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Chapter 98
The next morning, after finishing cooking and enjoying breakfast as usual, Shirou walked toward the forge door, pulling it open with a firm tug. Fresh air immediately rushed in, carrying the scent of morning dew. Lefiya, who had been following behind him, looked as excited as a child about to open a birthday present.
As soon as Shirou opened the forge door, Lefiya immediately ran toward her new bicycle parked in the corner of the room. Her eyes sparkled as she saw the final result of their hard work. "Wow, the paint has dried!" she exclaimed cheerfully. She approached the bike, her hands gently touching the glossy surface of the paint. "My bike is so beautiful! Shirou, look, the color is absolutely perfect!"
Shirou simply smiled faintly, feeling satisfied seeing Lefiya so happy. "You like the result?" he asked casually as he approached.
Lefiya nodded enthusiastically, then pulled out the small bell Shirou had bought yesterday from her bag. "Oh, and here's the bell," she said, showing it to Shirou. "I brought it like you asked."
Shirou took the bell, examining it carefully. He nodded slowly, then said, "I'll modify it first to make it fit your bike. So, you'll have to be a little patient, Lefiya."
Lefiya let out a small huff, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm patient," she said with a slight pout, though her expression still showed excitement.
Without further delay, Shirou started the forge in the corner of the workshop. A whoosh sound echoed as the fire ignited, creating a warm atmosphere that immediately filled the room. He placed a large metal crucible over the forge to heat the iron until it melted, while Lefiya stood nearby, watching his every move with keen interest.
Then, Shirou closed his eyes briefly, using Projection Magecraft to visualize a factory-made bicycle bell in his mind. He projected every small detail—the gears, springs, and other components. Once done, he began disassembling the projection, creating molds for each of its parts. His hands moved deftly, leaving Lefiya to admire him from the side.
"How can you do it with such detail?" Lefiya murmured, more to herself. However, Shirou simply smiled faintly without answering, focusing on his work.
After the iron in the crucible had completely melted, Shirou carefully poured it into the molds. Thin smoke rose, and a hissing sound was heard as the hot metal touched the surface of the molds. He placed them in a cool spot, waiting for the metal to harden.
"Alright," Shirou said, wiping his slightly dusty hands. "Now we just have to wait for the metal to cool and harden."
Lefiya, who had been standing near her new bike, suddenly exclaimed, "How about we test the bike first while we wait?"
Shirou shrugged with a smile. "Sure, why not? Let's see if everything runs smoothly."
With full enthusiasm, Lefiya pushed her new bike out of the forge. The bright morning sun shone on the bike's body, making its vibrant color look even more beautiful. Shirou followed behind, amused by Lefiya's eagerness to try out her first bike.
Lefiya pushed her bike toward a small path connecting the forge to the open area outside. The wheels creaked softly on the ground while the warm morning sun cast their shadows on the ground. Her excitement radiated from her light steps, her eyes filled with enthusiasm and a hint of nervousness.
Today, she deliberately wore beige shorts paired with her light green tunic. I won't repeat the same mistake, she thought, remembering how difficult it was to sit on the bike when she tried wearing a short skirt before. The gentle breeze made her feel even more comfortable moving without worrying about her clothes.
Once they reached a sufficiently open area, Lefiya took a seat on the saddle. She felt her balance wobble slightly and immediately gripped the handlebars tightly. With sparkling eyes, she turned to Shirou, who stood beside her. "So... what should I do now?" she asked hopefully.
Shirou walked closer and then pointed to the bottom of the bike. "First, lift the kickstand."
"Oh, okay!" Lefiya quickly got off the saddle, then carefully held the bike with one hand. Slowly, she lowered her body slightly and used her left hand to lift the kickstand with a gentle motion, as if handling a fragile treasure.
Shirou watched Lefiya's cautious attitude, and unconsciously, a teasing smile formed on his lips. She's really treating her bike like an antique that could break easily. He crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head lightly. "You don't need to be that careful, Lefiya. Just use your foot while sitting on the saddle. It's more practical."
Lefiya turned to him with a slight pout, realizing Shirou was laughing at her clumsiness. In a slightly whiny tone, she complained, "I'm just learning! It's normal for me to be careful."
Shirou chuckled softly. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. But try it now, it'll be easier."
Lefiya exhaled for a moment, then sat back on the saddle. With a bit of hesitation, she tried using the tip of her foot to push the kickstand up, and sure enough, it was much easier than using her hand. "Oh! It really is easy," she said with a triumphant expression.
