With the new factories re-adjusted after his new levels had come, Ben prepared for the day, doing his basic set up with Mora since Thera was going to be off doing some adventurer’s work as Delair arrived, humming lightly in a way that brought Ben’s mood crashing down.

“Um, Delair? Kiddo? What exactly are you humming there?”

“Huh? Oh, it’s something I heard someone singing on the way. It’s pretty catchy, right?”

“I guess that’s one word for it,” Ben told her neutrally, all the while cursing himself for not thinking to ask Greed to hold off on performing while he was in town. It may not have been the grand stages the crab had grown used to ever since his fame had hit a whole new level but it seemed that such a thing hadn’t put him above busking in the streets when he had a free minute, leaving Ben to dread just how much it was going to end up spreading in town while he prayed that his friend wouldn’t give so much of it away for anyone to put two and two together when it came to just who it was about.

If he hasn’t already been spreading that very fact, he thought with a sigh. Ugh, oh well, if he has then it’s too late now, and compared to everyone thinking I destroyed the town or that I’m a god, I guess comparatively it’s not even that bad.

For the record, you are a god.

Sure, but not for the reason they think. Okay, taking my mind off of it.

He needed a distraction until Greed showed up so along with teaching the two with him as he always would, hearing as Delair got levels to material user and destruction under the effects of his authorities, he also chose to pass the time by making a few simple factories, just to explore the enchantment in a deeper way.

The simpler the enchantment, the smaller the factory needed to be and when he’d already reduced the scale down far below what anyone had expected of him, he focused on making small ones that could sit on the table, starting with producing amulet factories, applying his resistances and resistance enhancement to produce a tool that would let his unusually high values continue to benefit the world from thereafter, both through individual amulets as well as one that incorporated them all, making a nice, simple project to start the day.

Calling that a simple project when anyone else would need to be a third-tier enchanter is almost an insult to everyone in your profession.

It’s a way to pass the time. Let’s see, next why don’t we make a factory for a tool that can reverse petrification. Even if that doesn’t come up often, it would be good to have, right?

Ugh, considering what you and Thera found in that gallery once, I can’t deny it. Make them cheap enough, and we might have to test them on any particularly well-made statue.

Depressing thought, if any more petrified people were slipped into galleries then I really don’t know how I’d react.

That and other factories helped him kill the next couple hours at least though, making for a decent way to pass the time until the inevitable knock came to his door.

“Greed, Jeeves, come on in,” Ben greeted them, his student popping up the second she saw them.

“That’s who was singing today!”

“Yep. Delair and Mora, this is my friend Greed and his bodyguard Jeeves. Greed and Jeeves, this is my student Delair and my kid, Mora.”

He paid special attention to how the boy reacted to being called that, something Ben had said plenty up to that point but not in front of his face but without any other way to introduce him feeling right, he went with his heart, being rewarded with the sight of the boy brightening instantly under the statement even if he blushed too, while Greed nodded their way.

“Kid huh? I’d think you adopted if he didn’t look like you. You’re kind mature super fast or something?”

“No, we adopted. Don’t worry about the finer details too much.”

“Uh, I see,” the crab nodded, staring for just a bit longer at the two kids before focusing back on Ben. “In that case, work. Wanna grab a seat? We can go over potential designs?”

“Yeah, of course, come on over here.”

Leading them to a desk off to the side, Ben took a seat and offered one to Jeeves as well, the guard preferring to stand while he set Greed down on it for their discussion to begin.

“Alright, first things first, are there any other cultural bits about this I need to be aware of?” Ben began. “Colours or designs that need to be used or avoided, the style of hairpiece, that sort of thing?”

“No, nothing like that. From what I hear, it’s just the traditional gift.”

“Okay, in that case, as the one giving it, do you have any colours in mind? Give me any number of them, I’ll figure out a way to make it work.”

“Ah, I know she likes red,” Greed started, leaving Ben to wonder if the colour preference had anything to do with the relationship's inception. “And I’ve always liked silver on her, you think you can make something like that work?”

“Only two colours? Easy. In that case, you want any enchanted effects on it? So long as there’s nothing taboo about that either.”

“Never heard of it, and the people I asked for details from would have known to bring it up, we should be good. What kind of effects are you thinking?”

“I can squeeze in a bunch if you want. You’ve heard about the mana and buff bracelets?”

“Yeah? What about them?”

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“I invented them. You want those effects in there? I’ll warn you, since she got her soul modified, using the buffing effect will be uncomfortable for a bit, but she’ll be able to get used to it with time as her soul adapts to the buff’s presence. Maybe tell her to have it active for a week, just so the effects can subside.”

“Uh, back up a bit, Legs. How did you know she had her soul modified?”

“Oh, yeah, so don’t spread this around, but I’m the guy who did all of the modifications. I spotted her soul and yours when you guys were in the crowd.”

“What? And you didn’t stop to say anything?”

“Ha, you must have seen what it was like for me, man, I didn’t sleep for ten straight days with how much work I had to do. Well, technically I’m still not sleeping, but that’s not the point. It was way too busy.”

“Ugh, fair. There were a couple times I was feeling lucky I wasn't crushed. Then yeah, I’ll take both options. She’s not marked as a priority for getting them, so I’d feel a lot safer if she did… sorry, you think I could get a couple more, too?”

“Sure, you didn’t get one yet?”

“Nah, I did. Participating in the war and even if I’m a musician, first and foremost, I’m also a blessing mage. I help out at different hospitals from time to time to keep my skills sharp. There’s just one other person I want getting one, maybe a few more too.”

