CH.355 Side Chapter: Wilma in the Factory

CH.355 Side Chapter: Wilma in the Factory

“... another failure...” I looked at the piece of metal we had been working on.

“Don’t blame yourself, miss Wilma. Master understands that this job is quite impossible.” Kotetsu reassured me. He is one of Brian’s summoned ‘monsters’, using something Brian calls an avatar doll. I know they have something to do with Lady Janina and the dragon avatar she uses, but admittedly I don’t fully understand them.

Spoiler

[collapse]

“But you managed to do it.”

“In the Factory.” Kotetsu reminded me. “It is a completely different environment.”

“... Yes.”

“We should take a break now.” Kotetsu then said. “We won’t succeed, if we aren’t at full power.”

“... Yes. Karl, can you clean up?”

“Sure.” He agreed. “Try to relax a bit.”

I exited the workshop, though I had no idea where to go, so I just walked blindly. I didn’t know where to go or what to do. My brain was just filled with making the star titanium.

“... maybe if we tried... no. It won’t work anyway.” I muttered to myself. “... I wish I could see how they did it in that Factory place. Maybe if I could go there.”

I kept speaking to myself as I walked around. I got some looks from Brian’s monsters that were using the avatar dolls, but I just ignored it.

When I eventually realized where I was, I noticed I had walked to Brian’s office. I wonder why I’m here? Did I think he could help me with this? But he already gave the report, so would he know more?

“... I guess I should ask. He always says I can ask anything.”

With the decision made, I knocked on the door and soon heard an answer to come in. But it wasn’t Brian who answered.

I stepped into the office and there were two people inside, but neither of them was Brian.

One was Endymion, Brian’s assistant who took care of the office when he wasn’t here. The other was one of those ‘Spellcaster monsters’ Brian likes to have around. He was dressed in black like Endymion, but his robes looked a bit more simple than Endymion’s.

Spoiler[collapse]

“Miss Wilhelmina. Is there something you need? Or do you wish to leave a message to Master?” Endymion asked. Despite how he looks, Endymion is quite gentle, so I wasn’t intimidated by him.

“... no. I was just... wondering about my job.”

“Yes, the star titanium. It is understandable.” Endymion responded.

“... I just wish I knew more about how it happened in the Factory...” I muttered.

“I see. Sadly, I do not have the permission to show you.” Endymion apologized.

Show me? Could he do that if Brian allowed it? But ... that Factory place. Isn’t it some sort of place where Brian’s monsters live? Can Brian see what happens there?

“Perhaps I can answer some questions.” The other Spellcaster offered. “After all, I was a part of the crew that made the star titanium in the Factory.”

“... you are? Then Yes! Answer all my questions!” I demanded, until I realized that I should talk like that. “... please.” I meekly added.

“I don’t mind. Endy, do you need me?”

“I can handle things here.”

“Then shall we head somewhere else, Miss Wilma?”

“... Yes! I want to know everything!”

“That is quite a lot. Perhaps just everything we did while we made the star titanium will suffice.”

“... stardust ... dragon fire ... and an oxygen barrier.”

“I did say it would be difficult. We haven’t attempted it again, so we don’t know what parts of it don’t have to be done, but if you’d like, we can do some tests.” Sodma offered.

His real name is Sorcerer of Dark Magic, but he asked me to call him Sodma.

“... If I learn to use stardust and maybe one of Brian’s monsters could use special fire magic...”

“Miss, using stardust is extremely advanced sorcery. It will likely take years to learn how to do so.” Sodma warned me.

“... I see.”

“I think it might be better if you ask Master to summon us at our full power. That way, we could assist you in this endeavor.”

“... Yes. I’ll try to do that.”

And eventually, that day came. Brian came to see us and asked us about our progress. Of course he likely knew that we had failed miserably. We had wasted more than two full claws worth of the valuable Ursa Major material and we had nothing to show for it.

I then told Brian about the stardust and he seemed genuinely surprised. Didn’t he know that they used it? Brian even read the report he gave to us, but admittedly that report didn’t include the stardust.

Then there was just one thing to ask.

“Brian. You can summon that monster that can use this ‘stardust’, right? Can’t you do that right now? I know if we have that, we will succeed.” I requested, and after a bit more insisting by us, Brian agreed to summon some monsters.

I had a lot of help summoned. One was a female magician dressed in white and blue. She was going to be heating our ingot with magic.

Spoiler

[collapse]

Next was Sodma, or Sorcerer of Dark Magic. He was going to be producing the stardust along with another Spellcaster, Quintet Magician.

Spoiler[collapse]

Then there was Cosmo Queen. I was somewhat acquainted with her, as Brian often practices magic with her. I think she can use Space Magic, and she was going to do her best to keep any oxygen from our ingot. I’m not exactly sure what oxygen is, but I do know it causes scale to form on the surfaces of the ingot, and that scale must be cleaned away as soon as it forms, so that it cannot ruin the ingot.

We also had Kotetsu helping us hammer.

Spoiler[collapse]Individual Wilhelmina has founded a new way to synthesize the legendary metal star titanium.As a reward, Individual Wilhelmina will be given the System Support.Basic support system Unlocked.

... I just... don’t know. Skills are alive? And can have some sort of avatars? The System Supports are one thing, but skills? That just ... I’ll just let it be. Nothing I can do about that.

