Cornflower Witch

Chapter 441 The Forging of the Evil-Slaying Silver Blade

Upon hearing Silti's request, the clerk glanced at the documents in her hand and the girl opposite her, her expression troubled.

"Are you sure you can do this? The materials are very precious, and if the processing fails, the losses will be huge."

"How about this, you practice with relatively low-level materials first, otherwise it will be difficult for me to apply for it for you." As the counter clerk here, she would be fined if she rashly assigned the task to the wrong person.

Hearing the other party's reply, Hilti wasn't angry. After all, she was only a second-tier apprentice, and it was indeed difficult to gain people's trust by accepting a task that even a fourth-tier mage might not be able to take on.

"What kind of work do I need to produce to gain recognition?"

"At least you need to create a Tier 3 artifact with the same enchantment," the other party explained.

"I can help you sell it on your behalf and apply for a waiver of intermediary fees."

“I understand.” Hiltiya then looked at the raw materials that could be exchanged and traded.

If it is a Tier 2 material, it can be crafted by an excellent blacksmith and enchanted with high quality to achieve the same quality as Tier 3. However, if you are pursuing the ultimate and best effect, it will definitely be better to use Tier 3 materials.

However, since it's a demonstration of skill, there's no need to push the limits. Hilti chose two chromium silver ingots (second tier), a small amount of Hilti gold (third tier), and considered the gem powder needed for enchanting. The ruby ​​she had just obtained was just right.

Leaving the mission hall, Hilti turned and headed to the academy's furnace room, where many rooms were available for rent to students or school members. The furnaces and equipment were of high quality and could spew out high-temperature flames as needed.

After arriving and explaining her purpose, a staff member introduced herself to Silti.

"Are you looking to rent the furnace room? It's divided into different levels depending on your needs, with the lowest being level two and the highest being level five, which generally correspond to the forging of creations of the same tier."

"I see you're a beginner, so I suggest you choose level 2 to practice, as the rental fee is cheaper."

……

"Trying to create a third-tier creation right off the bat? That's quite ambitious, but be careful not to hurt yourself."

"The rental fee for a level 3 furnace room is 10 gold coins for half a day. Let me see, so you are the top freshman this year. According to the rules, you can get a 30% discount, so it only costs 7 gold coins."

Hilti gave her seven gold coins, and then the other party led her to a furnace room, where they explained the functions of each piece of equipment to her.

"First of all, this is a place for smelting and forging metals. If you have taken the relevant courses, you should know how to make your own molds. As for the combination of metal components and the forging effect, that is more complicated. Each school of thought has its own secret formula."

Hiltiya looked at the pipes connected to the side of the device. They seemed to be connected to some underground place. Once the switch was turned on, high-temperature flames would gush out. These flames also had some 'golden vapor' properties, which could effectively help melt and shape materials.

No wonder it costs 10 gold coins; the cost is indeed not low.

Besides the smelting and forging equipment, there are also different coolants and processing devices for grinding and cutting. Various tools are also hung on the walls, providing everything you need.

After explaining the purpose and usage of various devices, the other party finally told Hiltiya some precautions.

"In case of an accident, press the emergency button on the wall and staff will come to handle it. Please be careful."

"I understand, thank you."

After that, the other party left, leaving Hilti alone in the furnace room.

After taking out the metal ingots from the carrying box, Hiltiya first familiarized herself with the equipment before starting to smelt the metal.

She pulled down the handle, and blazing red flames immediately poured out of the nozzle, the scalding air illuminating her face, while her hair and clothes flew wildly.

After experimenting for a short while, Hilti stopped.

She glanced at the tools hanging on the surrounding walls, then touched her own clothes, and shook her head slightly.

After an afternoon like this, her hair and clothes will probably turn yellow, so she needs to prepare some protective measures.

There were indeed those thick heat-insulating suits in the room, but they were for public use. Hilti didn't really want to wear them; the girl had a slight case of mysophobia and wasn't used to using things that other people had used.

After thinking for a while, she took a few steps back, closed her eyes and meditated, then opened them again, and a pair of pale blue 'demon hands' appeared in front of her.

Directing those 'magic hands' to grasp the tools on the platform, Hilti moved to action.

