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In the late afternoon, Lefiya finally arrived in front of the forge, panting heavily. The large supporter bag full of iron rods and other items had made the journey far more exhausting than she had anticipated. Hah... this is so heavy... she muttered, setting the bag down for a moment to catch her breath.
But before she could knock, a harsh screech of metal sounded from inside the forge, making her sharp Elven ears wince in pain. What is that? Lefiya grimaced, covering her ears briefly before mustering the courage to open the door.
As the door creaked open, the sight inside left her wide-eyed. Shirou stood near the workbench, wearing a protective iron mask and thick gloves. A fearsome tool emitted a bright blue flame in his hands, directed at the bicycle frame. The screeching sound came from the flame meeting the metal.
"hold on a moment," Shirou said without turning around, his voice muffled behind the mask. He remained focused on his task, carefully moving the tool along the metal joints.
Lefiya froze in the doorway, watching Shirou as he worked with such seriousness and skill. After a few minutes, Shirou turned off the tool and removed his mask. He inspected his work, closely examining the joints of the bicycle frame, which now looked sturdy. Almost done, he murmured to himself before noticing Lefiya. "Oh, you're back?"
Lefiya stepped closer, her gaze fixed on the bicycle frame in admiration. The handlebars were connected to the main frame, while other parts—like the front fork and rear wheel supports—were already taking shape. "What was that tool you just used?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
"That's a welding torch," Shirou explained, holding the tool up for Lefiya to see. "I projected it to weld the frame together. It's much easier than forging everything manually."
Lefiya nodded, though she didn't entirely understand how it worked. With a small smile, she took out the saddle and handgrips from her bag and handed them to Shirou. "Here, I got these from the leatherworker. I hope they'll work," she said.
Shirou examined the saddle first, scrutinizing it. "Looks good," he remarked before attaching it to the bicycle frame. After a few small adjustments, the saddle fits perfectly. "Perfect. Thanks, Lefiya," he said with a smile.
However, when he tried to attach the handgrips to the handlebars, their sizes didn't match. Lefiya's expression instantly turned anxious, her face paling. "W-what… the size is wrong? I… I didn't know it would be like this," she stammered, panic creeping into her voice.
Shirou raised a hand to calm her. "It's fine. I can adjust it." He closed his eyes briefly, channeling Prana into his hands, and touched the handgrips. Using his Alteration Magecraft, he slightly resized the material of the handgrips until they fit the handlebars. Once done, he attached them with ease. "See? All fixed," he said, his tone calm and reassuring.
Lefiya let out a relieved sigh. "Good thing you have that trick," she said, her smile returning.
Shirou nodded, giving the frame one more inspection. "I have to get creative if I want to replicate a factory-made bicycle. My Tracing can't perfectly replicate mechanical engineering techniques, so I have to improvise a lot," he explained, his gaze full of determination as he touched the metal frame.
Burrr~ A loud growl echoed from Lefiya's stomach, breaking the silence in the forge. Her face turned bright red, her pointed ears twitching slightly in deep embarrassment. "I-I… I think I forgot to eat lunch earlier," she said, fumbling for an excuse to cover her embarrassment. I should've brought the lunch we prepared this morning… she muttered to herself.
Shirou, who was still inspecting the bicycle frame, turned to her with a small smile. "It's alright," he said reassuringly, but suddenly, Burrr~ a similar sound came from him. He paused, then looked at Lefiya with an innocent expression. "Looks like I forgot to eat, too," he joked with a shrug.
Lefiya couldn't hold back her laughter. "Shirou, how could you forget lunch?" she asked, still smiling but genuinely curious.
Shirou rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Actually, I was waiting for you to come back," he admitted. "I thought it would be nicer to eat together."
Lefiya paused, warmth spreading through her chest at his words. He always thinks about the little things… Shirou is always so thoughtful. A strange but pleasant sense of comfort washed over her, and her smile grew wider.
"In that case, let's eat now," Lefiya said cheerfully. She retrieved a small bag containing the lunch they had prepared that morning from near the door. "Come on, let's find a more comfortable spot outside," she suggested.
