One morning, about two weeks after Kieza had arrived at House Razgrim, Vain was in his office looking over reports from across the domain.
The influx of people pouring into the territory remained as heavy as ever, but lately he had been able to delegate interviews and personnel placement to Kieza, who was also making appearances at training drills. Though Kieza was perfectly capable of handling paperwork, he detested it, so Vain only foisted it onto him when strictly necessary. Even so, offloading the task of evaluating newcomers had lightened Clarice's burden considerably.
Just then, two knocks sounded at the door.
"Vain, do you have a moment?"
"Yeah. Come on in."
Clarice entered holding a letter. Unlike the usual domain affairs, this seemed to be something else; the moment she reached the desk, she held it out to him.
"A message from the royal capital. Elsa's mechanical prosthetic arm is finished."
"...Huh?"
Vain unfolded the letter and looked up after reading only the first few lines.
"It's done already...? I thought they said it would take over a month."
"It seems the necessary parts were gathered much faster than expected... They also wrote that the finishing process went smoothly because the measurements taken previously were so detailed."
"All right! We're heading to the royal capital right away."
"You certainly make up your mind fast..."
"If it's done, the sooner the better, right? It's going to take Elsa time to get used to it anyway, so leaving it sitting there is pointless. Besides, once she can use both hands, the amount of work she can handle will only increase."
The arms and armor House Razgrim's soldiers had used during the Military Tournament had suffered remarkably little damage despite how fiercely they fought. Their quality had undoubtedly made waves in the royal capital by now. If Elsa could return to blacksmithing in earnest, the volume of gear she could produce would rise accordingly. That prosthetic arm had cost well over two hundred gold coins, but weighing that against what she could earn going forward, there was more than enough opportunity to recoup the expense.
Clarice narrowed her eyes at him.
"...Halfway through that, you stopped thinking about Elsa and started thinking about gold coins, didn't you?"
"How rude!...I'm thinking about Elsa too."
"...You just said 'too,' didn't you?"
At that moment, Kieza poked his head through the open doorway. Having apparently just finished observing the soldiers' morning drills, he held only a few sheets of paper regarding the afternoon's interview candidates.
"What is all the commotion about this morning?"
"Ah, Kieza. Elsa's prosthetic arm is finished... We're leaving for the royal capital tomorrow. I'm leaving the interviews and assignments to you while I'm away, got it? Raisa's in charge of the troops, so don't you dare go moving the army around on your own."
"Understood, understood. I merely observe the drills... If I were to encroach on Lady Raisa's authority, I might very well be thrown out before you even return."
"As long as you understand that, fine. I don't mind you hiring new hands, but don't let any shady characters slip through, all right?"
"Aren't you the one who entrusted me with the job of assessing people? Have a little faith in me."
"I've already stopped trusting your claims of being 'passably capable,' though."
Kieza chuckled at whatever amused him, while Clarice listened to their exchange as if it were the most natural routine in the world. Though he had been an uninvited runaway noble from a marquis household just two weeks ago, he was now casually counted among those trusted to look after the domain in their master's absence.
◇
When Vain went down to the workshop to deliver the news, Elsa and the Master Blacksmith were in the middle of inspecting a newly finished sword. Seeing Vain step into the workshop, where the furnace heat still hung thick in the air, the Master Blacksmith was the first to halt his work.
"Well now, My Lord Duke. What brings you by?"
"Ah, just dropping in... Elsa. Word came from the royal capital. That prosthetic arm of yours is finished."
Elsa's right hand froze.
He expected her to speak right away, but for a long moment, she simply stared at Vain's face without moving. Only when the meaning of his words finally sank in did she slowly lower her gaze to her left arm.
"...Really?"
"They said it was finished ahead of schedule. We set out tomorrow morning, so get your things together."
"Tomorrow..."
Elsa brought her right hand to her left arm, which ended at the elbow. Though it was a sight she must have seen countless times, today she seemed to be picturing a brand-new arm resting there.
"It will... move again, won't it?"
"That's why I paid for it, isn't it? Just keep in mind it's not going to move like it used to the second they put it on. They said it'll take time to get the hang of it."
Standing beside her, the Master Blacksmith's deeply lined face softened slightly.
"Is that so... Well, ain't that grand. Makes that ridiculous fortune the Duke threw down worth every copper."
"Even you're bringing up the price, Master!?"
"Course I am! Do you have any idea how many workshops you could build with that kind of money?"
"See? The man gets it."
"Don't you start chiming in, Vain!"
Even as she snapped back, a bright smile was already spreading across Elsa's face. The Master Blacksmith watched her, then gave her shoulder a hearty pat.
"We'll hold down the fort around here. Elsa, you go on without a worry in the world. Once you get back, you'd better show that new arm off to me, too."
"...Yeah! I definitely will!"
"When the time comes, take up a hammer. I'll see for myself if you've still got the hands of a proper smith."
This time, Elsa nodded with all the conviction in her heart.
