Chapter 82 The Master Invites the Blacksmith to a Night’s Stay
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
I was stunned when Master explained the astonishing reason she hadn’t taken a disciple for so many years: there simply weren’t enough people who could memorize his theories.
But although my skills were indeed extraordinary, I still believed that if I purely focused on honing my technique and eliminated any visible flaws, I could create something within that range. And as long as I could then use ‘Concept Appraisal’ to refine the paths within the metal, I would be able to embody Master’s philosophy completely.
Master’s katana was forged by tuning its very existence, and over time, it sublimated into a special ability that embodied the concept of severance in this world.
If she had possessed divine authority, it could have become a weapon infused with life, but that wasn’t the case. In other words, it was an empty vessel—one that could reflect the soul of its wielder and become a one-of-a-kind partner.
Yet, even so, there was a slight sense of unease. If she had tuned it this far as a vessel, then surely a blacksmith could grant it a concept, turning it into something that embodied that idea.
But it remained an empty vessel… Perhaps he wanted to see what future it would take on its own?
When I thought about it that way, I realized I still had so much to learn, since I hadn’t fully grasped Master’s philosophy yet.
And while that feeling was still fresh in my mind, I decided to try forging one on my own as practice, so I reached for a piece of steel. But in the next instant, Master slammed her fist down on my head.
”Taraboy, ya can’t do that in this smithy.”
With an expression that allowed no arguments, Master glared at me and said that.
”But Master, if I wait, I might lose this sensation.”
”Ya idiot, that ain’t happenin’. Ya got a sharp head, Tarabo—ya’ll review the technique proper when the time comes, I know it.”
Master replied to my anxiety like that, and then she grinned widely at me.
”I’m yer master, Tarabo. Believe in me.”
Those words carried a straightforward confidence with no hint of doubt, and as a result, I calmed my feelings and stopped the work. Indeed, although the student games were approaching, it wasn’t time to panic yet.
Right now was the moment to steadily build a solid foundation by increasing what I could do, one step at a time—after all, I wasn’t alone, so I needed to trust my companions too. Master was scolding me for pushing myself too hard, so for now, I should rest.
”Yes, I understand, Master.”
I told myself that in my heart, and then I replied to Master like that. Wanting to try out a new technique right away was probably a bad habit, and maybe I was unconsciously exhausted without realizing it. Since there were no urgent orders either, I should rest now.
Surely, that was the right thing to do. So I left the forge, but instead of going to my room, I entered the living room. As soon as I sank into the sofa where I always sat, a wave of fatigue crashed over me.
I had no idea I was this worn out without even noticing… Master and the others must have seen it clearly. Mimicking unfamiliar techniques and understanding new theories had probably tired my brain more than I imagined.
I sank deeper into the sofa and closed my eyes. What floated in my mind was the scene of forging the katana—the sensation of striking the steel, transmitted through the mana wrapped around my hammer. A heat welled up in my chest, my heartbeat quickening as if my very soul was crying out in joy. This was an unknown technique I had never known, and mastering it would lead to even greater leaps forward.
I took out the blade with my inscription on it, gripped the tang, and held it up before my eyes. The gentle curve of the blade shimmered with a wavy hamon like ripples on water, and its width was about three fingers broad.
The blade length was roughly 90 cm, finishing at about the same as the long swords mainstream here.
The realization that I had forged this myself gradually welled up inside me. It was true that relying on Master for the side seat made it feel a bit off to say I really forged it alone, but Master had told me to inscribe my mark on it.
This was undoubtedly my creation.
”…Still, it’s a beautiful piece of work, isn’t it?”
”Nuwaaah!?”
A voice suddenly came from behind me, and I let out a weird yelp. It was a stroke of luck that I managed to store the katana in my Inventory on instinct.
”M-Mother-in-law!? If you speak to me so suddenly…”
”Oh, sorry about that. But still, it’s surprising—Tatara-san getting so attached to a single creation like this.”
I see, she probably had no impression of me pouring my heart into anything other than magic devices. Indeed, that wasn’t really a side of me I usually showed.
However, since in my previous life, I had forged a katana—the representative craft of my homeland—with my own hands, even if not exactly the same, it was only natural to feel excited. Well, I could never say that out loud, though.
”It’s partly a new technique, but more than that… this is the first weapon I’ve made using a technique passed down directly from someone.”
The patents I held and the magic devices I created were mostly reproductions of research or things I built from my own theories.