Shirou nodded and followed Lefiya out of the forge. They returned to a long bench under a shady tree, accompanied by the golden light of the setting sun. The cool evening breeze made the atmosphere feel serene.
As they sat down, Shirou glanced at his hands. With a bit of concentration, the protective gloves he had been wearing faded away, dissolving into particles of Prana that vanished. He then raised his hand and projected two simple cups, each sturdy yet intricately detailed, showcasing Shirou's mastery of Magecraft.
"Thank you, Shirou," Lefiya said as she pulled out a small thermos from the lunch bag. She poured some orange juice into the cups and handed one to Shirou. "Here, drink this."
Lefiya took a sip of the orange juice. Her eyes widened slightly as the cold, refreshing taste hit her tongue. "It's still cold! Amazing," she remarked, impressed. "Even after almost an entire day…"
Shirou smiled at her reaction. "Don't rush, Lefiya," he said calmly, taking a sip from his cup.
They enjoyed the simple meal together, chatting casually, accompanied by the gentle evening breeze. For Lefiya, moments like this felt special. Sitting with Shirou under the sunset, sharing food and stories, was a small but precious memory she would treasure in her heart.
With their packed bread now spread between them, Lefiya took a bite of one of the slices while glancing at Shirou. The evening breeze carried the sweet aroma of their bread, adding warmth to the atmosphere. "I'm sorry, Shirou," Lefiya said softly, feeling a little guilty. "I couldn't find anyone who could make those tires. The only things I managed to get were the saddle and the handgrips."
Shirou, chewing casually, immediately shook his head. "You don't need to apologize, Lefiya," he replied sincerely. "What you've done is more than enough. I'm really grateful for that."
Lefiya gave a small smile, though a sense of dissatisfaction lingered within her. "Even so, Shirou. I feel like I need to do more. Don't worry—I'll figure out how to make the tires myself," she said with determination in her voice.
Shirou set down his cup, looking at Lefiya with concern. "I don't want this to become too much of a burden for you, Lefiya. You've already done so much. I can find another way," he said.
But Lefiya shook her head firmly. "No, Shirou. This is our project together. I want to help see it through to the end. You can't stop me!" she said, half-joking but with unmistakable sincerity.
Shirou couldn't help but be amused by Lefiya's enthusiasm. "Alright, alright," he relented. "But I'm curious—how do you plan to make those tires?"
Lefiya looked at him eagerly, sensing it was her moment to explain. "Back when I was still in the School District, we had Alchemy as one of our subjects. In fact, we once went on a field trip to Altena, the center for mages. That's where I learned the basics of alchemy and how certain materials can be manipulated."
Shirou listened intently, surprised to learn that Lefiya had a background in alchemy. "Alchemy, huh? So, you're thinking of using that knowledge to make the tires?"
Lefiya nodded, her eyes shining with excitement. "Exactly. Earlier, when I was buying the iron rods, the dwarf receptionist at the shop gave me an idea. She mentioned that something similar to tire material might be made from slime remains. Even though she's never seen tires before, I think there's something there worth trying."
Shirou leaned back on the bench, nodding thoughtfully. "So, you're planning to experiment with slime remains?"
"Exactly," Lefiya said proudly. "I'm confident I can transform it into a suitable raw material. But before that, I'll experiment with synthetic materials first. If that works, then I'll use actual slime remains."
Shirou considered her plan for a moment before responding. "In that case, just tell me the materials and alchemy tools you'll need. I can project them so we won't have to carry too many things around."
Lefiya's smile widened, feeling lighter with Shirou's offer of help. "That's a great idea, Shirou. That way, I can focus on the experiments without worrying about moving heavy equipment."
They exchanged smiles, feeling that their teamwork would lead this project to success. Though simple, the evening felt like an important step toward achieving their goal.
After finishing the last bite of her bread, Lefiya stood up energetically. Her face held a serious expression, like an executive preparing to deliver an important report. She even theatrically adjusted her hair before looking at Shirou, who was still sitting casually on the bench. "Alright, Shirou. We're going to have a financial meeting for our bicycle project. Imagine I'm the CFO of a prestigious company," she declared, raising her chin.
Shirou stifled a small chuckle and adjusted his seating position as if preparing to listen to an important professional briefing. "Alright, Madam CFO. I'm ready to hear your report," he replied with mock seriousness.
