Sid slowly opened his eyes and was greeted by the dim light of his bedroom. He sat up, rubbing his eyes and trying to shake off the grogginess.

"Don't tell me it was just a dream," he muttered to himself, feeling disappointed that his victory in the exam was not real.

"What do you mean, a dream?" Ben's head suddenly appeared, blocking Sid's view. He was grinning from ear to ear like a madman.

"Eh?" Sid exclaimed, surprised by Ben's sudden appearance.

"You little rascal, you actually showed those snobbish James and Tom a lesson," Ben laughed, trying to remember their faces when Sid took first place in the yearly exam. It had created quite a commotion, especially since Sid had beaten the town's blacksmith genius.

"It wasn't a dream?" Sid asked, his eyes widening with disbelief.

"Nope, it wasn't a dream," Ben replied, still grinning. "You did it, Sid. You passed with flying colors and made us all proud."

"I don't think it's a big deal. I just got lucky. I dont think James would mind it too much" Sid smiled at Ben, but his friend's expression turned serious.

"Well," Ben scratched his head nervously.

"Come on, spit it out," Sid urged him.

"I might have told them that you've only been learning blacksmithing for a couple of months, and they took it as an insult," Ben admitted, feeling ashamed of his immaturity.

"Why did you do that, Sir Ben?" Sid exclaimed, feeling a sense of dread.

"I just wanted to tease that bastard Tom a little," Ben tried to justify his actions.

"What did the Head Blacksmith say?" Sid sighed

"The Head Blacksmith said that I did a great job insulting Tom and putting them in their place," Ben smiled, showing all of his teeth as if he did something epic.

Sid sighed in resignation, accepting his fate. He knew that Ben could be rowdy and impulsive at times, but he didn't expect that the Head Blacksmith was on the same wavelength as him. No wonder they seemed to be close.

"This is for you," Ben said, handing Sid a small wooden box.

"What is this?" Sid asked, curious.

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"Just open it," Ben replied with a grin.

Sid nodded and opened the box, revealing a small emblem with a star on it.

"What does this mean? I thought passing the exam only makes you a blacksmith apprentice," Sid said, confused.

"Hehehe, I didn't tell you about it, but those who reach the 70th tempering are automatically promoted to one-star rank," Ben explained.

"You mean..." Sid's voice trailed off as he realized the significance of the emblem.

"Yeah, boy. We're both the same rank now," Ben said, his grin growing wider. "To be honest, I wanted to beat you up for reaching this far with only months of effort, but then I remembered that life is unfair."

Sid couldn't help but laugh at Ben's joke. He looked at him with a grateful smile, feeling lucky to have met someone like him in this town. Despite the age gap, Ben had taken him under his wing and treated him like a little brother.

"And what now?" Sid asked, unsure of what to do next.

"Now, we celebrate!" Ben exclaimed, a huge grin on his face. "The Head Blacksmith has rented out one of the most expensive restaurants in town and we're going to party!"

Sid felt a sense of helplessness wash over him, but he knew that Ben and the other blacksmiths were simply proud of him. Despite his reservations, he couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement at the prospect of celebrating his accomplishment with his newfound friends.

***

The restaurant was filled with the mouth-watering aroma of various dishes spread on the table. Sid's stomach grumbled as he gazed at the feast before him, but he couldn't help feeling overwhelmed by the attention he was receiving.

"Here's to Sid, the super genius of the Silver Hub Workshop!" the head blacksmith boomed with a hearty laugh. He had been boasting about how he had recognized Sid's talent from the moment he saw him.

"Cheers!" everyone exclaimed in unison, raising their glasses to toast to Sid's achievement. While having a one-star blacksmith in the workshop was not uncommon, having a 14-year-old one was certainly a remarkable feat.

The young servers of the restaurant couldn't help but feel admiration for Sid. He was so young and already a One Star Blacksmith. It was clear to them that he was destined for greatness, with a bright future ahead of him. Perhaps he might even reach the rank of Master Blacksmith someday, a lofty goal that many blacksmiths strive for.

he servers watched in awe as Sid savored the delicious food on the table, surrounded by his proud and supportive colleagues. They couldn't wait to see what the future held for this prodigious young blacksmith.

"He's the rumored Super Genius who swept the Black Smith Exam," one of the young female servers mused while gazing at Sid.

"Must be a foreigner with his black hair and eyes," added one of the male servers.

"I don't care where he's from. His achievements alone are proof that he's destined for greatness," another server replied.

As the young servers whispered among themselves, Sid couldn't help but feel a bit bashful. He was used to the occasional teasing from Ben and the other blacksmiths, but this was something else.

"Looks like you've got some admirers," Ben nudged him with his elbow.

Sid just shook his head and tried to focus on the food in front of him, but he couldn't ignore the warm feeling in his chest. He never thought he'd be someone who would be admired by others.

"Maybe I should become a ladykiller," Sid joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Ben laughed and playfully punched him in the arm. "Just don't forget about your work as a blacksmith. Can't have the ladies distracting you too much."

The group continued to tease Sid throughout the night, but he didn't mind. He was happy to be surrounded by people who cared about him and believed in his potential.