In the midst of all that, this was the first time I had directly inherited a technique from someone’s guidance. It was only natural for fresh emotions to well up, and I thought that someday, I wanted to pass this on to someone else too.
”Is it a side effect of being raised in isolation…? Anyway, I’d like to ask you something.”
”Yes?”
”That masterpiece—what do you plan to do with it?”
What to do with it probably meant whether I planned to give it to someone.
”If you haven’t thought about it yet, could you sell it to me?”
”…To you, Mother-in-law?”
”Yes. Honestly, it’s been a long time since I saw such a beautiful blade. Including the fact that it’s the first piece with Tatara-san’s inscription, I just want it.”
For Mother-in-law, who lived in the Torakuma household, to call it magnificent—and factoring in that I’m Master’s direct disciple—maybe it could fetch a considerable value in the future.
Indeed, since I usually didn’t get so attached to my creations, I probably would have handed it over. But this time alone, there was someone I wanted to give it to, so I couldn’t.
”…Sorry, I can’t give it away this time.”
”Oh, but I’d pay at least four digits in gold for it.”
”No, even so… if Master made it, it’d probably go up three digits more.”
”No, it would increase by five digits.”
”Hyeh!”
As expected of Master—she must be a legendary blacksmith even in Hizuru. In my previous life terms, she was probably treated like a master smith such as Gorou Nyuudo Masamune or Senju Muramasa…
If Master was Masamune, then as her disciple, I might end up as Muramasa. To think the Acting Head of Family would let such a person go abroad for technical exchange.
”Um, there’s one person I want to give this to.”
”…And who is that?”
”My childhood friend and rival… Someone I absolutely don’t want to lose to, and at the same time, don’t want to lose to anyone else—a best friend.”
I recalled his foolish face. The joyful expression when I gave him the demonsteel armor, and the serious look as he swung the sword I made on commission—they floated in my mind.
I wanted to entrust this katana, my first forge, to him. If my sword were spoken of alongside the many legends he would create, that would be the greatest pride I could have.
”Oh my, is that person a woman?”
”No, he’s a guy, same as me.”
”Hmm, the male heart that doesn’t want to lose, huh… Well, no helping it then. I’ll give up this time.”
”Sorry about that.”
”No, no—it’s a shame I couldn’t get Tatara-san’s first piece, but there will be plenty of chances with your next works and so on.”
”Your wording…”
It wasn’t wrong, but don’t phrase it in a way that’s so stimulating for a teenage boy.
”Also, Mother-in-law, I haven’t been taught all of Master’s techniques yet, you know?”
”Even after forging such a solid katana?”
”I still haven’t sat at the side seat, and I haven’t seen Master’s responses… There must be something to his sharpening too. Why Master’s weapons are empty vessels without concepts… I still don’t know everything.”
In this world, the concept of tsukumogami could manifest even stronger, so if Master forged a katana a thousand years ago, it might even take human form by now.
Could I make a weapon like that too? I found myself thinking about a distant future where one of my weapons might save someone.
”Tatara-san, you’re pushing yourself too hard again. Didn’t Amatsu-baa say to rest?”
”…You’re right. I start overthinking right away and ruin it—I’m no good like this.”
A wry smile crossed my face at Mother-in-law’s pointing it out.
My habit of overthinking whenever something came up inevitably led to pushing too hard, and there was nothing I could do about it. Maybe I should just sleep and force my brain to shut down?
”Tatara-san, could I have a moment?”
”Eh, ah, yes. What is—”
When I turned to Mother-in-law as she called me, the tip of her fan touched my forehead.
”Sleep”
”Eh? “
Along with Mother-in-law’s words, the mana she released brought on a sudden wave of sleepiness.
Although I instinctively thought to resist the irresistible drowsiness that gripped me, I decided to give in honestly. This was Mother-in-law’s affection for seeing me overthink, so resisting would be like trampling on it.
”…Good night, Tatara-san.”
”Y-Yes… When everyone… gets back… please… wake me…”
I couldn’t finish my words, and my consciousness fell into darkness. I felt a gentle push guiding my body toward the sofa, and with that sensation, my thoughts faded completely to black.
In my dream, I was swinging the hammer desperately. I poured Master’s taught techniques into forging a katana, and there was someone eagerly awaiting that katana.
I didn’t know who they were, but their figure felt strangely familiar.
