"Relax. Come with me. I guarantee you'll be satisfied."
The corners of Haimer's lips lifted into a confident smile as he tilted his head toward Hephaestus, signaling her to follow. She raised a brow at his gesture.
"You'd better not be bluffing."
She had no idea what scheme he was brewing, but when he turned and strode toward the far end of the corridor, she followed after him. Two steps later, they reached a corner
And found a dead end.
"… "
With a faint sigh, Hephaestus took the lead instead, guiding Haimer through the winding corridors of the Hephaestus Familia estate. No one dared approach them along the way, for the direction they were heading toward was the forbidden ground of the entire Familia,
Hephaestus's private forge.
Ordinarily, no one but herself and Tsubaki was permitted to enter.
Click.
The heavy red-bronze doors swung open, and a wave of heat far fiercer than anything outside rushed toward them. A massive furnace stood at the center, its dark-red flames pulsing like a living heartbeat. Around the walls, racks displayed rare ores and materials seldom seen in the outside world.
"So," Hephaestus said, leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed, "why did you have me bring you here?"
Haimer did not answer immediately. He walked straight to the shelves storing the highest-grade materials, his fingers gliding slowly over the surfaces of the ores.
Mithril, Adamantite and Orichalcum.
Each time his hand paused and he lifted a piece, Hephaestus's gaze sharpened. Every single one he selected was the most flawless of its kind, minimal impurities, impeccable quality.
Within moments, several ores shimmering with faint halos rested in his hands. He weighed them thoughtfully before turning back to her.
"These should be enough."
She glanced at the ores, then at the furnace. Even the dullest observer would have understood by now, let alone her.
"You're planning to forge something?"
"Yes."
Haimer carried the ores to the forging table and casually picked up a hammer to test its balance.
"In a sense, I'm also a god of forging. My title may include war and calamity, but in the end, weapons are the vessel of all conflict. If one does not understand how a weapon is born, how can one claim to govern war? Every god who knows forging possesses a technique unique to themselves. Mine is no exception.
"Your Familia doesn't lack weapons. But if I'm to pay for tonight's feast, those guest rooms… and secure future equipment support for the children of my Familia, I'll need to offer something more substantial."
At that, he lifted his head and met the gaze of Hephaestus's exposed eye.
"For example, a weapon forged by another god. I will fuse it with my hair, my divine blood, and the Hieroglyphs that only i can engrave, and in return craft for you a divine armament, one capable of unleashing extraordinary power even without my blessing. A one-of-a-kind creation."
Hephaestus's breathing paused for a brief instant.
She looked at Haimer, at the male god standing before the forge, clear-eyed and unwavering, and felt her heart stir.
As a forging god who pursued perfection, nothing was more enticing than unknown divine craftsmanship or a god-forged weapon she had never seen before. And this was to be crafted by him.
Though Haimer's name carried little weight in Orario, among the gods of Heaven, everyone knew his reputation. He had never been a quiet, obedient deity. To be labeled by the gods as a Calamity of War was no trivial title.
If he personally forged a weapon and infused it with fragments of his own divinity, it would become a treasure capable of driving countless Familias into frenzy, perhaps even into war. Gods would bankrupt themselves for the chance to own such a masterpiece.
Unconsciously, Hephaestus lowered her arms.
"It certainly sounds like an irresistible deal. But…" Her tone shifted as she studied him carefully. "Even if you understood forging in Heaven, since descending into this world, bound by mortal rules, have you actually held a hammer? Without using divine power, are you certain you can complete a forging?"
Haimer did not hesitate.
"Of course not. I just descended not long ago. No money, no resources, I can barely afford food. How would I have the means to buy a furnace and materials?"
Hephaestus fell silent, the corner of her mouth twitching as she prepared to retort,
Only for Haimer to naturally extend the hammer toward her.
"But you're here. For the greatest forging god in Heaven, a little supervision shouldn't be a problem, right?"
"…Haah."
At last, she understood. With a helpless sigh, she took the hammer and weighed it in her palm, her single eye narrowing slightly as she examined him.
"Haimer… I don't know whether you're still clinging to that madness from Heaven or whether you've grown even bolder since descending. You want to use my materials, my furnace, and have me assist you in forging a weapon to pay off your debt? Even the most notorious merchants in Orario wouldn't dare conduct business like that."
She paused, then gave a faint smile.
"But since you've gone this far, and even dangled such bait, i admit I'm intrigued."
As the god standing at the pinnacle of this city's forging world, she could not suppress her curiosity toward his craftsmanship.
Without another word, she stepped to the furnace and pulled the bellows herself.
Whoosh!
The dark-red flames surged higher, heat rolling outward in waves and casting shifting light across her resolute features.
When the furnace reached its peak, she turned and tossed the selected ores into the fire.
"No backing out now. I'll say this first, I may lend you my forge, but I won't be gentle. If you can't endure my criticism, you might as well quit. And if you fail, you'll compensate me for every piece at full price."
With that, she dragged over a chair and sat down, crossing her legs like a strict overseer.
"Don't worry," Haimer replied lightly. "If I fail, I'll personally offer myself to Tsubaki as labor."
"Then begin."
She tossed the hammer back to him.
Haimer stepped forward and, without hesitation, reached directly into the blazing furnace. Under Hephaestus's narrowing gaze, he grasped the half-molten, radiantly glowing ore with his bare hand and placed it upon the anvil.
Clang!
The first strike rang out, clear and steady, sending sparks flying.
Time passed to the rhythm of hammer against metal. From deep night to the break of dawn, the forge echoed with that steady cadence. When the first ray of morning light slipped through the vents of the Hephaestus Familia workshop,
Hiss!
White steam rose as the final quenching was completed.
A long sword now lay upon the anvil, its body gleaming with a dark-golden luster. Along the blade ran intricate, threadlike engravings, the hieroglyphs etched with Haimer's own divine blood.
"It's finished, is it enough?"
He set down the hammer.
"It's more than enough."
Hephaestus stepped forward at once. From the moment the sword took shape, she had stopped concealing her admiration. Without hesitation, she claimed it in her hand.
"This sword is mine. As for your children's equipment, aside from the display pieces mounted on my wall, they may choose freely from everything else. I'll have Tsubaki coordinate with you."
Her tone was bold and decisive, and the deal was sealed.
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