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Marquis Rond Territory

Hot air spewed out from the busy blacksmith workshop. Inside, there was an apprentice moving busily about.

Geralt!

Yes! Coming!

Geralt, help out over here!

Yes!

This workshop was a massive workshop created by combining three major smithies.

It was the largest workshop in Marquis Rond Territory, and had many skilled blacksmiths gathered from the many workshops in the area.

Therefore, it also had many apprentices, but among them there was one apprentice in particular sought after by the blacksmiths.

Geralt Lore.

Despite being an apprentice, he already had a physique as burly as any blacksmith, packed full of muscles.

Many blacksmiths wanted him as their own apprentice, but Geralt always declined, saying he was still lacking.

Today as well, Geralt was busy responding to the blacksmiths calls and taking care of workshop tasks.

Geralt!

Yes! What can I do for you?

Theres someone here looking for you.

Huh? For me?

Someone had come to the workshop looking not for a blacksmith but an apprentice?

It was only natural to be puzzled.

Did you lose a gambling debt or something?

No, why would I have any gambling debts? After finishing work here I go straight home to sleep, then come straight to the workshop after waking up.

A rather handsome gentleman has come looking for you. Go see him first.

Yes.

Geralt was very curious about who on earth had come looking for him.

Could it be someone he knew?

Hello there.

Hello? I heard you were looking for me. But who are you?

He wondered if he knew the person, but it turned out to be a complete stranger.

He couldnt even guess where he might have seen him before.

He was handsome, as the blacksmith had described, so there was no way he wouldnt remember him.

This seems to beour first meeting, may I ask who you are?

My name is Ethan Whiskers.

What!?

Geralts eyes widened momentarily.

If it was Ethan Whiskers, then he was the most outstanding among the new teachers at the Ivecar Academy these days.

Unless something extraordinary happened, news from the academy rarely spread beyond its walls.

Thats how remarkable Ethans reputation was.

Why would a teacher from the Ivecar Academy come to me?

Geralt, even more bewildered, asked Ethan.

What reason could there be for a teacher from the academy to come looking for him?

Ive come to make a request.

A request? To me?

Yes, a request to the blacksmith, Geralt Lore.

.

The word blacksmith coming from Ethans mouth touched Geralts heart. Blacksmith was the position every apprentice in a smithy aimed for and wanted to hear.

But Im an apprentice here, not a blacksmith.

However, Geralt flatly rejected it.

Fundamentally, he was an assistant here. Taking requests and making items was the blacksmiths job.

The most outstanding apprentice among the apprentices. Someone said to already have the skills of a blacksmith, is that correct?

Well. those kinds of evaluations are common chatter among us apprentices.

Here in this smithy, they even sell items youve made, I heard.

Uhm, thats because the blacksmith sirs see me favorably and make considerations. I properly explain when selling items too, so its not like Im scamming.

He made excuses.

Rather than typical false modesty, he seemed to genuinely believe his skills werent that good.

Geralt Lore lacks confidence in his own abilities.

The reason was because of his lowly birth.

He wandered without even proper shelter under fugitive slave parents.

So it was understandable he couldnt believe in himself.

Geralts deceased parents had drilled into him to never step forward first, like hammering a nail in his ear.

They told him to live as if invisible. How could he have confidence in his skills?

You lack confidence in your own abilities.

Im just a lowly apprentice. I appreciate you, an academy teacher, appraising me highly, but really Im.

As Geralt slowly backed away, Ethan opened his spatial pouch while looking at him.

The most intuitive and best way to assess value.

The more of it there was, the harder it was for anyone to refuse.

The very thing that could hold down Geralts hesitant feet right now money.

Please make three swords.

Ethan planned to gift swords to three students.

So they could wield those swords and defeat the Magic Department in the inter-department competition.

Additionally, he planned to have armor made too.

He had gathered quite a lot of materials up to now.

On top of that, he had ample funds to progress the work.

And starting this new business would naturally earn more money later.

Dont spare the money.

Wasnt that the best way to obtain top-quality items?

Geralts eyes grew wide at the pouch full of gold.

But he soon waved his hands as if to say he couldnt accept it.

Yet his eyes kept sneaking glances at the yellow gleam from inside the pouch.

Th, this is too much money.

In my opinion, this amount matches the value of the swords and armor you would make.

But Im not that amazing of a person.

As Geralt denied while fidgeting, Ethan approached him.

Geralt, Im a teacher from the academy. Im quite confident in my eye for people. In my eyes, youre more skilled than any blacksmith here.

Saying that, Ethan grasped Gerolts shoulder.

It was said that the reason Gerolt Goldhand had gotten rid of his past doubts about himself in the past and became a renowned blacksmith on the continent was due to a single line.

The words of the first person who gave Geralt a request, those words were famous for changing Geralts life.

Its fine if you fail.

The doubts weighing him down were tremendous.

He was afraid that if he revealed his skills, it would ruin everything he had built up until now.

