The Supreme Puppet

There was darkness. Nothing but pitch-black darkness. I felt nothing. No sense of cold or warmth, comfort or discomfort. I didn't feel anything at all, and I didn't really care. This darkness...this abyss...all of this doesn't mean anything to me. My existence...I don't know who I am or why I'm here, but I don't care. This was all meaningless to me.

Suddenly, a tiny white spark appeared in the pitch-black darkness. It was small, nothing but a dot in the vast shadow. Yet, it was bright and warm, almost beautiful in a way.

I stared at it, mesmerized. What is this light...? I thought to myself.

The spark glimmered and it started to grow. As it expanded, growing in size, it became hotter and brighter. Then, in an instant, that white spark transformed into a white flame. The flames came towards me and engulfed me entirely, blinding me in pure white light.

*****

"Hm..." A soft and gentle sound came from my mouth.

I slowly opened my eyes, and my vision became clear. I found myself lying on a metal table, inside of a large room made of dark bricks, staring at the ceiling above me. A faint light emanated from a warm fire nearby illuminated the dark room.

I could hear something clanging, echoing throughout the place, a noise I've never heard before. It sounded like something hard hitting against something else.

Suddenly, I felt something beside me move. I was confused, wondering what it was that was moving. As it continued to move, I eventually realized that it was me who was moving around.

I could move. I could see and hear. For the first time, I could feel myself and everything else.

"Hm..."

I sat up from the table and looked at myself. My body was constructed out of wood and metal. Every part of my body, from my arms and hands to my legs and feet, was connected piece by piece.

I moved my hands for the first time, opening and closing them, turning them back and forth. I did the same with my feet and legs as well. As I was fascinated at myself, a white strand came over my shoulder from the corner of my eyes. I touched it, finding more white strands, realizing it to be my hair. On the surface of the table, I caught a glimpse of my own reflection, finding myself to have blue eyes and the face of a young human woman. I touched my face, opening and closing my mouth and eyes. This was all very new to me, very strange.

"You're awake," a voice called out to me.

I turned to see a figure wearing a black cloak, standing in front of an anvil and furnace. They turned around and took off their hood, revealing themselves as a young man with purple eyes and long black hair tied in a ponytail. He had a pair of goggles over his head and wore brown leather gloves over his hands. Underneath his cloak, he had on brown leather clothes, which had a few tears and patches on them.

"It must be confusing seeing all of this for the first time," he said. "If you're wondering who you are, you're a puppet. You're in the Forge, where I work and create many of my weapons, tools, and equipment."

I glanced around the Forge, finding an arsenal of weapons hanging on the walls. There were staves, swords, greatswords, axes, hammers, and many more. Nearby, there were two stone furnaces alongside an anvil and a shelf stocked full of different materials.

"Are you able to speak?" he asked.

"Yes," I replied.

He smiled. "Good." It was my first time talking. The man in front of me seemed happy that I was able to talk to him.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"I'm your creator. The one who made you," he answered. "As for my name, you can call me Blacksmith."

"Blacksmith..." I repeated his name. "And me?"

"You? Your name is..." Blacksmith placed his hand to his chin and thought about it for a moment. "Since you're made from divine materials and you resemble a woman, how about...Celeste?"

"Celeste...hm."

"Ahem. Anyways...I should probably give you some clothes to wear," he said, looking away with a red face.

I tilted my head, confused. Was there something wrong?

*****

Blacksmith left the Forge and returned with a box made of dark oak wood and steel. He placed the box on a separate table and opened it, pulling out a set of clothes.

"Here," Blacksmith said, handing me the clothes with his eyes turned away.

"Why are you looking away from me?" I asked out of curiosity, tilting my head.

"Because it's not something I should do..." he awkwardly replied. "Now, wear it. Tell me once you have it on."

Although I didn't understand what he meant, I went ahead and took the clothes from him. It was a beautiful dark blue Victorian dress with a touch of white and black. The dress was soft with a sweet floral scent to it. I slipped myself into the dress, putting my arms and legs through the silky sleeves. Once I had it on, I checked myself for any necessary adjustments.

