Chapter 77 The Blacksmith Accepts
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Can I ask you something? Why did you teach us about this ‘levitation stone’?”
”Why? Est, isn’t it so we don’t have to struggle with our lives?”
”Do you really think Tatara-senpai has that kind of gentle heart?”
Nice.
Est really knows how to say it. Not totally wrong, but I felt like challenging how they saw me.
Shamir looked at me with a nervous, careful gaze. I sighed.
Well, fine. I’d planned to reveal another reason later, but I might as well tell them now.
”One reason is honest — it can sell for a high price. Est, you’re not wrong.”
”…What do you mean by that?”
I pulled an ‘egg’ from my inventory and set it on the workbench.
The two of them tilted their heads. I said one word.
”Appraisal.”
They both panicked and activated the skill. Shamir’s face showed pure surprise as he appraised the egg, and Est went pale.
”Se-senpai… what is this?”
Est asked in a voice that trembled with fear.
”If you used Appraisal, you know. This is an ‘Alchemist’s Egg’. My final test for you two, as my disciples, is to figure out how to make this.”
The patent for it was already approved, but several of the theories you need to understand to make it were deliberately left out. That was the City Mayor’s decision — she made it so the public documents would never touch the core.
But the clues to reach it were hidden inside the patent I filed. Understand that, touch the deepest part of ‘Alchemy,’ and then you can make the egg. That was the task.
”I can’t teach you how to make it. You must reach it by your own discovery. There are hints somewhere, but I can’t tell you where. …If one of you becomes my top disciple, the one who solves this first will be that person.”
At my words, Shamir and Est’s eyes flashed bright. Had I lit a fire in their hearts?
”I’ve already given you the biggest hint I can. If you don’t know what it is, keep thinking and researching. You probably won’t make it while I’m still at the academy… but I hope one of you becomes my top disciple within ten years.”
I finished speaking and put the egg back in my inventory. They could only see it once.
I hoped they would keep that image and work hard. It was a small wish, but I wanted them to surpass me as crafters.
”All right. We used some time, but from here on we’ll go back to the usual schedule. Ask me anything about things other than what I just showed you.”
The moment I said that, questions rained down from Shamir and Est. I smiled and answered, a little surprised by how eager they were.
For now, my goal while they were still students was simple: I wanted them to be able to make ‘Artificial Orichalcum’ reliably. I was looking forward to it.
When classes ended, I saw Shamir and Est off and walked back toward the main building.
Ethelena hadn’t been bothered by the same jerks from last time, and she joined us without trouble. As the three of us left the school, a familiar sight stood beyond the main gate — and the same scene I’d seen before was playing out.
Those delinquents who had harassed Ethelena before were there again, crowding around Hinagiku-san, who wore a plain T-shirt, while Yohira stood armored in ‘Hydrangea’ equipment and Dahlia wore a maid outfit.
Classic troublemakers. Truly original.
”Hey, Tatara. Those are…”
”The same idiots who messed with Ethelena before. They’re coming to the academy, huh.”
They must be in a different class — I didn’t recognize their faces — but they were clearly attending school. Pretty boys, but if they bothered Yohira, they’d be in trouble before they knew it.
”I’m sorry, but we have no business with you. We are waiting for someone here. Leave immediately.”
”Don’t be so boring. Come explore with us! We’re amazing — we can go down to the twelfth floor!”
”…The twelfth floor?”
”Yeah, awesome, right?”
”…Shallow.”
Hinagiku-san’s polite refusal met the ears of idiots who couldn’t grasp the difference in strength.
They kept provoking and wouldn’t listen. What a nuisance.
”Sorry, but we have no time for you. When our companion arrives, we’ll head straight to the dungeon. Go and do whatever you do.”
”What a coincidence — come with us then!”
”You’d just slow us down. Get lost.”
”It’s fine. We can protect you!”
”I’ll say it once more: get lost, scum.”
”Scum? That old-fashioned speech is kinda cute.”
”They don’t understand at all.”
Hinagiku-san couldn’t deal with them, so Yohira stepped forward, but it was like pushing on a curtain.
Dahlia’s frustration showed; she pulled a ‘magic sword’ from her inventory and held it in her left hand — a ‘Mana Blade,’ ready to slice. That would be murder, though, so I had to stop it.
”Sorry, I kept you waiting.”
I called out loudly from behind the delinquents. I didn’t call names — better they didn’t learn them.
Yohira and the others visibly changed when they heard my voice.
Their faces lit with joy and relief, and I found myself smiling back. But those troublemakers still got between us.
”Hey! These girls are talking to us! Can’t you see that?”
”Too bad. I already have a prior claim. Scram, weaklings who can’t beat one Crafter.”