Lefiya nodded firmly, picking a small leaf from the tree above them and pretending it was an imaginary ledger. "First, let's discuss the budget. The initial capital for this project consists of contributions from both of us, each amounting to 250,000 Valis. So, our total capital is…?"
"500,000 Valis," Shirou answered, following Lefiya's playful rhythm.
"Exactly!" Lefiya said, pleased, then continued. "Now, let's review today's expenses. The cost for the saddle and handgrips was 80,000 Valis. Then, the iron rods I bought earlier cost 100,000 Valis. So our total expenses so far are…?"
"180,000 Valis," Shirou answered in a half-serious tone.
Lefiya nodded dramatically as if hearing a brilliant response from an investor. "Correct! That leaves us with a remaining budget of 320,000 Valis, enough to continue our project to the next phase."
Shirou leaned back slightly, observing Lefiya, who was so deeply immersed in her role. "In that case, how about you use the remaining funds for your own needs?" he suggested.
Lefiya shook her head quickly, mimicking the gesture of an executive rejecting an unreasonable proposal. "That's impossible! As the CFO of this project, I'm fully responsible for managing our funds. The remaining money will be used for the next phase of the project," she declared firmly, fully immersed in her professional role.
Shirou smiled slightly and raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, Madam CFO. In that case, don't forget to keep proper records so everything's transparent," he teased.
Lefiya broke into a wide grin, momentarily dropping her act to return to her cheerful self. "Of course, I'll document everything! Our project has to succeed!" she exclaimed enthusiastically before sitting back down beside Shirou, her expression satisfied as if she had just completed an important task.
***
As dawn began to break, the gentle sunlight filtered into the cool underground corridors of the Loki Familia Manor. Lefiya and Shirou stood in front of a large, sturdy door reinforced with thick steel, clearly guarding the Familia's valuable treasures. Lefiya looked busy, fumbling with a massive keyring holding dozens of keys. Her hands worked to try each one in the door's lock, her lips moving in frustrated murmurs.
"Not this one… ugh, not this one either," Lefiya muttered, biting her lip as she inspected the next key. Her face flushed slightly red with frustration.
Shirou standing casually beside her with his arms folded, watched the scene with a small smile. "When did you prepare all those keys?" he asked curiously.
Without turning, Lefiya answered quickly, "I borrowed them from Captain Finn last night." Her tone was flat, though it was clear her patience with the stubborn door was wearing thin.
Shirou raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the backstory. "Finn just handed them over to you?" he asked, sounding a bit surprised.
Lefiya paused for a moment, took a deep breath, and sighed. "Not at first! I tried explaining to Captain Finn that this was for my secret project, but he just looked at me like I was planning something ridiculous." She let out a long sigh and continued trying the keys. "He said I shouldn't mess around with access to the storage room."
Shirou suppressed a small chuckle. "But you still got the keys in the end, didn't you?"
"Yeah, but only after I told him this secret project was something I was working on with you," Lefiya replied, finally finding the right key and turning the doorknob with a satisfying click. She turned to Shirou with a mix of exasperation and amusement. "As soon as he heard your name, he changed his mind immediately. He even said, 'If Shirou's involved, I'm sure it's not a bad idea.' You know, he trusts you more than me, and I've been in this Familia longer than you!"
Shirou gave a small, sheepish smile, scratching the back of his head. "Maybe Finn knows you tend to be impulsive?" he teased.
Lefiya glared at him and gave him a light punch on the arm. "Impulsive? What part of this is impulsive? This is our project!" Though her tone sounded annoyed, a small smile played on her lips.
"Alright, alright," Shirou relented with a soft laugh. "At least now we can get inside and grab what we need."
Lefiya nodded eagerly, pushing the large door open slowly to reveal a room filled with tools, materials, and treasures belonging to the Loki Familia. "Come on, Shirou. It's time for us to begin the next chapter of this secret project!" she declared, her fiery determination reignited.
The tranquil dawn enveloped them as Shirou and Lefiya stepped into the underground storage room of the Loki Familia's treasure vault. Dim light from magical lamps hanging from the ceiling cast a magical glow. The cold air carried the distinct aroma of aged wood and metal. Solid stone walls surrounded them, radiating a sense of security and endurance.