“And this will be your room. We’ll make a workshop here that you can use however you like.” Brian said, as he brought me to an empty white space. It was a similar room to all of the ‘habitat’ rooms Brian showed me, but this one was still empty, and he was planning on giving it to me.

“... So I can do whatever I want with it?” I asked.

“Yes, you can.” Brian confirmed. “You’ll have to ask for Laura or Fantasia’s help, because you can’t just mentally control the Factory thought.”

“... Mentally control?”

“This space is in Brian’s mind.” Alice told me. “Here, he can do whatever he can think. Show her.”

“Sure.” Brian agreed with Alice’s demand.

Then, in the blink of an eye, a building appeared before us. It looked way too familiar to me.

“... my old workshop.” I said, as I looked at it. It felt both nostalgic and terrifying at the same time. The last time I saw it, it was fully engulfed in flames, and I honestly wasn’t sure if I wanted to see it ever again.

But looking at it now, it looked different from how I remember it. It was... it was brand new. Like the day I had finished building it. And that felt ... I felt reinvigorated by seeing it. Like I was ready to work my hardest to accomplish my dreams again.

“Do you like it?” Brian asked. “I can make something else if you’d prefer?”

“No. No.” I quickly said. “... I love it. Thank you.”

“Then let’s head inside. There are a few things there I want to show you.” Brian said, as he opened the door.

The inside was largely how I remember it. It felt so familiar that I almost couldn’t keep the tears out of my eyes. I felt like I had returned to where I belong again.

“Here it is.” Brian said, as something appeared in his hand.

It looked like ... a metal plate? But it doesn’t seem to be made of metal?

“What is that?” I asked, as a part of the plate lit up. “Wh-What?”

“This is your new design tablet.” Brian answered. “With it, you can make designs for weapons.” As he explained that, he drew something on the tablet with his finger. It was just simple lines.

He then showed me how I could use some other features of this ‘tablet’ and I got to try it out.

I began drawing a simple sword blueprint, and when I was finished, Brian showed me that I could then make that blueprint into a real weapon right on the spot. To do that, I only had to pick the materials it would be made of.

That is when the next shock came. The list of metals included things like that aluminium that Brian showed me previously, but also the legendary metals. I could just ... make a sword of orichalcum? I quickly tested it, and an orichalcum sword just like my drawing most certainly appeared. I quickly took a hold of it and looked at it.

My first legendary sword. And it was so easy to make. This place is wonderful.

“Don’t think that it is real.” Brian told me. “Nothing in the Factory is really real. It is just all in my mind. Sure it feels real, and you think it is real, but it really isn’t. But it is fun to play with stuff that is difficult to get in the real world, isn’t it?”

“... I see. Yes, I understand.” I responded, a bit taken down. Of course it can’t be that easy.

“It is great for testing things out though.” Brian said. “So you can make a prototype sword here, then remake it in the real world. And since you experimented here first, you probably won’t make a mistake in the real world.”

“... but I don’t have this ‘tablet’ in the real world, so can I get these designs out of here?” I asked.

“I’ll make a printer, so yes. Actually, I think I’ll eventually make you and Karl a 3D holo table for the workshop and you’ll be able to use that, but that will take me a few days to do. But look forward to it.”

“Yes. I will.”

I then took an even closer look at the sword I just made, and used Appraisal on it. As its information popped up, I was taken back again.

Orichalcum Sword Thrusting - Damage done by thrusting attacks ignores 75% of the target's defenses.Slashing - Damage done by slashing attacks ignores 85% of the target's defensesMana Repair - By inputting mana into the sword, the sword will repair itself.Durability 5000/5000 Description: A basic sword made of orichalcum. It might be made of a legendary metal, but there is nothing legendary about it.

This is ... Is this really what I made? It is not much better than what I could make with steel. How is this something made of orichalcum? Shouldn’t it be so much better?

“... Is something wrong?” Brian asked.

“Yes! This sword. It is ... It’s awful! How can an orichalcum sword be this bad?” I asked.

“... Show it to be.” Brian requested and I handed the sword over to him.

He seemingly took a look at it, maybe he appraised it?

“That’s just how it is.” He then said. “The description is accurate. This is just something quick you made. Of course it isn’t actually legendary. Even in the Factory, you won’t make a legendary blade just because you want to. You have to put in the work to perfect the sword. Then it might come out legendary.” Brian said.

... Of course. I should have known that. Just because I have legendary materials, I won’t have a legendary sword. Why did I think like that? I really should have known better.

Then... the star titanium. Brian wants me to turn it into a sword. And I will make it into a legendary sword. ... but now I know. Just because the material is legendary won’t mean that the sword will be. I’ll ... I’ll spend a lot of time here. I’ll design a star titanium sword that really will be legendary.

And then I’ll remake it with the ingot we forged and I really will be a legendary smith!

(Miss. You need to stop for today.)

“Don’t interrupt me.” I snapped at my System Support. “Just a bit more and this will be finished.”

(Do I need to call Lady Laura again?) Claus asked.

“No! She will ... Just give me a bit more time and this will be finished. I know this one will finally give the wielder strength.” I begged.

(I’m sorry Miss, but I know it won’t be ‘just a bit’. Last time you said that, you took over two more hours.) Claus said. (And you also have that job Master Brian gave you. You should do it.)

“...”

(The design will wait for tomorrow.)

“... alright.” I gave in, and pressed the ‘Save’ icon on the holotable.