My mouth got rough before I knew it. I guess I was irritated that they were bothering Yohira and the others.
Yohira looked surprised at my tone, but I never had much patience. Lately, my threshold got even lower when it came to Ethelena and Yohira. Maybe it was possessiveness.
”Shut up, you Crafter punk! Don’t go thinking you’re hot stuff because of a ‘Sneak Attack’!”
”You’re not cut out to be an explorer if you let non-combat types ‘Sneak Attack’ you. Put the sword down and go play with some pervert’s pet if you’re useless. And shut your mouth — your breath stinks.”
”What did you say? Coward hiding among women!”
Dahlia almost ignited her ‘Mana Blade’ at the insult, but Yohira grabbed her shoulder and held her back.
Ethelena gave off a murderous vibe. It was rare to see Ethelena this angry.
”Maybe you’re jealous, ugly weaklings who’ll never win those fine women even if you bet your lives. Women can spot trash like you a mile away. Don’t look down on us. You’re not even one ten-thousandth of what the women here are.”
”You—! You’re getting cocky—”
One of the guys who’d been hit by my backhand last time drew a weapon. I didn’t remember his face well, but the punch mark on his face made him easy to pick out.
”You drew, huh?”
For an explorer, a weapon isn’t a tool for threats. It’s strength to kill an enemy.
That was what you learned first in higher education.
If you draw a weapon as an explorer, then if your opponent draws or fights back and someone dies, there’s no leniency. The last time I drew on a disgusting customer, if he’d killed me in return, it would have been on him.
That’s what it means to be an Explorer. Whether you’re still a student, a rookie, or a veteran, everyone is equal—and life is cheap.
The moment you call yourself an Explorer, you accept full responsibility for your own life. They’re reckless, unreasonable people who live and die by that title.
I raised my focus a notch, building every move to eliminate the enemy before me. He shouted and lifted his sword high over his head—wide open.
Too slow. I moved through the simple motions that easily overtook his clumsy attack.
Step forward.
Reach out.
Grab the neck.
Three actions faster than his one. His swing was cut short mid-motion as I seized him. Tightening my grip, I lifted him by the neck.
His feet kicked, body twisting in panic. He dropped his sword, gasping and clawing at my hand, but he couldn’t break free. The strength gap was too wide.
”You bastard!”
The leader of the delinquents drew his sword and came at me.
The blade was steel, once decent, but dull from neglect. Poor thing.
Ethelena and the others moved to react, but I stopped them with a look.
No need. The leader’s blade struck my arm.
Physical Attack 18 – Physical Defense 39 = 0.
The sword didn’t even scratch my skin.
It stopped dead against my arm, not enough force to draw blood. The leader’s face went blank with disbelief.
”Eh? What—why…?”
”With that attack power, you can’t break through my defense. Simple, right? Were you even paying attention in class?”
This world is cruelly ruled by status.
That’s why people choose their skills and equipment carefully—to make themselves stronger.
”It doesn’t matter if you’re an Explorer or a Crafter. In this world, if you’re weak, you don’t even get to choose how you die. What have you been doing all your life?”
By the time I looked back, the man I’d been holding had already fainted, foam on his lips.
I let go, letting him drop to the ground, and turned to face the leader. The rest of the group stepped back.
”I’ll say this once. I’m the weakest one in this party. If you can’t even hurt me, what makes you think you can protect my companions? Don’t talk nonsense, you useless trash.”
They stumbled back further. So much for the guys who looked down on a Crafter.
”And one more thing. A Crafter’s hands are their life. If you raise a blade against them… you’d better be ready to die.”
I stepped forward, and the cowards scattered like insects. Now then, what to do about the one fainted at my feet?
”Tatara! Your arm! Are you okay!?”
As soon as I came back to my senses, Ethelena ran to me, eyes wet with worry, checking where the sword had hit. She looked like she might cry.
”I’m fine, really…”
”You always worry about us, Tatara. So you should understand—when you’re in danger, we worry too, you fool!”
Yohira scolded me, tears glimmering in her eyes. I’d lost my temper, but maybe I went too far.
”…Sorry. I let my anger get the better of me.”
”Master, you couldn’t stand seeing us harassed by that filth. Is that right?”
”That’s right.”
”Then I forgive you. It’s enough that I know you care about us that much.”
Dahlia said it with a faint smile, almost happy. What a strange one.
”Dahlia, this is no time for that. Tatara, don’t make us worry so much. If something happened to you, it would be too late.”
”Yohira’s right, Tatara. If you keep making us worry, we’ll have to take action ourselves.”
”Action?”
Yohira scolded Dahlia while Ethelena stepped closer, eyes sharp. What did they mean by that?
”If you push yourself again, Torakuma and I will drain every drop of strength out of you.”
