25 – Episode 25. Vasel (2)

There was only one path open to me.

When I was young, my drug-addicted parents sold me for a small amount of money, so I was brought to the workshop as a servant.

I heard that both parents died of acute poisoning a few days later.

Even after hearing the news, I didn’t really think anything of it.

I felt a sense of liberation that the blood ties that bound me were finally gone.

Fortunately, the people at the workshop weren’t that bad.

Although they were no different from slaves, they were promised freedom if they worked as much as the price paid for them.

As a result of working tirelessly for a full year, serving artisans, he succeeded in paying off all his debts.

I was free now.

But there was nowhere else to go.

At the suggestion of the workshop owner, he began learning the trade as an apprentice craftsman.

The workshop that was my master has now become my workplace, home, and learning center.

“Hey, you bastard! Why did it happen so slowly? You should have finished 10 by now, but you still haven’t finished 1?”

“······.”

A series of scoldings and reprimands.

I was used to it.

This is something I heard all the time even when I was serving.

I knew very well that since there were only rough people in this workshop, I had no choice but to teach them by shouting like this.

That’s why I was patient and endured.

This is the same path that all other craftsmen took.

Because I’m not the only one having a hard time.

If I hold back my tears and work hard to change my body, one day I will be able to see the light.

You may be born lowly, but there is no law that says you will live as a lowly person until the end.

Even though I received nothing from my parents, I will be able to gain confidence in one area.

With that mindset, I practiced and practiced day and night.

“Tei, accept my disciple.”

“Oh, hello? Are you my students?”

“······.”

Apprentice craftsmen arrived in droves.

Beginners who don’t know anything.

These were guys I didn’t even know where they were brought from.

I heard that Gongbangju’s grandfather picked it up from the slums…

“Things that are not shiny like this are low-grade magic stones. If they shine when held up to a light source, but the crystals reflected inside are not pure and are irregular, they are intermediate-grade magic stones. Of course, there are appraisers, but they are often busy, so we have to know how to distinguish them. . Their main job is to estimate the price of the highest quality magic stones.”

“Yes!”

I was very happy to have cute students.

I couldn’t help but laugh as I watched them suffer and struggle while going through the same process as me.

I must have been like that in the past.

When I thought of that, I remembered the craftsmen who took care of me, and I became even more kind to my students.

“Well done! Allen! Isn’t that great? You should become Carol’s assistant right away! It would be better for you to learn how to use the highest-grade magic stones right away!”

“Thank you, Master Gongbang!”

The disciples began to take the lead.

In my third year, all I do is listen to the help of ordinary craftsmen.

The disciples quickly left my arms and began handling high-quality magic stones and the highest grade magic stones.

It was from then on that I felt a sense of discomfort.

Because I am so dull.

It was only after my disciples passed me that I felt something was strange.

“Tei is kind, kind, quick-witted, and all good…”

“Her hands are a bit slow, aren’t they?”

“That’s right. When I look at it, I feel like I’m going crazy from frustration.”

“I can’t keep letting him be an apprentice forever, so I have to cut him off at some point. I can’t do that because he’s the workshop owner’s favorite child. Ugh.”

“Isn’t there anyone who stayed as an apprentice for up to three years?”

“There was none. Tei was there the longest.”

The occasional gossip behind her back deeply pierces her heart.

I realized it too late.

The fact that I have no talent.

The fact that not everyone spends their apprenticeship years suffering like me.

I was a poor breadwinner.

A poor breadwinner who receives free meals as an apprentice.

There’s nothing they can’t do to get me an apprenticeship and raise me to a master craftsman, but they say they’re leaving me as an apprentice because they’re afraid I’ll starve to death if they do that.

That heartwarming consideration pricks me painfully.

“Allen obtained his first-class craftsman’s license today! This adds one more craftsman who handles the highest quality magic stones in our workshop! Everyone, please applaud and congratulate him!”

“Wow…”

It has been two years since the disciples entered the workshop.

Everyone begins to find their places.

Except for one person who quit his apprenticeship, all of them began working as full-fledged craftsmen upon receiving requests.

