The rhythmic clang of steel stopped as Tsubaki set down her hammer, wiping the sweat from her brow. She looked up—and blinked.
Leaning casually against the workshop doorframe was Lucas, wearing that same smug grin she knew too well. But the figure standing behind him? That was new.
Not that the girl's beauty wasn't striking—it absolutely was—but what really caught Tsubaki's attention was her presence: calm, radiant, and sharp enough to command the air around her.
And, more shocking than that—Lucas had company.
The man she knew was a total lone wolf. He didn't team up, didn't hire support, didn't trust anyone. Yet here he was, standing next to someone who looked like she'd stepped out of a painting.
Now this, Tsubaki thought, was worth seeing.
"Well, well," she said with a raised eyebrow. "You're not gonna introduce me?"
Lucas's smirk widened just a fraction. "Jeanne d'Arc," he said with a touch of pride. "New member of my Familia."
As expected.
Tsubaki gave him a knowing grin. "Ahh, so that's why you're here. Custom weapon and armor set, right? Don't worry. For old times' sake, I'll give you a discount."
Lucas's smile didn't falter, but inwardly, he grimaced.
A discount, huh? Knowing her, that probably means a few less zeroes… from the bill she's about to drop on me.
He held out a leather-bound notebook. "Here's the equipment concept I designed for her. You're the professional, of course—feel free to make adjustments as needed."
Tsubaki slipped off her gloves and flipped through the sketches. Her eyebrows shot up. "You drew these? Huh. Didn't think you had it in you. Not bad—clean lines, solid form, and the composition's actually pleasant to look at. Better than half the hammerheads in my Familia who think aesthetics means 'hit it until it shines.'"
Lucas only smiled, saying nothing.
His Skill—Heart of a Scholar—was doing its job.
Heart of a Scholar
· Increases grace and refinement.
· Hard work always yields results.
· Greatly enhances intelligence, learning, artistry, and design sense.
· Magic and crafted tools become more intricate and effective; aesthetic and functional quality rise together.
With that Skill amplifying his memory of Jeanne's original armor from his old world, the concept practically drew itself. Turning that sketch into an actual battle-ready set? That was Tsubaki's problem now.
"You really shouldn't underestimate my sense of style," he said with mock offense.
Tsubaki chuckled, handing the sheet to Jeanne. "Take a look, Miss d'Arc. If you're satisfied, I'll start the work."
Jeanne studied the sketch. The design—elegant, functional, and pure—felt like an extension of herself. It fit her so naturally it was almost eerie.
"This will do," she said simply.
"Perfect." Tsubaki grabbed her measuring tape. "Hold still. I'll need your dimensions for the mold."
Once the measurements were done, she started jotting notes on a clipboard. "Alright, come back in two days for a fitting. We'll fine-tune the joints and finalize the plates after that."
"Thank you, Miss Collbrande," Jeanne said with a polite bow.
"No need for thanks, just business," Tsubaki replied, grinning wickedly. Then she shot a look at Lucas. "I mean, who am I to turn down a man so eager to throw money at me? Right, Lucas~?"
Uh oh.
Lucas felt the alarm bells ringing in his soul. "Hold on. Don't you scam me, woman. We're keeping this under 200,000 Valis—total. Weapons and armor."
Tsubaki blinked. Then her expression twisted into disbelief.
"Two. Hundred. Thousand?" she repeated slowly, voice climbing with each word. "You trying to insult me? I charge more than that just to sneeze in your direction!"
Lucas countered instantly. "Hey! My armor was made by you, wasn't it? Only cost me 49,900 Valis!"
"That was a scrap-metal practice run!" she barked. "You picked it out of my reject pile, you shameless bastard!"
"Still works, doesn't it?"
Tsubaki pinched the bridge of her nose, visibly restraining herself. "500,000 Minimum. Non-negotiable."
Lucas's face went pale. "500,000?! That's Level 4-tier pricing! For a Level 1 adventurer!"
