At some point I must have fallen asleep. When I wake up, I’m back in my own bed. For a few moments, I have the sensation that everything was just a nightmare. That my brother is perfectly fine.

  But reality asserts itself. The memory of my brother lying in bed, gravely wounded, is enough to banish any trace of sleep.

  By the time I leave my room, it’s nearly midday. I head toward my brother’s room to see how he’s doing, only to find a guard at the door. It’s the same one who was in the barracks the other day.

  “Let me pass,” I order him.

  “Lord Fred is resting,” he says. I notice a hint of compassion in his eyes. “He’s out of danger. Porten asked me to tell you to go speak with him.”

  “I only need to see him for a second. I won’t disturb him.”

  The guard hesitates, but finally relents and lets me through.

  “One minute. And not a word to Porten.”

  I enter the room and kneel beside the bed.

  Fred is asleep. His breathing is steadier than last night, and his wounds are covered by the blankets. Seen now, he looks as though he’s simply in a deep sleep like any other day.

  Until now, I had seen everything as a game. The incursions. The dungeons. I thought it was unfair that I was the only one who couldn’t participate, and I indulged myself in the idea that I’d just been unlucky. Even the forge—I treated it like a hobby. Like something I had been forced to accept.

  I can’t hold back the tear that rolls down my cheek.

  I think I’m beginning to understand Rob’s words.

  And in that moment, I swear I’ll do whatever is within my power to help them. I may be just a blacksmith. I may not be able to fight alongside them. But I might still be able to contribute in my own way.

  I swear to become the best blacksmith on the continent.

  And I leave the room.

  —

  “How is he, Porten?” I ask as soon as I see him.

  “He’s out of danger. It will take time for him to recover, but he shouldn’t be left with more than a few scars.”

  The relief that floods me is indescribable.

  “Can’t they heal him with magic?”

  “You saw the wound on his chest. If they hadn’t healed him with magic on the spot, I’m afraid he wouldn’t have survived. One of the captains of the knights is an exceptionally skilled healer.”

  “What kind of monster could do that to him?” I murmur aloud.

  “I’m afraid you’ll have to wait for Rob to find out.”

  “Porten, could I go down to the city?”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  He sounds firm, but I know him well enough to notice a trace of hesitation.

  “I know it’s not the best time, but I’m working on a project that I think could help.”

  “What kind of project?”

  “I’ll show you when I manage to finish it,” I say. I don’t want to reveal anything in case I fail. “I still need some time before it’s ready. I have an order I need to pick up to complete it.”

  “Very well. I’ll ask Vin to take you. Eat something first, then you may go down. And keep it a secret that Lord Fred was wounded.”

  I eat quickly and grab the money I keep in my room. I haven’t received news from the Adventurers’ Guild, but the acid isn’t that important right now. What I need is the crucible. If I can create superior steel, I’ll be able to help them.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  Right now, I’m not capable of making swords for them with my own hands. So I’ll help however I can—by producing the best steel possible for their weapons and armor. Even using the finest steel in the world, with my current skills, the best sword I could forge wouldn’t be fit even as decoration.

  I ask Vin to drop me in front of the potter’s shop and enter eagerly to collect my order.

  “A most curious project,” he says as he hands me a carefully wrapped package to prevent it from breaking. “It should withstand several uses, but I recommend you stop using it as soon as you see cracks appear.”

  “How many times do you think I’ll be able to use it?”

  “I’d say three without problems. Probably five before it breaks, but I can’t guarantee it.”

  “That should be enough. Thank you very much.”

  “If you ever need something similar in the future, don’t hesitate to come back.”

  My next stop is Aneth’s forge. I take advantage of the fact that it’s empty to look at the new equipment she has on display. One particular piece catches my attention.

  A halberd.

  Its head is completely black. I’ve never seen metal of that color. Even without touching or analyzing it, I can tell it’s magical.

  Aneth still hasn’t appeared. It will probably hurt, but I can’t pass up the opportunity to analyze it.

