Chapter 56 I'M The One Who'S Amazing...
"――Welcome back."
Fiona said, coming out to the entrance hall.
What the...!? Why is Fiona at my house...!? How did she get in!?
――and other such reactions were unnecessary. I knew Fiona was around, and I was the one who gave her permission to enter my home freely, even when I'm not around.
Fiona is here because she's using my atelier to make wooden swords. I heard that her apartment is too noisy for her to work, and it gets messy with wood shavings.
Since it would interfere with her training, I gave her a spare key and told her she could use the atelier anytime――that's the story.
The thick apron Fiona is wearing is also for work.
Lately, I've been coming home late, and it's not often that I get greeted like this by Fiona, who's been using the atelier...
"Ah, yeah...I'm back."
Being welcomed home by someone is still an unfamiliar feeling. It's hard to describe...it's a strange, tingling sensation.
"Were you sent on a subjugation mission this morning?...Was it tough?"
Fiona asked, looking up at me with a concerned expression.
Although the subject is omitted, I know what she's asking about. She's wondering if the Unique Individual, the giant ape, was tough and made me come home late.
Hiding my embarrassing, restless feelings, I shrugged my shoulders.
"Well, it was a hassle, but it was business as usual. The investigation afterwards took some time, and the Guild Master called me. There's no big report to make, though. And I took a little detour before leaving the labyrinth, too."
As I answered and headed towards the atelier, Fiona followed me, asking another question.
"Hmm...what's with the detour?"
"I brought back the Elder Treant's core wood."
We still have some stock left, but who knows how long this labyrinth's anomaly will last. It's better to stock up a little at a time when we have the chance, that's my judgment. I'll just go and gather some more. Well, to be accurate, I'll "hunt" some more, I should say.
And besides, I've been guiding Fiona lately, and she has made some progress, so today I'm planning to create a Black Radiance.
As I answer, I enter the atelier, and it seems like I've been working for quite some time. On the workbench, a completed wooden sword made from Treant material is lying there.
"Whoa, did you make this today?"
"Uh-huh..."
At my level, even if the same craftsman uses the same material to make a wooden sword, I can tell the difference. From what I see, this isn't something Fiona made before, so it must be a new wooden sword she made today.
Fiona encountered a Unique Individual and reported it to the guild early this morning. Since then, she hasn't entered the labyrinth, so she must have had the time.
"So... how is it?"
Fiona looks a bit uneasy but still confident, her eyes shining with pride as she checks the quality of the wooden sword.
"Yeah..."
I pick up the wooden sword from the workbench, swing it once, and then hold it up to eye level, examining it from various angles.
Then, I turn to Fiona, float a gentle smile, and answer.
"Fiona... it's completely no good."
"..."
The light in Fiona's eyes disappears in an instant.
* * *
"No way, the sword's body is warped a bit, right? And the craftsmanship around the blade is also sloppy. Even if we sharpen the Treant material, it won't be as sharp as a paper knife, but since we're going to use Elder Treant's core wood eventually, it's better to make it with that in mind from now on. Also, the grip part is still loose. This way, it's hard to hold and will slip out of your hand if you swing it strongly. And this is because of the sword's warping, but the center of gravity is leaning forward. Since this is a 2-handed sword type, it's better to shift the center of gravity towards the tip for better balance and power. If the center of gravity is too far forward, it's easy to swing but lacks power, and it's hard to handle because it's so different from existing weapons..."
"STOOOOOP!!"
Fiona exploded.
No, I mean emotionally.
Well, it's not like I'm surprised or anything. It's just what she's always like.
"You're being way too harsh! You're pointing out all the flaws at once!!"
Is she a bit teary-eyed because she had confidence in this work?
No, but if I don't point out these things from the start and fix them, it'll be a problem later on.
"That being said, it's the master's job to point out failures."
"That's... true, but..."
"I'm glad you understand. And, this part of the sword's body is a bit too thin. If it's like this, the strength will..."
"Are you still going to say that?"
I pointed out all the issues to Fiona, who was screaming like she was in agony.
After I finished pointing out all the flaws, I looked at Fiona, who seemed a bit frustrated, and thought to myself.
Is it really a good teaching method to only point out the bad parts and discourage her? Don't I need to praise her sometimes too?
When we were training at the guild or in the labyrinth, I would point out various fighting styles and training methods, but I realize now that I hardly ever praised her.
Now that I'm teaching her how to make a wooden sword, I think I need to change my approach...
"But..."
I added with a smile.
"For a 3-week beginner, I think you've done quite well."
"...! ...Y-yes..."
Fiona's cheeks turned bright red, and she nodded strongly, saying "Ah."
"My first wooden sword has a level of completion that rivals yours!"
"Your first... You're saying too much, aren't you?"
It seemed like she was getting worked up again.
Fiona's mood, which had finally calmed down, was heating up once more.
"What's with that?! You're saying that using aura to carve wood is good, but what's the connection between getting stronger and the completion level of the wooden sword?!"
"Hey, hey, what are you talking about now?"
I shook my head, feeling exasperated.
Then, I explained it to her carefully.
"Listen, making a precise wooden sword is important for developing the delicate operation of aura. You can't just use brute force to carve hard materials, and to make a high-quality wooden sword, you need to be able to control your aura delicately. And since you're not adding any decorations yet, you need to be able to focus your output. Later, when you do add decorations, you'll need to be able to control your aura even more delicately. If you can't do that, you won't be able to apply your skills properly."