There was also a child who became the best craftsman in the workshop, handling high-quality or top-quality magic stones.

On the other hand, I am the same.

I occasionally go to the intermediate level magic stone and touch it once.

A servant of craftsmen who comes in with work only occasionally.

Now no one tries to teach me.

Everyone gave up.

Because I am too dull.

No matter what I teach, I can’t learn it.

Even if you learn it, it’s too slow.

“Is this the workshop I’m going to work in? Since I know the craftsman’s skills, I followed along and found out that the workshop is terrible!”

“hahahaha… I’ll guide you to work.”

“What is that guy? A b*tch with eyes that are searching for everything.”

“That child is an apprentice. It’s his fifth year.”

“5Th year? How on earth are you guys doing with your apprenticeship training? Put that b*tch on me! I need to make it so she can use it right away. If I leave a waste of money in a workshop that is already short of workers, it will be of use.”

That was my first meeting with Master.

Just when I was thinking about leaving the workshop and living in the slums again, the teacher who appeared was like a savior.

The teacher was already famous outside of Basel.

Then, he met the owner of the workshop who was traveling and was so impressed by him that he immediately moved to our workshop.

“This is not the time to be trained! Just let go of the low-level magic stones! What’s the point of holding on to an item that needs to be processed quickly and highly productive all day long? Starting today, you will learn how to process high-level magic stones. “

“Yes?”

I was so shocked that I couldn’t speak.

You’re going to teach me high-level magic stones when I can’t even use low-level and intermediate magic stones correctly.

Naturally, many artisans opposed it.

They say it’s a waste of magic stones.

“Look at this! How does it look?”

“Hmm. It’s a neatly and well-processed intermediate magic stone. I can’t find any flaws. Is it specialized for mana insulation? It’s an intermediate theme and it even has additional effects?”

“This is the magic stone processed by this bastard. The problem is that he took a cost-effective magic stone and made a fuss by making it very artistic, but one skill is not bad!”

“So, if there’s no speed, it’s meaningless…”

“There’s nothing meaningless! High-quality magic stones take a lot of effort and take up a lot of time! You should entrust the high-quality magic stones to this b*tch!”

It was the first compliment I ever heard.

The tone of voice was harsh, but it was clear that Master was shouting for me.

From that day on, I began learning how to use high-quality magic stones from my teacher.

“The gem alone is more expensive than most craftsmen’s salaries. If I waste it, I will have to starve for a month. Do you understand?”

“Yes, yes!”

“But don’t be too nervous. A stiff body will only further reduce your skills. I’m prepared to starve for three months, so take it easy.”

High-grade magic stones were very different from low- or intermediate-level magic stones.

It was my first time seeing the real thing this close.

The arrangement of the crystals was extremely regular and consistent.

Unlike low- or intermediate-grade stones that could be flexibly cut and processed depending on the stone, high-grade stones required uniform work.

As expected, my slow hands were not a big problem.

It seems that I am not the only one who is slow when it comes to high-quality magic stones.

When processing high-quality magic stones, even skilled craftsmen often spent an entire hour scraping it down to dust.

I’m not the only one who’s slow.

I am not the only one falling behind.

From noble mtl dot com

I can do it too.

I think that thought gave me even more strength.

“Tay. You just stop.”

“Su, Master?”

“Just get out of the workshop. No matter how I look at it, you are not on this path.”

“······.”

The teacher’s expression hardened after receiving the results.

And then he kicked me out without hesitation.

The teacher, who used to kindly teach me one by one even though he spoke harshly, is now ignoring me.

‘It’s not my path?’

From the beginning, this was the only path open to me.

I walked with difficulty along a single path.

Are you telling me to go back now?

I felt like my whole world was collapsing.

“I can’t do anything other than this workshop… I’ve dedicated my life to it, Master…”

“What kind of lifetime is this? I’m still a young girl! Even though I’m dying because I have no taste for food!”

“Please, please, please. I won’t ask you to teach me anything. I’ll start over with serving you. So please don’t kick me out. Okay?”

“······.”

I couldn’t even imagine any other way.

That’s why I cried and clung to my teacher.