”I’ll throw all shame aside. Until you learn to value your own life, I’ll show you with my body. If a child comes of it, maybe you’ll finally think twice.”
”I’m sorry. Please stop. I’m begging you.”
I bent ninety degrees at the waist, bowing deeply.
That would end everything—literally. I’d be executed by the acting head of the family, and the countries might cut ties over it.
”As you said earlier, Tatara, you’re the weakest in this party. Your strength is below mine, your defense below Tatia’s, your magic below Ethelena’s. What you have most is knowledge.”
Well, yes. Having meta-knowledge from my past life as a gamer was my biggest weapon—but even that had limits here.
”When you and Ethelena fight together, you always move to the front. You’ve built a habit of taking the lead, and it worries us.”
”Yeah, but I can’t just hide behind everyone—”
”If you make the wrong call, you and Ethelena will die together! What do you think will happen to me if I lose both my dearest friend and the man I love at once!?”
Tears streamed from Yohira’s eyes.
I never wanted to make her cry, but I couldn’t seem to help it. I wiped her tears, but that only made her cry harder.
”Tatara-dono, weren’t you told by Madam not to make Lady Yohira cry?”
Right. I remembered.
I’d tried to act cool, saying I’d only make her cry with joy. So much for that. I still had a long way to go.
”H-Hinagiku, stop.”
”But, my lady—”
”Hinagiku, I didn’t say anything earlier, but… your outfit is enough to make me cry too!”
Wait, really? It’s just that ugly T-shirt…
no, hold on. Did her shirt even have a slit for her wings?
”You cut it yourself with scissors so your wings could come out, didn’t you? Ichika had to fix the seams, but they’re still open—and since the shirt’s long, you decided you didn’t need underwear! When you walk ahead, your backside keeps flashing! What are you, an exhibitionist!?”
At Yohira’s outburst, I instinctively took a step away from Hinagiku-san.
Yeah, that needed fixing. Come to think of it, when we bought that T-shirt, didn’t I forget to buy her shorts too?
”But, my lady, this outfit is comfortable!”
”Comfortable or not, you need to wear underwear! It’s fine at home, but what if it flips up in public? People would stare—and worse, guys like those creeps earlier would come running!”
And if that happened, she could get arrested for public indecency.
I did not want to be involved in that. I’d never recover from the shame.
”If I don’t fly, it won’t lift—”
Before Hinagiku could finish, a sudden gust of wind blew through. Her shirt fluttered up, and in that instant, Ethelena moved faster than the eye could follow, pressing it down.
I didn’t understand what happened right away. Then it hit me—my heart started pounding.
Hinagiku’s dignity had been one second away from destruction. My hands trembled. Yohira gently took my hand, giving me a reassuring smile.
”It’s all right, Tatara. Nothing showed. Ethelena stopped it in time.”
”Good… no one saw anything, right? We didn’t just trade one problem for another?”
”All fine, master. Nothing indecent was exposed. And for the record, I’m naturally smooth.”
”Dahlia!?”
Don’t just throw that kind of personal comment out there! And Yohira, stop mumbling under your breath about how “it’s not uncommon to be bare down there” while clutching your stomach.
What am I supposed to do with that? True, Ethelena wasn’t exactly hairy either, but still.
”Anyway, Hinagiku, go home. Quickly. Before you destroy what’s left of your own dignity.”
Yohira’s tone left no room for argument. Honestly, I couldn’t agree more.
Please, foolish fox, come right now and take this disaster woman away.
”…I felt someone calling me, so I came. What’s going on, degozaru?”
A familiar voice reached us. When I turned, there she was—the foolish fox, Ichika, wearing casual clothes similar to mine.
Perfect timing. Our caretaker had arrived! We were saved.
”Ichika! You came at the best moment! Take Hinagiku home, now!”
Yohira said exactly what I was thinking, practically begging. I felt bad dumping it on her, but our patience had limits.
”Lady Yohira looks too desperate to laugh, degozaru. Hinagiku, what did you do?”
”I-I just came out without underwear…”
”Understood. Situation assessed, degozaru.”
With one sigh, Ichika grabbed Hinagiku’s arm and started dragging her away.
Hinagiku kept muttering something about food stalls and grilled skewers, but Ichika didn’t even pretend to listen. What a dependable sight.
”…Was Hinagiku-san always like that?”
”When she lived in our homeland, she was the picture of a capable woman. Not a crack in her private life. Perhaps she’s gone soft here…”
”I see…”
According to Yohira, Hinagiku had started turning into a complete homebody since coming here. I’d probably get scolded by the acting head of the family next time we met.
After that stomach-twisting incident, we regrouped with Dahlia and entered the dungeon. As usual, we cleared enemies while working to raise our skills.