They sat right in front of me as I forged the katana, yet somehow, I didn’t notice them at all. It was a shadowy figure that reminded me of a woman, watching my earnest forging of the steel with an enjoyable air.
Suddenly, that figure reached out to stroke my head.
I wanted them to stop—getting touched like that in the middle of work would break my focus—so I tried to stop them on instinct. But at that moment, a new presence appeared.
From behind the figure trying to pet my head, arms wrapped around their waist, and then lifted them up before slamming them back-first into the ground.
The finishing pose, exposing a beautiful arching bridge, was the epitome of a classic German suplex. I almost started counting to three without thinking.
At count 2.99, the one who tried to pet me recovered and took a protesting stance as they got up, but the suplex side responded with a negotiation-breaking lariat. The opponent, who took a direct hit and fell, seemed to be getting scolded for something—probably ‘Don’t interrupt the work.’ Yeah, that was totally right.
The one knocked down by the lariat got up silently and unleashed a horizontal chop straight at the other’s chest area. The suplex side countered with a slap.
The exchange of chops and slaps continued, and the chop side cried out first. As expected, the damage from the earlier suplex and lariat must have taken its toll.
Without missing the gap in their crumbling stance, the suplex side clamped the opponent’s head under their arm and grabbed their lower body with the other hand. Then, with great momentum, they lifted them up and dropped down, smashing the opponent’s crown into the floor. It was the pro wrestling move once known as one of the four ultimate techniques: the vertical brainbuster.
The sheer power made me think the whole arena was shaking, and they immediately grabbed the opponent’s arms and legs to apply a hold. I couldn’t help but lean in, slap the floor, and start counting.
This time, they recovered at two counts.
I respected the fighting spirit that stood up staggering after taking two big moves, but the opponent was a merciless killer pro wrestling machine. There was no mercy for the wide-open foe.
They locked the opponent’s limbs in a complex bind and squeezed tight—it was the finishing hold favored by a wrestler famous for his fighting soul: the Octopus Hold.
I couldn’t hear the voice through the creaking pain, but I knew a scream rose up. They seemed to be reaching for the ropes, but unfortunately, this wasn’t a square jungle; it was my forge.
More importantly, why hadn’t I noticed this New Japan Pro-Wrestling-style match happening right in front of me while forging the katana? Finally, the one caught in the Octopus Hold tapped out and declared surrender.
I grabbed the arm of the one who released the hold and raised it high, proclaiming them the victor. Wait, now that I thought about it, who the heck were you two in my dream?
The winner gently removed my hand, then softly clasped both of mine. It was a tender grip, like handling something fragile, but that gentleness clearly didn’t extend to the match.
What pro spirit.
They let go of my hands, grabbed the fallen opponent’s nape, and exited the dream… What on earth was that really about?
And then, I woke up on the sofa.
It seemed like about a three-hour nap. Outside was completely dark.
”Morning, Tatara.”
A voice came down from above my head. When I shifted my gaze, I saw Mount Ethelena—too huge for her face to be visible.
Oh, and under my head was Ethelena’s thigh… I belatedly noticed the perfect balance of firmness and softness.
”…Morning, Ethelena.”
I returned the greeting and sat up, but if I moved straight, I’d charge right into Mount Ethelena, so I veered around. No, in just one day without it, I realized my lower half was in serious trouble.
If I felt Ethelena’s softness right now, I’d lose control and dive into the act regardless of place or time.
Then I couldn’t say anything about the time two days ago when Ethelena couldn’t hold back and pleasured herself in my room. This must be the effect of ‘Sex Sorcery’ too—scary, because if I didn’t figure out a countermeasure soon, I’d end up taking it out on Yohira or that foolish vixen.
”Kasumi-san asked me to let you sleep naturally until you woke up, so I was keeping watch gently. Everyone else already ate dinner, so only your portion is left.”
When she said that and I looked at the table, sure enough, a single serving was laid out.
Only after recognizing it did I feel my hunger. I’d used HP on blacksmithing, huh.
”…Sorry for leaving it to you.”
”No, it’s fine. It’s rare for Tatara to do what he wants like that.”
”…Is it that rare? I think I do what I want all the time.”
I did crafting and cooking because I liked making things—it shouldn’t be rare… Well, except making babies was mostly when I went along with Ethelena.
Ethelena let out a sigh at my words, as if I’d said something exasperating.
”It’s scary how you really believe that, Tatara…”
”No, I do like making things.”
”If you keep doing everything, you’ll burn out, right? If there are things you want to prioritize or studies you want to focus on, we’ll support you—so rely on us.”