"I have it on now."

Blacksmith turned around and looked at me from top to bottom. "Hm. It looks good on you. How is it?"

"It fits. The dress is very soft, comfortable, and smells like flowers."

His face suddenly lit up, his eyes widening. "You can feel and smell?"

I nodded, then tilted my head. "What is it, Blacksmith-sama?"

He stared at me for a moment, then shook his head. "It's nothing. Here, try on these shoes next."

It was a pair of black-leathered shoes, sewn well piece by piece. I put them on as I was told. They fit, and it was comfortable as the dress.

The dress was crafted from elven silk, woven by silkworms that fed on magical leaves and roots from the elven forests, enchanted with Blacksmith's magic for protection and resistance. As for the shoes, they were made from hydra leather, enchanted with the same magic.

Although I didn't fully understand what these clothes or enchantments meant, I trusted Blacksmith's choices, seeing he was my creator.

"Now that you're awake, let's move on. I'm going to have you do a few tests for me."

"Tests?" I repeated.

Blacksmith was going to assess my intelligence. He wanted to evaluate how well my speech was, in addition to my knowledge, memory, and decision-making skills.

"First, let's start with your speaking," he said. "I'm going to greet you, and I want you to greet me back in return."

"Understood."

"Hello there, it's nice to meet you. I'm Blacksmith."

Greet him back in return. I repeated his words in my head.

"Hello, Blacksmith-sama."

"Hm. That was a good start. Now, I want you to greet me again, but this time introduce yourself like I did."

"Hm."

"Hello there, it's nice to meet you. I'm Blacksmith."

"Hello, Blacksmith-sama. It's nice to meet you as well. I'm Celeste."

"Good," he said, nodding. "Now, this time, I want you to greet me and introduce yourself, then continue the conversation."

"Continue the conversation?" I repeated.

"Yes. You can talk about anything you want with me."

After greeting each other, he wanted me to carry on the conversation in any way I liked. But...in what ways could I continue it?

I deeply thought about it for a moment. Hm...perhaps I'll go with that.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you. I'm Blacksmith."

"Hello, Blacksmith-sama. It's nice to meet you. I'm Celeste. How was your day today?"

"Good," he replied with a smile. "How was yours?"

"Good as well," I replied. "Blacksmith-sama, what do you do for a living?"

"I forge many kinds of weapons and tools, and sometimes armor as well."

I nodded. "Blacksmith-sama, if I may ask a personal question, what do you think of me?"

Blacksmith's face lit up, surprised when I asked him this. He placed his hand to his chin and thought about it for a moment.

"Celeste...you're kind and innocent, pure and gentle. Although we know each other very little, you are a very important person to me."

"I see," I said, nodding in understanding.

"If I may ask, what do you think of me?"

What do I think of him...?

As Blacksmith said before, he and I only knew each other very little. However, when I awoke and met him for the first time, I had a good impression of who he was.

"You're a good person too," I replied. "You're kind and respectful, and you're very understanding and patient. If I have to say, the only thing I dislike is that I only know your name."

"Hm," he chuckled. "Well done, Celeste. You turned the conversation in an interesting way."

"You said I could continue the conversation in any way I wanted. So, this is what I thought of."

"I see. Now with that test over, let's move on to the next."

Blacksmith moved past me and went over to the shelf that had his stockpile of materials. He grabs three metal ingots and comes back over to me, separately placing them on the table.

"They all look the same."

"You're right, but each ingot is actually different in its own way."

Blacksmith picks up one of the ingots and gives it to me. The one I held was silver. It was a heavy metal, and taking a closer look at it, I could see how shiny and reflective it was. The second one he gives me is steel. It was a common material he and many blacksmiths use when making weapons or tools. It was strong, and quite dense. And finally, he gave me the third one, which was titanium. It was a silver gray metal that was strong, and holding it in my hands, I could feel how light it was compared to silver and steel.

I finally understood what Blacksmith meant. Although very similar to the eye, each metal has its own aspects that can make it easy to identify.

"Now that you know the difference, let's start."

Blacksmith grabs the ingots and places them behind his back. After shuffling them between his hands, he puts them back onto the table.

