Chapter 593: A Reciprocal Relationship (3)

-Kka-ang! Kka-ang!

The solid clang of hard metal hitting less-hard metal.

Inside the cramped workshop, the sound of an iron hammer striking heated metal rang out repeatedly.

With each cheerful strike that echoed through the workshop, the bright red lump of metal on the wide anvil slowly changed its shape.

And along with it, from across from me, the passionate instructions of the dwarf blacksmith lady continued.

-Kka-ang!

“Nice work, Oppa! Hit it a little harder!”

-Kka-ang!

“Yeah, next, the tip! Hit the tip!”

Across from me, Areum, holding the heated lump of metal tightly with large tongs, was diligently giving me instructions with her mouth.

Her attitude was quite serious, as if she really intended to give me a proper blacksmithing experience.

…I hadn’t exactly wanted to learn this job this seriously.

What I had imagined was a subtle physical contact, like Areum holding my hands or arms and moving them while our bodies were pressed together front and back.

But now that I was actually experiencing blacksmithing according to her words, the situation was quite far removed from that atmosphere.

Areum, holding the metal lump I was striking with tongs, was repeatedly putting it into and taking it out of the furnace to maintain its temperature above a certain level.

And at the same time, she was diligently conveying instructions to me, teaching me the blacksmithing work seriously.

The atmosphere didn’t seem conducive to the secret, pink-tinged interactions I had envisioned.

It seemed I had overestimated Areum a bit. Come to think of it, there was no way such a pure young lady would offer to let me experience blacksmithing by overlapping our bodies.

The suggestion itself, asking if I wanted to try, seemed purely based on her thinking I was interested, so I couldn’t even utilize this rare opportunity to legally touch my body under the guise of an excuse.

…Well, that pure side was part of Areum’s charm, though.

-Kka-ang!

“Harder! With all your might!”

With those thoughts, I followed Areum’s instructions and diligently struck the molten metal lump with the huge hammer.

The serious blacksmithing experience with her continued for a full two hours.

After barely finishing the blacksmithing experience that began with Areum’s explanation.

Only after striking the hammer according to her instructions and making about five thin metal plates was the work with her finally concluded.

“Good work, Oppa. Seeing you follow along well until the end, you might secretly have a talent for this.”

“…Really?”

“If you learn from me for just about 50 years, I can make you reach a level similar to mine.”

“…Thanks for the offer, but I’ll pass.”

For dwarves, spending decades training until they can open their own shop is natural, but as an ordinary human, I couldn’t possibly spend 50 years on blacksmithing.

Besides, Areum seemed to have said it jokingly, as she burst into hearty laughter at my refusal.

As I took off the gloves and arm guards I had received from her for the blacksmithing experience, sweat poured down my inside due to the heat and exertion.

I could feel the abundant sweat flowing down my neck, even from inside the face mask.

I never expected it to turn into such a serious workout.

Moreover, my plan to narrow the distance between us through subtle physical contact with Areum had ultimately failed.

It wasn’t that I disliked the blacksmithing experience with her, but since I had another purpose for staying in her workshop, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed in many ways.

“Oppa, are you staying for dinner tonight? All I have at home right now is probably just ramen….”

“I don’t really mind ramen or anything else. I’ll stay for dinner if it’s not too much trouble.”

“Since you’re Oppa, there’s no such thing as trouble. Even if I say so myself, I make amazing ramen! I’ll make it spicy enough to make you sweat buckets….”

“…….”

“……?”

Areum, who had been talking excitedly, suddenly stopped and looked at me, falling silent.

At first, I didn’t understand why she suddenly stopped talking, but roughly following the direction of her gaze, I could somewhat guess why Areum’s voice had trailed off.

She stared blankly at my chest, biceps, and abdomen with slightly trembling eyes.

Only then did I finally realize that my white t-shirt was soaked with sweat from the work I had just done.

And I quickly understood that, thanks to the sweat, the various contours of my body were clearly revealed.

Since Areum had ‘muscles’ listed under her sexual fetishes, it was only natural that her eyes would be drawn to my body in this situation. Just like how I couldn’t help but stare at Areum’s bouncing chest.

Although it was an unexpected situation, it wasn’t necessarily bad for me either. If Areum started feeling sexual attraction towards my body, the hurdle to having our first experience together would naturally be lowered by one level.

As a result, it seemed the blacksmithing experience earlier had definitely helped in this situation.

…Since it’s come to this, maybe I should try seducing her a bit more directly.

“Areum-ah.”

