"Small boat?"
Hearing this, Levi pointed to a ship dozens of meters long in the distance. "Over there. I wasn't very satisfied with it, so I made another one."
Círdan's eyelid twitched.
You call that a small boat?
"My lord, our materials are running somewhat short."
As if finding a savior, the shipyard supervisor quickly ran to Círdan's side.
"Enough, it's already enough."
Círdan's tone was hurried. He pointed to the dozens-of-meters-long 'small boat' in the distance.
"That ship's already quite good. Even sufficient for use as a vessel sailing west."
"You have completely mastered shipbuilding techniques. I have nothing more to teach you."
Such learning ability... simply terrifying.
Círdan clearly remembered he'd only shown Levi the components needed for building ships of various sizes once. Then told him how to assemble and connect them.
Without even hands-on demonstration, how did he achieve this level?
Could he have learned just by looking at the real thing once? Purely through observation?
This kind of "power" was simply too incredible.
Becoming stronger when facing strength, with unclear upper limits.
Simply comparable to...
Círdan dismissed the thoughts in his mind, looking at the flagship before him. "This is a good ship, but good ships also need good captains and sailors."
"When you need them, please tell me. Our best navigators and sailors will come to support, and they'll impart their knowledge without reservation."
"As for this ship..."
Círdan looked at the flagship still unfinished before him. He thought for a moment.
"It can pass through Lune Bay into the great sea, then go south, entering Eriador through Lond Daer's harbor. I remember your territory's in that area."
"Don't worry. Although Lond Daer's seaport has long been abandoned, it can still serve some purpose."
"No need."
Levi waved his hand. "Let this ship stay here. After all, it was made with your materials."
"Consider this a graduation memento from a student to his teacher."
One month lightning-speed graduation.
"You're truly modest. What I actually taught was very little. Everything needed to construct this ship, at least most of the knowledge, was learned and understood by yourself."
Círdan was quite self-aware.
But Levi was even more self-aware.
He could build so quickly entirely thanks to a crafting table. Those sample components and blueprints? He'd unlocked their crafting recipes just by touching them. Only needed to remember some things during assembly.
If not done according to the correct method, the ship's structure would collapse.
"You're also being too modest," Levi responded.
Círdan was momentarily speechless.
A few days later, this flagship, designed and crafted entirely by Levi's own hands, was assembled and successfully tested.
It was ultimately left at Lindon's harbor and named the "Apprentice," commemorated by the elves as Levi's first work after mastering shipbuilding techniques.
"Your selflessness is admirable."
Another month passed. When everything that needed learning was complete, Levi and Círdan met again.
Thousands of years ago, Círdan had voluntarily given the Ring of Fire to Gandalf as assistance for Gandalf's mission.
Today, he'd again imparted all his mastery of Middle-earth's top shipbuilding techniques, giving Levi another form of aid.
So Levi produced his return gift.
A golden apple gleaming with lustrous light.
"I hope you'll like it."
Círdan solemnly accepted this gift.
This apple, like things from Valinor, would never wither or decay. As long as it wasn't lost, it could accompany Círdan forever.
"If one day you must use this thing to help yourself, please don't hesitate. Don't avoid using it just because you're cherishing it."
"If it's consumed, that precisely means the gift I gave has value, and I'll feel genuinely happy."
"I will."
Círdan nodded.
Using a golden apple full of life force that could save lives, with maxed material value and artistic appeal, as a return gift for teaching shipbuilding techniques? Perhaps this story could end here, with both parties' actions quite appropriate.
But some things were beyond expectation.
Levi pulled out a beacon and placed it at the center of Grey Havens city.
When it lit up with radiance, all elves living here felt a tremor. They looked up at the light beam in the sky and gathered around.
Life force arose from within their bodies, stopping their decline.
"This is really..." Círdan felt somewhat dazed.
"This is perfect..."
He muttered under his breath.
"Perfection, perhaps, is always with us."
When Levi left Grey Havens, a light beam shone within, breaking through the sky.
People would record this. People would sing about it.
Making it a new legend.
Though the technology was temporarily sorted out...
After returning to Roadside Keep, Levi immediately spread out maps, examining the terrain. Especially nearby rivers and waterways.
First was near Roadside Keep. At the Last Bridge, beside the troll forest, there was a river that could be traced to southern Eriador. All the way to the Angle before Rivendell, with its source being the great sea.
As Círdan said, if it could be utilized, it might be a very convenient waterway.
As for problems of insufficient water depth or river width?
Just dig it out.
Claiming another territory was no big deal. Since the experience farm was built, the territory limit had greatly increased. Maintaining dozens normally was no problem, though more would be difficult. Each level required more experience, and reaching certain levels became truly hard to advance.
Keeping a certain number was enough. Normal enchanting still consumed some levels.
"Here it is."
Levi marked an X on the map.
The marked location was precisely the delta where the Loudwater and Coolspring rivers converged.
With slight modification and expansion, this could serve as a ship mooring place. Even a shipyard.
As said before, insufficient river width or depth didn't matter. Just a matter of terrain modification.
Choosing here was also for its convenient natural terrain, saving much effort.
However, suitable waterways for development weren't limited to this one place.
Levi shifted his gaze to his new territory. The Anduin Valley, where Beorn's clan lived.
The Anduin Valley was called the Anduin Valley precisely because a wide river named "Anduin" ran through the entire terrain.
It was the longest river in Third Age Middle-earth. Originating from northern mountains, passing through Beorn's clan territory and the Gladden Fields, bordering the Golden Wood, crossing Rohan and Gondor, and finally flowing into the sea.
This route could be said to be quite perfect.
Several dedicated transport points could also be built.
As for Dale's side... ships could basically only navigate internal rivers and the inland sea of Rhûn. Better discuss that later.
As the saying goes, leave professional matters to professionals. The specific implementation of these matters still required more discussion and consideration.
Before that...
"Need to open several new majors at the school."