Chapter 17
Chapter 17: Don’t Touch Other People’s Things
Xien’s life these past few days had been divided into two parts.
During the day, he received Cynthia’s special training, desperately running around the training room, trying to dodge her fierce and swift attacks. After training, when Cynthia was busy with the knight order’s affairs, he would quietly slip to the forge workshop, helping out under the guise of being an apprentice.
The masters in the forge workshop had an excellent impression of Xien.
He worked diligently, had a gentle personality, and always wore a modest smile, never complaining about hardship.
Though he had no magical power and couldn’t flexibly control flame magic like other blacksmiths, he always observed carefully and humbly asked for advice.
Seeing his eagerness to learn, the masters were happy to teach him some forging experience and techniques.
“Xien, you’re a good kid, much better than those lazy brats!”
A bearded master patted Xien’s shoulder, laughing.
“Thank you, sir. I still have a long way to go.”
Xien smiled, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
Through several days of learning, Xien had basically mastered the basic forging process.
He discovered that though this world lacked the precision machinery or 3D printing technology of his original world, blacksmiths could complete many high-precision forging tasks through flexible magical control.
This method of using magical power fascinated him and made him realize that he might be able to achieve his goals through another approach.
This evening, after the forge workshop’s work ended, the masters agreed to go to the tavern in the residential area for drinks and relaxation. They warmly invited Xien to join them, as in their eyes, he had already become part of the forge workshop.
“Xien, come on, let’s have a drink!”
A master put his arm around Xien’s shoulder, laughing.
“Thank you for your kindness, but I’m not old enough to drink. And… I’d like to practice a bit more. My sister’s birthday is coming up, and I want to make her a birthday gift with my own hands.”
Xien scratched his head, wearing an apologetic smile.
“What a thoughtful good kid. Feel free to use anything in the workshop. Just remember to lock up when you leave.”
The masters all showed approving expressions and gave him thumbs up.
Xien nodded, smiling as he watched the masters leave.
When only he remained in the workshop, the smile disappeared from his face.
Xien took out a stack of draft papers from his pocket, each drawn with seemingly ordinary small components.
He placed the first blueprint in front of the forge, took a deep breath, and began controlling the tools for cutting and forging.
The material he used was the black death ore he had collected earlier. Though this ore was useless to magic users, Xien valued its ability to withstand high-intensity magical power and its unique properties. As for the side effect of affecting mental power, it was almost non-existent for him.
Xien carefully controlled the forge, using the residual magical power in the workshop to gradually cut and polish the black death ore into the shapes shown in the blueprints.
However, due to his inability to directly supply magical power and his still-inexperienced skills, the forging process was not smooth.
Several times, he had to restart due to magical power interruptions or operational errors that made the components substandard. It wasn’t until nightfall that he barely managed to forge a few qualified components.
“Phew… finally some progress.”
Xien wiped the sweat from his forehead and let out a long breath.
He looked up at the window and found it was completely dark outside, with only the faint light from the forge remaining in the workshop.
Meanwhile, the Radiant Saint Herallis was returning to the tenth district she managed after handling complicated affairs. She noticed that the forge workshop in the nearby ninth district still had lights on at this hour, with occasional hammering sounds. Normally, those rough men would have finished work by now.
Curiosity drove Herallis toward the ninth district’s forge workshop. When she saw that the person currently using the workshop was the young man she had seen beside Cynthia, she became puzzled. At this hour, shouldn’t you be warming Cynthia’s bed instead of making something in the workshop?
Light footsteps approached from outside the workshop, but Xien, immersed in his work, didn’t notice anyone approaching.
It wasn’t until he finished a component and looked up to wipe his sweat that he suddenly discovered a blonde beauty standing in front of the forge, watching him with interest.
“H-Herallis, my lady?”
Xien was startled, almost dropping the tool in his hand.
He instinctively wanted to tidy up the blueprints and components on the forge, but Herallis had already stepped forward and picked up the blueprint in front of him.
“What’s this?”
Herallis’s voice was gentle with a hint of curiosity. Her gaze swept over the blueprint, her brow slightly furrowed.
“It doesn’t look like weapon components… Is this a little toy to spice things up between you and Cynthia?”
“N-no! This is a birthday gift I want to make for my sister!”
Xien’s face instantly turned red, and he waved his hands in explanation.
“Oh? Is that so? Then your sister is truly fortunate to have such a thoughtful brother.”
Herallis raised an eyebrow, her gaze carrying a hint of mockery.
Xien lowered his head, feeling somewhat uneasy.
He was thankful that he had drawn the component blueprints separately. What Herallis saw was only a part of them, making it impossible to discern the overall design.
Even if she saw all the blueprints, she probably wouldn’t understand what it was.
Herallis put the blueprint back on the table, her gaze lingering on Xien’s face for a moment before sweeping over the forge and the black death ore components.
A thoughtful light flashed in her eyes, but she didn’t say much.
“It’s getting late. You should go back.”
Herallis’s voice remained gentle, a mischievous smile appearing on her face.
“Don’t keep Cynthia waiting too long in bed~”
“Yes, I’ll go back right away.”
Xien nodded, hurriedly beginning to pack up his tools and components. As if suddenly remembering something, he quickly looked up to explain.
“Wait, wait, Lady Herallis, Cynthia and I aren’t what you think…”
“Oh? Then what kind of relationship is it? I’ve noticed recently that Cynthia’s complexion has improved considerably, and she’s become much more feminine. Isn’t this thanks to you?”
Herallis tilted her head and chuckled, her golden hair shimmering softly in the workshop’s dim light. Her gaze wandered over Xien’s face with a condescending scrutiny.
Xien’s heartbeat suddenly accelerated. Herallis’s question was like a fine needle, lightly piercing through the calm surface he tried to maintain. Her gaze carried a probing smile, as if she had already seen through his disguise.
Xien instinctively stepped back, trying to distance himself from her, but Herallis seemed to have anticipated this, gracefully stepping forward. The distance between them actually became closer.
“I… I… I don’t know.”
Xien tried to make his voice sound calm, but his tone carried a barely concealed nervousness.
His throat felt tight, and he could feel Herallis’s breath drawing closer, carrying a faint fragrance like some kind of high-grade magical incense.
Herallis’s gaze seemed to penetrate Xien’s disguise, striking directly at the deepest secrets of his heart. He instinctively stepped back again, but this Radiant Saint seemed to have anticipated this, once again advancing.
For a moment, Xien had nowhere to retreat.
“Herallis, you’re overstepping.”
Just as Herallis’s finger was about to touch Xien’s cheek, a cold voice came from the workshop entrance, breaking the ambiguous and tense atmosphere.
“Don’t touch other people’s things without permission. Didn’t anyone teach you that principle?”
Xien and Herallis both turned simultaneously, only to see Cynthia standing at the workshop entrance. The night wind blew from behind her, making her flame-like red hair dance wildly.
She still wore the knight order’s uniform, with that iconic crimson sword at her waist. Her entire figure appeared exceptionally heroic in the night.
Her ruby-like eyes were cold and sharp, like an unsheathed blade pointing directly at Herallis.