"Uwah..." Rei muttered, unable to help himself as he stepped into Asimov's house.
Calling it a mess would have been an understatement; the place was a disaster zone.
Instruments with incomprehensible functions were strewn everywhere, alongside what looked like monster parts and various books on alchemy. It hadn't quite reached the point where there was no floor space left to step on, but the clutter was overwhelming.
Rei likely wasn't the only one feeling a surge of envy toward Seto, who was waiting outside as usual.
Asimov, however, paid Rei's reaction no mind and spoke up.
"Right, sit wherever you can find a spot. We were talking about a Magic Sword, wasn't it?"
"...Trust you to move the conversation along in a situation like this," Pamidoor remarked.
The blacksmith shoved a pile of luggage aside to clear a spot on the sofa before sitting down. Rei followed suit, securing a place for himself and setting the Magic Sword on the table.
Was it a stroke of good fortune that he even had a sofa? Rei wondered.
Given Asimov's personality, it wouldn't have been surprising if he'd decided he didn't need one. Then again, the man still had to eat and occasionally host guests like this, so a sofa was probably a necessity. Even if that sofa was currently buried under junk that Rei couldn't begin to identify.
"This Magic Sword seems to have been crafted with incredibly advanced techniques... but now that it's snapped, repairing it exactly as it was might be a bit of a challenge."
"Does that mean it can't be fixed?" Rei asked, his voice tinged with disappointment as he watched Asimov examine the Magic Sword handle.
Asimov fell silent for a moment, deep in thought, before continuing.
"Well, even if I did fix it, I doubt I could restore its original power completely. You'd likely see a significant drop in its performance—maybe by several degrees."
"...A performance drop, huh? Yeah, that sounds about right," Pamidoor muttered, picking up the half of the blade that had been snapped off.
Given that it was an exceptionally high-grade Magic Sword, it would likely remain quite powerful even with a slight reduction in ability. However, to a master blacksmith like Pamidoor or a master alchemist like Asimov, the idea of a repair that resulted in a weaker product was inherently unsatisfying.
Asimov shifted his gaze from the weapon to Rei.
"If we fix it as a Magic Sword, the abilities will degrade. However, if we use this Magic Sword as the base to forge an entirely new weapon... I believe we can minimize the loss of performance. What do you say?"
"You can do that?"
Rei had operated under the assumption that a Magic Sword had to remain a Magic Sword, so he looked at Asimov with wide-eyed surprise.
"I can. Of course, some third-rate alchemist might find it impossible, but despite my looks, I happen to be quite skilled."
Asimov spoke with absolute confidence in his own abilities. Rei turned his eyes toward Pamidoor.
Is he telling the truth? his gaze asked. Pamidoor simply gave a firm nod.
If Asimov were nothing more than a blowhard, Pamidoor never would have associated with him this closely. The fact that he continued to bring work here without ever severing ties was proof enough that Asimov's skill was more than satisfactory. Even if his proficiency fluctuated based on his mood, he clearly met the high standards Pamidoor demanded.
Having confirmed this, Rei looked back at Asimov.
"So, specifically, what kind of weapon would this new one be?"
"You'll need to coordinate that with Pamidoor. The work will be carried out based on the chosen design."
Rei glanced at the Magic Sword again and then at Pamidoor.
"I don't mind either way," the blacksmith said. "As long as it isn't something physically impossible, I can handle most requests."
It was a bold claim, backed by Pamidoor's high level of skill.
"If it doesn't matter what kind of weapon it is... well, my primary weapon is the Death Scythe. Beyond that, I suppose a Spear... or maybe a Dagger?"
For Rei, the weapon he used most frequently after the Death Scythe was a spear—though he usually threw them as a long-range attack rather than using them in melee. A dagger was his go-to for when enemies got inside the reach of his scythe.
Asimov furrowed his brows slightly at Rei's suggestions.
"A dagger would be difficult given the size and shape of the base material. A spear, though... Pamidoor, what do you think?"
"I'm fine with either. How about you, Asimov?"
"A spear works for me too. Not a Magic Sword, but a Magic Spear, eh? That sounds interesting. ...Hmm, in that case, I have to ask: what were the original abilities of this Magic Sword? If I'm remaking it into a Magic Spear, I can't do much without knowing what it was capable of."
Rei could only shake his head.
While he knew the longsword was a Magic Sword, he had never actually seen it manifest its powers during his fight with Noise. It was possible Noise had been using its abilities and Rei simply hadn't noticed, but the result was the same: Rei didn't have a clue.
"What? You don't know its abilities?"
"Yeah. I probably snapped the blade before he had a chance to use them."
"...That complicates things. If the abilities are unknown, I'll have to analyze the sword as I work. That's going to take time. I might be able to wing it with some cheap piece of junk, but I refuse to be that reckless with a Magic Sword used by an S-Rank adventurer."
"Specifically, how much time are we talking about?"
"I couldn't say. Since I'll be investigating its nature as a Magic Item while I work, it could potentially take months or even years. At the very least, you're looking at about a month."
Rei frowned as Asimov spoke while eyeing the Magic Sword handle.
He had expected a Magic Item used by Noise to take time to repair, but "months or years" was completely beyond his expectations.
"Can you do anything to speed it up? It would be a huge help if I could have it by next spring."
"Easier said than done. We're talking about converting a Magic Sword into a Magic Spear. No matter how you look at it, that takes time. I'll likely need specific materials along the way, too. ...Well? I won't force the idea on you if you're not up for it."