Flames erupted again, but Hilti stood far away, watching the metal melt in the flames, and then remotely commanded the demonic hand to perform various operations.

First, the metal is melted, then poured into the standard blade mold provided here, and then the sword blank is taken out and forged again.

Soon, the room was filled with the crisp clanging of metal being struck. However, the one wielding the hammer was not a real person, but a pair of pale blue 'magic hands'. Hilti stood not far away, using her 'discerning eye' ability to continuously analyze the state of the materials. She then added auxiliary powder to improve the material structure inside the blade and remove impurities.

The second-order materials were not particularly difficult to handle, and Hilti quickly found new techniques through continuous analysis and feedback.

With her skillful operation, the sword blank, originally of 'Tier 2 - Good' quality, quickly improved to 'Tier 2 - Rare'. Such skill is exceptional even among blacksmiths with the 'Golden Steam' attribute. Specifically, it can be described as 'Crafting Quality +3', meaning the quality increased by three levels, from Good, Excellent, Outstanding to Rare.

After obtaining the sword blank of 'Tier 2 Rare' quality, she took out the small piece of 'Tier 3' Xijin again, melted it and forged it into a long strip, then attached this thin strip to the side of the sword blank's blade, and then further tempered and forged it, allowing it to slowly fuse and permeate.

Compared to chrome silver, products forged from Higgin are sharper and more durable, which would greatly enhance the lethality of a sword blade.

After the fusion was completed, the quality of the sword blank finally broke through to the 'Third Tier Standard', and at this time the forging also entered the next stage.

Hilti first placed the sword blank on the platform on the other side, clamped and fixed its hilt, and then ground and cut it to sharpen it. After this process was completed, she began to engrave enchantment runes inside the blade.

Since the engraved lines and veins are inside, they rely entirely on the enchanter's mental power to manipulate the engraving. If the mental power is slightly unstable, the lines will break and become irreparable flaws.

During this process, enchanting mages often use potions or accessories to stabilize their mental process. However, Siltiya doesn't need these. Her mental strength is already strong enough, and enchanting at the third level is not tiring for her.

About an hour later, the enchantment inscription inside the blade was completed.

[Sword Embryo (Tier 3, Excellent)], Enchantment: Sharpness, High Speed

After finishing, Hilti removed the sword blank, fixed it again, and then took out tools to begin engraving patterns on the surface, also using the 'Demon Hand' technique.

Compared to using human hands, the precision of using the magic hand is somewhat reduced. At the beginning, Hilti was very slow in engraving, and it took about an hour to gradually become proficient.

Soon, the lines on the outer side of the blade were finished. She breathed a slight sigh of relief, rested for a few minutes, and then began engraving on the inner side again.

By evening, the enchantment lines on the outer side of the blade were finished. The final step was to mix gem powder and incorporate it into the lines to activate the blade.

There are many types of enchantments. Some can be activated without additional materials, while others require the inherent power of the gem to produce an effect.

Half an hour later, the ruby ​​she had recently acquired completely turned into fine powder and merged into the sword. She then made adjustments again until nightfall, when the sword was finally fully formed.

[Demon-Slaying Silver Blade] (Tier 3, Rare); 'Demon-Slaying, Unhealable, Bloodstained, Sharp, High-Speed'

Grasping the hilt, Hilti felt it was very comfortable, and as she swung it, she infused her own elemental power into the enchanted runes, and a faint red glow appeared on the blade.

She tried cutting through the samples in the room, and the large pieces of steel were sliced ​​open as easily as butter, and it was done very quickly with very little force, as if the air resistance had been reduced.

With this sword, her current combat power would probably double, and she could defeat the heroic knight who had been bothering her for so long with just three strikes. No wonder so many people pursue excellent weapons.

Because she crafted it herself, the weight and feel of the blade were adjusted according to Silti's own preferences. After testing it out, she was even a little reluctant to sell it.

Or, let's keep it as a souvenir. She doesn't have any other weapons right now, so carrying a sword would be nice.

After leaving the room, Hiltiah canceled her lease on the furnace room and returned to her lodgings to sleep and rest.

The following weekend, at this time, many students were preparing for their final exams the following week, and there were fewer students in the college area.

Hilti returned to the mission hall and handed over the sword she had personally forged for inspection.

