Vol. 1 - Ch. 232 - Area 81 (3)

In the dimly lit mine, the rhythmic sound of a pickaxe striking stone echoes throughout the cavern, clang, clang, steady and constant.

The tool I had been wielding now was a small pickaxe called a “blade pick,” used primarily for digging shallow grooves at the start of the stone-cutting process.

The pickaxes commonly seen in games were typically the "double pick," whose tips were sharp and were "pointed" at the end. In contrast, the blade pick had a slender, vertical edge at the tip, forming a "line" rather than a "point."

First, I used the blade pick to carve out the spot where the stone will be cut. If following standard dimensions, the groove would be about 40 cm wide and 1.2 meters long.

Next, using the double pick, I carved along the groove to form a rectangular shape. After about 30 cm of digging, I struck eight wedges into the base from the sides. Then, I use a hammer with a flat head to drive the wedges in, lifting the stone free.

Finally, I trimmed both ends in 'quarter sawing' style to even out the size, and that completes the stone-cutting process.

Overall, to cut a single piece of reid stone, I needed to swing the pickaxe about 4,000 times. According to details I heard, even experienced stone masons could usually only cut around ten pieces a day.

"…Is it really that fun?"

Ignis-san inquired. He had been watching me intently swinging my pickaxe without a heed for the battle taking place.

"…Yes, it’s quite enjoyable. When you do this kind of monotonous, repetitive work, your mind somehow sharpens. Do you understand?"

Ignis squinted thoughtfully, then looked straight at me, his expression intrigued.

"I can’t say I fully get it… But, Ren, seeing you, it's pretty clear you've a firm grasp on yourself compared to your peers like Parry. You strike me as enigmatic. You really got me there when you asked to enter my apprenticeship, and for what? To learn how to swing pickaxe... not the martial art or ropes about exploration. ...It's something I would have never expected."

I only smiled wryly, omitting any reply, and switched to the double pickaxe.

Just as I believed, he was sharp. Well, you don't reach A-rank with normal standards after all. I doubt he would think I was some old ghost reincarnated, but it's better to speak less in such scenarios.

The steady rhythm of stone striking stone once again filled the mine.

"…Alright, let me give it a try. Seeing your face makes me want to swing a pickaxe again."

When Ignis-san took the pickaxe from me, the stonemasons nearby started murmuring.

It must have been something rare, as they all paused their work and turned to look at him.

Ignis casually shifted his left foot forward, adopting a stance. With a smooth motion, he swung the pickaxe over his right shoulder, and in that brief instant, time seemed to freeze as he brought it down in a perfect arc.

The sheer beauty of the trajectory left me momentarily stunned.

It’s hard to describe in words, but the arc, which had seemed to curve, smoothly shifted into a straight line pointing directly downward. The force transferred to the ground with perfect precision.

A sharp, high-pitched clink echoed through the mine cavern, and even workers far off in the distance stopped and looked over.

After striking the stone, he effortlessly returned the pickaxe to his right shoulder, using the slight rebound of his muscles, then paused for a split second before swinging it down again.

There was no sign of strain or effort – it looked as if he was simply using the pickaxe’s weight to let the motion flow naturally.

Despite that, the sound of the strike was unmistakably different from when I was swinging it. The force he applied was clearly far greater.

And his movements were flawless, as precise as if they had been stamped out by a machine, repeating without even the slightest tremor.

However, the spot where the stones were struck gradually shifted.

I glanced at Ignis-san's feet, and noticed he was changing his position with each swing, making use of the natural inertia from the backswing. His movements were so fluid that it’s almost as if he's breathing.

The stonemasons and guards in the mine, all of them, were completely captivated by his refined movements and the resonating sound, holding their breath in awe.

"…Well, that’s the gist of it."

After swinging the pickaxe for about five minutes, Ignis-san let out a slightly embarrassed smile and handed the pickaxe back to me by the handle.

"As always, there's no rivaling the beauty of the chief's stone-smithing. You’re lucky, kid. It’s rare for the chief himself to teach someone how to swing a pickaxe."

A senior-looking man, probably the site supervisor, and addressed as "Boss" by the other stone masons, approached. He placed a hand on my shoulder and gave a wry smile.

"Hmph, I’m not trying to make a big deal out of it, Bru. Simple tasks have their limits when it comes to verbal instruction. How many times you swing it... that’s what speaks in the end, despite any differences in skill or style."