◇
The next morning, coming out to the front of the estate, Elsa stopped dead in her tracks at the carriage waiting for them.
It was a size larger than the one Vain had previously used, its body decorated with elegant carvings. The crest of House Razgrim was emblazoned upon the door, and even the metal fittings and wheels gleamed with pristine care. It bore an appearance that made it instantly recognizable to anyone as the carriage of high nobility, leaving Elsa looking back and forth between the carriage and Vain.
"...W-What is this carriage?"
"Apparently, it's mine."
"What do you mean 'apparently'...? It's your carriage, Vain, isn't it?"
"Clarice ordered a new one just because I became a duke... I told her the old one was plenty good enough. As long as the carriage gets us to the royal capital, who cares?"
Clarice, who was checking over the luggage, spun around having overheard.
"Of course it matters! If someone who was elevated to duke rolls into the royal capital in the exact same carriage as before, House Razgrim itself will be looked down upon! This isn't just about your personal preferences..."
"Still, this must have cost an absolute fortune, right?"
"A fair amount, yes... but it is a necessary expense for a ducal house."
Vain looked over the lavish carriage once more, his brow furrowing in genuine dismay over the waste.
"What a waste of money... Noble prestige doesn't put a single gold coin in my pocket."
"Please refrain from saying such things when you are the Duke yourself!"
Elsa looked between the two of them, then shifted her gaze back to the carriage.
"...Being a duke is hard work, isn't it?"
"Right? I thought life would get easier once I moved up in the world, but money just started hemorrhaging out on its own."
"Hearing you put it that way actually makes you seem a little pitiful..."
Those making the journey to the royal capital were Vain, Elsa, Clarice, Serena, and a handful of escort soldiers. Clarice had paperwork to file and merchant negotiations to conduct in the capital, which she planned to resolve all at once during this trip. Serena came along as Vain's bodyguard and maid, while Mylene remained at the mansion, and Raisa and Lydia stayed with the army.
Just before the carriage set off, Vain called out one last time to Kieza, who had come out to see them off.
"I'm leaving the domain in your hands. And don't stop the interviews, got it?"
"Understood. Pray do not be startled if our numbers have grown by the time you return."
"As long as they're capable and beautiful, the more the merrier."
With that nonchalant reply, Vain boarded the carriage without a shred of worry.
◇
The day after arriving in the royal capital, Elsa stepped into the workshop that had crafted the mechanical prosthetic arm.
The moment she laid eyes on the metallic arm resting on the table, her steps halted. Forming everything from the elbow down, it was assembled from countless intricate parts layered together, engineered so that each of the five fingers could articulate independently. There was virtually no ornamentation. Yet, as an artisan herself, Elsa seemed to grasp at a single glance just how much agonizing labor had been poured into its creation.
"...This is really going to be my arm, isn't it?"
"That's why we came, right? Don't go getting cold feet on me now."
"I'm not getting cold feet! It's just... it's finally sinking in that I've made it this far."
They were told the fitting procedure would take several hours. Because it involved aligning the socket with her remaining limb and linking the mechanisms that translated muscle movement into the prosthetic, no one was permitted to observe partway through.
Clarice decided to use the time to run her scheduled errands. Vain had intended to wait at the workshop, but just then, a messenger arrived from the royal palace.
If you have come all the way to the royal capital, at least show your face.
Hearing Alecia's summons, Vain grimaced in distaste.
"...How does she already know I'm in the royal capital?"
"Master, you are a duke... You stand out."
Serena, standing beside him, gave a flat reply.
"I only came to pick up a prosthetic arm..."
"We go."
"I know, I know... It's going to take hours here anyway."
Accompanied by Serena, who had no intention of letting Vain wander the royal capital unattended, he set off for the royal palace.
◇
Alecia appeared to have been right in the middle of state affairs; several tall stacks of documents crowded her desk. Even so, the moment Vain walked into the room, she paused her work, her expression softening with genuine warmth.
"You came, did you? You arrived in the royal capital and intended to slip away without saying a word, didn't you?"
"I only had business with the prosthetic arm... I planned to head straight back once it was done."
"Did I not tell you before? If you come to the royal capital, at least show your face."
"...I remember. That's why I'm here, isn't it?"
Hearing his answer, Alecia broke into an unreserved smile.
"Oh... is that so? I am pleased. You remembered after all."
Vain found himself at a loss for words.
It would have been far easier if she had scolded him. If she had complained about him visiting the capital without paying his respects, he could have brushed it off with a half-hearted excuse and gone on his way. Having her react with pure, direct joy made things infinitely harder to handle.
"...It's really not something to get so worked up over, is it?"
"It brings me joy all the same."
"When you put it like that, it just makes things awkward..."
"Why is that?"
"Beats me."
Alecia let out a quiet laugh. Standing behind him, Serena said nothing, though her eyes briefly drifted toward Vain's profile.
"So, what brings you to the capital today? Has some trouble arisen in your domain?"