“Alright, you got it,” Ben agreed, seeing his friend didn’t seem to want to say who for and letting him have that privacy when Greed had already requested as much. “In that case, I can add all of the basic resistances you’d want to it too to make it like an amulet for her, you never know when that could come in handy, but I’ll leave off life and light for obvious safety reasons. In that case, what are you thinking about for the shape?”

“Do I look like I’ve got any hair hidden somewhere? I don’t know the first thing about these sorts of things. What are the options I’m working with?”

“Okay, fair, give me a second.”

Spending his mana, he materialized a few different styles and options, surprising Greed but not getting a comment on it as the crab instead focused on looking them over, making his choice in the end.

“That one,” he said, pointing to the french pin, a hairpiece shaped like a long, narrow U. “I think she’s used ones like that on a couple special occasions.”

“Okay, cool. In that case, I’ll get started.”

“Ah, before that, Jeeves, do me a favour and take a walk, would ya?”

Giving a nod, his bodyguard stepped outside, giving the two of them as much privacy as they could get with a couple children working in the other end of the room before Greed went on.

“So, uh, Legs, you mind if I ask you something before you start on that?”

“Go for it.”

“Okay, thanks. So you, uh, you took in a kid.”

“It’s a bit of a long story, but yeah, me and Thera did. It was her decision, but I love her, and I love him, so I’m in it for the long-haul.”

“No, that’s good. That’s real good for you but, well, do you think you’re being a good parent?”

“Oh god, Greed, are you getting married because Gennet’s pregnant?”

“No, of course not… well, I guess I of all people can’t be saying of course not to that, but that’s not what’s happening. I love her, we’re solid, it’s just… a lot of things have happened since I’ve seen you last, Legs.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. One of my kids showed up on my doorstep. Technically, I think she’s around your age, but you know how development is across mixbreeds and hybrids, she’s still young. Young and orphaned. Her mother kicked the bucket, and she came to me asking about just getting a bit of money till she got on her feet and as messed up as it is, that was properly one of the friendliest interactions I’ve had with any of my brats who found me and it got me thinking is all. I was a mess in my youth. What the hell was I thinking, going for risky sex with dangerous women, no wonder so many of them want me dead and the kids just as much so and… well, I convinced her to stay with us, me and Gennet, and Gennet is killing it. They’re basically best friends at this point, but here I am, struggling to figure out how to be a father.”

“Wow, that’s what you were trying to keep secret? I wasn’t expecting it.”

“Ha, part of it at least, still trying to figure out how to bring up the rest but beyond that… It’s not just Saph, my daughter, that is. I’ve got a bunch of kids I’ve never even met and more I have met who hate me and then probably plenty I don’t even know about and here I am, a grown adult and I’m sure it’s too late for a lot of them but I wanna be better, you know? So I’ve been reaching out here and there, talking a bit, guarded of course. I’ve already dealt with three assassination attempts but I can’t exactly blame them so I’ve been letting them slide which is probably a dumb idea but… I don’t know, I’ve been trying my best to give the ones that want to meet me or scream and swear at me the chance to do it and been giving everyone else who doesn’t want anything to do with me their space but… I don’t know, I’m feeling bad at it. Any advice?”

“Sorry man, this is all new to me too. It sounds like you’re doing the right thing though, giving the ones that want it the opportunity and leaving the ones who don’t. Not to be harsh, but at this point, you’re not going to be a father to most of them when the majority are going to be adults themselves, but it’s not too late to try to have some sort of relationship with them. Just do your best, the ones that want you will open up, and as for the ones who don’t, well, that’s their choice.”

“Ah, yeah, I guess that’s all it comes down to. Thanks Legs.”

“No worries. In that case, I’ll get started on the hairpiece.”

“Yeah, ‘course. You think this will be something you can finish by tomorrow?”

“Hmm? Greed, you’re underestimating me. No offense, I’m going to give you the best work I can and if you’re not happy with it then I’ll make them till we find one that you are, but it’s just a hairpiece,” Ben told him as his reached out and, with a small, dramatic flourish, materialized the exact design he had in mind, looking like he’d plucked it from thin air.

Not needing to be overly complex to be beautiful, Ben created a hair pin of mythril and ruby, the two separate materials spiralling around each other with a thin layer of of rainbow mana crystal sandwiched between them, both to hold the souls that would power the requested effects as well as add a bit more flair to catch the light, the sparkling hues it added to the overall design adding just a little something to the other materials that made it stand out all the more, finished with a clear protective coating, needing only Greed’s seal of approval to call it complete.

“Oh, what the hell, Legs,” the crab said as he stared at it. “It’s freaking beautiful. You finished it just like that? The hell did I send off my guard for? I figured we’d be sorting this out for hours at least.”

“Ha, I guess it hasn’t had a chance to come up since our time in the tower, but I’ve gotten exceptionally good at materializing. This much should be nothing.”

“Well goddamn, not that I don’t respect it, but ‘take a walk’ is typically code for Jeeves to give me a couple hours. The hell you wanna do while we wait, then?”

“Well, considering that you asked for a few more of these before oh-so-subtly mentioning that you took in your daughter, it doesn’t take a mind reader to guess that one’s for her so tell me her rough body shape and what she might like and I’ll get to work making one for her too. Other than that, it’s been a while and life’s been one disaster after another. We’re both busy people, since we’ve got the time we need to catch up, barring whatever secrets you’re still keeping, of course,” he said with a grin, Greed replying in kind.

“Awe hell, why not? It’s part of why I wanted to come down directly to see you anyway, so let's hear it. You tell me how parenthood and whatever else a craftsman can get up to had been going while I regale you with some properly exciting tales of making sure none of my brats succeed in killing me.”

“Ha, sure, but be warned, I think this particular craftsman might surprise you.”