The Nameless Extra: I Proofread This World

With that settled, Ruvian asked Corwin and Zian to study the recipe first and figure out how best to handle the ingredients.

Since the materials were both valuable and difficult to obtain, he didn’t want them to risk wasting anything through careless experimentation.

’Well, I’ll leave it to them for now.’

Once everything was arranged, Ruvian left the laboratory with Silvena and Lovia, leaving the others behind to work out the alchemical process.

”So, where would you like to go next?” Silvena asked as they walked down the corridor.

”Hmm... I was thinking of visiting the blacksmithing workshop. Can you show me the way?”

*****

The blacksmithing workshop of the Golden Fortune Corporation was much bigger than Ruvian had expected.

The second he stepped inside, Ruvian was hit by a wave of heat and the rhythmic clang of hammers on metal.

Clang! Clang!

Around the expansive room were many forging stations in use and a number of furnaces burning steadily on the walls.

There were numerous tools and materials as well neatly arranged throughout the workshop.

’Wow... does that woman even know the meaning of a modest budget?’

Compared to Dain’s humble little shop back in Natoris Town, this place was on an entirely different level. Ruvian could hardly believe that the two workshops served the same purpose.

He glanced briefly at Silvena, who seemed rather pleased with his reaction.

With such extensive resources at their disposal, it was hardly surprising that the Forgewell father and son had been making considerable progress with their blacksmithing.

They walked further into the workshop and Ruvian soon saw a familiar figure hunched over one of the furnaces.

It was Dain Forgewell.

The old blacksmith was standing before an anvil, carefully examining a piece of heated metal with a pair of tongs.

However, just as Ruvian was about to approach him, Dain happened to glance in their direction.

”Ho?”

The old man seemed a little surprised.

Then, upon recognizing the young man standing beside Silvena, his expression immediately brightened.

”Well, I’ll be damned if it isn’t you, kid!”

Dain put his tools down and came over, laughing heartily.

”Yeah, it’s good to see you again, Dain.”

”Good to see you too, lad! Hoho! Say, you have grown into quite an impressive fellow, haven’t you?”

”Haha. What makes you say that?”

”Come now, don’t play innocent with me!”

Dain laughed again before gesturing toward Silvena.

”Who would’ve thought that the young lad who used to visit my little shop would turn out to be someone important enough to have Lady Silvena herself accompanying him? You really had this old man fooled!”

”Well, he does have a few surprises in his sleeve,” Silvena said with an amused smile.

”Hah! That he does!”

Ruvian merely chuckled at their exchange.

”You’re exaggerating. Anyway, how have you and Gared been doing? I heard you guys have been doing well.”

”Oh, we’ve been doing well!”

”Honestly, lad, I’ve never had so many resources to work with in my entire life! Between the equipment, the materials, and everything else Lady Silvena has provided, I hardly know what to do with it all!”

He let out another hearty laugh.

”Back in Natoris, we had to make do with whatever we could afford. Now? Hah! I can finally experiment with things I wouldn’t have even dreamed of touching before!”

”That’s good to hear.” Ruvian nodded approvingly before glancing toward the anvil where Dain had been working earlier.

”Though, I’m a little surprised to see you forging again. I thought you’d already hung up your hammer for good.”

”Hmm?”

Dain paused briefly.

Then, a rather nostalgic smile appeared beneath his grizzled beard.

”Ah, well... I suppose I did say something like that back then, didn’t I?”

He scratched the back of his head before letting out a quiet chuckle.

”Truth be told, I really thought those days were behind me. After spending so many years away from the forge, I figured these old hands had finally had enough.”

His gaze wandered to the furnace nearby, where orange flames still flickered under the heated metal.

”But you know what? A old forge might go cold, but that don’t mean the fire in it is gone out.”

Dain smiled faintly.

”Sometimes, all it needs is a little fuel and a good reason to burn again.”

Ruvian let out a soft smile.

”I see, that’s a rather wonderful way of putting it.”

”Hahaha! Well, these old bones aren’t completely useless just yet!” Dain laughed, flexing one of his arms rather proudly. ”Besides, I still have plenty of things I want to make before I finally kick the bucket!”

”I’m looking forward to seeing them, then.”

”Oh, you certainly should!”

Just then, another voice suddenly came from behind one of the nearby workstations.

”Father? Who are you talking to?”

Ruvian turned toward the source of the voice.

A young man wearing a leather apron had emerged from the adjoining workspace, carrying a small collection of tools in his hands.

It was Gared Forgewell.

Upon noticing their visitors, Gared paused for a moment before setting his tools aside. Unlike his rather enthusiastic father, Gared approached them with a much more reserved demeanor.

”R-Ruvian?”

He seemed genuinely surprised to see him. But when he saw Silvena and Lovia standing beside him, he immediately stood up straight.

”Ah, Lady Silvena. Mrs. Joy. I didn’t realize you were visiting today,” he greeted Silvena politely before turning his attention back to Ruvian.