He hesitated, afraid he may never get up again if he failed. He didnt even think of challenging, afraid of failing.

Its fine if you uselessly spend that money. Its fine if you fail. It will be entirely my choice.

Is it really. fine if I fail?

A cautious question.

Ethans hand almost clenched reflexively.

But he barely held it in and showed a gentle smile instead.

Of course. Im seeing your potential. This isnt simply about buying swords or armor from you today.

Of course, he couldnt fail.

But fortunately, his thoughts and words changed very naturally.

He wont be able to fail anyway at this point.

Even now, Geralts skills were assured.

All he needed was confidence in himself.

Once Geralt with no burdens makes the swords and armor I requested, hell regain his confidence.

And he would decide there was no longer a need to remain an apprentice, and attempt to open his own smithy.

Thats when I can support him.

That would allow Ethan to build a good relationship with Geralt, who would become the youngest Goldhand.

Do you really believe in me?

Geralt asked once more.

No more words were needed.

Ethan promptly handed the materials and a large sum of money to Geralt.

Im Ethan Whiskers. Once theyre completed, please come to the academy to find me.

Sir Ethan, I heard your story spread really widely? What kinds of achievements have you accomplished at the academy to be called the best teacher this year?

In a high-class restaurant.

Etting greeted Ethan as she entered.

I just did as I always do. Just received a bit more good graces.

Its not just a little good graces.

Although she spoke casually, ever since coming to Marquis Rond Territory, Etting had been continually shocked.

Not long ago after getting Ethans proposal, Etting had promptly started preparing for the new business.

And before properly starting the business, she had come to Marquis Rond Territory to have an in-depth discussion with Ethan.

As soon as she entered, she came to know quite a lot of information.

She didnt even have to look for it. Information about Ethan just poured in whether she listened for it or not.

I keep hearing about you, Sir Ethan. I checked on how teachers at the academy are usually talked about, and was told no teacher had been this much of a topic since Teacher Claudie Hyde.

Etting also knew a bit about Claudie Hyde.

It was common knowledge he came from the Hyde House, one of the Twelve Saints Houses.

Everyone knew he had become a teacher at Ivecar and was displaying his outstanding talents.

But he was from the Hyde House, one of the Twelve Stars Families. It was natural for a noble, moreover one from the Twelve Stars Families, to become an issue.

On the other hand, Ethan was from the Whiskers House in the rural area.

No matter how great his feats, it wouldnt become as big of an issue.

Yet Ethans name was spreading this much. It meant Ethan was truly accomplishing shocking results within the academy.

I just worked hard.

When achievements like these piled up, it was human nature to want to boast a little bit.

Etting had also felt the itch to celebrate more than once in the past whenever Lightweight Workshop saw explosive sales growth and continued setting new records daily.

She had actually held celebratory drinking parties multiple times.

.Modesty becomes a poison when taken too far.

This much isnt excessive, so it wont become poisonous.

I see.

Were achievements of this level just minor to Ethan?

Were the feats he accomplished so insignificant he thought this level of ordinary modesty was sufficient?

Suddenly, Etting grew a bit worried about the prototype Ethan had brought.

It was the first time she had become anxious about someone elses business proposal.

Dont be too nervous, Etting. With your abilities, it will definitely be feasible. And if anything is lacking, I can introduce affiliated Merchant Guilds too.

Affiliated Merchant Guilds?

Im slated to form ties with the Garnet Merchant Guild soon. If needed, you can further expand your scale with aid from the Garnet Merchant Guild.

Yo, youve formed connections with the Garnet Merchant Guild? I thought you were focused on the academy?

A merchants foundation was composure.

Although Etting was now a top executive of a Merchant Guild, there was a time she had been a peddler.

When bringing goods to sell, sometimes she had to exaggerate the price despite it not matching her own valuation, and other times she had to raise the price greatly, claiming the item couldnt be obtained anywhere else.

At those times, the most important thing was her expression.

To gain the optimal upper hand at the negotiating table, she had to maintain a calm expression no matter what to grasp control.

Only then could she draw out the maximum profits.

In short, composure and expression management could be said to be a merchants virtue and foundation.

But right now, managing her expression was quite difficult.

What kind of place was the Garnet Merchant Guild?

The David Merchant Guild was called a Grand Merchant Guild for its enormous scale, yet the Garnet Merchant Guild surpassed even that in scale.

And he had made ties with such a place?

How.

I came across a good connection. Anyway.

Ethan smoothly changed the topic.

Ive brought the prototypes.

Since he had already explained about the special golems earlier, further explanation was unnecessary.

Oh, so this is the prototype.

As Ethan took out the special golem, Ettings eyes returned to a merchants eyes.

Etting examined the special golem here and there, confirming whether it could be sold at high prices to nobles as Ethan had said.

Hmm.

After inspecting the golem for quite a while, Etting sat back down and looked at Ethan.

She appeared composed, but the tips of her fingers were trembling minutely.

It reeks of money. Very strongly.

Author's Thoughts

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