Chapter 734

For ten minutes, I had to humor the swearing of a dwarf lady who couldn’t hold back her anger.

According to Asha’s expression, the Insect-Dragon had become “a mix of a worm, a cockroach, and a maggot,” and after joining her in cursing it, I finally brought up the reason I had come all this way.

“Winter Armor and the Reverse Scale? I already finished and sent those.”

“Huh?”

What do you mean you already sent them, Asha?

“They didn’t arrive.”

I tilted my head and asked again. Considering the time I spent delayed in Dane City and the borderlands, if she had indeed sent them as she said, I should have received them by now.

“That can’t be. It’s been three weeks already. There’s no way you didn’t get them…?”

Asha also tilted her head and asked again.

Judging by her puzzled expression, it seemed certain that she had indeed sent the items.

Then what the hell?

…Could it be?

Could it be that some greedy delivery knight ran off with them midway? Or maybe they were killed in an accident during delivery?

If that’s the case, it’s a big problem…

And it wasn’t just any big problem.

The Winter Armor was something that couldn’t be replaced unless I skinned Oleg, who by now would probably be king, and the Reverse Scale was a treasure that couldn’t be obtained again until the Fire Dragon appeared.

At least I still had one Reverse Scale left from killing Orhan, but if both were really stolen, it would be a huge loss.

“I definitely sent them. Really.”

Asha, who also knew the value of those items, continued in a somewhat flustered tone.

Maybe because if I demanded compensation for the items, it would practically be like signing a slave contract.

“Definitely, the knight who brought the order said to deliver them to your residence, so I sent them there as soon as they were finished.”

“My residence?”

“Yes. The Professor’s Residence provided by the Academy. You stay there when you have nowhere else to go, right?”

Ah… right. That is my residence.

…Though no one’s there now.

I finally realized.

The reason why the equipment Asha sent hadn’t reached me.

—

Before returning to the residence to check, I couldn’t be sure, but the reason they hadn’t arrived was probably…

“But… maybe the knight meant the Golden Mansion? The mansion Isabella gave me, provided by Leopold.”

While the Professor’s Residence is indeed where I stay, the Golden Mansion is much more well-known externally.

“Ah.”

Asha finally seemed to realize and looked at me blankly.

—

Whether my armor and sword were quietly stored in the Professor’s Residence was still unknown until I checked, but assuming they were there, Asha calmed down and began explaining the items.

While hammering away at black iron to craft a prosthetic arm for me to use for two weeks.

Perhaps because she thought I might have to face Nidhogg and the Fairy Guardian, she even broke the rule of not sharing the dwarves’ core technology with others, promising to create the best masterpiece and immediately got to work.

“The Winter Armor is the last one. We’ve run out of Ryurik’s hide.”

So it’s all gone.

I’ll have to ask Oleg for more later.

“I’ll skin another one later. So, what’s different from before?”

“It’s lighter and tougher. I gathered the leftover Reverse Scales from forging three swords and mixed them into the scales. The strength-to-weight ratio has dramatically increased, and its heat resistance has improved, so it should withstand high temperatures without issue.”

“That’s good. I was wondering why it melted in my own flames. But… even if the scales are intact, won’t it be the same if the hide burns away?”

Like when I fought Orhan in a pit of fire, if Ryurik’s hide burns away in high heat… I’d end up in just a metal cloak and skirt.

“Don’t worry about that. I wrapped the core hide part, which regenerates, in Reverse Scales and made it into button decorations fixed at the shoulders and waist. Even if the hide burns away, opening the Reverse Scale buttons will restore it immediately.”

Asha smiled reassuringly.

Opening buttons to restore armor? Sounds like a transformation. Pretty cool.

“And… you said you’ve been flying lately? So I shortened the scales on the skirt part. To about thigh height. If the scales covered down to the ankles, the weight would drag the hem down.”

Asha, who had put down her hammer for a moment, drew a rough sketch on paper to show me.

The overall design wasn’t much different from the previous armor… but as she said, the metal scales that used to reach the ankles were now much shorter, giving the appearance of wearing a long fur skirt over a short metal one.

“Looks good. It was a bit cumbersome when flying.”

