NOVEL NEXT chapter 17
Chapter 17
Five days have passed since I stopped entering Gaga-san’s workshop.
I’ve already completed my initial goal of gathering materials for [Gathering] and [Alchemy]. The excess materials that don’t fit in my [Storage] are now piled up in the luxurious coffin inside the carriage.
Originally, that fancy coffin was supposed to serve as a save point, but since we can’t log out anymore, it’s now completely useless.
So using it as a regular toolbox shouldn’t be a problem.
By the way, I’ve confirmed that items don’t disappear when you’re sent back.
Otherwise, I’d be too scared to use it.
“…………”
Meanwhile, Gaga-san seems to be struggling quite a bit.
His tongs are melting, and he’s broken several hammers.
He even said he had to remake his tools with mithril alloy because he couldn’t work otherwise.
Now he’s finally at the polishing stage, but it’s been two days of just polishing.
Gaga-san declared, “I’ll definitely finish it today!” but I heard the same thing yesterday.
Well, I’m sitting here by the riverside with a fishing line, trying to prepare something delicious for a small celebration after he finishes.
“…………”
By the way, among fish, I prefer ayu over tuna, salmon, sea bream, or flounder.
Especially salt-grilled ayu.
That fluffy white flesh with crispy skin, seasoned only with salt yet so flavorful. It’s been my favorite since I first tried it during a family camping trip in elementary school.
So my secret plan is to eat salt-grilled ayu while celebrating the completion of Gaga-san’s sword.
It’s a sophisticated strategy to decorate the table with my favorite food under the guise of celebrating Gaga-san!
“………… Let’s go home.”
Yeah. I was naive to think, “If I just drop a fishing line in the stream, I’ll catch something.”
To begin with, I’m afraid of insects, so there’s no way I could bait the hook!
I want to punch myself for optimistically thinking that I could catch fish without bait in this game system! I didn’t get a single bite!
Carrying the ridiculously light fishing rod, I walk through the night forest, wondering what to do about tonight’s dinner.
It’s already dark after spending all that time not catching any fish.
Well, at least I gained the [Fishing] skill, so it wasn’t a complete waste.
But it’s frustrating!
Gaga-san will probably be disappointed that I couldn’t produce results with the fishing gear he lent me…
Sigh, I’m sorry.
It’s because the user is a novice.
“Oh…?”
When I return to Gaga-san’s workshop, one of the workshop doors is left wide open.
Gaga-san’s workshop has various contraptions, as he designed and built it himself.
For example, the [Smithing] workshop and the kitchen for [Cooking] are separated by just one wall, allowing the remaining heat from the forge to be used in the kitchen’s oven.
He even added a back door to the workshop because he found it annoying to go around to the charcoal hut, and connected the workshop to the living room with a door…
Well, there are all sorts of modifications.
One of these clever features is a door that connects directly from outside to the workshop…
And that door is wide open.
“Is he ventilating because it got too hot?”
Blacksmithing involves using a lot of fire, so the workshop is always hot.
That’s why they sometimes open the door after finishing work, but…
Something seems… off…?
My intuition is sounding alarm bells loudly.
What? What am I missing?
“That’s…”
My gaze fixates on a black stain near the door on the floor.
The moment I notice it, I drop the fishing gear and dash towards the door!
“Is this… blood!? Gaga-san!”
I rush into the workshop in a panic.
Gaga-san is a first-class craftsman.
He always took great care of his tools.
The tools are neatly arranged, and the workshop itself is designed so you can instantly see where everything is.
I even felt a kind of artistry in this meticulously calculated workspace.
But that orderly space was nowhere to be seen.
The place has been brutally ransacked, with what looks like blade marks and signs of destruction everywhere.
In the center of this devastated workshop, I find Gaga-san collapsed in a pool of blood.
“Gaga-san!”
The blood drains from my entire body.
I hurry over to check his pulse, but I can’t tell anything.
After all, I’m an amateur!
Where and how am I supposed to press on his wrist!?
“Ugh… uh…”
Perhaps because I moved his body to check his pulse, a sound escapes from Gaga-san’s mouth.
He’s not dead yet! In that case!
“[Heal Light]!”
Heal, heal, heal, heal, heal…!
I don’t know if it’s based on the Spirit stat or the Magic Attack stat, but all my stats are over 100!
So please! Heal…!
Gaga-san’s wounds gradually close as he’s showered in light.
It seems he was slashed all over by blades, covered in sharp wounds, but the worst was his right arm, his dominant hand.
While the wounds on his body closed, only that area was left with a scar…
I bite my lip, feeling helpless.
It’s because of my lack of power… I’m sorry, Gaga-san…
“Ah… Yamamoto…”
“Gaga-san, are you awake!? Are you okay!? Does it hurt anywhere!?”
“Sorry…”
“It’s okay! It’s okay! I’ll clean up the workshop, and I’ll make a delicious dinner too! So-”
Cheer up!
I was trying to encourage him, but Gaga-san, who had opened his eyes, was shedding copious tears.
Why? Why is Gaga-san crying?
Say “Shut up” like you always do.
Hit me lightly like you always do…
Or does it still hurt?
If so, I can use [Heal Light] as many times as needed!