"I get it, but just watching up close is enough to learn a lot. Of course, someone who’s always leading the way, like you, Chief, might not get that. By the way, kid… I’ve been meaning to ask, you’re using a pretty interesting tool. There’s no engraving on it, so where’d you get it from?"

Blu asked with interest while eyeing the pickaxe in my hand.

"En... engraving? Well, I bought this from a blacksmith named Bem, who works in the royal capital. Does it seem interesting to you?"

Bem was a field blacksmith I stumbled upon while casually looking for the 'cliched' blacksmith character in the eastern slums of the royal capital.

A "field blacksmith" was one who crafts a variety of items, ranging from farming and fishing tools to forest knives and daily necessities.

According to Lynd, Bem is skilled, but he’s a bit of a stubborn old man. If you’re not careful, he’d try to swindle you with your change, and because of that, the kids from the «Apple» don’t like him.

Of course, he’s not a famous blacksmith.

I had respect for Bem’s passion for his craft, but I didn't think this pickaxe would attract the gaze of a veteran stone mason?

After all, it’s a cheap, used tool that doesn’t even have any magic iron worked into it.

"Bem? Never heard of him… But this is clearly no mass-produced item, it’s clearly custom-made to fit your hand. If you listen to the sound, you can tell it’s well-crafted. But the material being regular iron bothered me. The effort and skill just don’t match up with the average metal."

Of course, he wouldn’t have heard of him. A guy working as a field blacksmith in the slums of the royal capital was hardly someone a Dragreid craftsman would know.

I mean, I was happy to hear the tools I took trouble to send from Royal Capital were appreciated, but... it sounds more like exaggeration at this point. 

Bem did mention something about reforging a cast-off, broken piece of junk in his spare time…

"Well… Bem is quite a stubborn field blacksmith working in the slums of the royal capital, so it would be a surprise you'd heard about him. This pickaxe was a cheap 190 Real, though. The good sound is probably because of Ignis-san's skill…"

When I said that honestly, Blu looked at me with a puzzled expression.

"A-a slum blacksmith? I have spent a huge chunk of my life working on these stones. I need but a glance to tell this is a custom-made piece that fits your reach and Body Strengthening technique. And you’re saying it cost 190 Real? What kind of business is that blacksmith running?"

Looks like Bem really did put a lot of care into making this for me.

Now I felt guilty for haggling and being proud of getting it for half the price. I heard he's quite stingy, so when he said 250, I argued.

"Would you mind if I give it a try as well?"

Satowa asked, listening to our conversation from the sideline, so I passed it to him. 

With impressive precision, Satowa swung the pickaxe with the right posture, and the sound of clang echoed beautifully, bringing a grin on his face.

"...That's a pleasant sound. Not too hard, but not too soft either. Just as Bru-san said, the balance has clearly been designed with the user in mind. You must be a frequent customer of his shop, aren't you, Ren-kun?"

"Y-yeah. I am a noob to speak anything about the quality of tools, but I can tell that Bem-san's passion for his craft is genuine. He's an older guy now, and he’s been running his business in the slums, helping people with little money for years. I doubt he'll ever get the recognition he deserves... but I support him."

As I said this, Satowa’s eyes sparkled with interest.

"Heh? It's a surprise there's someone you appraise him so highly, and he's from a slum... that's a surprising find."

"...Hmm, someone working with the poor in the slums, huh? I’m usually not picky about tools, but now I’m starting to get curious about this Bem guy. Maybe next time I’m in the capital, I’ll pay him a visit. Where's his workshop?"

Somehow, even Ignis-san had taken interest!

I had nothing but an unpleasant premonition where the conversation was heading, and hastily changed the topic.

"More importantly, the perfect timing, as if I’ve synchronized with the rhythm of the stone itself! Don’t you think I’m getting the hang of it?"

As I began swinging the pickaxe with enthusiasm, the three of them all shot me an exasperated gaze.

"What’s this 'stone breathing' nonsense? You think you can distract us with that?! No one cares a crap about the rhythm in stone digging! Hurry up and spit out where the workshop is—"

Bang!!

Just as I was caught up in that ridiculous exchange, an eerie, unfamiliar sound echoed through Area 81.

In an instant, Satowa and Ignis-san shifted into battle mode, racing toward the source of the sound near the underground lake.

I spread out my wind scanner, and caught the presence of two bulging, beady eyes barely peeking out from the water.

The moment I captured those eyes, I immediately threw down the pickaxe and grabbed my quiver.

In the next instant, an enormous, monstrous frog—so large it could probably swallow a cow whole—leaped out of the lake.

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