I had nothing to say to Ethelena’s words, tinged with a bit of frustration.
In the dungeon, we divided roles and I thought I relied on them, but maybe not so much in daily life. Actually, the women were using the hinoki bath, so I figured cleaning was all on them.
”So, Tatara, is there anything you want to ask us to do?”
”Suddenly like that…”
If I had to say, I’d want them to help vent this lust that’s hitting its limit in one day, but that wasn’t it. More importantly, until I could control this myself, there’d be problems with relief once Ethelena got pregnant.
”Muu, then come to my room tonight, and I’ll milk you dry!”
”Wait.”
”You might’ve forgotten, Tatara, but succubi can prepare according to their partner’s arousal, you know?”
”Right, that’s true.”
She’d noticed my body reacting right after I woke up looking at her—controlling it from the start was a pipe dream, huh.
”Also, Kasumi-san explained Amatsu-san’s words for us.”
”Eh, Master’s words?”
”Yeah. You’re married, so make sure to do your nightly duties properly—don’t make your companions lonely, you idiot disciple” And when we talked about why there are two baths and the current nicknames, Kasumi-san and Amatsu-san burst out laughing.”
”Mother-in-law and Master!?”
”When I confirmed that Tra-chan would use it eventually too, Kasumi-san gave off this intense pressure, but it settled when Torakuma turned bright red and affirmed it.”
”What the heck is that woman doing to her own daughter…”
My head started to ache.
Not just Mother-in-law and Master’s reactions, but the fact that Master was affirming my near-harem situation too. Come to think of it, she understood Yohira’s affection and even said something about whether my manhood would fit, so yeah, she was totally the affirming type.
”Anyway, Tatara, eat up. We’ll use the bath in the morning, but in the room, you can eat me too.”
”Isn’t that too rich even for dessert…”
My head hurt as my manhood, already expecting from this talk, began to stiffen. It was half-hard, so my appetite was fine.
”Oh, I forgot to tell Mother-in-law and Master that tomorrow’s a school day.”
I remembered just before sitting at the table.
Tomorrow, I’d have the foolish vixen stay home, and ask Hinagiku-san for exploration. She was the only one I could entrust the house to, so I’d leave it to her.
”It’s rare for Tatara to forget about the academy.”
”Katana blacksmithing is fun. Learning something new makes me want to try it right away. That’s why Master scolded me, and Mother-in-law hit me with sleep magic.”
”Jeez, Tatara’s hopeless.”
Ethelena laughed as if she couldn’t help it, and I laughed along with her. It was a meal for one, but with Ethelena there, it didn’t feel lonely at all.
After finishing the meal and brushing my teeth, I returned to my room. The moment I saw Ethelena wearing the matching top and bottom underwear in my favorite hair color, my rationality snapped.
I pulled her roughly into my arms and pressed my lips to hers.
I forced my tongue inside and tangled it with hers. Although Ethelena reflexively tried to resist this forceful act, I pinned her down with my strength and kept the kiss going.
I traced her teeth and the inside of her mouth with my tongue, exchanged the overflowing saliva, and tangled our tongues again.
When we broke apart because we couldn’t breathe, the mixed saliva formed a clear bridge. As I watched Ethelena’s flushed face while she caught her breath with fresh air, my excitement surged even higher.
A desire to dominate welled up inside me, so I kissed her again before she could fully recover and pushed her down onto the bed.
I raised both of her arms above her head and gripped her wrists. Seeing Ethelena unable to resist due to our difference in muscle strength stirred a sadistic urge in me, and thoughts of subjugating this magnificent female body flashed through my mind.
”Tatara, my wrists hurt.”
She still had plenty of reason left, since her tone was as usual. Even that became fuel for my excitement, so with my free hand, I took out my manhood.
While pretending to fumble with unbuckling my belt, I positioned my manhood against Ethelena’s vaginal opening. I slipped a few times from the pre-cum and acted like I couldn’t insert it, but then slowly pushed in while leaning my weight on her.
”T-Tatara? You’re… rougher than usual today?”
”No, sometimes I want to act like this… I want to dominate you, Ethelena.”
”Dominate…? I’ve always been yours, Tatara—ahhnn!?”
I started thrusting right in the middle of her words. In this position, I was pressing my full weight down on her—like a mating press—and although I usually avoided it to prevent hurting her wings while she lay on her back, my reason was almost gone now, leaving only the thought of filling her deepest part with my seed.
