Advancement Requirements for the Blacksmith Profession

"Finally maxed out."

After letting out a long breath, Roland silently called up his attribute panel.

[Name: Roland]

[Race: Human]

[Age: 16]

[Profession: Blacksmith Apprentice]

[Strength: 2.1]

[Agility: 1.4]

[Spirit: 1.2]

[Skills: Lv.Max Ore Firing, Lv.Max Bellows Operation, Lv.Max Forging]

"Strength and Agility each increased by 0.1? It seems daily activities can also raise attributes, but the pace is incredibly slow."

After scanning the numbers beside his attributes, Roland focused on the skill section.

"Maxing out Forging Skill didn't trigger a profession transfer prompt?"

Thinking back on the days he had spent honing his craft in the Blacksmith shop, Roland slowly furrowed his brow.

"The Tempering and Quenching processes are included within Ore Firing and Forging Skill. Other than that, it doesn't seem like I've missed any skills that could be triggered."

"Could it be that triggering a profession transfer prompt requires some unknown step beyond mastering skills? Forget it."

Unable to figure it out no matter how much he thought, Roland temporarily put the matter aside and stopped dwelling on it.

"The Heavenly Father's birthday celebration is in half a month. I should hurry up and forge weapons first."

With that thought in mind, he fetched another slightly heavy metal ingot and walked to an anvil in a secluded corner.

After looking around and confirming that no one was paying attention to him, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and recalled the entire forging process.

After a moment, once he was sure he had overlooked no steps, he began.

Bellows Operation, Ore Firing, Forging, Quenching, Tempering, Polishing.

After days of practice, these techniques had long since become second nature to him.

And with the boost from the [Humble Apprentice] trait, the abundant experience he had accumulated became tangible at that moment, making Roland's weapon-forging process remarkably smooth.

Five days later, Roland looked at the brand-new iron sword in his hand and revealed a weary smile.

"For an ordinary person, going from practicing a craft to independently forging a finished weapon often takes several years."

"But with the Profession Panel's support, I successfully forged a finished weapon in just a few months! Only..."

Roland swung the iron sword in his hand and examined its feel carefully. His initial joy gradually faded.

"The quality of this iron sword is far from excellent. Compared to Mister Hawk's standards, it can only barely be considered passable."

"With forging skills at this level, I'm afraid I can't guarantee that I'll pass the assessment."

"But aside from continuing to forge finished products and accumulate experience, it seems I have no more room to improve."

Through their time together, Roland had gained a basic understanding of Hawk's personality.

Stubborn and obsessive.

On the surface, the old blacksmith treated him rather well, and the two got along quite harmoniously.

But Roland knew that if he failed to meet the standards during the assessment, Hawk would not hesitate to drive him out of the manor.

After all, the old master already had several highly skilled apprentices beneath him. One more or one less made no difference.

Just as Roland was deep in thought, a line of golden text suddenly flashed before his eyes.

[Detected: the host has successfully forged an iron sword of acceptable quality and may take up the Upper-Tier Profession, Blacksmith.]

[Requirements: Strength 4, Agility 2, three max-level forging-related skills, forge 1/10 weapons of acceptable quality.]

[The host does not meet the requirements to take up the profession.]

"It actually triggered the profession transfer prompt!"

Roland was thrilled as he looked at the text before him, but when he saw the requirements, his brow slowly furrowed.

"Forging ten weapons is manageable, but four Strength and two Agility? That's way too far from my current attributes."

"Relying only on gains from daily activities would probably take several months. If I want to increase my attributes in a short time, I can only rely on transferring professions."

"Still... although I don't know what trait advancing to Blacksmith will grant me, it will definitely be related to forging tools. As long as I successfully advance, I should be able to secure a spot in the assessment two months from now!"

At that thought, Roland's slightly disappointed mood quickly recovered. After resting briefly, he fetched another metal ingot.

There were still more than half a month until the Heavenly Father's birthday, and Roland did not want to waste any time.

Since Hawk had allowed him to use metal ingots freely, Roland naturally would not stand on ceremony.

Besides, these ores had all been purchased by Baron Foslin's people. Spending a noble's money did not make him feel the slightest bit bad.

"I can also complete the weapon-forging requirement for Transfer to Blacksmith while I'm at it."

With that thought, Roland swung his hammer once more.

Time flew by in the blink of an eye.

Before the day of the celebration arrived, the boys studying their trades were driven out of the manor.

"Stop. What is that in your arms?"

