The furnace burned for an entire morning.
Su Li did not rush to begin. He crouched before the furnace, watching the heat, occasionally adding a chunk of refined coal to the firebox and letting the temperature slowly climb into the proper range.
The bonded short blade was set into an iron stand beside the furnace. As the furnace grew hotter, the forged patterns along its blade lit up bit by bit.
Two people stood outside the courtyard.
Saina stood with her arms folded, blocking the woodshed door and refusing to let anyone enter. Elena stood beside her, Iris dagger in hand, looking like a door guardian.
"Is that really necessary?" Su Li asked without turning his head.
Saina answered with perfect conviction. "Did you forget how someone stole a look at your formula while you were forging in your previous life?"
Su Li truly had forgotten, but that person had lacked his talent and could never have learned his techniques anyway.
Inside the woodshed, Talia sat on a wooden stool in the corner, her hands resting on her knees and her back perfectly straight. Today, she wore a formal dark-blue robe, a silver hairpin glinting amid her hair.
Violet stood behind her sister, rising onto her tiptoes to peer at the furnace platform, her eyes shining like two brass buttons.
Elonore crouched beside the workbench, clutching a spare guiding needle in her hand, ready to pass it to Su Li at any moment.
The three elves had arrived half an hour ago.
Elonore had delivered the message to the merchant guild yesterday, saying Su Li would visit in a few days. Talia had waited for a day, then come to his door herself early the next morning.
Su Li had not stopped her.
Letting her come to him was better