"......"
Fiona was silent, listening to my explanation.
I thought she finally understood, but then she muttered,
"......Then it's okay if it's not a wooden sword. Like a decorative item or something."
"Hey, what are you saying, Fiona?"
...A decorative item?
I countered her argument.
"Think about it. Do you need Elder Treant's core wood or Attribute Treant's core wood for a decorative item? By meeting the precision required by the material, you can hone your aura control!"
"It's not like that. I mean, I think accessories like rings or bracelets are fine just the way they are, and they're pretty..."
"Hey, what are you saying, Fiona?"
I countered her argument again
"Hey! What are you saying, Fiona!?"
I countered her argument even more strongly
"Hey! What are you saying, Fiona!?"
"Stop, I get it! I get it, so stop it already!!"
――It seemed like she finally understood.
I regained my composure and returned my upper body to its original position, which had been leaning forward towards Fiona.
On the other hand, Fiona was acting a bit nervously.
"Just a minute, you're really scary right now."
"Haa, sorry... I feel like my identity has been denied or something..."
"Is your identity a wooden sword or something?"
I took a deep breath and turned to face Fiona.
Fiona's sudden boldness was probably a sign of growth. I had become nervous. This was a common story among creators in various fields, not just Wooden Swordsmiths.
As I grew and my perspective on my work changed, I began to see the flaws in my past creations, and it made me question myself. This eventually led to a slump.
However, once I overcame the slump, I would emerge as a more mature person...
I smiled gently at Fiona.
"Don't worry, Fiona."
"Eh...? Wh, what's going on? Suddenly..."
Fiona's suspicious gaze wandered around, and I declared strongly to her.
"You will become..."
"W-will become...?"
"The greatest Wooden Swordsmith of all time!!"
Since Fiona had become my disciple, there was no option but to become the greatest. From now on, she would simply focus on becoming the greatest Wooden Swordsmith.
Fiona was deeply moved by my strong promise.
"――――I don't want to become a Wooden Swordsmith!!"
Wait, that's not it.
* * *
The 2 of us continued to craft wooden swords in the atelier.
I divided the Elder Treant's core wood into 2 pieces for the sword's angular material, then spread my aura from my fingertips and began working.
This time, I was making a pair of thin swords.
I already had a good grasp of the sword's length, center of gravity, and grip thickness. Although it wasn't for sale, this was the first "Black Radiance Series Twin Sword Version" I was making. Of course, I wouldn't slack off. As a practical item, I would focus on making it perfect.
I was making a wooden sword with an unusually smooth aura, effortlessly carving it out from the wooden plank without any hesitation.
This wasn't my first time making a slender sword like Black Radiance. The elegant silhouette of this refined sword was popular among the upper class, and I received a decent number of orders for it.
So, I continued to work on the 2 swords with a familiar touch.
After a while, I completed the sword, including the scabbard. Since I was having fun making wooden swords after a long time, I decided to add some luxurious decorations.
Usually, I do Ivy-patterned decorations, which are relatively easy to carve because of their simple, curved design.
But this time, I decided to go all out and carve thorns and roses.
I carefully carved the designs, making sure not to weaken the sword's strength, and even added decorations to the scabbard.
Then, I applied gold leaf to the thorn parts and used a red tree resin to color the rose parts. This resin was amazing ―― it dried instantly when you applied a special liquid to it after painting. It was even more expensive than gold leaf.
I wouldn't bother coloring my personal Black Radiance, which I'd eventually destroy with my ultimate technique, but for items I sold, I'd add colors like this to make them look more impressive.
"Ha, it's only natural for me..."
Before I knew it, I had created an exquisite piece, more intricate than usual.
Feeling a sense of moderate fatigue, I let out a sigh and looked up to see that it had already become dark outside the window.
Fiona, on the other hand, looked quite exhausted from the long hours of work, but she was still persisting.
"......"
We had a bit of a disagreement, but she was still going at it without giving up.
That's how strong her desire to "become stronger (as a Wooden Swordsmith)" was.
When someone has a genuine passion, I want to respond to it with equal sincerity.
Still, it's not good to overdo it. I decided to call it a day.
"Fiona, let's take a break and eat."
"Uh... yeah. It's already this late... Are we going to start making something new now?"
"No way, I just bought them, so I'll just give them to you. Even if you don't like them, don't complain, okay?"
"I won't. ...Thanks. I'll take care of them."
"Alright. ...And, I'll give these to you."
I handed Fiona the 2 Black Radiance swords I had just made.
Fiona's eyes widened in surprise as she took them, and she gazed at the 2 wooden swords for a while.
"Eh...are you sure?"
"Yeah."
"But...why?"
"Uh...no particular reason, I guess."
There really was no reason, but since Fiona was staring at me so intently, I added some words.
"Well, what's the big deal...you can try fighting with these too, and see if you can get a feel for it. At the very least, they're better than regular metal swords, and they're designed to be used with aura, so I think they'll be good for training."
"......"
"That being said, you should choose your opponents carefully. For now, let's practice on some weak monsters, okay?"
"......"
"...Uh, what's wrong?"
I asked, looking puzzled, and Fiona shook her head.
"It's nothing. ...Thanks, Aaron."
"...You're welcome, I guess."
Her smile was so genuinely innocent that I was taken aback.
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