"I want you to find the silver ingot. You're free to do whatever you like."

"Silver..." I repeated.

I started by taking a close look at the three ingots, looking at their surface and their structure. Next, I touched them and placed them in my hands, feeling the ingots and its weight. Then, I tested the strength of the ingots by slightly hitting them on the table. After a close examination, I pointed to the one in the middle.

"That one is silver."

"Are you sure?" he asked, checking if I was confident in my answer.

I nodded. "It's shiny and reflective, and it was heavy. I'm sure it's silver."

Blacksmith smiled and nodded. "Correct. Now, find titanium."

I point to the ingot on the right. "That one."

"You haven't checked it yet. Are you sure?"

"I remember how each of them felt and looked, so I don't need to check them," I said. "Titanium is light and strong. It's the one on the right."

"Correct again. Although there is one left, and you know which one it is, tell me what it is."

"It's steel. It's strong and dense, and when I touched it and tested it on the table, I could tell it was that one."

Blacksmith nodded. "Correct. Now, I'm going to do another test with you using these ingots again."

Blacksmith was going to shuffle them in front of me. When he stops, he's going to ask me to identify one of them. This time, I'm forbidden from touching or moving any of them. I could only look and use my memory.

"Let's start."

Blacksmith begins shuffling them, moving them left and right. I closely followed his hands and the ingots with my eyes, keeping track of them in my head. Then, Blacksmith stops.

"Find silver."

I point to the one on the left. "That one."

He nodded. "Correct."

Blacksmith shuffles the three ingots again, this time moving faster when switching their positions. He was testing my eye movement to see whether or not I could keep track of them at a faster speed. Fortunately, I can.

Blacksmith stops. "Find silver again."

I point to the one in the middle. "This one."

"Correct."

He shuffles the ingots a third time, moving faster than before. Then, he stops.

"Find steel."

I point to the one on the right. "This one."

He nodded, then shuffled the ingots again, moving faster and for a longer time. Then, he stops. He takes one of the ingots and puts it behind his back, leaving me with only two on the table.

"Find titanium."

"It's the one behind your back."

"Are you sure?" I nodded. "How do you know if titanium isn't one of the ingots on the table?"

"I followed each one very carefully with my eyes, and I remembered them. When you stopped and took one of the ingots, I saw what it was. I'm sure it's the one behind your back," I said confidently.

He smiled, then pulled out the ingot and put it back onto the table. "Correct again. You have a very good memory, Celeste. You're very knowledgeable. Although I gave you brief descriptions and shuffled them, you still managed to identify every one of them. I'm impressed."

"Thank you."

He nodded. "Alright. Let's move on to the next test."

Blacksmith went to his stockpile and grabbed out a mithril knife. He comes back and places it on the table.

"I'm going to act out a situation between us. There's going to be a problem, and I want you to make choices to resolve it," he explained.

"Understood."

"We're in the woods, and I'm in danger. There are bandits around us, and they want to kill me and take my belongings. What will you do?"

"Since you're in danger, I would save you."

"How?" he asked.

"By taking down all the bandits while protecting you from them," I replied.

"I see." Blacksmith grabs the mithril knife and puts it to his neck. "What if one of them is holding me hostage?"

I stared at him and the knife. "If that's the case, then I would have to find a way to get close to you. I would talk to the bandit holding you to distract them. While they're distracted, and when they least expect it, I'll move quick enough to rescue you and take them down."

Blacksmith smirked. "Demonstrate."

"Hm. Hey, what's that?" I said, pointing behind him.

Blacksmith became confused and tilted his head. I grabbed one of the ingots on the table and threw it directly at him. With his eyes focused on the incoming ingot, I dashed behind him, taking the knife away from his neck.

"Hm. Well done," he said, impressed. "Although what you did was risky, and your wording was a little off, you were fast enough to act and save me."

"Do I pass?" I asked, tilting my head.

"Yeah, but there's still one more test you need to do," he said. "I want to see how strong you are."

"How strong I am?" I repeated.