As they walked toward the counter, Shirou recalled the incident a few days earlier when he collected his reward here. The faces of Raul and Aki, who were on guard duty, came to mind. But this time, the room was silent, with no guards present. Only the sound of their footsteps echoed softly in the vast space.
Lefiya reached the counter and immediately realized her mistake. She smacked her forehead in frustration. "Oh no, I forgot! The drop item we're looking for is in another room behind that door," she groaned, pointing to a large door on the other side of the room. "Which means I'll have to go through all the keys again."
Shirou, standing nearby, raised his hand to offer help. "In that case, let me handle it."
Lefiya stepped back, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. "What are you planning to do?"
Without answering, Shirou approached the door she had indicated. He placed his hand on the handle and activated Structural Analysis. A gentle flow of prana emanated from his hand, scanning the locking mechanism within the door. "Got it," he murmured softly.
Shirou then projected a plain key into his hand. Lefiya watched with sparkling eyes as the key slowly reshaped itself through Alteration to fit the lock's mechanism. Once it was ready, Shirou inserted the key into the lock and turned it effortlessly, the door opening with a quiet click.
"Voila," Shirou said casually, glancing at Lefiya.
Lefiya crossed her arms, her gaze filled with protest. "Why didn't you do that earlier? I wouldn't have needed to go through all the trouble of borrowing these keys from Finn."
Shirou sighed and offered a small smile. "Lefiya, if you hadn't officially borrowed the keys and we just walked in like this, we could've been accused of theft."
Lefiya frowned and let out a small huff. "Yeah, yeah, you're right. But still, I feel like I've wasted so much time!"
Shirou chuckled softly. "At least we're here now. Let's find what we need."
The drop item storage room was lined with neatly arranged wooden shelves, each filled with various materials obtained from the Dungeon. Shirou walked slowly, examining each shelf carefully. The dim light from the magical lamps on the walls cast shadows that seemed to make the items on the shelves come alive, adding a mysterious atmosphere to the room.
In the middle of their search, Lefiya let out a small exclamation. "Shirou! Over here!" She had found a shelf containing slime carcasses. Carefully, she picked up one of the slime remains. However, the sticky material quickly spread to her hands and even clung to the edge of her shirt.
"Ugh, this is so sticky!" Lefiya complained, trying to keep the slime carcass away from her body, but only making the situation messier. Slime residue clung everywhere, making her look like she'd just fought a slimy monster.
Seeing this, Shirou couldn't help but smile. "You look like you've just wrestled a living puddle," he said, amused. He projected a small pouch from his prana and handed it to Lefiya. "Use this to store the slime. At least it'll save your clothes from total destruction."
Lefiya accepted the pouch with a scowl. "Thanks… though it's a bit late," she muttered as she stuffed the slime carcass into the bag. Before she could finish, however, Shirou stopped her hand.
"Wait a moment," Shirou said, focusing his concentration. He used Tracing on the slime carcass, carefully copying its structure so he could project it later when making the tire. Once finished, he nodded. "Alright, you can store it now."
Lefiya raised an eyebrow, thinking for a moment before speaking. "Hey, Shirou, you should copy all the drop items here. That way, if we need something later, we won't have to come back here."
Shirou glanced at Lefiya and nodded in agreement. "Good idea. That'll be more efficient."
He began scanning the shelves, using Tracing to replicate various drop items. From early Dungeon monster drops like Kobold Nail,Goblin Fang, and Orc Hide to rarer items from deeper floors like Black Rhino's Horn,Spartoi Bone, and Valgang Dragon parts—Fangs and Scales—all were copied meticulously.
"Done yet?" Lefiya asked, watching Shirou as he worked diligently.
"Almost," Shirou replied without looking up, ensuring every copy was stored perfectly in his Reality Marble. "Just a few more seconds."
Once he finished, Shirou straightened up and reported, "All done. We've got backups of everything now."
Lefiya smiled in satisfaction. "Awesome! Let's get out of here to continue our preparation."
"Agreed," Shirou replied, glancing at the shelves they had thoroughly searched.