Yavi closed the door to the dean's office with immense satisfaction, grinning from ear to ear. Acquiring both dimeritium and mithril in a single day was an absolute windfall.
Suppressing his delight, Yavi hurried out of Oxenfurt Academy and headed straight south toward the craftsmen's district. Neither of his swords had received proper maintenance since he left Novigrad, and his silver sword in particular was on the verge of shattering after the fierce battle with the griffin. It urgently needed repairs. Although Yavi had some silver ore on hand, ordinary silver fell far short of mithril in both hardness and toughness. Mithril could also conduct magic, which would raise his combat strength by two whole levels. Whatever battles he had fought before, the silver sword he wielded had only dealt physical damage. A sword forged from mithril could carry magical effects directly, making it effective against humans and monsters alike. Yavi also planned to forge a longsword from the dimeritium ore, intending to keep it as his trump card. Dimeritium could be considered one of the finest ores in this world, because its inherent magic resistance could nullify any magic it touched, and its hardness had few rivals. Even mithril's hardness was barely respectable beside it. Ordinary iron or steel weapons and armor would fall apart before dimeritium like butter before a hot knife. The Witcher Order had developed a type of dimeritium bomb that required only a tiny amount of dimeritium powder, dispersed into the air by an explosion of gunpowder. If inhaled, it would disrupt the magic within the body and prevent spellcasting, providing an enormous advantage in battles against sorcerers or monsters. After all, a sorcerer who could not cast spells was little different from an ordinary person. But dimeritium had no fixed source and was exceedingly scarce, making it extremely expensive-even several times more valuable than gold. If Yavi could find a buyer, this chunk alone would be enough to keep him fed and clothed for the rest of his life as a witcher.
While Yavi was still lost in his wandering thoughts, he had unknowingly arrived in the craftsmen's district. There were all sorts of goods and wares here, with shops lining both sides of the street. Farming tools, horseshoes, and various other everyday items were piled outside a smithy, while the neighboring shop window displayed many exquisite ornaments. Eastern silks and porcelain peeking out from the loads on desert merchants' camels all showcased the variety of goods available here.
Yavi approached a smithy. Seeing a customer at the entrance, the blacksmith's apprentice immediately came forward to greet him.
"Good afternoon, sir. Are you looking to buy some everyday supplies, or would you like some tools made?" the apprentice asked Yavi politely.
"Hello. I don't need to buy anything. I wanted to ask whether I could borrow your forge. Of course, I'll pay a sum in crowns to make up for any inconvenience during my time here. What do you think...?" Yavi stated his request plainly, then took out a few crowns and discreetly slipped them into the apprentice's hand.
"I'm only an apprentice, so I can't decide that, but I can ask my master." The apprentice explained that he still needed his master's permission, then leaned close to Yavi's ear and whispered, "I'll do my best to persuade him. Even if he refuses, I'll find a way. Please sit down and have some tea while I go speak to my master." With that, he hurried into the smithy.
Before long, the rhythmic hammering inside the smithy gradually ceased. Then its battered wooden door was shoved open, and a figure built like an iron tower strode out. Coal dust still clung to the blacksmith's full beard. He narrowed his eyes, reddened by the furnace fire, veins bulging along his thick arms as he casually plunged a glowing iron billet into a bucket of water. With a hiss, white steam billowed up, half concealing his dark face.
"My apprentice tells me you want to borrow my smithy. How many crowns are you offering?" the blacksmith asked in a deep, muffled voice when he saw Yavi.
"I might need it for a few days. Would a hundred crowns be all right?" Yavi offered tentatively.
"A hundred is too little. I can earn that in two or three days selling the tools I make every day. Not worth it, not worth it. I'm no good at haggling either, so just give me two hundred crowns. Starting tomorrow, I'll take a break, and you can come here and do whatever you need to do. Just don't break my things. None of us will bother you, either, but if you want to borrow a pair of hands, that'll cost extra..."
After bargaining, the two finally agreed that Yavi would pay a hundred and seventy crowns to use the smithy until the start of term at Oxenfurt Academy. They shook hands amicably, sealing the deal. Yavi paid a hundred crowns up front, with the remainder to be paid on the final day.
After saying goodbye to the people at the smithy, Yavi returned to the academy district and ordered chicken leg with rice downstairs at the men's dormitory. Watching the students come and go, he could not help reflecting on how nice it was to be young. Counting his previous life and this one together, he was nearly fifty, yet he was still studying at school alongside young people. It was quite a novel experience.
After his meal, Yavi strolled around the neighborhood to enjoy the breeze and help his food settle. He only returned to his dormitory when the sun was about to set. After a quick wash, he tucked himself under his little blanket and drifted off to sleep.
Yavi got up and began washing just as dawn was breaking. Years of training had instilled the habit of rising early, even correcting his long-standing tendency to linger in bed from his previous life. His daily routine was now very regular, and he enjoyed this healthy way of living.
After getting ready and having a quick breakfast downstairs, Yavi arrived at the smithy. He had expected it to be empty, but to his surprise, yesterday's apprentice was waiting for him at the entrance.
"What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to have the day off?" Yavi asked, somewhat puzzled.
"Ah, I took your money yesterday, but I didn't manage to help, so I felt pretty guilty. I'd only be sitting around at home anyway, so I thought I might as well come and lend you a hand." The blacksmith's apprentice scratched the back of his head and gave a slightly embarrassed grin.
Having someone willing to help was a good thing. After all, many tasks were awkward to handle alone while forging, so Yavi did not refuse. The two entered the smithy, and through a brief conversation, Yavi learned that the apprentice's name was Thomas. He was a boy from a nearby village who had been learning the craft from the blacksmith here since childhood, and it probably would not be long before he completed his apprenticeship.
Once they had introduced themselves, the two began work in earnest. Yavi kept adding coal to the furnace while Thomas worked the bellows with all his strength. Fanned by the bellows, the coal burned rapidly, producing such intense heat that Yavi broke into a sweat whenever he drew even a little closer. Taking off his clothes and putting on the blacksmith's little leather vest, Yavi began his forging journey.