I’m a Rookie, but I’m an Experienced Professional - Chapter 73

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 73

With my words, silence fell over the village entrance.

Not only the dwarves, but also the elf elders and even Mireon looked at me with surprised faces.

Callix Crowbell, who had been standing behind me, also raised his eyebrows.

“Haha!”

It was Sola who broke the silence.

“You’ve got more guts than you look! I really like that.”

He laughed so hard that his thick beard shook, then suddenly wiped away all traces of laughter and stared at me.

“If we’re going to have a match, we need to wager something to make it interesting.”

His eyes flashed sharply as he looked at me.

“So, if I win, what will you do for me?”

“What do you want?”

“That’s for you to say.”

Sola’s lips curved into a grin.

“Propose something that might catch my interest. Then I’ll accept your challenge.”

This is where the real test begins.

‘What should I propose?’

Admitting that I’m less skilled than them or saying I’d leave probably wouldn’t work.

I pondered while slowly looking over Sola and the other dwarves.

They had tools like hammers and saws attached to their belts and backs.

The handles showed wear from use, but the blades and tool parts were polished to a shine.

This meant they cherished their tools and maintained them frequently.

If that’s the case, they’d probably like it if I showed them something related to that.

“Please wait a moment.”

I hurriedly turned around. I heard sarcastic comments from behind about whether I was running away, but I ignored them and headed to my room.

I returned to the square with a wood planer and iron nails.

“If you win, I’ll give you these.”

When I showed them, Sola’s eyes narrowed.

The first thing that caught his interest was the nails. Sola examined the nails from all angles and let out an exclamation.

“How are all the nails exactly the same shape? They’re even precise without a single bent spot.”

“Really? Let me see too!”

The other dwarves also showed interest.

“It really is true. How is this possible? Even if you made them with a mold, it would be hard to get results like this…”

“They’re incredibly sturdy too. These don’t seem to be made from just regular iron.”

While they were admiring the nails, Sola picked up the planer.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a tool for smoothing wood grain. It’s much faster than a chisel and can smooth surfaces evenly.”

“Hmm… I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

“That’s because I developed it.”

I don’t know who actually invented the planer, but sorry for stealing the credit.

“If you win, I’ll give you all of this. However.”

I deliberately paused and slowly looked around at Sola and the other dwarves.

“If you lose, I’ll be in command of this bridge construction, so you’ll have to follow my instructions completely. The blueprints, the process, the work order. Everything.”

“Follow a human’s instructions?”

“What a humiliating thing this is…”

As the dwarves murmured, Sola raised his hand to quiet them.

“I accept your challenge.”

“Sola!”

“It’s fine. I’m definitely going to win.”

When the dwarves still couldn’t calm down, Sola glared at them.

“Don’t tell me you think I’m going to lose to a human?”

Only then did the dwarves all shut their mouths like mutes who had eaten honey.

“So, what will we compete with?”

Sola looked at me again and asked.

“Anyone can see you’re at a disadvantage, so you can decide the method.”

Is this the composure of the strong?

Since he was that confident, I felt a bit nervous.

“Since we both came here to build a bridge to the sanctuary, let’s compete with scale models of that bridge.”

“Scale models?”

Sola asked as if hearing this for the first time.

I guess they don’t have this concept among the dwarves either.

“We’ll make the bridge we’re actually going to install at a reduced scale, then compete to see whose is more suitable for the sanctuary area.”

“Ho, then we can definitely confirm our skills.”

Sola grinned.

“Good. Human, we’ll do it your way.”

* * *

The deadline was three days. We decided to make the bridge models about 120cm in length.

“Will you be okay?”

As soon as we returned to the room, Callix Crowbell asked.

“If you’re asking whether I’m confident, I am.”

I took a moment to catch my breath before answering.

“But if you’re asking whether I can win, I’m not sure.”

The dwarves were experts in this field. In many ways, this was a disadvantageous match for me.

