| Author: Eltria | Original Source: Syosetu |
| Translator: Mui | English Source: Re:Library |
| Editor(s): Robinxen | |
After five days, we returned to the east side of the town, and I parted ways with Alfe, leaving just Hom and me.
“We’re almost home.”
“Yes, Master.”
Holding the hide of the Mad Thunder Beast with one hand, Hom politely nodded. The hide was too heavy for me to lift, but Hom carried it effortlessly with one hand. The effect of maximizing her strength was clearly immense.
However, what defined Hom wasn’t solely what I, her master, have established. Various experiences, starting with this training camp, would shape her future.
“You did really well these five days, Hom.”
“Lady Alfe’s cooperation was crucial in mastering the secret technique. She personally taught me what courage is.”
“…Yes, indeed.”
Due to her defined character, Hom tended not to acknowledge her own achievements much. I wanted to praise her properly. I had to tell her that overcoming that fear and succeeding in the secret technique was no small feat.
“Even so, you did a great job, Hom.”
“Your words are too kind for me, Master.”
Whether my words reached her or not was unclear, but I felt Hom’s attitude became a bit more honest. I hope I can continue to nurture her self-esteem in this manner.
“By the way, I have something I’d like to give you as a celebration for mastering the secret technique. How about that?”
“Really… Is that alright…?”
“Of course. Didn’t Alfe also say she wanted to celebrate with a cake?”
I brought up what Alfe had mentioned on the way back. Alfe had already offered to celebrate because Hom worked hard during training. Considering that, as her master, I couldn’t give her nothing.
“Lady Alfe’s cake… It must be delicious.”
“Oh, right. You haven’t tried it yet. I’m sure you’ll like it.”
“I’m very happy.”
Despite her words, Hom’s expression didn’t change much. Although I didn’t heavily suppress her day-to-day emotional expressions, her lack of expressive emotions might be my fault. Just as I struggled to learn how to smile, she might be in a similar situation.
Even if you understand something intellectually, applying it to yourself and using it like others do is surprisingly difficult.
“Just celebrating is already an immense honor. I can’t trouble you further, Master—”
“It’s something I want to do. Originally, I should have given you something to commemorate your birth, but I forgot.”
This was a clear lie; I didn’t think it was worth it. Hom, aware of my negative feelings towards homunculi, still didn’t refute my words and nodded with a gentle expression.
“Thank you very much for your consideration, Master.”
“It’s not quite just consideration. It’s hard to explain the difference, though.”
Thinking back, I had received many gifts since I was a baby. Those items, imbued with love, still rested in the corners of my room. The dial in particular had been incredibly useful. I wanted to give Hom similar experiences. From now on, I should accumulate more of those.
“Gifts mark significant events in life. If you are to live in the human world, you should be exposed to such customs.”
“…Is that why you treasure that hat so much, Master?”
“Exactly. This is a handmade hat given to me by my mother. It’s one-of-a-kind in the world. I plan to give you something similar, Hom.”
I thought something practical would be best, and shoes made from the Mad Thunder Beast hide with electrical resistance seemed perfect. I would make her boots to ensure they wouldn’t slip off easily. I needed to carefully consider additional features too.
Our parents warmly welcomed us home after five days away. I quickly prepared Tao Ran’s special chahan fried rice. The souvenir of the Canado soup base was well-received, and my father had several helpings. Although the char siu wasn’t ready in time, finely chopped ham made a good substitute and was delicious.
The next day, I woke up early and headed to the workshop in the warehouse.
I sketched out my design, using the footprint mold I had taken of Hom the previous day, to create a template for boots that would complement her secret technique, Blitzraid.
It was my first time making shoes, so I referenced custom shoe templates my mother had once used for a special order. I took my time adjusting them to fit Hom perfectly.
I crafted the cutting pattern from the template and began cutting the Mad Thunder Beast hide. This required considerable strength, so I had Hom assist me. She also helped thin the edges of the cut leather, making it easier to handle and sew.
