Free Web NovelChapter 34: "These guys can recall their memories,but why can’t I...?"
Using flint, Leo chipped away bit by bit.
The work was slow at first but the more he got used to it,the faster he moved.
Each strike sent a sharp vibration through his fingers. Dust gathered under his nails and sometimes the stone would splinter in ways he did not expect, forcing him to start again. But over time, his hands learned to listen.
He came to understand that good strike had a certain feel,a dull, controlled bite instead of a sharp, reckless snap.Even without knowing the language of craftsmen, Leo understood that each object had a nature, and the mold had to respect it.
Leo also learnt that stone did not forgive carelessness.
If he cut too deep, the mold weakened and could crack under heat.
Too shallow, and the iron would not fill it properly.
Too rough, and the final shape would come out flawed.
The shapes themselves taught him purpose. freewebnovёl.ƈom
A hammer head needed balance, weight at both ends.
A pot needed smooth curves, so it would not crack when heated.
A blade required straightness, a keen edge that could later be sharpened.
"That is not bad..."
The middle aged man complemented Leo’s work, as he checked on him.
The molds lay scattered at first glance, but there was an order to Leo’s work if one cared to look closely.
Closest to him were the forging molds, the tools meant to make other tools: an anvil mold, a hammer head mold, a saw mold, a door hinge mold, a window hinge mold, and a nail mold, each carved with careful intent, each line cut with patient strikes of stone against stone.
Beside them, forming a second cluster, were the kitchen molds: a small cooking pot, a medium cooking pot, and a large cooking pot, a spoon mold, a plate mold, a bowl mold, a cup mold, a medium sized bowl mold, a large size bowl mold, a tray mold, a small jar sized mold, a medium sized jar mold, a large sized jar mold, a small bucket mold, a medium sized bucket mold, a large sized bucket mold, and a pan mold.
Not far from those, set slightly apart as though meant for heavier work, were the farm molds: a hoe mold, a spade mold, a rake head mold, a sickle mold, a plough tip mold, a mattock head mold, a chisel mold, a crowbar mold, and a pickaxe head mold.
Finally, furthest from where he sat hunched, lay the weapons, their shapes sharper even in stone: a knife mold, a three inch wide and a foot long blade mold, a three inch wide and two and a half feet blade mold, a spear head mold, an arrow head mold, a shield mold, a dagger mold, a short sword mold, a long sword mold, and a mace head mold. Altogether they numbered forty, each one a promise of iron yet to take shape.
Leo took in his handy work before lying on his back.
"That’s tiring..."
He lamented.
"But fruitful..."
He smiled as he looked at the system notification that had popped up after finishing the last mold.
System Alert: You have crafted a rudimentary plough tip mold.
System Alert: You have received fifty experience points.
"Forty down,fifty more to go..."
Leo had not expected that curving out molds would be considered as crafting. But he could not complain,as this was a welcome. He needed to craft ninety more rudimentary items as to advance his craftsmanship class,and with the forty molds,he had fifty more crafts left.
And if he successfully forged the forty items,he will only need to craft ten more items,but already had an idea of the ten in mind.
"You have truly exceeded my expectations..."
Fort was stunned as he inspected the molds,one at a time. Though the first batch appeared a little bit rough,the later batches were more refined.
"Young lord has talent..."
The middle aged man thought as he put down the molds,and added two pieces of coal to the fire.
"These are just guides..."
"And may be considered as the easiest step at forging..."
"What comes next is the real work...’
The middle aged man said as he blew some air over the fire. This fire had been running from late noon. Over the fire were two iron ores. The two ores had turned red hot,but had yet to breakdown.
"These will take time..."
Fort said with a sigh. If they had had a smithy,these iron ores would have long broken down into slag.
"We need a smithy..."
The middle aged man thought as he let the fire be,from his estimation,it would take the iron ores a couple more hours. As for the young lord wish to forge all the forty equipment will have to be prolonged.
The iron ores were enough but the coal was not. They have already spent nine out of the twenty pieces of coal.
"Young lord, the he coal will not be enough..."
The middle aged man reported.
"With our current smelting method,we are not only going to waste coal but also time,but in future,with a smithy,we will be able to increase efficiency and cut on wastages..."
The man said as he looked into the distance,reminiscing on his memories.
"These guys can recall their memories,but why can’t I...?" freewebnovel.cσ๓
This thought flitted into Leo’s mind,but he quickly dismissed it when his stomach started rumbling.
"You two stand guard..."
Leo instructed Hu and Fort as he tore a piece of his worn out shirt and tied it to a wet branch. He lit it over the fire.
System Alert: You have crafted a rudimentary torch.
System Alert: You have received fifty experience points.
"Huh...!"
"It worked..."
With the torch lighting his way,Leo ran towards the hideout. He was going to check on Gemini and Miss Fortuna. Though the forest was filled with howls and roars,Leo was not scared, actually,he hoped that the beasts would be stupid enough as to attack him,as he needed to quickly level up.
