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Chapter 139: Metal Casting

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Translator: Haruchin   Editor: Marky

I’ve been looking for Khadar in the orchard during my early morning strolls, but he was nowhere to be found.

Today’s another day of smithing. I have to make Tina’s weapon before the spirits come swarming in.

Tina wanted a hammer, not the squeaky toy hammer, but the real one. Don’t have the slightest idea why, but since it’s what she wants, can’t do anything about it. Maybe I can make the form cuter… Can I do that?

I won’t be smithing this one, but carving the shape out of wood and making a mold by mixing sand and clay. The head is just a simple cylinder with patterns — it looks pretty boring so I made a squirrel shape hugging the top of the cylinder.

The model is En’s squirrel spirit. Alright, it’s cute! … or so I think. It’s a blunt weapon, though.

The wooden hammer is placed inside the rectangular mold, packed with sand, tamp it down, turn it over, put another wooden frame on top to secure the sprue and runner, fill it with more sand and tamp it down again.

A fluid started coming out while I was pressing it down — if it’s not my imagination, then it’s probably a spirit. So they’re also coming out when tamping? I just wanted to pack the sand.

Anyway, I had my lunch break after. Bento for today — dried plums on top of rice, yellow scrambled eggs, wieners, bite-sized cutlets cut into halves, deep green rape stalks with yellow blossoms for some greenery, and rabbit-shaped apples for fruit.

Bento lunch eaten outdoors is so yummy. Well, we just got back from camping and eating outdoors, but there’s something special about bento.

I lay on my back as I gaze at the sky. In contrast to the winter sky, it’s now blue and cloudless as the season turns to spring.

Riche is probably gonna take a nap today, too. He spun round and round beside me, probably checking his sleeping spot, before settling down and curling up.

I heard you’re prone to reflux if you lie down right after eating, so it’s not good, but I can’t help it. My belly’s full, the weather’s nice, so yeah. Let’s just have 【Heal】-san do its best.

I got back to work right after waking up. I removed the mold and poured the now molten ore. The moment orange molten iron flowed into the sprues, spirits were born, and they dispersed in all directions, before changing into tiny ones.

My heart jumped thinking that the molten iron splattered, but it was quite beautiful when several sparkler-like things appeared around me.

Next on the lineup is Dinosso’s flaming broadsword, Ash’s verdure, water and wind sword, Retze’s earth and verdure sword — which he made me swear to make it plain and simple, Chris’s sword of light, Dean’s flaming broadsword. For the trio who won’t use up much ore, I also included knives for dismantling.

I want something like Dinosso! — Dean insisted in the end. I can’t help but look at him with a disgusted gaze when he’s in full throttle Wolf King fan mode.

If Chris is careless, he also starts to get overly excited along with Dean. Exasperated, Retze just lets them be. How to put this, folks who don’t admire Wolf King are quite rare in their social circle.

Dinosso seems used to it, so he just ignores them. It’s worse when the Legend goes to the Adventurer’s Guild, apparently. Wow, really looks like a pain in the neck.

Alright, first stage is down with this.

I usually take a bath after eating dinner, but I’ve been taking a bath first these days. One bottle of milk after bath, then I prepare my meal.

Steamed manila clams seasoned with sake and salt, tempura, rice and miso soup. The spring scenery made me crave for tempura made with wild mountain veggies — aralia sprouts, mountain asparagus, udo, ostrich ferns, butterbur sprouts, squids, tiger prawns, oriental clams, sandborer.

To prevent the shrimps from curling up, I made little cuts and drained them well, particularly the tails. I peeled the skin of the squid before cutting it to the suitable size then wrap them with shiso. The clams are removed from the shells and drained, too. The butterfly cut sandborer’s innards are also cleaned.

Preparation is complete. Since I want to eat it freshly fried, I decided to have my meal while standing in the kitchen.

The first dish is sake-steamed manila clams. They don’t have their eggs yet, so they’re at their prime during this time of the year. I know this is bad manners, but I can’t resist picking the shell and just gobbling the soft body along with the dashi and parsley I sprinkled on it.

The udo tasted weird, the butterbur sprouts were bittersweet. Crunchy fried prawns, check; enjoying the plump, slightly sweet shrimps, check.

There are also some foods not related to spring mixed in the menu, but everything’s chef’s kiss. Ahh, this is pure bliss.

After dinner, I watched Riche eat his meat while checking the important parts of the blueprints beside the fireplace. I’m going to leave everything to the workers, but I still have to create the glass for the windows. Alright, let’s go to the island before that and borrow Gold and Silver’s house first.

I should also ask for help from the island folks. That’s a pretty inconvenient place, so cash income’s going to be valuable, and it’s not fun having only foreign builders working.

I’m going to deliver the swords tomorrow, but why do I have the feeling that I’m going to get scolded? Wait, they requested spirit swords in the first place, so I guess it’ll be fine? Yup, probably.