I followed Blacksmith and left the Forge, entering a large hallway. The hallway was made of gray bricks and there were lights hanging on the ceiling. Down the hall, there were large wooden doors leading to multiple rooms. We walked down and opened one of the doors, entering inside the room.

The room was large and spacious. The walls were also made of bricks, and the ground was made of stone. There were wooden training dummies in the distance. Off to the side, there were an array of weapons hanging on the wall and weapon racks.

"This is the training grounds," said Blacksmith. "This is where I usually test all the weapons and tools I make, and this will be the place where you'll train."

He went over to one of the weapon racks and pulled out a steel sword. It was a common weapon, great for beginners like me. He handed me the sword and I took it from his hands.

I raised the steel sword upwards, taking a look at the weapon from all angles. I swiftly swung the sword down, unleashing a powerful breeze.

"I guess you don't need me to teach you the basics. It looks like you got it," he said, impressed. "Well then, let's start. Go ahead and try hitting one of the training dummies over there with your sword." I nodded.

I walked over to one of the training dummies and stood in front of them. I held the hilt tightly in my hands and raised the sword upwards. I swung the sword down in a quick motion, cutting the training dummy completely in half. The sword continued downward, and upon striking the ground, the floor shattered.

The training grounds shook and instantly became engulfed in dust. Bricks dropped down and weapons in the room all fell to the ground. Blacksmith, who had been watching me from a distance, covered his face from the impact.

Slowly, the dust eventually disappears from the training grounds. Blacksmith coughed and uncovered his face. He opened his eyes and saw me, standing in a large crater and dirty from the rubble.

"C-Celeste, y-you..." he said, shocked by what happened.

The training grounds had been completely destroyed by my attack. The floor was shattered into pieces, and the ceiling and walls of the room were nearly broken. Weapons on the walls and racks were all scattered across the ground. All the training dummies, aside from the one I cut in half, were obliterated.

"The sword broke..."

The blade was destroyed, having shards of steel scattered all over the floor. The hilt was broken, having multiple cracks and scratches on it.

"Are you alright?" Blacksmith asked me.

"I'm fine, but the sword you gave me..." I showed him the broken weapon. "I'm sorry..."

"It's alright," he said with an awkward look on his face. "The sword was weak, and you were too powerful to use it. You just need a stronger one. I can handle that."

"I see. And the training grounds?"

"Don't worry, I'll fix it. As for you, you're going to need to be cleaned." Blacksmith raised his hand to me. "Cleanse."

His hand glowed in a bright blue aura. All of a sudden, I began to glow in that same aura as well. It was strange. Enveloped in this blue aura, I felt lighter, and there was almost a tickling sensation running through my body. It was only for a moment as it disappeared shortly after.

I looked at myself and I was surprised at my condition. There was no dirt, no stains left on me or my clothes. I was completely clean and refreshed.

"Blacksmith-sama, what was that just now?" I asked.

"Magic," he answered.

Magic came in the form of spells, and anyone could use it at the cost of mana. The spell Blacksmith used on me was Cleanse, a low-tier spell that cured any small illnesses, as well as clean off any dirt or grime on the target.

"Do you think I can use magic?"

"Perhaps, but we can do a test later to see." I nodded.

Stepping out of the training grounds into the hallway, I stood beside him as Blacksmith raised both his hands in the air. He casts Repair on the training grounds, a low-tier spell that could restore any broken object or material the caster wanted.

The room glowed in a bright blue light. Everything that was broken or destroyed, from the walls to the ground, came back together and was instantly restored.

Blacksmith let out a sigh. "Alright. Let's head back to the Forge."

*****

I found a bench near the wall and sat down. Blacksmith went over to some shelves off to the side and began rummaging through it. From his stockpile, he grabbed some mithril ingots, orichalcum ingots, and some enchanted oak. He was going to use these to make a sword for me—one that was stronger and more durable.

First, he was going to start with the blade. Blacksmith puts the mithril ingots together and heats it up in the furnace. As the hot fire crackled, the metal slowly began to change color. Once it was hot enough, he took it out with his tongs and placed it on the anvil.

