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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“Wow…”
This was Karina’s first reaction as she entered my workshop, carried on Renny’s back.
Had she never seen my workshop on the deserted island?
How could my memory be so hazy already when it hadn’t been that long since we escaped the island?
It hadn’t even been half a year yet.
“To think he built this in just one day. No, not even a day. He built it in less than half a day…”
“What’s this?”
I looked at the object Karina was pointing at.
“It’s an anvil. You shape metal objects by hammering them there.”
“So this is an anvil.”
Had Karina never been to a blacksmith’s shop?
Well, someone in the position of a Saint, who was essentially the leader of a religion, wouldn’t have had any reason to go to a blacksmith’s shop.
It was not strange that she might be seeing one for the first time in person, even if she had heard about it.
After that, Karina continued to ask me about various items in the workshop.
Molds, furnaces, tanning workbenches, work clothes for gunpowder work, and so on…
After about seven rounds of questions and answers, Karina sat on a chair I had made on the spot, covered with several layers of leather, and watched as I disassembled and repaired the wheelchair.
Of course, Millia and Renny were part of the set.
It was a bit unfortunate that Elisa had left because she had homework to do.
Tch.
I needed to create opportunities to become friends with her somehow.
Let’s quickly earn some trait points and strengthen either stats or skills.
The difference from just one rank increase was bigger than I thought.
The amount of information I could perceive increased, making it so much easier to find flaws when crafting.
I desperately wanted trait points.
This was almost like a drug.
If the difference between B and A was this much, how much would the difference be between A and S?
What if the Crafting skill, currently stuck at A, became S?
How would my Crafting skill change then…
“This should do it.”
I stepped back from the Patrasche prototype, now to be called Mark 2, taking my hands off it.
Looking at it from a bit of a distance, I could see the improved finish compared to before.
Of course, the finish wasn’t the only improvement.
The weight had been reduced by a feather’s worth due to more refined processes, a safety belt made of wolf leather had been added around the waist area, and crucially, it had been reborn as an avant-garde wheelchair with increased cushioning by tanning bear hide from the deserted island.
The trend was definitely avant-garde, but what did avant-garde mean again?
“Johann, Johann, can I sit on it?”
“No. This seat is for Karina.”
“Tch.”
Don’t puff up your cheeks like a child.
You’re the eldest here.
Even if we added up the ages of everyone here, it wouldn’t be half of yours.
“I want to ride it too…”
“I’ll let you ride later, so be patient for now.”
I gently patted her head as if to soothe her, then looked at Karina.
Karina, who had been curiously examining the Patrasche Mark 2 I had created, turned to Renny and asked to be seated in it.
The pink-haired Saint, cradled in the arms of the tanned brown-haired female knight, sank into the wheelchair’s backrest.
I had even added a mechanism to prevent tipping backwards just in case, so there was no disaster of Karina falling backwards when she leaned against the backrest.
Fortunately, the size seemed appropriate.
Karina’s large hips, no, pelvis, didn’t get stuck, her head just touched the top of the backrest, and her feet barely touched the ground.
Judging by Karina’s comfortable expression, the size seemed just right.
…Except for the fact that her chest stood out prominently, which was a bit concerning.
But that was a part I couldn’t do anything about.
When sitting up straight, the chest naturally becomes more prominent, and with two watermelons attached to Karina’s chest, it was inevitable that her posture would emphasize her breasts.
Naturally, I had to avert my gaze from the Patrasche Mark 2.
This was due to Renny’s piercing stare that seemed to bore into my face.
Renny tended to be overprotective of Lady Karina…
No, don’t look at me like that. It’s scary.
“I’ll check the condition of the wheelchair, so please remain still.”
I examined the wheelchair’s condition while trying my best not to look at Karina’s large and beautiful middle.
There was a need to check thoroughly as the state before and after the patient sat down was different.
If it broke down due to a design flaw and couldn’t withstand the weight, Karina could be seriously injured.
Although as a Saint blessed by God, she normally wouldn’t get hurt from such things, she was in a weakened state now, so even small things could lead to critical injuries.
I scrutinized the wheelchair thoroughly with my enhanced Insight.
“Please stay still.”
“Ah, yes.”
I began to check the condition of the enviable Patrasche Mark 2, crushed under the Saint’s large bottom, according to the checklist that appeared in my mind.
