The next day.
"Tiona, you've been in a terrible mood since yesterday."
At Lefiya's words, Ais nodded slightly in agreement.
And then, everyone's gaze shifted in one direction.
Pout...
There stood Tiona, still sulking as she had been since yesterday morning.
With her tiny lips pushed out in a huff and her brow furrowed, it was clear she was in a truly foul mood.
It was so severe that not only the other members, but even the werewolf Bete Loga—who usually spent his time bickering with her—was deliberately avoiding her.
"I wonder what on earth happened yesterday?"
"I'm worried."
Naturally, the concern of her comrades only grew.
They wanted to offer some words of encouragement, but since she refused to explain the reason for her mood, no one knew how to approach her.
Only one person knew.
"Haaah, my idiot little sister."
Her twin, Tione, was the only one who understood why she was acting this way.
Although Tiona hadn't explicitly told her, Tione knew enough of the backstory to make a very accurate guess.
Because of this, she was the only one who could step in.
"Hey, Tiona."
Pout...
"Haaah, you really are an idiot."
Smack!
In the end, Tione resorted to force.
Actually, given her usual temperament, it was impressive she had held back this long.
"Ow! Why did you hit me?!"
"You're the one who needs to knock it off, you idiot!"
"Y-you...!"
"Honestly, it's your own fault for expecting so much from a man that clueless..."
Bam!
"Ghk!"
But there was no way the current Tiona would listen to reason.
Trapped in a cycle of irritation, anger, and regret, she was in no state to process logic.
To her, Tione's words were nothing more than a tactless provocation.
Perhaps it was because they were blood sisters that the friction felt even more intense.
"Y-you little—!"
"Hmph!"
"Fine! Let's see who survives this, you or meeeee!"
"Kyaa! Please stop, Tione! Tiona, you too!"
"... I'll go get Riveria."
"A-Ais! Don't just abandon me and leavennnn!"
The situation rapidly devolved into a full-blown brawl between the two sisters.
A poor elf girl got caught in the crossfire, but for the moment, no one had the luxury of worrying about such a triviality.
All the others could do was offer a silent prayer for the victim.
"Now, now. That's enough. I know you're energetic, but let's keep it reasonable."
"Ngh! Let go of me, Gareth!"
"He's right. Or am I asking too much of you, Tione?"
"C-Commander!?"
It was only after the Captain and the most senior executive of the Loki Familia stepped in that the clash finally ceased.
However, looking at Tiona, who was still growling as if she might snap at any moment, it was clear this was merely a temporary truce.
Just as Finn, the Captain of the Loki Familia, felt a headache forming and prepared to ask Tione about the cause of the commotion—
"Tiona~ Tione~ Delivery~!"
A black-haired human man named Raul entered the Familia home, carrying a large box.
"Delivery? For us?"
"We didn't order anything."
The sisters looked puzzled at Raul's announcement.
Then, as if realizing something, Tiona suddenly broke free from Gareth's grip and lunged toward the box.
Seeing her reaction, Tione caught on as well and rushed after her sister.
"What is it, Tiona?"
"I'm curious!"
Given the size of the box and the sisters' frantic reactions, the other members grew intrigued as well.
Without answering, the sisters simply tore open the lid.
Fortunately, the seal was not complex.
"Heave-ho!"
Creak... thud.
The contents were finally revealed.
The members of the Loki Familia leaned in to see, though their reactions varied wildly.
"Huh? It's Uga?"
"Oh, I thought it was something more exciting."
"But Tiona, didn't you pick up your weapon two days ago?"
"Why is it packaged again? Was there a problem with it?"
This was the reaction of the general members.
The mages, however, noticed something different.
"Lady Riveria, this...!"
"They are imbued with mana. Both this sword and Uga."
"Magic swords? How did they afford these? Especially for something the size of Tiona's Uga, the production cost alone would be..."
Only then did the other members realize the significance of the weapons.
And then, the decisive moment arrived.
"Hup!"
Crash!
With a beaming smile, Tiona swung Uga, smashing the box to pieces.
Instantly, the shattered fragments of the box turned into ice shards that scattered in every direction.
A magic sword that froze and crushed everything in its path.
The Uga of Ice Break.
"Let's see. If I touch any liquid other than alcohol, tea, or water..."
Drip... shaaah.
"Wooooow."
"The wine turned into water!"
"What on earth is this...?"
Meanwhile, Tione's weapon was a magic sword that purified any liquid it touched into 100% pure water.
Its name was the Purity Blade.
"Mm! Perfect!"
"Amazing. I didn't know how he'd do it, but this is perfect. With this, that acidic liquid won't be a problem. The sword itself is great too—the weight and the grip are just right."
Both sisters were overjoyed and deeply satisfied with their new gear.
Watching them, Finn approached to address the question that had been bothering him.