He grabs his hammer and starts pounding on the ingots, molding it until it was a long, flat, and rectangular shape. He turned it and struck the top part, forming a pointed tip. He turned it to the other side and struck the bottom part, forming the tang. He quenches the blade into basilisk oil for a brief moment, pulling it out shortly after with his tongs. Using a grindstone, he grinds the mithril blade until the edges of the blade are sharpened and its surface smooth. With the blade completed, he placed it off to the side and moved on to the guard.

Like with the mithril, Blacksmith puts the orichalcum ingots together and heats it up in the furnace. Once it was hot enough, he took it out and immediately pounded the orichalcum on the anvil with his hammer, bending it until it was the shape of a cross. Blacksmith chipped away some of the metal in the middle of the guard using a chisel, making a hole that would fit the blade. He quenches the guard in basilisk oil for a brief moment, pulling it out afterwards and grinding it until it was smooth.

Now, for the hilt. He grabs the enchanted oak. Using a serrated knife, he carefully sawed away parts of the wood until it was a long cylindrical shape. He chipped away some of the wood in the middle for the blade's handle to fit in. He grabs some leviathan skin and smooths the surface of the hilt, then wraps it up with some chimera leather.

Blacksmith was finished. He had the blade, the guard, and now the hilt. With all three pieces, he assembles them together and creates the sword. The result was a mithril sword with an orichalcum guard and enchanted oak chimera hilt. It was a beautiful and glimmering weapon.

Blacksmith examines the sword from all angles, making sure it was well put together and sturdy. Once he approved of it, he came over to me and handed me the sword.

"Here. Let's have you try this."

I grabbed it and held it in my hand. "Will it break?"

"The materials for this sword are much stronger than steel and normal wood. The mithril sword should be able to withstand your strength."

Blacksmith was confident about the sword and its durability, so I trusted him with his word.

*****

The two of us returned back to the training grounds. Blacksmith, as he did before, stood from a far distance as I faced one of the training dummies. I held the mithril sword tightly in my hands. I raised it upwards and swung down.

The sword cleanly slices through the training dummy. Like before, it struck the ground and smashed it into pieces. Blacksmith was taken by surprise as the entire room went up in dust and the shockwave from my attack pushed him backwards.

It happened again...

Once the dust disappeared from the room, I noticed Blacksmith staring at me with a shocked face and his eyes widened. Not at me or the training grounds, but rather the mithril sword I held in my hand.

The blade had multiple cracks running through it, and it was completely dented to the point where it was going to break off. The hilt had a few splits and the leather was almost torn apart. This sword, newly forged and made of mithril, was still not able to withstand my strength.

I raised the sword and stared at it. "Blacksmith-sama, the sword seems a little weak," I stated.

Blacksmith was speechless, his face in utter astonishment and his eyes twitching.

"Blacksmith-sama?"

Blacksmith returned to his senses and let out a sigh of frustration, then he came over to me. "Celeste...you're powerful. Way too powerful..."

"I'm sorry..."

Blacksmith shook his head. "It's fine. The sword was obviously not meant for you." He casts Repair on the sword and restores it to its original state.

"So...is there another weapon I could use?"

"Hm..." Blacksmith placed his hand to his chin and thought about it for a moment. "...A weapon as strong as mithril didn't work for you. The only other weapon I could think you could possibly use is..." His face turned grim. "...a Divine Weapon."

"A Divine Weapon?" I repeated.

Thousands of years ago, there was a family of talented blacksmiths famously known for forging the finest and most powerful weapons that became legend. These were called the Divine Weapons. According to Blacksmith, there were fifty-four Divine Weapons created in total. These Divine Weapons were all forged differently, each having special and unique materials, and each having incredible abilities. It ranged from raising the dead to controlling minds to splitting the entire earth. The Divine Weapons and their power was on a whole different scale—so powerful that the entire world began to fear them, catching even the attention of the Gods.

"Many of the Divine Weapons were lost, while others were sealed away. Only a few in the world are known to be currently wielded."

"I see. If these Divine Weapons are rare as you say, I suppose it's impossible for me then."

"I didn't say it was impossible."

"Hm?"