Rei hesitated. Turning the sword into a Magic Spear was definitely the best option for him. No matter how powerful the sword was, Rei wasn't trained in longswords; keeping it as one would be a waste of its potential.
"Understood. Let's go with the Magic Spear. ...What will the fee be?"
"If you give me Gryphon materials, I'll be satisfied. There aren't many people who can even get their hands on such things, let alone know how to use them properly."
"...Are you sure?"
"Of course. Rei, was it? You don't seem to realize the value of a Gryphon, but those materials are incredibly rare. If you're feeling guilty about it, just keep providing me with Gryphon materials on a regular basis. That would put me overwhelmingly in the black."
Is it really worth that much? Rei wondered, the thought plain on his face.
However, remembering how alchemists and merchants in the Bestia Empire had been desperate to get close to Seto for materials, he realized Asimov wasn't exaggerating.
Decision made, Rei nodded... then, struck by a sudden thought, he reached into his Misty Ring.
He pulled out an object that resembled a rounded gemstone, though it had been sliced through diagonally, dividing it in two.
It was the Dungeon Core from the dungeon he had just conquered.
Materials like a Dungeon Core rarely, if ever, made it to the open market. Asimov clearly didn't recognize it at first. He took the upper half of the Dungeon Core from Rei and inspected it closely, but after failing to identify it, he shook his head and threw his hands up in defeat.
"What is this? I've never seen anything like it. Pamidoor, any idea?"
"Let me see."
Pamidoor took the upper half of the Dungeon Core from Asimov and studied it intently. Even after handling it for about 1 minute, he was still stumped and set it down on the table.
"Got me. What the hell is this?"
Faced with the questioning looks of both men, Rei felt his lips curl into a small, slightly boastful smirk.
"It's a Dungeon Core."
"What?"
The two men shouted in unison, their voices sounding utterly stunned. They clearly hadn't expected such a legendary item to appear.
Pamidoor was the first to snap out of it.
"Wait a second. When you came by yesterday, you mentioned you were heading to a dungeon... You're telling me you conquered a dungeon in a single day!?"
"Correct. Well, it was brand new and hadn't expanded much yet, so that helped."
Despite his modest words, the room containing the Dungeon Core had been guarded by over fifty C-Rank Monster Gamelions. Any average adventurer might have made it to the Core's chamber, but that undoubtedly would have been their final resting place. Only someone like Rei could have taken on a pack of C-Rank monsters and treated it like a meat-gathering expedition.
Ignorant of those details, Pamidoor simply nodded, impressed.
"A dungeon? I thought the nearest one was a few days' carriage ride away?"
"Ah... right. That makes sense for you," Pamidoor said, scratching his head as he explained to the confused Asimov. "There are dungeons where you're thinking of, sure. But a new dungeon was discovered right near Gilm recently. People say it's just full of weak small fry and the materials are worthless, but a dungeon is still a dungeon."
"...So, you're saying this Dungeon Core is the real thing?"
"I've never seen a Dungeon Core in person, so I can't say for sure, but if Rei is this confident, it probably is. Right?"
You wouldn't be pulling a fast one on us, would you? Pamidoor's eyes asked. Rei nodded back without a hint of hesitation.
"Yeah, it's the real deal. I suppose the only way to prove it is to go down there and see the room where I found it... but honestly, now that I've taken the Dungeon Core, the place could collapse at any time. I wouldn't recommend it. Luckily, it hasn't shown any signs of crumbling yet, so it might actually stay standing."
"...I see. In that case, do you mind if I keep the Dungeon Core for now? If it can be used for this Magic Sword, I'd like to try."
"It can be used for that?" Rei asked, surprised.
He was the one who had brought the thing out, but he hadn't actually expected it to be a viable material. Especially for something involving a Magic Sword.
"I don't know if it's possible. I'm just saying I want to look into it. ...Pamidoor, what do you think?"
"What do I think? It's an incredibly fascinating material. I can't say I'm not curious to see what happens if we use a Dungeon Core while forging a weapon."
Pamidoor shared Asimov's intrigue, but he clearly understood that a Dungeon Core was far too rare to be bought with simple coin. He looked at it longingly, yet he didn't ask to have it.
"If you need the Dungeon Core to turn that Magic Sword into a Magic Spear, feel free to use it. As for other payment... since you're a blacksmith, would Seto's materials—you know, feathers and hair—suffice for your fee? If not, I can give you a whole Gamelion's worth of meat, or just gold if you prefer."
"...Hmm..."
Pamidoor agonized over the offer.
Gamelion meat was a rare delicacy this year, making it an attractive prospect, but he dismissed the idea almost immediately. He could eat his fill of it, sure, but a family of three couldn't possibly finish an entire monster. It was winter, so it wouldn't spoil as fast as in the summer, but it still wouldn't last forever. That meant he'd end up giving most of it away to the neighbors... and in the end, his family's actual profit would be minimal. It wasn't that the Pamidoor family didn't value their neighbors, but this was business.
That left him with either Seto's materials or gold.
After a few long minutes of internal struggle, Pamidoor finally spoke.
"I'll take Seto's materials."
As a blacksmith, he couldn't suppress the desire to forge a weapon using Gryphon materials.
He tried to justify it to himself by thinking a Gryphon-material weapon would fetch a massive price depending on the buyer... but in the back of Pamidoor's mind, he could see his beloved wife nodding in approval with a wry smile.