Alice had produced an Accessory Creation Kit that was packed with various tools; at first glance, it certainly looked like something that would be difficult to use without a proper explanation.
She handed a kit to both Amel and me before pulling out one for herself to demonstrate.
"First, take out this Creation Stand Magic Circle Sheet and lay it flat."
"I see... Is this magic formula designed to alter the physical strength of matter?"
"Yep, exactly. Materials are sold separately, but let's use some steel for this trial run. Just about any mineral will work. The only real limit is that it has to fit within the magic circle."
As she explained, Alice placed a lump of iron onto the magic circles in front of us. To the naked eye, it looked like it would be a nightmare to work with, but...
"Once you've placed the material on the circle, touch this section to activate the magic formula. The effect will let you mold even steel with your hands as if it were clay."
"Whoa... amazing. It really is soft."
Doing exactly as Alice said, the steel truly became as easy to shape as putty. I see, so this was how we were going to make the accessories.
"You can use these molds to punch out shapes like you're making cookies, or even mix different minerals together. Well, this is just a practice run for now, so just try making whatever shape you like."
I followed her lead and began working. Keeping it simple, I used a star-shaped mold that looked like a cookie cutter to punch out a piece, then lightly tidied up the edges.
"Then, you can turn the leftover minerals into a chain. If you press the scraps into this small box, they'll come out as links. Just adjust it to the length you want and attach it to the main body."
"Like this?"
"Exactly. Once you're done, just cover it with the red magic circle in the box and give it a light touch... and the softening magic will dissipate, fixing the shape in place. There, finished!"
"Oh, so this is my primordial creation..."
It really was incredibly easy. This kit was impressive—it made the process simple, yet it allowed for as much detail as a person wanted. By mixing different minerals, you could create color gradients, and complex shapes were easy to manage.
"Wow, you can really make these without any trouble... At this rate, Amel and I should be able to produce quite a variety of original accessories."
"Not bad, right? I'd normally charge a pretty penny for these, but since the deal is that I get a cut of the sales in exchange for the inventory... Anyway, these kits are single-use, so I'll leave a big stack for you. I'll also get some molds and more ores ready, so feel free to brainstorm some ideas."
"That's a huge help. Thanks, Alice."
"I offer my heartfelt gratitude to the Great Hollow King of Illusions..."
Thanks to Alice, Amel’s idea for original accessories was becoming a reality. We decided to start crafting while bouncing ideas off each other.
Since she mentioned that any mineral was fine, I wondered if I could use the Ice Crystals or Blue Diamonds I had in my Magic Box...
"Well then, Amel. Since we have the tools, let's try experimenting with a few things."
"Indeed! Let us unleash the throb of our sparkling passion and harbor the radiance of the true root!"
And so, I began crafting original accessories with Amel. It turned out to be quite fun. Being able to mold things so freely meant we could make some pretty unconventional designs, which kept things interesting.
Once we had finished a few pieces and I felt like I had the hang of it, I decided I wanted to try making something truly special. That was when an idea struck me.
"...Can this be processed too?"
"Is that... the Gemstone that Imprisons the Night Sky!?"
"Yeah. A friend named Sieglinde who lives at Lilia-san’s mansion has a pet named Seras—a Special Individual Rainbow Dragon—and she gives me these Rainbow Diamonds all the time. I actually have quite a stash of them."
Seras had a very laid-back personality, but she’d taken a liking to me. She’d give me a Rainbow Diamond whenever the mood struck her, so my Magic Box was actually quite full of them.
Since a mineral was still a mineral, I figured these Rainbow Diamonds—which were supposedly as hard as Orichalcum—might actually be workable with this kit.
"Hmm, I have a proposal, Sworn Friend... Perhaps we should give that jewel a different name?"
"A different name?"
"Yes. Their appearance is distinct from the standard Fragments of the Rainbow. To me, the name 'Droplets of the Clear Sky' does not seem fitting for a stone that captures the brilliance of the night sky."
"I see. Now that you mention it, since they aren't your typical Rainbow Diamonds, a unique name might be better. I'll talk to Sieg-san about it next time."
"I see... B-By the way... would it be alright... if I used a tiny bit of that too?"
"Of course. I have plenty, so please, use as much as you like."
"Wh-Whoa, thank you! I really wanted to use it because it looks so cool—Ahem! You have my thanks, Sworn Friend... With this, my very essence shall harbor even greater brilliance."
In the end, it was a lively and enjoyable time. Amel and I spent the session debating designs and having a blast while we worked on our accessories.
Serious-senpai: "Stop! Stop right there!! The materials are way too insane! Chris's stomach life is already at zero! Unlike Lilia, Chris has almost no stomach pain resistance. If you hit her with a body blow like that, something's going to break!?"