I briskly crossed the dark garden and headed to the Workshop.
The door was closed.
In my hand, Dolores's sock was clutched.
I had kept calling it a sock for convenience, but.
It would be better to think of it as a foot cover, or something like that, padded inside the equipment for the shoe area.
Strictly speaking, it was a type of equipment.
"…It is cold, though."
Tmir's Ice Footrest.
Even as I hold it, a cold energy seeps out.
It does seem like good equipment in many ways.
Both in appearance and performance.
The surface, made of blue mesh, was densely studded with ice crystals like jewels.
When the moonlight shone on it.
Sparkle.
Each crystal reflects light at a different angle.
"…Crazy."
I had felt it was extraordinary, but…
I didn't know the craftsmanship would be of this quality. Also, the outside is covered in ice-like jewels, so it is rough, but.
The inside is… smooth like velvet.
A structure crafted to handle cold while comfortably wrapping the foot.
Equipment that has captured function, aesthetics, and comfort all at once.
Equipment to replace this.
From now on, I had to make it.
Objectively looking back on my past process.
The replacement equipment for Gorgonue's White Gloves I made last time, the 'Apprentice Blacksmith's Warm Gloves,' was a result that owed a lot to luck.
There were relatively fewer parts to worry about, and the process was simple.
I mean that in retrospect, not that I couldn't make it.
But from now on, it won't be like that.
I have to do well in every field and every process.
I won't plan to finish it in one go.
"First…"
First, I start the process I had thought of from the beginning.
I intend to make warm socks, in the same context as the warm gloves.
It is a test of 'Will it be enough to make it just warm like last time?'
The Sun Dwarf's beginner sewing list has quite a lot.
Warm gloves are one of them, and warm socks are the same.
This time as well.
"Starting with tanning."
Today at noon, thinking of her socks, I had soaked the leather in oak-leaf tea.
I had dried it outside as well.
I brought the dried leather inside. It is fluffy and in good condition.
Even though it seemed I rushed out at dawn, it wasn't that I had no preparation.
There isn't a big difference between the processes for gloves and shoes.
Making a pattern, cutting, and sewing.
The cutting and sewing processes, rather than requiring great knack…
"They're honest, aren't they?"
They're simple; the more you do it, the more your skill improves.
Like studying.
So I thought this time would be easier than last time, but.
"Ah, what is this."
Was the problem that I took it lightly that feet are bigger than hands?
Both the structure and size were more complex, so even though my skill had improved, it took more time.
"…If socks are like this, how will I make underwear?"
Underwear probably has far more detail as clothing.
For now, that's a story for later.
Swish…
Instead, this time I didn't prick my fingers.
That's what it means to be honest. Last time, I pricked my fingers a lot.
It means my skill is improving.
Swish…
Rustle.
Snip.
Before I knew it, I had completed one fairly neat sock.
…….
The completed sock.
It looked like a black foot cover.
"Huh…"
First, I have a lot I want to say, but.
It's not complete yet, so I'll hold my tongue.
I looked outside. For the final process.
"What the."
I thought there was still a lot of time left, but.
Dawn is slowly breaking.
"How many hours have passed?"
[6 hours….]
Considering that the last gloves took 8 hours…
My skill really has improved.
"Good."
I took the completed sock and went outside.
The sky just before dawn.
Under the mix of pale indigo and gray, I held the sock up with both hands.
The sun is rising. Beyond the mansion's wall, slowly.
Swoosh…
How much time passed?
I felt my hands holding the sock slowly grow warm.
On the leather surface, the apprentice's pattern is slowly engraved.
A grayish engraving on the black leather.
Sizzle…
Welcoming the rising sun, the pattern was completed.
I went into the Workshop, clutching the foot cover.
It became certain.
This is an object too embarrassing to call a sock.
Once inside the Workshop, I immediately gripped Dolores's sock (not) tightly in my hand.
It was the very one she had been wearing until this morning.
[……?]
And.
Squeeze squeeze…
With my eyes closed, I kept kneading it.
"It's definitely soft."
[…Pervert]
It's not like that.
And then I touched the foot cover I had just made.
"This one is stiff. As expected."
That was how it felt to me.
To check the result, I pictured Dolores in my mind.
The status window appears, with various slots blocked.
But now there were two open slots.
Foot cover and gloves; the foot cover slot above the shoe slot was currently empty.
And I equipped the newly made foot cover.
The newly completed Lionel MK.2 Warm Foot Gloves, as expected…
-----------------------------
[Apprentice Blacksmith's Warm Foot Gloves][★☆☆☆☆]
[Unique Equipment][Compatibility][- /40]
-----------------------------
[If socks are this hard, how will I make underwear?]
- Apprentice Blacksmith L-
-----------------------------
Ah, damn.
"Argh, seriously."
I got caught again, seriously.
Wow.
I can't think of anything else while making this.
I've become a potential underwear maker now.