Shirou simply smiled and nodded. "Now, we can start the real practice."
Lefiya sat on the saddle with both feet on the ground, looking at Shirou with hope and a bit of nervousness. She waited for further instructions, her fingers gripping the handlebars tightly.
"Alright, now just pedal," Shirou said patiently, standing beside her.
Lefiya nodded and carefully began pedaling. The bike's wheels started moving, though her body swayed slightly left and right as she tried to maintain her balance. She bit her lip, trying to look serious as if she were genuinely struggling.
"You're almost there, keep going! Don't panic!" Shirou encouraged her with a supportive voice.
In truth, Lefiya felt she was already getting the hang of riding the bike. However, something in her wanted more attention from Shirou. She longed for moments when Shirou would guide her gently, like when she first learned archery. A mischievous idea popped into her head, and she decided to repeat her old trick.
"Ah!" Lefiya suddenly tilted her body to the side, pretending to lose her balance. With a natural-looking motion, she fell off the bike and landed somewhat dramatically on the ground.
"Lefiya!" Shirou immediately moved, without hesitation, helping her up. His hands swiftly pulled the elf girl's arm and helped her stand. "Are you okay?"
Lefiya puffed out her cheeks, pretending to be slightly annoyed and complaining, "Ugh... I'm still scared of falling. Shirou, can you hold me for a bit longer?" She looked at him with sparkling eyes, full of hope.
Shirou sighed, looking at her for a moment before finally smiling faintly. "Alright, I'll hold you until you're more confident," he said, positioning himself behind her.
Hearing that, Lefiya felt a small victory in her heart. She smiled contentedly before getting back on her bike.
Lefiya pedaled her bike slowly, her body still trembling slightly, but her heart felt incredibly light. Not just because she managed to keep her balance but also because Shirou's warm hands continued to guide her from behind. That sensation made her cheeks feel warm, and she secretly smiled widely.
They continued circling the path connecting the forge to the surrounding area. Shirou patiently stayed by her side, making sure Lefiya didn't fall. While guiding her, he asked softly, "So, how do you feel? Confident enough to pedal on your own?"
Lefiya wanted to say she was ready, but on the other hand, Shirou's attention was too comforting to let go of so easily. She pouted slightly, then in a slightly whiny tone, she said, "Just a little longer, Shirou..."
Shirou simply nodded lightly, not thinking too much about the whiny tone in Lefiya's voice. However, he then added, "If I knew it would be this difficult, I should've installed training wheels first."
Lefiya, who had been smiling happily, suddenly stopped smiling. She turned to Shirou with a confused expression. "Training wheels?" she asked.
Shirou chuckled softly at her expression. "Yeah, small wheels attached to the back wheel. They're usually used by kids so they don't fall while learning to ride."
Lefiya's face immediately turned red. "I-I don't need that!" she said quickly, her voice slightly rising. "I just need to be held a little longer, that's all!"
Shirou simply smiled patiently and shrugged. "Alright, alright. If you're sure," he said, holding back a laugh.
Lefiya exhaled in relief, but in her heart, she knew she would prefer to be guided by Shirou a little longer.
After a few more laps with Shirou's hands guiding her, Lefiya finally felt satisfied. Not because she actually needed Shirou's help, but because she was content with the attention he gave her. With a confident smile, she turned back and said enthusiastically, "Shirou, let go now!"
Shirou hesitated slightly, his gaze showing concern. "Are you sure?" he asked.
Lefiya nodded firmly. "Yes, I'm sure."
For a few seconds, Shirou held his breath, ready to catch Lefiya if something happened. But instead, without losing her balance at all, Lefiya pedaled steadily, her bike gliding smoothly along the path. The gentle breeze brushed against her light brown hair, and her legs continued pedaling with confidence.
"Waaaah, I can do it!" she exclaimed excitedly. After moving a few meters away, she deftly turned, changed direction, and returned to where Shirou stood. Her cheeks were slightly flushed with pride, and with a triumphant expression, she said, "See? I don't need training wheels, do I?"
Shirou exhaled and shook his head with a small smile. "Yeah, yeah. You're amazing, Lefiya," he said, this time without any teasing tone.
Lefiya approached with a bright smile, then said enthusiastically, "Come on, Shirou! You should ride with me too!"