“Then don’t do it.”

Callix Crowbell seemed to think the same way and spoke firmly.

“I can’t do that. I was the one who proposed it first, and it would hurt my pride to back down without even trying.”

“But losing is okay?”

“If I do my best and still lose, there’s nothing I can do about it. And if I lose, I can just leave here cleanly.”

If Sola won, it would mean the dwarves could build the bridge to the sanctuary by themselves, so there would be no reason for me to stay here anymore.

His eyes narrowed as if he didn’t like my answer.

“Oh, come to think of it, I can’t leave right away since you need to meet the elven god.”

That was the reason Callix Crowbell had come this far.

“If I lose, would it be okay if I went down to the human village first?”

“You said if you do your best and lose, it can’t be helped, but I guess you would be embarrassed?”

Tsk, did he have to point that out so precisely?

“I can’t say it wouldn’t bother me at all.”

“Then just win.”

Callix Crowbell spoke in a nonchalant tone.

“I don’t like seeing my person lose, so you must win. That’s an order from your lord.”

* * *

Raellion had been out since early morning looking for rare medicinal herbs that only grew in this area.

“Such an interesting thing happened while I was away! Ugh, I should have just stayed instead of going out. It wouldn’t have mattered if I went tomorrow!”

So he, who hadn’t been able to directly witness the confrontation between Eileen and the dwarf, was lamenting and complaining to Anthony Greg in frustration.

Anthony Greg’s expression gradually turned ashen after being caught up in this after casually sharing the news.

“Callix!”

Raellion, having spotted new prey, quickly rushed over to Callix Crowbell.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Anthony Greg quietly slipped away from his spot.

“I heard Eileen and the dwarf are going to have a match? And that Eileen was the one who proposed the duel first—is that true?”

“It’s a contest, not a duel.”

Callix Crowbell calmly corrected him.

“Perfect timing. I heard there’s a tarantula habitat in this mountain range—do you know about it?”

“Really? This is the first I’m hearing of it… Why do you suddenly ask?”

“There’s something I need to get from those creatures.”

Callix glanced toward where Eileen was, then grabbed Raellion’s shoulder.

“So detect where their habitat is.”

* * *

“Sigh, another failure.”

I let out a deep sigh and put down the rope.

Thanks to studying books and practicing all night, I had succeeded in weaving the rope horizontally and vertically to create a grid pattern.

But with just a little force or twisting, it would come apart helplessly. I tried various methods to tie the junction ends to prevent them from coming loose, but nothing worked.

“Just tying won’t work.”

I needed to secure it firmly with adhesive.

I checked the System Shop just in case, but they didn’t sell anything like adhesive.

“Well, even if they had it, I probably couldn’t use it.”

While adhesive could fix a model, it would be impossible for an actual bridge.

It would also be awkward to openly use modern items in front of the dwarves and elves.

Which meant I had to use adhesive that existed in this world.

“I should ask Mireon to get me different types of adhesive.”

He should have pine resin or beeswax at least, so I’ll get those for now…

While I was pondering what to do, the door burst open without even a knock.

“Looks like you stayed up all night.”

It was Callix Crowbell. Seeing my disheveled state, he clicked his tongue.

“Any progress?”

“It seems like there is, but also seems like there isn’t.”

I answered ambiguously while looking at the basket he was carrying.

“What’s that?”

Instead of answering, Callix Crowbell set the basket down in front of me. Inside were thin silver thread bundles packed full.

“What’s with the thread?”

“It’s tarantula thread.”

Tarantula… that monster spider I saw when I went to Nuviar?

“I remembered that Mireon once tried to build a bridge to the sanctuary with that thread, so I brought it.”

Making a bridge with such thin thread was absurd.

But Mireon wouldn’t have done that without reason.

There must be a reason, so I was about to pick up the tarantula thread to examine it.

“Don’t touch it!”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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