We all had a meal together as a family...
Drank tea after dinner, chatting and laughing...
And then, to get to the real reason we came to Snowlake, we headed to Dad’s workshop.
Just like before, the first floor of the house was still the shop and the forge.
The shop had gotten a bit bigger, but the forge hadn’t changed a bit.
Just as I remembered it.
According to Dad, everything is arranged with purpose, and even the slightest change in placement can throw off his sense of balance.
To that same Dad, I showed the broken Snow Crystal sword.
"Hmm..."
Staring at the sword for a while, Dad let out a noncommittal sound.
"This thing sure snapped cleanly."
"What do you think? Can it be fixed?"
"Hey now, who do you think I am? I’m the genius blacksmith, Age."
"Then...!"
"But... it’s gonna be a little tricky."
My shoulders slumped.
Don’t get my hopes up just to crush them...
"It’s no good?"
Licorice, who had been watching quietly with me, asked softly.
She was trying to stay composed, but I could tell she was worried.
"Is this sword something you made, young lady?"
"Hey! Don’t treat me like a kid, okay? I’m a proper lady!"
"Oops, my bad. What’s your name?"
"Licorice!"
"I see. Well then, nice to meet you properly, Licorice."
"Heh, you should feel honored. Getting to know someone like Licorice-chan? You’re one lucky guy. You can brag about this for the rest of your life, hmph."
Licorice kept flashing smug grins.
But Dad didn’t seem fazed in the slightest.
Maybe that kind of calm comes with being a parent?
Something to learn from, honestly.
"So, Licorice. You said you made this?"
"Nope. A friend of mine did."
"I see... hmm."
Dad stroked the beard on his chin, deep in thought.
Once he’s like that, he won’t come back for a while.
"Is it really that difficult?"
"Probably."
A normal sword, once it’s broken, that’s usually the end of it.
Even if you put it back together cleanly, the break line remains, and the strength becomes questionable.
If it were just a chipped blade, that’d be one thing—but fixing a broken sword is nearly impossible.
...I remember hearing something like that from Dad when I was little.
"There’s a chance, though."
After a long silence, Dad finally spoke.
"Really?"
"I can’t say for sure. It’s just a possibility."
"Even so, if there’s a chance, please! I’m begging you!"
I stepped forward and bowed deeply, leaning in with urgency.
Seeing me like that, Dad gave a wry smile.
"Whoa there. What’s gotten into you? I always thought you were the quiet type—but you’ve turned into a man while I wasn’t looking."
"That’s because... this sword is really important to Licorice."
"...Fate..."
"So if there’s any chance it can be fixed, I want to do whatever it takes. I will do it!"
I spoke firmly, with conviction.
Hoping that even a little of what I felt could be conveyed that way.
"You’ve really grown up..."
Dad smiled gently and patted my head.
If you’re going to say I’ve grown, I kind of wish you’d stop patting my head…
But, well, it doesn’t feel bad, and in fact, I’m kind of happy about it.
"Um... Dad, so what’s the verdict?"
"If we have a certain material, it should be possible to repair it."
"A certain material?"
"The sword made by the fairy is special. Its crafting method is quite different from what humans use. That’s why, even if the blade breaks, it can be repaired. We can even make it stronger than before."
"Ohhh..."
Why is Licorice so impressed by that?
Since it’s a fairy sword, I’d think Licorice, being a fairy herself, would already know about this...
Well, it’s probably because, knowing Licorice, she either forgot or never really learned about it.
"Excuse me, sir. What is this certain material?"
"It’s a mineral called mithril. Have you heard of it?"
"I’ve heard of it... It’s not just any metal, it’s a very rare one that contains magical power."
"Correct. Because it contains magic, it pairs well with fairy swords. I can’t say it’s a certainty, but with the right approach, it should be possible to repair it."
"So, we just need to get that mithril, right?!"
"Calm down. Mithril is an incredibly rare mineral. It’s not something you can just pick up anywhere."
"I see..."
Such a shame.
If I could buy it at the store, no matter how expensive it was, I’d somehow manage to get it.
"It’s too early to give up."
It seems like Dad was hiding some information. He gave a mischievous grin.
"There’s a dungeon not too far from here. The rumor is that mithril is lying dormant there."
"Really!?"
"I haven’t heard of anyone actually getting it, so if the rumor is true, it should still be there."
"Alright!"
In my excitement, I raised my hand without thinking.
Seeing me like that, Sofia smiled warmly.
"Heh, Fate is still Fate, after all."
"Huh? Huh? What do you mean by that?"
"Well, what do you think it means?"
Sofia beamed happily, clearly in a good mood.
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