Chapter Ninety-Four: Unforeseen Encounters of the Past

    “Ahh, Lord Springfield,” said Enap, looking over his shoulder as we entered his cavern workshop. The furnace was already roaring alive. “It’s a shame we missed each other yesterday, but as I understand it, you gave the children a day they would forever remember.” He had the upper body of a man with the lower body of a spider, and Enap was toned and muscular. He was a master of focusing on the intricate details with those impeccable eyes.

    “It is the least I can do. But thank you for granting my selfish request. It means a lot to me.”

    “And you are most welcome, High Blessing. Any crafter would consider it an honor for a Vredi to use their tools.” He spread his arms and showed me his impressive collection. Anything I needed was within reach. “Additionally...” He skittered over to a table on the room’s other side and returned with a wrapped box. I opened it to find...

    “Mythril and silver? But Enap, you didn’t have to do that.”

    “I’m aware, Lord Springfield, but is this not the least I can do since you’re transplanting the Eagle Yew? Please accept it. And should you have any other favor, please do not hesitate to ask!”

    “Well...” Niva came to my kind. “Remember the prosthetics you made for me?”

    “I do. How’s the client? Is she taking to them well?”

    “She is. But since we’re here, and if it isn’t too much trouble... She’s taken excellent care of them, but a maintenance check would ease my worries.”

    “I’d be delighted to, Lord Springfield.” Enap skittered around on his eight legs to gather his tools, then wished me well.

    “Okay... Now... Time to get started...” I approached the roaring furnace, covered my arms in a colorless slime, and reached into it...

    And it didn’t hurt. The slime barrier was unnecessary, but it was a precaution. Anyway, it didn’t even feel slightly lukewarm.

    I retrieved the ruby I’d acquired so long ago and cut it into the perfect shape. A block of mythril was fashioned into the chain for the jewel. The interlocking links around the base looked exotic, and Tris happily clapped. She kept any constructive criticisms to herself, but her encouragement gave me extra motivation.

    This took about four hours. I went slow and steady, ensuring I had thought about any given step a dozen times before moving on.

    Primrose came to visit during one of their breaks. She sat against the wall, hugging her knees while watching me with hopeful eyes. She said Enap was impressed by how much care Niva had given her prosthetics. He only found the tiniest dent on the side of the pinky toe and fixed it.

    Aello showed up with a basket-covered lunch prepared by the children, and we hungrily enjoyed its simple flavor and deliciousness.

    With the break over, I finished the ruby necklace, encased it in a thin, transparent layer of crystal webbing, and stashed it away because it was time for the silver locket for Irisa. The material was soft, making it easy to bend, scratch, and dent if I wasn’t careful. Luckily, Enap had various quenching oils for me to rest the locket and chain while I chiseled an extra gift out of a slab of marble I’d gotten as a bonus from my working in Plymoise.

    Delicate eyes and a steady touch guided me and my chiseling hammer. I even forgot to breathe for an hour while carefully etching a small figurine of my extended family.

    Everyone was there. Even the lions. The locket had to be 23% bigger, but it wasn’t an issue.

    Click!

    The clasp made a satisfying noise when I closed it with the figurine inside.

    “They’re very well made, my lord!” Tris happily clapped and gave me a smile of approval.

    She gazed at it for a few seconds and securely stored it in our storage. “But what about Lady Sekh’s disguise? Shall we tackle that?”

    “Do you have an idea?”

    “Indeed, my lord.” Tris sent me the plans via augmented reality, recreating what she had in mind with waypoints. “It must be full body armor. I lament that her beauty must be hidden, but...”

    “I know you do. I feel the same.” I fluffed her ears and scratched her under the chin, enjoying her sweet purrs. “We can’t take any risks with Sera. Grey-skinned Lionfolk with silver eyes aren’t the most common. Anything could risk setting her off. But this what you have in mind, huh?” I looked at the displayed armor. It was solid black.

    “I am no designer, but I tried incorporating lion-like aspects in the helmet and pauldrons. I especially like the fang-like design on the knuckles. And the color... I call it scorched iron, my lord. I’ve investigated Enap’s notes and discovered iron can be stained with ash to resemble scorch marks without losing potency. It’s purely cosmetic, but I think it will suit her.