…I won't deny it, though.
I'll have to do it someday. Yeah, yeah.
…….
Anyway, to see this, I have to go to a high-ranking appraiser.
For now, let's check it.
[Would you like to replace it?]
Honestly, I wasn't expecting much at this point, but.
Soon the interface opened.
-----------------------------
[Apprentice Blacksmith's Warm Foot Gloves][★☆☆☆☆]
[Unique Equipment][Compatibility][13 / 40]
-----------------------------
[The Sun Engraving's warming effect partially and slightly suppresses the wearer's Yin Energy amplification]
[However, the grade, material, and appearance of the innate material do not match the wearer's grade]
[The strength of the material also does not match the wearer's physical characteristics]
[The wearer's charm is halved]
-----------------------------
The compatibility had certainly increased.
But at the same time, quite sharp feedback.
Should I say it feels like it regrets a lot? Actually, I did too.
Should I say the things I had unconsciously guessed were hitting the mark?
Let's examine them one by one.
The first line of the evaluation is good.
The problem starts from the second line, and you might question the grade and material.
'No, the gloves made of the same material didn't get any complaints, did they?'
That's not it.
What I felt when I saw Tmir's Ice Footrest is that it's relative.
The difference in that high point, where design is emphasized.
Gorgonue, which was Dolores's glove, and my glove aren't very different in appearance.
Adding a bit of bias, mine is rather more refined and cool.
But looking at Tmir's Footrest… both the material and the craftsmanship overwhelmingly surpass it.
The appearance goes without saying. That sock is pretty enough to just wear on your head.
I'm not saying I want to wear it.
'Because there's that difference in high points… maybe it means it doesn't match.'
'Compared to the equipment being worn before' must of course be better, but it also has to match the wearer's grade.
Right now, I am doing a relative equipment replacement.
So it has to be ahead in most respects.
Next.
The third line: does not match physical characteristics.
I think I know this one too.
I crumpled the foot cover with my hand.
Crunch.
It's quite stiff. Because I wrapped the leather around something cylindrical, it also became quite thick.
Dolores has thin ankles.
Unless you have a sturdy build like Eric, it seems hard to pull off. Simply put, it seems uncomfortable.
Especially for wearing around the house.
And, lastly.
'The wearer's charm is halved.'
"I admit it."
I nodded and gave a standing ovation.
Clap clap clap.
[……?]
Charm. It really is halved.
The thing that kept bothering me, that kept catching at me throughout the process, was exactly this part.
I lifted Tmir's Ice Footrest.
The core of Tmir's Ice Footrest is that the contents beyond it are visible.
If you compare it to stockings, about 10 to 15 denier?
A style where the inside is completely see-through.
In other words, see-through.
This sock, made of SEE-THROUGH material.
It shows almost all of Dolores's pretty, delicate, and long-stretched foot shape without filter.
With just a little lighting, it would be the icing on the cake SHIT.
But this clunky-looking foot cover hides all of that.
"No, no."
This absolutely cannot happen.
This is the most serious problem.
Dolores is planning to walk around the mansion wearing this foot cover.
It has to be semi-transparent. That's right.
The unease I had felt all along becomes much more comfortable.
"Phew…"
[Pervert pervert pervert pervert pervert]
[Die… not that]
[Anyway, why don't you hold your breath, seriously 😭 😭 😭]
Ignoring Yuna's words, I placed the foot cover on the nightstand.
"What kind of pervert am I?"
[Anyone who knows what Oppa did for 15 minutes after accidentally seeing a picture of a woman wearing stockings, then nervously turned off Yuna's power: L- ☠️☠️☠️]
No, how did you know that…?
I definitely turned it off properly…
With the most composed expression I could manage, ignoring Yuna's words.
So.
"Overall, it's hard to replace."
Even if it's temporary, it's a fail for permanent replacement.
That is my conclusion.
"Six hours wasted."
I said calmly and nodded.
[But why are you smiling…?]
Did I smile?
Maybe I did.
Actually, I'm really happy right now.
Even while doing my doctoral course… and just in everyday life, I was like that, but.
I don't like things going smoothly and succeeding all at once.
This is my personal belief, but.
I see it as certain that an element of luck is mixed into such results.
It means there is room for a fluke to play a part. The possibility that it's an unreproducible success can't be ruled out either.
So, I love this kind of appropriate failure.
Why?
It presents a new milestone to move toward.
Because I failed, there is a mountain of things to learn.
How could I possibly hate a failure that shows me all the room for revision?
It means I can produce a better result, right?
Without a fluke, with my own hands.
Besides.
There is no such kind failure in the world that writes three or four lines of feedback to tell you.
Even professors didn't go this far.
"You can save time figuring out the reason for failure?"
I should be grateful for this.
If I really am a pervert.
It's not semi-transparent 8-denier stockings and that sort of field related to feet.
It would be exactly this kind of thing.