I’d filled the empty slot left by completing ‘Sex Sorcery’ with a new skill—’Mining.’ It let me extract ore from mineral veins. Until now, I’d relied on combining ‘Crafting’ and ‘Appraisal,’ but having the proper skill made it far more efficient.
Thanks to Tatia’s gathering-type skill, resource points like ore veins and herb fields appeared more often. If we’d realized that sooner, we might have prioritized collection-type skills over basic stat boosts. As I thought about that, I dug into a mineral node using a pickaxe forged from five kilograms of mithril.
Combining ‘Mining,’ ‘Crafting,’ and ‘Appraisal’ increased the number of successful digs—and soon, the iron ore poured out. Securing materials for ‘Demonsteel’ would be much easier now. The thought made me grin, which Ethelena noticed with a weary expression.
The modified ‘Genbu Revised’ armor performed beautifully. With ‘Orichalcum’ components, it now moved exactly as I intended.
The enhanced ‘magic bombardment’ feature unleashed terrifying power. Unlike standard artillery, it didn’t cover wide areas, but its efficiency was unmatched. It directly converted my Magic Attack stat into power—a great way to make use of something I’d neglected before.
”This is the new ‘Genbu Revised’ you tuned yourself, master? Incredible. Replacing the artificial muscle core from ‘Artificial Orichalcum’ to pure ‘Orichalcum’ improved its responsiveness dramatically. Its support functions are now even stronger, explosively raising combat ability. And the improved ‘Mana Cannon’—amazing! If it adds the user’s Magic Attack directly, even magic users could wear this armor. A new way to raise defense for spellcasters, and a new companion for battle mages. Master, can I just have this one as-is?”
”I was planning to add flight capability for your armor, Dahlia. You’re sure you want this ground combat model instead?”
”I misspoke, master. I am a patient woman. Please take your time refining the design and materials until you’re satisfied.”
Too easy, Dahlia.
”…Hey, Tatara. If that armor can do all that, then what about my ‘Lonisera’?”
”Ethelena, right now my ‘Genbu Revised’ is stronger, but your ‘Lonisera’ still has plenty of room to grow.”
In truth, her weapon had become extremely powerful. Its enhanced damage now exceeded twenty fixed points, and its accuracy had increased. Every perfect headshot Ethelena landed owed itself to ‘Lonisera.’ Soon, its enhancement level would reach ten.
Back in the game, unique weapons had five to ten upgrade stages, and once maxed out, they could evolve. Since ‘Lonisera’ was completely original, I wasn’t sure if that rule applied—but with Baral-san’s obsession… no, his love, packed into that gun, there was no way it would end there.
Thinking that, I paused before the stairs to the next floor and checked my skills. ‘Physical Attack Boost I’ and ‘Agility Boost I’ had both maxed out, so I ranked them up.
’Mana Boost I’ seemed close to upgrading before ‘Magic Attack Increase I.’ Surprisingly, the new ‘Mining’ skill had already passed level five. Maybe the combined use really worked.
When I looked around, Ethelena was busy adjusting her own stats—most likely ranking up her mobility and agility skills, which she’d trained together since the start.
Tatia finished quickly; she probably ranked up ‘Mobility Boost,’ judging by how she stretched her legs and wings. Yohira hadn’t changed anything, probably because she had few base stat-raising skills left.
”Shall we keep going?”
We advanced without trouble, reaching the tenth floor, where we had just defeated a ‘Goblin Lord.’ As I checked my skills, Tatia—always eager to level up—nodded. Time to resume the exploration.
To help Tatia level up, we let her take the front line most of the time. But when too many enemies appeared, the whole party joined in. My ‘artillery’ magic was powerful, but since it didn’t raise my skill levels, I avoided overusing it.
I’d thought about learning ‘Hawk’s Eye’ to extend my range, but right now raising ‘Mining’ took priority. If Ethelena couldn’t get ‘Trap Disarm’ soon, I might need to pick it up myself. ‘Creation Magic IV’ was also nearing its max level—something to think about later, maybe talk it through with the others.
While I considered all that, an approaching ‘Orc Slayer’ charged. I cast ‘Create Wall’ right in its path, forcing it to crash and cancel its attack.
Ethelena followed up—her gun’s sharp report echoed, and a ‘Mana bullet’ tore through the orc’s head. Her sniping technique seemed sharper than ever. Maybe her aim had improved, or maybe her higher speed boosted the correction rate.
Thinking about those useless thugs who had said they’d “protect her” made my blood boil.
I cast three more ‘Create Wall’ spells to block a ‘Slayer’ coming from another angle, stopping it right before me. Then I threw a full-power punch.
