, it will cost more from now on, and I think it might be better to do it with a double feature, Rike’s “general model” and my “luxury model”.

After that, Rike tried to make a knife. Her technique is not inferior to mine. However, it is true that there are some variations. If you use this, the weak part will break first and as a result, the whole part will be fragile or the sharpness of the part which is not hard enough will be reduced. With my “cheat” and “installed” experience, I know where to hit to make it even and how to make it into a shape that I want while retaining its evenness. Even if I hit it casually, it will still definitely work. Certainly, it’s a “cheat”.

After working on it a bit, I noticed something after a closer look. In the case of the “custom model”, it feels like the iron structure is shining. Normally, with an iron knife, logs cannot be cut off with a swish… I know that something changed but I don’t know what it is exactly because I didn’t have any “installed” knowledge about it. I wish it could have included this area…This is translated by Yume Neiji (yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com)

I then teach Rike what I understood from my “cheat”. Rike listened seriously however, I feel a bit strange because Rike actually had much higher and detailed experience.

Next will be the long sword. I leave the deburring to Samia.

“This is really fun after all.”

“Really? Then I’ll ask for your help during your free time.”

“Okay!”This is translated by Yume Neiji (yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com)

Then I take over. Unlike knives, this is cast iron, I’m hitting it to homogenize and improve the quality of the iron while shaping it in the same way. This is also a “luxury model”, so I work more carefully than when I’m working with the “general model”.

“Oh, this is the same as the one I saw that time.”

When I showed it to Rike, I immediately got her impression of it.

“That’s right. The quality should be the same.”

“But it looks like you didn’t put much effort on it.”

“Ah, you can see it by looking at the axe and the knife huh. That’s right, it’s not my best.”

When I answered like that, Rike stared at my hand. Silence then permeated in the workshop and only the rustling of the flames in the firebed can be heard.

“Boss, what on….. No. I now understand what I should be aiming for.”

Rike uttered with a determined face.