The sun hung low, casting long golden rays over the stone streets of Orario as the vehicle rolled through the western gate. The guards stared—not in alarm, but with that peculiar stillness one associates with disbelief. A few passersby slowed their steps, watching the armored machine trundle past. The treads humd, the engine hissed. It was too large to be a cart.
By the ti they arrived at the Hephaestus Familia compound, the workers had already gathered in the courtyard. So leaned against pillars as most of them have have participate in creating so of the parts of the vehicle.
Hephaestus waited by the entrance to her secondary workshop,She watched as the vehicle ca to a halt, Her gaze shifted to Luthar as he stepped down, then to Tsubaki, who remained seated a mont longer than necessary, eyes shadowed beneath the rim of her goggles.
"welco back," Hephaestus said, then she stop and speak again."looks like sobody is enjoying too much to a points she forget to invite "
Tsubaki cracked a smile, but there was sothing off in it—thoughtfulness, perhaps. She didn't reply.
Luthar approached the goddess without a hint of theatricality. "what can we say you were too busy in the docunts."
"do you have no idea why I am busy with docunts," Hephaestus murmured, opening the ledger and flipping a page. She had already prepared the docuntation.
She gestured to the interior. "Co inside. Let's finalize the agreent."
Inside the workshop, the air was cooler. Shelves lined the walls, filled with scrolls, half-finished prototypes, enchanted tools, and locked cabinets bearing the Familia crest. The table at the center bore a single scroll—thick parchnt, freshly inked, bearing terms of collaboration.
Luthar reviewed the docunt of prior arrangent—his exclusive control over the sale and distribution of his weapons, along with stipulations regarding the volu of materials he could acquire. In return, he was granted access to locations of several untapped mines, access to magic crystal supplies. The contract was dense, covering nurous contingencies, but nothing within it was unduly restrictive.
Tsubaki lingered at the doorway, silent, one hand resting on the wall. Her brow was slightly furrowed, her expression unreadable to all but Hephaestus.
The goddess's eyes flicked to her second-in-command. "Sothing bothering you?"
Tsubaki blinked, then shook her head slowly. "No. Just thinking."
Hephaestus didn't press—though she noted the hesitation. Instead, she dipped her pen in ink and held it out.
Luthar signed first,Then Hephaestus, her signature sharp and flowing.
With the docunt sealed, the deal was done.
"now we just need to make a truck which is cheaper, we will also need so rchants" Luthar said.
"it should be easy for you," Hephaestus replied. "I will also look for rchants who interested."
Luthar gave a nod, then turned to leave. As he passed Tsubaki, their eyes t briefly. She didn't say anything,he also sad his goodbye to her.
Once the forge door shut behind him, silence fell again.
Tsubaki stood there, unmoving.
Hephaestus set the quill down and leaned against the table. "You've got that look."
"What look?"
"when confusion are brawling in your head."
Tsubaki let out a breath that was almost a laugh. "You know too well."
"I should."
Tsubaki crossed her arms. "he is ready to teach but his words confused ."
Hephaestus didn't respond imdiately. Instead, she turned her gaze toward the door, where the faint scent of heated copper still lingered.
"So," she said softly, "he's offering to teach you… but might have ask you to join him."
Tsubaki didn't answer.
Hephaestus smiled faintly—wry, not wounded. " I am curious. What do you plan to do?"
Tsubaki's voice was low. "I don't know while he doesn't mind staying as your Familia but does not want to treat sobody else God"
"then what's the problem."
"but having your blessing and n ignoring your exist caught feels weird."
Hephaestus stepped forward and laid a hand on Tsubaki's shoulder.
"you have lots of ti to think about this, but I have to remind you what you will see might not be all flowers."
Tsubaki looked up. "Even if I walked away?"
"I would still be with you," Hephaestus said without hesitation. Then, with a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth, she added, "...and it's not like I can't join him."
Tsubaki blinked, startled. "Wait, A god, following a mortal?"
Hephaestus shrugged playfully. "It'd make history. Imagine the faces of all the adventures. Or Loki's expression. Worth it just for that."
Tsubaki finally have a smile on her face
"You're joking," she said, but there was a flicker of warmth in her eyes now.
Hephaestus grinned. "It's not a joke. I might look serious but even I am looking for sothing new."
Then Hephaestus added, more gently, "You don't need to decide everything now. Just don't run from it because it's strange. Let yourself follow what calls you—even if it's staying with madman,for knowledge"
Tsubaki exhaled through her nose, amused. "Madman, huh?"
Hephaestus's eyes twinkled. "A brilliant one. Just happens to have knowledge to reshape the world and everyone in it."
Tsubaki chuckled. "Doesn't make it easier."
"No," Hephaestus agreed softly. "But it does make it aningful."
There was a beat of quiet between them—weighty, but not heavy.
The ti both of them finish talking
Luthar had reached the gates of the church,
Inside the sanctum, the air was dim and quiet. The humming of arcane circuits and the low thrumming of the newly installed Compact Hyperflux Core pulsed through the stone walls like a distant heartbeat.
He crossed the hall, pausing only once—at the terminal, He tapped a few commands. A schematic unfolded: a crude but functional design for a supply truck—simpler, without any armour basically Old style truck.
The current vehicle, after all, was ant to serve another purpose.
Luthar exhaled, he wanted to rubb his temple unfortunate there was a mask on his face.
There was Too many gears. Too many task.
He closed the schematic and turned toward the heart of the church, where the slab waited,and finally prepare himself to start the main project.
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