”As a regular human, there’s no way I could beat you at sex, Ethelena. Normally, I’m the one getting dominated, right?”
I whispered that into her ear while slamming my hips against hers, but Ethelena could only let out short breaths instead of answering. Come to think of it, she once said that each insertion made it hard for her to breathe.
My desire to dominate was satisfied by her complete submission. At the same time, my manhood prepared to release its seed, eager to impregnate her with my child.
”Come on, Ethelena. For today’s first round… savor it properly.”
I timed it to my limit and pressed down harder, ejaculating deep into her core where we connected most profoundly. Perhaps feeling my pleasure, Ethelena’s vaginal canal writhed and milked my manhood.
Using her contracting vaginal opening, I stroked out the remaining semen inside and pulled out. My manhood, slick with love fluid and semen, glistened as it caught the light coming through the window.
When I released Ethelena’s wrists, I saw red marks from gripping too hard.
I felt sorry for what I’d done and tried to apologize, but she slowly sat up and then got on all fours, bringing her face close to my manhood. She started licking off the mixed fluids.
Shifting from all fours to lying prone, Ethelena carefully cleaned my manhood from the base up. Due to its swollen size, her small mouth couldn’t take it all in, but that didn’t matter to her—as the pleasure running through my manhood during her cleaning showed.
Finally, she kissed the tip with a reverence like swearing loyalty or servitude. And in response to her devoted oral service, my manhood regained its hardness and stood tall once more.
”Ethelena, move yourself.”
In a commanding tone I rarely used, I said that, and Ethelena slowly shifted her body to straddle me. She looked down, aligned her entrance with my tip, and lowered her hips.
My manhood was swallowed again, reveling in the brain-numbing sensation, and thanks to the deepened ‘Sex Sorcery’ blessing, it began producing semen once more to fill Ethelena’s vaginal canal with my offspring. I thought it again, but this eroge world’s lower body was seriously amazing.
Ethelena wrapped her arms around my neck and moved her hips up and down, back and forth, while breathing sweetly. As if savoring every inch of my manhood’s shape without missing a spot, her movements let me fully taste her exquisite pussy too.
Naturally, that stimulation easily chipped away at my limits, making me want to ejaculate right away. But Ethelena was greedily indulging in her own pleasure while serving me even more.
If I came too easily, she wouldn’t be satisfied—and I didn’t want that. When we connected like this, I wanted us both to feel good.
I didn’t have those kinds of techniques, so the important thing was to endure whatever she desired. Last time, I’d greedily taken pleasure all on my own, so now it was her turn to indulge.
I thought that, but honestly, if I didn’t do something, I’d lose to the pleasure. So, I played with Ethelena’s massive breasts swaying in front of me.
Bearing half her weight plus mine with just my hips was a bit tough, but I lifted each breast with one hand. Heavy yet firm and soft, I kneaded them thoroughly.
At that stimulation, Ethelena let out a high-pitched moan, and her vaginal canal’s movements grew more active. It was joyful that she felt it, but the explosive increase in sensation I received was honestly intense.
I wanted to ejaculate quickly, but Ethelena still seemed eager to savor my manhood more. I had no choice but to endure.
Using my free mouth, I bit the front hook of Ethelena’s bra and shifted it up. Her erect nipples caught on the edge, making her moan again as her vaginal canal squeezed me.
I felt a bit of semen leak out, but I ignored it and licked the tip. I rolled it with my tongue, nibbled gently with lips, and gave one stimulation after another—then Ethelena’s vaginal canal clamped down hard on my manhood.
Right on the verge of giving up first, Ethelena dropped her hips to the deepest point and hugged my head tightly. Immediately after, her vaginal canal contracted repeatedly with unmatched intensity, and I couldn’t hold back—I ejaculated.
Even for the second time, I released more semen than the first, and Ethelena’s body convulsed as she devolved into a female beast, crying out in a primal voice. When I lifted my face from her chest area, she had tears and drool dripping down—a true woman’s face. Her usual beauty transformed like this only in front of me, and the satisfaction of being the only one allowed to see it welled up inside.
I pulled the limp Ethelena into my arms and lightly bit her neck. Considering her natural defense, my attack power might accidentally tear it if I wasn’t careful, so I cautiously marked her neck with my trace.
”Ethelena, you’re mine. I won’t give you to anyone.”
