I chose toast as a simple menu for breakfast.
Of course, the amount was not simple.
There was a good reason for that.
“This is when people truly use the phrase 'I am starving to death'.”
It was because an insane hunger washed over me the moment the muscle pain subsided.
I could not believe how hungry I was.
I wondered if all Awakened were like this.
[ Cheese Special ] [ Grilled Special ] [ Bacon Special ] …….
“Hehehe, normally I would just eat a basic ham and cheese, or a ham and cheese potato at most, which was my limit.”
The special menu items that my usual self would have found burdensome to order even just one.
I ordered every single type of those special menu items.
Perhaps special truly meant special; as soon as I took a bite.
“Haaa. It is melting, it really is melting.”
The rich flavor filled my mouth.
Money was indeed good.
To think I could comfortably order and eat such delicious toasts in my room from the morning.
As I was eating the toast like that.
“Ember, should I give you some? Can you eat by any chance?”
Ember suddenly came to mind.
An entity whose actual appearance I had never seen, and I did not even know if she had a physical form.
It did not seem like someone like Ember could eat food, but.
To the question I asked just in case.
-……If you give it to me, I will not refuse.
An unexpectedly positive answer came back.
Still, since I had ordered a massive amount because I was so hungry, I had plenty to spare, so I picked up a piece of toast.
However, I wondered how I was supposed to give it to her.
-Thank you.
FLARE!
A small ember appeared and swallowed the toast whole.
It was a sight that made me understand the meaning of Ember's name, 'ember'.
Anyway.
“I need to come up with some sort of countermeasure.”
While eating the toast.
I started to rack my brain in earnest.
I could not suffer through that terrible muscle pain every day like this.
And it was not like I could chug that expensive elixir every day either.
The solution that came to my mind for this was exactly this.
“Right, I am a Blacksmith after all. I should solve it myself, shouldn't I?”
A direct solution as a Blacksmith.
It was to make a 'bed'.
The game I used to play.
The items a Blacksmith could make in Final Gate were not limited to equipment like weapons or armor.
Beds, chairs, desks, and so on.
I could also make everyday household items.
And, unlike other games.
'The household items in Final Gate have proper additional effects attached to them, no different from other equipment.'
The household items in Final Gate were not simply decorative items.
They possessed practical in-game effects in their own right.
However, even if the 'Forge of Time' system I awakened was similar to Final Gate, it was not exactly the same.
Therefore, I did not know whether or not I could make household items as I thought.
The method to check this was, as expected.
“Ember, can I make household items by any chance?”
-Of course, it is possible.
To ask Ember.
Fortunately, a positive answer came back.
However.
-If you raise the level of the 'Blacksmith's Anvil', the types of items you can craft will increase.
It could not be done just like that.
Just as I had opened the mine and the forest by raising the level of the 'Forge of Time'.
It seemed I had to enhance the anvil to be able to make household items next.
Naturally, Mana Stones were required to raise the level of the anvil as well, but.
Thinking of this as a future investment as well.
“One Lowest-grade Mana Stone is enough, right?”
I was about to prepare a Mana Stone, but.
-Two Lowest-grade Mana Stones are required to raise the level of the anvil. “What? Why!”
-It is because the objects in the forge, including the 'Forge of Time', require greater power each time they are enhanced.
It seemed one was not enough.
Still, enhancing the anvil was something I had to do anyway.
And I also needed a bed with good performance for the sake of my body right now.
[ You have purchased a Lowest-grade Mana Stone. ] [ You have purchased a Lowest-grade Mana Stone. ]
“Ugh, my money.”
I purchased two Lowest-grade Mana Stones from the Exchange.
A whopping huge sum of two million won had drained away, but I picked up the Mana Stones thinking it was an investment for the future.
Well, honestly, considering the money I earned yesterday, two million won was not a huge loss either.
Holding the two Lowest-grade Mana Stones I had purchased like that, I...
Placed my hand on the anvil in the center of the forge.
[ Would you like to raise the level of 'Blacksmith's Anvil Lv 1'? ] [ Y / N ]
“Yes!”
I shouted my consent.
At the same time, the two Lowest-grade Mana Stones shone.
The Mana Stones, worth a whopping two million won, turned into powder and scattered before being absorbed into the anvil.
Then, the condition of the worn-out anvil recovered, even if only slightly, and emitted a faint light.
[ The Blacksmith's Anvil has become Lv 2. ] [ A new codex has been unlocked. ] [ 1. Armor Codex ] [ 2. Furniture Codex ]
As the anvil's level rose.
“Nice!”
Furniture Codex.
It contained exactly the category I wanted.
The Armor Codex was also created as an added bonus.
When I immediately checked the category, as expected.
[ Wooden Bed ]
I was able to find a bed.
Of course, the materials were lacking a bit, but.
“Ember, do I have to use only the materials listed here? Can I not replace them with similar materials?”
-It is possible, but if you lack skill or use unfitting materials, the performance may drop significantly.
-Of course, conversely, if your skill is exceptional or you use materials that are even more fitting than the original materials, the performance may increase.
I was, in my own right, the number one Blacksmith of Final Gate.
Even without following the standard method, changing materials flexibly was simple enough.
Having confirmed the existence of the bed, I immediately...
“Let's go!”
I grabbed the S-rank Standard Logging Axe I had made yesterday and moved to the Blacksmith's Forest.
I immediately swung the axe.
THWACK!
And began logging.
