Ttang!

I hammered a block of molten steel into shape under the guidance of Dhorin. The smithy is filled with sounds of hammering as usual.

“You’re doing a great job for yourself.” Dhorin praised my skills.

“Thanks.”

It has been a week now since I started learning under Dhorin. He told me I had tremendous talent in craftsmanship. In only one day, I’ve succeeded in crafting a complete sword. Although the sword wasn’t anything special it had no blemishes that are expected from a beginner’s first article.

I was quite surprised at my talent. I thought swordsmanship and magic were fraudulent enough. Did I actually receive a cheat when I reincarnated? But there’s no indication of such a thing so I just accepted it as is.

I continued to hone my skills at Dhorin’s smithy for the past week and I came up with a bunch of ideas regarding blacksmithing. Things such as tempering metal using mana. It seems the blacksmithing techniques have been quite traditional even in this world of swords and magic.

It could be because most craftsmen don’t have the ability to use mana. Magic swords exist in this world, but it was crafted using metals that naturally contain or have high affinity with mana instead of using techniques that utilizes mana.

Could it be that no one has ever thought about it? No, I asked Dhorin about it and it seems that this idea has been proposed many times by craftsmen in the past but no one actually has the ability to make it real.

“Teach,” I called Dhorin while hammering the steel in front of me.

“What do you need?”

“Could you tell me about the ideas of utilizing mana in blacksmithing?”

“Sure, but why?” Dhorin asked curiously.

“I want to try some things.”

Can I pioneer a new path for blacksmithing too in this life? I showed an excited smile to Dhorin while he explains the ideas of the great craftsmen to me.

One of the ideas was to simply imbue mana into the hammer when tempering steel. Listening to the idea, I had to agree on the difficulty to implement this method since not just anyone has the ability to control mana at that level without busting the hammer and steel. Anyone that does choose to become a mage instead of a blacksmith.

However, I am an exception. I could easily control mana at that level. Carefully, I started imbuing mana into the hammer I’m holding. I hit the glowing steel with the mana imbued hammer. Dhorin looked surprised as he witnessed the unbelievable scene in front of him.

I was tempering steel with mana. A blue glow appeared on the surface of the steel and become purple when mixed with the red glow of hot steel. I keep hammering and the glow became stronger. There are sounds of hammering everywhere around me but I didn’t lose focus as I’ve done the same thing for a whole week now.

Ttang!

Ttang!

Ttang!

The hammering noises kept going for the whole day until only the sounds of my hammering were heard in the smithy.

When it was done, I stood up holding the completed sword. It was a katana. Its dark blue blade glimmered in the dark room. It was beautiful.

“It’s beautiful.” Dhorin agreed with me.

The first sword made using the unorthodox technique. Although this method is only possible because of my precise mana control.

“What shall you name the sword, young lord?” Dhorin was excited for me to name this masterpiece.

“Night.” I briefly said.

“The dark blade that glows reminiscent of the night sky,” Dhorin muttered under his breath.

Dhorin seemed to understand my naming sense. I smiled and put Night into the sheathed I made alongside it.

“I’m tired. Let’s go home.” I exited the smithy with Dhorin.

The other dwarves were waiting outside the smithy. It seems they finished their work early because Dhorin told them to not disturb my work. I made friends with the dwarves during my week of studying under Dhorin and they all admit my talent in blacksmithing so they were excited to see my finished work. That’s why they’re waiting outside even though their works are finished for today. Henderson was there too since he’s my bodyguard.

I was moved by their gesture. I unsheathed the blade and showed it to them. They all marveled at the beauty of Night.

“What an amazing blade.” one of the dwarves, Alfor, praised it.

“The young master is amazing.” Henderson agreed with him.

Alfor was one of the apprentices in the smithy, he’s my closest friend at the smithy as our age gap is the closest out of any other dwarves there. He’s three years older than me.

“Of course it is, it is my masterpiece after all,” I replied to Alfor’s statement.

“Hey, you have to teach me how to do it later,” Alfor said jokingly.

“Sure thing, we’re friends after all.” I returned the joke with a serious reply.

