Chapter 83

I spent the rest of the morning until early afternoon attaching a single fragment. I checked the area where it was attached. There were particles that sparkled—according to Ridi, the magic hadn't collapsed, but it had been cut off at the joint. I traced it with my finger, but I couldn't feel any seam. This meant that it wasn't a physical seam, but rather the magic had been cut off at this point. It didn't feel that way, but it was possible that it hadn't fully joined internally.

If I continued to use it in this state, some problem would eventually arise. It had been heavily used to the point of breaking into several fragments, and if it was repaired and then heavily used again, it could be dangerous. Since it was a weapon, any problem could be life-threatening.

"Ridi, can you see this?"

I pointed to the joint I had just made and showed it to Ridi. Ridi stared at it intently for a while before saying,

"Ah, I see, the flow of magic is cut off here."

"Can Rike see it?"

I handed the sword to Rike. Rike took more time to check it than Ridi did, and then returned the sword, saying,

"I can sort of see it, but my eyes are drawn to the clean joint."

I thought it was a good sign that he could see it, even if only vaguely. I hoped he would continue to grow. The other two weren't specialists in forging or magic, so it was no surprise that they couldn't see it. Still, the fact that they could see something, whether due to the properties of mithril or because they occasionally helped with forging, was a positive sign.

"Ridi, this state is bad, right?"

I thought it was obvious, but if it was to be used only for ceremonial purposes, it would be fine as long as it looked good.

"Yes, ideally, we should restore it as much as possible..."

"Right..."

I folded my arms and thought. If I hammered it flat, it might stick properly, but then I would have to reshape it. Hmm, in that case, I might as well stack the fragments on the remaining part at the base, forge them together like a "pile welding," and then stretch it out. I had confidence that I could restore it to its original shape. It would rely on my cheat, but with this power, it should be fine.

In that case, the problem would be whether Ridi would allow it. The materials would be the same, but it would be almost like a new creation. It would be like the reverse of the "Ship of Theseus," where the question of whether it is the same object remains.

However, even if I just "stuck it together," it was likely that not all the small fragments had been recovered when it broke. A literal "restoration" was impossible. Considering this, there didn't seem to be much difference between sticking it together and reshaping it. The key was whether to prioritize the visual continuity or the performance.

I explained this to Ridi, emphasizing that I could restore the shape perfectly.

"In short, we have two options: attach the fragments as they are or reshape it. I guarantee that both will look exactly the same when repaired."

Ridi was pondering this. If we reshaped it, it would probably take about two weeks. Unlike the rapier, I couldn't freely shape it, and the blade was wider this time, so it would take more time.

However, I didn't know what other issues might arise, so the sooner we started, the better. Ideally, we would start immediately. Of course, once we decided to reshape it, there would be no going back, so it wasn't a decision to be made lightly.

The sound of the charcoal burning in the forge filled the workshop, the only indication that time hadn't stopped. We waited quietly for Ridi's decision.

Ridi, who had been looking down, finally looked up. Her face was serious, her brows furrowed.

"Please reshape it."

"Once we start, there's no going back, is that okay?"

"Yes, please. The most important thing is that it can be used as it was."

"Understood. I'll take care of it."

I accepted the task with a bright smile, in stark contrast to Ridi's almost somber expression. Rike, Sermia, and Diana also sighed in relief.

"Alright, let's get started."

I puffed out my cheeks and psyched myself up. I couldn't let Ridi's determination go to waste; it would be a disgrace to the Aizou Workshop.

The shape itself was a standard longsword, with no particular engravings. I recorded the width, length, and thickness of the blade and used wood to create a puzzle-like structure with the same dimensions. This would make it easier to align the pieces during the process.

I heated the root part with the attached fragments in the forge. Once it reached a workable temperature, I hammered it to form a square. It felt harder than when I forged the rapier. It was important to hammer it thoroughly and carefully to ensure no gaps remained inside.

After a few repetitions, the sword had a small square plate attached to it. I carefully placed the fragments on this plate, tied them down with straw rope, and heated them in the forge. Unlike steel, I didn't have to worry about the oxide layer, which made the process a bit easier.

I heated the mithril to a temperature where the outer layer was slightly melted, removed it from the forge, and quickly brushed off the remaining straw with a hammer. I waited a moment for the temperature to drop slightly before hammering it together. It didn't come together in one go, and the hard feel remained.

I repeated the process of heating, hammering, and folding several times, but it still didn't feel fully integrated, even with my cheat.

Before I knew it, the sun had already begun to set. This mithril was taking longer than I expected. I told everyone I was done for the day and started preparing dinner.