Although we had been caught off guard by an unexpected ambush, we managed to complete our mission safely.

"But is the blade alone enough?"

...Well, it was about half completed.

"There’s a slight problem with that..."

With the information I obtained from the priest Probane, we managed to find the Tears of the Goddess and forge the magic sword’s blade, which was good. However, the problem was that what we had completed was merely the blade.

A sword is not something that can be used with just a blade.

Even if it doesn't have a scabbard, it at least needs a handle to be considered a true sword.

A handle’s purpose is simply to make it possible to hold the blade with one’s hand.

At first, I thought that once we resolved the matter with the Tears of the Goddess, everything else would go smoothly.

"But strangely, every time I try to attach a handle, it breaks apart."

The special magic blade, quenched with the Tears of the Goddess, kept rejecting every handle that I attempted to attach, almost like a child refusing its vegetables. If I forced it, the handle would shatter as if the sword itself was throwing a tantrum.

'If I just hand it over to Reinesis in this unfinished state...'

The blade itself was crafted properly, so it should function as a sword. Even without a handle, it’s still technically possible to wield it.

However—

'If the fact that it’s incomplete causes the magic sword’s powers to not manifest properly...'

If that were to happen, Reinesis might boldly draw the blade in an attempt to kill her brother, only to fail and expose the whole plan. In that case, the assassination of Arleus would end in failure, and Reinesis herself might get killed, allowing Arleus to become the Demon King.

"Regarding that, I don’t think we can help much. Ken, you're the one who's far more capable when it comes to crafting," Mary pointed out.

And she was right—the one who could resolve the issue with the handle was none other than me. Thus, I was at an unexpected standstill.

"…Hmm."

Once again, I sat at the inn room’s table, arms crossed, deep in thought.

We had completed the forging of the magic sword in the underground of the temple and had returned to the holy city of Venarium. For now, we decided to stay here until we solved the issue with the handle.

"Why don’t you think on a full stomach first? I heard the egg sandwiches at this inn are really delicious!"

"You sure seem relaxed for someone who's a prisoner."

"Even demons need to eat to live."

Zeri, who had tried to steal the magic sword and ambush us but failed due to Raphne, was now our captive. She was tightly bound by special chains infused with an anti-magic stone, leaving her unable to use magic, but she was surprisingly nonchalant about it.

She looked at us with sparkling eyes, drooling a little.

Or maybe it was just the sandwich she was eyeing so much.

My current plan was to take her to Reinesis. Killing her seemed too harsh, and letting her go risked her trying to steal the magic sword again. Giving her to Reinesis seemed like the best option—she’d handle it.

'Wait a minute...'

Zeri, writhing in her bindings and shouting about wanting a sandwich.

Watching her, a thought suddenly struck me.

"Hey, Zeri."

"Huh? I think a sandwich pairs well with some coffee and a side salad, don’t you?"

"I'm not asking about breakfast combinations."

How serious could she be about that sandwich?

"You were trying to steal the magic sword even though it was just the blade, weren't you? Why is that?"

"...Huh? I, I mean, the blade?"

At my question, she visibly tensed, her shoulders stiffening as she awkwardly looked away.

As I suspected.

"You said Arleus was planning to use it to deal with Reinesis, didn’t you?"

"Uh, d-did I say that~?"

"So, this incomplete blade—can it actually be used as a magic sword?"

"……."

Zeri stayed silent in response to my question. Yet, given her inability to lie smoothly, her expression betrayed her, showing she was desperately thinking of a way to get out of this situation.

"Or perhaps, do you know how to forge the handle?"

Either answer would give us the solution to this problem.

If she planned to hand the incomplete blade over to Arleus, it meant that it could serve its purpose as a magic sword even without a handle. In that case, we could also just give it to Reinesis as is.

But if there was a way to forge a handle—

"...Ugh…"

Zeri, who had been listening to our conversation, groaned and resolutely turned her head away, refusing to answer. Giving an answer would mean completing the magic sword, which could be used to kill her master. It was something she absolutely had to avoid.

'If I'd known, I would’ve brought Alicia along.'

Alicia, who excelled in these kinds of information battles. With her ‘Mystic Eye,’ she could make anyone, even Zeri, spill what they knew without hesitation.

"Well… there's no helping it."

"…Wh-what are you doing?"

With a sigh, I stood up, and Zeri looked up at me fearfully, her expression growing dark. She must've figured out my intent.

There are many ways to get information out of someone without relying on a Mystic Eye.