    “I do, too. It imparts a sense of ferocity and strength that''ll befit Sekh. Send the instructions, Tris. Let’s get started.”

    “As you wish, my lord.”

    I looked them over, then gathered our excess iron. We had plenty of that, but mythril? That was in short supply.

    We’ll probably have to head to a mine one of these days and get some. Or maybe there’s an alloy we make. I can look into that later.

    Crafting the armor was as simple as using slime to make a mold of Sekh’s proportion. I poured in the iron, then used a combination of [Furia Glacies] and quenching oils, following Tris’s precise instructions, to cool, harden, and reinforce the armor in minutes, not hours.

    That was her power. She could make the most complicated task understood by children, and her advanced processing capabilities could discover shortcuts like these. So, the necklace and locket could’ve been crafted in ten minutes? Maybe fifteen if I’d allowed her to help.

    “And now comes the scorching process, my lord.”

    “Can you handle it?” I asked, creating a flame clone. “This was your idea. I know Sekh would appreciate your finishing touch.”

    “I’d be delighted! Hehe! I cannot wait to see her!” Tris giggled, mentally directing the flame geyser that emerged from the clone. “Will she be surprised, my lord?”

    “You know she will. I...can’t wait until we’re together. It’s been so long, but that day is almost here. It’s so close.”

    “It is, my lord. I often find myself dreaming about our forthcoming reunion. It...makes my stomach feel like it has butterflies.”

    “That’s a good feeling to have.”

    “Tilde has said as much.”

    We continued to talk as the process finished, which took about five minutes with four clones using [Ira Ignis] and [Furia Glacies] in tandem. A fifth spread the ash as chalk, giving the armor a beautiful, stained finish. And then... It was done. I had a clone take Sekh’s form and put it on, and... It really looked astoundingly sharp.

    “There are flaws,” said Tris. “I doubt the iron can withstand her flames. I’m afraid wrapping it in your crystal webbing won’t solve that issue.”

    “That’s fine. This is just the first version. We’ll learn from any mistakes and go from there.” I rubbed Tris’s head. “Besides, the armor’s not meant for fighting. It’s for disguise—first and foremost. But it needs a name. Tris? Care to do the honors?”

    “Me? Umm... I wasn’t expecting this. How...” Tris closed her eyes and focused, opening them a moment later. “How about... Lionheart?”

    “Lionheart is perfect. I know Sekh’ll love it. Come on, let’s return to the mansion.”

    We left Enap''s workshop after cleaning and tidying the place and ran into him on the way back. “Thank you again,” I told him, showing the friendly spider-guy my gifts. The armor remained hidden. I wanted Sekh to be the very first to see it.

    “Ohoho! May I take a closer look?” I nodded. “Hmm... A High Blessing’s eye can see the imperceivable. Congratulations, Lord Springfield. I am certain these recipients will cherish them for many years.”

    “Praise means much when it comes from someone as skilled as you. I know you must’ve honed your craft for decades.”

    “Indeed, I have. Ah, there is something relaxing about it, isn’t it?”

    “You’re not wrong,” I replied. “Hmm? I see your notebook. Do you have a new client?”

    “Ah, that? Well, Niva can’t continue with a stump cap, can she? She’d need a prosthetic arm sooner or later.”

    “Enap, you... Will you really do that for us? Mythril’s expensive... Tris, how much—”

    “Please, High Blessing, I couldn’t sleep at night knowing I asked our village’s savior to pay. To be honest? I regret charging you during your last visit. I’ve been praying for your return since I wanted to make up for it.”

    “It seems your kindness surprises me every time we meet.”

    “And your words make my heart swell, High Blessing. Now, I hope the rest of the day serves you well. Please, excuse me.” Enap sped off his spider legs and returned to his workshop.

    “He’s always so pleasant.”

    “I concur, my lord. I like Enap a lot,” Tris replied, grabbing my hand as we returned to the mansion.

    Aello was waiting on the porch with news concerning Sathtshas. Aetos would have the monster ready to go in two to three days. I was afraid it would put us behind schedule because the spirit soil didn’t have long left before it expired, but that was easily solved by handing it to the harpy. She quickly flew to the graveyard and delivered the glass box to Aetos, where she said it wouldn’t lose its potency.

    I probably should’ve done that yesterday.

    It really felt like things were going my way—barring that extremely minor hiccup. And Sekh was that much closer...