As a result, I succeeded in remaining an insect eater.

But there were no warm eyes on me anymore.

Even the teacher just asked me to bring him the necessary tools in a cold voice.

They don’t teach me anything, and they don’t ask anything of me.

Even if you process Baeknal low-level magic stones and intermediate magic stones and put them out, the response is only cold.

If it sells, it sells.

It’s also quite expensive.

It is sold for 1.5 Times the price of a normal magic stone, but since it takes five to six times more time to process, it is difficult to see it as making money.

It was around the time when the second group of disciples overtook me again and received the apprenticeship ticket.

So, this is the 6th year of apprenticeship.

I completely lost my confidence.

It’s been a long time since I gave up on my dream of becoming a self-made man and making a living.

I will live as a carnivore in this workshop forever.

Just because the owner of the workshop likes it.

Thanks to the person who left the workshop a long time ago and never returned, I am still living today, eating food from the workshop.

“Hello, sir. What brings you here?”

“I’d like to sell some magic stones. I’d like to have one of them processed.”

“Please come this way.”

It was a day like any other day.

Listen to the help of the teacher who ignores me.

In my spare time, it’s the kind of day where I spend my free time processing the discarded gemstones that were judged to be defective.

“This is the magic stone I want to entrust to you for processing.”

“This…?!”

Bright light poured in from the reception area.

I was so surprised that my eyes immediately turned to that direction.

It is the highest quality magic stone.

A top-quality magic stone that our workshop has handled only 5 times in 6 years.

I catch a glimpse of the highest-quality magic stone that has appeared for a moment, even if only from afar.

An appearance that seems to contain the bright universe.

I stood there blankly for a long time, my eyes taken by the beautiful irregularity.

“Tay! Attractor! Give me an attractor!”

“Ah, yes…”

But he quickly looks away and returns to his workplace.

To begin with, that place is a different world from where I live.

A world where hundreds of thousands of dollars of money are exchanged, a world that cannot be dared to be crossed.

It’s a world where it would be a huge shame for a slob like me to even peek into it.

“Hmm. Can I choose a craftsman to carry out the work first, prior to the purpose?”

“Of course it’s okay. It looks like you know the craftsman at our workshop.”

“You know. A very great person.”

I quietly stay by the side of the teacher who is working and wait for the next instructions.

I turned my back on the reception desk before I heard another word.

But slowly, the sound of footsteps begins to approach this way.

“hahahaha. I guess you want to leave it to someone you’re close with. But please believe me. Those three are by far the best in our workshop. I don’t know who you’re looking for, but it’s better to leave it to one of those three. ·······.”

“Ah. There it is.”

“Yes? Who are you talking about?”

It looks like they are planning to nominate another craftsman instead of choosing someone with a level 1 certification.

I immediately realized who was visiting.

This is the teacher.

Master, you didn’t just get a license, your skill in handling the highest quality magic stones is as good as Allen’s.

However, he did not get a license and only focused on high-quality magic stones, saying it was a hassle.

He says he is a craftsman, not an artist, and that his mission is to supply high-quality magic stones or something.

It is said that he gave up the life of a famous craftsman who spent the entire year riding a yacht and having fun with the money he earned after completing one of the finest gemstones.

He’s a cool guy.

Because he reached the pinnacle of a field and came down on his own.

Because he is that kind of person, there are customers who deliberately come from far away.

The moment when the teacher secretly smiled bitterly.

A look of bewilderment spreads across the teacher’s face as he takes off his goggles and stands up.

“Tay. Turn around.”

“Yes?”

Then he speaks to me with an expression of disbelief.

What happened?

When I turned around, I made eye contact with a handsomely dressed human male.

Right now, I haven’t even washed my face and my face is covered in soot, so just looking at it makes me feel ashamed of myself.

The cleaner, more decent, and nicer the other person is, the more shabby I feel compared to myself.

My body automatically shrinks.

But the man continues to look at me with a smile on his face.

Is he really looking at me?

Out of curiosity, I point to myself with my index finger and express my doubt.

“I’ll leave it to that child.”

“Yes?!”

And today.

My world has changed.

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