"Ken! I think I woke up feeling the freshest today compared to any other recent day!"

"Well, that's good to hear."

Raphne said to me as she opened her eyes, her hair like a messy bird's nest from sleeping.

On the other hand, I greeted the morning feeling sluggish, with what seemed like dark circles under my eyes.

"This must be because I slept with you, Ken. It's the Ken Feinstein effect!"

Feeling refreshed from a deep sleep, Raphne was full of energy from the morning. It seemed she had been having trouble sleeping lately, so she must be happy to have slept well.

"Hey... Ken, I can sleep soundly if I’m with you."

Raphne then gave me a pleading look.

"Can't we sleep together tonight too?"

"Sorry, but if I sleep with you again tonight, I won't be able to function normally."

"...Aww."

Don't be too disappointed, Raphne. I need to survive in order to sleep together again, don't you think? If we sleep together again tonight, I feel like I'd end up breaking my own head with a work hammer out of sleep deprivation.

‘Is it already here?’

After washing up and having breakfast, I looked out the window to see a bundle lying there. It was probably the materials I ordered yesterday.

‘...To think they managed to gather all of this overnight.’

Annette must be in quite a hurry.

Inside the bundle were Orichalcum, dragon bones, several pieces of pure gold, and large, golden spirit stones.

Indeed, there’s a reason why one can demand any price for such tasks.

I can't even imagine how much all of this would cost in one package. ‘They even included some extra materials just in case there’s a shortage…’

The risk of failure in the repair lies with me, but the one who would be most affected is Annette. She must be hoping for the success of this repair more than anyone.

Of course, I also need to succeed to get the Moonlit Necklace.

“Ken… Are you sure it’s okay not to leave yet? You're going to be late for the Academy….”

Even after finishing her meal, Raphne looked at me, still seated at the workbench, and asked.

From her cautious tone, it seemed she was worried about being late but still slightly wishing I didn’t have to go.

“I’m taking a day off from the Academy today.”

Repairing the Thunder Spear might take more than a day. That’s why I decided to skip the Academy and Siegfried's morning training session today.

“Huh? R-really?”

Raphne, who had shown a disappointed expression, seemed surprised, but her face lit up at my words.

“Wow! Today is the happiest day I've had in a long time! Thank you, Ken!”

She then hugged me tightly and jumped up and down.

She must be really happy.

Seeing her like this, I thought maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to take a break from the Academy once in a while.

‘Alright then, let’s start with the major parts.’

I placed the broken Thunder Spear Aspetra on the workbench.

Thanks to Annette's generous support, I could afford a few failures.

First, recalling the weapon repair techniques I had learned from countless repetitions the previous day, I examined the spear.

One thing I realized from various repairs was that it was easier to fix the major broken parts first and then move on to the smaller details.

The biggest damaged part of the Thunder Spear is the long shaft, which is the spear's core. The central part has been split in half.

‘I should replace the shaft first.’

Fortunately, the most crucial part of this legendary item is the crystal orb embedded in the center of the spearhead. This crystal, said to contain the power of thunder, was completely intact without a scratch.

If this part were damaged, it would be impossible to fix. It was made from the heart of a Thunder Dragon, this orb alone holds immense energy.

Naturally, its durability is also incredible, so it's not easily breakable on purpose.

Since the crystal is intact, the repair of the Thunder Spear can be completed by simply replacing the broken components.

Thus, I first separated the damaged shaft from the blade. Normally, I could try to attach the broken parts in other ways, but Annette demanded a perfect restoration.

So, the only option was to make a new shaft with the same material.

Thankfully, the structure of the shaft itself is simple enough that I can replicate it with my current skills. However…

‘…This design is absolutely insane.’

The problem is the enormous number of runes engraved on the shaft. These intricate designs, almost as complex as circuits, indirectly showed just how extraordinary this spear is.

‘This won’t be done in just a couple of hours…’

While it's not impossible since I only need to replicate the design rather than coming up with it myself, it does require a tremendous amount of concentration and time.

‘…Alright, let's give it a shot!’

I immediately started processing the dragon bone that would become the new shaft.

Raphne had been watching Ken for hours as he sat engraving runes.

'...It's already been five hours.'

Ken was completely absorbed in his work with astounding concentration, not wavering for a second. Raphne, who had been watching him from the side the whole time, thought to herself,

‘…He's amazing.’

His intense gaze and serious expression. Even to Raphne, who knew nothing about crafting, the meticulous work that caused him to sweat seemed incredible.

She couldn’t take her eyes off the engrossed Ken. While she had always found watching him work interesting, for some reason today, seeing Ken so dedicated to his task made her heart race.

Raphne, who was assisting him from the side as much as possible without interfering, lost track of time as she gazed at him.

‘...Why didn't I ever notice this side of him before?’

Her heart pounded within her chest. Within it lay hidden memories of the past.

Raphne recalled how a year ago, she used to belittle and torment Ken.

‘...Ugh.'

It was a dark past that she now wished she could erase. Every time she thought of it, she felt regret and pain. However, when she let her guard down, the memories suddenly resurfaced.

Ken's fearful expression as he looked at Raphne. The image of Ken being hurt by her words and actions. She remembered his shoulders trembling.

Even when she closed her eyes and shook her head, the scene wouldn't disappear, tormenting her.