"This was ordered by Mister Hawk..."

After dealing with the guard at the manor gate and watching the man's expression shift from sternness to respect, Roland once again deeply felt the value of blacksmiths in this era.

But Sean beside him paid no attention to their exchange.

The moment the guard nodded and let them pass, he grabbed Roland by the arm and rushed through the gates in a blaze of excitement.

"Did you hear what Mister Hawk just said?"

Sean waved his arms dramatically.

"When we come back, we have to take some damned literacy test! Those who fail have to study all over again!"

He let out a somewhat comical sigh of relief.

"Good thing I've already decided to become a soldier, mate. You know, I've hated those twisty letters ever since I was a kid!"

Roland staggered from being dragged along.

"But if you really become an apprentice, reading blueprints, signing contracts, and keeping accounts all require literacy."

As he spoke, his voice gradually lowered.

The Original Body had barely learned basic listening, speaking, reading, and writing for everyday use at a church-sponsored school during childhood.

But such shallow literacy was clearly not enough.

Roland could not think of any solution to this problem either.

Because in the Golden Valley Kingdom, if commoners wanted to learn how to read and write, they either had to spend a large sum to hire a teacher or join the church as believers and study prayers under a priest.

Neither path was possible for him right now.

"And another thing..."

Completely unaware of his friend's gloom, Sean took the large bundle from Roland's hands and continued chattering away.

"In previous years, the Baron's banquet was lively for at least seven days. Why is it only three days this year? Even our holiday got cut short."

"They're out of money."

Roland replied dully, feeling somewhat heavy-hearted.

Baron Foslin's worship of extravagance and habit of reckless spending were known to everyone in Blackwater Territory.

The only reason that could make that noble lord shorten the banquet was likely financial strain.

"It seems the monsters in Black Fir Forest are wreaking even more havoc than I imagined."

Roland shook his head, temporarily casting those unimportant thoughts aside as he walked along a deep, shaded forest path.

When he passed through the final patch of shadows, the view suddenly opened up before him.

This was the first time he had stepped beyond the noble manor since transmigrating.

With both curiosity and unease, Roland carefully examined the village before him.

Perhaps because the celebration was approaching, the entire village was especially lively.

Villagers tied dyed strips of linen beneath oak eaves. When the wind swept past, they looked exactly like magical waterfalls from a fantasy novel.

Three bards wearing feathered hats crowded beneath a tavern signboard, tuning their lutes. The sound of strings drifted through the street alongside the greasy aroma of roast goose.

As for the church square, a traveling troupe had erected a colorful tent covered with bells. An entertainer in a raven-feather mask was producing silver sparks from his fingertips, drawing cries of surprise from girls wearing flower crowns.

"It really is lively."

Roland's gaze traveled across the laughter-filled streets as he carefully identified the surrounding buildings.

"That's the tavern, the one beside it is the inn, and the building near the river should be the mill."

His gaze passed over the slowly turning windmill atop the mill and extended ahead, landing on a vast, crowded shop.

"That should be the Blacksmith shop run by Marco's father. Business is really booming."

Memories from the Original Body kept resurfacing amid the familiar sights, giving Roland a strange feeling as though a lifetime had passed.

"Hey! Mate!"

At that moment, Sean's shout interrupted his somewhat tangled thoughts.

When Roland turned around, he saw his broad-built friend raise the object wrapped layer upon layer in thick burlap and ask in a rough voice.

"What exactly is this thing? It's pretty heavy!"

"I'll tell you when we get to your house."

The bundle contained the tool Roland had forged himself.

To avoid drawing attention, he had always hidden alone in the most remote corner of the Blacksmith shop, carefully completing these creations.

He had not revealed even the slightest hint to Sean, despite Sean being the person closest to him.

Although Hawk had implied that he could use those metal ingots, Roland knew full well that the fewer people who knew about it, the better.

He did not want to invite unnecessary trouble through a moment of carelessness.

Sean did not have much of a reaction to Roland's deliberate secrecy, merely muttering a few complaints to himself.

After struggling through the crowded streets, the two arrived before a house.

Just as they were about to push open the door, a fierce argument came from inside.

"Peyton, I swear this is the last time! Just lend me a little more money, and then..."

"Don't even dream about it, Sam! Have you forgotten what happened to Ruben? That kind of thing is not something people like us can touch! And what you have is only a fragment!"

"Damn it! Stop bringing up that idiot Ruben, Peyton! I'm not like him!"

"How are you any different? You're both..."