Wasn't what he just said a sign of arrogance, doubting Karl's abilities?
A hint of regret and embarrassment crept into her heart, but the words had already been spoken... Keira steeled herself and took the breastplate and magnifying glass from Karl's enchanting.
First, let's look at Karl's breastplate. Even without a magnifying glass, just looking with the naked eye, the runes on it create a unique impression.
The lines are clear and distinct, neatly and evenly arranged, as if not carved by hand, but a creation of nature.
The structure of the runes themselves is clear and distinct, with smooth and straight edges of the grooves, free of burrs and defects.
Keira's heart tightened. She took the magnifying glass and aimed it at the breastplate she had enchanted.
Looking at the "wavy lines" Karl had just pointed out, the grooves that had previously seemed fairly smooth to the naked eye instantly revealed themselves under the magnifying glass.
At the bottom of the groove, there are indeed fine wavy ripples difficult to see with the naked eye, and the direction of the knife marks indicates some instability.
The burrs at those turns became even clearer under magnification, like irregular little saw teeth, and her cheeks flushed slightly.
Then she raised the magnifying glass to Karl's enchanted breastplate, aiming at the corresponding runic lines.
"......" Keira immediately fell silent.
Under the magnifying glass, her doubt and defiance instantly crumbled, turning into overwhelming shock and... shame.
This groove! Smooth as a mirror! The walls on both sides of the groove are astonishingly vertical.
The bottom line is straight, a uniformly deep line without ripples or jerks.
Moreover, the connection points are perfectly merged, without visible misalignments or unnecessary marks.
The entire runic system under the magnifying glass not only revealed no flaws but looked even more orderly and almost artistically beautiful.
This... was this really carved by hand? No wonder Karl said her carving was "not smooth enough" and "the lines are not even."
In comparison, her work looked like a child's scribbles.
Without comparison, there is no harm; the current comparison brings immense damage.
Keira put down the magnifying glass, her hands weakly falling, she lowered her head, no longer daring to meet Karl's eyes.
She felt her cheeks burning, filled with shame and disgrace, wanting to crawl into a hole in the ground.
Her previous arrogance and smug arguments now seemed ridiculous and shallow.
She was like a dwarf showing off his strength before a giant.
After a few seconds of silence, Keira took a deep breath and forced herself to look up.
Her cheeks were still flushed, but her gaze had become serious and sincere.
She bowed slightly to Karl: "I am deeply sorry, Lord Karl! Previously, it was I who was too arrogant and self-satisfied!"
"Your advice is absolutely correct. It was my superficial judgment and lack of skill, and I rashly questioned it. Please forgive my rudeness."
Karl looked at her full submission, and the helplessness on his face finally disappeared.
He waved his hand, his voice softening: "Keira, I didn't mean to blame you."
"Actually, from an ordinary perspective, you did quite well with this enchanting."
"It's just that my standards are indeed different from ordinary people."
"My vision, hearing, other perceptions, and my control over my power all go beyond what you normally understand."
"Judging you by my standards is unfair and easily leads to misunderstandings."
Learning that Karl not only didn't pursue the matter but even took the initiative to excuse her, Keira breathed a sigh of relief, but a wave of complex emotions surged within her.
There was gratitude, shame, and a deeper respect for Karl's abilities.
Karl changed the subject: "So, for those who failed the trials, there are about three hundred sets of armor. Triss will also come to help later."
"Your task is to enchant the armor for basic protection for those who didn't pass the trial."
"The requirement is stability and reliability, reaching the level you just showed. There's no need to strive for perfection like mine."
Keira nodded seriously. More than three hundred sets? The workload was huge, but Triss would help share the load.
It's just basic enchanting, so the pressure is much less. She really can't and shouldn't just go through the motions.
"As for those who passed the trial, including the armor of Dalton and the others, I will personally enchant them."
Keira fully understood her role and work, which greatly eased her internal pressure and made her feel a sense of responsibility.
"Yes, Lord Karl! Keira understands."
"I will do my best to complete the tasks assigned to you, ensuring that every set of armor that passes through my hands is reliable and dependable."
As soon as she finished speaking, Keira turned and picked up the carving knife, ready to continue working.
After confirming that Keira's enchanting skills were decent, Karl raised his hand to signal her to pause for a moment: "Wait, no need to continue."
Keira had just picked up the carving knife, her hand suspended in mid-air, and she looked at him with confusion.
Karl pointed to the pile of armor pieces stacked nearby.
"These are just scraps left over from failed forging. Enchanting them would be a waste of time."
Hearing this, Keira breathed a sigh of relief, but also felt a slight embarrassment.
It turned out that what she had taken so seriously just now was actually a pile of "junk."
She put down the tools and gently rubbed her fingers, which were a little sore from the long periods of concentration.
"Rest first, wait for me here until I return." Karl finished, not waiting for Keira's reply.
He turned around, his figure flickered, and in an instant, he disappeared from the forge.
As for Keira, she only had time to see Karl turn around, and then he was gone.
She shook her head helplessly, found a chair, sat down, and began to meditate to restore her depleted mental energy.
She had slept poorly last night, and starting intense work so early today was indeed a bit tiring.
.........
On the training ground, the morning sunlight had just dispersed the mist, tinting the ground in a pale golden hue.
Dalton and Phillip, having received Karl's orders, immediately sprang into action.
They split up; Phillip went to notify the knights on duty or those doing morning exercises.
Then Dalton went to the armory and living quarters to gather those who were still resting or occupied with other matters.
Lord Karl's order was to bring all custom-made plate armor.
Regardless of whether you passed the trial, immediately bring your plate armor to the training ground for assembly.
"Move quickly! Lord Karl has personally given the order!" Dalton's voice echoed through the corridor.
"Everyone in plate armor, take your gear and assemble on the training ground! Immediately!" Phillip's shout echoed in the courtyard.
Although the knights were full of questions about why they suddenly had to bring all their plate armor for assembly,
whether Lord Karl was checking the condition of their equipment or there was a new training plan,
some even secretly worried about whether their knighthood qualifications would be reviewed and their armor returned, but no one questioned or delayed.