The following day, Liebe and Alysa didn't go to class. Instead, they went to the battle club for the second round, which was a one-on-one duel. Liebe ended it in seconds and returned to the forge.
There was a knock at the door.
Liebe said, "Come in."
Alysa entered and saw Liebe sweating, shirtless, with a nosebleed.
Liebe asked, "You okay?"
Alysa said, "Just fine."
As Liebe continued to hammer the metals, he asked, "So what brings you here? Usually, you avoid the forge since you aren't a fan of the heat or the smell of molten metal."
Alysa said, "Yeah, but I was bored, so I thought I might as well talk a bit."
Liebe nodded, "Okay then."
Alysa asked, "What is it made of?"
Liebe said, "Platinum and black titanium."
Alysa asked, "What's its total weight going to be after completion? And how much platinum did you use?"
Liebe said, "About 10 kg total. Around 7 kg will be platinum. The alloy I'm using is called Platinum Heldi."
Alysa frowned, "Platinum Heldi? Never heard of it."
Liebe smirked, "Understandable, because I created it. Usually platinum is rarer and more useful than gold, so most people don't have enough to experiment with."
Alysa asked, "So what did you do to get 7 kg worth of platinum? The titanium I can understand—you used your attribute metal magic. But platinum?"
Liebe explained, "In the last few months, training with Kera helped me a lot. Now I'm stronger than ever. So I went home and challenged Arteos for 40%. That got me gold, platinum, a few other things, and a magic boost. That's how I got it. I actually wanted to make it out of mostly radium and uranium, since they are the most mana-resistant metals. But I decided not to—it would place a huge burden on the user."
Alysa asked, "Why, Liebe?"
Liebe said, "Why what?"
Alysa said, "Why are you saying you wanted to use radioactive metals? Don't you care?"
Liebe said, "I do. That's why I always create with the thought that I will be the user. I know the risks. That's why if it needs to claim a life, then the only one needed is mine."
Alysa teared up. "That's exactly what I mean! You care so much about everyone, but not yourself. Why?"
Liebe said quietly, "I don't know. I suppose, in the grand scheme of things, I never considered my life to be worth that much."
Alysa cried, "Please don't say such things. You don't know… you don't know how I feel. If you were to die, I—"
Liebe said, "You worry too much. Even if I were to die, Licht, Elizabeth, and everyone else would still be there for you. It's easier for me to continue thinking my life is worthless. In the end of the day, I couldn't save anyone."
Alysa said, "You don't understand! Without you, there is none—"
Liebe placed his hammer on the anvil, hugged her, and said, "I can't think of a world without fighting. But because of you, I have a place to return to. A dinner waiting. A home. Without you, I'm no different from an automaton. To you, I might look like a savior. But the reality is, without you, my life is meaningless."
"Dark Magic: Somnus."
Dark smoke engulfed them.
Alysa whispered, "Why…?"
Liebe said softly, "It's best if you forget this conversation. Despite how much I love you."
Alysa fell asleep from the magic. Liebe carried her to her room, then finished working on the armor.
Liebe said proudly, "My finest piece of work is finally done. I will call it… the Drop of Death."