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Chapter 84: Aiden's Assertiveness
"Well, that's a real shame."
Realizing Aiden genuinely didn't know the blacksmith, Tsubaki looked devastated, like a food critic who had just watched a five-star meal fall on the floor.
Pulling herself together, she brought the conversation back on track and picked up the White Tassel, examining it closely once more.
"Anyway, back to business. You're here to sell this." She tapped her finger against the shaft. "If we're just talking about the raw materials and the craftsmanship, I'd value this at roughly two million Valis. However—"
She paused and locked eyes with Aiden.
"The revolutionary forging techniques hidden inside this weapon are incredibly valuable to me and the Hephaestus Familia. I'm not going to rip you off. Ten million Valis. How does that sound?"
Tsubaki threw out a number that made the air in the room freeze.
"T-Ten million?!" Lefiya gasped, her eyes practically popping out of her head.
Ten million Valis was enough to buy a top-tier Second-Class Weapon, and could even afford some of the more standard First-Class Weapons.
All for this plain-looking spear?
Even Ais showed a rare flash of surprise, a ripple of emotion crossing her usually stoic golden eyes.
"Deal."
Unlike the girls, Aiden didn't hesitate for a single second. He slammed the metaphorical gavel down instantly.
Are you kidding me? Ais had originally appraised it at three million max. Because of the 'tech tag,' the price had instantly skyrocketed to ten million. This was literally money falling from the sky. He'd be an idiot not to take it.
As for whatever groundbreaking discoveries Tsubaki or the Hephaestus Familia managed to reverse-engineer from the spear, that was their business. He wasn't greedy enough to try and hoard all the benefits. He was more than satisfied with this massive windfall.
"I like your style!"
Seeing Aiden accept so readily, Tsubaki threw her head back and laughed. She loved people who didn't beat around the bush.
"Aiden, if you ever stumble across any more weapons with this kind of unique forging technique, you bring them straight to me. I promise I'll give you a premium payout."
She slapped him hard on the shoulder, nearly knocking him off balance again. "And hey, if you ever need a custom weapon forged for yourself, just come find me. I'll give you a twenty percent discount."
To her, money was just numbers. Getting her hands on novel smithing techniques was absolutely priceless.
Oh no. She's a sugar mommy. Aiden's mouth twitched. As Orario's greatest blacksmith and the captain of one of the wealthiest commercial Familias in the city, Tsubaki was obscenely rich. She was the definition of loaded.
Still, he wasn't going to turn down a perk like that, and he quickly nodded with a bright smile.
Tsubaki efficiently arranged for the funds to be transferred, and the ten-million Vali transaction was finalized in minutes. For Aiden, this unexpected fortune meant his Familia wouldn't have to worry about living expenses for a very long time.
Just as they were wrapping up, Lefiya stepped forward. "Miss Tsubaki, I'd like to commission a custom weapon."
Aiden's business was done, but hers had just begun.
"Oh?" Tsubaki turned to the elf, looking genuinely surprised. "Looking to upgrade your staff? If I remember correctly, your Forest Tear is already a top-tier Second-Class Weapon. It should still be plenty strong for you."
"No, not a staff." Lefiya shook her head. Her eyes briefly darted toward Aiden, and her voice softened. "I want to commission… a longsword. Preferably one that's highly heat-resistant."
Aiden's eyes widened slightly.
A heat-resistant longsword? He instantly realized this was Lefiya's way of thanking him. The elven girl had clearly noticed how badly his 'Everlasting Flames' magic completely decimated his standard weapons.
"A heat-resistant weapon, huh… That's a bit tricky." Tsubaki crossed her arms, deep in thought. "If you want true heat resistance, your best bet is a weapon with the Durandal attribute. Standard materials won't hold up well to extreme temperatures."
"The Durandal attribute…" Lefiya looked hopeful for a second, but that hope quickly died, replaced by a wave of dejection. "I… I don't think I can afford that."
Weapons with the Durandal trait were astronomically expensive. Ais's Desperate was a prime example; that single sword cost more than a dozen standard First-Class Weapons combined. With her current savings, Lefiya couldn't even dream of affording one.
"Fair enough. What grade of weapon were you looking to forge?" Tsubaki asked, merely offering advice. Metal naturally hated fire. The Durandal attribute was the perfect counter, but as a master smith, she had other ways to boost a weapon's thermal resistance.
"Second-Class, please," Lefiya said after a moment of thought. First-Class was out of her budget. Even her own staff was only a Second-Class Weapon. A Second-Class sword was the absolute most she could offer to show her gratitude.
"Third-Class."
A clear, firm voice suddenly cut in. It was Aiden.
Tsubaki blinked in surprise. She looked at Aiden, then back at Lefiya, and a knowing smirk spread across her face. I knew it. A rear-guard mage had zero need for a longsword. She was buying it for the boy.
"M-Mr. Aiden, I—" Lefiya instantly puffed out her cheeks in protest.
"Lefiya." Aiden shook his head, his expression dead serious. For the first time, he dropped his polite tone and addressed her firmly. "I know you want to thank me, and I'll gladly accept your gift. But I won't let you buy something that expensive."
He stared straight into her azure eyes, leaving absolutely no room for argument.
"But—Mr. Aiden—~" Lefiya stammered, growing anxious. To her, he had saved her life. Forget a Second-Class Weapon; she would gladly empty her entire bank account if it meant repaying him properly.
"No buts." Aiden's tone brooked no argument. He turned to Tsubaki with an apologetic smile. "Miss Tsubaki, a Third-Class Weapon will be perfect. Thank you."
"Hahahaha! You got it!" Tsubaki laughed uproariously at the display. "You've got some real spine, kid. I like that!"
She gave Aiden an approving pat on the shoulder, turned on her heel, and marched straight into the smoke-filled forge, ready to personally light the furnace for this uniquely heat-resistant blade. Even if it was only a Third-Class Weapon, having the Cyclops forge it personally guaranteed it would be a masterpiece.
"Wha— How could you just decide that?!" Lefiya stood frozen, utterly flabbergasted that Aiden and Tsubaki had casually negotiated her gift behind her back.
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