Chapter 10: Stay a Few More Days
Assessing the War’s Scope
Kailos noticed the stir and approached to report, casting a brief glance at Vick.
Intelligence from various towns varied in detail. However, it differed from Vick’s account, making it hard to discern exaggeration or omission.
Vick had no reason to lie, yet she couldn’t fully trust his words either.
After weighing the information, one thing was clear: the situation wasn’t as dire as feared. There was no need for panic. Nevertheless, plans couldn’t stall—war was never just armies clashing.
Refugees, bandits, magical beasts, plagues, and famines could follow. Worst case, the northern demon clans might invade simultaneously.
Glenmbak would be the first line of defense.
Even with Maple Whisper Village backed by a natural barrier, the proximity was unsettling.
She could flee, but where would the villagers go? How would they survive the journey? Even if they found refuge, could they stumble upon fertile land again? The nameless statue wouldn’t “re-bless” a harvest. Wenger never spoke of her [Harvest] ability.
For centuries, [Harvest] had ceaselessly blessed this land.
Mapping the Valley’s Reach
The war didn’t require such prolonged scouting. Wenger took the map Kailos handed her. It marked nearby villages’ yields and damages, from completed harvests to destruction by magical beasts.
Despite the varied spread of valley villages, she noticed some external crops bore her blessing’s influence.
Evidently, [Harvest]’s fourth-level range exceeded her imagination.
The rift valley spanned dozens of kilometers. Yet, at level three, [Harvest] only covered Maple Whisper Village’s vicinity. Even with slight deviations, the outcome wasn’t far off.
‘Can’t I control it…?’
Anticipating potential issues, Wenger tried to rein in the blessing’s power. In the boundless void of her consciousness, an invisible force began to shift under her will.
The subtle change was imperceptible to the eye, but she felt it worked. Thus, she stopped expending effort.
Now wasn’t the time.
Dismissing the group, Wenger had no specific orders. She told Kailos to rest with the others.
“If you don’t mind, stay a few days,” she said to Vick, offering a polite invitation. “They’ll make pumpkin pies soon.”
Vick smiled, nodding. The silver-haired girl radiated gentle warmth. Whatever her intentions, he wouldn’t lightly refuse her kindness.
But that was all.
Vick’s Morning Reflections
Waking in the infirmary, he hadn’t met the so-called Rilla. Perhaps his presence was a burden she’d rather avoid.
After stretching and strolling to assess the situation, he unexpectedly ran into Wenger again.
The morning yielded no useful information, only wasted energy. If not for his poor condition, he’d have left already.
His goal was a corner of Glenmbak, seeking an old friend. From Sardin City in Dangarol, through a marquis’s territory, to Glenmbak’s mage tower. Faking his death to escape wasn’t easy, and his luck had been poor…
He couldn’t help but grumble inwardly.
Recalling her words about the dangerous world and hiding away, he remembered the girl seeking a quiet place. The mage tower was too noisy, so perhaps another direction.
At their parting, her face was veiled, her name unknown.
After so many years, she might be buried somewhere.
All for a single…
A Playful Misunderstanding
As he walked away, Vey leaned close to Wenger, whispering, “Teacher, who is he?”
“Vick? …I don’t know. Probably someone impressive.”
“No wonder you’re so soft-spoken with him—”
“What’s that mean?” Wenger pinched Vey’s cheeks, kneading them like dough. “Am I usually that harsh?”
“No, no… ah…!”
Vey backtracked, struggling to explain. “It’s how you call us to eat, like a parent with kids. Even with Chief Rhine, it’s the same. But with that uncle, it’s more like… friends.”
“…He’s not that old, is he?”
“It’s about his vibe!”
Wenger paused, only able to counter from an odd angle.
They didn’t speak further. Vey, fearing she’d misspoken, stayed quiet.
Wenger was merely lost in thought. However, the blacksmith’s clamor soon broke her reverie.
Testing the Forge
Unknowingly, they’d reached the blacksmith’s shop. Wenger recalled her interest in forging—or rather, whether its output could benefit from [Harvest].
If so, it’d be like exploiting a bug, soaring by stepping on her own feet, skipping eras to land on the moon. Yet, potion-making hadn’t gained boosts. Perhaps because no “Potion Workshop Completed” prompt appeared?
Undeniably, [Harvest] was an overpowered positive trait.
Fenrod was busy preparing weapons and armor. Too occupied for personal projects, his brows furrowed, barely restraining curses.
Skilled craftsmen often had tempers—normal enough.
Wenger found a corner to try herself. An apprentice nearby hesitated to speak.
True, she didn’t know how, but she’d never claimed otherwise. Maybe her posture worried the kid.
It was just a test.
She started with the skill prompted by the blacksmith’s completion: [Forging].
Picking a small piece of material and charcoal, she used magic to create a near-sealed environment for simple smelting, bypassing the furnace.
With no specific goal, she skipped steps, wrapping a hammer in magic to prevent wear.
Crisp strikes echoed, accompanied by the long-awaited sound in her ears.
[Forging Proficiency +0.01]
[Forging lv.0 (0/100)]
It worked!
Next, she’d need repeated attempts to level the skill. An advanced skill brought a fleeting sense of security.
Just ten thousand more swings to reach level one!
The method’s gains were low and time-consuming.
Wenger decided to rest a few days. No wonder she’d chosen to slack off before.
Vey’s Assistance
Vey didn’t watch, instead wandering the workshop as if inspecting for her teacher. When an apprentice got scraped, she reluctantly healed them.
After all, that’s what she’d learned from her teacher.
Master Fenrod remained engrossed, not looking up as the teacher and student left.
“Dinner at my place tonight?”
“Sure!”
“No need to bring anything.”
“Got it—” Vey parted from her teacher at the crossroads, waving. She said that, but what to do at home? Hard to guess.
Wenger strolled along the riverside path. Halfway, she turned back.
She’d forgotten to bring Peach home.