Chapter 115: Prototype Sword-Club
Morning came quietly with the sound of birds chirping outside the house.
The familiar murky grey-black fog slipped all over the world, creating an atmosphere that could make anyone depressed.
Edgar slowly opened his eyes and frowned the next instant.
"...Again?"
Without even looking, he already knew what he would find.
Sure enough, Hera was sleeping beside him once more.
Her silver-white hair was spread across his shoulder, while one arm had somehow found its way around his waist during the night.
Her expression remained peaceful like a gentle flower under the sunlight.
"....."
Edgar let out a helpless sigh.
’I really need to figure out what to do about this.’
Being annoyed felt pointless. After everything Hera had gone through, she was clearly seeking comfort more than anything else.
Still, this couldn’t continue forever.
Edgar carefully tried to sit up, but just as he began moving--
"...Mm..."
Hera unconsciously tightened her embrace.
"....."
The sudden movement had brought them much closer than before.
Her stomach was in contact with his lower body, the heat transferring through the fabric.
For a brief moment, his body reacted instinctively to the awkward position.
Hera’s sleepy eyes slowly fluttered open when she felt something hard against her stomach.
The two stared at each other in complete silence.
A faint blush gradually spread across Hera’s cheeks as she realized how close they were.
Without saying a single word, she quietly loosened her arms and looked away.
"...Sorry," she whispered so softly it was almost inaudible.
Edgar cleared his throat. "...It’s fine."
He carefully stood up from the sofa before pretending nothing had happened.
"I’ll... go get ready."
Hera simply nodded while keeping her gaze fixed on the blanket.
Without another word, Edgar quickly left the hall.
---
Nearly an hour later, Edgar had finished bathing and changed into a fresh set of clothes.
The cool water had helped clear his mind considerably.
"...Let’s focus on work."
Before long, he arrived outside the Smithing House.
The moment Steven noticed him, the old blacksmith’s face lit up.
"My lord!"
Edgar had barely stepped inside before Steven excitedly waved him over.
"You came at the perfect time."
Edgar blinked. "I was actually going to ask you something."
"It can wait!" Steven laughed. "I’ve finished the prototype."
Without waiting for an answer, the old blacksmith led Edgar toward the rear of the workshop.
Resting upon a reinforced wooden rack was an enormous weapon.
It stood nearly two metres long.
One side possessed the broad cutting edge of a massive sword.
The opposite side thickened into a heavy club reinforced by multiple ridges of black metal.
The transition between both halves looked surprisingly natural.
Rather than appearing crude, it looked intimidating.
"..."
Edgar slowly walked around it.
Steven couldn’t hide his excitement.
"I combined refined iron with Blacksteel. The balance isn’t perfect yet, but it’s far stronger than ordinary steel."
Edgar silently summoned his Invisible Sage Hands.
The gigantic weapon slowly floated into the air.
Several nearby workers instinctively stepped backward.
The Sword-Club slowly rotated before Edgar. He carefully examined every angle, weight balance, and distribution.
Even the point where the sword gradually transitioned into the crushing head.
"....."
He gave it a gentle swing through the air.
Whoosh.
Despite its size, the balance felt much better than he had expected.
A satisfied smile appeared on Edgar’s face. "...Excellent."
Steven visibly relaxed at the praise.
For a blacksmith, having someone praise their work was much more important than people expected.
"So you’ll approve it?" he asked with a smile on his face.
"I do." Edgar nodded, playing with the weapon a little. "Begin forging the real ones."
The old blacksmith nodded. "We will start as quickly as possible."
Edgar gently lowered the prototype back onto its stand before turning toward Steven again. "I actually came to ask you something."
"What is it, my lord?"
"How much steel can we realistically produce in a short amount of time?"
Steven’s cheerful expression faded. "...Not enough."
He looked around the crowded workshop.
"If you can’t notice, my lord, then let me remind you--we are really short on both people and equipment."
He finally looked toward the piles of ore outside. "And we have far too much material waiting to be processed."
Steven folded his arms. "If you truly want large-scale production, then we need a proper refining facility."
Edgar slowly rubbed his forehead.
He shouldn’t have asked for more without first providing the proper equipment to create it.
’I really need to work on it....’
One problem had barely been solved before another appeared. Still, there wasn’t really another option. "I’ll begin planning it today."
Steven smiled. "Then I’ll make sure it’s worth building."
Edgar nodded before quietly leaving the workshop.
The morning air greeted him as he stepped outside. He had barely taken a few steps when he noticed someone waiting beneath the shade of a nearby tree.
Semele.
The mysterious woman smiled the moment their eyes met.
"...Good morning."
Edgar stopped walking. "Is there something I can help you with?"
Her crimson eyes studied him for a brief moment before the corners of her lips curled upward.
"Nothing. I just wish to spend some time with you."
’...I don’t have time for your bullshit, lady....’
Edgar’s expression changed ever so slightly.
Still, he kept his expression normal as he asked, "And why would you want that?"
Semele simply smiled. "Do I need a reason?"
Edgar looked at her for several long seconds.
"...Yes."
She smiled and began to walk, and even though Edgar didn’t want to, he still reluctantly walked with her.
"When are you going to complete that thing over there?"
Semele asked, pointing at the group of artisans who were working on the basket.
"It’s not complete, right?"
Edgar nodded. "Yeah, it will take some time."
Semele looked back at him. "Something’s on your mind."
"...Not really," Edgar said. "I just have too many things on my mind."
The black-haired woman kept looking at him with an amused smile on her face.
She suddenly came to a halt and walked to stand right in front of him.
"You know, I can fix one of your problems."
She said, leaning closer until her lips were near his ear.
"To complete a ritual requiring a woman’s sacrifice... it’s really important for her to be a virgin."
"...."
Edgar looked at her in confusion as the woman walked away without saying anything else.
’...What does she mean by that?’