Was the center of gravity well-balanced, were there any parts that had collapsed unable to bear the weight, were all components functioning properly…
After inspecting around Karina for nearly 5 minutes, I stepped back three paces and straightened my back.
“It’s bearing the weight well for now. Karina, we’ll take a lap around Yeomyeong-gwan with you in the wheelchair, so please tell me immediately if you feel any discomfort. I need to fix any problematic parts.”
“Alright.”
“Johann, let me push it.”
Renny, who had been quietly watching us, stepped forward and spoke to me.
I immediately shook my head at her words.
“I need to push it to better identify any flaws. You should be prepared for any sudden situations. Karina might be thrown off if there’s a sudden malfunction.”
You need to guard.
Fortunately, Renny immediately agreed to my words.
“Okay.”
“Johann! What should I do?”
What should you do?
I pondered as I looked at Millia, who was looking up at me with a face full of expectation.
There wasn’t really anything for her to do, but if I didn’t give her anything to do, she might get upset.
I had no choice but to think about what to tell this childlike older sister to do.
“Hm? What should I do?”
“Fufu, Millia. Would you like to keep me company?”
“Huh? Sure!”
Nice assist.
Millia took Karina’s hand, wagging an invisible tail at Karina’s request.
As I was watching this heartwarming scene, Millia turned her head 180 degrees and looked up at me.
Her eyes were asking when we would start.
Sigh, she was telling me to start quickly, so I should start.
I restored Millia’s head to its original position and grabbed the handles of Patrasche Mark 2 and pushed.
It was the start of our second walk.
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“…and then Johann dug a tunnel…”
“My, really? That’s amazing.”
Countless responses of agreement echoed out.
Though it was a repetition of the same story if you listened closely, Karina was simply happy.
For her, such everyday chatter was truly rare.
The Saint.
The spiritual leader of the continent’s largest religion.
Due to taking on such a heavy responsibility at a young age, it was nearly impossible for her to have a heart-to-heart conversation with someone.
Especially conversing with someone who didn’t attach the honorific “nim” to her name.
There was a sense of distance embedded in the honorific “nim”.
Karina didn’t like that distance.
A relationship where one was revered above all others, but could never be close.
Someone with whom one couldn’t dare to build a personal friendship.
It seemed to emphasize that fact.
That was why she cherished Johann and Millia so much.
People she could talk to without the barrier of her Saint status.
They easily accomplished what even Renny couldn’t do.
“Later, let’s go together, Karina! The decorations on the ceiling of the Magic Department building are really pretty!”
“Fufu, let’s make sure to go together later.”
I absolutely didn’t want to let this go.
A small desire had somehow swollen in me to fill Karina’s heart.
That was why she was genuinely happy when she heard the news that Millia would be enrolling in the Academy with her and Johann had become an escort knight.
I can keep my friends.
A small desire harbored by a girl who had lived for everyone else.
Though that desire was gradually growing, she wasn’t yet ready to answer it.
“Karina. Do you have something to say?”
“Um… no. I just… wondered if you were tired.”
Karina turned her head, equivocating in response to Johann’s question.
She felt somewhat embarrassed.
“My body won’t tire from just one lap.”
“You don’t need to worry about this guy. Would a normal human even think of digging a tunnel overnight to create a secret passage to the main building? Just what kind of stamina does he have?”
“It’s not difficult. You just need to keep digging.”
“Normal humans would get tired before digging even halfway across Yeomyeong-gwan, you know?”
Karina laughed softly at the banter between Renny and Johann.
When Karina laughed, everyone’s attention focused on her.
The first to speak was Millia, who was squatting right next to her, watching a caterpillar crawl.
“Karina, you look super~ happy!”
“Fufu, that’s right.”
Though her body was heavy and it was hard to breathe, Karina truly enjoyed walking and strolling with the four of them.
At times like this, she felt like she had returned to being a girl her age, not the Saint.
‘How wonderful it would be if we could always be like this.’
It was a wish difficult to fulfill as long as she held the position of Saint.
But, wasn’t it okay to enjoy this moment now?
‘Wouldn’t Kalon forgive such a small indulgence?’
Karina opened her mouth, a somewhat irreverent thought crossing her mind.
“Thank you all.”
For being by my side.
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