    It was really within reach...

    So many days... So many long hours and months... It felt like I had spent more time without Sekh than by her side, so I wanted to correct that.

    We would never be separated again. I’d refuse to allow it.

    "That is but one aspect, yes. My Great Lady envisioned a world where wars for fertile land were unnecessary. As the population grows, so does the need for food. Hungry bellies breed belligerence and violence. Revolution often follows, perpetuating the cycle of chaos with promises that may never be fulfilled."

    “But that’s naive thinking,” I replied. “People are greedy. They’ll always want more. Satiate one desire and another grows. Fulfill that, and they’ll latch onto something else.”

    "You are not wrong, chimera. But my Great Lady''s vision went beyond that. Her idealized genesis seed was designed to survive in any climate—whether hot, cold, or otherwise inhospitable to plant life. The seed was meant to adapt, thrive, and provide food for all, serving as the first step toward making the world a better place. Only a fool attempts the immeasurable and expects to succeed at their first attempt.”

    “Do...you think I can finish it?”

    “You wish to complete her legacy?”

    “I don’t know if it’s that. But this meant much to her. But I won’t be doing it alone.” I grabbed Tris’s hand. “I have her help. So, even if I can’t do it... It doesn’t mean she can’t.”

    “Hmm... I do not mean this to be rude, Fragment of Wisdom, but you are an existence that cannot be defined. I’ve lived a long time. I’ve seen much and experienced far more than you might think, but you’re the first of your type. A mortal that’s not mortal. A being that can die, but death won’t allow them to remain dead if your lord is alive. Like your title suggests, you appear to be wisdom given physical form.”

    “Your words aren’t rude, Aetos,” replied Tris. “You are correct. I am [Tris, Fragment of Wisdom], and fragment implies that I’m only partially complete. Further evolution is possible, and I will obtain it, and my intelligence will only magnify. My lord?”

    “Yes?”

    “I wish to complete Susize’s work.” Tris was adamant. She had this fiery gaze in her eyes. “But I’m not capable of doing that as I am now. I fear that even my next evolution won’t be enough. [Conferment] may bridge the gap, but rewriting the laws of this world to install a rule allowing the genesis seed to be nurtured by only mana and nothing else... The cost will be astronomical.”

    “There’s no rush, is there?” Aetos shook his head. “Don’t worry, Aetos. If completion is possible, then Tris will do it.”

    “Your faith in her is ironclad.”

    “As it should. Tris has never steered me wrong. I trust her more than myself.”

    “Then... Allow me to place my faith in you, o’ Fragment of Wisdom.”

    “You will not regret it, Aetos. I promise you that,” I replied. Tris’s ears wiggled, and she wagged her tail happily.

    “Now, chimera. Anything else you wish to ask?”

    “Sounds like you want to keep talking forever.”

    “Speaking with you is like conversing with my Great Lady and her spouses. Fond memories are forever coursing through my mind.”

    “Well, you’re not the only one. This...is enjoyable for me, too,” I said. “And I guess there is something else. It’s about a chimera''s inability to effectively use potions.”

    “You ask about one of life’s greatest mysteries. Does that maid of yours not know? I understand she’s lived longer than most countries have been around.”

    “Tilde doesn’t. And I assume you don’t.”

    “I do not. But I’ve heard whisperings. Some say chimerism is unnatural and not meant to be. It cannot stand in accordance with the rules of this world."

    “But it does?” I asked, partially confused. “Chimeras can use magic like everyone else. We’re on the system. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have a Status Menu.”

    “That is why I do not believe that theorem. I think the problem lies in the process behind assimilation. When a chimera drinks a potion, a part of it is devoured, not used.”

    “That makes sense. A weak potion won’t do much. So if it loses half of its effectiveness, it won’t have any effect. But an elixir? Even if 70% of it is wasted, the remaining 30% is still noticeable. Tris?”

    “The theory is sound, but I cannot verify it. Murag’s tomes concerning chimerism aren''t extensive.”

    “As it should be. Chimerism is looked down upon by the world, chimera. Unlicensed research will cause Bellerophon’s axe to sever your head.”

    “But you’re fine with working with one?”

    “I am when your [Status Cloak] clads your chimerism from being detected.”

    “But if I didn’t?”

