Chapter 21: Dust, Sweat, and Magical Ink
Greatness is not hidden in a single swing of a sword... but in the thousandth strike of a rivet...
In every drop of sweat that falls... and in the laughter of comrades that washes away the fatigue...
For that is the truest magic of creation.
— From "The Philosophy of the Blacksmith"
The first week of the mission passed like a whirlwind.
My father's shed had effectively become our small command center and factory.
Leo and Thorin returned with a pile of river stones they had collected from the stream behind the village. Both of them were filthy, but their eyes were filled with pride.
Maya and Elwin were not to be outdone. They came back with sticky glowing pine resin and sparkling quartz powder, with Maya's long sleeves notably speckled with the glowing sap.
"Amazing, everyone!" I praised. "This is excellent material... Now for the most boring part."
The initial phase was "material preparation."
We had to wash every stone... polish their surfaces until they were smooth enough to inscribe runes on... It was repetitive, manual labor, but doing it together... filled with the chatter and laughter of friends... it wasn't as boring as I thought.
[...You have learned 'Teamwork'... ]
[...Social skills have slightly increased...]
[...MP is restoring slowly but continuously...]
The most difficult part was "mixing the magical ink."
I used chemical knowledge from my past life... calculating the most precise ratio of pine resin, quartz powder, and ordinary black ink.
"We have to keep the temperature constant... stir slowly in one direction... don't let any air bubbles form," I instructed, like a lab supervisor.
Elwin... with his light and steady hands... took on the main role of mixing, while the others helped monitor the temperature and prepare the ingredients.
"It's so sticky, Faelix!" Maya complained.
"Be patient... If we make even a small mistake in the mix... the ink's 'mana conductivity' will be reduced by more than half," I explained.
And then... came the most crucial step... inscribing the runes.
I used [Gaze of Structure] to see the "energy grid" hidden within each stone, then marked the most suitable points for inscribing the runes.
"Lunaria... give it a try... Slowly trace the lines I've marked with the chisel... No need to rush... just be as steady and consistent as possible."
Lunaria nodded... took a deep breath, and began.
Her hands, which had once only held a sword... now held the small chisel with an incredible firmness and gentleness.
She wasn't fast... but every line she carved... was sharp and perfectly deep.
[...Lunaria is practicing the 'Runic Engraving' skill... Proficiency is increasing...]
"Amazing..." I murmured without realizing. "You might have a talent for this."
She looked up and gave me a small smile. "Maybe it's because I have a good guide."
I felt my face grow a little warm...
[...MP restored by 5 points...]
Of course, it wasn't all smooth sailing.
There were times when I became so engrossed in calculating the complex ward structures that [Hyperfocus] would kick in... and the "Shadow" would begin to creep in.
But every time I started to sink... someone's voice would call out.
"Faelix! Time for a break with my dad's bread! This recipe is just as good as Mr. Ronan's!"
(Maya)
"Hey! Come look at this! I found a weirdly shaped rock!"
(Leo, pointing at Thorin, who was sitting stone-faced and stoic, perfectly mimicking the pose of the statue in the town square.)
Or sometimes... it was just Lunaria quietly handing me a glass of cold water.
They were the small "anchors"... that always pulled me back to reality.
Day after day... the pile of completed runestones grew taller...
We worked together... laughed together... and grew tired together...
It wasn't just a mission... It was the creation of "memories" together.
One night... after everyone had gone home... Father walked into the shed.
He looked at the pile of runestones, now nearly complete, with an unreadable expression.
"You all... have done much better than I thought," he said flatly.
He picked up one of the stones to examine it... Lunaria's carving was beautiful and precise.
"Talent... is not meant for shouldering everything alone... Sometimes... knowing how to 'share' the burden... and 'trust' in your comrades... is the greatest talent of all."
Father put the stone down... and patted my shoulder gently before leaving.
> You have learned an important lesson from 'Aether'...
> Understanding of 'Friendship' and 'Teamwork' has increased...
> WIS increased by 3 points!
> MP restored by 20 points!
I watched him go...
I understood now... This mission... Vulcan didn't just want me to build a protective ward...
He... and my father and mother... were teaching me the most important lesson of all...
The lesson... that would allow me to stand on the battlefield of life... without having to fight alone.