*****

The two of us headed back to the Forge. Blacksmith went over to one of the walls in the room and pushed a brick forward. I heard the sound of stone scraping and gears turning. The wall in front of us began to move. Behind it, it revealed a secret vault within the Forge.

"This is..."

The Vault was a large white and silver hall, made of steel and carved with magic runes. On both sides, all the way down, there were the Divine Weapons Blacksmith talked about, encased and sealed on the walls. There seemed to be twelve Divine Weapons in his possession.

We walked down and I took a glance around as we passed by these Divine Weapons. There was a staff of gold with a falcon's head, emanating a blinding and warm light. There was a single-edged katana with a circular guard, having strange characters carved onto the blade. And there was a large rectangular-head hammer with a short handle, carved with runes and enveloped in lightning magic.

I felt a thump and placed my hand to my chest. I could feel something strange happening inside of me.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, noticing me.

"I don't know. There's this...tingling sensation in my chest. It feels a little warm."

"Hm...it could be the Flame within you reacting to the power of the Divine Weapons. Although, I can't say for sure until we find out."

Reaching the end of the Vault, Blacksmith unlocks a seal containing a sword in a white sheath designed with a cross and a grail. He grabs it and pulls it out, revealing a sword of gleaming silver and lustrous gold.

This was the Holy Sword Excalibur, a Divine Weapon imbued with holy magic. The blade of the sword is made from platinum-mithril alloy. The guard was made from orichalcum with an angel diamond resting in the center. Other unique materials used to make this sword included angel feathers, holy water, a priest's prayer, light magic crystal powder, and blessing of the Light God.

"Out of every one of these weapons here, this one is the most safest for you to use," he said confidently.

"Will it break?"

"It won't. It's a Divine Weapon. Although...I'd be quite surprised if you actually manage to break it."

He handed it to me and I grabbed it, holding it with both my hands. Suddenly, a white light emanated from the sword, shining bright. Just then, that same white light enveloped my entire body.

"What is happening?" I asked, unfazed.

"The divinity inside the sword...it must be resonating with you," he said, covering his face from the light.

Now that he mentioned it, the strange feeling inside of me was growing stronger and warmer than before. I could feel something similar coming from the sword as well. It was...comforting. It was as if the sword and myself were one.

"Celeste, can you try controlling its power?"

"Hm."

I firmly held the sword with both my hands. Focusing on the sword and myself, I started to suppress the magic within the Divine Weapon. Slowly but surely, the white light disappeared from Excalibur. Shortly after, it disappeared from my body as well.

"Well done," he complimented me, impressed.

"Thank you."

"Let's head back to test it, shall we?" I nodded.

*****

We returned back to the training grounds. It was still in a destroyed state from what happened earlier. However, with a simple cast of Repair on the room again, Blacksmith restores it back to what it once was.

"Try Excalibur out. Oh, and hold yourself back just a little this time. Remember, it's a Divine Weapon. I don't want the room to get destroyed again after I just fixed it." I nodded.

For a third time, I faced one of the training dummies. I held a firm grip on Excalibur. I raised the sword upwards, then swung down, cutting the dummy clean in half. Excalibur continues downwards and hits the ground, smashing it again. This time, it was not as messy or destructive.

I examined the sword at all angles and saw no damages. "Holy Sword Excalibur held up well."

I went over to Blacksmith. I gently placed the sword back in its sheath and handed it to him.

"Keep it."

I tilted my head. "Are you sure? You said they were powerful and dangerous."

"I did, but...after seeing you wield it so well, I trust you to use it wisely."

I stared at him for a moment, then took a glance at the sword in my hands. Holy Sword Excalibur, a Divine Weapon of great power. It feels as if I was meant to wield a Divine Weapon. Blacksmith placed his trust in me, and I will trust myself.

Blacksmith let out a sigh. "Now that testing is over, I should probably get some food," he said, famished. "I took three whole days to work on you, I've forgotten to feed myself."

"I see. Do I need to eat food?" I asked.

He shook his head. "No, you don't need anything like that. You'll be fine. Now, let's go. I'm starving."