I smiled and nodded.

“Glad you’re satisfied. That’s all for the armor improvements. The sword made from the Fire Dragon’s Reverse Scale is here, finished like this.”

Asha drew another sketch and showed it to me.

“A 60cm curved blade, easy to wield with one hand, with an integrated hilt wrapped in the Paladin’s hide. The blade is narrow but thickened at the back for strength. Since you said it was for disposable use, I left out any decorations. Pure functionality.”

“Looks simple. I like it.”

The smoothly curved blade and the hilt curved in the opposite direction formed a thin S-shape. The sleek, simple design was very appealing.

Though it wouldn’t withstand the force of the “Destruction Star” technique that took my left arm, it was disposable anyway.

Once I use up all three, I’ll have to ask her to remake the remaining Reverse Scale from Orhan.

“There was some kind of rune engraving… but since the sword broke and the engraving was destroyed, I couldn’t restore it. The material’s properties ensure strength and heat resistance, but that’s about it.”

“That’s enough.”

The rune engraving on the Reverse Scale was probably for the fire-absorbing and expelling function Orhan showed… but I didn’t need that. It’s just an inferior version of the runes I possess.

“Glad to hear it. Then sit somewhere comfortable and wait a bit. The prosthetic arm will take about thirty minutes.”

Asha nodded, put on her goggles, and headed back to the forge.

Just a few months ago, she had fully automated the bellows, but since all the equipment was destroyed, she had to do everything by hand. Tough luck.

Not wanting to disturb Asha, who was focused on crafting the prosthetic arm while checking the flame color and heat, I quietly walked over to the sofa in the corner of the workshop, leaned back, and lit a cigarette.

—

Thirty minutes passed.

“It’s done. Want to come try it on?”

Asha, her face smeared with soot, called me over, holding a black metal left arm. I put out my cigarette, stood up, and approached her to examine the finished prosthetic.

Made of black iron, it was quite heavy, with small pistons and gears intricately intertwined, covered by black iron plates, making it look almost like a human arm.

Well, it’s black, so not exactly like a human arm. To be precise, it looked similar to the arms of dark-skinned races like Hersh.

“Looks cleaner than I expected. I thought there’d be mechanical parts sticking out or something.”

“Can’t make it too complicated. It has to fit inside the gauntlet you wear.”

Ah, right. If there were cylinders or pistons sticking out of the forearm, I wouldn’t be able to wear the Ice Blade.

“But I included all the necessary functions. You can flex the elbow by transmitting the bicep’s expansion pressure to the drive system, and I added pressure sensors in the palm so your fingers automatically curl when you press on a hilt. Plus, with dual hydraulic and steam cylinders, the hotter it gets, the stronger it becomes.”

Asha started explaining in a way that no medieval person could understand. Me? Of course, I understood. I grew up in a world more civilized than anywhere here.

“So… if I flex my arm, it bends, I can hold a sword, and it gets stronger when it heats up?”

“Exactly! You catch on quick! I originally wanted to include a shell cartridge shotgun or a gunpowder-propelled pile bunker, but the gauntlet made that impossible.”

I see. That’s a shame. A prosthetic arm with a shotgun or pile bunker? Sounds incredibly cool.

Though my punches are stronger anyway.

“Don’t understand a word, but… thanks. I’ll use it well.”

I thanked Asha and attached the black iron prosthetic to my empty arm.

The attachment was simple. Insert the remaining arm into the cylindrical hole at the end of the prosthetic, and tighten the series of fasteners running from the shoulder to near the elbow.

“Fits perfectly. So… does it move like this?”

After firmly securing the prosthetic, I tested the functions Asha had explained. Flexing the elbow by applying force, pressing the palm to grip a hilt. Things like that.

“This is pretty good.”

It was a bit heavy, but more usable than I expected. If I made another one and buried it with Orhan’s corpse, I might even win this year’s Filial Piety Award.

Since it wasn’t a nerve-connected prosthetic, I couldn’t freely move the wrist or fingers…

But the joints themselves were perfectly implemented, so if needed, I could force them to move using the Life Force Technique.

With a satisfied smile, I placed a pile of gold coins in Asha’s hand.