“The sword… the sword I was making for you… was stolen…”
“It’s okay! The sword doesn’t matter! We can forge another one, can’t we? More importantly, your health is-”
“It’s not okay…! It was a sword I forged for you…! What kind of blacksmith lets their sword get stolen…!”
He yelled at me.
I know that.
But I’m more worried about Gaga-san!
We can just forge another sword, right?
That’s what I truly thought, but Gaga-san had been pouring his entire soul into forging that sword for the past few days.
Even if he forged another sword with the same feelings… it probably wouldn’t be the same as the stolen one.
It wouldn’t be the sword that Gaga-san forged thinking of me, for me…
“Anyway, let’s get you to your bedroom. Please rest for now, okay?”
“Ugh… guh… uuu…”
Gaga-san covers his face with his arm and cries.
As if lamenting his own incompetence for failing to protect the sword, Gaga-san kept crying until I got him to his bedroom.
But just as I was about to leave the bedroom, I could clearly hear Gaga-san’s regretful whisper, “I’m sorry…”
After laying Gaga-san down on his bed, I quietly left his workshop, took a deep breath, and opened my status screen.
Name: Yamamoto
Race: Dullahan (Fairy)
Gender: ♀
Age: 0
LV: 19
HP: 1390/1390
MP: 1385/1390
SP: 36
Physical Attack: 151 (+12)
Magical Attack: 139
Physical Defense: 154 (+15)
Magical Defense: 152 (+13)
Vitality: 139
Agility: 139
Intuition: 139
Spirit: 139
Fate: 139
Unique Skill: [Balance]
Race Skill: [Carriage Summon]
Common Skills: [Smithing] Lv5 / [Alchemy] Lv5 / [Compounding] Lv5 / [Appraisal] Lv5 /
[Storage] Lv5 / [Fire Magic] Lv5 / [Water Magic] Lv5 / [Wind Magic] Lv5 /
Common Skills: [Smithing] Lv5 / [Alchemy] Lv5 / [Compounding] Lv5 / [Appraisal] Lv5 /
[Storage] Lv5 / [Fire Magic] Lv5 / [Water Magic] Lv5 / [Wind Magic] Lv5 / [Earth Magic] Lv5 /
[Light Magic] Lv5 / [Dark Magic] Lv5 / [Cooking] Lv5 / [Yamamoto Style] Lv5 /
[Mining] Lv5 / [Gathering] Lv5 / [Crafting] Lv5 / [Leatherworking] Lv5 / [Woodworking] Lv5 /
[Engraving] Lv5 / [Sculpting] Lv5 / [Fishing] Lv5
▶Do you want to acquire the [Tracking] skill Lv1?
…This game’s system is truly incredible.
It understands what I desire most right now and offers a way to achieve it.
▶[Tracking] skill Lv1 acquired.
▶[Balance] has been activated.
Adjusting skill balance.
▶[Escape] skill Lv1 acquired.
▶[Balance] has been activated.
Adjusting skill level balance.
▶[Tracking] skill has become Lv5.
▶[Escape] skill has become Lv5.
Normally, I’d retort at [Balance], but I’m not in the mood for that now.
“34 SP left…”
I was trying to reflect on my actions earlier…
But it’s no use.
I realize that no matter how hard I try to calm down, there’s a part of me that can’t.
“Conflict only occurs between those of the same level, huh?”
Is it because we’re on equal footing that I’m so angry?
Is that why I can’t calm down?
Should I stand on a different level then?
Name: Yamamoto
Race: Dullahan (Fairy)
Gender: ♀
Age: 0
LV: 19
HP: 2070/2070
MP: 2065/2070
SP: 0
Physical Attack: 219 (+12)
Magical Attack: 207
Physical Defense: 222 (+15)
Magical Defense: 220 (+13)
Vitality: 207
Agility: 207
Intuition: 207
Spirit: 207
Fate: 207
Unique Skill: [Balance]
Race Skill: [Carriage Summon]
Common Skills: [Smithing] Lv5 / [Alchemy] Lv5 / [Compounding] Lv5 / [Appraisal] Lv5 /
[Storage] Lv5 / [Fire Magic] Lv5 / [Water Magic] Lv5 / [Wind Magic] Lv5 / [Earth Magic] Lv5 /
[Light Magic] Lv5 / [Dark Magic] Lv5 / [Cooking] Lv5 / [Yamamoto Style] Lv5 /
[Mining] Lv5 / [Gathering] Lv5 / [Crafting] Lv5 / [Leatherworking] Lv5 / [Woodworking] Lv5 /
[Engraving] Lv5 / [Sculpting] Lv5 / [Fishing] Lv5 / [Tracking] Lv5 / [Escape] Lv5
“I don’t get it”
I thought I had stepped onto a higher level, but in the end, I don’t feel like the murky emotions inside me have cleared up.
No, from the moment I acquired the [Tracking] skill, I had already decided what I wanted to do.
Sigh…
I take a deep breath to calm my heart.
Thanks to the [Tracking] skill, I can see faint glowing footprints leading into the forest.
If I follow those, I’ll probably find the person I’m looking for.
My intuition tells me so.
So now, it’s just a matter of whether I do it or not.
“I’m sorry, but that’s not for sale. So, I’ll be taking it back, okay?”
A bit humorously, but with all my might.
I quietly start running into the night forest.