CH 27

“Thank you for the food.”

Before the empty tableware, I said thank you while clasping my hands together. Grave finished his breakfast at almost the same time as me. Albeit—I kind of felt that he was adjusting his timing with me.

“Are you leaving?”

“Yes, how about you Grave?”

“Yes. Let’s go halfway together. That way, you won’t need to worry about getting lost.”

“I’m not that clueless anymore.”

Grave laughed at me.

Towards my pout, Grave apologized.

“Don’t make that face. I’m kidding, I just want to be with you.”

“I, is that so?”

“Yes.”

How could he say such an embarrassing with a straight face? I was starting to think that getting teased was better…

Then, Anna’s voice came from the kitchen.

“Both of you, how long are you going to talk? I want to wash the dishes!”

“Hmm? Alright, we’re going, now.”

“That’s right, I’m going, Anna.”

“Okay! Good luck!”

While being sent off with such a lively call, Grave and I left the premise.

Immediately before leaving, I heard Teresia’s angry voice from the upper floor.

“How long have you been sleeping1?”

“Uh-oh.”

“Did the boss oversleep again…?”

“Ahahaha… have they been like that for a long time?”

“Yes, at least as far as I know. Everyone keeps saying that they’re like a married couple.”

A married couple?

It might have felt like that, now that I thought about it.

“A married couple… are they in that kind of relationship?”

“Well, how do I say this…”

Grave reacted subtly, before starting to ponder about something.

“Even I don’t know the answer to that. It’s confusing. I honestly don’t know.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, but I’m sure they are on good terms. Whenever I look at them, I feel better.”

“I see.”

I thought so, too. Looking at them made me feel better.

There were many people in that building who seemed to think the same. That was why everyone kept smiling and wanted to stay forever.

We walked for a while and approached a fork in the road.

I went to the right, while Grave went to the left.

“See you.”

“Yes, be careful.”

“Okay.”

We waved our hands, saw each other off, and turned away.

My destination wasn’t Doga’s smithy, but my own workplace—‘—Lili’s Workshop.’

When I arrived at the smithy, I checked the small sign on the edge of the door.

The name of the workshop was written there. When I saw it, I felt like doing my best.

I entered and started preparing for work.

“Good.”

There was a lot to do that day.

Repair the worn-out armor and forge some swords.

I wanted to eventually open a store, so I needed to prepare some model swords to display.

That day, there were things I felt like making.

First of all, I had to prioritize my job. I started working with dexterity.

The work was done around noon.

Because I wanted to finish it as soon as possible, I had to put up with my hunger. I ate my lunch in an instant.

After finishing the requests, I finally took out something.

A lumpy iron block.

When Grave’s sword was re-forged, the old blade was melted and hardened.

I heated the iron at a high temperature, and struck it.

I was recycling the old iron.

While restoring it to its former purity was difficult, I could at least remove some of the impurities. That way, it’d be closer to what it once was.

It’d consume more time than forging an ordinary sword, but I wanted to remake that iron again—

—because it was important for Grave.

Surely, he’d be able find a use for the blade.

A high-pitched sound echoed as sparks scattered.

The heat was trapped inside the smithy, and my sweat rolled.

I needed to remove all the impurities.

Grave’s memories as he used that sword had become one with the blade.

While thinking so, I kept striking the iron.

“The length… will be about half.”

If I were to extend it to its original length, the blade would become thinner. In the future, it would need to be sharpened to maintain its condition.

However, the more a blade was sharpened, the more the blade would be worn down. It would grow thinner and thinner.

Re-forging couldn’t be done many times.

Should the blade become chipped or break, it’d eventually became mere scrap metal.

The blade had to be kept in good condition so as to avoid that outcome.

I glanced at the clock.

“Half past three…”

Grave would usually pick me up around 6 o’clock.

I didn’t ask for it, and I had already remembered the way home. I should be able to return on my own.

Also, Grave was busy.

He kept receiving quests on a daily basis. Not to mention, some of those quests seemed dangerous.

But for some reason, he insisted on picking me up. Every day, he always arrived on time. I could tell that he truly cared for me.

“Just a little more.”

I shall do my best.

I struck the blade with a bit more spirit.

It was dull before, but now it was a sharp blade.

I felt more confident.

While remembering what he said before, I began to get absorbed in my work.

Then, the sun went down.

***T/N: HmMmMm… It’s been really peaceful so far. Sus.