Chapter 6: Conditions for Advancing the Blacksmith Profession
“Finally max level.”
Roland let out a long sigh and silently opened his attribute panel.
【Name: Roland】
【Race: Human】
【Age: 16】
【Profession: Blacksmith Apprentice】
【Strength: 2.1】
【Agility: 1.4】
【Spirit: 1.2】
【Skills: Lv. Max Ore Smelting, Lv. Max Bellows Pulling, Lv. Max Forging】
“Strength and Agility each increased by 0.1? It seems that attributes can also increase through daily activities, but the speed will be very slow.”
After scanning the numbers next to the attributes, Roland focused his gaze on the skill bar.
“After the Forging skill reached max level, it didn’t trigger a profession advancement prompt?”
Recalling his days of refining his skills in the Blacksmith Shop, Roland slowly furrowed his brows.
“The processes of tempering and quenching are included in the Ore Smelting and Forging skills. Besides that, I don’t seem to have missed any other skills that could be triggered.”
“Could it be that to trigger a profession advancement prompt, besides mastering skills, other unknown steps are required? Never mind.”
After much thought, Roland temporarily put this idea aside and stopped dwelling on it.
“The Heavenly Father’s birthday celebration is in half a month. I should hurry up and forge weapons.”
Thinking this, he once again took a slightly heavier metal ingot and walked to the anvil in a secluded corner.
He looked around, making sure no one was paying attention to him, before taking a deep breath, closing his eyes, and recalling the entire forging process.
A moment later, after confirming that there were no omissions in any of the steps, he began to act.
Pulling the bellows, smelting ore, forging, quenching, tempering, grinding...
These techniques had long been ingrained in his mind after days of practice.
And with the blessing of the Humble Apprentice trait, the rich experience he had accumulated earlier materialized at this moment, making Roland’s weapon forging process very smooth.
Five days later, looking at the brand new iron sword in his hand, Roland showed a tired smile.
“It usually takes years for an ordinary person to go from refining skills to independently forging a finished weapon.”
“But with the blessing of the profession panel, I only spent a few months to successfully forge a finished weapon! It's just that…”
Roland swung the iron sword in his hand, and after carefully feeling it, his original joyful mood gradually faded.
“The quality of this iron sword is far from excellent. Compared to Mr. Hawk’s requirements, it can only be considered barely acceptable.”
“This level of forging skill probably cannot guarantee that I will pass the assessment one hundred percent.”
“But besides continuing to forge finished products to accumulate experience, I don’t seem to have any room for improvement.”
Through their time together, Roland had basically understood Hawk’s character.
Stubborn and prejudiced.
On the surface, this old Blacksmith took good care of him, and they got along very well.
But Roland knew that if he failed to meet the standard in the assessment, Hawk would undoubtedly expel him from the manor without hesitation.
After all, this master already had several skilled Apprentices under him; one more or one less of him wouldn't make a difference.
As Roland was deep in thought, a golden line of text suddenly flashed across his eyes.
【Detected: Host has successfully forged a qualified iron sword. Can advance to the higher profession of Blacksmith.】
【Requirements: 4 Strength, 2 Agility, three max-level forging related skills, forged 1/10 qualified weapons.】
【Host does not meet the advancement requirements.】
“A profession advancement prompt was actually triggered!”
Looking at the text in front of him, Roland was excited, but when he saw the advancement conditions, he slowly furrowed his brows.
“Forging ten weapons is fine, but four points of Strength and two points of Agility—that’s a bit too far from my current attributes.”
“Relying solely on daily activity increases would probably take several months, and to increase attributes in a short period, I can only rely on profession advancement.”
“However… although I don’t yet know what traits I’ll gain by advancing to Blacksmith, it must be related to forging tools. As long as I successfully advance, I’m sure I can confidently secure a spot in the assessment two months from now!”
Thinking this, Roland’s slightly disappointed mood quickly recovered. After a short rest, he took out another metal ingot.
There was still more than half a month until the Heavenly Father’s birthday, and Roland didn't want to waste any time.
Since Hawk allowed him to use the metal ingots freely, he naturally wouldn't be polite.
Moreover, these ores were all purchased by Foslin’s orders, and spending a noble’s money didn't pain him in the slightest.
“I can also fulfill the weapon forging requirements for advancing to Blacksmith at the same time.”
With that thought, Roland’s hammer swung again.
Time flew by like a white steed, gone in a flash.
Before the celebration even arrived, the young Apprentices were driven out of the manor.
