Chapter 25.2

Thud, thud, thud.

Once the skiving was complete, I began the equally crucial task of beveling the edges.

This process strengthens the leather, ensuring it won’t crack over time. It’s tedious and time-consuming but indispensable for durability.

Thud, thud, thud.

With my maxed-out dexterity stats, everything was progressing smoothly.

Every step of the process was executed with precision beyond measure, faster and more accurate than any machine.

Repeatedly, I skived, beveled, and compressed layers of monster hide into a single, unified piece of leather.

After what felt like hours of cutting and shaping, I pulled out a brazier and threw in a magic stone to create a makeshift furnace.

Fwoosh!

This marked the start of the most critical stage—the process that would elevate this bag beyond an ordinary leather accessory: the magic stone coating.

This part will require a fair bit of luck. And the stones I’m using now are mid-grade. It won’t be as easy as it was with the golden carriage.

This process was a delicate balance, with success reliant on a 70:30 split between skill and luck.

Still, with my luck stat, the chances should be around 70-80%.

I melted the magic stone and carefully applied it to the interior and exterior of the leather, layering it evenly.

Swish, swish. Thump, thump.

Once the coating was applied, I etched mana circuits into the leather before the coating set.

Will it succeed on the first try?

Sweat formed on my brow as I focused on enchanting the mana circuits.

Roughly twenty minutes later…

Success!

I instinctively felt the enchantment take hold.

With the first round of enchanting complete, I moved on to stitching the bag together with linen thread.

In between, I added punches for durability, attached buttons and embellishments, and reinforced the base with plates made from the magic stone.

The liner was bonded to the outer leather, and every piece was assembled meticulously.

The work continued uninterrupted until the early morning hours.

“Phew… Is it already morning?”

Stretching, I gazed out at the Northern sunrise.

“I don’t even put this much effort into making my own spatial bag…”

Looking at the nearly completed leather bag, I muttered to myself in exhaustion.

The bag’s design resembled a Birkin bag from Earth but was smaller—about the size of two palms put together. It also lacked a handle, designed instead to be worn on a belt for ease of carrying.

“Just one final step to go.”

In the center of the bag was a socket, ready to hold a gemstone or some other focal piece.

It just doesn’t feel complete without something in that slot.

Taking a deep breath, I pulled out a fingernail-sized top-grade magic stone of neutral attribute from my pouch.

It was a trophy from the battle against the Empire’s Sigma forces.

“Second enchantment!”

The final and most crucial step began.

Using tools as fine as needles, I carved intricate mana circuits into the dazzling crystal.

I wish I could add a shield spell enchantment too, but… I lack the mithril or orichalcum to make that work.

I decided to focus on quantity over quality for the mana circuits.

Given my current resources, this will have to do.

The top-grade magic stone allowed for three mid-tier enchantments: engraving, self-cleaning, and self-repair.

To clarify, mid-tier magic here corresponds to magic standards from a hundred years into the future. Creating an artifact of this level now would require someone of Yulkanes’ caliber, the master of the Golden Tower.

With the stone coating on the bag and this gemstone combined, this bag should last for ten thousand years… assuming I succeed.

I allowed myself a small moment of pride. This bag could rival relics from the golden age, and in terms of practicality, it might even surpass them.

Luck stats and beginner’s grace have carried me so far without failure.

This was a unique artifact, something only I could create. And even then, it required immense luck and skill.

There’s no way I could do this again. My body can’t take this kind of intensive production process more than once.

The limitations of my current infrastructure had forced me into inefficient, overly taxing methods.

Still, I might be able to mass-produce simpler versions for profit. Maybe I’ll discuss it with the Grand Duchess later. Even the proud witches would comply if given orders from above.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

With a deep breath, I steadied my trembling hands for the final step. I prayed to my luck stat as I inserted the neutral magic stone into the bag’s socket.

And then…

Flash!

The bag radiated with an intense, dazzling light—the unmistakable glow of a resounding success.

***

Meanwhile, Arina was unable to sleep that night.

What if he’s disappointed in me?

She couldn’t stop dwelling on her cold behavior toward Arad the previous day, a decision she now deeply regretted.

Why am I acting like this? What’s wrong with me?

For the first time in her life, Arina grappled with emotions she couldn’t name or understand.

It was just the witches holding onto his arms. It’s something I should have been happy about.

She couldn’t explain why she had been upset and sullen.

Why did I ask that ridiculous question to Isabelle?

She cringed, recalling the question about whether a child could be born between an ancient and a modern human.

She had asked it solely to keep Arad tied to the North, even if it meant pairing him with someone else.

But Isabelle had clearly misinterpreted her intentions.

-“Because you’re so beautiful?”

The memory of Arad’s sudden, heartfelt comment in the Demonic Abyss resurfaced, and her face burned.

Arina had heard countless compliments about her beauty, but for some reason, his words lingered vividly in her mind.

“Ugh…”

Shaking her head violently, she tried to dispel the thoughts, clinging to logic and reason.

Arad possesses knowledge from the golden age. He must be recruited for the North’s sake—nothing more.

Even during yesterday’s meeting, she had sought his input only to see if he might have some groundbreaking solution as a supposed ancient.

I rejected his confession back then. And when we met again, he seemed to have accepted it and moved on.

Though she felt an inexplicable sense of regret and longing, Arina convinced herself that she had made the right choice.

It’s better for him this way.

She knew the Empire had targeted her relentlessly.

If Arad were to be associated with her, it would only invite more danger to him—someone already considered a high-risk figure by the Empire.

Knock, knock.

“Your Grace, Sir Arad Jin has requested an audience.”

A maid’s voice interrupted her thoughts, announcing the arrival of the very man who had dominated her mind.

“T-Tell him to wait a moment!”

Startled, Arina instinctively began searching for a mirror.