I whispered that into her ear, and she weakly nodded before biting my collarbone. Even in her exhausted state, she marked me back—a little blood came out, but she extended her tongue to lick it away.
”I’m yours, Tatara. And Tatara… you’re mine.”
Ethelena murmured that with a satisfied smile, and for some reason, my manhood began regaining its hardness.
Noticing it, she pushed my shoulders and flipped me onto my back. Her succubus power had strengthened—her horns had grown longer, and her wings larger too.
Ethelena had one quirk. After giving oral to my manhood post-ejaculation, she refused kisses.
The reason was probably that my semen’s fishy taste in her mouth would taint our kiss, and she didn’t want that impression between us. So, she stubbornly avoided kisses after oral.
Because of that, I gently touched her wings and kissed her. It was about all I could do as an expression of love.
But Ethelena watched the scene happily. With our hips still connected, she started moving again, beginning the third round.
”…Morning… already?”
I woke to the light streaming through the window, my head completely immobile. I had no idea how many rounds we did in the end, but I remembered up to five.
When I turned my head, Ethelena’s head rested on my chest, her breathing soft and comfortable in sleep. Her extended horns had shrunk back to their usual size, looking like cute accessories.
Just one day without doing it, and it exploded like this. I felt like I needed to do it every day, but if I couldn’t control it to some extent, it would lead to serious trouble.
If Ethelena got pregnant and our activities were restricted, my lust might run wild, turning me into a sex criminal attacking anyone in sight.
Ethelena and the others would probably tell me to rely on Yohira or the foolish vixen… but even I doubted whether one shot would be enough for the amount I poured in.
I needed to think of a solution, and right then, a voice leaked from Ethelena.
When I turned my gaze, her eyelids squeezed tightly for a moment before opening. She looked around in a daze, and the instant she recognized me, a smile bloomed on her face like a flower unfolding.
”Morning, Tatara.”
”Morning, Ethelena.”
After exchanging greetings, Ethelena pressed her head against my chest and rubbed it back and forth, acting as spoiled as she could. The sight filled me with affection, so I stroked her head, and with that, another day began.
Ethelena and I took our morning bath together, then lined up in the kitchen. Even after doing it so much last night, my recovery was in top form, and Ethelena’s stamina seemed bottomless.
We properly indulged in marital activities in the bath, unleashing my lustful semen, before starting to cook. A young body’s overflowing desire was unstoppable—despite thinking about control last night, I hadn’t managed it at all.
Feeling pathetic, I drooped my shoulders while preparing breakfast.
Mother-in-law had brought plenty of fish that was still good, preserved in the freezer I’d modified. What was an ice-sense storage?
Simply put, it was a freezer that didn’t actually freeze food. The inside stayed below 0°C, but nothing froze—a half-contradictory state.
I’d seen one in my previous life but didn’t know the structure, so I used this world’s magic spell formulas to create a system that stole heat, keeping things below 0°C without freezing. Thanks to that, ice-sense aging became possible, allowing me to mature meat while keeping freshness—a new experiment.
By the way, I made it in elementary school as practice for magic device creation with spell formulas, and when I showed it to the female City Mayor half-jokingly, she punched me and filed a patent. Why’d you hit me, City Mayor?
Anyway, among the items aging in the ice-sense storage was a whole tuna, which I planned to serve on the day Mother-in-law and Master left. I wanted to show off a perfect cut with the tuna disassembly knife infused with Master’s forging techniques.
Hidden among those treasures was a bonito.
It was a magnificent 10 kg specimen, and according to Mother-in-law, the Acting Head of Family had caught it along with the tuna on a single line… What was that guy doing?
Setting that aside, I cut up the bonito. I skinned the tough hide, removed the head, gutted it, and filleted it into three pieces—doing it with something over a meter long was quite a task.
I scooped out the mid-falls left on the backbone with a spoon and marinated them in soy sauce with mirin, sake, and garlic.
I wanted to add toasted sesame too, but unfortunately, we were out, so I gave up. I’d serve those mid-falls to Mother-in-law and Master later.
I filleted the belly bones, then separated the middle bones.
To make it even for everyone, I portioned them into blocks and skewered them with iron rods. Since I couldn’t grill in the kitchen, I made an impromptu stove in the corner of the yard and lit charcoal.
I seared the bonito slices, and once they had a nice char, plunged them into ice water and removed the skewers. After wiping off the moisture, the bonito tataki was done.