Weapon Accuracy 0 + Speed 90 = 90 – (Speed 40 + [Shirahadanagashi] 15) = 35.
Hit confirmed.
Physical Attack 100 – Physical Defense 1 = 99.
Magic Attack 1 + Magic Attack 72 = 73 – Magic Defense 1 = 72.
My burst knuckle landed, and it wasn’t just overkill—it erased the thing. The ‘Slayer’ died from the physical strike alone, but the added ‘magic bombardment’ obliterated its upper body completely.
At least I recovered the mana stone, but still… maybe I should dial it back a little.
We kept clearing every ‘Slayer’ on that floor and pushed on, eventually reaching the fifteenth level, where ‘Ogres’ started to appear. Checking my stats, ‘Creation Magic IV,’ ‘Mana Boost I,’ and ‘Magic Attack Increase I’ had all hit their limits, so I ranked them up.
Around me, Tatia and Yohira were also adjusting their skills. Tatia was probably raising ‘Sword Aptitude’ and ‘Knight Swordsmanship.’ Yohira…
I honestly had no idea. I’d never asked her about her build. All I knew was that she had ‘Appraisal’ and something like ‘Dance.’
The new enemy, ‘Ogre Grapple,’ was a rare variant. Usually, ‘Ogres’ didn’t appear in groups—but this time, they came as a pack. I left Ethelena’s defense to Dahlia and took the front line with Yohira and Tatia. Thanks to my ‘Genbu Revised,’ I had no problem holding the line, and Yohira was, well, Yohira—untouchable as always.
Tatia used ‘Flight’ to dart around and chip away at them. Her weapon, ‘Andreia,’ turned out to be stronger and more compatible than I’d imagined. She delivered brutal combo attacks, piercing the monsters faster than they could regenerate. Total muscle-brained combat—but who was I to judge?
We continued like that, clearing floors fifteen through twenty and reaching the twenty-first, infested with ‘Trolls.’ As usual, Ethelena kept stealing stat-boost items from the ‘Muumin’ monsters. Every time one clung to her, I felt murderous rage rising.
My enhanced strength under ‘Genbu Revised’ finally became too much for Yohira to hold me back—Dahlia had to physically restrain me instead. Cute or not, that hippo-faced beast needed to die.
I vented my righteous anger on the ‘Mithril Golems’ from floor twenty-five onward, which at least gave us plenty of rare Mithril. Swinging my pickaxe with fury at a mining point, I even dug up iron ore—unexpected, but I didn’t complain.
I kept doing the same from floor twenty-five to thirty. When we reached the boss, an ‘Orichalcum Golem,’ I rushed in and erased the rune on its forehead in one blow. Done and dusted.
”…You really move at a crazy pace,” Tatia said.
”Maybe. I wouldn’t call it reckless, but we dive pretty fast. Even if we’re clearing each floor in ten minutes, that’s still about five hours total.”
At first, it took us longer just to reach floor twenty. But with Ethelena’s expanded scouting range and our boosted stats, progress came naturally.
Our speed had literally increased. Beating bosses like ‘Goblin Lord,’ ‘High Ogre,’ and ‘Orichalcum Golem’ in under three minutes each wasn’t exactly normal.
Right now, our main goal was to level up skills and free some skill slots. Apart from Dahlia, none of us had charm resistance. That meant Ethelena and I both needed to learn ‘Sex Sorcery’ before tackling floor thirty-six or deeper.
Ideally, we’d use maxed-out skills for that slot instead of ranking them up—but I left that choice to each of them. They were my companions, not soldiers. If it became necessary, I’d ask. Otherwise, they were free to follow their own paths.
”The next stretch will depend on Dahlia.”
”Leave it to me, master.”
With a graceful curtsy, Dahlia lifted her maid skirt slightly. I had a feeling that was the real reason she chose that outfit.
From the thirty-first floor onward, the ‘Liches’ were pitiful. The instant one appeared, Dahlia’s ‘Sazanka’ cannon fired. Her ‘Mana Cannon’ erased them from existence before they could even act. It was almost sad to watch.
Still, we gathered large mana stones, monster armor materials, and plenty of ore through mining. Each floor spawned fifteen to twenty ‘Liches,’ sometimes even forty—but none managed to cast instant-death magic. Thank goodness. With this haul, I could craft around twenty ‘Alchemist’s Eggs.’ We finally had enough material to begin making Dahlia’s armor.
”What’s wrong, Tatara?” Yohira asked.
”Nothing. Just thinking—we’ve gathered enough materials. After one more dive, I can start on Dahlia’s armor.”
”Truly, master?”
In the blink of an eye, Dahlia appeared right in front of me. Way too fast.
”Y-yeah. Just a bit more. One more trip like today’s should do it.”