    “Ending the curse keeping the Dark Lord of Tyranny bound to this world takes precedence over fearing that little armed group.”

    “Sounds like you hate them,” I replied.

    “For the obvious, chimera. For the obvious. They saw fit to sacrifice a High Elf to kill a chimera. There is nothing they wouldn’t do to see the death of one—no limit to their dark depravity and sinister schemes to rid the world of those like you.”

    “And you don’t know what chimera did to make them so angry?”

    Aetos shook his head and slowly stretched his wings. “It is a mystery. Perhaps you’ll shed light on it.”

    “Maybe. I hate those bastards... They seriously sicken me so much.” I sighed. “But we’ve been here a while. I think it’s about time to leave, but I’ll return, Aetos. I’m...really enjoying these talks. More than you’d think. But before that...” I retrieved Susize’s flute and played one last song. The portal opened, but Aetos flew to Primrose and held a wing to her head.

    “Father? What’s wrong?”

    “I wish to instruct you and your summoner. Would you permit me that, my daughter?” Fighting with a spirit differed from engaging in combat with a non-spirit. There was far more you could do, but the risks were higher since both essentially shared a mana pool.

    But a proper spirit and their summoner could become more than their sum if they worked harmoniously.

    Niva looked at Prim and smiled her approval. “Ah—Yes! Thank you, Father.”

    “You’re welcome, my sweet child. Can you return tonight? I shall rest and recover my strength.”

    We departed after Aetos rubbed their heads. Before returning to the mansion, I kneeled by the dryad’s grave.

    "You loved this place. I’ll protect it for you. And I hope you’re smiling at me... I hope I’m making you proud.”

    Tris, Niva, Prim, and Surtr supported me. I looked at Susize’s flute and played Vredi''s Lullaby.

    Tears streamed from my eyes.

    But I kept playing. Verdant mana resurged around the bloomed flower, casting it in an emerald glow.

    I felt like I could stand here all day, and I probably would’ve done that...if I hadn’t heard six voices that forced a memory to the forefront of my mind. Slowly, I took my lips off the flute and turned to my left...

    Tris, lock my Wrath at 0! Do not let me turn it up!

    “Ami, do you feel the sadness? I can’t stop crying.” The speaker was a blue-haired girl dressed like an idol. She covered her mouth, but those reddened eyes showed her emotion. “That song was so beautiful.”

    “Elly, if you cry, I’m going to cry too...” A dark-skinned girl wearing fingerless gloves with spikes handed a handkerchief to her cousin. She was dressed like a street fighter.

    “Mary, how are you feeling? Are you okay?” asked a man with a southern drawl. His armor didn’t hide his larger-than-average gut, but it had gotten smaller the last we met. The fat around his neck and face had thinned considerably.

    “Here, you’re sweating. Take this. It’ll cool you down,” said an average man wearing a tunic. He reached into a bag on his hip and pulled out a chunk of blue rock. It suddenly became malleable like clay as he folded it into a rag. He gave it to the one named Mary.

    “I’m okay, Greggie. It’s been a while since I’ve heard someone play with so much passion. And thank you, Keeth.” said a woman with black hair who dressed like someone from my world.

    The only one who hadn''t spoken was a red-haired woman with glasses, whose eyes lingered a little too hard on my numerous guns and massive lion. “I’m sorry for your loss. You must’ve been close with the dryad,” said the one I hated the most. She wore a red mage’s robe.

    That crystal-winged fairy descended from above with Tilde.

    “Master? Umm... I... Yeah...” Tilde’s expression said it all. She didn’t expect that pink-eyed fairy to be with the ones I wanted to kill.

    “Excuse me for this, but would you happen to be the High Elf of Liberation?” asked the red-haired bitch.

    My mind kicked into overdrive as it linked with Tris’s processing power. One second felt like 1,000 minutes.

    After three seconds of silence...the perfect plan came to my head. It was the best idea—a flawless blend of revenge that these traitors deserved. I shared it with my Fragment of Wisdom.

    It''s certainly a suitable punishment... I shall become a devil if it''s for you, my lord. But are you okay with your role?

    No. I''m not. But they need to feel what I felt. They need to experience the despair that consumes them when I abandon the fools in their time of need.

    I agree with you, my lord, but... New information has come to light... I must share it with you.