The Storm Wolf: Gathering Clouds - chapter 6 Priestess - 6.6
Imported from SF2 with no description.
Adjusting my posture, I buried the tip of my snout into the thick fur encircling his neck. Gently nuzzling his sturdy shoulder, I realized I had grown accustomed to the warmth and softness of his touch.
He patted my head a few times before stroking down my fur, flattening my ears and running his hand along my back to the base of my tail. Occasionally, he spread his palm to comb through the fur on my tail, gently rubbing the tip.
It tickled.
But I liked it.
The fine, short fur on our chests and abdomens brushed against each other, creating a faint rustling sound as our breathing caused our chests to rise and fall in unison. I savored the tranquility of the moment and discreetly sniffed a few times, picking up a faint, musky scent.
Sensing Kotetsu's subtle nudge, I sat up, ending my position sprawled across him.
The Altai Wapiti blinked his large brown eyes twice before nuzzling my neck. Then, a few binary beeps sounded as he removed my collar, placing it on a small table that had just materialized nearby.
"What's wrong?" I asked. I wasn't trying to complain, but he was noticeably distracted today.
"The final exam of beginner course of Dominate-Smithing—I need someone to practice with," Kotetsu senpai said, his gaze wandering to the floor. "No herbivore has sufficient Domination skills, and people from the Asteroid Alliance and the Lunar are clearly very sensitive about the idea that I might—just might—manage to craft a complete adamantine weapon."
Frustration laced his voice, and it was a feeling I knew all too well.
"Can't Hamp senpai help?" I asked cautiously, without any other implications.
"Do you think I should ask an Imperial noble?" He sighed and leaned back, resting the back of his head on the chair's top.
I was momentarily speechless, a mix of odd discomfort and warm reassurance welling up inside me. Noticing Kotetsu senpai’s intention to stand, I climbed off him.
"Would you be willing to help me?" The Altai Wapiti rose, the chair he had been sitting on retracting into the floor.
"Sure," I replied, seeing no reason to refuse. "Master Field taught me some basics, though it's still very rudimentary. He seems to be a bit more satisfied with me lately..."
"That sounds promising." Kotetsu senpai gestured a few hand signals, opening a compartment in the floor. A silver ingot floated upward.
"What's the exam topic?" I asked as I extended my consciousness, aligning with Kotetsu senpai to form a merged domains.
"Shaping through Smithing," the Altai Wapiti said softly, his gaze distant as he stared at the adamantine floating before him.
"Oh, just shaping? That should be easy," I said, but Kotetsu senpai’s reaction quickly made me realize I sounded too enthusiastic. "I mean..."
"No," he said slowly, locking eyes with me. "I think I’ve told you before—talent is just the way it is. If you can't accept it and spend all your time brooding over it, you'll never move forward."
"Yeah... that’s true," I replied, scratching my ear. "Are there any restrictions for the exam?"
"You mean shaping targets?" Kotetsu senpai shook his head lightly. "While there’s no specific requirement in exam, but my ultimate goal is still to smith an adamantine weapon, so I’d like to aim in that direction during practice."
"That makes sense." Using Domination, I lifted the adamantine ingot, feeling the unique pulses it sent rippling through my consciousness. "What kind do you want?"
"Well," Kotetsu senpai chuckled, stepping closer to sketch out shapes in the air with brown-colored trails. "Do you know what a wakizashi is?"