7 – Master and disciple
The wait was long, but eventually your turn would come.
As the sun was setting and dusk was getting longer, Elena’s number was finally called.
“Come inside Number 48.”
No. 48.
There were many words to refer to her, such as Archmage, Master, Head Professor, etc., but it was the first time that she was called the number 48.
Under normal circumstances, Elena would not have passed on this disgrace.
‘If it’s Edgar, I’ll have to bear it.’
But she was generous to talented people.
Especially if you are a talented person with morality.
‘If you’re as talented as Edgar, you might even be given the title of ‘Creation’. The only one among human blacksmiths.’
Elena had a high view of Edgar’s potential.
To the extent that he received the title of ‘Creation’, which is given only to the three greatest blacksmiths of the present age.
Of course, someone might call this kind of thinking a grandiose delusion.
Because the blacksmith who has received the title of ‘Creation’ has never come from the human race.
Indeed, all the treasures that were outstanding enough to leave their names in history were made by the 8 Dwarf families.
Masterpieces such as ‘Twilight’, ‘Solar Eclipse’, ‘The World of Nothingness’, and ‘Blessing’ were all born from the hands of the Dwarves.
Humans have never created such a treasure.
‘But if it’s Edgar…’
But with Edgar, it might be possible.
He had an imagination rich enough to create any imaginary object, and a sophisticated sense to realize that imagination.
It was different from other blacksmiths who simply molded things according to the drawing by injection.
To receive the title of ‘creation’, such ingenious imagination and creativity were absolutely necessary.
“Welcome—?”
With that in mind, Elena stepped into James’ forge.
And as soon as Ed recognized Elena, he tilted his head.
For a moment, I thought I had seen something in vain.
Why is Head Professor Elena here?
“Edgar Fix.”
However, Elena calmly called out to Ed.
James whispered, ‘Do you know someone?’ as he clung to Ed.
Ed replied with a confused expression, “Uh…” while Elena bowed her head formally.
It was a sight that would frighten anyone who knew Elena.
It was because Elena, the princess’ teacher and the archmage, bowed her head first.
“I came here to apologize for something that happened the other day. I made the wrong decision because of the emotion of the moment.”
Elena lifted her head after she was lucky.
Then, step by step towards Ed, he continued with the following words.
“Disparaging your skills, accusations masquerading as advice, depriving you of the qualifications you deserve—”
When those words were finished, Elena’s steps stopped.
She and Ed faced each other.
She held out her hand and asked for a handshake.
“Everyone, I want to ask for your forgiveness. Human to human.”
human to human.
In other words, it meant putting down everything that came along with one’s status and skills and conveying a pure heart.
Ed scratched the back of his head and smiled awkwardly.
“Well····. What am I, I’m fine long since forgotten Besides, it’s true that he touched the head professor’s cat without permission. I am also responsible.”
…that you yourself are also responsible.
Elena smiled at Ed’s answer.
Blacksmiths are usually said to be stubborn, but Ed was different from him and knew how to introspect himself.
I wasn’t arrogant because I had skills.
“Hey, hey Ed… what do you mean by that? Are you the head professor?”
But James couldn’t help but be embarrassed by the whole situation.
The person on the waiting list for number 48 is the head professor.
Then Elena took her nameplate out of her pocket.
It was a nameplate engraved with the mark of the imperial family and the mark of the Magic Society.
“Your introduction is late. I am Elena von Ilaid Rosario, who is currently serving as the head professor of the Imperial Academy.”
“…?”
James opened his eyes wide as soon as he checked the nameplate.
Even though he was from a rural village, he couldn’t have known Elena’s name.
Wasn’t he the genius of the century who received the title of ‘Great Wizard’?
In the midst of such a surprise, Ed spat out the following words.
“Actually, if there is anyone to apologize for, it is my father, James. I had to drop out without even knowing why.”
Ed’s remarks made a commoner blacksmith bow his head.
James looked at Ed in surprise.
Demanding an apology from an absolute ruler who is not just a noble, but one who is in charge of an axis of power within the empire.
“It was so unfair that I was deprived of the opportunity because of my negligence. If it’s okay, I’d like to give you another chance.”
However, Elena immediately bowed her head and expressed her regret without hesitation.
When I was living as a commoner.
It was not that difficult for her to bow her head to those of a lower status than herself, as she had an extreme aversion to authority.
“Ah, yes. me, i’m fine It’s all in the past… To be honest, running a blacksmith here with my son… isn’t too bad…”
James accepted Elena’s apology with a bewildered expression.
I never dreamed that the terrifying archmage, whom I had only heard about through rumors, would bow down to commoners without hesitation.
While thinking about that, Elena opened her mouth.
“Still, it doesn’t change that I was unfairly deprived of the opportunity. That’s why…”
After the situation was settled, Elena started to get to the point.
It was a request to participate in the bidding competition again next Wednesday.
James and Ed readily accepted this.
“Then next Wednesday, I’ll see you at the same place and time as the last test.”
After finishing her business, Elena left the smithy with those words.
As soon as she left the smithy, her model dissipated like smoke.
James, who had been staring blankly at the mysterious figure, turned to Ed and said.
“Ed. Isn’t this a dream?”
***
next Wednesday.
We took a wagon and moved to the Imperial Academy.
Originally, we had planned to walk, but thanks to Elena sending us a carriage, saying that she was an invited guest, we were able to travel comfortably in a carriage.
And I thought about Elena as I watched the rapidly dissipating scenery.
Why is she showing so much sincerity to me?