*****

Blacksmith and I walked upstairs from the Forge and entered a room. The room was large and spacious. It had walls made from spruce and the floor made from oak. Lights hung on the ceiling and a few paintings hung on the walls. In the center, there was a long rectangular table made of marble and wood. To the right, there was a brick stove with cabinets above. Nearby, there was a round wooden table with a few wooden chairs around it.

Blacksmith grabbed some bowls and plates from the cabinets. From a small box, which seemed to be an icebox, he grabbed some vegetable soup and bread. Using the stove, he heated up the soup and bread in pots and pans. Some time later, it was warm and ready. He poured the soup into his bowl and put the bread on a small plate. He went over to the wooden table and sat down to eat.

"Celeste, you can stand around and wait for me until I'm finished. Or if you like, you can have a look around the house." I nodded.

As he suggested, I stood back and took a look around the house. There were a few bedrooms down the hall—one of them being Blacksmith's. In addition to that, there were restrooms, a library, and a living room. There were also stairs leading up to the upper floor, which appeared to lead to the attic. The house was quite massive and had plenty of space. Blacksmith had a nice place.

While I was waiting for Blacksmith, I decided to take a look at the library. The room was dim, having only a few lights on the ceiling. There were large dark oak bookshelves, holding multiple books of different genres. I walked closer to take a look at them. One book from the bookshelf in particular that caught my eye was a bestiary.

I pulled it out and opened the book. Inside, there were pages filled with descriptions of multiple monsters across the world, ranging from common to legendary. Flipping through them, I read and learned about each creature one by one. There were trolls, goblins, ogres, orcs, vampires, great wolves, dragons, naga snakes, and many more. The world must be quite large and vast if there were these many monsters.

Before I knew it, some time passed, and I heard a knock at the door behind me.

"What are you reading?" he asked me.

"A bestiary," I answered. "Are you finished eating?" He nodded. "Hm. This book...there are so many monsters in it. There were a few I recognized. The hydra and basilisk. You made my boots from a hydra, and the oil you use to quench is from a basilisk, right?"

"That's right."

"Hm. But they're rare, aren't they? Dangerous and powerful too. How did you get the materials from them?" I asked, out of curiosity.

Blacksmith was speechless for a moment, then he let out a sigh. "...There were times where powerful adventurers were able to get it for me. It wasn't easy, but with some of my weapons and their expertise, we managed to harvest some materials."

"I see."

"Speaking of materials, I should probably go out and gather some from near the town," he muttered to himself.

Blacksmith's house was in a forest, hidden by trees. South from here, just a few miles, there was a town in the plains known as Windebenen. Aside from the forests and plains, there were mountains further south of the town. Those mountains were the home to many wyverns and trolls. Blacksmith wants to harvest some materials from them. And if he can, mine some ores and metals in the mountains as well.

"While we're there at the mountains, it could also be a good test for you to use Holy Sword Excalibur against powerful enemies and improve your fighting skills."

"I see. So, are we going?"

"Yes, but tomorrow." Blacksmith yawned. "I'm tired. I'm going to get some rest tonight first. You're free to do whatever you want around the house."

"Hm."

Blacksmith waved and left. He entered his bedroom and closed the door behind him. I turned back to look at the books on the shelves.

I suppose I'll read while he sleeps.

*****

A few hours passed, and I finished the last page of the book I was reading. I closed the book and placed it back where it belonged on the shelf. I looked around the library one last time before exiting the room.

I began roaming around the house, walking from room to room. It was quiet. Everything was dark, but still clear enough for me to see.

I made my way over to a window and looked outside. There, in the sky, for the first time, I caught a glimpse of the full moon beautifully glowing in the night.

"Hm..."

Blacksmith told me I was free to do anything, but honestly, I had nothing else in mind. There wasn't really anything I had a desire to do. There wasn't anything I could think of doing. I would've preferred it more if Blacksmith gave a few orders for me to do before he went to bed.

I slightly opened the door to Blacksmith's room. There, I saw him quietly sleeping on the bed. I walked over to him and stared at his face. Unlike how he was when was awake, he looked calm and relaxed. I'd never expected to see this side of him.

