Chapter 25: Orichalcum

Zack, a first-class blacksmith, spoke excitedly.

That horn was made of orichalcum! he exclaimed.

Orichalcum!? That horn was the legendary metal orichalcum!?

But if it's that famous, why didn't a blacksmith like Zack recognize it right away?

"Why didn't even you, Zack, realize it immediately if it's such a famous metal?"

When I asked, Zack responded with a serious expression.

"It's the opposite. Precisely because it's legendary, very few blacksmiths have ever actually touched the real thing. So there's not much reliable information out there. All we really hear is that orichalcum maintains the highest hardness, is soft, and has high magical conductivity. Just from this hard horn, you'd never guess that."

I see. So because it’s a legend, hardly anyone’s seen the real thing—that makes sense.

"Besides, if we just forged this as-is into a sword, it would only end up being a blade that’s hard but snaps easily. And to craft the finest sword out of orichalcum, Miki, I’m going to need your help."

"My help? What do you need me to do?"

If it's for Kazuya, I’ll gladly help with anything. But... what can I even do?

"Hold on, Zack. What do you mean by Miki’s help? Why can’t I do it instead?"

Kazuya stepped between me and Zack.

He must be worried about what I’d be made to do. I see—he’s looking out for me.

"Kazuya, you won't do. Your mana reserves are too low. The kind of help I’m talking about is the process of infusing orichalcum with magical power—lots of it, and strong. Your mana just isn’t enough. That’s all there is to it. Well, I get why you’d worry about Miki. Don’t worry, I won’t do anything rough. Though I will be strict."

So that's what the "help" meant—infusing orichalcum with mana. In that case, yes, I’m better suited than Kazuya.

"Orichalcum, when refined as it is, is hard but brittle and prone to cracking. But if you refine it while pouring in a large amount of mana, you get a purer form: hard, unbreakable, soft, and with excellent magical conductivity. To bring out those qualities, you have to keep infusing mana throughout the process—during refining, forging, right up to the end. In short, you need to stay with it the whole time, constantly feeding it mana. No ordinary mage could pull that off."

Hearing that I’d have to stay with it, I started to wonder just how much time this would take.

"Don’t worry—it’s not like you’ll be at it 24/7. You’ll still get time to sleep and eat. But from start to finish, let’s see… If it were me, I’d say it’ll take about five days."

Ugh, that’s pretty long… Or maybe it’s actually fast?

Still, not seeing Kazuya for five whole days will be tough, but there’s no helping it.

"You two don’t need to look so worried. Kazuya looks anxious too, so I’ll make an exception—you’re allowed to come watch."

Zack said that, looking at Kazuya and me with concern.

"Wait, really? Thanks, Zack!"

"But on one condition—you follow my instructions in the forge, no questions asked. That’s non-negotiable."

Kazuya and I exchanged glances and nodded. We’d agree to that.

"Got it. Zack, I’m counting on you. Make us the best weapon you can."

"And from me too. I’ll help. I’ll do anything. Please."

"Leave it to me. We’re working with orichalcum here—I will make you the best weapon. …Still, when I joked before about bringing me some orichalcum, I never thought you’d actually do it."

Yeah, I never imagined it either. And the fact that my mana would be needed… That makes me happy too.

And so, it was decided—we’d begin work the next morning.

Since the process would sometimes go into the night, I’d be staying at Zack’s place during the entire operation.

Zack laid down a strict rule: no flirting in the forge.

Well, it’s someone else’s house, after all... But knowing Kazuya, I’m not confident he’d restrain himself. Maybe this rule was necessary.

The next morning, I woke up at the inn.

As usual, we wrapped our arms around each other, holding one another in a gentle embrace.

Starting today, I’ll be working at Zack’s forge, infusing mana into the orichalcum, and staying at his place too.

Zack is a dwarf, so his sense of beauty is entirely different from ours. Apparently, he has no interest in humans—especially elves—as romantic partners, so from that perspective, it’s reassuring.

Kazuya said that if Zack weren’t a dwarf, there’s no way he’d let me stay there, or even ask him to make the weapon in the first place.

Still, Kazuya was worried, so I told him I’d put up a barrier before sleeping, just in case. Hearing that finally put his mind at ease.