”At last… my own ‘Arcane Armor’ will be born!”
Her shoulders trembled, emotion about to burst. Hopefully not too much.
”Well then, let’s call it a day. I’m starving anyway.”
At my words, everyone nodded. As usual, I grabbed my return crystal, and we headed home.
Tatia was joining us for dinner at my place, so I led the whole group back. When we arrived, a shadow waited above the gate.
”…The City Mayor’s bird-type golem?”
The messenger golem, which usually fled from me, was waiting at the entrance.
What was it doing here? Was it rebelling?
Just then, it flew down to my hand. A letter was tied to its leg.
It had come to deliver it. As I took it, the bird golem soared high and flew away. It had escaped before I could tie any research reports to it.
”Tatara, what’s the letter?”
”Hold on a second.”
Ethelena prompted me as I read the letter. The gist was:
”Tomorrow, we’re meeting with the Torakuma family to decide when to send the blacksmith. She wants me, Yohira, and two guards to come to Central Administration before noon.”
When I relayed the message, Yohira nodded in agreement.
”…Master, my armor…”
”It won’t be ready right away. Actually, I think we’re still short on ‘eggs.’ I’m sorry, but I’ll need you to collect more Mana Stones tomorrow.”
”Yes, my Master.”
Dahlia answered with a hint of disappointment. I felt bad, but this was a diplomatic matter, and there was nothing I could do.
Leaving Dahlia to her thoughts, we sat down for dinner. The foolish fox had prepared it today. After a simple breakfast of ham and eggs, the evening meal was a slightly more elaborate cream stew. Apparently, she’d used Ethelena’s recipe notebook from the kitchen. It was an enhanced version, with a thick roux that clung perfectly to the rice. The ingredients were also modified: chicken thigh instead of regular meat, with corn and bacon added.
I poured it over rice, scooped some up with my spoon, and took a bite. It was incredibly delicious. The sweetness of the corn and onions gave way to the rich creaminess of the milk, and the spices used in the vegetables and bacon blended perfectly, leaving a lingering savory flavor. The potatoes crumbled effortlessly, and the carrots were soft enough to mash. The corn popped with each bite, adding textural variety, and the chicken thigh was so tender it fell off the bone. The simmered cartilage offered a unique chewiness, while the bacon retained a slight firmness. Eating it all with white rice was pure bliss.
The only drink was water, but it was perfect with the hot stew. Ethelena, amazed by the taste, seemed determined to surpass it, her competitive spirit evident.
If we’d had bread, I would have used it to sop up the last of the roux, but the rice was equally effective. I finished every last grain.
”Master, was it delicious?” the foolish fox asked, smiling as she watched me eat.
”It was delicious. Making the stew thicker and eating it with rice—that’s a combination I’d never thought of. It’s impressive to see new ways of eating.”
Even in my past life, I’d had rice with stew, but I usually ate bread. So, this combination was a revelation.
It was filling, too. I decided to add it to my repertoire.
”Tatia, your weapon and armor need maintenance. I’ll take them.”
”Ah, yes, they do. Tatara-dono, please take care of them.”
During our post-dinner meeting, we confirmed that Yohira and I would be absent tomorrow. I then called out to Tatia. During today’s battles, the auxiliary wings of her ‘aura’ seemed a bit sluggish.
Perhaps they were starting to lag behind Tatia’s speed. I didn’t think ‘Andreia’ needed sharpening, but after so many thrusts during the ‘Grapple’ encounters, I wanted to check it. If I’d pushed it too hard, it would need some adjustments.
After seeing Tatia off, I retreated to my workshop alone.
Yohira’s sword mace had worn down unexpectedly. Had she mishandled it while getting used to the unfamiliar weapon? As I carefully repaired it, it was enhanced.
That was fast. Tatia’s ‘aura’ and ‘Andreia’ were also enhanced. It seemed the ‘aura’ wings were indeed struggling to keep up with Tatia’s speed, and adjusting them to improve their response led to an enhancement. When I repaired ‘Andreia,’ the ‘Mana Stone’ wasn’t enough, and I had to use ‘Mithril.’
And then there was Ethelena’s ‘Lonisera.’ I checked for damage from today’s battles and began repairs. Again, ‘Mana Stone’ wasn’t enough, so I used ‘Mithril.’ As a result, the ‘Lonisera’s’ performance improved.
Arcane Gun ‘Lonisera’ ☆
Magic Attack: 5 + 20
Mana Cost: 5
Range: 50m
Special Ability: ‘Bloodline of the Demon Clan Baral Exclusive’, ‘When used by a bloodline member, Magic Attack becomes Magic Cost x 2’, ‘Overload I’.
