While I was cleaning up my work area, Samija and Diana came home. I wondered if they had been out until this hour, and if they had gotten a lot out of it.
I'm home.
Welcome back, Samija and Diana.
I'm back. There's a lot going on around here.
I guess it's because there are no other people living here.
　Samija and Deanna picked up the apple-like ones they saw before, the strawberry-like ones, and this time there was a new face. They are smooth and look like the figs of the previous world. I think I'll serve this fig-like fruit for dinner today. I thought I'd get a lot of them, but I didn't get that many in general. Well, it's a waste if they go bad, so there's no problem.

　Deanna and I will move on to practice. I'm sure she's a bit tired, but at Deanna's request, we decided to do it again today. As a result, we practiced the same way as yesterday, and ended the session in less than a quarter of an hour. As you can see, I'm not moving well today, and there's not much point in pushing myself too hard. Deanna looked frustrated, but it's impossible to suddenly become strong in two or three days, so why don't you just take your time? When I said so, he looked at me like yesterday, and then nodded reluctantly.

　Dinner was the usual unfermented bread, soup, and fig-like fruit. I've already confirmed with Samija that I can eat them as they are. After cleaning up dinner, I'll start on the fig-like fruit. The skin is thicker than the figs of the previous world, but I can peel it by hand, eat it as is, and most importantly, it tastes almost like a fig. It was the first time for both Lique and Diana to eat them, but they liked them.
This tastes like something I've eaten before, but it's good. Do they have these in the forest?
"Not many. There aren't too many, but we can eat enough for our house.
Oh, yeah. It's just a fun thing to do.
Yeah.
　I see, that's why we didn't get much for the time it took to get back. But this makes me crave for sugar. I want to make jam or something to preserve the fruit better. I should have checked the price of sugar at Camilo's place. I only glanced at it, so I don't remember the price clearly. I only remember that it seemed to be quite expensive. It's a lot of jam to make. I'll talk to Camilo about it when things settle down.
　After this, I asked Diana about the fruits we ate in the capital. I've heard from Samija and Rike that there are watermelon-like fruits, but there are also strawberry and banana-like fruits. Hmm, I want to try them. But I'll have to wait until I get settled.

　The next day, today, Samija and Diana went hunting. The meat is still there, and they seem to have decided that it's okay if they can't hunt any animals today. Deanna usually wears clothes that are a bit elaborate, but today she wore something simple. She said she had gone hunting a few times when she was in the capital, but that's probably not the same as hunting here, and hunting isn't really something women like. ...... I wonder if she was a tomboy after all. I'll ask Marius about it next time I see him.

　Rike and I are making knives again today. Rike is helping me make a high-end model ......, or rather observing. I promised him yesterday. The sheet metal is heated on the fire pit, and the distorted and uneven parts are tapped to even them out. Rike is watching intently, not wanting to miss a single move of what I'm looking at or where I'm tapping. Once the distortions and irregularities were mostly gone, I showed it to Rike.
He said, "This is as close as I can get it. I could go further, but I'll stop here: ......".
　No, no, wait.
No, let's finish it.
What, you're sure, master?
Yeah. Just make sure you get enough for Deanna.
Oh, I see.
All right, let's do it.
Yes! Yes, please!

　I heat the sheet metal on the fireplace again, and tap away the remaining distortions and irregularities. There's almost nothing left, but it won't all disappear if I don't persevere. After several rounds of heating and tapping, everything is finally gone. The surface shines finely.
This is how far it can go in the end.
　Rike's eyes, looking at the sheet metal, shone like sparks. He looked at every inch of my sheet metal, as if he didn't want to miss a single molecule. What's the difference between mine and Rike's? I'm a cheat and can understand it at a glance, but Rike can't. You have to learn from this.
　When I think that he has looked at it carefully, I move on to the next task. The shaping process. This is another cheat for me, I know where to hit to make the shape without destroying the state. This is why Rike says, "It's as if I can hear the voice of steel. During this process, Rike kept his eyes on my hand. He is trying to steal everything I know about where to strike.
　Eventually, a knife is formed. I show it to Rike.


Do you understand?
Yes. The quality is exactly the same as when you showed it to me.
Exactly. Then let's finish it.
Yes, sir.

　I put the shaped knife into the fireplace for quenching, and raise the temperature with air.
I'm a little bit special, so I can tell when it's just right, but you might want to do it in the middle of the night or something.
No, as a dwarf, I can tell the difference, so I'll find out.
　Oh, I see. Oh, and by the way, Rikke usually does the hardening with me.
All right, well, keep an eye on him.
Yes, sir.
　Rikke says in a quiet voice. I'm watching the temperature seriously. The temperature slowly rises until it's just right. I quickly take the knife out of the fire and quench it with water.
"That's the temperature now.
"Yes. I think I have a rough idea. It'll take some time to get it right.
Good.
　Now we'll temper it by holding it over the fire. I concentrated on teaching him the right timing so that he could master the temperature at this time. Without this, the piece would remain brittle.
　After tempering, polish and sharpening are done. Polishing and sharpening should be done seriously, because there is no point in making a mistake here. Rike was watching this process closely.
Hmm, this might be the best one I've had in a while.
　Maybe he's getting used to the feeling of cheating, or maybe I'm just getting used to it, but it's pretty good. I show the finished product to Rike.
Yes, ........ I can hardly tell the difference between the one you made for me and the one you made for me, but I think this one might be a little better.
　I didn't show Rike most of the work process at that time. Maybe I should have shown him.
Well, this is where we're going, right?
Yes, sir. I'll do my best. Sir.
Yes.
　I smiled and wished the young blacksmith all the best.