After breaking free from the surveillance of the New Eridu Public Security, Ignis finally relaxed. At least he no longer had to worry about the Cunning Hares' secrets being exposed.
During the time Qingyi was slacking off, they had quite a few conversations.
For example, about Fritz—Emile's father—who had been charged for physically abusing his son, causing minor injuries. He'd likely serve two months in prison and was required to sign a written guarantee not to harm his family again.
The sheriff mentioned that the man had cried hysterically before his son, but there was little true remorse in his expression. Instead, it was Emile who kept comforting his father, pleading for leniency.
If not for Emile's forgiveness, the man would have been sentenced to at least a year and a half.
Children always love their parents unconditionally, yet this father had shown no repentance. He was merely afraid of the prison walls that awaited him.
Ignis could only hope that this gifted child would one day escape that household. He doesn't belong in such a place.
He had to admit, despite being an intelligent machine, Qingyi was very human in many ways. She could draw words out of Ignis, show genuine curiosity toward the tools in the forge, and if not for certain physical traits, one would never sense the cold mechanical nature expected of an automaton.
After sending off the sheriff, Ignis ignited the ether fuel and stoked the forge's chamber. Today, he planned to complete Anby's chainsword—the lady had been eagerly waiting for it.
Drawing on his experience from forging combat daggers, and with the small ether-alloy motor Nicole had procured providing sufficient power, Ignis decided to use the five-layer folding steel method combined with water quenching to craft the blade's teeth.
The materials of this world were unique. Some steels, after ether exposure, gained superior properties—though inferior to ceramite, they were more than adequate for crafting a mortal's chainsword.
As the soft steel enveloped the hard core, the glowing metal slowly fused under the hammer's strikes. The Salamander's earlier irritation faded away, replaced by calm focus.
Fold and forge. Fold and forge again. Ignis used his Fire-Sight to observe how the metals fused, ensuring the hard steel remained at the edge.
He poured his full attention into the process. The five-layered billet gradually took shape, and to ensure enough material, he prepared three bars of steel—each as long as his arm.
Then, using a cutter, he carved out the serrated pattern, reheated the piece, and quenched it in water. The result was a saw blade that satisfied him completely.
He was so absorbed in his work that he didn't even notice when everyone else had gone home. He just kept assembling parts, constructing the hilt piece by piece.
Finally, as the last screw tightened, the mortal chainsword—crafted in New Eridu and powered by an ether battery—was complete.
Considering Anby's height, the weapon was just under a meter long, with a studded guard covering the entire grip. The blade bore no Imperial double-headed eagle; instead, Ignis engraved the insignia of the Cunning Hares in brass and welded it to the blade.
He pressed the trigger, and the motor came alive, spinning the serrated edge. If there was any flaw, it was that the electric motor ran quietly—lacking the fierce roar of a Promethium engine. Fitting, though, for the calm and soft-spoken Anby.
After confirming the mechanism worked, Ignis went to the hall where Anby was watching TV.
"Come, try out your new weapon," Ignis said, showing her the chainsword. "It's best to test it after completion. I can make further adjustments once I see how it fits you."
"I'll go change into my combat suit." Anby hopped off the sofa and ran back to her room. Her face showed little emotion, but the joy in her steps was undeniable.
Ignis didn't have a proper test dummy, but there were old tires in the garage. The steel-threaded polymer would serve perfectly for cutting trials.
Before long, Anby returned in her combat outfit, followed by the rest of the Cunning Hares.
She took the chainsword from Ignis, uncertain of how to use it. The grip fit her hand perfectly; the weight and balance were just right. She swung it a few times—it felt natural.
Yet the serrated blade seemed more suited for something other than slashing—it felt different.
"Try pressing the trigger on the grip," Ignis instructed, noticing her confusion.
Her slender finger pressed down, and the motor roared to life, spinning the teeth at high speed. Anby had never seen a weapon like this before.
"Whoa, that's so cool! Totally looks like something a weirdo would use!" Billy exclaimed, excited.
"This... looks kinda like that maid's weapon, the one who used a chainsaw, nya," Nekomata commented, her tail twitching.
The white-haired girl brought the whirring blade close to an old tire. The tough rubber would've resisted even her old sword, but the spinning teeth tore through the outer layer effortlessly. Sparks flickered as steel wires snapped under the rotating edge.
Three stacked tires were split in two within seconds.
"That's amazing," Billy whistled. "If you hit an Ethereal with that..."
"Ignis! Can this be mass-produced?" Nicole's eyes gleamed with business potential. "This thing could sell!"
Ignis shook his head. "No. The saw blades are consumables, and since they're water-quenched, I doubt anyone else could forge them properly. Making one for Anby is fine. But if you're talking about a cheap mass-production version, why not just buy a regular electric saw?"
"Tch." Nicole clicked her tongue, disappointed at the lost profit.
"Thank you very much." Anby released the trigger. Her golden eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Not done yet," Ignis said, pointing at the grip. "There's a hidden compartment. Try opening it."
Following his instruction, Anby slid it open to reveal a connector.
"I remember you always injure yourself when charging your weapons with your power pack," Ignis said, pulling the connector out. "This one links directly to your electric pack. You can charge and discharge it safely—no more using your body as a conductor. Judging from how you modded your W-Engine, I doubt you'll need my help with this. It's a universal connector."
"Mm!" Anby nodded quickly, a rare smile lighting up her face.
This was a weapon made specifically for her—crafted with thought and care, solving problems she'd long endured. Ignis had truly paid attention to what she needed.
"That's so nice," Nekomata said, watching Anby swing her new weapon in delight. Her eyes sparkled as she turned to Ignis. "I want one too!"
"Sure. I'll make you one when I have time." Ignis didn't refuse—it wasn't that much trouble anyway. "Boss, for making gear for our own team, how much do I charge for labor?"
Nicole, who'd been watching Anby test the sword, blinked. "You're charging labor? I supplied all the materials, you know."
"Of course! Forging is hard work," Ignis said with a grin, dramatically flexing his arm.
"Then settle the payment for all your forging tools first!" Nicole shot back, realizing he was teasing her. "Alright, enough joking around. Get some rest. We've got a big job coming up in a couple of days."