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After consulting with Alfe and my mother, I decided to make the frying pan out of cast iron. Understanding that it would be a somewhat intricate process and mindful of potential accidents, I established a workspace in the garden. I refurbished the stove that was buried among the plants, which had originally been used for the alchemical cauldron.

It took almost two weeks for the preparations alone, but I didn’t mind this kind of work, so it progressed quite smoothly. Another reason for the smooth progress was the support I received from Alfe, who came to help me every day after school, and my mother, who showed keen interest by checking on our progress regularly. Their presence was a significant encouragement for me.

I think this change was unthinkable for Glass, who used to avoid social interactions. However, knowing that there were people looking forward to my alchemy gave me a sense of exhilaration different from when I was immersed in research. In my current life as Leafa, the presence of people like Alfe and my parents was indispensable.

Another significant benefit was that my teachers, Ms. Anais and Mr. Lionel, whom I’ve known since elementary school, had come to St. Salacious Middle School. There were some materials that couldn’t be obtained by children, but with the help of my mother and the teachers, I managed to acquire everything I needed.

“…The sand moulds are ready. It’s finally time, Leafa.”

Using two moulds previously crafted from Kaitaba clay, Alfe, with excitement in her voice and a smile on her face, announced the completion of the upper and lower sand moulds, both made with sand mixed with Kaitaba clay.

“Thanks to your help, Alfe, I might finish earlier than planned.”

In the alchemical cauldron nearby, molten iron boiled vigorously. By pouring it from the spout of the mould Alfe had completed into the sand mould, the gaps inside would be filled with iron, forming the shape of a frying pan.

“Keep your distance, Alfe. It’s dangerous.”
“Okay…”

As I tilted the alchemical cauldron towards the spout of the mould, molten iron flowed into it, accompanied by a shower of sparks. I meticulously measured the amount as I poured into the two moulds. By the time I finished, I was sweating profusely.

“…Is this it?”
“For the moulds, yes. But there’s still more to do tomorrow.”

Considering the time it took for the iron, heated to about 1000 degrees, to cool, even if we could remove it from the mould today, we wouldn’t be able to move on to the next step until tomorrow or later.

The next task was the coating process with glaze. There was some preparation work to be done before that, so it was better to finish it before Alfe arrived.

Although it took a bit of effort, cast iron retained heat extremely well, and even with the same heat intensity, it quickly transferred and warmed up compared to other materials. With this, we should be able to efficiently heat ingredients without needing to increase the firepower.

The next day, after removing the cooled iron from the mould, I began the task of sanding the surface with a coarse file early in the morning.

As I confirmed the rough texture with my fingers, I proceeded slowly. This sanding process helped the glaze adhere more securely, reducing the likelihood of cracks in the coated areas, so it required careful attention.

“Leafa, good morning!”

Perhaps anticipating my early rising, Alfe arrived in the garden shortly afterward. Since she was here, I decided to enlist her help in preparing the coating agent.

“So, I just need to simmer and melt this fire magic stone in the alchemical cauldron, right? Got it.”

Having recently dealt with alchemy in our basic studies, Alfe readily agreed. With her calm demeanor, Alfe sometimes did even more meticulous work than I did, which was incredibly helpful in times like these.

“It looks so shiny and beautiful.”
“It was just a bit during practice, but with this amount, it looks as clear as your Pure Eye, Alfe.”
“It might resemble your aether too, Leafa.”

Regardless of the type, magic stones, being similar in material to glass, turned into a translucent liquid when melted in the alchemical cauldron. The radiance of the fire magic stone had a golden hue, resembling the colors of Alfe’s Pure Eye and my aether.

Once melted into liquid, the fire magic stones could function as a coating agent for the frying pan simply by applying it to the surface. Once melted, it solidified into a glass-like substance and emitted strong far-infrared rays. These rays had the ability to heat ingredients from the inside without damaging their structure, so the frying pan I was making should maintain enough heat to continuously evaporate excess moisture.

However, this coating process was a bit tedious.

According to calculations, I needed to evenly coat the frying pan with a thin film less than half a millimeter thick. Even a slight variation in thickness could cause uneven heat conduction. It was a very delicate task, requiring precise control of my own pace. Since I couldn’t think of anything else besides focusing, I decided to ask Alfe for advice, even though it was a long shot.

“…Alfe, do you know any magic that can maintain a steady rhythm?”
“A steady rhythm…? Would singing be okay?”

It was an unexpected suggestion.

“Any steady rhythm will do. Could you try singing?”
“Sure.”

With a happy nod, Alfe quietly took a breath and began to sing.

I couldn’t tell what song it was, but Alfe’s gentle voice was pleasant to listen to. The rhythm was steady, resembling the sound of a heartbeat I heard in my mother’s womb.

“…How… was it?”
“It’s really good, Alfe… Um… would it be difficult for you to sing while I work?”
“No. I’d be happy to sing as long as you’re listening, Leafa. I can sing from morning till night.”

Alfe nodded vigorously with a joyful expression. If she could indeed sing from morning till night, it would be an incredible display of stamina and talent. But considering it was Alfe, it didn’t seem too far-fetched.

“I have two frying pans, so it might take a little longer, so can I ask you to do it in breaks?”
“Of course.”

With a smile and a nod, Alfe began to sing. I started the task of coating the frying pans with the fire magic stone, keeping pace with Alfe’s singing.

Oh, who would have thought someone’s singing could be so pleasant to the ears? And I never knew that such a laborious task could be so enjoyable.

Alfe, moving her legs and body like she did when she was a tiny baby, continued to sing in a calm voice. Wrapped in the sensation of losing track of time while listening, I found that I had finished all the coating work before I knew it. I was surprised by how smoothly I had worked, not even realizing when I had switched to the second frying pan.

“…Did I help you, Leafa?”
“Alfe, your singing is truly amazing. I’ve always enjoyed listening to you hum, but when you sing, it’s like magic envelops the world.”

Alfe listened to my words with a sense of awe, nodding thoughtfully, and then blushed slightly before nodding again.

“…I’d be happy if you kept listening to me, Leafa… Can I sing more…?”
“I could listen to your voice forever. …Oh, but singing for too long might strain your throat, and I’d worry about you getting hoarse.”

But if there’s no need to worry about that, I’m sure I could listen to her all day long. I remember hearing about something called a recorder being developed. It would be interesting to create a homemade version to record Alfe’s singing. That way, I could listen to it anytime.

Thanks to Alfe’s singing, the coating work progressed faster than expected, and we were now in the final stages of making the frying pans. After applying the coating agent, the frying pans were left to air dry for several days before being baked in a modified cauldron, ensuring a strong bond between the fire magic stones and the cast iron surface.

Now, it was time for the finishing touch— writing simplified formulas on the sides of the frying pans.

I recently found an interesting formula, so let’s give it a try first.

It was called ‘Oil Separation,’ apparently developed for cleaning purposes. When activated with aether, it caused oil particles adhering to an object to rise to the surface. By applying this formula to the frying pan, it should help remove grease and residue from cooking.

Adding the newly invented runic characters of this era, ‘Water Flow’ and ‘Whirlpool,’ to this simplified formula, my original simplified formula would be complete.

When washing the frying pan after use, simply flowing aether would activate the ‘Oil Separation’ formula, causing dirt to rise to the surface, while the water inside the frying pan would swirl automatically, washing away the dirt.

After finishing writing the simplified formulas with magical ink, the next step was to attach the wooden handles I had prepared, completing the frying pans. For the material, I chose smoked wood, a type of wood capable of conducting aether.

The smoked wood, with its smoky, muted color, complemented the cast iron frying pans even better than I had imagined.