"Then maybe try not being poor," she shot back.
"Dearest Tsubaki~" Lucas wheedled, switching tactics, "we've been friends for years, haven't we? Surely there's a special—"
"You have no special," she cut in flatly.
"…"
Jeanne stood awkwardly to the side, watching them bicker with the kind of intensity usually reserved for battlefield negotiations.
After thirty minutes of heated argument and "friendly bargaining," Lucas caved.
Final price: 499,900 Valis.
Breakdown:
· Weapon — 299,900 (Custom flag lance + one-handed ceremonial sword)
· Armor — 200,000 (Full plate set: helm, gorget, gauntlets, greaves, waist guards)
Bonus: three complimentary training weapons.
"Pay up," Tsubaki said, hand outstretched expectantly.
Lucas sighed dramatically, pulling out his coin pouch with all the enthusiasm of a man facing execution. He counted each coin with excruciating slowness, holding the bag just out of reach.
Tsubaki rolled her eye. "Look at you, acting like it's your last meal. You're an adventurer, not a miser."
She reached to grab it, only for him to instinctively pull back.
"Seriously?" she muttered, then yanked hard, prying the pouch from his grip. "It's just five damn thousand! Quit whining, cheapskate."
Lucas stared, deadpan. "Just"? Easy for you to say, you forge queen.
He rubbed at his temples. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to earn that kind of Valis? That's my—"
"Yeah, yeah," she cut him off. "Cry me a river. You're lucky I'm even taking this job. Now stop complaining before I change my mind."
He could only sigh and offer a strained smile. "You're a saint, Tsubaki. Truly."
"Damn right I am," she said, already turning back to her forge. "Training weapons are in that barrel by the door. Pick a few and scram—I've got work to do."
That line felt suspiciously familiar.
He and Jeanne exchanged a glance, then shrugged. No point arguing.
Following her instructions, they each grabbed a weapon—Lucas picked a solid ironwood longsword and staff, Jeanne a balanced lance.
"Alright," Lucas said, slinging the training gear over his shoulder. "Jeanne's armor's in your hands, Tsubaki. I'll check back in a few days. Oh, and about my own gear—"
"Already working on it. Pick it up later," she replied without looking up.
"Got it."
Before leaving, Jeanne gave a polite curtsy, her poise and grace impossible to miss.
Watching her go, Tsubaki whistled under her breath. "Damn. How the hell did he end up with someone like her?"
Business done and still early in the day, Lucas and Jeanne decided to swing by the Sixth District's open market.
The Sixth District—Orario's beating commercial heart.
Warehouses, trading houses, merchant guilds, and caravans lined every street. The air buzzed with haggling voices, clinking coins, and the scent of spices and sweat. It was also a notorious hotspot for pickpockets and con artists—enough that the city's guards kept a constant patrol presence.
As they wove through the bustling crowd, Jeanne's eyes lit up. "It's so lively! Compared to The Retailer, this place feels… more real. Like it's alive."
She wasn't wrong. Despite the chaos, the streets were clean and well-organized, stalls neatly lined up with colorful awnings and shopkeepers shouting over one another.
Lucas smiled faintly. "Yeah. This is Orario at its best."
They strolled lazily through the food stalls, sampling bites and browsing wares.
Then, Lucas's gaze snagged on a sudden commotion up ahead.
"Hmm?" he murmured.
"Stop right there, thief!"
A man darted through the crowd, clutching a pouch to his chest. He barely got three steps before a blur of red intercepted him.
A sharp kick to the side—impact like a gunshot—and the thief went down hard. The red-haired woman landed gracefully, pinning him with a boot and twisting his arm behind his back in one clean motion.
Lucas blinked. "…Wait. Did I just see a shoplifter in Orario?"
Jeanne didn't get the joke—her eyes were fixed on the redhead's insignia.
"That emblem…" she murmured. "That's the Astraea Familia."