Judging by her reaction, she must have guessed what I was planning.

Her face grew tense, and I regarded her coldly before gesturing for everyone to head down to the dining area of the inn.

"Krrr! P-please—! Just one bite, please!!"

"Wow, the egg is so fluffy!"

"The secret must be in the sauce. It’s a flavor I’ve never had before."

"I kind of want to ask for the recipe, but I doubt they’d give it to us."

"Haaaang! I've never even gotten to taste it! Please, just one bite!"

We began enjoying our egg sandwiches right in front of Zeri, who had been craving them desperately for a while now. Bound by her chains, she had no choice but to watch us, begging and wailing.

"You can have one. Actually, I could buy you all the sandwiches they have at this inn."

"I-I don’t need that many! Just one… No, even a bite would be enough!"

Just for a sandwich, she was using formal speech.

How much did she really want this egg sandwich?

That sincerity worked in our favor.

I took a big bite, making sure she could see me savoring it, and glared coldly at her.

Gulp.

Zeri swallowed as she watched me, her throat moving audibly.

I've always prided myself on knowing how to enjoy good food. If it’s about eating deliciously, no one in this city could beat me.

It was working—Zeri stared at the sandwich with a look of pure struggle, conflicted. Would she betray her master for something as simple as a sandwich? It seemed doubtful, but maybe her loyalty wasn't as deep as I thought.

Watching Zeri in distress, Emily, who had been eating her own sandwich, looked at me sympathetically.

"Ken, she looks so desperate… couldn't you give her just one bite?"

Zeri looked at Emily like she was some kind of goddess, her eyes wide and hopeful.

"I would, but there are conditions. She gets the sandwich only if she talks about the handle," I replied firmly.

"Geez, Ken, you really don't back down once you make up your mind."

"A-ah…"

With my unyielding response, Emily backed down, and Zeri's face fell back into despair. Emily, catching Zeri's expression, leaned in closer to her, whispering softly.

"Zeri, why don’t you just tell us?"

"W-what?"

"It's just about the handle for the sword. I don't think your master would end up in any real danger over just that. It should be fine to tell us."

As per my request before we went downstairs, Emily began coaxing Zeri gently.

Good cop, bad cop.

When someone faces hostility, they become defensive. Extracting accurate information from someone in such a state is difficult.

However, when a person who seems sympathetic appears in a hostile situation and tries to help, the person being interrogated becomes inclined to share. This method leverages the reluctance some have to refuse someone who's being kind to them.

It’s a classic tactic for getting information.

Now the question was, would it work on a demon?

"Well, actually…"

It seemed demons weren't all that different from humans.

"Materials imbued with demonic energy?"

"Y-yeah. Since it's a magic sword imbued with the goddess's energy, ordinary materials won't hold. You need something to counterbalance it."

That part wasn’t in the crafting manual. How did she even know this?

Perhaps there was a skilled craftsman on their side too.

'Materials imbued with demonic energy, huh…'

A new problem arose.

She suddenly wanted us to acquire materials imbued with demonic energy. The thought of running around looking for more materials again was already exhausting.

Watching Zeri savor her sandwich with a beaming smile, I couldn't help but think—

'...Wait a minute? Materials imbued with demonic energy? Where have I heard that before?'

A sense of déjà vu washed over me, and I tried to recall what it was about the materials that felt so familiar.

Then it clicked.

I remembered where I had heard about materials imbued with demonic energy before.

After breakfast, I gathered the three of them back in the inn room. Sitting around the table, I prepared to explain what I remembered about the handle material.

Seeing my serious expression, the three of them looked at me with curious faces as they cautiously took their seats.

“What’s going on? What do you need to talk about?”

Raphne was the one who spoke up first on behalf of the group.

With a sigh, I looked away slightly, as if guilty of something, hesitating before I finally spoke.

“Well, what I’m about to tell you… Just know that it wasn't intentional.”

"What's with you, Ken? You always get nervous beforehand, and it's never that big of a deal."

"Y-yeah… it really isn’t a big deal this time either, but…"

Maybe Emily was right—I was getting worked up for no reason. After all, I hadn’t really done anything wrong.

But still, the reaction the three of them might have when I pulled her out was what worried me. It wasn't like I intended for anything to happen, but when someone I hadn't seen in a while showed up, I knew she’d be affectionate.

To prevent any misunderstandings, I felt it necessary to sit everyone down and have this conversation.

That’s right.

What I was about to bring out now—

Was the magic sword, Tirfione.

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