“N-Nngh?! Oh, no…! I wasn’t staring that intently…!”

“It’s really hot in here, probably because we were just inside the workshop. Are you okay, Areum?”

“Huh, huh? …Oh, O-Oppa, that makes sense! Swinging a hammer in a workshop is probably a first for you too.”

“Right. It’s just so hot, would you mind if I took off my top just for a bit?”

“……What did you just say?”

Before Areum’s delayed reaction returned, I roughly pulled off my sweat-soaked white shirt from bottom to top.

Witnessing me bare my chest right before her eyes, Areum was startled and began to panic.

“W-W-W-What are you doing…?!”

“I told you I was taking it off because it’s too hot. It’s sticky from the sweat too.”

“A-A guy shouldn’t just go around showing his chest anywhere! What are you doing, being so indecent?!”

“It’s already soaked in sweat, so whether I wear it or take it off, it’s equally indecent. Isn’t that right?”

“W-Well, I suppose it’s six of one, half a dozen of the other… B-But! What are you talking about, Oppa?!”

Areum’s face turned beet red, all the way to her ears, inadvertently admitting she had been admiring my sweaty body.

I deliberately moved closer to her flushed face and pretended not to notice as I presented my bare body.

“Aaaah? W-Wha…? Why are you suddenly coming closer?!”

“I’m not exactly showing my chest just anywhere, Areum.”

“W-What do you mean… Suddenly….”

“It doesn’t look like any other customers will be coming today. So, I’m just taking it off inside your house, so it shouldn’t matter, right?”

“W-W-What nonsense are you spouting! Do I not even look like a woman to you, Oppa?!”

“What are you talking about? Anyone can see you’re a woman, Areum.”

“Knowing that, you were still shamelessly taking off your clothes like that in front of me?! What are you doing, being so dangerous, you guy?!”

“Dangerous? Why is taking off my shirt in front of you dangerous?”

“N-No… If you’re asking me that…”

Areum, perhaps hesitant to say it out loud, answered in a crawling voice as she was pushed against the wall.

Her cute, instinct-provoking reaction naturally made me feel a stirring sensation in my lower body.

…I feel like if I tempt her just a little more, she’ll give in.

Based on her fetish, which I had confirmed earlier with the lust chart, it said that right after finishing work, her libido would surge, allowing for a satisfying experience.

And right before my eyes was the situation, with the muscles of a man-one of her fetishes-tantalizingly visible.

Enjoying Areum’s flustered reaction as she didn’t know where to look in front of me, I leaned my body a little closer towards her.

I asked the question I had posed to Areum earlier, emphasizing it with a more sly tone.

“Taking my shirt off in front of you, Areum, why is that dangerous?”

“…I-I don’t know….”

“Is it dangerous because maybe, just maybe, you might not be able to resist and pounce on me?”

“…….”

“Then… if my goal is to be pounced on by you, Areum, what more should I do here?”

“Y-You keep saying… W-what are you talking about….”

Areum, her face flushed, avoided my gaze, looking flustered.

Then, she began to suspiciously scrutinize my suddenly changed demeanor.

“…Y-You’re teasing me, right… Oppa….”

“Yeah. I’m teasing you.”

-Grab!

“Ughh?!”

I quickly pounced on Areum, pinning her against the wall so she couldn’t escape, then held her in a ‘prince hug’ by grabbing her back and thighs.

Caught off guard in my arms, Areum looked at me with a bewildered expression after her initial panic.

“I’m teasing, so if you don’t like it, just say so anytime.”

“W-What do you mean….”

“What do I mean? It’s that you’re too naive, Areum, so I figured you’d never pounce on me, so I’m pouncing first.”

“A-Are you serious…?”

“No, I told you I’m teasing.”

“…….”

Areum, unable to grasp my true intentions due to my brazen answer, remained confused.

Lifting her up, I quietly walked towards the main entrance of the ‘Spark of Creation’ shop.

Using the metal manipulation ability I received from Eunbyul, I turned the lock mechanism above the shop’s entrance door to lock it.

This was to ensure no one else could interrupt the time she and I would spend alone.

“I’m teasing, so if you tell me to stop, Areum, I’ll stop anytime.”

“…….”

“Where’s the bedroom? The second floor? Or should we go towards the workshop?”

“……The second floor.”

“Actually, I already knew.”

“…….”

I deliberately maintained my brazen attitude until the very end as I slowly walked towards the second floor of the ‘Spark of Creation’ shop.

It was time to cross the line with the shy half-dwarf lady.