CH 61

A Court Blacksmith, whom was Condemned for being a ‘Woman who Reeks of Iron’, was Picked up by a Friendly Guild and Attained Happiness Translation

By Antoinette Vanessa January 23, 2022

The heated steel was further stretched, and a thin wire was inserted and bent.

The lighting I was making was to be hung from the ceiling in the image of a lantern.

A fiercely burning flame would be trapped within a steel cage, its swaying, burning, glow would illuminate the darkness.

“Thin… Round…”

I worked to shape it.

Unlike swords, which required to be struck so that they’d be sharp, no sharpness was required for a decoration.

Rather, if it was too sharp, there’d be a risk of injury. Therefore, it was necessary to reduce the sharpness of its corners and arrange it into a safe design.

“…It’s difficult, after all.”

I usually sharpened the metal for the sake of creating swords.

My blacksmithing life was all about sharpening.

For me, who only thought about creating sharp and sturdy blades, I was inexperienced in avoiding that exact scenario.

…At that point, I was aware that I was progressing in the wrong direction.

Still, what a strange feeling.

A sword needed to be able to cut through something. After all, it was a weapon that protected its user. At the same time, it would bring harm to others.

On the other hand, what I was currently making was just a lamp.

It was a shining decoration in the corner of everyday life.

While it was made from the very same steel, its purpose was entirely different.

In the past, I wouldn’t have thought about making one at all.

“Fufu.”

“It seems that you’re enjoying yourself.”

Grave suddenly talked to me.

That was unusual. Usually, so as to not disturb me, he’d keep silent.

I stopped my hands and turned towards Grave.

“Eh? Is that so?”

“Weren’t you laughing?”

“Ah… that’s right.”

In Grave’s words, I noticed that I was unconsciously smiling.

While wiping my sweat, I looked at the heated steel once again.

I talked to Grave while tapping it to make it round.

“It’s true. The methods are similar, but I’m excited when I think about the result. I wonder what it’ll become? When I make swords, I also have fun. But right now, this kind of joy is different…”

I struck the steel.

The sound of iron echoed in my head.

I spoke as if I didn’t understand the reason, but I already knew why it was different.

It was because I was creating something new.

I was opening myself to the unknown.

I could now do what I couldn’t do yesterday, or a few seconds ago.

I thought that it was fun because I could feel my growth.

“Challenges are fun.”

“That’s right. Well, I think there are other reasons as well.”

“Are there?”

“You’ll know once you finish.”

I was worried and glanced at him.

Grave laughed kindly.

Usually, he’d tell me when I asked. But because he had told me that I’d know after it was completed, I’ll finish this.

I concentrated on the steel that was changing shape while wiping away my dripping sweat.

What I was making was the foundation and the skeleton.

Its shape was so complicated, it required more than a piece of steel.

I started from the skeleton, then separately made the missing parts.

Finally, I’d joined them together.

One of the ores was to be used for the illumination.

Shokouseki—it was a magic stone with the power of illumination.

During the daylight hours, they looked just like mere stones, but when the surroundings turned dark, they shone on their own.

It was the most used light source in the world.

Because I imagined a flame-shaped lamp, I decided to process the stone a bit.

I continued working for about 5 hours.

Finally, all the parts were completed.

“Phew… with this—”

—I only needed to place them according to the picture.

It was almost completed.

I attached the heated, melted iron to the joints, and assembled the parts before cooling it so that it’d harden.

If I were to adjust its appearance with an abrasive or something similar—

“It’s done!”

The first prototype.

The iron lantern was finished.

“Hnng, I’m tired.”

“Good work.”

“Grave…”

Grave approached me with a towel and water.

During my work, he watched over me the entire time.

“You must’ve sweated a lot. Here.”

“Thank you.”

I received the towel, wiped off my sweat, hung it around my neck, and then took the water.

The coldness that passed through my throat seemed to wake me up.

I returned the empty cup to Grave and looked at the finished lantern.

“Where should we put this?”

“I have a suggestion.”

“Hmm?”

***

“This was made by Liliana?”

“Yes.”

At Grave’s suggestion, the lantern would be hung in the entrance of the Sword of the Blue Sky.

This light fixture couldn’t be switched on and off like a magical tool, and it wasn’t suitable for indoor use due to the fact that it’d only shine when its surroundings grew dark.

Therefore, it was just perfect to illuminate the entrance way at night.

“Is this a good idea? The entrance to the building is a conspicuous place, after all.”

“Is that so?”

Grave smiled at my anxiousness.

With his eyes, he told me to look at somewhere else.

“Hee, isn’t this surprising?! So, blacksmiths are able to make various things?”

“It’s bright, fashionable, and good.”

They were Rigard and Teresia.

While looking at the lantern, their expressions seemed happy.

“See?”

“…Yes.”

I felt relieved.

It’d be alright as long as the two of them approved.

While watching the three people talking happily with Anna, I recalled what Grave had said.

That was probably what he meant by other reasons.

“Aah…I see.”

As I looked at everyone, I realized something.

A lamp was different from a sword.

It could blend into someone’s everyday life.

Even if it wasn’t a sword, I could still make someone smile.

I could still please someone.

This was both pleasant and enjoyable.