Several days later, everyone's done with the repair and now preparing for a celebration. The elves were busy with it while Lucas and his men discussing about their future.
Clang! Clang!
The sounds of metals being hit echoing through the just-repaired-workshop. There's Sidir who immediately went to his job the moment he got the time.
Knock knock.
Nein enter the room without invitation and saw Sidir focused on his new weapon.
He take a seat nearby and watching in silence as Sidir doesn't aware of his presence yet. He sigh and take the spare paper on the table before scribbling on it.
"Hm... it's off. Tch, just how do I make this angle right?"
"I could help."
Crash!!
"HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN HERE!!"
Nein's sudden answer startled him as he frantically turns to him. He take his time to cool down before finally throwing the failed scrap onto the floor.
"So? How's the spear I have you? Did it fit your use?" Sidir ask after taking a seat across from him.
"Well, the thing is, the material can't withstand my smoke, so...it corroded."
He explain while showing him the remaining of the weapon. Since it's half-ready, Sidir doesn't get mad from it, instead he examining the damage and thinking about something as if looking for a more fitting material for it.
"Hm... it's weird, could you show me how you use this weapon?" He adds after a while.
"Hm, sure. Let me demonstrate." Nein agrees and stand up to grab the metal scrap on the floor before infusing his smoke into it, creating a small knife.
Sidir slightly taken by the sight before focusing back to the matter and spot something.
"Hm...I see, so that's why there's hole on it." He mumbles to himself as he watch the metal slowly consumed by Nein's smoke.
"Was that enough to you?" Nein ask, releasing the smoke before the metal completely gone.
Sidir take his time to think while looking at the corroded metal in his hand and comes to a question.
"What materials used for the handle for your weapon back then, can you tell me?" He ask, voice lower than usual due to his focus.
"Well, it's made from a material called tantalum. I don't know what is it, but that's what... John told me."
"Tantalum... Hm... I've never heard about such things, does he mention something about substitute for it?" He adds, intrigued by the new name.
"Titanium."
The mentioning of the most expensive metals suddenly struck Sidir in shock. He's in disbelief that the very metal that could withstand a dragon breath is used to make a single weapon, the idea itself sounds ridiculous.
"Are you joking? No... rather, between titanium and... tantalum. Which one's better." He ask, trying to make things clear for himself.
"Well, obviously tantalum. It last longer and... much, much more rarer than titanium." He explain with confused expression.
"AND YOU USE IT TO MAKE A SINGLE WEAPON!? ARE YOU NUTS!? YOU COULD USE IT TO MAKE AN ARMOR OR SOMETHING!" Sidir suddenly raise his voice in disbelief and it caught Nein off guard.
"Well... we're not. Tantalum not really on par with titanium in strength and hardness." He explain anxiously, trying to not freak him out.
"...then why did you use them?"
"Because it can last longer being exposed to my smoke. And with the titanium blade-"
"WHAAAAT!!? YOU'RE USING BOTH OF IT!?" He shouts, completely lost it after he heard that to make his weapon, he'll need one of the most rare and expensive metal and combining it with an unknown metal.
He collapse to his chair and completely in despair. Not because he doesn't have the skills, but because he doesn't have the budget for it.
And seeing this, Nein can't help but to feel bad. He grab the sketch of the sword-lance and make a quick analysis before returning to Sidir.
"Well, there's not really a reason to make it accurate. All I need is a staff strong enough to withstand my ability." He tried to cheer him up.
But he didn't listening and still gloomy from the fact he can't afford all the materials and it hurt his pride as a blacksmith and Nein's word only hurt him more.
"Oh come on, don't be like that... Listen to me." He said as he grab Sidir's shoulder.
"The problem is how to keep the material to not corroded under my ability and I believe you already know the solution for that. As for the blade... we'll figure it out." He adds with a word of encouragement.
"We?"
"Yes, we."
Then, Nein suddenly take the pencil and draw another design of his weapon.
"Here, we could use this instead. What do you think?" He said as he hand Sidir the drawing.
"Are you saying that, we move the tunnel to the other end instead of the blade?" He tries to make sense of the design changes.
"That's right, that way you could focus more on one thing rather than two. You could use a regular blade while for the counterweight is up to you." Nein specify.
The topics managed to distract Sidir from his earlier gloominess as he begin to thinking on how to make this works.
"It'll take a while. I need to test various combination to make it works. Are you planning on leaving early?"
"Take as much time as you want. Even when I'm leaving, I could come back here to pick it up when its ready."
Sidir replied with a gruff hum before returning to the paper in his hand. Seeing that he doesn't have anything left to say, Nein immediately preparing to leave.
"Well then, have fun with it, I'm waiting for the results. Have a good day, Sidir." He said before walking out without an answer.
The bright sky slightly blinds him the moment he stepped out the building.
"It's kinda hot nowadays, I summer's coming?" He said to himself before going for a walk.
Unlike before when he first time arrived in this kingdom, the elves now see him not as a threat but as their hero. Everyone saw how he stepped in the chaos to save them.
"Umm...sir Nein?"
A little voice calling for him from behind. He turns and found a little elf coming to him with a basket of fruits.
"Oh, did you need something?" He said, crouching down to make it comfortable to talk.
The kid were shy at first but after her friends nudging her shoulder, she finally speaks with a trembling voice.
"P-p-please accept this!" She said nervously as she shove the basket to him.
He smiles and take the basket from the girl, a bit curious about the odd looking fruits.
"Hm...what fruit is this? It's a bit familiar to an apple but smaller."
"I-its an appleberry...I-we pick it up together as a... thanks...p-p-please accept it." The girl continue with a pleading tone.
He take one and examining it before putting one in his mouth. It taste like apple but with little seed and much more sweeter and juicier.
"Oh, it's good. Thanks!" He said with a smile while eating some more.
The sight of him enjoying their gift makes them happy, as well as the others watching the scene. And since that moments on, the people begin to give him more gift as he walked past them.
"... You look... colorful, Nein." Lucas remarks when he saw Nein covered in the gift he got.
"Feel free to laugh Lucas, I can see you've been holding it." He said dryly.
And with that, Ellie's the one who laugh first then followed by Lucas, Valix still holding his laughter in to respect Nein.
"Hahaha! Sorry, you...you looks great in that haha!" Ellie said while still wheezing with her father.
It takes them a while to calmed down, Valix already told the servant to take all his stuff to his room.
"Ehem, sorry for that, hehe..." Lucas slowly straighten himself.
"You looks like you're having fun, it's fine. So, should we get to the matter now?"
"Sure thing, let's move somewhere else first."
And thus the two of them make their way somewhere else while Valix and Ellie went to check on the preparation.
"I once again expressing my thanks to you, Nein. No matter how you perceived it, you're without exception, were our savior. I deeply appreciate your help." Lucas start after a long silence.
They're currently sitting in the royal park at the small gazebo while drinking tea.
"Haa, are you planning on repeating that the moment we start a conversation? I told you to not think about it, I simply doing my job." He replied, downplaying his own contribution as if it's nothing.
Hearing the same response over and over again, Lucas begin to worry about Nein mental state. For one to only looked at his own flaw is a sign of past trauma. But he decided to not pry further and just smile at it.
"Anyhow, you're still helping us and it's time for your pay."
"I'm listening."
"Then, as our first agreement, the payment for your original mission were a custom weapon. And due to unexpected variable, you have to stepped in the battlefield. I shall give you bonuses for it, please tell me what you want. I'll try my best to fullfil it." He said, voice polite and generous.
The statement make Nein to ponder. He know he'll get the bonuses, but never really thought about what he wants while Lucas patiently waiting on his seat.
Meanwhile, at the other side of the kingdom. Ellie's busy with helping the people decorating the streets.
"Ah, miss Suna, could you pass my that scissors?"
"Right away princess!"
"Thank you!"
The celebration will be held in two days and everyone is eager for this since it's the first time in five years they ever hold any events.
"Fwah! What a hot day, looks like summer's close." She complained while drinking a cool appleberry juice with others.
"Say princess, where did you meet with sir Nein. I heard that it's were you who first met him and called him here." One of the elf asked her with curiosity.
Hearing the question, she can't help but chuckles at the memories of their first encounter.
"Well, it's not really a pleasant memory, but I meet him when I was being held by a slave trader. He saved me from them along with the other victims. I was suspicious at first, I mean who doesn't? But yeah, that's how we met." She explain briefly before taking another sips of her drink.
Everyone hums in understanding from her story. And one elf decided to ask her a question to tease their princess.
"So... what do you think about him, princess?"
"What do you mean by that, miss Lyla?"
Lyla give her a knowing smile, finding her innocent adorable and want to see her reaction to this kind of things.
"I mean, he's a good guy from the start, putting aside his look, he's actually not that bad, no?"
"Well...I guess so? He's been putting himself in danger for us anyway...I think he's a good guy."
Every single female who's old enough knows where this conversation going and is eager to see the end of it.
"Right, and we all know that his majesty also like him a lot. So...I'm just saying, but I think you should try getting close to him, princess."
Hearing that, Ellie's face immediately burning and embarrassed by the thought alone. Everyone seeing it begin to cackling up silently, clearly enjoying her reaction.
"W-what are you talking about!? T-there's no way that'll happen! I-I mean...a human and elf... Is...is that even possible...?"
Everyone frozen, to think their innocent princess already thinking that far shocked them and make them to look at her on disbelief.
"Princess... we're just saying that you could make friends with him, not to marry him or something. Do you like him, princess?" Lyla tease her more.
The realization hits her hard, causing her to blushed more as the thought of her and Nein together filled her mind, causing her to jolt up and ready to leave.
"T-there's still something I need to do... please excuse me!" She said, making up reason to run away from her embarrassment.
Everyone finally letting out their laughter at her flushtered retreat and giving thumbs up toward Lyla for helping her knowing her feelings.
"Ah, Ellie, I've been looking for-owugh!" Ellie suddenly punch Valix on the stomach for standing on her way, making him fall to the floor.
She runs through the corridor toward the royal park and say down by the bush to calm herself down. She buries her face to her knees with her ears wiggles from the emotions.
"Sorry, it's not possible."
She heard his voice from behind the bush, turns out she's been hiding behind the gazebo where both Lucas and Nein were talking.
"I see, may I know the reason then?" Lucas ask, his voice rather low and slightly disappointed.
"My journey is not an easy one. Not only it requires me to moves faster from one place after another, it also poses many kind of danger." Nein explain, his tone lot more serious now.
Their conversation feels like there's a conflict between them, she decided to listen carefully to it.
"May I know the reason why you chose a nomadic life?"
"... There's... something I need to do and it requires me to travel around the world to simply... looking for the answer to it."
"Then...why you chose to be a mercenary instead of an adventurer? It makes more sense that way."
Lucas point make sense and makes her realized it just now.
"Well, it was boss who found me first so...yeah. I work for her but she gave me an exception after she saw my work. She let me take a leave for a week after I told her my story. So yeah, that's why I stick being a mercenary."
His explanation sound biased but made sense. It also fit his demeanor to keeping a low profile while traveling around.
There's a long pause between them before Lucas let's out a disappointed sigh.
"I see, looks like there's nothing I can do to stop you. But still, my offer still stand and please, after you leave, pay me a visit someday." Lucas tone's changed, now but more lighter.
"Then you should speak with her first about it. You can't just do it without her consent. She'll upset about it." Nein remarks dryly before standing up from his seat.
"Haha, will do. It's not like I'm that desperate. So, where you planning to go after this?"
"Not sure, depends on where boss send me next."
Their conversation no longer holding a serious air now, it put her to relief as she keep eavesdropping through the bush.
"Well then, at least let me treat you properly this time so please stay until the celebration ends, pretty please..."
Lucas attempt to make Nein stay longer slightly give chills to her.
"I will, no need to worry about that. Well then, since everything's sorted out, I'll be going now."
"Very well, it's been a pleasant conversation with you, see you later at dinner."
With Nein finally leaving the garden, Ellie also preparing her leave, making sure her father doesn't know she's there.
"Where do you think you're going, my dear daughter?"
She's busted, Lucas already know about her presence long ago, the reason why they ended their talk is because they know she's there.
"Eheheh, hi... father..."
And with her sitting beside him, he begin to tell her about their conversation and it makes her even flustered.
Meanwhile, deep inside the jade forest.
"Hachu! Ah... Did someone talking about me behind my back?"
His sneeze causing the animal to scatter away and making him needed to chase them to continuing his journal.