Chapitre 9: 9, Shoveling Dreams with Silver and Iron
I looked at the recipe for the shovel given to me by the leader. It detailed the required materials:
*Minimum required materials for shovel construction:
- Handle: 1 wooden or metal ingot
- Shaft: 1 wooden or metal ingot
- Blade: 1 metal ingot*
"Is the earth crystal a gem or metal?"
"The earth crystal has properties of both, so I recommend using it for the blade."
"Then I guess I'll make the shaft out of iron and the handle out of silver…"
Since I was in a fantasy world, I wanted to use fantastical materials, but as a low-level character, I could only gather iron and silver.
"It seems wasteful to have a high-rarity blade paired with low-rarity handle and shaft. Why not make the whole shovel out of high-quality materials? If you lack materials and money, I could just put it on Lily's tab."
"No way! I don't want to burden my sister like that! She's just being a little wild in this world, but in reality, she's cool and poised!"
"Poised...? Hahaha! That? That's poised? Hahaha! No way! Hahaha!"
Hearing the leader's booming laughter made me wonder if it was worth laughing that hard. At this point, I was starting to become curious about my sister's antics in this world…
"Haha... I'm sorry, but I haven't laughed this hard in a while. As a token of our friendship, let me give you these mithril and silver ingots."
"Are you sure?"
I can't shake the feeling that there's something behind this...
"Of course. Besides, iron and silver are just ore, right? If you don't turn them into ingots, you can't use them to make a shovel. You want to move on from your starting gear, don't you? You should accept your senior's kindness."
"O-Okay. I'll gladly accept your generosity, Leader. I want to become stronger so I can protect Phoebe."
With a sense of being pushed into it, I took the two ingots, feeling their weight. I wondered if I could work them with the hammer I currently had.
"Hey, can I use this hammer to process these ingots?"
"Is that hammer the one Lily ordered? If so, you should be able to. It's a quality hammer made from good materials, designed to work with low-level gear. Of course, if you want to use higher-tier materials, you'll need a new hammer."
So, Lily had really thought this through and prepared well.
"Next, we need either wood for fuel or magical energy. Yesterday, Lily started a fire using magic, but Lena, do you have over 300 MP? Or a large amount of regular wood or high-rarity wood?"
"I have none of those."
"My magical power isn't suited for fire, so I may not be much help."
Oh no, have I been underprepared? Or is Phoebe just not compatible with fire magic?
"Well then, I might not be able to assist with healing, but I can provide magical fuel."
"I'm sorry for all the trouble…"
My inexperience is really showing through my lack of knowledge and preparation. But thanks to the leader's support, I might be able to start crafting after all.
"Oh, and there's one more favor I must ask. If I happen to vanish again, I'll be at the entrance of the city. Could you meet me there with Phoebe?"
"…Ah, right. If the same situation occurs as last time, I'll have to connect that fairy with Lena. Understood."
It feels a bit nerve-wracking to ask someone I've just met, but as long as I don't fall, everything will be fine… I need to focus on staying upright.
Following the leader's instructions, I set the ingots and recipe into the crafting machine.
"Honestly, just setting this up and hitting the finish button to complete it… it's like a game, so I guess it's allowed…"
I feel a sense of unease at the difference from reality, but I activate the machine and quickly move to the anvil.
"Phoebe, let's give it our all together!"
"Yes! I'm starting to get the hang of it from last time. I'll do my best!"
The air heats up around us. Next, I need to focus so I don't fall… It's important to stay determined; my resilience will make all the difference.
Heavy chunks of bright red metal, speckled with patches of white, were brought to the anvil, and I began to hammer them into shape!
"Regenerate, Fairy Wish, Slip Guard, Power Up!"
Phoebe's support spells were piling up, giving me a sense of reassurance as I swung the hammer. Unlike before, there were fewer sparks flying—was that due to the difference in materials or my skill level? While such thoughts flitted through my mind, I let instincts guide my movements, swinging the hammer as a tingling shock ran through my arms, but I kept going.
"Phoebe, if possible, cast a spell to stop my arms from going numb!"
"Yes! Stun Guard!"
This time, unlike my frantic first attempt, I felt a bit more composed as I forged. The shape was coming together nicely. Could I keep this up? Just then, I heard the same unfamiliar voice from last time. "Heat it up all at once, then strike the blade's edge with everything you've got, and cool it down in one go!" I had no idea why this was happening or who was speaking. Still, it didn't feel ominous, so I followed the command, heating the metal fiercely before bringing the hammer down with all my strength!
"Element Boost!"
As Phoebe shouted, the hammer met the metal with a brilliant shower of sparks that flew everywhere, the heat biting into my skin, but I ignored the sting and quickly cooled it down. When the finishing button appeared, I pressed the icon.
"Ha... ha... I'm still alive, right…?"
As I pressed the finishing button, a wave of nausea washed over me, and I sank to my knees, but it seemed I had managed to avoid death. I could hear the sound signaling my level-up, but I felt too drained to celebrate. Phoebe looked over at me, concern etched on her face.
"Are you okay, Lena? Regenerate!" she urged.
