Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

Within the Smithing Hall, studts worked diligtly at their forges, their faces illuminated by the orange glow of the furnaces.

Among them was a girl who stood out for her medium height and petite body, but what was more remarkable was her strgth and resilice. Her name was Anya, Anya Fawger.

Her hammer, heavier than most studts could manage, moved with a rhythmic grace in her small hands. Each swing landed true, shaping the glowing metal with a confidce that belied her size. Sweat beaded on her forehead, catching the firelight like scattered diamonds.

The other studts, mostly burly m, watched her with a mix of admiration and amusemt. One, a giant of a fellow with a beard like burnt toast, chuckled.

"Doesn't look like it takes much muscle, Anya, but you sure are making that piece sing!"

Anya, her dark hair tied back in a practical braid, winked at him, a spark of defiance in her hazel eyes. "Looks can be deceiving, Bjorn. This fire takes more finesse than brute force."

A chorus of agreemt rumbled a the room, punctuated by a few whistles. Her fellow studts whispered among themselves, not just about her skill but also about how her petite frame and serious demeanor made her adorably "cute" in their eyes.

Anya, despite her fierce focus on her work, couldn't help but blush slightly under the unexpected atttion. They did call her "cute," a fact that always made her feel a strange mix of annoyance and secret pride.

Just th she heard someone calling her. "Studt Anya." It was one of the staff who worked in the Hall.

Anya looked up from her work, her hands pausing mid-swing as she acknowledged the staff member with a nod. "Yes?"

The staff member, a middle-aged woman with sharp eyes and a no-nonsse demeanor approached her forge.

"Studt Anya," The staff member said a touch of urgcy in her voice. "There is someone requesting to meet with you."

"What?" Anya frowned, irritation flashing in her hazel eyes. "Tell them I'm working right now."

The staff member, undeterred, leaned closer. "They mtioned something about Moonshadow Ore."

Anya's hands froze mid-swing, her eyes widing in surprise. "Moonshadow Ore?" she echoed, her voice barely a whisper. The rare and highly coveted material among the smiths, it was said to hance the magical properties of any item forged with it with a 0% perct success rate. She had only read about it in the book and only se it once wh her grandma used it.

She never imagined she would counter it again.

"Yes, that's what they said," the staff member confirmed, her eyes studying Anya's reaction closely.

Anya quickly set down her hammer, her heart pounding with excitemt. "Take me to them," she instructed her voice steady despite the adraline coursing through her veins.

The staff member nodded and led Anya out of the Smithing Hall, the eyes of her fellow studts following them with curiosity. They crossed the courtyard, the cool eving air a stark contrast to the fiery heat of the forge. Anya's mind raced with possibilities. Who could possibly have Moonshadow Ore, and why would they want to see her?

They walked in silce, the anticipation making each step feel like an eternity to Anya. The staff member led her through the courtyard and into a gard near the Smithing Hall. The gard was sere, with neatly trimmed hedges and vibrant flowers, a stark contrast to the fiery, bustling atmosphere of the forge.

In the cter of the gard stood a figure wearing the academy's uniform. As they approached, Anya noticed the figure was a boy taller than her, with brown hair and eyes, and a slightly handsome appearance. He seemed to be waiting patitly, his hands tucked into his pockets.

"Here she is," the staff member said, gesturing towards Anya. "I'll leave you two to talk." With that, the staff member turned and walked away, leaving Anya alone with the stranger.

Anya wasted no time. "Where's the Moonshadow Ore?" she demanded, her voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and impatice.

The boy smiled slightly, his expression calm and composed. "We hav't ev introduced ourselves yet," he replied. "It's only polite to know each other's names before we talk business, don't you think?"

Anya frowned, her impatice flaring. But there was something about his demeanor that suggested he wasn't lying or trying to deceive her. She took a deep breath, reigning in her excitemt. "Fine. I'm Anya. Now, who are you?"

The boy nodded, satisfied with her response. "I'm Adrian, a first-year studt. Nice to meet you, Sior Anya."

"Nice to meet you too," Anya said quickly, eager to get to the point. "Now, about the Moonshadow Ore..."

"You are really as the rumors say, Sior." Adrian chuckled slightly. "I know where you can find Moonshadow Ore, ough for you to become a Four Star Smith. You can choose to believe me or not. And before you ask where it is again, I have something to discuss with you. You may ev think of it as a request."

"...Ok, let's talk th." Anya crossed her arms, curiosity now mingled with a healthy dose of skepticism. "Speak, I'm listing. What's this request of yours?"

"Shall we take a seat first? I am sure you must be tired from working all this time."

Adrian gestured to a nearby bch under the shade of a large tree. Anya glanced at him, her impatice momtarily quelled by curiosity, and th nodded, walking over to sit down. Adrian followed, taking a seat beside her.

"I appreciate you taking the time to hear me out," Adrian began, his tone sincere. "I know how valuable your work is."

"Get to the point," Anya interjected, though her tone was more curious than annoyed.

Adrian nodded. "Right. As I mtioned, I know where you can find Moonshadow Ore. But before I tell you, I need your help with something. There's a tournamt coming up, and I need a special weapon crafted—one that only someone with your skill, no, with your ability, can make."