He, who seemed to have lost his words, soon bit his lip with a frustrated expression and muttered,
"Clearly, I got uncharacteristically excited..."
He looked up and stared at me.
His eyes had changed.
Much more cautious and serious.
"Young Rodbel, give it to me. I'll give you as much money as you want. I'll buy you a castle, a fine steed, pretty dresses and jewels, and even Rodbel if you want."
I wasn't interested in anything else, but the words 'I'll even give you Rodbel' were a little tempting.
But I shook my head immediately without hesitation.
"I'm sorry, but I can't do that."
This wasn't something I obtained with my own strength alone, so it needed to be used for its original purpose a little more.
The man, who had been quietly watching me, sighed deeply and said.
"I thought so. I would have been angry if you had tried to exchange it for such material things."
He turned around and walked over to a cabinet, rummaging through it and slamming a cookie box on the table.
Then he pulled out a chair and said to me,
"Sit down. Let's talk about the request."
"Ah."
At those words, I stared at him blankly for a moment.
Soon, I smiled brightly and approached him.
"Yes!"
"So."
He, who had even brought out tea with rising steam, leaned close to my face and asked.
"What is it that you want to request? Of course, it's related to that mana core, isn't it?"
He seemed like he wouldn't leave me alone if I said it wasn't related to the mana core.
I sipped my tea and nodded at him.
"That's right. I want to commission the master craftsman to process this mana core."
"Oh, my god!"
He stood up from his seat and looked around, giving thanks to someone. It seemed to be the god he believed in.
"Yes! Tell me specifically. What do you want me to do?"
He had already returned in front of me and was asking with sparkling eyes.
Clatter.
I put down my teacup and looked at him with a serious face, answering.
"I want to make a weapon."
"A weapon?"
"Yes."
I had been thinking about it all along.
How could I use this mana core effectively?
There were so many ways to use it.
I could make magical tools, or create something new with it as a raw material.
Maybe I could create something that could help me run away from Rodbel's eyes.
What was certain was that it would be of great help to me no matter how I used it.
That's why it was even more difficult to decide.
But recently, I finally came to a conclusion.
'Let's make a weapon.' And with it, let's protect my body no matter what situation I face.
"<Workshop 1> mainly processes mana stones, but I know they sometimes make weapons as well."
"Hmm, that's true. I even made Rodbel's succession sword, 'Nox,' a long time ago."
"You made that sword too, Master Craftsman?"
I only knew he was a dwarf. My eyes widened at the unexpected truth.
But he answered with an indifferent face.
"The head of the Rodbel family at the time was so annoyingly persistent. I just made one roughly and threw it to him."
"Roughly threw it..."
It was a story that didn't fit at all with Nox, Rodbel's treasured sword and the current head's beloved sword.
But that made me even more hopeful.
If he was a craftsman who could easily make such a sword, he would surely make my weapon well too!
However, the answer that came back betrayed my expectations.
"It is possible to process this mana core so that it can function as a mana stone. But I don't think it will be possible to make a weapon."
"Yes? W-Why?"
"This mana core is excessively high-grade. The weapon must also have a grade comparable to this. If you attach it to a weapon that doesn't match, even the mana core will be destroyed."
"...! Even if it's a weapon made by the Master Craftsman?"
"Of course, my weapons are excellent! But I specialize in mana stone processing. You need to go to a member of our race who specializes in weapons for something like this."
"...Where are those people?"
The man shook his head.
"I don't know either. They scattered hundreds of years ago and even cut off contact."
"...The illegal casino incident."
I squeezed my eyes shut.
I can't give up like this when such a precious thing has come into my hands, can I?
'Surely there's a way...'
But even the dwarf, who is said to be the best craftsman in the empire, has given up, so what other way is there?
I was seized by a sense of despair as the ground disappeared beneath my feet.
"Ah, there is one human who might be able to do it."
"There is?"
My eyes flashed open at the unexpected story.
My fallen hope seemed to be rising again.
But the expression on the dwarf's face as he said that was very lukewarm.
"Yes, he's a step above me in magic. And he has excellent technical skills... that guy might be able to make a weapon that matches the grade of this mana core."
"Who is that person?"
I asked impatiently.
Instead of answering, the dwarf looked at me with a complicated expression and said solemnly.
"He's a dangerous guy. It's best not to approach him. Do you still want to know?"
I smiled without realizing it.
"If I give up because it's dangerous, I can't do anything."
Even changing the future.
The man's expression changed strangely when he heard my answer.
He muttered in a low voice.
"As expected of her descendant, her stubbornness is exactly the same."
He sighed deeply and looked at me.
"Since you want it so badly, I'll tell you. But be sure to be careful when approaching him."
"Yes."
"That guy is..."
I widened my eyes at the unexpected identity that followed.
That person?
"Go back carefully, little Rodbel."
I bowed to the dwarf craftsman Drakhan, who had come to see me off at the door.
"Then I'll see you next time."
"Yes, do your best."
I greeted him and came out of the door.
I put the magic ring back on my finger. I could use it one more time in the remaining time, so I returned to Marin's form again.
I immediately checked the time. There was about 1 hour and 20 minutes left...
The sun had almost set already.
Time is tight. I need to go back to the carriage quickly.
I hurriedly moved my steps, recalling the conversation I had with Drakhan.
To put it bluntly, I commissioned him to process the mana core so that it could be used as a mana stone.
The commission fee was...
'I won't take it.'
'Yes? But...'
'I should be thankful that you allowed me to see such a mana core again. If you're really grateful, do your best so that the mana stone I processed can shine its value.'
'...Thank you.'
He seemed rough and fierce, but he was actually a very warm-hearted dwarf.
By the way, I never thought that the only one who could make a weapon that matches the mana core...
"...Would be the Magic Tower Lord."
A mysterious figure who is followed by the modifier of the strongest magician since the first head of the family.
Certainly, the Magic Tower produces magical tools, so they must have excellent information and knowledge.
But...
'How do I meet the Magic Tower Lord?'
As befitting the word mysterious, he hardly... no, he didn't do any external activities at all.
So much so that there were even rumors in the world that he was actually a fake character created by the Magic Tower.
Of course, I have never seen him either.
'There's no way I can meet him just by going to the Magic Tower recklessly.'
He was one of the few people who even Rodbel's power couldn't force.
"Hoo."
I overcame one obstacle, but an even bigger one was waiting for me.
'Should I ask Bethel later?'
He's royalty, so maybe he's related.
Of course...
'It'll only be possible in five years.'
I heard through Marin recently that he had left for study abroad.
He also started a journey to change his destiny.
Still...
"He said it would take that long to process the mana core too."
Let's find a way until then.
I was thinking that as I hurried through the alley.
"Hey, you there."
An eerie voice came from inside the darkness.
When I turned my head, three men were approaching, chuckling.
"Looking at you coming out of <Workshop 1>, you seem pretty rich?"
"We're too poor, so it's too hard for us."
"Why don't you give us some charity? Of course, you'll have to give us all the way to your guts!"
"Ah..."
What is this again.
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