"I'm fine. My stamina won't drop any further…" I replied, though the fatigue weighed heavily on me. I knew I should address that mysterious voice, but I just didn't have the strength.
"Great job! Watching an NPC and a player work together to finish weapons is always astounding. You don't see that everywhere," she said.
"Is that so, Leader?" I asked, intrigued.
"Yeah, normally, when players learn crafting skills, they teach themselves or exchange information with other players. Working alongside an NPC like this is almost unheard of, so it was really interesting to watch," he explained.
As I caught my breath, I picked up the newly crafted, translucent yellow shovel and checked its stats.
**Nameless Land Shovel**
*Attribute: Earth*
*Stats: Attack +15, Magic +10*
*Special Effects: Increased Gathering (Medium), Work Efficiency (Medium), Defense Increase (Minor), Luck Increase (Minor), Substitute ()*
This was Lena's shovel, imbued with the power of earth and protection. With a swing, it could probably dig through any ground.
Oh, while its stats may not be as impressive as last time, it has no drawbacks and numerous special effects! However, I noticed a blank space where the "substitute" effect should be. Curious, I decided to investigate.
"Substitute()
When a specified ally is within a radius of 3 meters, all damage is absorbed. The name of the specified ally goes in the parentheses, and you can change it only once a day."
Wow!! This is amazing! It's a highly useful special effect to protect Phoebe!
"What should I name it...?"
"Hmm, how about Archie Spoon?"
"If I go with Spoon, it'll have a different connotation. Maybe I'll stick with Archie."
Taking part of Phoebe's suggestion, I named the shovel Archie. Gripping Archie, I swung it a few times. Unlike the previous shovel, this one felt incredibly comfortable in my hands. With this, conquering caves should be a breeze—I felt overconfident.
"Thanks, Phoebe! I really couldn't have made such a great shovel without your support."
"I'm so glad I could help! Lena, your hammer swinging was impressive too!"
"You two seem really close… It's hard to believe you just met yesterday."
While they complimented each other, the leader interjected. Well, I suppose being close is a good thing?
"Sigh, if you were higher level, I would've recruited you to the team…"
"What kind of activities does the team with Lily engage in?"
I asked the leader, who was sighing deeply, about something that had been on my mind.
"Our team is simply focused on collaborating to complete quests. We have a pretty high-level group of players, so if I were to bring Lena and her friends in on my own, it might create some resentment. That's why… would you like to be friends?"
Suddenly, a system window popped up in front of me.
*'You have received a friend request from Lydia.'*
"Yes, I'd be happy to! Thank you, Leader!"
I accepted the request from the leader.
"You can call me Lydia, you know? And here, take this."
*'You received the following gifts from Lydia:
- Key to Team: Zero Order's Workshop
- Druid's Sewing Kit
- Silversmith's workbench
- 10 Magic Silk
- 2 Platinum Ores
- Ring Recipe
- Robe Recipe'*
I was handed seven items without ceremony.
"Wha—!? I can't accept all of this!"
"Don't worry about it; they're just hand-me-downs. It's better for a junior who enjoys this world to use them. The key will let you access your home and the town's entrance through the magic circle. And if a stranger asks where you got that key, just say you got it from the leader."
"If you're going that far… Thank you for the hand-me-downs. I appreciate it."
"Thank you for the gift for Lena."
With a bow of gratitude, Phoebe followed suit, lowering her head as well.
"Right, Lena hasn't learned sewing or crafting skills yet. I can teach you if you're interested. You won't be able to make armor stronger than gym clothes right away, but it's definitely something worth knowing."
"Is that okay? Don't you have other obligations, Leader?"
"I finished my plans for the morning, so no problem! Don't hesitate to ask your seniors for help!"
And so it was decided that I would be taught sewing by the Leader. Sewing isn't as complicated as blacksmithing; apparently, the better you follow the guide to quickly and accurately cut and sew fabric, the better the result. Imagination is also important.
In crafting with metal, it involves shaping, bending, or engraving designated forms, while with leather or cloth, you cut and inscribe according to the guide. Essentially, as long as you follow the guide promptly, you'll be fine.
"Lena has gained Crafting Level 1 and Sewing Level 1."
"You really have a knack for this! Earning Level 1 after just one practice!"
"It's thanks to your guidance, Leader."
If I'm going to do this, I'd like to create something with both sewing and crafting… though all I have are recipes for a robe and a ring.
"Should I try making Phoebe a robe?"
"Wait, are you making my robe?"
Even if I create my own, its quality will likely be low, and I probably won't wear it. It's better to craft something stylish for Phoebe.
"I wonder what it will turn out like?"
"That's the fun part—working together like we did at the forge!"
"Of course! I'll support you with my enhancement magic!"
"Oh, if we're sewing, it's easier to do it at that workbench."
Motivated to work with Phoebe, I followed our leader's direction and approached the workbench. I pulled out the enchanted sewing box that our leader had given me and checked the recipe.
**Minimum Material Requirements for Robe Manufacture:**
- Fabric, Leather, or Hide x2
That's right. During our first battle, I picked up rabbit hide. I might as well use one of those for the robe and combine it with the magical silk I got from the leader.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone