Ryu was no longer sure.
There were certainly cases of gods feigning benevolence; Orario had no shortage of gods who were glamorous on the surface but filthy behind the scenes.
Just as Ryu fell into self-doubt, her fork poking at a mushroom on her plate.
...
As the banquet atmosphere grew more lively.
"Knock, knock, knock—"
A sudden knocking sound came from outside.
Everyone's movements stopped.
The living room immediately fell silent.
"It's so late, who is it?"
Hanasaka Warabi mumbled unclearly, the piece of meat she hadn't swallowed yet still hanging from her mouth.
"At this hour, besides a drunkard, no one should be visiting, right?"
"Could it be the Ganesha Familia doing a room inspection?"
The girls looked at each other.
"I'll go open the door."
Rin put down her chopsticks.
She wiped her mouth, stood up, straightened her clothes, and regained the briskness of a swordsman.
Then she walked toward the front door.
With a soft "click."
The heavy door was slowly pulled open.
In the night outside.
Stood a tall figure.
By the light from inside the house, everyone saw the visitor clearly.
A woman who seemed full of wild charm.
She wore a red Japanese hakama, and beneath the loose pant legs were feet in wooden geta sandals.
Her upper body was clad in a simple white sarashi, tightly wrapping her ample curves, with a half-open coat draped casually over it.
Large areas of healthy wheat-colored skin were exposed.
The firm muscle lines on her abdomen were clearly visible, bursting with explosive power.
Her long black hair was tied back casually.
She wore an eyepatch over her left eye.
There was no doubt.
She was the Captain of the Hephaestus Familia, a top-tier Blacksmith in Orario, and a Lv. 5 First Class Adventurer.
—[Cyclops].
—Tsubaki Cobrand.
"Tsubaki-senpai!"
Rin's eyes lit up after opening the door.
Tsubaki also immediately grinned, revealing an extremely hearty smile, her white teeth particularly bright in the night.
Her left hand was on her hip, showcasing the beautiful body curves that could only be developed by swinging an iron hammer for years.
Her right hand.
Easily shouldered a long package that could only be described as massive.
The package was wrapped tightly in thick canvas and even bound with several loops of cowhide rope.
But from its sharp, angular shape and the series of "clinking and clanking" sounds it made when Tsubaki shifted it on her shoulder.
Anyone could tell at a glance.
Inside.
Were all lethal weapons.
"Yo!"
"Looks like no one's asleep yet! I was worried I might be late and disturbing your rest!"
"I'm just in time to make a delivery!"
After saying that.
Tsubaki patted the heavy package on her shoulder, which emitted a crisp metallic clatter.
"I've repaired your weapons and brought them over!"
"And..."
Tsubaki winked her single eye mysteriously.
"For Lord Heimdall's sake, I also added a little surprise for you while I was at it!"
"I guarantee they're more powerful than before!"
Upon hearing this.
The eyes of the girls who were still eating instantly lit up.
For a warrior.
Nothing was more attractive than a handy weapon.
"Please come in, Tsubaki-senpai."
Rin quickly moved out of the way.
Tsubaki laughed heartily and didn't keep them in suspense.
Taking long strides, she walked into the living room in a few steps.
Tsubaki placed the package gently on the floor.
The weight of the massive canvas package still made the floor vibrate slightly, showing how heavy the contents were.
"Phew..."
Tsubaki stretched her shoulders, her bones letting out a series of crisp pops.
Then.
She squatted down and reached out to untie the knots on the package.
"Swish—"
As the thick canvas was pulled back.
"Lord Heimdall!"
"I have not failed my mission!"
"These swords, whether they were chipped or had rolled edges, have all been taken care of!"
"Hardness, toughness—I've redone the tempering for all of them!"
"Now, even if you go and slash a few more of those hard-shelled monsters, the edges definitely won't roll again!"
After saying that...
Tsubaki picked up a Tachi.
"Black Crow!"
Rin recognized her beloved sword at a glance.
She couldn't wait to rush over and carefully pick up the pitch-black Tachi.
Her fingers gently brushed over the blade.
The places where the edge had rolled were now completely invisible, repaired to perfection; there was even a faint purple light flowing along the black edge.
"This is one of the surprises."
Tsubaki folded her arms, looking at Rin's obsessed expression, a confident smile belonging to a craftswoman appearing on her face.
"While repairing it, I noticed the material of this sword was special, forged from Obsidian Steel mixed with the feathers of a Dungeon Black Crow."
"So, when I was reforging the edge, I conveniently mixed in a bit of adamantite."
"Adamantite?!"
Rin's hand shook, and she nearly dropped it.
"Lady Tsubaki, this... isn't this too precious!"
Rin was a bit incoherent.
"How much would this cost..."
"Consider it a gift, no charge!"
Tsubaki waved her hand, not caring at all.
"Anyway, it was just some leftover scrap; it would be a waste to throw it away."
"And..."
"Watching you lot, a bunch of rookies who just debuted, actually turning the Dungeon upside down..."
"It's made my recent gloomy mood feel much better!"
"Alright, don't just stare; everyone come and see if your gear feels right in your hands!"
"If anything feels off, while I'm still here, I can do some fine-tuning for you on the spot!"
Hearing this...
How could the girls hold back?
Even Inaba Tsukuyo felt her way over at this moment, accurately picking up the [Famous Blade White Egret] that belonged to her.
"Clang—"
Along with a crisp sound of a sword being drawn.
The snow-white blade was unsheathed.
Inaba Tsukuyo's fingers rested lightly on the hilt, giving it a slight vibration.
The blade hummed softly.
That feeling of being one with her arm made her heart stir slightly.
"It's become lighter..."
Inaba Tsukuyo murmured softly.
"That's right."
Tsubaki nodded and explained.
"I saw that your fighting style is that of a High-speed draw-sword style, emphasizing a one-hit kill."
"So I processed it and readjusted the weight distribution."
"Although the weight is lighter, the inertia of the swing will be greater."
"This can make your drawing speed ten percent faster."
Truly worthy of being Orario's number one Blacksmith.
"Thank you, Senior Tsubaki!"
The girls bowed one after another, their faces full of gratitude.
"Enough, enough, don't do that empty formality!"
Tsubaki waved her hand, looking like she couldn't stand such a mushy scene.
"And..."
Tsubaki twitched her nose, her gaze falling on the table full of sumptuous food.
"It seems I've come at just the right time!"
"What a fragrant smell of roasted meat!"
"I could smell it even through the door!"
Hearing this, Heimer smiled and pointed to an empty seat nearby.
"Then Miss Tsubaki might as well sit down and have a bite with us."
"As long as you don't mind that it's takeout."
"Then I won't be polite!"
Tsubaki wasn't formal either; she pulled out a chair and sat down.
However...
Not long after Tsubaki sat down.
That one-eyed gaze simply swept casually across everyone at the dining table.
Finally.
Her gaze stopped on the green figure huddled in the corner, trying to keep her face down.
As a Lv.5 Adventurer who had been through many battles and spent years in Orario...
How could Tsubaki not recognize the once-famous Gale?
Although her hair was cut short and dyed light green.
That iconic ranger outfit had been replaced by a cute maid uniform.
And that sharp sense of sharpness was being deliberately suppressed.
"Ho?"
Tsubaki still couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, recognizing the other person at a glance.
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