The man, hearing Celia's retort, rolled his eyes thoughtfully. He lowered his raised arm and spoke slowly, squinting.
"I just want to know why you're ordering the components smelted. You have to understand, as Blacksmiths, every component we forge is like our own child. To have them destroyed on a whim... it breaks our hearts!"
As he said this, his expression remained unchanged, even adopting a mask of grief. He made it sound utterly believable. The Blacksmiths and Engineers behind him nodded in vigorous agreement, murmuring, "Yes, that's right... It's truly heartbreaking."
"Pfft—"
At that moment, Ethan, hidden beneath his hood, couldn't suppress a derisive snort.
The sound of his laughter made Celia's face pale. She knew it was over.
Sure enough, the next instant, the bare-chested, bald Blacksmith raised his hammer again, this time pointing it at Ethan.
"Who's the dumbass in the cloak? What's so funny?" he snarled.
