It's been four days since I asked Rael and Luu, two newcomers to the Ehrman workshop, to make the battle pencils, but I still haven't received a report of their completion.

　Since Hermann said it wasn't that difficult, I thought it would be completed in three days, but it's the rookies who are in charge. It's an interruptive job, and I guess it's supposed to take some time.

　The deadline is a week and that there is still time to complete it.

　If I think about the illustrations to be written on the battle pencils and the sentences to be written on the masks, the time will pass quickly.

　As I was returning to my room from the living room, I bumped into Nord's father at the door.

　Will he be going out now?　No, the clothes are the same as they are for practice. That means you could be invited to practice.

"Al, just in time for the--

I don't practice.

It's not a rehearsal.

　I was about to rush upstairs when Dad Nord let out a sigh and said.

　Isn't it practice?　Even though you're dressed for training?

　I snort at the lie that's so obvious.

You're lying. That's how you get me to let my guard down and fish out to practice, right?　Like sister Elinora.

I wouldn't do that. I was just trying to invite you to chop wood with me.

Chopping wood?

　I don't think it's going to be a practice thing disguised as chopping wood....... 'Yes,' he said, 'but I don't think he's going to be the kind of mother who would double or triple the trap.

'Yeah, we've been consuming a lot of firewood since we got the fireplace up and running, so I thought I'd make a lot of it while I'm at it. Al hasn't been out of the mansion lately, has he?　It's just good exercise and what do you think?

　No, I practiced four days ago, and three days ago I went to visit Hermann's workshop in transition.

　But I don't think that practice doesn't count as an outing in Nord-Dad's mind, and I don't think anyone noticed that I went out in transition.

　Thus, I'm being branded by Nord-Dad as a seven-year-old lounging around the mansion.

　As for me, I don't mind it, but it's bad enough that my son is worried about my absenteeism for a seven-year-old.

'Well, let's give it a try, shall we?

　Speaking of chopping wood, I remember looking at it when I was visiting Thor's house.

　I was actually thinking I'd like to try it for a bit.

I'll be waiting for you in the courtyard. I'll be waiting for you in the courtyard.

Okay.

　I nodded at Dad Nord's words and went back to my room again.



　◆





　When I changed into warm clothes and went outside, I saw that Dad Nord had set up the stump on the patio.

　He must have brought the stump from the barn as a stand for chopping wood.

　Other firewood for splitting was placed beside it. There's quite a bit of it, but I wonder if he's going to split it all.

'Oi, Nord. I've got a hatchet for the boy.

　As I was thinking about this, Bartolo came over with an axe.

'Whoa!　Bartolo looks too good with an axe, it's bad enough!

What do you mean by that?

　No matter what it meant or what it was, if a big man with a wild face and strong muscles held an axe, the power would be raised many times over. That was just it.

'And Bartolo is very good at using an axe or battle axe. I guess he thought it would be a good fit for him to be holding them.

The Norse don't laugh.

　Father Nord chuckled as he remembered Bartolo's old days.

　So Bartolo's weapon in his adventuring days was an axe?

　He's as big a man as you'd see on the thirteenth day of December if you put on a mask.

　If this was in the middle of the night I would have screamed and run away.

'Keh, I don't look like a sword anyway. I'd rather have an axe or a battleaxe or a hammer.

Indeed.

Shut up and chop up some wood.

　It would have been better if he had been convinced in time. In a bad mood, Bartolo slammed the axe he brought with him to the stump as if to take it out on him.

　The sharp edge of the blade stabbed at a right angle with a squawking sound.

　At any rate, this is a light axe that he brought for me. I put all my strength into pulling out the stabbed axe, but it doesn't budge. What a harassment.

'I can't get this off sober.

I think I was teasing you a little too much. I'll apologize to you later.

Yes.

　I was struggling with the axe, which didn't jerk, when Dad Nord quickly pulled it out.

　I didn't want to apologize, but I couldn't understand the principle behind his pulling it out so easily.

Well, let's get to chopping wood, shall we? Do you know how to chop wood?

I've seen Thor crack it, but just in case, please explain.

　Thor's method might be special, and if there's a proper way to do it, I'd like to hear about it, just in case.

The only thing to keep in mind is that you should not try to break them with an axe, because if you can't, you can just use magic, a different method, or a tool. If you can't, you can just use magic, a different method, or a different tool. In any case, don't force yourself to do anything that might injure yourself.

Okay.

　I nodded firmly, and Dad Nord handed me a hatchet and gloves.

'You should wear the gloves on your hands so that the wisps don't sting. They'll help reduce your injuries if the axe hits you.

　That being said, chopping wood with an axe seemed like a very dangerous thing to do.

''Don't worry. It's a blade-proof glove made from demon material, so it will minimize any hits.''

I see.

　It's a little comforting to be told that it's made of special demon materials. Because the material performance of this world is really amazing.

　Reassured by Nord-Dad's words, I put the gloves on both hands.

　I'm not sure if it's because of the rubbery texture or if my hand will ever slide off the handle. I wonder what kind of demonic material it's made of.

　Father Nord placed a medium-sized piece of wood on the stump.

'Let me start with the easiest way.

　As Father Nord said this, he struck the axe lightly against the wood.

　Then the tip of the blade stabbed into the wood, lifting it up and smashing it against the stump.

　With each thud, the blade dug into the wood, and the log cracked in half.

"That's what it's like,

It's not the same as Thor's top-down swinging.

'Oh, that's the method you use to chop bigger wood.

　Dad Nord said and brought a slightly larger piece of wood and set it up.

　When I moved away a bit, he opened his legs about shoulder width apart and put his right foot in front of him and swung the axe down.

　Then there was a nice cracking sound and the wood split cleanly.

"Ooh, that's what it feels like to chop wood.

Oh, yeah?　If the first guy gets it right, you can do it.

　That being said, I decided to give it a try.

　The first thing I did was to start with an easy method, according to my father Nord.

　Even though it's a child's hatchet, it weighs about a kilo and has a sharp edge. I have to be very concentrated or I could get hurt.

　I place the wood on the stump and place the tip of the blade on the stump to visualize the trajectory of the axe.

"When you swing the axe down, you need to be a little bit forward.

Okay.

　I followed Dad Nord's advice and swung the axe down a little to the front side.

　Then the axe bites into the wood.

　All I have to do now is lift it up and smash it into the stump.

Teich, teich, teich........　I can't crack it at all.

　Funny. It was cracking so easily when Dad Nord was doing it.

　I slammed it down repeatedly, but it didn't seem to be cracking at all. It's like the tip of the blade is firmly locked in place.

That's because the tip of the blade is biting into it at an angle. If it doesn't hit vertically, the force will escape.

　As Dad Nord pointed out, my axe was stuck at an angle to the wood.

'Right. Next time I'll try it vertically.

　He pulled out the axe that was stuck in it and swung the tip of the blade through the same crack.

　However, the tip of the blade stabbed in at an angle again and the force was not transmitted well.

''I only put the tip of the blade in vertically...''

It's harder than you think. But you'll get used to it.

　A little further away, Dad Nord was easily chopping wood in the same way, as if he was setting an example.

　When you look at it like that, it looks easy, doesn't it? I guess it takes proven experience and skill to do that.

　There is a lot of depth to chopping wood.