When I first entered the Blacksmith's Forest and swung my axe, I had to swing it dozens of times just to cut down the thinnest tree.
But now it was different.
CRACK!
“Ohh!”
Every time I swung, the axe lodged itself in satisfyingly.
After I swung the axe about four or five times.
THUD.
The tree fell over, and...
[ Small Tree ]
I was able to cut down the tree.
As expected of an S-rank axe.
It was on a whole different level from the F-rank axe that broke after felling a single tree.
Excited by that satisfying sense of impact, I...
THWACK, THWACK, CRACK!
[ Small Tree ] [ Small Tree ] [ Small Tree ] …….
I began to continuously cut down trees.
To think even chopping wood could be this fun.
It seemed being a Blacksmith was my true calling.
Not just in the game, but in reality as well.
Well, honestly, if asked whether logging was truly a qualification of a Blacksmith, I would have nothing to say.
Anyway, like that.
“This should be enough wood.”
The logging was finished.
However, this was not all.
The leaves that had fallen to the ground in the aftermath of the logging.
[ Small Leaf ]
I gathered all of these up as well.
These would serve as the cushioning material for the bed.
In fact, 'Cotton' was originally needed, but since I could not think of a way to get it right now, I decided to substitute it with this.
Even what fell on the ground was not enough, so after gathering additional leaves from the surrounding trees...
[ Small Grass ]
“It is just right.”
I even gathered all the grass growing on the ground.
With this, the material preparation was complete.
Having returned to the forge, I first piled up the 'Small Grass' I had just gathered on top of the anvil.
“Disassembly!”
I used the Disassembly skill targeting the small grass.
CLANG!
Realistically, swinging a hammer to disassemble grass made no sense, but.
Come to think of it, did smashing iron ore with a hammer to turn it into iron ingots make any sense either?
Turning nonsense into reality.
That was exactly what an Awakened was.
Therefore.
[ You have successfully disassembled the Small Grass. ] [ Lowest-grade Fiber has been created. ]
I was able to create fiber.
Following that, it was time to craft again.
[ You are using the Crafting skill. ]
Through the fiber I had just made.
[ Crafting is complete. ] [ Crafting Evaluation: S ] [ You have obtained a 'Lowest-grade Cloth Piece'. ]
I made cloth.
Following that, I also disassembled the 'Small Tree' to make 'Lowest-grade Wood'.
Having finished the material preparation with this, I...
[ You are using the Crafting skill. ] [ Please select the item to craft. ]
“Bed!”
[ Please select the materials. ]
I began the bed crafting in earnest.
Originally, the materials for making a bed were Lowest-grade Wood, Cloth, and Cotton.
However, according to Ember, even if it were not the materials listed in the codex, the materials could be arbitrarily changed based on the Blacksmith's decision.
It was a system mostly used to create better items by putting in better materials, but.
When a proper material could not be found like now, it was also possible to select a temporary material.
[ Lowest-grade Wood, Lowest-grade Cloth Piece, and Small Leaf have been selected. ] [ Crafting will now begin. ]
Small points popped up as soon as crafting began.
I could feel it right from the start.
That the difficulty was higher than the Standard weapon series I made yesterday.
However, it did not matter.
Even if it was just a game, the one who had enhanced Final Gate's ultimate weapon, the 'Execution Sword of the Black Dragon, Nadan', to its maximum level of 20 was none other than me.
CLANG!
The hammer swung forcefully.
As if I had become a truly skilled Blacksmith, my hammer landed precisely in the dead center of the point.
The points that subsequently appeared as well.
CLANG!
Like playing Whack-a-Mole.
Like playing a rhythm game.
With good timing, I was able to shatter them the moment the points generated.
As I did so, the materials I selected gradually began to take shape.
VOOOOM-.
The Lowest-grade Wood joined together to create the bed's frame.
The Small Leaves clumped together to form the cushioning, and the Lowest-grade Cloth Piece wrapped around them.
They were nothing special as materials, but through the power of the skill, the three materials merged into one, and...
[ Crafting is complete. ] [ Crafting Evaluation: S ] [ You have obtained the 'Sturdy Leaf Bed'. ]
I was able to complete the bed.
Was it thanks to doing my best since it was a bed I would use myself?
I successfully managed to receive an S-rank evaluation exactly as I wanted.
The important thing was the item effect.
The effect I wanted absolutely had to be attached as an item effect.
When I nervously checked the item information.
[ Sturdy Leaf Bed ] Form: Bed Rank: S Description: A bed made using Lowest-grade Wood, a Cloth Piece, and Small Leaves. Because the leaves were well utilized, an aura of nature is faintly seeping out. Abilities: Natural Regeneration Lv 1, Deep Sleep Lv 1
“It is heeere!”
The exact effect I wanted was attached.
Natural Regeneration.
Reading the description, it was an ability that increased regenerative power while resting.
Deep Sleep itself also heightened recovery, but it was not an ability that had a direct impact like 'Natural Regeneration'.
Just as I was about to bring this bed into my room and place it there.
“……I will have to clear this out first.”
There was no place to put the bed.
It could not be helped.
I did not have the luxury of placing two beds in my small and precious studio apartment.
I had no choice but to throw away the mattress I originally used.
I only brought in a cheap mattress without a frame to save money in the first place, so I had no lingering attachments to it.
Lastly.
If only to confirm the effect of this bed.
“Shall I work hard on crafting again today!”
CLAAANG!!
I once again entered my own forge through the 'Forge of Time' and picked up my hammer.