Shirou thought for a moment, then with a simple motion, he used Projection Magecraft to create a plain bicycle beside him. With a casual movement, he got on the saddle, pedaled a few times, and rode alongside Lefiya.
Lefiya giggled softly. "Hihi, now we can ride together!"
Shirou simply smiled at her enthusiasm. "Okay then, let's go," he replied casually, then started pedaling faster, surprising Lefiya, who immediately gave chase.
The two of them pedaled their bikes along the path, the fresh morning breeze accompanying them, Lefiya's laughter echoing among the trees lining the path.
Lefiya and Shirou pedaled their bikes along the path around the forge, enjoying the bright morning with the refreshing breeze. The sun was rising higher, its light hitting the tree leaves, creating moving shadows as the wind blew. Lefiya, with her new pink bike, looked so joyful. She rode nimbly, occasionally glancing at Shirou, who kept pace beside her.
"Hihi, this is so fun! It feels like flying!" Lefiya exclaimed with a small laugh.
Shirou glanced at her and smiled. "Yeah, it seems you're really enjoying this," he said casually.
Lefiya nodded enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling. "Yes! I didn't expect cycling to be this fun."
They continued riding, passing several paths around the forge, occasionally crossing open fields. The sound of wheels turning on the ground and small rocks echoed along with the rush of wind brushing against their bodies.
After a while, Shirou suddenly remembered something. "Oh, I think the mold for the bike bell has dried by now," he said, turning to Lefiya.
Lefiya, who was still enjoying the morning breeze on her face, immediately perked up with sparkling eyes. "Then," she said excitedly, "how about we race back to the forge?!"
Shirou raised his eyebrows, slightly surprised by the sudden challenge. However, seeing Lefiya already in a more serious riding position, he simply smiled faintly. "Alright, but don't regret it if you lose," he said teasingly.
"Just wait and see!" Lefiya exclaimed, then without waiting for a countdown, she immediately pedaled as hard as she could.
Shirou chuckled at the elf girl's antics, then started pedaling to catch up. However, instead of going full speed, he deliberately adjusted his pace, letting the distance between them remain. He could easily overtake Lefiya, but seeing how excited she was, he chose to let her win this time.
Lefiya kept pedaling, her light brown ponytail fluttering behind her as she got closer to the forge. When she finally arrived in front of the workshop door, she raised both hands in victory. "Hyaaah! I won! Shirou, you're too slow!" she said, laughing triumphantly.
Shirou arrived a few seconds later and simply smiled while shrugging. "Yeah, yeah. I lost," he said in a resigned tone. However, his expression didn't show defeat but rather satisfaction at seeing Lefiya so happy.
Lefiya looked at Shirou, and in her heart, she knew the truth. Shirou had let her win. It wasn't the first time Shirou had been gentle with her, and the more she got to know him, the more Lefiya realized that this man always treated her with care.
"Shirou…" she murmured softly before finally smiling faintly.
She didn't mind the victory he gave her. Because what mattered more than anything was moments like this that she spent with Shirou.
Shirou stepped forward first, pushing the heavy forge door open with one hand. The door creaked softly as it opened, revealing the inside of the workshop filled with various blacksmithing tools and remnants of previous projects. The morning sunlight slipped through the window cracks, illuminating the fine dust floating in the air.
Lefiya followed behind, pushing her pink bike inside, watching Shirou's back, which always looked calm and focused whenever he worked. Her eyes sparkled as she saw the mold for the bell they had made earlier.
Shirou walked over to the workbench and began inspecting the hardened metal molds. He tapped the surface lightly with his finger before opening the molds one by one. Inside, there were various small parts that would become the main components of the bike bell: a small gear to drive the sound mechanism, a hammer as the main striker, a spring to provide tension to return the lever to its position, and the lever itself, which would be activated by wheel vibrations or the user's hand. Each part looked rough since it had just come out of the mold, but Shirou already knew the next steps to perfect them.
While Shirou was busy with his work, Lefiya lightly dragged a wooden chair over to the workbench. "I want to watch the process up close," she said, sitting down and resting her chin on her hands, watching Shirou with great interest.
Shirou didn't mind and continued his work. As he had done before when making the bike tires, he closed his eyes briefly and used Projection to recreate a factory-made bicycle bell in his mind. Once the bell materialized in his hands, he used Structural Analysis to examine every part of it—checking the details down to the smallest crevices, understanding the material composition, and how the mechanism worked.