"Tione, Tiona. Those magic swords..."
"Ah, Captain. About that."
"They're for those larvae we met in the deep floors! Now those guys won't be a problem!"
Finn could roughly piece together the situation, but his primary concern remained.
Tiona and Tione were not just proud comrades; they were dependable first-class adventurers.
They were veterans among veterans.
There was no way they would make such a fundamental mistake.
"I won't interfere with your judgment, but I have to ask about Tiona's Uga. We all know magic swords are powerful, but why make one for a weapon like Uga, which is essentially a consumable? As you know, that is incredibly inefficient."
"You don't have to worry about that, Captain."
"Yep! With this, my Uga is totally invincible!"
"Hm?"
Their reactions were completely contrary to his expectations.
Finn was baffled.
As he had stated, magic swords were consumables.
Therefore, it was economically and tactically superior to create them as light, simple, small-scale weapons.
Creating a magic sword in the form of a massive weapon like Uga was a logistical nightmare.
To put it bluntly, it was a colossal waste of money.
It was an absurd level of extravagance.
There was no way they didn't know this, yet they remained unfazed.
Finn felt a migraine coming on from their incomprehensible attitude.
The answer, however, came not from the sisters, but from Riveria, who had been carefully reading a long letter.
"...In short, after some deliberation, the requirements have been met. Unlike the previous bracelet, the magic consumption is handled by an engraved formula that absorbs external mana, allowing for theoretically semi-permanent and stable use. To put it simply: it can be used until the weapon itself is completely destroyed. General maintenance is the same as any other weapon, but to restore the formula, soak the weapon overnight in water mixed with the powder of a mid-grade magic stone or higher after a week of use. Performance testing is encouraged, but do not overdo it. While the weapon can be repaired, re-enchanting the magic after total destruction is twice as laborious. Therefore, please do not come back to me for the same reason."
"Lady Riveria, what does that even mean...?!"
"I don't know. Frankly, I'm the one who wants to ask."
The permanent use of a magic sword.
That was a realm beyond even the legendary "Crozzo's Magic Swords."
It was a myth that every magic sword smith dreamed of, only to end in failure and despair.
And yet, here it was—an impossible reality made manifest.
Lefiya's disbelief and Riveria's shock were entirely justified, even though the evidence was right before their eyes.
"I-I can't believe it! A magic sword with infinite uses? That's impossible! The person who wrote this must be a complete fraud!"
"Or perhaps a once-in-a-generation madman... or a genius."
At Riveria's words, Finn's eyes gleamed.
A craftsman who could create magic swords without the worry of consumption.
As a Captain, it would be a lie to say he wasn't coveting such a talent.
In fact, he didn't even try to hide his greed.
This was a discovery of immeasurable value.
"Hey, Tione. About that magic sword maker..."
"No."
The answer came not from Tione, but from Tiona.
And it was a flat refusal.
"Why?"
"Because An wouldn't like it."
"...Good grief. What a shame."
Finn sighed, visibly disappointed by the absolute lack of compromise in her voice.
Tiona was dead serious, and Finn recognized that immediately.
Seeing the disappointment of the man she respected, Tione started to say something, then thought better of it.
She simply sighed and gave her sister a light flick on the forehead.
Unlike before, this was just a playful vent of frustration.
Bonk!
"Ow! Why did you do that?!"
"Honestly, you idiot. Do you really like him that much?"
"I... hehe."
"Good grief, really."
The atmosphere became strangely, almost unnervingly, warm.
And because of that, the other members looked on in utter shock.
Could it be that Tiona...?!
"P.S. After thinking it over, I am sincerely sorry about yesterday. I feel I was too cold and inconsiderate regarding your invitation. I am currently too busy to manage it, but I will treat you to a meal as soon as possible. Until then, stay healthy. —Your friend."
The final lines read by Riveria were the killing blow.
The entire Loki Familia was struck with a wave of sheer astonishment.
They had suspected it, but was it actually true? Tiona had a man?!
"Hehehe... An is so sweet... hehehe."
"Look at her, she's absolutely smitten. You brat, you're really this easy to please?"
"Hehehehehe."
"Ugh, this is frustrating. And here I am, still not making any real progress."
Even after seeing and hearing it, the reality was hard to swallow.
The impact was equal to that of the permanent magic sword.
No, it was greater.
Bete, who usually bickered with Tiona, had his jaw drop so far it seemed it would never return to its original position.
The news of Tiona's romantic interest was enough to shake the entire Familia.
"Hey, kids~ I'm back... huh? What's with this weirdly sweet yet chilly atmosphere?"
Loki arrived late to the scene.
But no one answered her.
They couldn't.
They could only stare blankly.
"Ehehe, hehehe."
They simply watched as a girl... no, a woman whose flower had finally bloomed, basked in the glow of her unbelievable love.