With the preparations complete, it was time for sewing. Using the magic sewing machine borrowed from my mother, I carefully stitched together the upper, sides, and heel. Then, I moved on to a process called lasting, where the stitched pieces with the insole attached were carefully shaped around a mold specifically made to fit Hom. After this step, all that was left was to finalize the shape of the shoes around the mold.
Ensuring no wrinkles formed, I meticulously smoothed the leather. By the time I finished just one shoe, it was already evening.
I hadn’t expected to finish in one day, but it was taking longer than anticipated. After completing the lasting process, I paused to prepare for the sole attachment.
To enhance the shoes’ functionality, I decided to inscribe a simplified Wind Flow formula on the soles. This would enable floating and faster movement by generating wind.
I prepared two soles with the simplified formula inscribed and then resumed my work.
Immersing myself in this task reminded me of crafting the custom frying pan before the training camp. Although I might have skipped lunch, I was so focused that it didn’t bother me. Hom and my parents took turns calling me, but I remained absorbed in my work.
After attaching the soles to the boots, I applied adhesive to the contact surfaces and let them air dry. It took two days to dry, but by using a magic press, I was able to secure the soles with considerable strength.
For the finishing touches, I used a magic dryer at a higher output to soften and stretch the wrinkles from the boots, ensuring the leather conformed to the foot mold before removing the mold.
Since it was a gift, I cleaned the surface of any dust and dirt, applied leather protective cream, and ended up with boots that even I found impressive.
The finishing process took a whole day, but it looked like I would have everything ready in time for tomorrow’s celebration. Given that it was a present, I decided to wrap it nicely to make it look more special. Adding a ribbon would make it look even more festive.
As I was expecting Alfe to visit, I got carried away with the packaging, and before I knew it, it was already late into the night. But now, I could finally rest easy.
Though Hom had helped me with parts of the process, I hadn’t shown her the steps after sewing, so I hoped she would be pleasantly surprised. Given that I made it myself, her joy was almost certain, and I looked forward to her reaction.
With these thoughts in mind, I entered the living room, only to find the lights still on.
On the table, there was bread and soup left out for a late-night snack, presumably out of concern for me. However, something seemed off.
“Mother…?”
I called out as I moved further into the living room. I had a feeling she was nearby, yet I couldn’t see her. That uneasy premonition was soon confirmed.
“Mother!!”
She collapsed between the living room and the kitchen. Her white arms were covered in numerous black spots.
“These spots…”
There was no mistaking it—they were the early symptoms of the Black Stone Disease that had afflicted Glass.
…Where could she have…
I remembered the failed Darklight alchemy using Dark Matter. During that incident, Mother had rushed into the atelier without any protective gear, concerned for our safety. She inhaled the black smoke, a byproduct of the Dark Matter, and had started coughing—
“Mother! Mother…! Please stay with me, Mother!”
Driven by immense regret and the fear of losing her, I desperately shook her body. Tears welled up in my eyes, and even though I knew this wasn’t the time to cry, they kept spilling over.
“Mother…”
My call seemed to reach her as she finally regained consciousness and opened her eyes.
“Leafa… are you okay? Are you hurting somewhere?”
The hand she extended to wipe away my tears felt burning hot. I noticed for the first time that she had a high fever along with the black spots. Panic surged through me.
“No, Mother… It’s because of me…”
Because of me, my mother contracted the Black Stone Disease. What should I do? What can I do?
“Leafa!”
It was my father’s strong voice that brought me back to my senses, stopping the tears that wouldn’t stop flowing and snapping me out of my confused state.
“Father!”
“I’ve brought the car around to the front. Let’s take Natal to the hospital.”
With that, he carefully picked up my mother and headed towards the entrance. I bit my lip so hard it nearly bled, chastising myself, and followed my father as we rushed out of the house1.