Alfor smiled at my remarks and suggested to the other dwarves to have a feast to celebrate the production of Night.

Later that night I gorged myself with the other dwarves in a feast held in a local pub. I drank only apple juice.

***

“Now that I think about it, Harry, I haven’t trained my magic at all do I?” I asked Harry at the lab.

“That’s right. We’ve been focusing so much on the breathing technique research we never made any progress in your magic circle at all, young master.”

“Well, that sucks.”

“We could start today since we have finished the breathing technique research. Of course, further research can be done but we have time for the young master’s magic lessons now.” Harry suggested.

“Then let’s do it now.”

I can’t believe I forgot about my first goal after reincarnating. Well, can’t be helped since I was busy researching about cultivating qi with Harry. And the research paid off too.

Let’s start the construction of my magic circle now.

***

I’m sitting cross-legged under the usual training tree. Harry was with me to guide my magic circle construction.

“Since we have finished all the basics in your lessons, it should be easy for the young master. Just do as I taught you before. Absorb mana from your surroundings and construct the first magic circle using the absorbed mana. Usually, a higher circle mage would help with the mana control and construction but the young master’s talent in mana control surpasses even the Count. Young master shouldn’t have any problem doing it yourself.” Harry gave me a long lecture before starting.

“However, the young master still needs to be careful. Focus throughout the whole process.” he even cautioned me.

“Alright.” I nodded.

“I would be here in case anything goes wrong, but I trust the young master,” Harry reassured me again.

I closed my eyes and started feeling mana around me. Mana was absorbed into my mana veins and I controlled the flow of mana inside my body. The mana moved towards my heart where the middle dantian is. It is where I will construct a magic circle meant to induce resonance with mana in nature and transmitting my mental image of the magical phenomena created by the resonance of mana.

I carefully but easily controlled mana and constructed the magical circuit around my heart. Slowly, my first circle was completed.

Boom!

Just from the completion of my first circle, mana around me became excited and produced a strong pushing force centered around me. The explosion caused a loud sound.

Harry was safe as he sensed the excited mana around me and quickly retreated.

I calmed the excited mana and opened my eyes. I looked around to see Harry not far away smiling. He approached me.

“Congratulations, young master, you’re a first circle mage from now on.” Harry congratulated me while bowing slightly.

“Thanks. By the way, what was that explosion?”

“When a mage with a certain level of mana control constructed their first circle, it is certainly normal for mana to become excited when the process is completed. It’s probably because of a high mana affinity.”

“I never heard anything like that in the lessons.” I looked at Harry suspiciously.

How dare he not teach me everything? Should I prank him later?

“That is because usually, the excitement of the mana wasn’t at the level of causing an explosion centered around the mage as it did just now. Perhaps it just shows the young master’s astonishing talent.” Harry said with a tinge of awe in his tone.

“Hmm.” I nodded.

I do admit my considerable talent in magic and swordsmanship. Heck, I even found out about my talent in blacksmithing.

“Then wouldn’t my parents be worried about the loud explosion?” I asked Harry.

“Don’t worry about it, I have installed a sound barrier magic when the young master started constructing his magic circle,” Harry said with a smug look on his face.

“Doesn’t that mean that you expected something to happen? Then why did you look so amazed just now.” I looked suspiciously at Harry.

“I did expect something considering the young master’s talent, but seeing it for real is another thing.” Harry made a good point.

“That’s fair.”

“Well, since nobody knows yet let’s brag to father.” I invited Harry to show off to my father.

“But it’s dinner time.”

“Is it?” I saw the sun that was about to set.

I guess I’ll brag to both of my parents during dinner.

“Let’s go to dinner then. We’ll brag to mother and Rodwell too.”

Harry looked excited as he followed me. I guess there’s a childish side to him too. Although it was my idea.

Later that night, laughter was heard from the dining room when I showed off my magic to my father with a smug look. Rodwell looked amazed though. I didn’t really care my parents laughed at my bragging, I was just having fun anyway. Besides, I could sense that they’re actually proud of me. It was a nice feeling.