Orario had passed through the warm spring and entered summer.
"It feels even hotter than last time this year..."
The oppressive heat blanketed Orario so thoroughly that just going out for a moment and coming back left your clothes soaked with sweat.
"But that doesn't really matter to us, does it?"
"That's true."
Was it because I had made a contract with Urus, or because I was a blacksmith? Either way, this level of heat was still bearable.
"By the way... is that a new work?"
"Yeah. I tried making it by imitating Excalibur, but... it's not easy."
I had tried to imitate Excalibur and make one myself, but... it had been a complete failure.
Just the size alone was two or three times larger than Excalibur, yet its performance was worse.
"It looks well made..."
"This one doesn't fire a beam, so it's a failure."
"Ah..."
"How did Crozzo make that thing...?"
After setting the failures aside, I opened the window to let some air in and rest for a bit, and a hot wind brushed through the workshop.
"It really is hot... when I'm taking a break, it'd be better to stay somewhere cool."
I closed the window, then took out and used an ice-attribute magic sword and a wind-attribute magic sword.
"Oh, so you deliberately made them weaker?"
"I made them as a test because I thought I might need a delicate magic sword rather than a ridiculously powerful one. I didn't expect to use them like this, though..."
A cool chill spread through the workshop.
I drank some water I had prepared and started thinking about what to make next, and then—
"Bellf, are you there?"
Aiz came looking for me and knocked on the workshop door.
"What is it?"
"...Loki says she's going to Melren to investigate again this time."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah... so... if you don't mind... do you have time?"
"I don't have anything particularly important going on... why?"
"Let's go together."
"Sure."
Aside from the time I had gone to Lacia, I hadn't really left the country before, so maybe I should take this chance to go once...
About three days later,
after applying for leave from Hephaistos, I came to Melren with Loki Familia.
"All right! The investigation starts tomorrow, so have fun and relax today! And make sure you wear the swimsuit you brought!"
Swimsuit?
"Ah, Bellf, you didn't bring one."
"Really?"
"..."
Urus, who was dwelling in my left arm, heard Loki's words and then made a swimsuit out of flames.
"Then I'll give you one."
"I appreciate it, but... this won't disappear later, right?"
"..."
"Hey."
"By the way, why did you bring that sword? You said it was a failure, didn't you?"
"Don't change the subject, you bastard."