Chapter 292 - And the Wedge-Fragment Walks the King's Path
"—So, what's the verdict?"
"Well—to put it mildly, it's 'awesome.'"
After finishing a detailed check of my Terror Armament's stats, which had evolved without a hitch.
I opened and closed my left hand, rotating my wrist to get rid of the strange feeling… and gave a thumbs-up with my free right hand to the weaver, who was looking at me with a face full of confidence.
"…That said, I never thought this thing would end up like this."
That 'surprise' was directed at the two 'swords' that had, strangely enough, followed similar paths. The first was [Everquartz, the Sky-Soaring Crystal Sword], which had recently settled onto the middle finger of my right hand as a 'ring,' and the other—
[An-ru Galta (Hypothesis: The Wedge-Armor that Sings of the King's Path)]—the Terror Armament that had transformed into something other than a 'sword' and now occupied my left arm.
Its new form, fitted onto my left arm, could be described in a single word: a wide bangle. The white-gold brilliance settled perfectly just below my wrist, in a position that didn't hinder the joint's range of motion.
The intricate engravings that had adorned the blade even in its iron-lump days now functioned properly as 'art,' having taken the form of an accessory.
—Well, just like the white sword, this thing's accessory form is just a shell.
In any case, it was a relief that it didn't conflict with my almost glove-like [Stake Gauntlet, the Meteor Serpent Gauntlet]. Even worn over the leather covering my forearm, I didn't feel any stylistic mismatch, at least not to my eyes.
"Terror Armaments, by their nature, can change shape drastically depending on the experience they accumulate. In that sense, it's your Anima that's the strange one."
At the very least, she had never heard of anything changing from a 'sword' to a 'ring'—Kagura-san said, not with exasperation, but… no.
She said it while looking at my right hand with an extremely amused expression.
"With fun toys on both your right and left hands, haven't you become even more of a 'Performer'?"
"…I've grown fond of that title, so I don't mind."
However, the problem, if there was one, was that this came with the caveat 'if I can master them completely.' Compared to the left, which seems to have unexpectedly started down the path of a 'model student,' the wildness of the right is just…
No, compared to the actual wild Rabbit Dagger, [Everquartz] is in a different category. It's more like—right, this one is like a rebellious child—OOF!!
"Ow—… that hurt!?"
In an instant, the white sword materialized on its own, and its pommel scored a direct hit on the back of my head.
This is the rebellious phase, mercilessly chipping away at my HP right in front of a wide-eyed Kagura-san. It spun once in the air as if to make a parting remark before transforming back into a ring.
"Tch…, …………"
"………………Pfft, guh…!"
Dammit…! I'm sure it looks like a complete gag from the side, but my vision is literally filled with stars and I was even forcefully stunned…!!
"H-Huhu… Y-You, that's a 'special grade of personality' right there…! Anima are originally 'equipment with a will,' but I've never seen one so distinct…!"
As the magitech artisan clutched her stomach, laughing at my undeniably 'unique' situation, all I could do was shoot her a resentful glare.
That's right, I can't talk back to Kagura-san, and I can't complain to it either.
As Halzen-san put it, 'You've really gotten on its bad side'—the cause of which was none other than myself, for having treated my weapon so carelessly.
…You'll cheer up eventually, right? I won't kick you around anymore.
Well, it's less 'I won't do it anymore' and more 'I can't do it anymore,' to be precise.
"Alright… anyway, the 'request' is complete for now—ah, don't you dare start saying some nonsense about payment now."
"You have my word. I'll repay you in full with my future activities."
It was truly a moot point between us now.
I had no intention of being disrespectful to the artisan I held in such high regard—thinking this, I flashed her a grin, and Kagura-san cheerfully poked me in the chest.
"Then get yourself out there on an 'adventure' already, and bring me back a new material or two that I don't know about. I can't stand being bored."
"Isn't that asking for a bit too much—Ah, yes, yes, your wish is my command…!"
As always, her straightforwardness was refreshing… and yet.
What I could feel from the delicate fingertips of the hands pushing my back, seemingly trying to shoo me away—hands that belied her own reliable image—was a feeling she had no intention of hiding: pure, unadulterated good humor.
…In that case, maybe I'll head out on a long trip in search of some unconfirmed enemies? If it's an order from my exclusive magitech artisan, there's no way I can refuse—
Fortunately, these prized legs of mine excel at 'charging ahead,' just as she desires.