That was the result of the ‘Appraisal.’ If there was a trigger for further evolution, Ethelena’s combat power could be significantly increased. However, the trigger itself was missing. ‘Evil Mithril’ seemed like a good candidate, but its essence was its shape-memory alloy properties. I considered a ‘Lonisera’ that could change shape to fit the situation, but that wouldn’t work. The circuits that transmitted mana to an Arcane Gun were delicate; changing its shape could cause bugs.
Therefore, the barrel would likely be forged ‘Mithril.’ This would require increasing the allowable mana capacity. If the mana flowing into the gun, the mana capacity drawn from the Soul Core, were increased, the firepower would naturally rise. The problem was, with a handgun-shaped ‘Lonisera,’ such a dramatic increase in firepower was unlikely. The main body was small, and even with forged ‘Mithril,’ the limit would be about three times the current mana capacity. I needed to consider a new approach.
”Ta-ta-ra♪” Ethelena’s voice came from behind me as she hugged me. I felt the soft weight on my back. It had to be her.
”Let’s take a bath♪”
Her cheerful voice sent a jolt through my brain.
”Huh? Tatara?”
I’d reached my limit.
I’d been with Ethelena since morning, but it wasn’t enough. Seeing other men look at her had put me on edge.
And then this contact. There was no way I could hold back.
I turned and pulled Ethelena closer, kissing her.
My left hand slipped under the hem of her clothes, catching her off guard with a ‘Sneak Attack,’ and I cupped her large breasts. Ethelena, not fully processing what was happening, couldn’t respond properly and was at my mercy.
My tongue, which had entered her mouth, was neither rejected nor intertwined. I ravaged the inside of her mouth. When my tongue brushed against her front teeth, gums, and the inside of her lips, she flinched, trying to pull away reflexively.
But I wouldn’t allow it. With my right hand, I held the back of her head, blocking her escape. The sound of thick, viscous liquid echoed in the workshop. I kept kissing her, not letting her breathe, and fondled the symbol of her motherhood.
With Ethelena no longer resisting, I picked her up and laid her on the workbench. I removed her clothes, and with some fumbling, I took out my manhood, which was hard with excitement, from my pants.
”Ah, Tatara… I’m s-sorry, I’m sorry.”
Ethelena suddenly apologized when she saw me take out my manhood.
”…Why are you apologizing, Ethelena?”
”Because… you’re angry, aren’t you? Because I interrupted your work?”
”Angry? Why would you think that?”
Though my actions were a bit rough, I wasn’t angry at Ethelena. My lust and excitement had simply reached their limit, and pathetically, I couldn’t control it.
”Because you’re being so rough… you must be angry.”
”No, I’m just excited by you, Ethelena, and I can’t hold back.”
”Hm?”
It felt like a long time since I’d heard Ethelena make that sound, but she looked bewildered at my words.
”We did it once this morning, but I still hadn’t released everything. Then, right after I finished working, you hugged me, and I just couldn’t hold back anymore.”
”Oh, really…?”
”The only thing that annoyed me today was those jerks bothering Yohira and the others. I’m not angry at any of my companions.”
Ethelena listened to my words, then slowly processed them, a look of relief spreading across her face. She had truly thought I was angry.
”I’m so glad. Tatara, you were rougher than usual, so I thought you were mad at me.”
”I was aroused since this morning and frustrated, but I wasn’t angry, you know.”
”You’re so good with words.”
Ethelena smiled faintly, then wrapped her arms around my neck.
”Now that I’m relieved, I want you, Tatara. Please give me lots today?”
”As you wish.”
I replied, then leaned in and kissed her. We pulled away immediately, looked at each other, and laughed.
But even as we shared that sweet moment, my lower body grew harder.
I pressed my manhood against Ethelena’s vaginal opening and moved my hips.
Ethelena let out a soft moan and tightened her grip on my arms, pulling me closer.
I lifted Ethelena from the workbench and placed her on my hips as I stood.
It was the so-called ‘station-girl’ position. Ethelena’s weight pushed my manhood deep inside, swallowing it to the hilt.
”Ethelena, can you move?”
She couldn’t speak properly due to the pressure inside, but she nodded affirmatively.
I supported Ethelena’s soft buttocks with both hands, helping her move her hips effectively.
Ethelena wrapped her legs around my waist and, using her arms and legs for support, began to move her hips.
The sounds of liquid, different from our kisses, and our mingled breaths echoed in the room.
The tight grip of her vaginal opening and the soft embrace of her vaginal canal stimulated my manhood with each of Ethelena’s hip movements.
The pleasure of being squeezed from the base to the exit was almost unbearable. Facing a pleasure that felt like my brain was burning and my spine was tingling, I shamefully ejaculated.
I used the hands supporting her to prevent Ethelena’s hips from escaping, and released my semen into her deepest parts.
