Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys Chapter 6: Chapter 5 Skill Improvement

As the sun climbed toward its zenith, a novel alert suddenly flashed across the system interface:

[Insight gained through your assistance in nailing horseshoes!]

[A new skill has been mastered — Nailing Horseshoes]

[Skill level for 'Nailing Horseshoes' has risen, Experience +1]

Driven by curiosity, Rein shifted immediately to the second page of his display, which housed the Blacksmith Apprentice profession panel.

Within the crowded grid of abilities, another icon had flared to life directly across from the already active Hoof Trimming skill.

Nailing Horseshoes lv1 (1/100).

The symbol was straightforward, illustrating an inverted U-shaped horseshoe marked with seven distinct, small holes.

Meanwhile, the remaining icons on the profession panel were still shrouded in shadow and mystery.

"Does this mean that after a period of focused study, a professional skill can be unlocked, allowing for continuous refinement through practice?"

"It certainly looks that way!"

This revelation completely absorbed Rein into the art of nailing horseshoes. He was so preoccupied that even when the noble young lady reappeared in the outer castle courtyard, he didn't bother to look up more than once.

When lunch arrived, his close companion George gave him a peculiar look and remarked,

"Rein, I’ve noticed a real change in you!"

Rein felt a brief jolt of nerves. Had his old friend actually sensed that something was fundamentally different about him?

George went on,

"Rein, why are you working like you've been injected with a stimulant?"

"Between trimming donkey hooves and nailing shoes, you only stop when you're physically unable to continue."

Rein let out a quiet breath of relief; it was only that!

He mused to himself, "That’s because you don’t possess a golden finger! If you did, George, you’d probably be even more obsessed than I am."

"Haha, maybe I just had a sudden epiphany! I finally realized how vital it is to master a trade," Rein replied with a grin.

"Is that right?" George eyed Rein with lingering suspicion.

He felt certain his best friend had shifted, yet he couldn't quite put his finger on the cause.

Still, since Rein spoke of the importance of learning a craft, George found himself in agreement.

While George's family wasn't wealthy, both of his parents were freemen who owned land and earned a steady living, making his life far more stable than Rein’s.

Rein’s father was a mere tenant farmer on someone else's land, and his mother lacked any fixed income. Furthermore, they had a younger sister to support...

It was perfectly logical that Rein would be more desperate to secure a trade than anyone else.

Once the young servants finished their midday meal and took a short rest, they resumed their lessons under Baal’s watchful eye.

At first, the task of nailing horseshoes had intrigued the boys, but as the novelty wore off, the group of "pseudo-second generation" youths grew restless. Their hearts were set on becoming guards; mastering horseshoeing held little value to them.

Before long, these privileged kids began gossiping about various rumors.

Rein used these moments to stay informed about the world beyond the manor, so he sharpened his hearing to catch every word.

"Hey, have you guys heard? Things have been getting dangerous lately. I heard a ruthless band of pirates has come ashore," the boy with Bushy Brows announced, dropping a bombshell.

"Pirates? Flashgold Town isn't right on the coast, even if it's close. Why would pirates landing matter to us?" Freckles questioned.

"I’m not sure, but Billy—a guard for a caravan that just arrived—said a group called the Black Sails has landed. Apparently, they’re too scared to hit the County Town, so they’re raiding smaller settlements instead. Word is that Fishing Port Town, the one right on the water, was devastated. Even their sheriff was killed," Bushy Brows added.

"No way! Aren't town sheriffs usually at the level of potential Knights? How can pirates be that strong?" the baker’s son asked, looking stunned.

"They are, the Black Sails are incredibly powerful! Besides, I heard our own sheriff, Lord Kuzma, is being moved to take over Fishing Port Town. The new sheriff coming here is supposedly a lord from the County Town."

"I think his name is Lord Hamilton? I’m not entirely certain... but it sounds like that......"

