Chapter – 21Â
The Discovery of Fireclay and the Evolution of Brick
The completion of the handcart had brought quiet but undeniable change to Akio and his companionsâ daily lives.    Tasks that once took the three menâAkio, Alto, and Kentaâan entire day, such as gathering firewood or hauling clay, could now be done in half the time and with far less effort. Thanks to that, they could devote more hours other work, and their overall quality of life improved remarkably.
Akio began using this newfound efficiency to design something Ayane had long wished for: a proper bread oven, as well as a more efficient cooking hearth. However, he quickly realized that these would require materials capable of withstanding far higher temperatures than the bricks they currently used.
One day, Akio, Alto, and Silviaâwho had come to tend the herb gardenâset out with the handcart to gather more clay from their usual stream. The cart made it possible for them to venture a bit farther upstream than before.
âAkio! The soil here looks different!â Alto called, pointing to a slope slightly away from the stream, where reddish earth was exposed. When Akio and Silvia approached, they saw that this layer of soil was clearly unlike their usual clayâit was paler, slightly rough to the touch.
Akio scooped up a small handful, kneading it between his fingers. It had a unique stickiness and density, distinct from ordinary clay. Silvia examined it closely, her eyes narrowing as she drew in a quiet breath.
âThis soil⌠it carries an unusual fire within. It may be akin to what the ancient elves called kakandoââfire-washed earth.â It is said to bear the power of fire spirits and can endure far greater heat than normal soil.â
âReally, Silvia? If thatâs trueâif this clay is heat-resistantâthenâŚâ Akioâs eyes gleamed with excitement.
They took the new clay back home. Inspired by Silviaâs words, Akio decided to call it fireclay for now and immediately began experimenting with it. Following Silviaâs advice, he mixed the fireclay with their usual clay in specific proportions, kneaded it thoroughly, and shaped it carefully in wooden molds. He also extended the drying time, ensuring each piece was fully cured before firing.
For the firing itself, Akio slightly modified his brick kiln, feeding it extra wood to achieve the highest temperature possible.
Days later, when the new bricks were taken from the kiln, their appearance alone told a storyâthey were a pale reddish-brown, and when struck, they rang with a clear metallic tone. When Akio tested them in a long-burning fire, the bricks showed no signs of melting or cracking, unlike the old ones.
âIt worked! These can withstand incredible heat!â Akio exclaimed, feeling the satisfying weight and solid strength of the fireclay brick in his hands.
The first use of this new fireproof brick was to construct a small high-temperature kiln. Though simple in design, Akio carefully arranged the bricks and airflow to maximize heat retention and reflection.
As a test, he re-fired several of the clay pots they had made before. When they emerged, the difference was astonishingâthe surfaces were smoother, the sound when tapped was clear and resonant, and when filled with water, the seepage that once plagued their pottery was almost gone. They were, in every sense, becoming true ceramics.
âWow⌠this one holds water perfectly!â Ayane exclaimed, cradling a beautifully reborn pot in her hands.
Encouraged, she used the new kiln to bake bread. The result was extraordinaryâcrispy and fragrant on the outside, soft and evenly baked inside. It was the best bread they had ever made. Even Silvia, usually reserved, widened her eyes in astonishment at the taste.
The creation of fireclay and the high-temperature kiln marked a revolutionary leap in their settlementâs craftsmanship. Stronger, higher-quality pottery. More delicious bread. And above all, in Akioâs heart, a vivid new possibility began to burnâthe dream of building a furnace capable of smelting iron from the reddish-black stones he had found.
âWith these bricks, and the kilnâs design⌠perhaps itâs finally possibleâŚâ he murmured, his gaze fixed on the lump of iron ore stored carefully in the corner of the shed.
Silvia watched him quietly, her eyes filled with trust and expectation.
Even under the summer heat, their passion burned brighter stillâigniting a new flame of creation deep within the heart of the forest.
