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Chapter 22: Sharpening Blacksmithing Skills
Linda's voice as she replied was a bit lackluster. Her usual confidence and energy seemed to have vanished, and Milk couldn't figure out why she looked so disappointed.
'Did something bad happen?'
[Maybe she wants to play?]
'What?'
[She was watching the kids playing with a longing look. I think she wants to play with you, Milk.]
'No way... but she's an adult?'
[She's not even thirty yet. She's young compared to other Holstaurus women. She's praised as the tribe's greatest warrior, but imagine how hard she worked for that spot probably spent her childhood training instead of playing. She might be yearning for those lost days now.]
'Hmm... The way you say it, Ru, it kind of makes sense...'
[There's one more thing.]
'Oh? What else?'
[She's frustrated you don't see her as a woman.]
'Huh?'
[Her favorability is already 100, and she's in the affection state. But while you've been with Millie, Buren, and Mary, you haven't shown any interest in the woman who protects you. She's likely unhappy about that.]
'Ugh... It's just, if she got pregnant, she might not be able to guard me... That's why I held back...'
[Sometimes, you just have to act first and think later.]
'You sound like my dad now.'
[Sorry. But consider how much she's gone through to protect you.]
'Hmm...'
[There's an achievement quest...]
'Linda, right?'
[Yes.]
'Figures...'
Achievement quests usually hint at his next steps. Just hearing Linda's name, Milk knew what it was about: getting closer to her.
[But she knows there's a risk of pregnancy. She may want to be with you, but when it comes down to it, she'll likely hesitate.]
'So, she wants to, but work gets in the way. That's it?'
[Exactly. The key is persuading her. This time, just pushing ahead won't work.]
'Are you implying I usually do that?'
[Not at all. Just giving honest advice.]
'...'
With Buren and Mary, Milk had been a bit forceful, but both women already liked him, so they went along. With two such experiences, Milk couldn't argue with Ru and just grumbled.
[There's no time limit for this quest. Take it slow, but your only free days are Earth Day and Sun Day. Those are your best chances.]
On Moon Day, he spent time with Millie; on Fire Day, with Mary; on Water Day, with Buren; on Tree Day, he helped Bel and her mother in the fields; and on Iron Day, he helped Yuke and Yuri with foraging.
His schedule was packed, so Ru advised him to use Earth Day or Sun Day for Linda.
Milk watched Linda's face as she followed him she definitely looked a bit dissatisfied. When their eyes met, she forced a smile and called out "Master!" in a lively voice, which just made her seem more pitiful.
'I'll try.'
[Understood.]
Back home, Milk waited until the kids finished nursing, then nursed from Millie himself.
It was quite a sight, sharing his mother's milk with his daughters, but he still hadn't been weaned.
Because of an unspoken agreement with Millie to avoid sleeping together while raising the kids, Milk used a separate room.
Next to his was Linda's newly built room. That night, Milk lay in bed, debating whether to visit Linda's room.
[Right now, the chance of rejection is too high. Without a trigger, it'll be hard to get closer to her.]
'A trigger, huh...'
After much thought, Milk decided not to visit Linda that night, trusting Ru's advice.
On the next Sun Day, he got caught up playing with the kids and missed another chance with Linda.
Then came Fire Day, when he was to learn blacksmithing from Mary. Milk brought Linda along to the forge.
"I'll be with Mary, so take a break. I'll eat lunch with her."
"Yes, Master. I'll stay nearby, so call if you need anything."
"Don't worry, Mary will be with me."
"Yes! Then..."
Linda nuzzled Milk's neck in greeting, and he reciprocated.
He clearly saw her face fall as she turned away. Milk realized he needed to act soon or things might get worse.
'I'll think about what to do by the next Earth Day or Sun Day.'
With that, Milk entered the forge, where the heat was as intense as Mary's body, who was working naked at the anvil.
'Every time I see it, a woman sweating naked is like a work of art.'
[I agree. Even as a woman, I think she's beautiful.]
'Right?'
Joking with Ru, Milk stripped down and joined Mary.
He was now strong enough to keep up. Learning blacksmithing from her, his skills improved by the day.
"You're here?"
"Yeah you're already drenched "
"Haha, forges are hot come grab a hammer. I'll teach you again today."
Mary handed him a hammer made to fit his hand, which she'd crafted herself.
He approached the anvil by the furnace, and Mary placed a red-hot iron bar on it.
"Today we're making weapons iron swords for the tribe's warriors. You need to stretch the iron out, but if you hit too hard, the center will weaken and break, so use steady, even force."
"Got it. Let me try."
"Good! I'll hold it hammer away. If I signal, stop immediately."
"Okay!"
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Milk began hammering the hot iron Mary held. Holstaurus men were weak only compared to Holstaurus women; compared to humans, a boy his age could arm-wrestle a grown man and win.
With Ru's enhancements and divine blessing, Milk was even stronger than his peers, though still a bit weaker than girls his age.
In other words, Milk had enough strength to learn blacksmithing just like girls his age learning their own crafts.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
The iron gradually stretched and lengthened. At one point, Mary called out:
"Stop!"
Milk stopped hammering immediately, and Mary put the cooling iron back in the furnace.
Soon, the iron was glowing red again. The shape had changed a bit, but Milk's original form was still there.
"Let's hammer again."
"Okay!"
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
The rhythmic sound of hammering, their sweat dripping, and their smiles Milk found learning blacksmithing pure joy.
He remembered his hard life as a construction worker before dying of cancer.
Compared to that, this wasn't hard work at all it was fun.
He found it rewarding to imagine the warriors who would use the weapons he made to protect the tribe.
He also dreamed of recreating things from Earth as his skills grew.
There was no science here, but there was magic wind, fire, ice, and even the rare, powerful magic that could blow up castles or mountains.
But most magic was practical, for daily life.
Once he became chief, he hoped to invite human magicians and collaborate to recreate Earth's inventions, making the tribe stronger and more stable.
He worried about the risks of sharing knowledge, but Ru's answer was simple:
[It doesn't matter.]
Not erasing his memories was a tacit approval from the gods to use his knowledge freely.
With Ru's reassurance, Milk felt lighter.
"Stop!"
Mary called out as Milk hammered away. The iron was now flat and wide; instead of the furnace, she plunged it into a bucket of milk to cool it.
Ssssss!
Steam rose as the hot iron cooled. The milk was Milk's own concentrated special product thicker and more nutritious than regular Holstaurus milk, and excellent for cooling.
The iron cooled quickly, and Mary examined the now-elongated bar.
"Good now let's trim off the excess."
This time, Mary did the shaping herself, trimming and refining the blade.
She then took the shaped iron to the grindstone, gripped it tightly, and called Milk over.
"Turn the handle for me "
"Okay, Mary "
Milk turned the handle, spinning the grindstone. Mary pressed the blade against it, sharpening one edge, then flipped it to do the other side.
Soon, the iron became a sharp sword. She checked the center, attached a rough handle, and poured molten iron into the joint to secure it.
She briefly put the finished sword back in the furnace to heat the surface, then coated it with Milk's milk for a glossy finish.
It wasn't the prettiest sword, but it looked sharp. Milk proudly examined his creation.
"It's done, right?!"
"Yes thanks to your help, it was quick. We need three more, so will you keep helping?"
"Of course! Let me watch once more, then I'll try shaping the iron myself!"
"Haha sure, I'll show you once more, then you can try."
Setting aside the finished sword, Milk eagerly picked up the hammer and began pounding the hot iron again, not the least bit tired, his face full of joy.
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