After that, Shirou turned to the molds he had made. He picked up one of the rough parts and placed it on the table before using Alteration to adjust it to the specifications he had obtained from the earlier analysis. Slowly, the once-rough part began to change shape, matching the design embedded in his mind. He did this one by one, starting with the small gear, then the hammer, followed by the spring, and so on, until all the bike bell components had been modified to match the factory version.
Lefiya watched intently, then after a while, she asked, "Shirou, do you have to repeat this process every time you make something?"
Shirou didn't answer immediately. He was still busy with his work, but after finishing one of the components, he turned to Lefiya and nodded. "Yes," he replied casually. "I'm still in the imitation stage. I'm not skilled enough to create my own designs yet."
Lefiya frowned slightly. "But... you can make all this just by looking at it once, right? That's already amazing."
Shirou simply smiled faintly and went back to work. "Imitating and creating are two different things. If I want to truly make something unique, I have to learn a lot more."
After ensuring that all the bell components had been perfectly altered, Shirou raised his head and looked at Lefiya, who was still sitting eagerly on her chair. In a calm but purposeful tone, he said, "Lefiya, can you grab the small bell on the table over there?"
"Oh! S-sure!" Lefiya jumped in surprise and quickly stood up. In her excitement, she almost tripped over her own feet before finally reaching the table where the bell was placed. She grabbed it with both hands, then ran back to Shirou's side and handed it to him, slightly out of breath. "Here, Shirou."
Shirou accepted the bell with a brief nod, then placed it on the workbench. He closed his eyes briefly and whispered, "Trace on". A blue light flickered in his hands before a screwdriver, wrench, and pliers appeared out of thin air. He arranged the tools neatly on the table, ready for use.
Lefiya watched in awe, even though this wasn't the first time she had seen Shirou use Projection Magecraft.
"Alright, now we start assembling it," Shirou murmured as he arranged all the parts on the workbench.
He picked up the bell body first, ensuring that the hole for the striker rod was precise enough. Carefully, he inserted the striker rod into it, adjusting its position so it could move freely. Then, he took the small spring and hooked it to the end of the striker. He pulled it slightly to ensure the spring tension was just right—not too tight to make it hard to press, but not too loose either.
"The spring can't be too stiff," Shirou explained, half talking to himself, half explaining to Lefiya. "If it's too tight, the striker won't return to its original position quickly."
Lefiya nodded, even though she didn't fully understand all the details.
Next, Shirou took the lever that would be used to activate the bell. He attached it to the side of the bell's body and ensured the mechanism worked properly. When the lever was pressed, the striker should move forward and hit the bell, producing the distinct 'kring!' sound. After that, he installed a small bearing to ensure the lever's movement remained smooth and unobstructed.
Now, it was time to assemble all the parts into a single unit. Shirou took a few small screws and skillfully tightened all the joints using a screwdriver and a wrench. The sharp sound of metal clashing against the screwdriver echoed inside the forge. He made sure all the parts were securely attached—but not too tight—so that they could still move properly.
Once the bell was fully assembled, he lifted it and smiled in satisfaction. "Now, we just need to install it on your bike," he said, turning to Lefiya's pink bicycle, which was parked nearby.
Lefiya immediately stood up with excitement, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "I can't wait to hear it!"
Shirou gave a small smile before crouching beside the bike. He placed the bell on the handlebar, then used a tightening bolt to secure its position. He tightened the bolt little by little, occasionally checking to make sure the bell could still move freely.
After ensuring the bell was firmly attached, Shirou lightly tapped the bicycle's handlebar. "Try pressing the lever," he said, glancing at Lefiya.
With great enthusiasm, Lefiya pressed the small lever on the side of the bell.
"Kring... Kring...!"
The bell rang loudly, its soft chime echoing through the forge. Lefiya's eyes sparkled with delight. "This is amazing! Shirou, you're incredible!" she exclaimed, pressing the bell several more times as if enjoying each ring.
Shirou chuckled at her reaction. "Now, everyone will know when you're coming." He leaned against the workbench and smirked. "Or... maybe it's just to show off?" he teased.
Lefiya instantly blushed, her cheeks turning red like a ripe apple. "T-that's not it!" she protested, though she couldn't hide her shy smile.
Shirou just smiled softly before finally saying, "Come on, let's try it outside."
Without wasting another moment, Lefiya eagerly pulled her bike outside, ready to test her new bell on the streets.