"Did you really make this? So fast!" The saleswoman gasped, covering her mouth in disbelief.

"Yes, I don't know if this meets the requirements of the mission." Hilti recalled that if she used better materials again and learned from her previous experience, she could probably improve the quality a little.

"Wait a moment, I need to contact the appraiser." The receptionist rang the bell again to notify the mage stationed in the mission hall.

Soon, an appraiser carrying a box arrived. He first picked up the sword and examined it for a while, then opened his box, took out several lenses, inserted them into the frames next to his nose, and began to examine and authenticate them one by one. A faint halo appeared on the lenses, and according to his examination, different degrees of patterns and filaments also appeared on the lenses.

About ten minutes later, the appraiser put down the lens and nodded solemnly.

"A very good piece of work, so good that it looks like the work of a skilled expert."

"This sword can be classified as 'Tier 3 Rare,' just one step away from perfection. If it could be forged with better materials, it should be able to break through that barrier." He shook his head slightly with regret.

Hearing the other party's comments, Hilti complained under her breath. She also wanted to use better materials, but unfortunately she didn't have much money and was also a little reluctant to spend it.

Originally, I intended to make one as a temporary tool to test and showcase my skills, but the final product turned out to be quite good, and now I don't even want to sell it.

Upon seeing the results, the saleswoman began to hand over the task of forging the Evil-Slaying Silver Blade to Sylvia, as previously agreed.

"The employer has prepared the materials, and the accompanying personnel will pick them up later."

"The task requires excellent quality. If the final product is only good, we will only pay 20% of the reward. If it is not good enough, we will require you to bear 40% of the loss," she continued.

“I understand.” Hiltiya nodded.

Soon, another staff member came out carrying a metal box. The two went to the furnace room below the mission hall. There was also complete equipment here, but not many people used it, and the price was more expensive than where Siltiya went yesterday.

"Because it's for a mission, the rental fee is free and has already been paid in advance by the employer. You have three days to complete the work. If the time is extended, you will need to pay an additional rental fee yourself," he explained as he opened the door.

Then, the silver metal box was placed on the table and opened, inside which were the materials used, and in the very center was that beautiful silver metal that was hard to look away from.

【Mithril】(Tier 4) is a rare metal material with excellent enchanting effects and outstanding toughness. Even a small amount added can greatly improve the quality of creations.

Under the light, the mithril shimmered with ever-changing light, and the aura it emitted was mesmerizing. When Hiltiya touched it with her finger, a cool and refreshing sensation came from it.

She nodded slightly, then opened her hands, and four pale blue 'magic hands' appeared beside her.

"Let's begin."

For the rest of the day, Hiltiya was immersed in continuous forging and adjustments. The performance of mithril was far better than she had imagined, and it also made her realize that her previous estimates were inadequate.

Fortunately, as long as gem enchantment was not added in the end, the materials could be repeatedly forged and refined. After three repeated trials, Hiltiya finally determined the final plan and began to take action.

The next day at noon, while many people in the mission hall were having lunch, Siltia finally emerged from the underground smelting chamber. She shook her head slightly, wiped the sweat from her forehead with her sleeve, and then walked out carrying the finished silver blade longsword.

Upon arriving at the hall, she handed over the completed sword blade for inspection.

"It's only been a day and a half, and you've already finished?" The counter lady looked at the somewhat tired girl with surprise.

"Yes, I stayed up all night, so I'm a little earlier than usual." She was a bit sleepy at the moment.

Even she gets tired after a day and a half of intense, focused work.

"Wait a moment, let me have someone review and check it."

Just like yesterday, she summoned a familiar appraiser to examine the finished sword blade. The process was very detailed, and it took about an hour before the results were given.

“Amazing!” The appraiser took off his glasses and wrote down the last line of data on the paper.

"This sword is of 'Tier 4 Perfect' quality. I can hardly find any flaws. All performance tests have exceeded my expectations. The values ​​are 30% higher than the 'Rare' level, so I have designated it as 'Perfect'."

Hearing this result, Hilti was relieved and leaned against the counter to take a nap.

About ten minutes later, she was carefully woken up by the counter staff.

"Hedra, wake up. The mission completion report has been filled out for you."

