"Ordinary friends? Friends you laugh that happily with?"
This was the first time Uncle Morihiko had ever seen Yoimiya blush. As someone who had been through it all, he understood instantly.
Uncle Morihiko: Before me, Mori the Holmes, all lies are but vanity!
"Young Feng Yi, you wouldn't know, but when the kid and I were arguing, it was Yoimiya who comforted him. I'm really not good at dealing with him, and if it weren't for Yoimiya, he might have run away from home..."
Without a doubt, Uncle Morihiko was on Yoimiya's side. As a neighbor who often received Yoimiya's help, he wanted to speak well of her to Feng Yi, to score some extra points for Yoimiya.
"He wouldn't. He's a very thoughtful child and cares a lot about your feelings, it's just... he doesn't know how to express it to you. If you didn't look so stern, he might not get so nervous..."
Yoimiya indicated it wasn't necessary to worry, she was just helping out casually. If Uncle Morihiko changed his approach to communication, he could manage it.
"Mmm, perhaps I'm usually too strict with him... I don't feel like I'm unapproachable when I chat with people outside."
"It's alright, it's alright. Everyone has things they aren't good at. If you have any similar troubles in the future, just come to me. It's fine even if it's not a fireworks commission, the customer is king."
"Hehe, alright, alright. No wonder everyone praises you as a good kid. Mr. Ryunosuke must be very proud, right? Whoever marries you would be truly blessed in their past lives!"
As he spoke, Uncle Morihiko intentionally or unintentionally glanced at Feng Yi out of the corner of his eye, his meaning as clear as day.
"As for ores and such, Yoimiya, feel free to take whatever you need. You don't have to pay for the Mora..."
With the task completed, Uncle Morihiko was ready to head home and have a good chat with his son.
"Eh, no, no, that won't do!"
Yoimiya quickly waved her hands. She would never take advantage of someone in business.
"It's alright, consider it my thank you gift. Don't be so polite!"
"But favors are favors, and business has its rules. Uncle Morihiko, please don't make things difficult for me."
"What's the big deal? Just accept it. I have a lot to do next, so I'll be going now."
"Then, how about this, Uncle Morihiko. I won't charge you Mora, but I'll put it on account. You can use it to offset the cost next time you order fireworks from me."
Uncle Morihiko sighed helplessly as he looked at Yoimiya's determined expression.
"Ah, you truly are a child... Alright, this is fine too. Please send my regards to your father, and I wish him good health and much happiness."
"Mhm, mhm. Uncle Morihiko, you take care of yourself too. Don't push yourself too hard, be careful of that old injury flaring up..."
Yoimiya waved goodbye and continued to stroll down the street with Feng Yi.
"Yoimiya, you're really popular. I can tell people often come to you for fireworks."
Feng Yi smiled. Yoimiya was truly a wonderful girl next door – warm, lively, and always willing to help, bringing warmth and joy to others, like the blessing of the sun.
"Hehe, you flatter me too much. It's all just part of what I should do, neighborly mutual aid. As for making fireworks, when people want to commemorate something, they naturally need something lively and beautiful. Especially in summer, fireworks certainly come in handy..."
Yoimiya smiled shyly at Feng Yi's praise.
"I think everyone's trust is more important. Without customers, my family's business couldn't survive. In any case, now that I have the ore materials, I should find someone to process them."
To give Feng Yi a better understanding of fireworks production, Yoimiya decided to take him around more.
"A-tsu, Mr. Tenmokui, I'm here again!"
Yoimiya brought Feng Yi to a blacksmith shop with an ancient facade, looking quite old.
"Ah, it's Yoimiya? If I'm not mistaken, it's about fireworks materials, right... I'm very sorry, but could you wait a moment? We're also swamped with weapon orders..."
Atsu, an apprentice at Tenmoku Smithing, knew why Yoimiya was here the moment he heard her voice.
"That's alright. Ah, no, not entirely alright... How about this, do you need a hand? If you finish these weapon orders, you can process my ore then, right?"
Yoimiya suddenly thought of a reasonable solution.
"This... this depends on whether Master agrees..."
"It should be fine, Mr. Tenmokui! You know, the 'Naganohara Fireworks Festival' is starting soon, and I still have so many people's fireworks to make. If I don't finish them..."
Yoimiya looked towards Mr. Tenmokui inside the shop, appealing to reason and emotion, laying out the stakes.
"Still so noisy, little girl. The forging of the [Tenmoku Style] requires patience and full commitment. If you are impatient, it will surely reflect in the swords you forge. Having someone waiting and urging you nearby will only disrupt A-tsu's focus..."
Mr. Tenmokui, with his greying hair, slowly walked to the front of the shop, glancing at Yoimiya and Feng Yi beside her.
His gaze lingered on Feng Yi for a few extra moments, and he let out a sound of admiration.
With his decades of experience in weapon forging, he could tell at a glance that Feng Yi's physique was extraordinary – his bones were clear, his muscles well-proportioned...
In simpler terms, he had a good amount of strength and was a skilled weapon smith!
If he hadn't already taken A-tsu as his last disciple, Mr. Tenmokui would have insisted on taking Feng Yi as an apprentice and teaching him the Tenmoku style of forging.
Once upon a time, the Tenmoku style was glorious. As one of the Five Thunder Transmissions, it was highly regarded by the Shogun, attracting countless renowned individuals and a constant stream of orders, forging numerous famous blades...
Among them, the first head of the Iwakura Style, who commissioned Tenmoku Style to forge the famous sword - "Usugaki Mitsumitsu Tenmoku," was the most legendary!
(You might not be familiar with Usugaki Mitsumitsu Tenmoku, but you should be very familiar with its "Kagemitsu" counterpart, the Tenmoku Kagemitsu Blade!)
(When sword makers craft famous swords, they usually forge two. The one of better quality is called the "Shingitsu" and is used to offer to the gods; the other is called the "Kagemitsu" and is given to others.)
(The relationship between the Shingitsu and Kagemitsu is one-to-many; there is only one Shingitsu, but there can be multiple Kagemitsu. Swords that are damaged must be buried and disposed of. Those that can be given away are already considered masterpieces, while the Shingitsu is returned to the commissioner.)
(The Kagemitsu and Shingitsu are mostly made from the same piece of iron. This can be seen from the inscriptions on the tang. Swords made from different pieces of tamahagane can only be called imitations.)