All that was left was to slice it thick and prepare salt and garlic soy sauce. I wanted shiso leaves and daikon garnish too, but they weren’t as easy to get as in modern Japan.
By the way, while I was grilling the bonito at the stove, Hinagiku-san apparently came over, but Master knocked her down hard with his folding fan. I only noticed when I turned at the finish and saw her buried in the ground.
Ethelena was making omelets, but surprisingly, she’d aimed for dashimaki— it tasted exactly like it, just not rolled. What a happy surprise.
While I focused on the stove, the foolish vixen entered the kitchen and prepared miso soup with white miso, onions, and turnips.
She said she wanted red miso with clams, but this was plenty delicious too. When Ethelena and I petted her head, her tail wagged wildly— so cute, this one.
However, there was one drawback to this spread: it paired insanely well with Hizuru sake. In other words, Mother-in-law and Master were bummed they couldn’t drink in the morning.
”Facing such magnificent bonito tataki without sake… it’s a form of torture.”
”Tarabo, this is pure torment…”
Mother-in-law avoided alcohol in the morning due to her upbringing, and Master skipped it because it dulled his hammer during blacksmithing. Man, I really felt sorry.
”I thought it’d get a bit more fishy, but it’s totally easy to eat.”
”The fish was fresh to begin with, and the ice-sense aging improved the flavor. I never imagined a practice magic device from elementary school would turn out this well— I want to pat my younger self on the back.”
It was rare for me to say something positive about myself.
I picked up a thick slice of tataki, dipped it in garlic soy sauce, and popped it in my mouth.
The sea’s umami stored in the bonito, deepened by three days of aging. The garlic soy sauce’s aroma nicely canceled the bloodiness, and the lingering scent amplified the savoriness.
Then, with a bite of white rice, I fully savored its sweetness. As expected, fish and rice were the ultimate combo.
”Tatara, today’s a school day, right? I’ll join Ethelena for the dungeon in the afternoon, but you’ll be blacksmithing here with Amatsu. How do you want to split the party?”
”If possible, I’d like Hinagiku-san for the dungeon. In terms of combat power, she’s better as a home guard, but… honestly, I want to leave housework to the foolish vixen. She does chores with me and Ethelena, so I can entrust it to her with peace of mind.”
”Well, Hinagiku’s… you know how she is.”
Her disastrously bad housework skills— turning results upside down like that was beyond talent, wasn’t it?
No, but why was she considered an untouchable beauty back in her hometown? A pitiful beauty with a wrecked private life.
By the way, Hinagiku-san was still buried in the yard. That’s why she couldn’t hear the food report.
”My combat strength is below Hinagiku’s-degozaru, but having to stay for housework feels a bit complicated-degozaru.”
”Ichika, please take care of it, okay?”
”Okusama, help out too. I’m no longer under the Torakuma household, so I don’t have to obey orders-degozaru.”
A full declaration of switching sides— she’d recognized me as her master and would live here.
I really needed to get the family register done… What relation should I put?
In the end, without waiting for Dahlia and Hinagiku-san to wake up, Ethelena and I headed to the academy.
”By the way, Tatara.”
”Hm? What?”
”Have you ever thought about names for our child?”
The question came mid-walk. It was sudden, but actually, I’d come up with two.
”Unisex names— two of them.”
”Oh! Tell me, tell me.”
With a curious look, Ethelena asked, and although it felt a bit embarrassing, I told her the names.
”Haruka and Kanata.”
”Haruka and Kanata… Yeah, I like them.”
Since Ethelena’s name meant eternity, I wanted similar meanings, so I thought of these two. It was also from wondering what to call those two children I saw in my dream before.
”Twins at first, then.”
”No, that’s up to fate.”
”It’s fine— I’m a succubus!”
”Does that even matter?”
We bantered like that while walking to the academy.
”Mornin’-ssu.”
”Mornin’.”
We entered the classroom and gave our usual greetings. Responses varied, but one person always replied: my childhood friend, the idiot, approaching with his usual presence.
”Ossu! You two are lovey-dovey as always!”
His bright greeting came with teasing words, making Ethelena and me laugh in embarrassment. That aside, I had a request for this guy.
”Hey, can I ask you for a favor?”
”Oh? It’s rare for you to make a request, Tatara.”
The idiot looked puzzled at my words, so I pulled out the katana I forged yesterday and showed it right in front of him. He stared at the bare blade, unfinished with no hilt or anything, yet completely captivated by its quality.