  Artisan’s Eyes Talent has risen to lvl 4.

  Black Crystal Halberd.

  Material: steel, ****, ****, abyssal onyx, dread claws.Statistics: Attack: 300Durability: 100Effects: decomposition, ****, ****.

  It hurts. A lot.

  Fortunately, Aneth doesn’t return before I manage to recover. I stare at the halberd in fascination. It’s the first time I’ve seen a weapon with a name—or perhaps that’s simply due to my talent leveling up. Unfortunately, I’m unable to retain the process of integrating all the materials together.

  “Do you like it?”

  Her voice startles me. I was so immersed in contemplating the weapon that I didn’t hear Aneth come in.

  “It’s incredible!”

  “Right?” she smiles proudly, hands on her hips. “It’s one of my masterpieces. It was made to order, but I couldn’t resist displaying it.”

  “Who commissioned it?”

  “A high-ranking adventurer. I doubt you know him—he hasn’t been in the city long. Now then, shall we talk business?”

  “Do you have any work for me?” I ask hopefully. It’s much easier to work with a clear objective—and I can earn some money as well.

  “The nails weren’t bad. I think we can find you another interesting project. So, what do you say? Do you think you’re up to it?”

  The image of the broken sword flashes through my mind. It’s best to be completely honest. I don’t want to lose Aneth’s trust.

  “Well…” I tell her what happened when I quenched the steel.

  “You tried to quench a sword? Without a master? And you’re surprised it broke?” She laughs so hard she starts to cry.

  “Don’t laugh.”

  “Sorry,” she says, recovering from her fit of laughter. “Quenching is one of the most complicated processes for a blacksmith. Calculating the blade’s temperature requires practice. Even I mess one up from time to time if I’m not paying enough attention.”

  “Really?”

  “You should do things in order instead of getting carried away by dreams of swords. If you don’t master the basics, it’s impossible to handle more complex work. What will you do when you start using complex materials?”

  “I’m sorry.” At some point, the laughter turned into a scolding.

  She sighs in exasperation.

  “Hinges. I need ten. I’ll offer you five crowns. And another hundred nails.”

  “Great. I’ll bring them as soon as they’re done.”

  “One week,” she says, raising a finger almost threateningly. “Out. We’re swamped, and I don’t have time to waste with a runt. Honestly—trying to quench a sword…”

  The last place I want to visit is the Adventurers’ Guild. Fortunately, Valien is at the counter when I arrive. It’s even more deserted than the last time I was here.

  “Good afternoon, Valien.”

  “How are you?” he replies upon seeing me. “What brings you here? If it’s about the mission, we’ll let you know once it’s completed. With everything that’s been happening lately, no one has been able to accept missions.”

  “Is the situation that bad?”

  “I’m afraid I can’t comment,” he says, shaking his head.

  “Actually, I came about the gems. I had to come nearby and was wondering if you’d managed to set aside any broken gems for me.”

  “That’s right.” He turns around and rummages through the drawers. “I think they were around here somewhere. There are quite a few. The adventurers have been busy. Here you go.”

  He hands me a bag. It’s not very large, but it’s surprisingly full.

  “There really are a lot. Thanks, Valien. Hope to see you soon.”

  “See you.”

  I resist the urge to check the contents of the bag until I’ve left the guild and climbed onto Vin’s carriage. Here, away from prying eyes, I open it.

  Some of the gems are completely shattered, while others are merely cracked. One even appears intact. There are yellow ones, green ones, red ones, and several other colors. Each of them emits a faint, almost imperceptible glow.

  They still have magic.

  As I focus, I begin to notice that each one gives off a slightly different sensation. I feel a certain attraction toward the red ones. I pick one up. It’s a fire gem—cracked and of much lower quality than the one in my forge, but…

  It still retains magic.

  I’m certain it can still be useful.

  Material Virtue Talent has risen to lvl 2.