And once he felt safe… Kazuya started nibbling on my ear.

"Eep!!"

He always catches me off guard—I never know when he’s going to do it.

Then, as if savoring it, he licked the tip of my ear, gently toying with the cartilage with his lips.

It doesn’t exactly feel good in the usual sense, but it’s not bad either—more like ticklish and tingly. Kind of nice, actually.

The feel of his tongue, the pressure of his lips—all of it turns into sweet sounds that echo in my ears.

The sensation is like having my eardrum directly vibrated—something I’ve never experienced before. It makes me feel overwhelmed, almost dizzy with sound.

His breathing mixes in with the licking sounds, brushing into my ear and sending shivers down my spine.

And then, as Kazuya gets more into it, he hugs me a little tighter than before—and even that pressure now feels comforting to me.

When Kazuya finally pulls away, both mouth and body, I’m always left feeling just a little unsatisfied.

But there’s no way I could ask for more.

Even now, I’m on the verge of giving in—but if I think clearly, I know we’re still not ready for that. Not yet.

The two of us headed to Zack’s forge.

“Oh, you’re here. Let’s get started right away,”

Zack said, practically thrusting work clothes into my hands, clearly excited. Well, of course he was—how often do you get to work with a legendary material like orichalcum?

Donning protective gear—a set of highly heat-resistant work clothes, fireproof gloves, and goggles like sunglasses—we returned to the workshop.

“Kazuya, I need to concentrate, so once we start, don’t talk to me.”

“I know, I know. Do your best, Miki!”

Zack had already taken out a large pile of ore—chunks of the Earth Dragon’s horn, broken down to a manageable size.

“When I give the signal, start infusing magic. Use the purest magic you can manage. It’s going to drain you a lot, so if you start feeling off, let me know early. Ready?”

“Yeah, I’m good.”

I came prepared for this. I brought magic recovery potions from the village, just in case.

“Alright, let’s go!”

—With Kazuya watching, the orichalcum refining process began.

The originally black ore was heated until it glowed red, and as I poured magic into it, it began to shine with a silvery light. We removed impurities, refined it into pure orichalcum, and continued to infuse it with magic.

We’d been at it for almost five hours.

Once I had infused all the ore with magic, we took a break for food. Just as Zack had warned, the process consumed a massive amount of magic. Anyone with less magic capacity than me would have been completely drained by now. My surplus magic power usually feels excessive, but now I was finally able to put it to good use—for Kazuya.

I was surprised when Kazuya brought lunch for us. I’d been so focused that I hadn’t even noticed him leave to go buy it.

Zack and I were drenched in sweat. After hydrating and wiping off, the three of us sat down to eat.

“Kazuya, thanks for the food, but shouldn’t you be training? Zack said this would take a few days—why not take on some high-level quest in the meantime?”

“Yeah, I was thinking the same. I’ll stop by the guild after this and see if anything good comes up.”

That casual conversation over a meal was a huge relief after all that intense work. It felt like peace settling over us.

Still, Kazuya needs to keep getting stronger. Wasting days just hanging around here would be a shame.

“Alright, let’s get to the next phase of the work.”

“Yeah! Leave it to me!”

Zack stood, and I followed.

“Kazuya, thanks again for the food. I swear I’ll make an amazing sword, so you work hard too, okay?”

I waved to him as I spoke.

“Yeah, I’ll be looking forward to it!”

Kazuya’s response came with a hint of loneliness.

Don’t make that face. I feel lonely too, but this is for you. I was told my power is needed to make the best weapon for you. Of course I won’t say no.

“Don’t look like that. I’m holding it in too, you know. And this is for your sake.”

“I know… Yeah, you’re right. I shouldn’t make you worry. I’ll keep smiling. Miki! I’m counting on you! I’ll get even stronger and come back to get you!”

“I’ll be waiting!”

At that, Kazuya gave me his usual smile and headed off to the guild.

As for me, I needed to switch gears and refocus. Slapping both cheeks, I got my spirit fired up.

“Zack! Sorry to keep you waiting!”

Zack gave me a silent nod, and the two of us returned to the forge.