The wyvern, split cleanly in two, vanished, leaving behind only a magic stone, some black hide, and a single fang.
As the number of monsters gradually dwindled, most of the forces had been pushed back to hold the line within the Dungeon; consequently, the fate of the adventurers who had been hunting deep inside remained uncertain.
"Haa... haa..."
The single stroke of the [Sword Emperor of Nothingness], which had cleaved the wyvern in half, scattered like snowflakes, as if its purpose had been fulfilled.
"Damn it..."
At that moment, an overwhelming wave of fatigue and lethargy washed over my body.
"I've still got plenty of potions... let's move."
Downing a mind potion from my pocket, I gathered the wyvern's materials and, gripping Gan Jiang and Mo Ye, rushed toward the entrance that the beast had nearly smashed to pieces.
Seven days had passed since Evilus invaded Orario.
According to the intelligence shared among the Familias, this damned war might finally end today.
"So you're Bellf Crozzo? You're awfully young, aren't you?"
"..."
Alise Lovell, the captain of the Astraea Familia and the [Scarlet Harnet]—one of those tasked with facing Alfia—had arrived to collect the magic swords, accompanied by Ryulu Lion, the [Gale].
"Fifty in total, right? Hurry up and take them."
"Thank you!"
Alise lifted the crate piled with magic swords with a light, careful motion. Given the weight, she really was a Level 3.
"What are those?"
Ryulu Lion, the elf who had been eyeing me with a hint of hostility, noticed Gan Jiang and Mo Ye resting on the table and tilted her head in curiosity.
"Oh, those? They aren't magic swords; they're my personal blades."
"..."
"Want to borrow them?"
"...Yes. I will borrow them, just this once."
"Sure. Just don't break them."
Holding the black Gan Jiang in her right hand and the white Mo Ye in her left, Ryulu seemed quite pleased with the pair.
"Then we're off! See ya, [Magic Swordsmith]!"
[Magic Swordsmith] was the epithet the gods had bestowed upon me once it became known that I could craft magic swords upon reaching Level 2.
"...If you call me that one more time, I'm taking the swords back."
"Ah, sorry..."
I truly hate that epithet.
For some reason, it makes me sound like a mere blacksmith who does nothing but forge magic swords.
Still, magic likely wouldn't work against [Stillness]. I wondered if they'd be alright.
About ten hours later, the executives of the Astraea, Loki, and Freya Familias declared the end of the war with Evilus.
"It's finally over..."
Orario was a sea of contradictions, filled with people cheering in triumph and others collapsing in grief.
"There you are."
"Ah, [Gale], right?"
As I stood in the plaza, staring blankly up at the sky, Ryulu Lion of the Astraea Familia approached me.
"They served me well."
Ryulu handed back Gan Jiang and Mo Ye, both meticulously cleaned and polished.
"...Will you continue to sell magic swords on the open market once things settle down?"
"No. I'll go back to how I did things before."
"Before...?"
"I ask for the purpose and the reason. If I like the answer, I sell. If not, I kick them out."
"I see..."
"Want me to make one for you too?"
"I'm fine, thank you."
And so, the great crisis wrought by Evilus over the span of seven days came to a close.
"...Bellf. You've ranked up."
"That's good news. Did any new Development Abilities appear?"
"Yes."
"What is it?"
"Mystery..."
I had become one of the few individuals in Orario to awaken a Mystery.