My manhood, expelling semen, was greedily sucked by her vaginal canal, which writhed as if to wring out every last drop.
Still, still not enough. I wanted to be with the beloved woman before me.
A possessiveness and desire to dominate, almost base, accelerated my lust, and I continued to crave Ethelena’s body.
We had a meeting tomorrow afternoon. I had to sleep soon.
My reason understood that. But my instincts craved union with the woman before me.
Humans should be creatures of reason. Living according to instinct is no different from being a wild animal.
But such pretense was useless.
Naked, I carried Ethelena to my room without caring who might see me, and continued.
I could take a bath tomorrow morning. We wouldn’t see each other directly, I rationalized, and began to devour Ethelena’s body once more.
—
Bonus Dungeon Surveillance City ‘Whirlwind.’ Central Library. Inside, two boys were busily gathering documents, writing down anything they deemed necessary.
The contents of the documents were all patent applications, specifically those filed by a particular individual. The name of the patent holder was ‘Tatara Julon,’ the individual who currently held the most patents not only in ‘Whirlwind’ but within the entire ‘Aqueld Empire.’
”Est, did you find anything?”
”Nothing here. How about you, Shamir?”
”Not at all. There are too many of senpai’s documents, I can’t tell what’s a hint.”
They confirmed with each other while engrossed in the documents, jotting down anything that seemed relevant. Shamir’s notes were sparse, while Est’s were filled with excerpts from the documents.
”We knew we lacked the technology and knowledge, but I never imagined the ‘Alchemist’s Egg’ would be such a troublesome item…”
”The readable documents are missing crucial parts, aren’t they? No wonder senpai made it the final test. The prerequisite theories are too obscure.”
They sighed and exchanged words. The two had come to the central library immediately after classes ended, having been tasked by their mentor, their near-peer senpai, Tatara Julon, with creating the ‘Alchemist’s Egg.’ He had declared that whoever succeeded first would be certified as his top disciple. The task they faced was a kind of hell.
Tatara Julon held the most patents as an individual. This wasn’t just a large number; it surpassed the combined patents held by any noble family or prestigious institution within the empire over their long histories. They were already familiar with ‘Demonsteel’ and ‘Shape Memory Alloy,’ but there were also everyday items like ‘New Torimochi’ and ‘Insect Luring Incense,’ as well as ‘Insecticide Spell Formulas.’ More complex items included ‘Mana Circulation Drive Spell Formulas’ and ‘Antigravity Spell Formulas’—countless items that defied replication. Somewhere within this vast collection of documents lay the hint for creating the ‘Alchemist’s Egg,’ arguably the most difficult of them all.
”…As expected, this one seems the most suspicious.”
Shamir, his speech slurring from exhaustion, picked up a document about the ‘levitation stone.’ Why had Tatara shown them how to make the ‘levitation stone’ before presenting the ‘Alchemist’s Egg’?
The shock had made them forget to question it, but Shamir intuitively understood that the ‘levitation stone’ and the ‘Alchemist’s Egg’ must be connected somehow. He reasoned that Tatara had shown them the former first, perhaps intending to present it as a final test around graduation, as it likely shared similar manufacturing processes.
”This ‘Law of Universal Mana Gravitation’ is intriguing, but there’s absolutely no information about it.”
Est, trusting Shamir’s intuition, thoroughly examined the ‘levitation stone’ documents. He focused on an unfamiliar theory mentioned: the ‘Law of Universal Mana Gravitation.’ According to the document, it stated that ‘Mana is attracted to denser Mana.’ This theory, mentioned only in relation to the ‘levitation stone,’ was, Est predicted, the key hint.
”Compressing and fusing multiple large Mana Stones… I think that’s the correct method for making it.”
”Considering how he demonstrated the ‘levitation stone’ creation, that seems right. The items he produced afterward were similar in size… is it simply a difference in Mana density?”
If Tatara saw the two of them exchanging opinions and thinking, he would be jealous of their talent, yet happy. Of course, he would correct them, saying that the true genius or monster was the person who came up with and created it all alone.
”I want to find at least a starting point before senpai graduates.”
”At the very least, I want to be able to refine large Mana Stones, even if I can’t make a ‘levitation stone’…”.
Thinking of their respected senpai, who stood alone in the distant future, the two disciples exchanged such words.
Notes:
• Dahlia – The automaton.
• Hinagiku – A tengu woman as Ranka’s potential companion. She stays with Tatara’s group after travels. Joins household scenes only. Linked to Ranka by shared gluttony jokes. No direct tie to Tatara beyond cohabitation. Cheerful eater.
• Yohira – Torakuma’s first name.
• Ichika – The fox girl. Kunoichi.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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