Freckles confirmed the rumor and added his own intel, earning a mental nod from Rein. The boy truly was a fountain of information.

"Oh! If you've heard that too, then it must be true!" Bushy Brows nodded at Freckles.

"Exactly. Fishing Port Town is only a two-day trip from Flashgold Town. Do you think those pirates will come here next?" Freckles asked, his voice laced with anxiety.

"Don't sweat it. Pirates usually raid the coast and vanish. They don't usually push deep inland. If they did, they wouldn't be called pirates," Bushy Brows said, trying to reassure him.

.....

The influx of news was staggering!

Pirates?

A new sheriff?

Rein was dazed as he listened, his grip nearly slipping from the horseshoe he held.

Observing this, Master Baal asked with a hint of concern,

"Rein, if you're exhausted, go take a break."

Rein’s intense dedication over the last few days, paired with his obvious talent, had significantly raised Baal’s opinion of him.

Hard work has a way of shifting how others perceive you!

"I’m fine, I can push through a bit longer."

Rein declined the offer with a shake of his head.

"I have to seize every chance to level up. Otherwise, wouldn't I be wasting this golden finger?"

Nevertheless, the pirate threat had rattled him.

This world was clearly far from safe.

He needed to grow stronger, and he needed to do it fast!

Consequently, George noticed that Rein’s drive seemed even more frantic than the previous day.

He barely paused for breath, alternating between helping with the horseshoes and studying Master Baal’s every movement with predatory focus.

Such a thirst for knowledge was simply incomprehensible to the others!

After two days of relentless work, Rein found himself staring at his skill progress: Hoof Trimming lv1 (99/100).

"I should be able to push Hoof Trimming to the next level today."

"I wonder what kind of changes occur at lv2?"

Rein didn't have to wait long. As he watched Baal finish smoothing a shoe perfectly, the notification he had been waiting for finally appeared.

[You assisted in nailing horseshoes; skill-related comprehension has increased!]

[Your Hoof Trimming skill has leveled up, experience +1]

[Congratulations, your Hoof Trimming skill has reached lv2]

Looking at Hoof Trimming lv2 (1/300), Rein suddenly felt a shift in his perception.

It was as if a flood of fragmented memories had entered his mind, giving him the sensation of having trimmed hooves for months.

When he watched Baal work again, he saw things he hadn't noticed before.

He understood why Baal’s wrist flicked at a specific angle when navigating the hoof's curve.

He recognized why Baal used a slight vibrating motion when scraping away excess with the iron spade.

Every detail now seemed logical and clear!

He finally understood!

....

Rein sensed that while his physical strength remained the same, he was now capable of performing the trimming himself.

He wasn't ready to handle the entire shoeing process yet.

But he could certainly attempt the trimming.

Proposing this to Master Baal felt bold—even the most advanced apprentices weren't allowed to work independently yet—but Rein knew that hands-on experience was the key to gaining more experience points.

Rein checked his occupation panel: Blacksmith Apprentice lv1 (22/100).

"What a shame," he whispered.

It was evident that leveling up specific skills was much faster than raising his overall profession level.

At his current rate, it would take another five days to reach the next rank of Blacksmith Apprentice.

After a moment of internal debate, Rein spoke up, "Master Baal, may I try trimming the hooves? I believe I can do it."

Baal looked at Rein, searching his face for any sign of a joke. Seeing only earnest determination—and remembering the boy's relentless toil—he nodded.

"Very well, give it a shot."

The other apprentices gasped in shock. "He’s only been here a few days and he’s already trying to do it?!"

Even the lounging rich kids stopped their talking to watch. Even though they didn't care about blacksmithing, Rein's perceived arrogance was hard for them to swallow.

"What is Rein doing, trying to show off? Damn it, we need to beat some sense into him tonight!" the boy with the thick brows spat out a blade of grass and growled.

"Just trying to suck up to Baal! F**k! We’re definitely teaching him a lesson tonight!" Freckles agreed viciously.

.....