”It’s... been a while.”

Gared slightly looked away.

”Likewise, Gared. How have you been?”

”Quite well. We’ve been rather busy with our work lately.”

”I can tell.”

Ruvian glanced at the leather apron Gared was wearing, noticing the soot and several burn marks scattered across its surface.

He also seemed quite different from when Ruvian had first met him. Back then, Gared had been rather cold and dismissive toward him.

Although he still maintained that somewhat stern expression of his, the coldness that once accompanied it was no longer there.

In fact, he seemed almost awkward about how to address Ruvian.

”Look, don’t get the wrong idea, but there’s something I need to say.”

”Hmm?”

Gared hesitated for a moment before clearing his throat.

”Ahem, I heard from the people who came to recruit us that you were the one who recommended my father and me to Lady Silvena.”

”Yes, so?”

Gared briefly lowered his gaze before looking at him again. ”So, uh... Thanks for putting in a good word for us. We wouldn’t have had a chance like this otherwise.”

Despite his attempt to sound casual, there was a certain sincerity behind his words.

Ruvian merely smiled. ”There’s no need to thank me. I simply thought the two of you deserved a better place to work.”

He paused, glancing around the workshop.

”And I think I made the right decision.”

Gared seemed momentarily taken aback by that response.

Then, a faint smile appeared on his face.

”Well... we’ll do our best not to disappoint you.”

”I’m sure you won’t.”

Ruvian tapped Gared’s shoulder.

”Besides, I think I’d be the one missing out if you did. I still haven’t forgotten that promise I made to your father about coming back here for a weapon someday.”

”Hah! You really mean that, lad?”

Dain looked at him with a hint of surprise.

”Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”

”Good! Very good! Then I’ll have to make sure my skills are up to the task when you come back!”

Ruvian gave a faint smile at his enthusiasm. Meanwhile, Gared merely shook his head, although the corners of his lips had lifted slightly.

”Oh, that reminds me!”

Dain suddenly turned toward his son with a rather proud expression.

”You know, lad, I’ve been teaching this boy everything I know about forging even before we settled here.”

”Oh? Really?”

”Aye! And let me tell you, he’s got quite the talent for it!”

Dain grinned as he placed a hand on Gared’s shoulder.

”I’ve spent decades working with metal, so I know a talented blacksmith when I see one. This brat might have started learning properly only recently, but he’s already picked up things that took me years to understand!”

”Father...”

Gared frowned slightly.

”What? I’m only telling the truth!”

”You’re exaggerating again.”

”Hah! Nonsense! You think I don’t know what I’m talking about?”

Ruvian looked toward Gared with genuine interest.

”Seems like you’ve been working hard.”

”Well, it’s nothing particularly impressive yet.”

Gared crossed his arms, attempting to maintain his usual composure.

”I’m still learning the basics. There’s a lot I haven’t mastered, so I wouldn’t say I’m particularly talented.”

”Hoh? Listen to this brat!”

Dain shook his head in amusement.

”Trying to act all humble now, are we? Where was that modesty when you were arguing with me about your latest design yesterday?”

”That was different!”

”Hahaha! Of course it was!”

Ruvian couldn’t help but smile at their exchange.

’Looks like those two are getting along rather well.’

Seeing them like this, he couldn’t help but feel a little pleased.

Back when he first encountered the Forgewell father and son, Dain had already given up on forging weapons altogether.

Yet, here he was now, enthusiastically teaching his son the very craft he had once abandoned.

’I suppose things turned out better than I expected.’

And if Dain’s praises were anything to go by, Gared might possess far greater potential than Ruvian had initially anticipated.

Just then, Dain seemed to remember something. ”Ah, speaking of which! There’s actually something I’ve been wanting to show you, lad!”

Ruvian raised an eyebrow.

”What is it?”

”Hehehe! Well, you see, Gared and I have been experimenting with a few things lately. Nothing particularly serious at first, mind you. We were just trying out some ideas whenever we had spare time.”

Dain stroked his beard with a rather mischievous grin.

”But somehow, one thing led to another, and we ended up making something far more interesting than either of us expected!”

”Really?”

”Aye! I reckon it’s one of the most fascinating things we’ve made since coming here!”

”Oh, now you’ve got me curious.”

Ruvian smiled.

Even Silvena and Lovia, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, seemed rather intrigued.

”Ahh~ So this must be what Bella mentioned in her report.”

”Ah, that’s right, Lady Silvena! We haven’t had the chance to formally present it to you yet, but since you’re all here, we might as well show you!”

Dain turned toward his son.

”Gared! Go fetch that thing we’ve been working on!”

Gared glanced briefly at Ruvian before nodding.

”A-alright. I’ll go get it.”

With that, he turned around and headed toward the adjoining workspace.

’I wonder what they’ve made.’

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[Chapter 419: The Forgewell Duo]