"I need to do something about the material."
There seems to be a limit with our spotted cow leather.
Then.
On one side of the Workshop, a bag of ore that Dolores had brought caught my eye.
I was so focused on making stockings… no, foot covers that I couldn't pay attention.
I headed over there.
There were various raw ores there.
Then.
……?
A memo was stuck there.
It's written in Hangul. How fascinating.
[Lionel! Below is the list of raw stones!]
[Iron Ore x4]
[Copper Ore x3]
[Flame Ore x5]
[White Ore x2]
[Obsidian x6]
[Ice Crystal Ore x1 (This is a fairly precious ore, so I brought just one for now. If you need more, tell me!)]
Etcetera.
That's a lot. Dolores's grace is truly like the heavens.
…….
Looking at it, Tmir's Footrest also seems to have jewels crafted into it.
To be comparable to that…
"There are a lot of jewels too, right?"
[Give me a moment, I'll search.]
Yuna searched.
[There's a lot of ore, and quite a few raw jewels too.]
[There are many expensive ones too.]
Really?
As expected, their expectations for me are high.
If so, I'll do it too.
Let's surpass Tmir, just once.
But if there's a problem, it's that in the field of metallurgy, I've raised my grade a lot theoretically.
Jewel crafting.
This side was, naturally, hopeless.
I haven't even read a theory book yet.
It's said that jewels in this world contain a power called Mana.
So simply cutting them isn't crafting; strict procedures must be followed.
The Dwarves also seemed to focus more on ore and metallurgy than jewels.
That's probably why the Fairy Race is famous in this field.
"…Can I do it too?"
It's not that I haven't opened the Fairy Race's document at all.
I had read it before for the leather softening method.
…….
Now that the tension is gone, I do feel a little sleepy, but.
If the Sun Dwarf's equipment crafting method and the Fairy Race's jewel crafting combine, what will happen?
"Aren't I the first?"
Equipment that combines only two strengths.
That curiosity held back sleep.
[🔑] Fairy Race's Equipment Crafting Introductory Guide.
Let's read a little and then sleep.
I opened the equipment crafting guide, specifically the jewel crafting section.
"…Jewel crafting begins with physical labor…?"
I already feel uneasy from the first line.
No, right? The Fairy Race, who surely figured out a way to soften leather easily.
I believe in them.
That was when it happened.
Ding!
Something appeared before my eyes.
[A message has arrived!]
[A message has arrived!]
Huh?
A message?
[Uh, uh?]
Yuna is flustered.
What I've learned in life is that Yuna doesn't get flustered very often.
When she is flustered, rather than a mere human like me getting ahead of myself.
…….
It's right to hold my posture and wait for her, my top-class AI little sister, to finish her judgment.
[Oppa, wait a moment?]
Where did the message come from?
And not long after.
Yuna's razor-sharp briefing began.
[Okay, it's sorted out.]
As expected, I believed in you!!!
[For now, the message did arrive on your side, Oppa.]
[Probably, they identified the user through the log of the document being viewed, then sent it.]
[The Sun Dwarf or other documents didn't have this kind of log device.]
That's true.
The Sun Dwarf's document, even though I went in and out like it was my own room, gave no feedback.
[But the Fairy Race must have really, absolutely wanted to catch the viewer. It seems they planted this kind of device—a security device in the document itself.]
I see.
[But that's exactly as far as it goes.]
[What they can do is confirm an unidentified user and send a message through the system.]
[That's the only thing.]
[Probably, through the messenger function, they can only distinguish whether the location is outside the Tower or inside.]
[Reverse tracking is impossible.]
So it means they can only send something like a DM that's possible through the Tower's system.
"Then the conclusion is…"
[It means you can read it.]
I nodded.
My heart instantly becomes at ease.
I raised the corners of my mouth and was about to open the message.
But then.
[Wait wait! Oppa, just a moment?]
[Actions you must never do in a DM]
[1. Actions that expose your identity, Oppa]
[2. Actions that reveal your address]
[3. Bragging like, 'I'm the maker of a +20 glove']
[Got it?]
Yeah, got it.
It's like she's treating me as a baby.
I'm not that bad.
[…….]
"Ahem."
With a fluttering heart, I opened the DM window.
[Where did you go, Child of the Forest, please come back]: Hello? I am Erien, Great Chieftain of the Rainforest of the Fairy Race.
['Where did you go, Child of the Forest, please come back' has changed their nickname to 'Great Chieftain of the Rainforest, Erien']
[Great Chieftain of the Rainforest, Erien]: Do you need my help?
There.
…….
[……?]
It looked quite pathetic.
A DM had arrived.
And, as soon as I read the message.
[Great Chieftain of the Rainforest, Erien]: Ah!! You read it!
[Great Chieftain of the Rainforest, Erien]: Future Child of the Forest! May I ask where you currently reside?
Immediately, the background check began.