"Ah, you remember that mechanical prosthetic arm I mentioned before?"
"Of course. The one you made such a fuss over costing more than two hundred gold coins."
"It's finished. They're fitting it right now."
Alecia blinked in mild surprise.
"...Fitting it? To whom?"
"A blacksmith of ours named Elsa. She's missing her arm below the elbow."
"So that was the reason... I had assumed you purchased it thinking such a rare item might come in handy for something."
"What kind of man do you take me for? I wouldn't throw that kind of money away on something useless! Elsa is an exceptionally skilled artisan. If she can use both hands, the amount of work she can produce will skyrocket. Leaving her with one arm would just be a financial loss for me."
"You immediately reduce everything to profit and loss, don't you...?"
"That's just the plain truth, so what else am I supposed to say?"
Alecia let out an exasperated sigh, though she pressed the matter no further.
"Even so... I do hope this Elsa's new arm functions well."
"Yeah. I'll be in serious trouble if it doesn't!"
In the end, Vain showed his face for only a brief visit before returning to the workshop with Serena.
◇
Even after the fitting was complete, it did not mean she could move the arm freely right away. It took several days for the junction between her body and the prosthetic to settle. During that time, Clarice concluded her business across the royal capital, while Elsa spent her days in quiet anticipation, gazing at her new left arm.
Then, several days later, the day to test its very first movements arrived.
Seated in a chair, Elsa rested the metallic left arm on the table and stared fixedly at the five fingers. With her right hand, she could close her fingers without a second thought, and the left had once been just as effortless. It was merely the act of clenching a fist, yet right now, the simple anticipation made her breathing turn shallow.
Told by the workshop's artisan that there was no need to rush, Elsa focused her mind, reaching deep to recall sensations from the past. At first, the fingertips merely twitched. But on her second attempt, the index finger slowly curved inward, followed a moment later by the next.
"...It moved."
At that breathless murmur, Vain watched the left arm in silence.
Elsa tried again. This time, three fingers bent. After repeating the motion several times, she gradually managed to close all five fingers into an awkward fist. The sense of touch had not returned. Even so, the fingers before her eyes moved precisely when she willed them to move. The moment that truth settled into her heart, tears spilled from Elsa's eyes.
"...I'm moving it. It's really... moving."
Again and again, she opened and closed her hand, starting over whenever the motion faltered. Even when she struggled to control the strength—stopping halfway or clenching too hard—not once did Elsa show the slightest sign of frustration.
After a short while, a wooden rod—far lighter than a smith's hammer—was placed on the desk. Advised to start by grasping an object, Elsa carefully reached out with the prosthetic arm. Her first attempt was too weak and she dropped it; the second was too tight. But on the third try, adjusting as she closed each finger one by one, she slowly lifted the rod off the table.
"...I can hold it."
Clamping her right hand over her mouth, she stared at the rod gripped within the metal hand. The tears streaming down her cheeks refused to stop.
"I can... hold a hammer again. I can really forge properly again...!"
Even after losing an arm, she had never abandoned her craft, continuing to stand before the furnace through sheer determination alongside the Master Blacksmith. Even so, she had likely never truly believed the day would come when she could forge using both hands once more.
Vain watched Elsa laughing through her tears for a long time before finally speaking up.
"Well, now you can forge again. But swinging a hammer with all your might the moment we get back is strictly forbidden, got it? If you break that arm before you're even used to it, I'll be the one crying this time..."
"...Isn't this the part where you're supposed to worry about my well-being?"
"I am worrying about it. If you get hurt, you can't work, and if the prosthetic breaks, that's a disaster too... Either way, I'm the one who takes the loss, so take it easy and get used to it first."
"You really stay true to form right to the very end, don't you..."
Wiping away her tears, Elsa nonetheless gave the wooden handle a joyful squeeze.
"I want to show the Master... as soon as possible."
"You can show him as soon as we're back. He's waiting for you, after all."
"Yeah...! This time, I'll show him by gripping a hammer properly...!"
◇
Even inside the carriage on the journey home, Elsa never grew tired of moving the prosthetic fingers. Precise movements were still difficult, and she occasionally gripped tighter than intended. Even so, her expression was entirely different from the trip out, opening and closing the hand over and over while tracing the metal fingers with her right hand.
Sitting across from her, Vain looked on while his thoughts drifted in another direction entirely. Once Elsa could forge with both hands again, the volume of arms and armor she could produce would naturally surge. Their performance had already gained renown through the Military Tournament, and clients in the royal capital were already clamoring to get their hands on House Razgrim's equipment. All that was left was to manufacture and sell.
(All right! At this rate, it looks like I'll make back the fortune spent on that prosthetic arm much faster than expected!)
Vain turned his gaze out the window in exceptionally high spirits. The vow Elsa had once made to him—that she would forge exclusively for his sake and House Razgrim—and the sheer windfall of gold coins those words would eventually bring him, was something he had not even begun to fathom.