”Tatara, this is…”
”It’s a foreign sword I forged with my master, who’s been teaching me blacksmithing lately. It’s called a katana.”
The idiot’s face turned serious at my words. For someone who wants to get stronger like her, foreign techniques must be something she’d crave desperately, right?
”The request is to master sword techniques for this katana that don’t exist in ‘Whirlwind’—enough foundation to pass them on someday. I’ll prepare the place and instructor here.”
I’d use my house’s yard, with Hinagiku-san as the opponent. With her swordsmanship, there’d be no shortcomings for this idiot.
”…And the reward?”
”A future position as an instructor at the academy, teaching katana techniques.”
One of his goals, while studying hard, was to become an adjunct lecturer here at the academy alongside being an explorer.
So, I wanted to give him that as a strength. And—
”Another reward: this katana, my very first forge.”
”…This one?”
”Yeah. If you accept, I’ll give it upfront.”
I stared straight into the idiot’s eyes, and he stared back. I want to entrust this sword to you—will you take it?
”…When and where?”
”I’ll match your schedule. How long it takes depends on your talent… so, what do you say?”
”…Fine. I’ll take on your challenge!”
With a fearless grin, the idiot declared it.
—
Bonus:
In the forge after Tatara left, Amatsu headed back to the furnace. He’d told his disciple that, but honestly, the boy was probably fine to keep going normally. By Amatsu’s estimate, she had the stamina to forge four more katanas without strain—in fact, his vitality would recover midway, letting him hammer until morning. But that wouldn’t do.
For Tatara himself, maybe, but that hammer she held couldn’t endure it. At her current skill level, the iron hammer didn’t match—its age and condition showed it was a cherished heirloom used for ages. Amatsu guessed it was the origin of Tatara’s blacksmithing spirit. His stubborn attachment to that hammer must stem from a weighty reason, and that guess was spot on. The hammer and warhammer Tatara used were gifts from his parents, so deep down, he feared replacing them.
But all things break eventually. To Amatsu’s eye, the blacksmithing hammer was already at its limit. Worn from childhood use, its durability was nearly gone, and it couldn’t properly hold the mana Tatara sent because its core was on the verge of collapse.
That wouldn’t do—a disciple’s tool must be worthy. Besides, Amatsu swore she heard that hammer’s cry. Not from being used to pieces, but from frustration at failing to match its wielder’s skill. It cried out, desperate not to hinder its master’s craft. As a blacksmith, Amatsu couldn’t ignore that hammer’s voice. She’d rested her disciple first to hide this work she’d do next.
After finishing, she’d clean up thoroughly—lest her sharp disciple notice. That would be embarrassing. From her storage, she took diamond ore—known as the world’s hardest—and hihiirokane. Using her divine authority, Amatsu sublimated the furnace fire and heated the two magic metals red.
Once hot, she placed them on the anvil and struck—not forging, but pushing impurities out from within. Sparks flew, and impurities dwindled with each strike. She refined eight prized diamond ores to purity, combined them into one, and hammered further. Once united, she shaped it into a hammer head. The 800g of diamond ore had shed impurities to about 500g—just as Amatsu estimated.
She did the same with hihiirokane, but elongated it—for the core inside the handle. With both done, she took a dried branch from the sacred tree guarded in the imperial capital’s palace garden and carved it. She’d grasped Tatara’s hand size from their handshake, so she knew the shape.
She fitted the shaped branch into the head’s hole, hammered in the heated core to expand the wood inside, making it fit perfectly. Then, she drove in wedges to secure it forever. Long ago, she’d decided to gift this hammer when she took a disciple. Over a thousand years, she’d given up on it. In this distant foreign land, she’d finally found one. This hammer, made just like her own, held her gratitude. Amatsu felt uneasy if her disciple would accept it, but she wished to present it when Tatara mastered her techniques.
Notes:
• Amatsu – A master blacksmith and a female. Demonstrate forging skill to Tatara. The duel arises from Tatara’s request for guidance. Senior craftsman guiding Tatara. No kin known. Golden right eye and calm mastery define her.
• Yohira – Torakuma’s first name.
• Hinagiku – A tengu woman as Ranka’s potential companion. She stays with Tatara’s group after travels. Joins household scenes only. Linked to Ranka by shared gluttony jokes. No direct tie to Tatara beyond cohabitation. Cheerful eater.
• Ichika – The fox girl. Kunoichi.
• Dahlia – The automaton.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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