"Ugh, is it all done?" The girl rubbed her eyes and looked at the paper in front of her, with a small box next to it as payment.

"Yes, the reward is 760 gold coins, one piece of mithril, and two 'Tier 3' aquamarines."

"Thank you." Hilti took the box, opened it, and saw that inside was indeed a beautiful piece of mithril and two gems.

After the event, the counter staff looked at the young woman as if she wanted to say something but hesitated. Finally, seeing that she was about to leave, they couldn't help but ask her.

"Miss Hedra, may I ask which mentor you are currently studying under? A student as talented as you is very rare."

After listening, the girl shook her head and replied, "I haven't chosen a mentor yet. This is usually done in the third year, right?"

"I still need to prepare for my advancement and exams. Thank you." With that, she left the mission hall with the small box in her arms.

She didn't want to take on any more tasks today; she needed to go back and get some sleep and rest, as her exams were starting soon.

Watching the girl's departing figure, the counter clerk was immersed in the miracle the girl had created for a long time before remembering her job.

“I almost forgot, I need to inform Mr. Westminster right away.” She walked to the side, printed out a letter, and handed it to a servant on one side of the hall, asking him to deliver the letter to the address on record.

Meanwhile, Hilti returned to her residence, the 'Black Rose Palace,' put down her loot, took a comfortable hot bath, and then fell into a deep sleep on her small bed.

Before she knew it, her first semester at Tethys Academy was coming to an end, and her biggest improvement during this semester was probably in the field of blacksmithing and enchanting.

Three days later, the final exams ended, and as expected, Siltiya came in first place. This time, no one was surprised; everyone seemed to have anticipated it, which puzzled even the teacher.

"Why didn't the other freshmen congratulate Hedra when she got first place? Has she been ostracized recently?" he couldn't help but ask his colleague.

"That shouldn't be the case, Hedra is still very popular."

“Look, quite a few people are coming up to invite her to the Silver Bell Festival’s evening banquet.”

Inside the hall, the freshmen sat in their respective seats, some discussing their grades, some talking about how to spend their holidays, but most of them were focused on the beautiful girl in the hall, as beautiful as a black swan.

"Chief Hedra, may I invite you to join me at the Silver Bell Festival party?" This party includes a dance segment and is a popular occasion for couples to meet.

"No, I extended the invitation first. I would appreciate it if Chief Hedra would consider my invitation."

“How could that be? I already discussed this with Chief Hedra yesterday.”

Surrounded by the crowd, Hilti looked around with a hint of helplessness, wondering how to escape. In fact, she had only learned in the last two days that the Silver Bell Festival included a dance performance.

Finally, to prevent the noise from escalating, Hilti had to raise her hand and announce.

"stop."

"Thank you all for wanting to spend the Silver Bell Festival with me, but I don't want to be in a relationship right now, nor do I want to cause any arguments about it." The girl's soft voice rang out in the hall, exceptionally melodious.

"So please don't invite me anymore. I will attend the Silver Bell Festival, but I won't dance with anyone." She dashed everyone's hopes, which finally quieted the hall down.

Hearing her answer, some people were disappointed but also relieved. Although it wasn't them, it wasn't anyone else either, so at least there was still hope. The worst thing would be if the girl suddenly announced that she had made plans with someone else.

As the crowd dispersed, Hiltiya prepared to leave the classroom. Perrin followed her and whispered a question to her.

"Does Lady Hedra have prepared a dress for the Silver Bell Festival? If not, I can help you prepare one."

“Well…” Hiltiya thought of the outfit she wore to the Silver Bell Festival last year.

Although it's still usable this year, it's a bit rudimentary for her as the freshman leader. After all, last year she only attended as a guest and didn't have to go on stage, but this year she's attending the event as a freshman representative.

"I will prepare."

Sigh, being the chief has a lot of troubles, Hiltiya thought. She might have to go to Lady Grace's place again, or go to 'Wisteria Moon' where Yingzi is.

It would be convenient if she could attend under the name Siltiia, then she could take out that [Gold-sprinkled Silk and Dark Green Lace Dress] and go on stage directly. After all, it's a 'Tier 5 Rare' quality dress, which would be luxurious and dignified enough even for an imperial-level wedding.

(End of this chapter)