Blacksmith was awake for three whole days without any rest, meaning he must've been really tired. It would be long before he wakes up.

Maybe I'll stay with Blacksmith-sama in the meantime.

I gently moved the blanket and laid down beside him. I touched and ran my fingers through the bed. The mattress and pillows were soft, and the blankets were warm and cozy. It was very comfortable and pleasant—appropriate for Blacksmith.

Since I was a puppet, I didn't feel tired. I wasn't fatigued in any way, but I had a better understanding now of what laying down and resting was like for a human. As I stared at Blacksmith's face, I began to wonder what it was like to sleep and have dreams.

"Mm..." Blacksmith started to move, and then he opened his eyes. "Ggh!" he gasped and sat up, surprised to see me.

"Hello, Blacksmith-sama," I greeted him.

"Wh-What are you doing here...?" he stuttered.

I sat up. "I had nothing else to do, so I decided that I would stay with you until you woke up. But it looks like you're already awake."

Blacksmith stared at me with a puzzled face. "You had nothing to do...? What about reading the books in the library...?"

"I already read them all."

"A-All of them? Wait...how long have I been sleeping?"

"A few hours?"

"I've been asleep for that long and you've finished reading all of the books I had...?" Blacksmith placed his hand over his face and let out a sigh. "Celeste, I'm fine with you staying with me, but in bed?"

I tilted my head, confused. "Why, is that a problem?"

"Yes, it is a problem," he replied. "Although you're a puppet, you still resemble a woman. Women can't just sleep next to men like me so easily."

"I see." Although I was still confused, I understood his wish and bowed my head. "I apologize, Blacksmith-sama." I got up from the bed and stood up.

He shook his head, then stood up as well. Blacksmith lit up a lantern and made his way over to the window. He opened the curtains and looked to see the moon in the night sky.

"I suppose this is a good time..." he muttered. "Get ready, Celeste. We're going to the mountains."

"Are you sure you don't want to rest a little longer?"

"It's fine. I've gotten plenty of rest. Besides, trolls are more active at night. If we go by morning, we won't be able to get them."

"I see. I'll wait for you outside your room while you get prepared."

The wait would be short, as a few moments later, Blacksmith came out of his room. He wore a black coat with white fur for warmth. On his hands, he wore two magic rings for protection. At his side, he carried the mithril sword I used before in a sheath.

We went through a door in the kitchen, entering the front of the house. There was a long spruce counter covered in dust. To the side, there were empty shelves and dim lights hanging from the ceiling. Blacksmith paid it no attention as he went past it through the front door, and I followed behind.

*****

The moment we stepped outside, I turned and took a look at Blacksmith's house. Upon seeing it with my eyes, I was confused at its appearance.

"Blacksmith-sama," I said, tilting my head. "Where's our house?"

For some reason, the whole house had vanished from our sight. This didn't make sense to me, as I was sure that we stepped out of it from this spot here.

"It's a magic cloak," he explained. "It's just invisible on the outside from the magic it's enchanted with. It's still there."

"Cloak?"

Blacksmith raised his hand and dispelled the magic. Instantly, the house revealed itself to us.

The house was around medium size, made of dark stone bricks and spruce wood. There were some old lanterns and a wooden sign with words scribbled out hanging above the door we came out from. As Blacksmith said, we were surrounded by a lush forest, hidden by the trees.

As I stared at the house, I tilted my head, confused. It was completely different than on the inside. The size and space didn't match with each other. Was it perhaps magic that made the house much larger than it actually was?

Blacksmith raised his hand upwards. The entire house glowed in a blue light for a brief moment before it shrunk down and became tiny. He picked it up off the ground and put it inside a small pouch he had on his side.

"What was that?" I asked.

"The house is enchanted with magic that allows me to enlarge or shrink it at any time. It makes traveling much easier. My pouch has some magic runs on it that gives it a pocket dimension, so I could store the house in it safely." I nodded in understanding.

Taking the house with them was the best decision. That way, no intruders or wanderers would find where we stayed, and they wouldn't be able to steal anything.

"Let's go." I nodded.