The answer was quickly found.
‘They consider me a talented person.’
Human Resources.
Elena was tolerant of talent.
No, he showed obsession beyond generosity.
This is because he instinctively senses that something unusual is happening in the deadly land of ‘Extinction’, where high-risk monsters and monsters are infested.
So, Elena’s obsession with talented people was an expression of unconsciousness.
Now that she has become an academy professor, she is mistaken that she is beginning to be interested in training the younger generation, but in fact, such an obsession stems from her instinctive fear.
The fear that the empire might be destroyed by a cataclysm that began from extinction if it remained silent.
‘Anyway, I should make good use of this opportunity.’
And knowing what was going to happen in the future, I decided to use Elena’s instinct.
Her obsession to nurture talented people.
Maybe I can use that obsession and enter the academy as a student.
***
The results of the review were immediate.
Without further ado, James’ product won the auction.
Since James was originally destined to become the academy’s blacksmith, this outcome was natural.
However, the reason why Elena won the bid for James’ equipment was not just because his equipment was excellent.
The reason she called James in the first place was to get me to work as his assistant.
Seeing that he invited me to his office and sat me down like this, my hunch was clear.
“I say it straight-forward. Edgar Fixes, I want to sponsor you.”
And as expected, her first words as she sipped black tea did not escape my expectations.
Elena thinks highly of my abilities.
But now, pretending not to know anything, he replied with his eyes wide open.
“Hu, sponsorship? me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“When I stopped by Greta Village, I looked at some of the things you developed. I thought it was a waste of talent to let it rot like this.”
“mmm…”
“How is it. I plan to use my authority to create and support the academy talent training fund. I plan to send you to study in the Kazantine United Kingdom for about 5 years.”
Kazantine United Kingdom.
A kingdom of dwarves established by the union of 4 out of 8 dwarf families.
Currently, there is ‘Olin’, a blacksmith who received the title of ‘Creation’.
Elena made an unconventional proposal to the imperial family so that Olin could accept me as a disciple.
Transactions are being made between countries to raise one.
“Thank you very much for the offer. But I want to learn the job at the academy.”
But I turned it down.
Obviously, her proposal is unconventional, but it is because the place where the main scenario proceeds here is the Imperial Academy.
“·····Well. Hey, I don’t know much about Olin, but Olin is…”
In response, Elena tried to explain Olin with a troubled smile.
But since I already know how great a blacksmith Olin is, I didn’t need to listen to her explanation, so I snatched her words.
“Yes. He is a blacksmith admired by everyone who has been given the title of ‘Creation’.”
“—The title of creation… eh? what did you just say?”
“I know how great he is. All blacksmiths would dream of becoming his apprentice.”
“…”
Elena, with a dumbfounded expression, buried herself in the leather chair and looked at me.
what the hell is he It’s a face that looks like it’s written on it.
Eventually, she opened her mouth.
“Are you not interested in improving your skills? Do you want to be with your father?”
“Nope. It’s my biggest concern. Improving my skills.”
“…? Then you should become more of Olin’s disciple. To be honest, there is no guarantee that Olin will accept me as a disciple. So far, the number of times a dwarf has accepted a human as a disciple can be counted on five fingers.”
Of course it is.
When it came to hammering, it was very rare for a dwarf whose ego would skyrocket to accept a human as a disciple.
“Yes. I know. But Olin is not the person I need to improve my skills. In fact, he can’t be of much help to me.”
“…”
The blacksmith who received the title of ‘Creation’ was not very helpful.
As if she couldn’t believe her words, Elena looked at me with her brow wrinkled.
Then she spoke to me in a questioning voice.
“Then who can help? There must be no one with as great a skill as Olin. He was given the title of ‘Creation’.”
“···Nope. there is. Someone with greater skill than Olin.”
A person with greater skill than Olin.
Elena burst into laughter at that ridiculous claim.
This is because the title of ‘Creation’ is a title given to those who have reached the pinnacle of technology.
Maybe that’s why she shook her head and took a sip of the tea.
After calming her heart like that, she said to me with a face that she would like to hear it.
“… Whoa. okay. Your thoughts may differ. It’s ridiculous, but let’s say there is such a person. So who are you? A person with superior skills than Olin”
A person with superior skills than Olin at the moment.
Of course there is no such person.
If it is limited to ‘equipment production’.
However, there is a person who has a skill that no one can match when dealing with mana.
He is the archmage and the teacher of the princess. And Elena von Ilaid Rosario, who is also the head professor at the Imperial Academy.
Currently, I need the teachings of human wizards who can admit and apologize for their mistakes more than the teachings of the stubborn and proud dwarves.
So I stared straight at him and told him his true identity.
“He is sitting right in front of me. A person with superior skills than Olin.”
“·······? before you? who···?”
However, Elena, who did not understand my words, looked around with a puzzled expression.
I didn’t care and continued to look at her with a serious expression.
Soon after, she noticed something suspicious and muttered, ‘Maybe?’ and pointed at herself with her index finger.
“No, please. You’re not talking about me are you? Is it before?”
“···Yes.”
“…no, what… why me···? . . . I can’t even make a single spoon…?”
Of course, she doesn’t know how to operate a machine.
You’ve probably never hammered.
If he had known how to see a machine, he wouldn’t have put such a prosthetic leg on his cat.
But she had the skills to handle it better than anyone else.
“Professor, you are a mana technician. I want to learn how to handle mana.”
“·····her.”
“Please accept me as a disciple. I need mana handling skills.”