‘Does Ken... also remember those times?’

Watching him work diligently, Raphne held her turbulent emotions in check. The dreams of the previous night floated back to her mind. It wasn’t just the previous night.

Whenever she had nightmares, they were always the same. The content was Ken looking at her with rage-filled eyes as he pointed out her past.

In the dream, Ken would always leave through the door. The dream would end with her left alone.

‘...I’m so selfish.’

Even though it was her fault and his reaction was justified, the sad reason was that she feared being left alone.

She was scared of Ken leaving her side. That’s why she shamelessly acted spoiled and asked him to stay with her.

Raphne often felt guilty and pained like this.

“...Phew!”

"It's done!"

Unaware of Raphne's feelings, Ken wiped the sweat from his forehead and finished crafting the spear.

"Ah, Raphne, can you hand me the finishing materials over there?"

"Uh, uh…"

"Ra-Raphne?"

Engrossed in his work for so long, Ken was taken aback when he turned around and saw Raphne crying.

"Uh, no, it's nothing. ...Sorry, Ken. The finishing materials, right?"

'Is she really okay?'

Although she was crying, she was still able to communicate properly, so Ken decided not to worry too much.

After all, Raphne was always a bit tearful, and it probably wasn't anything serious. Ken dismissed it lightly.

‘...Just need to assemble this now!’

He had lost track of time while repairing the thunder spear.

Time passed and passed until the sun had set and it was already night. He had spent a full day repairing this spear.

Most of the time had been consumed by transferring the design of the runes exactly onto the spear. There were also materials wasted due to several mistakes.

But in the end, he did it. Now, the only remaining task was to replace the cracked shaft.

Ken carefully assembled the Orichalcum spearhead.

He tapped the joints with a hammer and meticulously refined any misaligned parts. As he finished the final sanding,

[System: You have completed the repair of a high-rank weapon. Bonus experience points will be given as a new achievement.]

[System: Your proficiency in item crafting has reached its maximum. Related skills have leveled up.]

[Item Crafting – Repair LV 4, Material Identification LV 2]

“I-I did it…!”

With the system notification shining in front of him, Ken held up the thunder spear, which now gleamed as if it were brand new.

‘Ah, what an emotional moment!’

He had skipped meals and had been working non-stop for over ten hours. His eyes were dry, and his hands were trembling, but the sense of accomplishment washed away all his fatigue.

Although it wasn’t something he had created from scratch, it was a masterpiece touched by his hands. The satisfaction of having repaired it was a rewarding compensation for the day’s effort.

The initial condition of the spear, which had looked like broken junk, had completely vanished. Now, the thunder spear’s appearance was truly like a divine weapon.

The yellow electric currents characteristic of the thunder spear faintly shimmered over its now pristine surface.

“Ke-Ken! Are you crying? Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"

“N-no, these are tears of joy.”

“Oh, um, well…”

Raphne, who had been watching from the side, seemed startled by my reaction as I looked at the completed spear, my nose reddening.

No, I’m not actually sad; I’m moved by the moment.

But Raphne, not knowing how to react, stammered, “It-it’s okay. Don’t cry, Ken.” She pulled me into her embrace and patted my head, just like I had done for her before.

"R-Raphne…? I’m telling you, I’m not sad.”

“...Is that so?”

Apparently, she was trying to comfort me by recalling her own tearful moments.

Even after I cleared up the misunderstanding, Raphne didn't let go of me for a while.

“If… if something really sad happens in the future, I’ll be there for you.”

Her touch felt gentler than usual.

Could it be because she was crying a little while ago?

The heat I felt on the tip of my nose started spreading across my face in embarrassment.

‘...Huh?’

As I blushed and received Raphne’s comforting touch, another system window appeared before my eyes.

[System: The perfect repair of the Divine Thunder Spear Aspetra has been completed. Weapon data has been saved in the category.]

‘...Data of the thunder spear is saved in the category?

...Which means.’

For a moment, a thought flashed through my mind, making it feel like my head was about to burst.

‘Could it be made...? A legendary item that hasn't even been used in the game before...?’ What caught my eye along with the sudden status window message were the remnants from the weapon repair. There, generously provided by Annette, were the materials of Aspetra. ‘No, but there’s no crystal core, which is essential...”

If the weapon information is added to the category, it means it can be made as long as there are materials.

But the most critical component among the necessary materials is the Dragon Heart of Thunder. The crystal core made from that heart isn’t something that can be obtained even with money.

‘...Still, just maybe.’

The hypothetical scenario kept circling in my mind. It was the same theory as creating the Goddess Pendant.

‘If I use a substitute...’

And what came into view was a massive golden spirit stone. This spirit stone, used throughout the Temple as a source of magic, shared the same nature of pure energy as the crystal core of the Dragon Heart of Thunder.

Of course, considering the output, it’s like comparing the sky to the earth. But still. ‘It’s worth a try.’ With my thoughts organized, I picked up the work hammer once again.

“Huh, Ken? Isn’t it over?”

“Sorry, Raphne. I need to rely on you just for one more day.”

“Huh, oh?”

The sensation of repairing the spear just moments ago. I wanted to challenge myself before that familiar feeling disappeared from my hands.

Leaving Raphne, who was flustered, behind, I began to process the dragon bones that would become materials for the spear once more.

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