“Stop, what’s that in your arms?”
“This is what Mr. Hawk ordered…”
Roland dealt with the guards at the manor gate, and seeing the change in their expressions from stern to respectful, he once again deeply understood the value of a Blacksmith in this era.
But Sean next to him didn’t pay attention to their conversation.
As soon as the guard nodded and let them pass, he grabbed Roland’s arm and rushed out the gate in a flurry.
“Did you hear what Mr. Hawk just said?”
Sean waved his arms exaggeratedly.
“We have to take a damned literacy test when we come back! And if we fail, we have to relearn!”
He let out a somewhat comical sigh.
“Good thing I’ve already decided to join the army, buddy. You know, when I was a kid, I hated those convoluted letters the most!”
Roland stumbled as he was pulled.
“But if you really become an Apprentice, looking at blueprints, signing contracts, keeping accounts—none of it can be done without literacy…”
At this point, his voice gradually trailed off.
The original owner had barely learned to listen, speak, read, and write some daily words in the church-funded school during his childhood.
But this shallow literacy foundation clearly did not meet the requirements.
Roland couldn't think of any way to solve this.
Because in the Golden Valley Kingdom, if commoners wanted to learn to read and write, they either had to pay a high price to hire a teacher, or they had to join the church and become a believer, following the priest to learn prayers.
Neither of these paths was feasible for him at the moment.
“And also…”
Sean didn’t notice his friend’s worry at all. He took the large bundle from Roland’s hand on his own accord, still chattering.
“In previous years, Baron Foslin’s banquet would last at least seven days, so why is it only three days this year? It even cut short our vacation…”
“No money, I guess.”
Roland replied dully, his mood a bit heavy.
Baron Foslin’s extravagant and spendthrift habits were known to everyone in the Blackwater Territory.
The only reason that could make this noble lord shorten the banquet time was probably financial strain.
“It seems the severity of the monster rampage in Black Fir Forest is even worse than imagined.”
Roland shook his head, temporarily casting aside those irrelevant thoughts, and walked along a deep, shady path.
When he passed through the last patch of trees, his vision suddenly opened up.
This was the first time he had stepped out of the noble manor since his transmigration.
With a mix of novelty and apprehension, Roland began to carefully examine the village before him.
Perhaps because the celebration was approaching, the entire village was particularly noisy at this time.
Villagers tied dyed linen strips under the eaves of oak houses, and when the wind swept through, they looked exactly like the magical waterfalls described in folklore novels.
Three bards wearing feathered hats squeezed under the tavern sign, tuning their lutes. The sound of strings mixed with the greasy aroma of roasted goose drifted across the street.
As for the church square, a wandering troupe had set up a colorful canopy adorned with bells, and an artist wearing a raven feather mask was shooting silver sparks from his fingertips, drawing gasps of admiration from girls wearing flower wreaths.
“It’s really lively.”
Roland’s gaze wandered over the laughter-filled street, while he also carefully identified the surrounding buildings.
“This is the tavern, next to it is the inn, and the one near the river should be the mill…”
Passing the slowly turning windmill on top of the mill, Roland’s gaze extended forward, landing on a bustling, spacious shop.
“That should be Marco’s father’s Blacksmith Shop. Business is really booming.”
The original owner’s memories were constantly activated by the familiar surroundings, giving Roland a feeling of being in a different world.
“Hey, buddy!”
Just then, Sean’s shout interrupted his somewhat chaotic thoughts.
Looking back, he saw his burly best friend raising the object wrapped in thick canvas in his hand and asking in a rough voice.
“What exactly is this thing of yours? It’s quite heavy!”
“I’ll tell you when we get to your house.”
The bundle contained the tools Roland had personally crafted.
To avoid attracting attention, he always hid alone in the most secluded corner of the Blacksmith Shop, carefully completing these works.
Even to Sean, his closest friend, he had never revealed anything.
Sean didn’t show any emotion about Roland’s deliberate concealment, only muttering a few words to himself.
Struggling through the crowded street, the two arrived in front of a house.
Just as they were about to push the door open, a fierce quarrel erupted from inside the house.
“Peyton, I swear this is the last time! Lend me a little more money, and then…”
“Don’t dream, Sam! Have you forgotten Ruben’s fate? That kind of thing isn’t something people like you and I can touch! Moreover, what you have is just a fragment!”
“Damn it! Stop bringing up that idiot Ruben, Peyton! I’m not like him!”
“What’s different? You’re both…”
