hpsts

As for you, no matter how comfortable you are at Rhodes Island, part of you will always be on the snow-covered mountains of Kjerag. You'll always remember the teachings of your father and grandfather.

I'm asking you, not as a blacksmith but as a friend, to let me continue repairing the shield.

Leave it to me. I'm sure you will be happy with the result.

Vulcan wasn't at the meeting just now, was she? I was working with her a few days ago, but I haven't seen her in the workshop lately.

She's looking for a new type of metal to repair Matterhorn's shield.

His shield?

But wasn't it heavily corroded by poison? I couldn't get that stuff off, no matter how hard I tried.

I thought he'd give up on it?

Yes, but I had a chat with him, and apparently Vulcan told him she could fix it.

Seriously?

You're new here, so you probably don't know that it used to be just her repairing everyone's weapons before we got more people in the department.

I even heard that she once forged a legendary weapon, which shook heaven and earth when it left the forge!

It made all of Rhodes Island tremble... possibly a little exaggerated, of course, but she definitely lives up to her code name.

Oh, how I want to bear witness to her work...

Is she in the workshop? Can I go watch after I finish my work?

Nope, she went out to hunt for ore after assigning my duties.

She's probably digging around in a cave somewhere.

Careful, girl! A big monster lives in that hole. No one dares get close to it.

Trust me, plenty of folks have come looking for gold or treasure, but very few have returned.

And with a leg like that! You're walking into a death trap.

Just keep your distance, sir.

*sigh* Young folks these days.

Phew...

Here. Not far from the projected position.

Environment and scale are within projections.

The terrain may present some difficulties, but the bait and sedative are ready.

Kjerag steel is forged in a way that makes it stronger in a cold environment. It will take the perfect replacement to repair it.

A few years ago, I found a small piece of crystal on an Originium slug. It had absorbed the slug's secretions, making it extremely strong.

The well is about 300m deep. My gear checks out.

...I think I got something!

Good, they're all out cold.

Don't worry, this won't hurt... all I need is some of these crystals...

Oh no, there's another nest in back!

Completed deposit and strength testing under different temperatures.

Layering looks like it can work well. Layering steel with materials that have high tensile strength helps keep the weapon together during impact.

I need to think about quenching time and temperature, however.

I tried a partial quenching a couple of days ago, and the metal shattered.

More precise temperature control is required.

I'll need to remove this shelf to make room in the workshop.

Columbia really does make fine machines.

...Let's start.

Highlight composition ratios, oxygen levels...

Setting temperature and time based on this...

Adjust the angle... increase temperature... initialize...

Alright, that's close to maximum!

There we go!

*cough* A new forging method—

Test successful.

Vulcan? What are you doing here?

Good morning, Instructor Dobermann.

Can I use the training facilities to test this shield?

Of course.

Should I grab a trainee or two to help you out? Practicing with a veteran will do them some good.

Even better, thanks.

Ready, Instructor!

That's not enough. Don't hold anything back. Throw everything you have at the shield.

Don't worry about injuring me.

Instructor...?

Do it. Vulcan is a lot stronger than you are, and she's forged this shield using a new method.

Yes, ma'am!

*pant*... *pant*...

Well?

Can I ask you to give it a try yourself, Instructor Dobermann?

Sure.

Ready!

Go!

Nice shield!

C-Closure! Excuse me...

What's up?

Did... did Vulcan really make a weapon that made Rhodes Island tremble?

Who told you that?

Two weeks later...

Whew—

All done.

And right on schedule.

There's time for one more round of tests before the deadline.

Excuse me, Vulcan, are you there?

Come in, please.

I've fixed your shield.

I...

Sorry, Vulcan, I didn't think you would actually pull it off...

Try it.

It... it really is my shield!

You really made it good as new!

Yes. I used a new forging method, and found a mineral with the right tensile strength to supplement the steel.

It's not quite as cold-resistant as the original, but the layered structure allows it to maintain adequate strength even in extreme conditions.

It's every bit as strong as it was. I didn't do anything with the shape, but I've added some Originium circuits in the back. They're automatically triggered and don't require the user to be skilled with Arts.

Don't test it here, though; do it with the equipment at the training grounds.

I...

I never thought... I didn't think it was possible, but you...

In just two weeks?

Two weeks was plenty.

I didn't know... When you went on a field trip a few days ago, I thought it was going to get delayed...

Thank you so much, Vulcan.

This is my job, after all.

I do this to help operators fix their weapons, meet their needs, and allow the equipment to perform at its best.

Each person's armament means something different to its owner.

As a craftsman, I strive to deliver the best results.

That's all.